A Beauty in the 80s Goes on a Blind Date with Her Child, Captivating the Military Compound - Chapter 59

Where was everyone?

Where had Shen Sisi and Niuniu gone?

The modest bedroom could be surveyed in a single glance. The bedding on the bed showed obvious signs of having been sat upon, but the people were missing.

Just then, a series of rustling sounds drifted from the half-open door of the small room next door.

“Mom, the child is used to sleeping with me. Let me do it!”

“Do what? Three people sleeping in one bed—don’t you think it’s too crowded?”

“It’s really fine. That bed is huge, it’s not crowded at all…” Shen Sisi hadn’t expected that in the short time it took her to empty the foot-washing water, Niuniu would be scooped up by Xu Hongying and taken to the smaller room.

By the time she returned, Niuniu had already been tucked under the covers.

Xu Hongying stood guard by the door like a sentinel. No matter what happened today, she was not going to let Niuniu disrupt the young couple.

Shen Sisi was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. She wanted to force her way past to take Niuniu back, but she was no match for Xu Hongying’s stubborn resistance. Her brows knit tightly together, the frown lines forming a deep “river” character on her forehead.

“Mom, Niuniu has loved kicking off her blankets since she was a baby. Her body is weak and she gets night sweats; I have to get up in the middle of the night to wipe her down. Occasionally, she even needs to be sat on the potty. It’s a lot of trouble.”

“At your age, your body won’t be able to handle getting up like that in the middle of the night.”

Xu Hongying waved her hand dismissively, pushing Sisi toward the door without taking no for an answer. “What’s there to handle? I raised three children by myself. Isn’t it just pulling up blankets, wiping some sweat, and helping her use the potty? What’s so hard about that?”

“Don’t forget your most urgent task right now—hurry up and get pregnant with a child for the Gu family.”

Shen Sisi felt a surge of inner frustration. This Xu Hongying was truly impenetrable; no matter how much sense Sisi tried to talk into her, the woman remained completely immersed in her own world.

Realizing it was a waste of breath, Sisi looked over Xu Hongying’s shoulder, hoping to place her final hope on Niuniu. “Niuniu, you want to sleep with Mommy, right?”

Niuniu poked her head out from under the quilt, revealing a pair of bright, sparkling eyes. “I want to sleep with Mommy, but… I want a little brother or sister even more!”

Shen Sisi’s face instantly turned as red as a furnace. The look of hope on her face slowly vanished, replaced by a complex, unreadable expression.

What on earth did Xu Hongying say to Niuniu…

Niuniu had been in poor health since she was little and didn’t have many friends; she dreamed of having a little playmate. Hearing Xu Hongying say that as long as she slept with Grandma, her Daddy and Mommy could “conjure up” a little brother or sister, Niuniu had immediately hugged Xu Hongying’s neck and allowed herself to be carried to the small bed next door.

A triumphant smile played on the corners of Xu Hongying’s mouth. “Alright, stop dallying and go to bed!”

She pushed Shen Sisi gently but firmly out of the room. “Go sleep. I’ll take good care of this little girl.”

Shen Sisi’s mind went blank as she silently tried to gather the scattered pieces of her composure. It seemed Mom was dead serious. It wasn’t just talk…

Shen Sisi appeared both despondent and nervously apprehensive.

Her despondency was for Gu Chengfeng. Xu Hongying knew nothing of his injury and was full of anticipation for the arrival of a grandson. If a child never came, Xu Hongying would want to stay here forever. Over time, the truth would surely come out. When that happened, what would Gu Chengfeng do?

As for her nervousness, it was for Niuniu. For three years, Niuniu had been with her every single day. The sudden absence of that little person left her heart feeling empty. Moreover, she didn’t know if the boisterous Xu Hongying could truly care for the child. Niuniu’s health had only just begun to turn a corner; she couldn’t afford to get sick again.

In the darkness of their room, Gu Chengfeng watched the woman standing still. The smile on his face slowly faded, and the expression in his eyes grew colder and more profound.

“My mother is just like that. She acts decisively and only considers her own goals without regard for others. I’ll find a chance to bring Niuniu back tomorrow.”

As Gu Chengfeng spoke, his eyes didn’t move from her. Seeing her wearing only a thin inner garment—her graceful figure filling out the loose cotton shirt in all the right places—he felt a sudden surge of heat and was lost in a daze for several seconds.

Shen Sisi let out a helpless sigh. That was all they could do for now. She wasn’t wearing an outer coat, and caught by a sudden draft of cold wind, her nose tickled. A-choo!

Gu Chengfeng’s heart skipped a beat. In the next second, he draped his own outer jacket over her shoulders. “It’s cold at night. Get under the covers quickly. Leave the rest to me…”

Shen Sisi wrapped the large garment tightly around herself, not quite understanding what he meant by “leave the rest to me.” Nevertheless, she obediently turned and got into bed, curling into a small ball beneath the quilt.

Gu Chengfeng stood still for a few more seconds to let the heat on his body dissipate before stepping further into the room. As soon as he approached, he saw Shen Sisi taking off the gold necklace and bangle and handing them to him.

“This is…” his deep, clear voice asked in question.

Shen Sisi looked up. “These gifts are too precious. I can’t keep them.”

Gu Chengfeng didn’t take them. He merely lowered his gaze to her, his brow slightly furrowed. “A gift given to you is yours. There is no logic in taking it back.”

“But we are… we’re fake. We aren’t a real couple,” Shen Sisi reminded him in a whisper. She feared that Gu Chengfeng had become so immersed in his role lately that he had forgotten they were only “contract” spouses.

Gu Chengfeng’s face turned frighteningly grim. He stood by the bed, exuding a heavy, low pressure, his thin lips pressed into a cold line.

“You don’t need to go out of your way to remind me…”

The raging storm hidden beneath his calm exterior was plain to see in Shen Sisi’s eyes. Did I say something wrong? Why is he so angry!

“Gu Chengfeng, I’m serious. This is jewelry your family intended for your wife. I shouldn’t have it.” She tried to extend her hand a bit further, but it was pushed back by a large hand.

The large hand was icy, filled with a bone-chilling coldness.

“Shen Sisi, as long as you are my wife for one day, these gold pieces are yours. Unless… you are no longer my wife. It won’t be too late to return them then.”

Of course, he had no intention of letting that day ever come.

Shen Sisi felt he had a point. Since she was living under Xu Hongying’s nose right now, it would be better to wear the jewelry occasionally to keep up appearances and avoid being exposed.

“Alright then. I’ll keep this set of jewelry with me for now.” Shen Sisi carefully wrapped them in red cloth and placed them in the bedside drawer.

Seeing her keep the items, the low pressure around Gu Chengfeng finally dissipated by half. He grabbed a corner of the quilt and was about to sit down when he heard a very faint set of footsteps coming from next door.

Just as Shen Sisi was about to speak, Gu Chengfeng made a “shushing” gesture. Sure enough, those sneaky footsteps stopped right outside their bedroom door.

Shen Sisi stared at the thin door panel. Was the old lady… eavesdropping at the wall?

She immediately looked at the man beside her, only to see his narrow, phoenix-like eyes upturned slightly.

“Can you… pant?” he asked, his voice low and raspy. In the silence of the night, it carried a captivating, alluring quality that made her heart tighten.

Pant?