Chapter 253: Gu Tingxiao Returns to Duty
Because a pregnant woman’s body changes constantly, buying clothes or shoes two sizes larger meant she would only get a few weeks of use out of them. Instead of clothing, Gu Tingxiao focused on her daily comforts. He bought several tins of the vanishing cream she liked to use on her skin.
The winter air was harsh and drying, so Sheng Wanyan used the vanishing cream liberally as a hand and foot moisturizer. While most women treated a single tin like a precious luxury—using just a tiny dab on their face to make it last for months—Sheng Wanyan was entirely unbothered by such frugality. She applied it every single time she washed her hands or feet, or whenever her skin felt even slightly dry.
As a result, she went through a whole tin in less than two weeks. Knowing this, Gu Tingxiao bought her five tins at once, along with her favorite pastries and a large bag of melon seeds.
Only Gu Tingxiao truly understood just how lavish his wife’s daily habits were. Even Mother Sheng merely thought her daughter enjoyed slightly finer food and daily necessities; she had no idea Wanyan was slathering expensive face cream onto her feet. If she ever found out, she would be absolutely furious at the extravagance.
When Gu Tingxiao walked through the door later that day, he was surprised to find that Sheng Wanyan had already prepared a meal. She had quietly pulled a couple of servings of freshly made noodles from her spatial domain, combining them with a rich soup base, a fried egg, thick slices of bacon, and fresh greens.
While it was fine to indulge in quick, comforting meals occasionally, she knew that eating overly refined food all the time wasn’t good for her digestion in the long run.
Seeing her busy in the kitchen, Gu Tingxiao frowned in disapproval. “Wife, I told you not to do any work. You should have just waited for me to get back and handle it.”
He hated seeing her strain herself and had forbidden her from doing any heavy lifting since she became pregnant, going so far as to hand-deliver every glass of water she drank.
“It’s fine, it feels good to move around a bit,” she said, giving him a reassuring smile. “If I keep sitting around doing absolutely nothing, my muscles will atrophy. Won’t you grow tired of me if I become completely useless?”
The moment the words left her mouth, Gu Tingxiao set his chopsticks down and looked at her with absolute gravity.
“Never.”
“What?”
Sheng Wanyan blinked, startled by his sudden intensity.
Gu Tingxiao repeated himself, his voice steady and resolute. “I will never, under any circumstances, grow tired of you.”
The corners of Sheng Wanyan’s mouth curled up into a pleased smile. How has this man become so incredibly skilled at sweet talk?
“Hmph, who knows what the future holds,” she huffed playfully, turning her head away so he wouldn’t see how easily his words had pleased her. “Besides, I’m just pregnant, not incapacitated. I can still handle light chores.”
Seeing her stubborn determination, Gu Tingxiao ultimately relented. He had noticed that she was growing increasingly bored staying cooped up inside all day, and he worried that loneliness would negatively impact her mood and health. The military hospital doctors had emphasized that a pregnant woman’s emotional well-being was paramount, so he decided it was best to let her do as she pleased within reason.
“Alright, but promise me you’ll only do what is strictly within your energy limits.”
“Deal.” Sheng Wanyan nodded happily. Though she loved her comfort, she genuinely didn’t want to become entirely helpless. Even if she was going to lounge around, she wanted to feel somewhat productive.
With Gu Tingxiao loosening his restrictions, her daily routine became much more enjoyable. She spent her time sweeping the rooms or helping him prep ingredients for dinner, finding a comfortable, peaceful rhythm that left her feeling deeply relaxed.
The weeks blurred past, and soon the day arrived for her monthly prenatal check-up. It was a crucial appointment, particularly because Gu Tingxiao’s three-month leave was officially ending, and he was scheduled to return to his unit the very next morning.
Now past her sixth month of pregnancy, Sheng Wanyan’s baby bump was prominently defined.
The head of the obstetrics and gynecology department at the military hospital conducted a thorough examination, nodding with satisfaction as she reviewed the charts. “The mother is exceptionally well-nourished, and the fetal development is excellent.”
Sheng Wanyan smiled inwardly. Thanks to the fresh fruits she frequently smuggled out of her spatial domain and the restorative properties of its spiritual spring water, the baby’s health was virtually guaranteed to be flawless.
“You’re in the third trimester now, so you must be even more cautious moving forward,” the doctor advised, looking over at Gu Tingxiao. “The standard rules still apply: keeping her stress levels low and ensuring she rests are your top priorities.”
Gu Tingxiao nodded solemnly, carefully noting every syllable of the doctor’s instructions into a small black notebook he kept on him.
“Alright, you’re free to head home. Just remember to schedule your appointment for next month.”
