Qi Taiguo returned home after 10 PM, finding the living room still brightly lit. Cheng Su hadnât gone to bed yet, and was engrossed in reading a reference book; seeing him return, she put the book down and came to greet him.
Before she even came close, she caught the scent of alcohol and asked, "Youâve been drinking today? What kind of welcome party was it?"
As he took off his uniform, Qi Taiguo replied, "Those military doctors and nurses who were assigned to the grass-roots units reported for duty today, so we threw a welcome party. I just had a couple of small drinks to join in the fun. Didnât your sister tell you?"
"She mentioned you had some welcome party but didnât go into detail," Cheng Su said.
Qi Taiguo uttered an "oh" and, looking at her face, leaned in closer, only to be stopped by Cheng Suâs hand. She reprimanded him, "Be careful, Mom and your sister might come out."
His mood was instantly dampened and he clicked his tongue, "Iâll go take a shower."
Cheng Su nodded, and once he was in the bathroom, she picked up the uniform he had left on the back of the chair. Her nose twitched, her brows furrowing.
There was the scent of perfume on this uniform!
Cheng Su glanced toward the bathroom, placed the uniform in the basin, and sat down leisurely on the sofa to wait.
Qi Taiguo was quick in the shower and soon came out, seeing her still reading, he said, "The weatherâs getting cooler now. Go to bed early and donât catch cold!"
"Come here!" Cheng Su patted the space beside her on the sofa.
Qi Taiguo walked over and sat down, wrapping his long arm around her and joking, "What is it, did you miss me?"
Ever since his mother and sister arrived, they had given up their room, and Cheng Su was sleeping on the bivouac in the guest room. The bivouac was quite small and could not accommodate two, so Qi Taiguo had been sleeping on the sofa, resulting in a long time without intimacy between them.
"Stop it!" Cheng Su glared at him in feigned anger.
"You might not miss me, but I sure miss you!" Qi Taiguo whispered tantalizingly into her ear.
Tickled by his words, Cheng Su felt her body warming up and pushed him away, saying, "Be serious, I am trying to talk to you!"
"Go on then!" Qi Taiguo leaned against her, his hand slipping under her pajamas and caressing her waist.
"Are all these new military doctors and nurses women?"
Unaware of Cheng Suâs thoughts, Qi Taiguo naively answered, "Theyâre all women, that military doctor even has quite the reputation. Old Gao and the others have given her the nickname âBodhisattvaâ!"
Cheng Suâs interest was piqued, "How come?"
Qi Taiguo then shared Chiang Qingâs background with her.
"Wow, sheâs a dazzling, wealthy beauty!" Cheng Su raised her eyebrows, looking at him with a side glance, "So, is it pleasing to the eye?"
Qi Taiguo was about to say it was alright but changed his tune upon catching Cheng Suâs expression, "I didnât really take a good look, no matter how pretty she is, she canât compare to my wife!"
"Your lips say one thing, but your heart knows the truth," Cheng Su huffed, "Thereâs a saying that the bloom at home isnât as fragrant as the wildflowers out there. Surely the ones outside must look better than the one at home."
"So what if they do?"
"Nothing much, just felt like singing a song for you," she said.
"What song?"
"Donât pick the wildflowers by the roadside!" Cheng Su teased with a raised eyebrow.
Qi Taiguo was taken aback, patting his forehead and laughing, "Look at you, getting jealous again?"
Cheng Su glared at him.
"Alright, alright, I wonât pick, I wonât pick, not the wildflowers!" Qi Taiguo assured her, "But surely I can pick this homegrown flower, canât I?"
His hand crept from her waist to her chest, teasing her gently. Cheng Su wanted to say it wasnât convenient, but considering that the wildflowers outside were blooming so enticingly, what if she didnât satisfy her man at home and he got lured away by one of them?
"Letâs go to the bedroom, keep it down!" Cheng Su nodded toward the guest room.
"Yes, maâam!" Qi Taiguo scooped her up in one fell swoop, kicked open the guest room door, closed it behind them, and let his primal instincts take over...