Qin Yuanzheng took Qiao Lanshu into the woods inside, and only then did Qiao Lanshu relax a bit and relieve herself.
Qin Yuanzheng stayed by her side to guard her the whole time.
When she was done, he carried her out in his arms, smiling as he asked, "Is sneaking into the woods thrilling?"
Qiao Lanshu glared at him and scolded, "You're so inappropriate."
Qin Yuanzheng replied self-righteously, "It's enough for me to be proper with outsiders. How can I be proper with my own wife?"
If they were truly proper, they wouldn't be sleeping on the same bed, let alone having a child.
Qin Yuanzheng teased Qiao Lanshu for a while. After returning to the car, he asked her again, "Do you feel any better? Both of these medicines are for catching a cold, and pregnant women can drink them. I asked the doctor, and he said you can just drink it like water."
Qiao Lanshu had already drunk half a bottle. The water was hot, and the sun had come out, making her sweat slightly. "I feel a bit better, but I'm still really tired."
Anyone would be tired after barely sleeping or eating for three days.
Not to mention a pregnant woman like her.
Qin Yuanzheng started the car and told her, "We're still about two hours away from home. Go back to sleep, and eat something if you get hungry."
In these times, even with money, it was hard to find anything to buy outside.
Fortunately, Qin Yuanzheng had brought steamed buns and corn, otherwise both of them would have gone hungry.
Qiao Lanshu continued to sleep in the car. When she woke up again, they had indeed returned to Longcheng.
After spending several days outside, eating and sleeping poorly while constantly on edge, Qiao Lanshu finally breathed a sigh of relief upon returning. She felt as though every cell in her body was exhausted.
She looked at Qin Yuanzheng, thinking to herself: This time, we should have avoided the incident where Qin Yuanzheng gets injured, right?
Qin Yuanzheng parked the car in the yard and helped Qiao Lanshu out. Looking at her pale face, he asked, "Do you want me to carry you up?"
He thought Qiao Lanshu would shake her head and refuse. After all, she was very thin-skinned and afraid of being seen.
However, this time, Qiao Lanshu actually didn't refuse. She slumped softly against Qin Yuanzheng's body and whispered, "Yes, Brother Zheng, carry me on your back."
Qin Yuanzheng squatted down and carried her on his back.
After getting home, Qiao Lanshu changed her clothes and said she wanted to take a bath.
After all, she hadn't bathed during the few days they were away.
She felt so dirty.
Qin Yuanzheng hadn't bathed either during the trip. He went to heat up some water, and while doing so, he washed all the dirty clothes they had changed out of and hung them out on the balcony.
Qiao Lanshu ate a little something, placed the thermos steeping the Chinese medicine by the edge of the kang bed, and went back to sleep on the kang.
Truly, there is no place like home.
Back in her own home, lying on her own kang bed, Qiao Lanshu pulled up the blanket and rolled over in sheer satisfaction.
Less than half an hour after Qin Yuanzheng returned, someone knocked on the door.
Qin Yuanzheng had just finished washing the clothes and was about to mop the floor.
He shook the water off his hands and went to open the door.
Outside stood a guard he recognized from the headquarters building.
The guard said politely, "Regiment Commander Qin, Commander Li heard you're back and is asking when you'll be heading over to report on your work."
Commander Li had been extremely anxious these past few days. He knew how dangerous this mission was, worrying both that his subordinates might get injured and that the enemy spies might escape.
Although Si Zhemao had also gone, his department was not in the same system as the military, so Commander Li was solely waiting for Qin Yuanzheng to return and report.
As a result, Qin Yuanzheng had returned safe and sound, but instead of going straight to the headquarters building to report, he had directly carried his wife home.
Commander Li was beside himself with anxiety.
Unable to sit still, he sent someone over to urge Qin Yuanzheng.
Qin Yuanzheng told the guard, "I need to tidy up the house a bit. It will take about an hour."
As he spoke, he glanced at the time. It was already four in the afternoon, so he added, "I'll go report at five. You can head back first."
The guard nodded, turned, and left.
In his heart, however, he was grumbling about Qin Yuanzheng—the very first thing he did after returning from a mission was actually household chores.
After the guard left, Qin Yuanzheng continued sweeping and mopping. Once the water was heated, he poured it into a wooden tub, adjusted the temperature, and called Qiao Lanshu over to bathe.
Qin Yuanzheng had wanted to take a bath with his wife, but remembering he still had to report for work, he had to give up the idea.
He was also hoping to tease his bathing wife a little, but another knock came at the door.
Qin Yuanzheng was truly exasperated.
He told Qiao Lanshu, "Soak by yourself for a bit. I'll go out and see who it is."
Qiao Lanshu nodded.
Outside the door was Xiao Li from the logistics department.
Xiao Li was a female comrade. Seeing Qin Yuanzheng at home, she didn't go inside. Holding a bit of mutton, along with some radishes and cabbage, she smiled and said,
"Regiment Commander Qin, I'm here to cook for Comrade Little Qiao. You don't need to busy yourself; hurry up and go report to the Commander. If there are any chores left undone, just tell me, and I promise to get them done for you."
