Chapter 51: Sleeping in the Same Bed, Sharing the Same Blanket

Five minutes later.

Out of professional military habit, Zhou Chongshan had taken a quick combat shower, thoroughly washing himself from head to toe.

He casually dried his body, then turned to leave the water room, his hand already on the door handle.

But suddenly, 

Zhou Chongshan’s movements stopped.

A deep frown appeared between his profound eyebrows and eyes.

The husband code, which he had kept in mind, suddenly made him recall what Colonel Zhao Guosheng had said not long ago.

[Husbands who are not clean are going to be driven out by their wives.]

Zhou Chongshan did not think of himself as unclean, since he had washed from head to toe.

However…

He thought about Jiang Rou’s delicate skin and the faint fragrance that lingered on her body.

Zhou Chongshan fell into hesitation.

The man, who had been about to push the door and leave, turned around and stood again beneath the shower.

His dark eyes fell upon a small bar of soap placed on a wooden shelf beside him.

The soap was light pink, with droplets of water hanging from it, still wet and not yet dry.

It was clearly the soap that Jiang Rou had just used.

Once, a pair of soft, delicate hands had held it and rubbed it all over her body.

Zhou Chongshan’s breath deepened, and with a sudden motion, he reached out and grabbed the small bar of soap.

In the water room,

A continuous sound of rushing water echoed again.

This time, the sound of water lasted a little longer.

Soon after,

Zhou Chongshan, with the coolness of the night air and the chill of water still clinging to him, walked into the bedroom.

The bedroom lights were off.

Only the moonlight from outside filtered in, casting some clear shadows on the floor.

When Zhou Chongshan was in the military, marching hundreds of kilometers through the night was a common occurrence.

So, even with just a faint bit of light, he could see clearly.

On the nearby chair, there was a pile of clothes that had been dried and folded, the clothes Jiang Rou had prepared for him to change into.

The large bed by the window was actually designed like an earth kang.

The bed was huge, connected to three walls.

Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua, holding their small quilts, slept on one side.

Jiang Rou slept on the other side.

Zhou Chongshan could see her hand tightly clutching the blanket, her fingers curled up into a small ball, even more curled up than Zhou Xiaohua while she slept.

In the darkness,

He silently curled the corners of his mouth and smiled.

Zhou Chongshan didn’t rush to bed. Instead, he first walked over to the children’s side.

He gently touched Zhou Xiaochuan’s forehead. The temperature was normal, not feverish.

His small face, while asleep, was calm and peaceful.

It was obvious that during his absence, Jiang Rou had taken great care of him, and he had already recovered from his illness.

Zhou Xiaohua, asleep, was no longer the little pitiful thing she was when awake.

She had domineeringly pressed herself against Zhou Xiaochuan, one hand holding onto his neck and one foot on his stomach, completely occupying his embrace.

Zhou Chongshan removed Zhou Xiaohua’s little hand and foot, tucking them back under her own quilt and carefully adjusting the corners.

When Zhou Xiaohua murmured and turned over, he gently patted her back.

This taciturn man had always silently cared for the children in this way.

Jiang Rou lifted the corner of her blanket, stealing a glance at Zhou Chongshan, seeing everything clearly.

He was this kind to children who were not his own.

For her, as his wife, he would surely treat her as if she were a treasure in the future.

Marrying a man like this, she felt that she had gained something.

Jiang Rou’s previously flustered heart had unknowingly calmed down at this moment.

When Zhou Chongshan turned back around,

The two of them exchanged a glance in the darkness.

This time, neither of them avoided the gaze, but silently observed one another.

Zhou Chongshan lay down on the bed, and Jiang Rou pulled the blanket open.

The two of them shared the same bed, under the same blanket.

When three people slept on the large bed, there was still a clear boundary between Jiang Rou and the two children.

But Zhou Chongshan was tall, and when he lay in the middle,

Jiang Rou instantly felt that the bed had become smaller.

The two of them were very close, lying side by side.

With even the slightest movement, they could touch each other.

Jiang Rou felt the continuous warmth emanating from Zhou Chongshan’s body.

The thin blanket, meant for early spring, now felt hot and a little suffocating.

As her mind was in a chaotic state, she heard Zhou Chongshan’s deep, magnetic voice.

“Wife, are you asleep?”

“No.”

Jiang Rou replied softly, inwardly complaining about the unnecessary question from Zhou Chongshan. In this situation, how could she possibly sleep?

It was unbearably uncomfortable, like being tortured with anxiety.

Zhou Chongshan spoke again: “Wife, I want to talk to you.”

Hearing this, Jiang Rou slightly turned her body, opened her tightly shut eyes, and looked at the man lying next to her.

In the dim light,

Jiang Rou couldn’t see clearly, but she could vaguely make out Zhou Chongshan’s profile.

Zhou Chongshan knew that Jiang Rou was listening, so he continued speaking softly.

“Wife, I’ve already told you about my situation before. I also understand yours. No matter what, you’re a high school graduate, and I didn’t even finish elementary school. I should be the one who doesn’t deserve you.”

As soon as Jiang Rou heard this, her heart immediately panicked!

What did this old man mean?!

Did he want to back out of the marriage now?!

What did he think the marriage certificate was?!

And yet he still called her “wife” all the time?!

Jiang Rou was both angry and upset, feeling a heavy discomfort in her chest. She almost sat up from the bed.

But…

“But… Wife, we’re already married. From now on, you’ll be my wife, and I’ll be your man. I can’t give you the kind of life you’d have in the city, but don’t worry, I will treat you well. I won’t let you suffer or feel uncomfortable. I’ll spend my whole life treating you right.”

Zhou Chongshan’s deep voice, like the flowing moonlight, quietly poured out.

The boiling anger in Jiang Rou’s heart was gently soothed by this warmth.

She could tell that Zhou Chongshan’s words were heartfelt and sincere, all coming from the bottom of his heart.

A man who, after adopting two orphaned children of his fallen comrades, had made up his mind not to have his own children.

He was a man who valued promises deeply.

As someone from the 1970s, Zhou Chongshan was still unaccustomed to speaking of “love” or “not loving.”

Instead, it became the phrase “treating you well.”

That was the vow deep inside Zhou Chongshan, and it was his most profound feeling.

At that moment, Jiang Rou felt the man’s solemnity and also sensed his strong emotions.

“Alright. I will also treat you well, and I will treat Xiao Chuan and Xiao Hua well. From now on, we are one family.”

Jiang Rou whispered.

She responded to Zhou Chongshan’s feelings and gave the man an embrace.

Jiang Rou turned around, her slender figure resting against Zhou Chongshan’s chest.

Zhou Chongshan naturally reached out and wrapped his arms around Jiang Rou’s waist, pulling her into his embrace.

The two of them, who were sharing the same bed for the first time, no longer felt any shyness or distance due to the confession in their hearts, and they grew closer.

Jiang Rou snuggled against Zhou Chongshan’s chest.

It was his chest muscles!

The strong soldier’s chest muscles, broad and spacious, gave her a sense of security.

Indeed, he was exceptional!