Tu Jing sat right in the middle, with Linlin holding onto his leg. Jiang Chengzhou, the three boys from the Ma family, and Li Xuan, who rarely left the house, were all gathered in the courtyard, surrounding Tu Jing as he told stories.
The courtyard was filled with cheerful laughter and chatter, creating a joyous and harmonious atmosphere.
The scene was incredibly peaceful and beautiful, leisurely and heartwarming.
Was this his home?
Or Tu Jing's home?
Su Lang felt a subtle sense of displeasure.
He took a deep breath and stepped into the courtyard without a word.
The children had their backs to him and were completely unaware. Only little Linlin noticed her father's figure, smiled, and waved at him before looking back up at Tu Jing.
The corners of Su Lang's mouth, which had just lifted into a smile, instantly dropped.
He couldn't bring himself to smile.
It was Tu Jing who paused first, standing up to greet him.
"Regiment Commander Su."
"Comrade Tu."
Su Lang nodded in response. His expression was indifferent and imposingly majestic. Even though the weather was quite warm, he seemed to radiate a chilling aura from head to toe.
It wasn't until Lin Zhilan walked out of the kitchen that he dropped his cold demeanor and said, "I'm going to change my clothes first."
Lin Zhilan looked at his retreating back with confusion, feeling that something was a bit off.
Why did she get the feeling that Su Lang was acting somewhat wronged and pitiful?
Chen Hehua, who had followed Lin Zhilan out, chuckled secretly. This Xiao Su was just like her silly son—both were absolute romantics.
Tu Jing lowered his head and smiled.
Regiment Commander Su could be a bit petty sometimes.
After packing up the porridge and handing it to Tu Jing, Chen Hehua also prepared to take Li Xuan home.
"Auntie, thank you for helping me look after the children today."
"You're welcome. Let the two of them come over to play more often in the future."
Little Linlin was quite the charmer; whenever she saw Wang Rou, she would offer a sweet, endearing smile.
Wearing a white inner shirt covered by a bright yellow little coat, her thick, shiny black hair was tied into two adorable little buns by Lin Zhilan. Paired with her delicate little face, she looked like a little spring flower, brightening the hearts of anyone who saw her.
Even Wang Rou, who usually wore a perpetual scowl, managed to squeeze out a rare smile upon seeing Linlin.
This time, she had even unprecedentedly allowed Li Xuan to come out and play with Linlin.
Li Xuan reluctantly followed his grandmother home, and the three boys from the Ma family were also called back by Liu Chunhua.
Seeing that Su Lang hadn't come downstairs for quite a while, Lin Zhilan went up to find him.
Just as she pushed the door open, the man pulled her into his arms, his iron-like forearm pressing between her and the door.
Lin Zhilan struggled a bit, but her meager strength compared to the man's was undoubtedly like an ant trying to shake a massive tree.
"Su Lang~"
Her face flushed. She clearly wanted to get angry, but her voice sounded as if it were laced with honey.
They were so close that Lin Zhilan could smell the refreshing scent of soap on him.
She had already noticed that Su Lang was fine normally, but whenever they had intimate contact, the domineering nature in his bones would reveal itself.
Just like now. There was plenty of space in the room, yet he insisted on pressing his body tightly against hers. Lin Zhilan felt half her body go soft and warm.
Su Lang had simply knocked over his jar of vinegar in jealousy and wanted to be affectionate with her.
Seeing her looking so pitifully cute, Su Lang's previously unsettled heart suddenly grounded itself. It felt as if something in his chest was swelling up to the point of overflowing.
His hand unconsciously caressed the waist of the woman in his arms. Lin Zhilan went numb all over and couldn't help but let out a soft gasp.
Su Lang felt his breathing and heartbeat quicken, and his usually proud self-control crumbled in an instant.
He lowered his head to kiss her, wishing he could devour her whole to satisfy his craving.
"Su Lang..." Lin Zhilan still retained a shred of reason. "The children are still downstairs..."
"Zhilan, take care of me first..."
The man's Adam's apple bobbed. His voice was hoarse, his movements forceful, yet his tone carried a hint of pleading for rescue.
Lin Zhilan's heart softened. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, resting her blood-red face against his chest muscles as she panted delicately.
Su Lang seemed encouraged by this. His movements gradually became bolder, and his hand secretly slipped in under the hem of his wife's clothes...
"Commander!"
Suddenly, Bai Yang's shout came from downstairs: "Emergency! The Division Commander ordered me to notify you to return to base immediately, take the First Regiment, and board the ship at once!"
"Alright, I'll be right there!"
The romantic atmosphere from moments ago dissipated instantly.
Su Lang steadied his breathing, held his wife in his arms, and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, I..."
"You don't need to say that," Lin Zhilan raised her hand to cover his mouth. "When I chose to marry a soldier, I never expected you to stay by my side all the time."
Su Lang kissed her with a mix of gratitude and guilt, then skillfully took out a wicker suitcase to pack his things.
His proficient manner made it obvious that this wasn't the first or second time.
Lin Zhilan brought out a few boxes of pills and ointments from the room and placed them in his suitcase. "You know how to use the ointment. The pills are for regulating your stomach and spleen; they are mild, so take a few when your stomach feels uncomfortable."
After saying this, she remembered something else and stuffed all the various sauces she had made over the past few days from the kitchen into his suitcase.
"I don't know how the food on the ship will be. Take these to mix into your meals."
Having been a soldier for years, Su Lang had developed the habit of wolfing down his food. Coupled with the fact that he often went hungry or overate while on missions, he frequently suffered from stomachaches.
Su Lang never mentioned it, but he couldn't hide it from her, a doctor.
With limited time, Su Lang had no chance to express the thousands of thoughts in his mind, but his way of showing affection and being moved was very direct.
His large hand, resting on his wife's chin, applied a slight pressure to tilt it up. Then he leaned down and gave the woman a rough, passionate kiss.
Su Lang stopped, estimating the time. He took a few deep breaths to dispel the sweet scent of his wife from his mouth before quickly explaining, "The fleet is setting sail. If it's fast, it might be a month or two. If it's slow... I might not be able to spend the New Year with you all."
Lin Zhilan hugged him. "Will you be in danger?"
"No," Su Lang lied to her, not wanting her to worry. "Don't worry, this happens all the time. It's just a patrol; there won't be any conflict."
This was, of course, a lie.
Such an emergency mission definitely meant that some foreign fleets were provoking near our country's territorial waters again.
Their navy was currently far behind those of developed countries, but they could not tolerate other nations recklessly challenging their bottom line.
Once a conflict broke out, they had to be prepared to make sacrifices.
He let go of his wife's hand and earnestly instructed, "If anything happens at home, go find the Division Commander or Commissar Zhuang. Take good care of yourself."
After saying this, Su Lang put on his military cap, saluted her, and took one deep look at his wife. Without waiting for her reaction, he grabbed his suitcase and strode out without looking back.
After going downstairs, Su Lang quickly instructed Jiang Chengzhou, "I'm going on a mission, and your brother Bai Yang isn't here either. You are the only man in the house. You have to listen to your aunt and take good care of her and your sister. Can you do that?"
Jiang Chengzhou seemed accustomed to this kind of parting. Mimicking his uncle, he gave a military salute: "I can do it!"
"Good boy!"
Su Lang patted his daughter's little head: "Baby, listen to your mother at home."