Qin Yuanzheng: "..."
Qin Yuanzheng felt utterly helpless.
He could only say, "There's nothing else to do. Little Qiao is taking a bath, and she's going to sleep right after. Just cook her some soft noodles later. I'll be back early."
Xiao Li immediately replied, "Understood, I guarantee to complete the mission!"
Qin Yuanzheng: "..."
Qin Yuanzheng glanced at the bathroom door.
Although he wanted to stay with Qiao Lanshu for a while longer, Commander Li was clearly rushing him.
Qin Yuanzheng gave Qiao Lanshu a few instructions, reminding her to remember to take her medicine, rest well, and eat on time, assuring her he would be back early.
Only then did he head out.
Xiao Li waited until he left before entering the house. Through the bathroom door, she said to Qiao Lanshu, "Comrade Little Qiao, Regiment Commander Qin really cares about you."
It was truly hard to tell that the usually cold and aloof Regiment Commander Qin actually had such a fussy, motherly side.
Just reminding Qiao Lanshu to take her medicine, Qin Yuanzheng had repeated it three times a moment ago.
Even Xiao Li had gotten tired of hearing it.
Inside, Qiao Lanshu smiled as she bathed and said, "Brother Zheng is just a very thoughtful person. He's wonderful."
It was precisely because Qin Yuanzheng was so good that Qiao Lanshu had longed for him across two lifetimes, in her past life and her present one.
If it hadn't been for Qin Yuanzheng, she wouldn't have stayed in this city in this lifetime at all.
...
Qin Yuanzheng went to report on his work and didn't return until after eight o'clock in the evening.
By this time, Qiao Lanshu had already finished dinner and was preparing to rest.
Before Xiao Li left, she had filled the thermos with hot water for her. Qiao Lanshu had stuffed the Chinese medicinal herbs Qin Yuanzheng bought for her into the thermos herself. Then, she drank the medicine while listening to the radio, holding a high school textbook in her hands to read.
When Qin Yuanzheng returned and opened the door, he saw Qiao Lanshu half-lying on the sofa in thin clothes. The warm yellow light shone on her, giving off a cozy glow that made her look incredibly gentle and demure.
Looking at her, Qin Yuanzheng felt a fiery heat in his heart. He took off his coat, walked over, pressed directly onto Qiao Lanshu, and held her down for a kiss.
Qin Yuanzheng hadn't shaved for three or four days, so his stubble was very prickly.
Qiao Lanshu let out a soft cry and tried to speak, but Qin Yuanzheng didn't give her the chance to open her mouth.
The two of them made out intimately for quite a while before Qin Yuanzheng finally let go of Qiao Lanshu.
Qiao Lanshu could finally breathe; she had almost suffocated just now.
Under the warm light, her watery eyes glared playfully at Qin Yuanzheng as she whispered, "Didn't I tell you to shave your beard before getting intimate with me?"
Otherwise, the stubble hurt too much.
Qin Yuanzheng reached out to gently stroke her belly and said, "I want you to shave it for me."
Qiao Lanshu immediately sat up. "Alright, sit here and wait. I'll go get the razor."
Qin Yuanzheng was a bit surprised. "Do you know how?"
Since they got married, he had never let Qiao Lanshu shave his beard.
He figured that an eighteen-year-old girl like her wouldn't know how to do such a thing.
What he didn't know was that in her previous life, Qiao Lanshu had shaved him countless times.
So her skills were actually quite practiced.
Qiao Lanshu came out holding the razor and asked softly, "Brother Zheng, do you have to be on duty during the New Year?"
Most people in the military couldn't go home for the Spring Festival.
As a regiment commander, Qin Yuanzheng probably didn't have any time off either.
Thinking of this, Qiao Lanshu felt a little disappointed.
However, she quickly cheered up. Remembering that Qin Yuanzheng hadn't been injured in an explosion in this life and was perfectly healthy, she knew that was better than anything else.
She couldn't ask for too much.
So, she became happy again and smiled, "When the time comes, you can just come home early to keep me company. Or, you can take me to your office in the mining area. I can read books there and definitely won't disturb your work."
Qin Yuanzheng's expression softened, feeling deeply touched.
What did he ever do to deserve a good wife like Qiao Lanshu?
Although he wanted to spend more time with her, he really had to be on duty this year.
He sat there, tilting his chin up slightly to let Qiao Lanshu gently shave his beard, and whispered,
"For this year's Spring Festival, I let the two deputy commanders and Staff Officer Lin go home. As for the battalion commanders below them, they drew lots. Over the past few years, they were the ones who went back for the holidays while I stayed on duty. Before, it was because I wasn't married, but this time it's because you're pregnant. When you give birth, I'm going to take a long leave, so they'll have to do the work then."
