Chapter 22: The Satisfied Zhong Youliang

“Mom, I’m sleepy.” Little Zhong Ling had been out playing every day since arriving at the army base and hadn’t taken a single nap. Now, she was rubbing her eyes with drowsiness right on cue.

“Come take a bath. You’ve been playing all day and you’re filthy,” He Yashu said, thinking her daughter was quickly turning into a little tomboy at the base, always running around outside.

“Can I not bathe? Just wipe me down a little?” Little Zhong Ling, in her sweet baby voice, tried to bargain with her mother.

“No way. If you don’t bathe, you’re not allowed to go to bed. I’ll have your dad find you a spot on the floor,” He Yashu rejected her flatly. A cute little fairy being dirty and grimy? Absolutely not.

“Okay…” The little one immediately lost her spirit. He Yashu tossed her chubby daughter into the tub and quickly scrubbed her clean.

“Hahaha, Mom, that tickles! Hahaha!” The little girl giggled as she tried to dodge her mother’s scrubbing. By the time He Yashu was done, she was soaked. She helplessly looked at the slippery little rascal and passed her off to Zhong Youliang, who had just finished rinsing off.

“Go put your daughter to sleep,” she said, grabbing her own clothes to go bathe.

Little Zhong Ling really was sleepy. Zhong Youliang awkwardly patted her to sleep, worried about hurting her. Soon enough, the little one was out cold.

When He Yashu came out, she saw Zhong Youliang gently patting Zhong Ling with a doting look on his face. She thought, This kind of life isn’t bad, and felt her mood lift.

Looking at his fair-skinned wife, Zhong Youliang felt warmth in his chest. During dangerous missions, what he yearned for most was a light at home waiting just for him. He thought he had truly found it—no guilt, just heart-throbbing love.

Without a change in expression, He Yashu lifted the blanket and lay down. Zhong Youliang hesitated again and again, but in the end, held her hand, his eyes filled with desire.

“Take Lingling to the other room,” He Yashu said shyly. She understood what was going on—they were adults—but with the child in the room, she was embarrassed.

“Okay.” Zhong Youliang’s eyes lit up instantly. He quickly took their daughter to the small room.

“Turn off the light,” He Yashu whispered, wrapping her arms around Zhong Youliang’s neck.

Zhong Youliang hurried to turn off the light and held He Yashu tightly in an intimate embrace.

Afterward, seeing Zhong Youliang’s satisfied look, she kicked him angrily. Such a brute, doesn’t even know how to be gentle.

But Zhong Youliang didn’t mind being kicked. Grinning, he tucked the blanket around her.

“Bring Lingling back. Otherwise, she’ll cry again tomorrow,” He Yashu mumbled sleepily.

Thinking about how their daughter cried her eyes red that morning, Zhong Youliang’s heart ached. He quickly brought her back.

Cuddling his wife and daughter, he fell asleep with a smile.

The next morning, Lingling woke up, saw both her parents, and happily touched Dad and poked Mom, giggling to herself.

“You’re awake. Want to go jogging with Dad?” Zhong Youliang asked, worried she’d wake her still-sleeping mother.

“Yes!” Cheng Xuan always bragged that his dad took him running every day. Little Zhong Ling had been jealous for a while.

The father-daughter duo dressed neatly and jogged along the roadside. They ran into several comrades along the way, who all praised little Zhong Ling as a “tiger father’s daughter,” making her run even more energetically.

“Lingling, let’s run together!” The brothers Cheng Xuan and Cheng Hao saw her and joined in, lining up by height as they ran side by side.

“Your dad is too harsh, taking Lingling running when she’s still so small,” Cheng Qian said jealously.

“My daughter takes after me,” Zhong Youliang, in a good mood, didn’t retort. He just looked proudly at his daughter.

“Tell Lingling to visit my house more often. Maybe Liang Xiao will finally give me a daughter.” Liang Xiao had just found out she was pregnant. With two stinky boys already, they were desperate for a sweet little girl.

“As long as Lingling’s okay with it, I have no objections,” said Zhong Youliang, knowing his buddy’s personality. Normally he’d say no, but after a good night, he didn’t bother arguing.

“Since your wife came, you’ve become so easygoing. Should’ve asked her to come sooner,” Cheng Qian clicked his tongue in amazement.