Chapter 159: Afraid of Losing My Wife
“I’ll draw up a blueprint for you over the next two days to see if you can build it.”
Sheng Wanyan talked incessantly, pouring out all her ideas for their new home. Gu Tingxiao listened intently, his eyes soft and filled with affection. Whenever she made a request, he simply nodded, promising to make it happen. As long as his wife had this home in her heart, nothing else mattered.
“I also want a small pavilion with four bamboo chairs and a tea table underneath,” she continued. “We can build it on the left side of the yard, right against the house wall. Oh, and add two lounge chairs so we can sunbathe. The right side can be reserved for the chickens.”
Wanyan’s demands were growing, but so was her capital to be utterly spoiled.
“Alright,” Gu Tingxiao murmured, a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. The sheer satisfaction and doting warmth in his gaze made Wanyan hastily turn her head away, her cheeks flushing.
Wanyan went to boil water for her bath, while Tingxiao headed out to the backyard to turn the soil and build the chicken coop. He could work on the rest of her requests slowly whenever he came home from duty over the next few days; he was determined to ensure his wife lived exactly the life she wanted.
Building a simple chicken coop didn’t take much time for someone of his strength, and he managed to turn the entire plot of soil in the backyard before the night was through.
“Wife, I’ll head over to turn the soil on our allocated garden plot tomorrow at noon,” he called out gently. “When you go into the city tomorrow morning, be careful and don’t overexert yourself. If we’re missing anything heavy for the house, just leave it. I’ll ask someone from logistics to buy it and haul it back for you. Don’t tire yourself out.”
Lying on the bed, Wanyan smiled and nodded at his words. The man was clearly worried she would buy too much and struggle to carry it all back.
“Okay.”
She snuggled into his arms, and the day’s exhaustion quickly caught up to her. Her eyelids grew heavy, and her head began to nod off. Gu Tingxiao looked down, his heart melting as he watched the little girl fight to keep her eyes open just to respond to him.
He pulled her closer, gently patting her back, and whispered in a deep, soothing voice, “Go to sleep, wife.”
Wanyan shifted until she found the most comfortable position against his chest and plunged into a deep sleep.
The next morning, when Wanyan woke up, the space beside her was already cold. Gu Tingxiao had returned to duty today and had reported to the barracks early in the morning.
By the time she finished changing and washing up, she saw Tingxiao walking back through the courtyard gate, carrying breakfast containers.
“Wife, why are you up so early?” he asked, surprised. It was only six-thirty in the morning, which was highly unusual for her. He had planned to slip back, set the food down, and wake her up gently.
Wanyan, who notoriously loved to sleep in, felt a bit called out. “…”
Ever since they got married, except for the first couple of days of travel, she had slept until she woke up naturally, usually around nine o’clock. Was rising at six-thirty really considered an achievement? If she knew exactly what he was thinking, she would definitely have a long talk with him about her sleeping habits.
“We’re going into the city today, aren’t we?” she reminded him. “Didn’t Aunt Xie say we’re meeting at seven?”
She shot him a pointed look, and Tingxiao offered a guilty smile. He quickly set to work peeling her eggs and mixing her malted milk. The base cafeteria didn’t offer much variety—it was always the same rotation. Today’s fare was millet porridge and two boiled eggs, which he placed neatly in front of her.
Wanyan knew he always reserved the best, most nutritious food for her, while he happily shoveled down whatever had the least sustenance. Knowing that arguing would do no good, she simply pushed one of the peeled eggs back toward him once she had eaten her fill.
“I can’t finish this. You eat it.”
Realizing she was genuinely full, Tingxiao picked it up and popped it into his mouth in one bite. Wanyan shook her head with a smile. Checking the time, she saw it was already ten to seven. She hurried into the bedroom to grab her money satchel and switch into her sneakers.
Boom, boom, boom.
At the sound of a knock, Gu Tingxiao went to open the gate. It was Aunt Xie from next door, arriving right on time to escort her to the gathering point.
“Tingxiao, is your wife ready?”