After thanking the physician, Sheng Wanyan took the medical report from Gu Tingxiao, and they headed back to the compound.
Once they were home, Gu Tingxiao remained completely transfixed by the ultrasound image, staring at a tiny, indistinct dark smudge on the paper with a look of profound reverence. The medical imaging technology of the mid-1970s was still primitive; even at six months, the scan offered little more than a blurry shadow, and the low-quality printing made the physical copy look entirely different from what was shown on the hospital monitors.
“Aren’t you tired of staring at that tiny dot?” Sheng Wanyan teased. She genuinely hadn’t expected a stern, intimidating soldier like Gu Tingxiao to be so deeply sentimental over an unborn child, especially since he maintained such a cold, detached distance from other people’s children outside.
“I could never tire of it,” he murmured, his eyes never leaving the paper. “This is the child we made together.”
Sheng Wanyan understood his heart. It wasn’t that he possessed a general fondness for children; rather, he held a deep, unshakeable devotion to her and the life they were creating. No matter how hardened a man was on the battlefield, he couldn’t help but soften when it came to his own flesh and blood—the living proof of his love for his wife.
“Go on and start dinner, then,” she said, patting her stomach playfully. “Our little smudge is getting hungry.”
Gu Tingxiao immediately filed the ultrasound and report safely into a drawer and hurried to the kitchen.
Sheng Wanyan let out a soft sigh and leaned back against the cushions, feeling a sudden wave of fatigue. In the dead of winter, even a straightforward trip to the hospital took a massive toll on her stamina, leaving her winded after walking just a short distance. After finishing the dinner Gu Tingxiao prepared, she retreated to the bedroom for a long nap while he quietly went about his chores, tidying the rooms and tending to the chickens in the yard.
Finding two fresh eggs in the coop, Gu Tingxiao brought them inside and locked them safely in the kitchen pantry. When he checked on Wanyan and found her sleeping soundly, he gently drew the curtains closed to block out the harsh afternoon sun.
The moment Sheng Wanyan woke up, she sat at her desk to resume her translation work. Later that afternoon, Grandma Sheng stopped by to ask about the hospital visit. Relief washed over the old woman’s face when she learned everything was perfect, and she returned to her own quarters to prepare her dinner in peace.
The following morning marked Gu Tingxiao’s official return to duty. He reported to headquarters at the break of dawn, stopping by the military cafeteria to pick up a warm breakfast for his wife before returning to the apartment to say goodbye.
Sheng Wanyan rose from the bed just as he was preparing to leave. Having been away from active duty for three months, he had a mountain of administrative paperwork and responsibilities waiting for him at the regiment. He gave her a few hurried, protective reminders to avoid any heavy lifting before kissing her forehead and rushing out the door.
With the house entirely to herself, Sheng Wanyan finished her breakfast and set up her workspace in the living room to translate. She had barely written a few paragraphs when a sudden commotion outside shattered the quiet of the lane.
Frowning, she set her fountain pen down and walked to the front door to see what the uproar was about.
Auntie Xie had already stepped out onto her own porch, watching intently as a new military family began unloading their belongings into the courtyard.
As fate would have it, the family moving into the unit directly adjacent to Auntie Xie’s house was none other than Liang Qian and Battalion Commander Du.
Sheng Wanyan knew that Battalion Commander Du’s promotion was imminent, but she hadn’t expected him to bypass the standard residential assignments. With his current rank, he was fully entitled to a comfortable, two-bedroom apartment within the regiment’s modern, tube-shaped apartment buildings. For them to choose a traditional courtyard layout instead suggested there was going to be plenty of domestic friction ahead.
In reality, the arrangement was a direct result of the Du family dynamics. Now that Battalion Commander Du had married the daughter of Chief of Staff Liang, the Du family treated Liang Qian like a precious deity. However, Battalion Commander Du’s mother was notoriously shrewish—her constant tyrannical behavior had driven his first wife to demand a divorce.
The standard apartments in the tube-shaped buildings simply didn’t offer enough space to accommodate Battalion Commander Du, his fierce mother, his five-year-old daughter from his first marriage, and his high-maintenance new bride without everyone being crammed into the same quarters. Desperate to keep his new, well-connected wife happy, Battalion Commander Du had explicitly requested a traditional courtyard unit instead.
In this era, modern concrete apartment blocks were highly coveted, while older courtyard homes were considered outdated. Consequently, the logistics department had granted his request without a second thought.
The moment Auntie Xie spotted Sheng Wanyan standing at the doorway, her eyes lit up, and she hurried across the snow-dusted lane, bursting with fresh information to share.
