Chapter 6: Not Cold Sleeping Alone at Night?

The sky outside had already darkened. Luo Yaqing sat idly by the stove, her hands propping up her chin, eyes occasionally glancing at the man washing dishes.

Between them, unless she spoke first, he rarely initiated conversation.

Cold and stern on the surface, but in truth, he was attentive and considerate.

Actually… living together like this wasn’t bad at all.

Han Zhixu placed the washed bowls into the kitchen cabinet, glanced at the aluminum kettle steaming on the stove, and filled the thermos with hot water.

“You can wash up now,” he said.

“Oh.” Luo Yaqing looked away from him and carried the thermos into the room.

After washing up, she changed into her pajamas and threw on a cotton-padded jacket before coming back out to sit by the stove again.

Apart from the white incandescent bulb overhead, there was no television in the house, and of course, no mobile phone.

With zero entertainment options, the long night felt a bit hard to get through.

Han Zhixu walked in holding a piece of honeycomb coal with iron tongs. Seeing her still sitting by the stove, he paused for a second before silently replacing the coal.

As he added more water into the aluminum kettle, he couldn’t help but glance at Luo Yaqing. She wore a white pajama set, her long hair loosely cascading down, serene and elegant like a lotus flower in summer.

He had never seen this side of her before.

Though they were married in name, they lived more like roommates. Luo Yaqing would always retreat into her room and lock the door as soon as night fell.

But now… this was strange.

Han Zhixu quietly covered the stove and said with a calm expression, “It’s getting late.”

“…Huh?” Luo Yaqing stood up. “I can’t sleep. The bed’s cold.”

Han Zhixu turned, rummaged through a cardboard box in the corner, and pulled out a hot water bottle. He filled it with hot water and handed it to her. “Hug this. You won’t be cold.”

“…Thanks.” Luo Yaqing twitched the corners of her mouth.

She took the hot water bottle and held it against her chest, but somehow still felt empty inside.

Looking at the man spreading bedding across the wooden platform, she asked, “If I have this, what about you?”

“I’m fine,” Han Zhixu replied without looking at her, focusing on his own preparations.

“Isn’t it cold, sleeping alone at night?”

Earlier that day, she’d helped him air his bedding and noticed the mat underneath was quite thin. The bed, made of wooden planks and bricks, felt dangerously unstable when she lay on it.

Han Zhixu replied, “Not cold.”

“Then is your blanket warm at night?” Luo Yaqing asked seriously.

His ears reddened slightly. He didn’t reply and bent down to grab a yellow enamel basin from under the bed to wash up.

Luo Yaqing followed behind him. “I’ve been afraid of the cold since I was little. I don’t like winter—it feels barren and lonely.”

“Good thing we had central heating at home. Even in winter, the house was warm and cozy.”

“I loved lying in the rocking chair on the balcony, sipping coffee and listening to music…”

She rambled on, sharing details of her former upper-class lifestyle and reminiscing about the world she came from.

Han Zhixu quietly adjusted the warm water, saying nothing. The Luo family was well-off, and Luo Yaqing had grown up pampered.

People raised in that kind of environment often held deeply rooted ideas.

That’s why… she needed to be re-educated.

“Enough.”

His voice was stern and low, suddenly cutting off her enthusiastic chatter.

Luo Yaqing froze. “Han Zhixu…”

She looked at him in surprise, cautiously observing his expression.

Why was he upset?

Was she being too talkative?

She just wanted him to understand her more, to deepen their bond.

“The lights-out bugle will sound in half an hour.”

Seeing how startled and timid she looked, Han Zhixu couldn’t bring himself to be harsh.

Take it slow.

Gentle guidance was better than overwhelming force.

Luo Yaqing breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, but the lights here in the family quarters don’t get shut off.”

She looked down at the water in the basin. “Are you going to shower?”

A vivid image of his eight-pack abs flashed through her mind, and she couldn’t help but feel a little excited.

“Just soaking my feet,” Han Zhixu answered plainly.

“No shower?” Luo Yaqing sounded a bit disappointed.

Han Zhixu nodded. “Mm. I already showered at the army bathhouse when I was at the base.”

“Why not shower at home?” she asked without thinking. “Are you afraid I’ll peek at you or something?”

“…!” Han Zhixu choked on his own saliva.

A proper girl saying things like that?

“Don’t worry, I’m not some uncivilized pervert,” Luo Yaqing declared righteously.

If she accidentally walked in on him… well, that was another matter entirely…

Han Zhixu awkwardly coughed a few times. “It’s easy to catch a cold showering at home in this weather. Last time was an exception.”

Now that he said it, Luo Yaqing realized he was right. Who could handle bathing at home in the freezing winter?

A single stove just wasn’t enough for warmth.

Thinking back on what she said earlier, her face suddenly flushed red. “Oh… I see…”

“Mm. You should get some rest.”

“Okay… Goodnight!”

Clutching the hot water bottle, Luo Yaqing hurried off to her room and flopped onto her bed, groaning in her heart: Why did I have to say all that nonsense?!

As Han Zhixu was taking off his clothes after soaking his feet—

“Ah! I’m sorry—I didn’t know you were taking your pants off…” Luo Yaqing shouted, clutching her blanket tightly and turning her back to him in a panic.

Han Zhixu quickly pulled his pants back up and asked awkwardly, “Did you need something?”

“I brought you a blanket, in case you get cold,” she said, placing it down before quickly leaving.

That night, Han Zhixu had a bit of insomnia.

The Next Morning

At breakfast, there was an extra bowl of sweet egg drop soup in front of Luo Yaqing. It smelled rich—clearly a generous amount of sugar had been added.

By the third and fourth days, she was served fried dough cakes—and even youtiao.

On the fifth day, Han Zhixu gave her something luxurious: malted milk powder.

As she drank it, Luo Yaqing felt both excited and uneasy. This was a major upgrade in lifestyle. She worried he might be using up all his savings.

How much money did he have?

Seeing her staring at the bowl in a daze, Han Zhixu asked, “You don’t like it?”

“I do,” Luo Yaqing sipped it and smiled. “It’s sweet and really good.”

“What were you thinking just now?” he asked.

“I want to go to the clinic tomorrow to have my bandage removed.”

The wound on her wrist was itchy. Though that was a normal part of healing, there could also be complications—like infection or scarring.

Luo Yaqing was cautious with her health, so she wanted a proper check-up.

Besides, superficial wounds could have bandages removed after 5 to 7 days. Deeper ones took 10 to 14. Her injury had already lasted more than a few days.

Han Zhixu calmly chewed his steamed bun and said, “I’ll go with you tomorrow.”

The sudden happiness overwhelmed her. “You don’t have work?”

“I do.”

“Then…”

“There’s a party committee event in the morning. I’m free in the afternoon.”

“Won’t that be too tiring for you? I can go alone, really.”

She felt more reluctant to trouble him now, touched by his kindness.

As he stood up to clear the dishes, Han Zhixu said, “It’s fine.”

“But I don’t want to affect your work. Work comes first,” Luo Yaqing said gently.

Han Zhixu said nothing. After washing the dishes, he finally added, “There’s a car heading to town tomorrow afternoon. If you’d like, we can go together.”

Upon hearing this, Luo Yaqing immediately said, “Yes! Of course I want to go—with you!”

Her voice was filled with anticipation.

Han Zhixu gave her a brief glance, then turned and strode out of the house.