Chapter 54: The Chance to Have a Son—So Far Away, Yet Right Next Door!

“Did Captain Sheng’s wife make this dish?” Lin Xing asked.

“No, Captain Sheng made it himself!” Zhang Shuwan replied.

As soon as she said this, Lin Xing was caught off guard by the chili in his mouth and started coughing, staring at his wife in disbelief. “Cough—are you joking?”

Zhang Shuwan handed him a glass of water to help him recover. “Look at you, getting all worked up.”

“But I’m not joking. This stir-fried rabbit was made by Captain Sheng himself…”

She then described in detail how she’d gone over to deliver some meat, only for Gu Jianing to pull her into the kitchen, where she witnessed the scene with her own eyes.

“You have no idea, I was shocked when I saw it too.”

“But Jianing said she doesn’t know how to cook, while Captain Sheng does—and he actually enjoys cooking for her.”

“Captain Sheng is really a good man!” Zhang Shuwan sighed with admiration.

“Uncle Sheng is great,” Guoguo, who was eating rabbit meat, chimed in, echoing her mother’s praise.

After being rescued, Guoguo had stayed with Gu Jianing and Sheng Zexi, and had seen firsthand how well Sheng Zexi took care of Gu Jianing.

Guoguo felt that Auntie Jianing was wonderful, and so was Uncle Sheng.

Lin Xing: …

He took another big bite of rabbit, still finding it hard to believe that this dish was made by that rascal Sheng Zexi.

But he trusted his wife wouldn’t lie.

What he hadn’t expected was that someone as wild and unruly as Sheng Zexi—so tough and unyielding on the training ground, so decisive and commanding on the battlefield—would actually cook for his beloved, and do it so well.

If the others in the barracks found out, their jaws would drop.

Guess everyone meets their match.

But… does being able to cook make a man a good man?

Then…

Should he learn too?

After dinner, Lin Xing started clearing the dishes to wash them, only to turn around and see his wife taking out a packet of Chinese medicine.

His expression darkened. “Are you still going to keep taking that medicine? Maybe you should stop. Too much medicine isn’t good for your health.”

There was clear worry in his eyes.

“No, I need to nurse my body back to health. I want to give you a son,” Zhang Shuwan said, taking out the medicine pot and pouring in the herbs.

“But you’ve been drinking this stuff for almost half a year. It’s not that I mind the money, it’s just…”

“I know,” Zhang Shuwan interrupted, looking up at Lin Xing, her eyes reddening. “I know, but I just can’t give up.”

“I don’t want people to look down on you.”

“And I don’t want Guoguo to end up like me, left all alone. I was lucky to meet you, but who knows what kind of people Guoguo will meet in the future? No one can predict what will happen, and we can’t protect her forever…”

As she spoke, tears started rolling down Zhang Shuwan’s face.

In truth, neither Zhang Shuwan nor Lin Xing were the type to favor sons over daughters, nor did they care about having a big family.

Guoguo was wonderful, and they both loved her dearly.

But whether back in their hometown or when they were stationed with the army, Zhang Shuwan knew all too well the pressure of only having a daughter.

She didn’t care what others said about her, but she didn’t want such a good man like Lin Xing to be looked down upon.

Especially back home, she’d often overhear Lin Xing’s brothers and their sons openly saying, “Lin Xing only has a daughter. In the future, he’ll have to rely on us in his old age, and whatever he has will end up with us anyway.”

To Zhang Shuwan, it was just like when her own parents only had her, and almost lost everything to greedy relatives.

Now, she and Lin Xing only had Guoguo.

They were still around, and already these people were dreaming of taking everything from Guoguo.

If anything ever happened to her and Lin Xing, wouldn’t Guoguo be left to the wolves?

That’s what Zhang Shuwan feared.

Her insistence on having a son was just so these people’s schemes wouldn’t succeed.

Lin Xing stepped forward and hugged her tightly, comforting her gently. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

He knew better than anyone what his family was like, and he understood the pain in Ah Wan’s heart.

He didn’t care about having a son or not.

He thought having Guoguo was already wonderful.

But if having a son could put Zhang Shuwan’s mind at ease and put an end to those wolves’ schemes, then he hoped for a son too.

But was it possible?

They’d been married ten years, and only after much difficulty had they had Guoguo.

Now, who knew how much bitter medicine Ah Wan had drunk.

Holding Zhang Shuwan in his arms, Lin Xing silently prayed: Heaven, if you see how I, Lin Xing, have defended my country, and that neither Ah Wan nor I have done anything wrong, please grant us a son.

If Heaven could answer, it would surely say: Don’t pray to me. The chance for a son is right next door, not far away at all!

—

In the house next door, Gu Jianing and Sheng Zexi were eating dinner together on the heated kang bed in the living room.

“Zexi, you’re amazing! This rabbit is so delicious!”

“You’re like a god of the kitchen come down to earth!”

“I must have saved the galaxy in my past life to be able to marry you!”

…

At that moment, Sheng Zexi was basking in his wife’s endless praise, unable to hide his wide smile, nearly losing himself in happiness.

After dinner, he quickly cleaned up the dishes, refusing to let Gu Jianing touch them.

Once they’d rested for a bit, Sheng Zexi brought over his army coat, a scarf, a hat, and bundled Gu Jianing up tightly.

Because they were about to head out.

Gu Jianing was excited and a little nervous about what they were about to do, so she packed a small bundle with some things and clothes.

“Ready?”

“All set.” Sheng Zexi took the bundle from her and led her outside.

“Captain Sheng, heading out?”

“Captain Sheng, is this your new wife?”

“Captain Sheng, when are you inviting us over to warm your new home?”

On the way, they ran into several comrades and military wives, all greeting Sheng Zexi, their eyes occasionally darting to Gu Jianing behind him.

She was wrapped up tightly, even her face hidden behind a scarf.

Was she so ugly she was afraid to scare people, or just embarrassed?

Yes, that must be it!

But those exposed eyes were actually quite beautiful—bright and lively.

Still, no matter how pretty the eyes, if the face wasn’t good-looking, it was all for nothing.

So, as soon as Sheng Zexi and Gu Jianing left in their car, rumors started spreading again: Captain Sheng’s wife was so ugly she had to cover her face with a scarf when she went out.

Which only added to the legend of Gu Jianing’s supposed beauty.

The only one who had actually seen Gu Jianing’s face was Zhang Shuwan, but since she was new to the Northwest Military District and didn’t know the other wives yet, she had no idea about these rumors."