Chapter 62

The dim yellow kerosene lamp in the room seemed unusually bright in the quiet night.

Lin Guodong had washed himself exceptionally clean today, fearing that Ning Shu might find fault with him.

After spending a few days on the train without bathing, he had already been criticized by Ning Shu.

Now, with Ning Shu fainting and being hospitalized, and him not bathing for two days, if he didn’t clean himself thoroughly today, he worried he wouldn’t even qualify to sleep on the floor.

After bathing and washing his clothes, when Lin Guodong reached the door of the room, he hesitated again.

He and Ning Shu had been married for five years, but they had only slept together twice.

Or rather, they had only shared the same bed twice.

And those two times had not started on good terms.

So now, standing at the door of the room, he felt a bit hesitant.

Ning Shu was also not calm.

The reasons were the same. Although they had been married for five years, she vividly remembered the experiences of those two times, even if they were under the control of the plot.

So the thought of sleeping with Lin Guodong tonight or in the future made Ning Shu nervous, like a girl in love about to sleep with her boyfriend for the first time.

Nervous yet anticipating.

But Ning Shu didn’t dwell on it for long because the door was pushed open, revealing Lin Guodong’s tall figure standing at the doorway.

Lin Guodong felt that since he wanted to live a good life with Ning Shu, he shouldn’t hesitate.

If he hesitated in a situation like this today, it would be another wait before taking the next step.

As a soldier, he understood the importance of timing.

However, despite his calm appearance, deep down, Lin Guodong felt relieved when he met Ning Shu’s and the three kids’ eyes.

“Still awake?” Lin Guodong was wearing long pants and only a vest on top. He probably had just washed his hair, as there were no water droplets, but his hair wasn’t completely dry.

However, he had short hair, so it dried quickly.

It’s true what they say about crew cuts being a real test of a man’s looks. Even in the dim light, his distinct facial features could give anyone a certain feeling.

“I couldn’t sleep at the hospital for two days,” Ning Shu said. But her eyes remained fixed on him.

She was wondering, was he going to sleep here? Should he? If he did, should she take the three kids out? Or what?

But Lin Guodong just sat down at the edge of her bed and said, “Make some space for me to sleep.”

The king-sized bed, ample enough for Ning Shu and the three kids, suddenly seemed tight with Lin Guodong added to the mix.

Ning Shu wanted to suggest he sleep elsewhere, but she also knew that tonight was about getting used to it, so it wasn’t appropriate to ask him to sleep somewhere else.

So, as she shifted her body, she said to the three kids inside, “Move over a bit and give your dad some space.”

Erbao pouted and protested, “Dad’s a grown-up, why does he have to sleep with Mom?”

Ning Shu smirked.

Lin Guodong glanced at him.

Erbao, feeling defiant, lifted his little head and didn’t yield under his dad’s gaze. “Kids usually sleep with Mom, so you can sleep with your mom too. You can’t take my mom away.”

Lin Guodong chuckled softly. “Are you a three-year-old?”

“I’m definitely not a three-year-old, I’m a big kid,” Lin Erbao answered confidently.

He wasn’t like Sanbao, thats little kid.

Lin Guodong sat down on the edge of the bed and started taking off his pants. “Do you know who big kids sleep with?”

Er Bao was stumped by the question, his clear but foolish eyes looking at his dad, who had led him into a trap.

Even clever Yi Bao hadn’t noticed. Right now, his mind was consumed with one question: who do big kids sleep with?

As Lin Guodong took off his pants, Ning Shu’s heart raced a bit faster. Those little leg hairs were surprisingly sexy.

Her gaze shifted upward, and then she blinked and pursed her lips. She wanted to laugh because there were holes in his shorts.

Lin Guodong, being the perceptive person he was, knew the moment her gaze fell on his legs.

But he pretended not to notice, lifting a corner of the blanket and laying down beside her, facing away.

Suddenly, a strong masculine scent enveloped Ning Shu, causing her heart to race even faster, and her body tensed. His chest was against her back, and the pounding sound, like a heartbeat, was indistinguishable—whether it was his or hers.

Lin Guodong felt a bit nervous too.

There was a unique scent on a woman’s body that a man didn’t have.

He couldn’t describe it, but it had a fragrance similar to snow cream.

His heart raced, but he had to let it be. He told Lin Er Bao, “Big kids sleep with their wives.” He said it as if it were obvious.

If only he didn’t lower his gaze when speaking.

When their eyes met, his gaze was so deep it seemed to have a vortex swirling inside. Ning Shu felt herself being pulled into that vortex, her body growing soft.

“You’re lying,” Er Bao accused, interrupting their tender moment.

Ning Shu chuckled. “How do you know he’s lying?”

Er Bao had no evidence. He huffed and turned away, angrily patting the back of his head.

Tonight, Yi Bao slept closest to the wall, Er Bao in the middle, and San Bao next to Ning Shu. She reached out and poked Er Bao’s head. “Comrade Er Bao?”

