Ji Shuyu smiled without saying a word and told Director Wang that since Xiao Zhou’s uncle was now dealt with, there shouldn’t be any further issues.
As long as he felt at ease, that was what mattered.
After discussing some follow-up details with Director Wang and politely declining his insistence on treating her to a meal as a gesture of thanks, Ji Shuyu finally returned home.
The night was deep, and the island was exceptionally quiet, with only the gentle rustling of waves caressing the shore.
She pushed the door open quietly and, as expected, saw that He Yuan had already returned.
The man was tall and straight-backed, sitting there like a steadfast pine tree.
He was still awake, reading a document under the dim yellow light, the lines of his profile sharp and his brow slightly furrowed, as if he were still pondering something.
Ji Shuyu rarely saw He Yuan looking so serious, but she had to admit, the man was quite captivating when he was focused.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, he looked up. When he saw it was her, his usually sharp eyes instantly softened.
“You’re back? Is everything resolved?”
His voice was low and husky, sounding particularly magnetic in the quiet night.
“Yes, it’s all resolved.”
Ji Shuyu gave a relaxed smile, changed her shoes, and walked over to him, naturally leaning her somewhat heavy body into his embrace.
She inhaled the soothing scent of soap on him. “Director Wang couldn’t stop praising you, saying it was all thanks to the evidence you provided.”
He Yuan set the document aside, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and gave it a gentle pat. “It was my duty. Are you tired?”
Helping her with these troubling matters was something he ought to do as her husband.
If he couldn’t even assist her with such small matters, what use was he?
“A little.”
Ji Shuyu closed her eyes and nuzzled against his firm chest.
With the major worry resolved and her mind at ease, a heavy drowsiness washed over her.
Ji Shuyu hadn’t expected that, despite being used to living alone, she had adapted quite quickly to being pampered.
He Yuan’s embrace was warm and broad, making her feel very secure.
He didn’t ask any more questions, simply adjusted his posture to let her lean more comfortably.
Before long, he felt the breathing of the person in his arms become even and steady—she had fallen asleep while talking.
He looked down at Ji Shuyu’s serene sleeping face.
The light cast a small shadow under her eyelashes, and her usually lively eyes were now peacefully closed.
Unconsciously, the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
During this time, despite being pregnant, she had been bustling about, unwilling to let others help, always feeling that no one else could do the job as well as she could.
He Yuan could see how much importance Ji Shuyu placed on the research institute.
He didn’t understand these things, and the only thing he could do was to ensure she had fewer worries.
He carefully picked her up in his arms, his movements as gentle as if handling a priceless treasure, and carried her step by step to the bed in the inner room.
He laid her down gently, pulled over the thin blanket, and carefully tucked her in.
The nights by the sea were still somewhat chilly, and he was afraid she might catch a cold.
After covering her with the blanket, his hand gently rested on her slightly rounded abdomen.
There, their shared bloodline was growing—the greatest anticipation of his life.
Just then.
Beneath his palm, he felt a wondrous movement.
It was gentle, as if a mischievous little fish hidden inside had suddenly blown a bubble, or like a butterfly fluttering its wings once.
He Yuan froze instantly.
Those hands, capable of accurately locking onto targets and holding a gun as steady as a rock, actually trembled slightly.
He almost held his breath, not daring to move a muscle, all his attention focused beneath his palm.
A few seconds later, there was another gentle nudge, slightly stronger than the last one, clearly responding to his touch.
It was his child moving.
It seemed quite mischievous, probably stretching its limbs at that moment.
He instinctively looked up at Ji Shuyu, who was still sleeping soundly, completely unaware.
He Yuan remained bent over, frozen in place for a long time, before finally lowering his head and gently pressing his ear against her belly.
Unfortunately, after stretching its limbs, the child seemed to lose interest in him.
Through the layers of fabric and flesh, he thought he could faintly hear a heartbeat and sense the vibrant energy of the little life inside.
This man, who never batted an eye on the battlefield and remained unflinching in the face of the most vicious enemies, now felt his eyes grow slightly warm.
“Be good, sleep well. Don’t disturb Mommy.”
It was unclear whether he was speaking to his sleeping wife or comforting the little one who had just greeted him.
He stayed like this, guarding the two most precious people in his life, for a long, long time.
Unaware of this, Ji Shuyu was having a dream and found it somewhat strange.
The two hundred-year-old coral fragments had merged, and the gap seemed to form three broken coral pieces.
Could it be that if she found the remaining three pieces, she would finally understand why she had come to this world?
The next morning, when Ji Shuyu woke up, He Yuan had already left for the military base.
She had rarely slept so well. As she stepped out, she saw her mother-in-law, Wang Shufen, bringing in the meal.
“Mom?”
Since they had moved to the family quarters, her in-laws rarely visited, occasionally stopping by only to drop off some food.
With Li Cuihua, the troublemaker, gone, the He family seemed to have returned to their previously harmonious state.
“You’ve lost weight. You haven’t been eating properly again. If you don’t keep up your nutrition, you’ll suffer for it later.”
Ji Shuyu was surprised and quickly stepped forward to take the plate from her mother-in-law’s hands.
“Why did you come so early? And you’ve made so many dishes.”
Wang Shufen looked at her daughter-in-law’s noticeably rounded belly and chattered as she pulled Ji Shuyu to sit down.
“Yuanzi is a grown man, careless and rough. What does he know about taking care of a pregnant woman? I’ve made millet porridge, steamed egg custard, and wrapped the three-delicacy and fish wontons you love. Eat them while they’re hot.”
Ji Shuyu felt a warmth in her heart and smiled. “Thank you, Mom. Please eat with me.”
The two ate breakfast quietly for a while, but Wang Shufen seemed distracted, occasionally glancing at Ji Shuyu as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Ji Shuyu noticed her mother-in-law’s preoccupation and put down her spoon, asking gently, “Mom, is there something you want to talk to me about?”
Wang Shufen sighed and finally spoke. “Shuyu, I… I do have something to ask of you.”
“Mom, don’t say it like that. We’re family. Just tell me what’s on your mind.”
Ji Shuyu picked up a wonton and placed it in her mother-in-law’s bowl.
Wang Shufen rubbed her hands together, her face filled with worry. “It’s about Hanzi. He… he was doing just fine in the artillery unit, but I don’t know what’s gotten into him. Suddenly, he wants to transfer to some… some reconnaissance unit!”
“I’ve heard that the training for reconnaissance soldiers is extremely tough and dangerous. They’re always running around outside, crawling through forests and climbing mountains. My heart…”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened. “Shuyu, you’re a highly capable person. You even manage the research institute so well and know many people.”
“Do you think… you could talk to Yuanzi or find some way to put in a word with the military? Could you ask them to let Hanzi stay in the artillery unit instead of transferring? Can’t he just stay there safely? My heart is constantly worried for him…”
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