His subordinates all knew that his wife was due to give birth after the New Year. Otherwise, Qin Yuanzheng would have taken her back to his hometown to visit his parents this Spring Festival.
Qin Yuanzheng had already arranged his work so that after Qiao Lanshu gave birth, he could stay with her for at least two months.
Two months would be enough time for her to rest and recover.
As they talked, Qiao Lanshu shaved Qin Yuanzheng's beard completely clean.
Her movements were gentle, afraid of hurting him.
But in reality, Qin Yuanzheng had thick skin and wasn't afraid of her hands slipping at all.
After she finished, Qin Yuanzheng went to look in the mirror. He turned back to Qiao Lanshu, who was washing her hands, and asked in a low voice, "How do you know how to do this? Have you shaved someone before?"
Qiao Lanshu originally wanted to shake her head, but after thinking about it, she nodded. "Yeah, I suppose."
Qin Yuanzheng's brows furrowed, and he grew a little displeased. "Who? Your father? Even if it's your father, it's not really appropriate for you to do this, is it? Don't you have a stepmother?"
Seeing his expression, Qiao Lanshu burst into laughter. She finished washing her hands and walked out. "It wasn't my dad. It was a tall and handsome man."
Qin Yuanzheng: "..."
He felt a pang of sour jealousy.
Whatever happened before his wife married him was in the past, and he had no right to interfere.
But hearing her say that still made him feel uncomfortable.
Qin Yuanzheng pressed, "How tall? How handsome?"
Qiao Lanshu: "As tall as you, and as handsome as you."
Qin Yuanzheng scoffed coldly, "Really? I don't believe it."
Qiao Lanshu walked into the room with a smile and climbed onto the bed. "Don't believe it then, but there is such a man anyway."
Qin Yuanzheng stood at the door, his dark gaze fixed on her for a moment. Then, he took off his clothes, strode onto the bed, and pinned her down. "Not going to tell the truth, huh?"
His hand slipped up under the hem of her clothes and gave a slight squeeze. "Are you going to tell me?"
Qiao Lanshu dodged while laughing, "I'll tell you, I'll tell you! It was in a dream, I shaved someone in a dream..."
Qin Yuanzheng: "..."
Qin Yuanzheng: "Last time with the driving, you said you learned it in a dream. Now, shaving a man's beard was also learned in a dream?"
As he spoke, his hands continued to cause mischief, making it impossible for her to dodge or push him away. She said pitifully, "It's true, it's really true, I'm not lying to you."
Qin Yuanzheng believed her, but he said, "I haven't punished you yet for sneaking behind my back to pretend to be a married couple with Guan Wenjun. Take your punishment properly tonight, and no crying."
Qiao Lanshu: "..."
She was doomed. Qin Yuanzheng really wanted to teach her a lesson, tormenting her for a long time.
Afraid of hurting the baby in her belly, they only actually went all the way twice. The rest of the time, he used all sorts of tricks to tease and bully her.
Qiao Lanshu begged for mercy all night and promised she would never dare do it again.
Only then did Qin Yuanzheng let her go.
This little troublemaker, did she really think he had no way to deal with her?
In the middle of the night, Qin Yuanzheng got up to pour her some water, coaxing her softly, "Go back to sleep in a minute, hurry up and hydrate."
He was afraid his little wife would get dehydrated. After all, between crying and doing that, she hadn't stopped all night.
Qiao Lanshu shot him a resentful glare, sat up, and drank from the cup in his hand.
Qin Yuanzheng chuckled softly at her. "If you don't want me to bully you, be a little more obedient in the future. Don't sneak out behind my back again. I was really worried about you, you know?"
If she had just been wandering around the city, it would have been fine.
But this time, Qiao Lanshu had followed Guan Wenjun into the mountains.
They were executing a mission to catch enemy spies. How dangerous was that?
Even now, Qin Yuanzheng still felt a lingering fear when he thought about it.
Although he hadn't scolded her a single time on the way back, it didn't mean he didn't care.
He had kept it in mind all along.
After finishing the cup of water, Qiao Lanshu quickly lay back down, wrapping the quilt tightly around herself as she muttered, "You only know how to bully me..."
She had no idea where he had learned so many tricks; it was simply too embarrassing.
Using his mouth and hands was one thing, but he even brought out strips of cloth, claiming he was going to interrogate her and forbidding her from struggling or escaping.
She began to suspect that Qin Yuanzheng had some sort of special fetish.
But he hadn't had this many tricks in their past life. Was it because the Qin Yuanzheng of her past life was more steady, and his health hadn't been as good?
Qiao Lanshu complained resentfully, "You're not allowed to bully me like this anymore... Besides, once we have the baby, you won't be able to bully me like this anyway. After all, the child will be watching."
Qin Yuanzheng: "..."
Qin Yuanzheng's face instantly fell.
In the dark, he let out a long sigh.
Sigh, how did they suddenly end up having a child?
If he had known it was this easy to get pregnant, he would have...
Alas, his world of just the two of them only had a little over four months left.