Er Bao loudly said, “I’m asleep, don’t wake me up.”

Ning Shu replied, “Can you talk while you’re asleep? This kid, why is he so funny?”

“I’m just talking in my dreams,” Lin Er Bao’s reason seemed very reasonable.

Lin Guodong listened to them talking, smelled the fragrance on her body, and felt his nose itching.

His gaze unconsciously stopped on her, from her black hair to her smooth face, and down to her fair neck, and further down… He swallowed, suddenly feeling hot.

At 26, Lin Guodong was in the prime of his youth.

He had been married, had indulged in worldly pleasures, and experienced the softness and beauty of women.

At this moment, lying beside him was his wife, and his young body began to have improper thoughts.

Realizing the situation, Lin Guodong quickly adjusted his body from lying on his side to lying flat, then closed his eyes, silently reciting military regulations in his mind.

Ning Shu turned around and saw him with his eyes closed, thinking he must be tired and asleep.

Indeed, he seemed tired, having traveled on the train for several days and then stayed with her at the town hospital for two days. She felt sorry for him.

Thinking about this, Ning Shu advised the stubborn Er Bao, “Er Bao, you can’t always be against him. Think about it, your dad is usually out there protecting the country, he’s a great hero. He sends back money and tickets every month, buys us new clothes and meat to eat. He’s really good to us, isn’t he?”

Er Bao replied with a tone of grievance, “But he snatched my mom. I didn’t snatch his mom. Why did he snatch my mom?” His voice was full of injustice.

Yi Bao and Ning Shu fell silent.

Ning Shu chuckled softly, “Do you know who his mom is?”

Er Bao’s little head was full of big question marks, and he couldn’t figure it out for a moment.

Ning Shu then asked Yi Bao, “Yi Bao, do you know who your dad’s mom is?”

“It’s grandma,” Yi Bao innocently replied, “Grandma is very good to us.”

Er Bao suddenly realized, “Dad’s mom is grandma, and grandma is good to us, so our mom should also be good to dad, right?”

Ning Shu hadn’t reacted yet. Can it be understood this way?

In silence, Ning Shu and Yi Bao’s eyes met, both feeling helpless.

Finally, Ning Shu said, “Yi Bao, you should teach Er Bao more in the future.”

He couldn’t understand it on his own.

“Ah…” Er Bao sighed again, “Grandma is good to us, so mom, you should also be good to him. I… I can give him a little bit of my mom.”

“Well, be careful when you’re giving,” Ning Shu surrendered and simply rubbed San Bao to sleep.

Er Bao said, “I’ll give some tomorrow,” yawning, ready to sleep.

Yi Bao slept on the inside, looking at dad and mom sleeping on the outside, a smile appeared on his lips.

They have a dad and a mom, it’s really good.

The kerosene lamp in the room was still on. Usually, Ning Shu would wake up in the middle of the night, after all, there was no man at home, just her, three children, and sleep was never that peaceful.

But today, she slept unusually comfortably.

In the cold winter, it’s warmer sleeping together.

Ning Shu held the San Bao’s warm little stove in her arms, feeling the warmth behind her, so she moved back a little.

In the darkness, Lin Guodong opened his eyes. He hadn’t been asleep, thinking about what Ning Shu said to Er Bao, his heart also warmed, warmer than the scorching sun.

So, feeling Ning Shu unconsciously moving towards him, he simply turned over, then stretched out his long arm and pulled the woman beside him into his arms.

Even the warm little stove of San Bao was now in dad’s arms.

Next Day

Ning Shu was woken up by the heat, feeling sandwiched between two heaters. She groggily opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by warmth.

There was a small heater in front and a big one behind. Ning Shu moved a bit, feeling too hot, hotter than a 28-degree air conditioner.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Guodong’s voice came from beside her.

“It’s so hot,” Ning Shu hoarsely replied.

“Wait a moment.” Lin Guodong got up, went out for a while, then came back and lifted Yi Bao and Er Bao from the bed.

Ning Shu fell asleep again, not knowing how long passed.

The Second Day

When Ning Shu woke up, there was only San Bao and herself in bed.

“Mom…” San Bao, who had been awake for a while staring at the ceiling, showed a cute smile when he saw his mom awake.

“San Bao, you’re awake. Why didn’t you get up?” Ning Shu kissed his face.

His soft and tender face was so comfortable to kiss. Then she checked the time on her phone.

It was only six o’clock, still quite early.

“Yeah.” Three Bao nodded, then started to move under the covers.

He wanted to get up. “Mom, go…”

“Wait a moment,” Ning Shu interrupted, checking her shopping app. Today’s deals seemed focused on fruits, with one product being AD calcium milk. It was almost Chinese New Year; were they encouraging her to stock up on fruits?

Blueberries: 4 boxes for 50 yuan each, 28 left.

Honeydew melon: 15 yuan each, weighing between 2.5 to 2 kg, 46 left.

