At the sound of a knock, Xue Yue opened the door. When she saw it was He Lang, a wave of joy washed over her.
"You’re back."
He Lang looked at her, a smile in his eyes, just as he was about to speak.
"Sister-in-law, I’m a colleague of Brother Lang. My na is Li Dawei. It’s my first ti visiting, so I brought you so things." Li Dawei’s voice was booming, and he grinned brightly as he held up a large bag of items, just staring at Xue Yue with a slightly goofy expression.
He Lang’s mouth twitched.
Xue Yue was taken aback for a second. She glanced at He Lang, but when he didn’t react, she quickly took the bag from Li Dawei. "Thank you, please, co in."
The two n entered the courtyard. Xue Yue set the bag down and went to pour Li Dawei a glass of water.
Only after Li Dawei saw Xue Yue go into the kitchen did he whisper to He Lang, "Brother Lang, your wife is gorgeous. But how co you never ntioned she was pregnant?"
He Lang shot Li Dawei a look. "What was there to say?"
Li Dawei couldn’t help but feel that He Lang was being smug.
Xue Yue ca out with two glasses of water and asked, "Did you have a good trip?"
Li Dawei looked at He Lang, who nodded before speaking. "It was fine. Has everything been okay at ho?"
Xue Yue smiled. "Actually, we do have so good news. My big brother beca a police officer."
He Lang asked, "Your brother passed the exam?"
Xue Yue gave He Lang a puzzled look. "You knew?"
He Lang nodded.
Li Dawei, who had been listening on the side, was completely baffled. After a mont, he asked He Lang, "Which of your brothers beca a cop?"
He Lang smiled. "My brother-in-law."
"He Lang, you two chat," Xue Yue said. "I’m going to start dinner. My brother should be back soon, too."
Li Dawei stood up. "Sister-in-law, please don’t cook on my account. I was just dropping Brother Lang off and I’ll be leaving soon."
He Lang put a hand on Li Dawei’s shoulder. "What’s this? You co all the way to my place and won’t even stay for a al? Are you trying to disrespect ?"
Li Dawei shook his head. "No, Brother, it’s not like that. Alright then. Sorry for the trouble, Sister-in-law."
Xue Yue smiled. "It’s no trouble at all. It just ans setting one more place at the table."
Xue Yue cooked in the kitchen: scrambled eggs with tomato, stir-fried cured pork with garlic scapes, eggplant with minced pork, a cold cucumber and glass noodle salad, mushroom soup, and a pot of stead white rice.
When she carried the dishes into the room, she was surprised to find her brother had already returned. He was talking with He Lang and Li Dawei, dressed in a brand-new police uniform.
"Brother, you got your new uniform?"
"Yeah, a new batch ca in, so we all got new ones."
Xue Yue looked him over. "It fits you well."
Xue Xingzhou smiled and nodded, then stood up to help Xue Yue with the dishes.
During the al, Li Dawei brought up He Lang’s promotion. "Brother Lang earned a comndation this ti, so he’s being made a permanent employee ahead of schedule. Once that happens, he can get his food ration file transferred, his salary will increase, and he’ll get a subsidy too."
Li Dawei was a permanent employee himself, and he’d always thought He Lang was resourceful and capable. It was only a matter of ti before he was made permanent. Still, to get it done in less than a year... only soone like He Lang could pull that off.
Xue Xingzhou asked, "A comndation? What for?"
Xue Yue also turned to look at He Lang. He slowed down his eating.
Li Dawei realized he’d let the cat out of the bag. He darted a glance at He Lang, but the other man remained silent.
Li Dawei scratched the back of his head and then recounted what had happened on their trip.
"Luckily, Brother Lang was quick on his feet. Otherwise, things could have gotten ugly for us. If anything had happened to the cargo, we all would’ve been fired for sure."
Xue Yue anxiously put down her chopsticks, walked over to He Lang’s side, and looked him up and down. "Where are you hurt?"