“I’m right here, Auntie!” Wanyan called out, stepping into the front yard with her personal satchel and a sturdy backpack.
The moment she emerged, Aunt Xie affectionately took her hand to lead her out. “Let’s get moving.”
“Wife, I’m heading off to morning drills now,” Gu Tingxiao said, pausing at the gate. He turned to the older woman, his expression earnest. “Auntie, please look out for my wife today.”
Aunt Xie chuckled inwardly, deeply moved by how fiercely protective Gu Tingxiao was of his new bride. A man who cherished his wife this deeply was bound to build a good life—just like her own husband, Old Xie.
“Don’t you worry, Xiao Gu. I strictly promise I won’t let you lose your wife today,” she teased.
After all, her husband had spent the last few years losing sleep over Captain Gu’s bachelor status. So many of the younger officers had settled down, yet Gu Tingxiao had stubbornly refused every match, turning down every single introduction. Once, they had practically forced him into a blind date, only for him to completely stand the poor girl up. The young lady had been so furious she had marched straight into the political commissar’s office to demand an explanation. If he didn’t want to come, he should have just said so! What kind of man stands a lady up? At least have the decency to be direct!
Her husband had nearly been driven to an early grave by Gu Tingxiao’s stubbornness, worrying over him like a hen over a chick. Now that the captain was finally married, a massive weight had been lifted off the political commissar’s shoulders. Aunt Xie wasn’t about to let anything jeopardize that peace.
Tingxiao, who had only jogged back to ensure Wanyan ate breakfast, bid them goodbye, and they parted ways at the residential crossroads.
Wanyan walked alongside Aunt Xie toward the main base gates, where the logistics procurement truck and a small crowd of military wives were already waiting. When the women spotted Wanyan approaching, a ripple of quiet whispers broke out. Those who hadn’t seen her the day before studied her with intense curiosity, exchanging murmurs until someone identified her as Captain Gu’s new wife. Realizing her identity, several women smiled and nodded politely, and Wanyan returned the gestures with easy grace.
The procurement vehicle was a massive supply truck. The front cab only accommodated the driver and a single passenger, leaving the back flatbed for everything else. Rows of wooden benches were bolted along the inner sides of the open-air bed to serve as seats. The truck bed sat incredibly high off the ground, requiring a significant amount of upper body strength to clamber inside unless someone offered a hand from above.
Fortunately, Wanyan was in excellent physical shape and possessed a height advantage. She hoisted herself up effortlessly in one fluid motion, then immediately turned around to extend her hand to the political commissar’s wife.
“Auntie, let me pull you up.”
“Oh, thank you, dear,” Aunt Xie gasped gratefully. Standing barely over five feet tall, scaling such a high ledge on her own would have been an absolute nightmare.
The rest of the military wives clambered up one by one, hoisting bundles and helping one another over the tailgate. While they loved a good session of compound gossip, when it came to practical matters, they still looked out for one another.
“Wanyan, quick, grab a seat!” Aunt Xie urged under her breath, pulling Wanyan toward an open section of the bench.
Wanyan looked confused for a split second, but as she watched the remaining wives scramble frantically to claim the remaining spots, understanding dawned on her. The truck was tightly packed, and seating was strictly limited. Anyone left without a bench assignment would be forced to sit flat on the hard iron floor of the flatbed, which, given the notoriously potholed roads, meant a truly punishing journey.
Thanks to her agility in climbing up first, Wanyan was safely settled on the bench; otherwise, she would have been the one bracing for impact on the floor.
“Hey! I climbed up before you, that spot is mine!”
“I sat down first, so it’s mine now!”
“Have you no shame? I literally hauled you up by your arms, and now you’re stealing my bench?”
“I’ll just pull you up next time to make it even!”
“You—!”
Listening to the sharp, petty bickering echoing around the flatbed, Wanyan found the dynamic rather amusing. These compound women certainly knew how to keep life lively.
The driver banged on the side of the cab, shouting over the rumble of the engine, “We’re moving! Hold on tight, sisters-in-law, and make sure you’re seated!”