Kiwi: 10 yuan for 5 pieces, 38 left. AD

calcium milk: 6 yuan for 4 bottles, each bottle 220g, 68 left.

Longan: 35 yuan for 3 kg, 36 left.

She wanted everything, so Ning Shu didn’t hesitate to buy. Except for the AD calcium milk, she could wait until Lin Guodong left. She could get longan when she visited the county town. Blueberries, honeydew melon, and kiwi could also wait until Lin Guodong left.

“Mom…” San Bao urged when he saw his mom still not up.

“Alright, alright.” Ning Shu got dressed and then helped San Bao get dressed.

After they were ready, she opened the door, but there was no one in the yard. Ning Shu called out, “Yi Bao… Er Bao…”

After a while with no response, and seeing that there was no one in the other rooms either, Ning Shu led San Bao to the kitchen. There was the smell of cooking in the kitchen.

Ning Shu lifted the pot lids to find two pots—one with hot water and one with white congee.

On top of the congee pot, there was a steamer with steamed eggs and boiled eggs.

Ning Shu washed San Bao’s face and, thinking that plain congee might be bland, she went to pick some baby bok choy.

She chopped it up, stir-fried it, then mixed it into the congee from the other pot, giving it some flavor.

After making the bok choy congee, Ning Shu asked San Bao, “Are you hungry?”

San Bao rubbed his little tummy and nodded, “Hungry.” A smile appeared on his face again.

San Bao was such a cheerful child.

Every time Ning Shu saw him smile, she felt in a good mood. “Alright, sit tight. I’ll dish up the congee for you.”

A child’s stomach couldn’t wait.

Just as Ning Shu was about to have breakfast with San Bao, Er Bao’s voice came from outside, “Mom… Mom…”

Er Bao rushed into the kitchen like a calf. His little cheeks were flushed, and there was a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead.

“What were you doing so early in the morning?” Ning Shu asked curiously.

“I went to exercise.” Lin Guodong came in with Yi Bao.

“Exercising?” Ning Shu didn’t oppose. “Exercising is good.” A strong body means better resistance.

Lin Guodong walked to the stove and found that the white congee he cooked had turned into bok choy congee.

He dished out a bowl for himself, Yi Bao, and Er Bao. Just as the bok choy congee was ready, Yi Bao and Er Bao took their bowls and left on their own.

The bok choy congee was served with boiled eggs, one for each except San Bao.

“Mom, why were me and brother in our own rooms when we woke up this morning?”

Er Bao peeled the shell off his egg and took a small bite, remembering the morning.

Ning Shu grinned mischievously. “I don’t know. You should ask your dad.”

Er Bao snorted at Lin Guodong. “I did, and he said I went by myself. He said I got up to pee in the middle of the night and then went to my own room half asleep.”

Ning Shu chuckled. “Well, I was asleep all night, so I don’t know.”

Er Bao pouted. “I definitely won’t pee in the middle of the night today.”

Ning Shu glanced at Lin Guodong.

He thought Er Bao would still pee tonight.

Lin Guodong also glanced at her, looking calm.

As the family was about to finish breakfast, the village loudspeaker sounded:

“All villagers, please note that everyone is to gather in front of the village committee courtyard at eight o’clock this morning.”

“All villagers, please note that everyone is to gather in front of the village committee courtyard at eight o’clock this morning.”

“All villagers, please note that everyone is to gather in front of the village committee courtyard at eight o’clock this morning.”

The loudspeaker repeated the message continuously.

It was the voice of the village chief.

The village chief walked from one end of the village to the other with the loudspeaker.

Ning Shu asked, “What’s going on? Why do we have to gather so early in the morning?”

Lin Guodong thought for a moment. “I talked to Hongfa Uncle yesterday about river safety measures, so it might be related to that.” But he wasn’t sure.

“You talked about it already? So quickly? What did you say?” Ning Shu was curious.

Lin Guodong didn’t hide anything and explained, “…So I’m going to the county town later to talk to Meng Jie about it. Anyway, the county government just talks, and then the people down here will do the actual work. It’s winter, and people have free time. Putting up guardrails along the river can earn a few work points without much effort.”

Ning Shu nodded. “We only have one river and one stream in our brigade. The stream is convenient, but if it’s about the river, half of it belongs to our village and the other half to another village. Will they take defensive measures over there?”

“As long as we do it here, it’s fine. Our brigade’s kids won’t need to go to the other side of the river to play,” Lin Guodong reassured her.

That made sense. Ning Shu didn’t care whether other villages implemented the measures; as long as their village did, it would be helpful.

Otherwise, she always felt uneasy when the three kids went out.

After breakfast, Lin Guodong washed the dishes while Ning Shu cleaned the kitchen.

Once they finished, they took the three kids to the village committee courtyard to gather.

At this time, almost every household had also left their homes.

Since the village chief had said to gather at eight o’clock, no one dared to arrive late. So, the road was bustling with activity.

“Guodong is back.”