He Lang shot a look at Li Dawei. ’This idiot,’ he thought, ’why did he have to be so specific?’
Li Dawei, completely missing the look from He Lang, said, "Sister-in-law, Brother Lang got a knife slash on his arm. But don’t worry, we already got it bandaged up."
Xue Yue’s gaze fell on He Lang’s arm. She couldn’t see anything through his clothes, but when she touched it gently, it felt like there was indeed gauze underneath.
Xue Xingzhou’s expression grew grim. "Didn’t you report it to the police afterward?"
He Lang shook his head. "We didn’t have ti. The delivery was the priority."
"I’ll talk to my ntor tomorrow. I’ll have him report it and see if we can get in touch with the local police departnt there."
Li Dawei looked at Xue Xingzhou excitedly. "Brother Xue, that would be amazing! Those guys were so brazen. Every single one of them was carrying a knife."
Xue Yue barely ate any dinner. When she saw Li Dawei off, she packed him a bag of hazelnuts and pine nuts.
Li Dawei waved his hands in refusal. "Sister-in-law, I can’t take this. You’ve already given a al; I can’t accept gifts too."
Xue Yue told him, "Just take them. I picked them on the mountain myself. They’re nothing valuable."
"Co on, just take them," He Lang added from the side.
Li Dawei chuckled and took the bag. "Alright then, I’m heading out. Brother Lang, make sure you get so rest."
He Lang nodded.
Xue Yue said, "Co visit again when you have ti."
Li Dawei nodded happily, then rode away on his bicycle.
After Li Dawei left, Xue Xingzhou prepared to leave as well.
"Brother, it’s almost dark. Why don’t you head back tomorrow?"
Xue Xingzhou replied, "I’d better not. I feel better now that He Lang is back. Besides, I haven’t been ho in days. I should go check on things."
Then he turned to He Lang. "I’m taking the bike."
He Lang nodded.
After Xue Xingzhou left, Xue Yue pulled He Lang into the house.
As soon as they were inside, she started pulling at the buttons on his shirt, trying to get it off.
He Lang chuckled. "Honey, it’s not even fully dark out. Are you in that much of a hurry?"
Xue Yue gave him a flat look. "Are you taking it off or not?"
He Lang sighed in resignation and took off his shirt, revealing the white gauze bandage on his arm.
It looked clean, with no bloodstains.
"I had it treated at the hospital. The wound isn’t deep, it’ll heal in a few days," He Lang said.
Xue Yue was silent for a few seconds. "Is your line of work this dangerous?"
He pulled her into his arms with his uninjured arm. "This was just a fluke. Don’t worry, okay?"
Xue Yue rested her head on his chest without a word. She just felt a deep sense of unease.
He Lang gently patted her back again and again. "Don’t worry. This isn’t the lawless old days; people can’t just do whatever they want. Didn’t your brother say so? Soone will probably deal with it soon. If anything, it was a blessing in disguise for . Not only did I get my permanent position, but I also get a week off to rest. And I get to spend it with you."
Xue Yue let out an exasperated laugh. "So blessing that is."
He Lang looked at her. "You’re right. We don’t want that kind of blessing. Anyone who wants it can have it."
"You can still joke about it? I was scared to death just hearing about it. Don’t you dare get hurt again, and don’t be so reckless," Xue Yue murmured.
"Alright, alright, I get it. Next ti sothing like that happens, I’ll just hide and won’t get involved, no matter what."
Xue Yue snorted, a real laugh escaping her lips.
"Oof—"
He Lang looked down at her. "What’s wrong?"
Xue Yue rubbed her belly. "He kicked again. He’s been so active in here lately."
He Lang looked at her in alarm. "He kicks you often? Does it hurt?"
A smile lit up Xue Yue’s eyes. "It doesn’t hurt. He must know his daddy’s ho. Isn’t that right, little one?"
He Lang reached out to place a hand on her belly. When he suddenly felt a flutter under his palm, his eyes widened in amazent as he stared down at his hand.
"He really moved!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers