At night, Li Chu sat there leaning against the quilt, flipping through a piece of information in his hand. Ding Qiunan got on the bed and got into his arms.
He stretched out his hand and gently touched the scar on his left shoulder blade.
After a while, his hand touched the scar on his stomach again.
"Does it hurt?"
"Um?"
Li Chu put down the information in his hand and looked at his wife in his arms.
"I'm asking you if it still hurts?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore." He smiled at his wife.
"Did it hurt at the time?"
"Do you want to hear the truth or lies?"
"Of course it's the truth."
"To be honest, it hurt. It hurt so much that I wanted to die at that time."
Li Chu raised his hand and touched his wife's hair: "But when I think of those comrades who were forced to have their limbs amputated or even sacrificed, it doesn't hurt anymore. Compared to those children, I am lucky enough. At least I am completely safe."
You're back alive, aren't you?"
Ding Qiunan has no way of knowing what her husband has been through during these ten months.
She couldn't empathize with him either, but seeing her husband's sad expression made her feel very uncomfortable.
But she can't do anything now. Even the words to comfort her husband are so pale.
It would have been great if I could have gone with him.
Perhaps sensing the discomfort in his wife's heart, Li Chu reached out and held her face.
He said softly: "It's all in the past. I will recover slowly. Don't worry about me."
"Yeah" Ding Qiunan stared into her husband's eyes and nodded.
She didn't want to talk about this heavy topic anymore, so what else could she do to divert her husband's attention right now?
She smiled sweetly at her man.
Li Chu looked at her smile and understood immediately.
My daughter-in-law has already given out signals that she wants to fight, so what can I do?
To be a man, you must face the battle head on.
Ding Qiunan was feeding a tiger with her own body. She knew when it started, but when it ended, it was beyond her control.
In the dead of night, the dogs sleeping in the kennel in the living room let out a long sigh of relief and finally calmed down. They could finally sleep. It was too difficult to be a dog. If they had a choice, they hoped to sleep in other rooms.
When the weather is warm in the summer, it would be better for them to sleep outside, but every winter is difficult.
These two owners did not consider the mental health of their dogs at all and truly abused them to death.
In the bedroom, Li Chu brought a basin of hot water, wiped his wife's body, and then covered her with a quilt.
After he poured out the water in the basin, he put on his pajamas and quietly walked to the study.
He sat on the chair behind the desk and lit a cigarette.
In the smoke, his thoughts drifted to the battlefield thousands of kilometers away.
He has never studied psychology, so he doesn't know what his current mental state is.
Five months had passed since that emergency mission, but he still fell into the scene from time to time.
Alas, he, an old man in his forties, cannot regulate his mental state very well. It is no wonder that young people in their twenties sometimes have some stress reactions.
After smoking a cigarette, he returned to the bedroom again.
The moment he hugged his wife, his restless heart quickly calmed down.
He was certain in his heart that Ding Qiunan could not live without him, but why couldn't he do the same?
He slept extremely soundly this time, and was not awakened at all. When he opened his eyes again, it was already six o'clock in the morning.
This night's rest washed away his physical and mental fatigue, and he looked in high spirits.
After washing up, as soon as I arrived in the courtyard, I saw three children coming out of their respective rooms.
"What, can you continue to exercise every day now?"
"Dad, we are like this every day, whether at school or at home."
"Dad Chu, I've persisted too!"
"Okay, just keep in good health and keep working hard! Come on, let's box together!"
Li Chu discovered that during his absence, the children seemed to have grown up all of a sudden.
After the exercise, I went out to buy breakfast, prepared food for the dog, and started busy in the kitchen.
The three of them had a clear division of labor, so he didn't have to worry about it at all.
What should I say? He is not at home and there is a lazy mother at home. What should the children do? They can only do it by themselves.
In fact, it is quite good. Children will grow up sooner or later and learn how to live. They need to learn these basic life skills.
Just like cooking, at least it must be edible, right?
He walked into the bedroom and woke his wife who was still sleeping.
After watching her open her eyes, she said: "Get up. The child has already gone out to buy breakfast. Go to bed after eating. I will go to the hospital to ask for leave for you later."
"Ah..." Ding Qiunan raised her arms and put her arms around her husband's neck: "You still have to go to the hospital!"
"I'm going to say hello to Dean Shan and ask for leave for you. We won't go to work now and will go after the Chinese New Year."
After hearing her husband's arrangement, Ding Qiunan's eyes, which were still a little sleepy, immediately brightened a bit: "Is it really okay?"
"Well, I'll just go and tell you. Get up and put on your pajamas. If you're sleepy, you can go to bed after eating."
After eating, Tian Jun drove his car and was already waiting at the entrance of the alley.
In the hospital, Li Chu's appearance caused quite a stir.
No one in the hospital knew why he was there. At first everyone thought he was on a business trip, but as time went by, various versions of rumors began to emerge.
But because Director Ding Qiunan was so impregnable, these rumors were self-defeating.
In addition, a cadre and employee meeting was held in the hospital, specifically explaining that Li Chu had a special mission, so that everyone should stop guessing. If anyone spreads bad remarks in private, they would have to be dealt with.
This time, everyone's curiosity was suppressed.
He didn't stay long in the hospital. He asked for leave for his wife, then he went to the hospital director for a walk and then drove home by himself.
At the same time, I also helped Tian Jun and applied for a family leave for him. He can leave tomorrow, a total of half a month's leave.
This made Tian Jun, who had not taken family leave for three years, extremely happy.
He has successfully converted into a volunteer soldier, and returning home this time can be regarded as a glorious homecoming.
When I drove home, the three children were busy with their own affairs. Only the lazy daughter-in-law was still sleeping soundly with the quilt in her arms.
Without disturbing them, Li Chu came to his sister's side.
Li Qin is in the kitchen, busy preparing delicious food for the New Year. Several stoves are in use, setting up oil pans and putting on steamers. She is very busy.