Gu Jianing wrapped her arms around Sheng Zexi, burying her face in his broad chest, breathing in the unique scent and security that only he could provide.
Lately, Gu Jianing had felt as though a piece of her heart was missing. But now, that missing piece had finally returned!
Before he came back, Gu Jianing could still hold herself together.
But now that he was here, she couldn’t hold back any longer. All the emotions she had suppressed over this time burst forth in an instant.
“Wuwu, why did you take so long to come back?”
“Why were you gone for so long?”
Her voice was full of grievance and tears, but as soon as she finished speaking, she realized—Sheng Zexi hadn’t been away for leisure; he had been on a mission.
“I… I don’t mean to complain.”
“I just… I just missed you so much…” she choked out in explanation.
“I know, I know.”
Sheng Zexi cupped Gu Jianing’s face in his hands. As their eyes met, he could no longer suppress the surge of emotion and desire within him. He lowered his head and kissed her.
Gu Jianing kissed him back.
In that moment, a single kiss said everything.
The kiss was passionate, intense, and burning. As their breaths intertwined, their hearts pressed tightly together.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly until, finally, Gu Jianing’s cheeks were flushed, her face hot, her breathing unsteady, and the kiss slowly came to an end.
Sheng Zexi went to light the kang stove, heat the furnace, and boil water.
Then he asked Gu Jianing about how she had been over the past month.
“You look like you’ve lost weight,” Sheng Zexi observed, frowning as he studied his little wife.
“No, I haven’t. Look how big my belly is!” Gu Jianing placed her hands on her hips and stuck out her stomach.
Sheng Zexi set the kettle on the stove and glanced over.
“Your belly is about three months along, right? Why does it look a bit bigger than expected?” He had specifically consulted Dr. Hao about this—normally, at three months, even if the belly started showing, it would only be a slight curve. But Ningning’s belly looked more like someone four months pregnant.
Gu Jianing let out a soft humph. “Of course, it’s because you’re about to become the dad of two kids!”
“Dad of two kids… kids?!”
Sheng Zexi’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at Gu Jianing. “Ningning, you… you mean?”
“I got it checked—there are two babies in here! So you’re the dad of two, and I’m the mom of two. Happy?”
Sheng Zexi walked over and gently placed his hand on Gu Jianing’s slightly rounded belly, his eyes reddening. “Happy. I’m so happy.”
How could he not be happy?
There was a time when he thought he would never have children.
Later, after marrying Ningning and receiving treatment to restore his health, he began to hope for a child with the woman he loved.
Even after Ningning got pregnant, he didn’t dare hope for too much—just one child in this lifetime would have been enough for him.
And now, Ningning had given him another surprise—two children at once!
How could Sheng Zexi not be overjoyed?
He blinked hard, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall.
“By the way, have you told your parents and grandparents yet? It’s been three months,” Sheng Zexi asked.
“Not yet. I wanted to wait until you came back to tell them.”
“Alright, then we’ll go together tomorrow to make the calls.”
“Okay.”
Once the kang was warmed, Sheng Zexi carried Gu Jianing onto it, and she nestled into his embrace, quietly soaking in his warmth and the sense of security he provided.
“A lot happened while you were away on your mission.”
Gu Jianing recounted everything that had occurred over the past month—how she had passed her assessment and become a doctor in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department at the military hospital, for instance.
“My wife is truly amazing. I always knew you could do it,” Sheng Zexi said, stroking Gu Jianing’s head with pride.
His words were full of praise. Ever since their marriage, this man—who had once been like a porcupine, bristling with sharp edges and pushing others away with his sharp tongue—had only ever spoken to his wife with admiration. In front of Gu Jianing, he seemed to shed all his defenses, leaving behind nothing but tenderness.
“Of course I’m amazing. Otherwise, how could I have cured so many people—and your condition? How could I have helped Sister Shuwan and Sister-in-law Jiang get pregnant, or gotten pregnant myself?” Gu Jianing wasn’t one for modesty. Hearing Sheng Zexi praise her only made her happier.
“My medical skills are outstanding, which is why I received an award for the rescue mission.”
“I heard that when a military wife wins an award, it brings honor to her husband and even helps with future promotions.”
Gu Jianing then told Sheng Zexi about the landslide rescue mission in Xinghua Village and the incident with the amber.
She had expected more praise from him, but instead, she was met with a gaze full of heartache. “Ningning, you were pregnant at the time, yet you still rushed into the rescue without rest. It must have been exhausting.”
“Ningning, you should think more about yourself and the baby.”
Otherwise, if something had happened to her or the children, what would he have done?
Truthfully, when he returned from his mission and saw her on the awards stage, recognized for her outstanding efforts in the rescue, he had been happy for her—but that wasn’t what he truly wanted.
What he wanted most was to come home to her and their unborn child, safe and waiting for him.
He didn’t need anything else. He didn’t need her to do anything to boost his career. All he needed was for her and their child to be safe. That was enough.
Hearing the concern in Sheng Zexi’s voice, Gu Jianing hugged him back and looked up. “I know. Don’t worry, I was careful.”
In truth, thanks to the Pregnancy Vitality Pills and the Pregnancy Holy Body Pills she had taken, both her body and the babies were in good condition. Even after a full day and night of rescue work, the worst she had suffered was fatigue and hunger. Otherwise, she was fine.
To be honest, Gu Jianing wasn’t the type to sacrifice herself for others. She was selfish enough to prioritize her own well-being first.
Only after ensuring her own safety would she consider others.
“Good. As long as you were careful.” Sheng Zexi lowered his voice and pressed a soft kiss to Gu Jianing’s hair, his eyes brimming with deep affection. “You’ve worked so hard, doing so much while I was away.”
“You still haven’t told me about your mission. Not the details, of course—but why were you gone for so long? You said it would only take a month at most.”
He had no idea how worried she had been when a month passed and he still hadn’t returned.
“You don’t know how scared I was. I even had a nightmare…” Gu Jianing described the contents of her dream to Sheng Zexi.
After listening, Sheng Zexi’s expression turned strange.
“Ningning, sometimes I wonder if you have prophetic dreams…” he murmured. Without revealing any mission details, he briefly explained some of the challenges they had faced—how his comrades had been severely injured, how he had used the hemostatic bandages she had prepared, and how, in the end, he had managed to save their lives.
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