Chapter 34 Sharing a Bed

Chapter 34: Sharing a Bed

On the twenty-eighth day of the lunar year, Gu Yu's unit began its rotating leave.

Since this was the first year of his marriage to Xie Xinyi, and knowing she would be bringing her new husband back to her mother's family home for the New Year, Xie Xinyi had written ahead to Mother Xie.

In the letter, she mentioned their arrival time and instructed Mother Xie to take advantage of the remaining time to build an additional room.

In those days, there were no hotels, only state-run guesthouses that required letters of introduction.

Considering that state-owned units would be closed during the New Year, leaving Gu Yu with no place to stay, Xie Xinyi decided to use the wages she had earned to pay for building a room at her home.

The Xie family had only a few rooms: one for Grandma Xie, one for Mother Xie and Xie Xinhuan, and the rest were occupied by Second Xie's family.

Having the new son-in-law stay at a guesthouse on his first visit would invite gossip, and having no place for him to stay would make the Xie family seem unwelcoming. Staying at someone else's house was also not Xie Xinyi's style.

What to do?

The solution was to build a separate room. This way, they would have a place to stay when they returned, and when they were away, her younger sister could have her own space.

Building a room required hiring labor and buying materials. Worried that Mother Xie might not have enough funds, Xie Xinyi decided to send the money she had saved. Before doing so, she made a point of asking Gu Yu for his consent.

It wasn’t really about seeking permission. When she mentioned it to Gu Yu, he happened to be receiving his New Year's subsidy. Upon hearing she wanted to send money home to build a room, he didn’t even ask how much it would cost and directly told her to use their passbook.

He didn’t distinguish between what was his and what was hers, nor did he dwell on her small savings. When Xie Xinyi insisted on using her own wages, his face turned cold, and he was in a bad mood for quite a while before abruptly asking why.

Not selfish, and understanding that good things should be shared, Xie Xinyi couldn’t help but laugh whenever she recalled his puzzled expression when he asked her why.

Truly a model husband for modern times. If she hadn’t known the plot of the book, she might have blurted that out.

Such a good man, yet Xie Xinyi couldn’t claim him as her own.

Feeling like sour grapes, Xie Xinyi stewed all night. The next day, she took the passbook Gu Yu had given her and went to the post office.

Since using the money from the passbook was Gu Yu’s idea, and the room was for both of them to stay in during their visit, who else should pay for it if not Gu Yu?

Adhering to the principle of never making things hard on herself, Xie Xinyi boldly sent Mother Xie 200 yuan, deducting even the cost of mailing the letter from the passbook.

In this letter, Xie Xinyi patiently explained to Mother Xie why Gu Yu would be staying with them for the New Year. She also attached a construction blueprint she had spent two days carefully designing.

The room layout was inspired by modern hotel designs, featuring a bedroom, a shower area, and a sink tailored to their habits. Though simplified, it was fully functional, with clear dimensions and positions marked on the blueprint, which she believed her younger sister would understand.

She had prepared everything for Gu Yu’s visit to her mother's family home, but she hadn’t anticipated Gu Ying throwing a wrench in the works.

“...I don’t care, I’m going to my sister-in-law’s house.”

Gu Ying pushed away the new clothes Wen Shuhua handed her, outright rejecting the request to go to the military plant to invite someone. “...If he doesn’t want to return to Shanghai, he has his reasons. Why are you always pushing me to chase after him?”

Unwilling to engage too much with Gao He, she used Xie Xinyi as an excuse, insisting on tagging along with the couple to the Xie family.

Wen Shuhua didn’t know what to do with her, and Grandma Gu, not wanting to keep the child confined at home during the New Year, didn’t object.

Xie Xinyi didn’t mind Gu Ying accompanying them back to her hometown, but she was concerned that Gu Ying, accustomed to life in Beijing, might struggle to adapt to their rural setting. She glanced at Gu Yu to gauge his reaction.

The man sat on the sofa with a dark expression, his thoughts unreadable, suggesting he had no objections.

Taking this as tacit approval, Xie Xinyi agreed to Gu Ying’s request to join them. That night, lying in bed with Gu Yu, she recalled Wen Shuhua’s words and cautiously asked Gu Yu for his opinion on Gao He.

“Not great,” he replied, his face still grim, as if Xie Xinyi owed him hundreds of yuan.

Xie Xinyi thought to herself skeptically, reminded that she indeed owed him 200 yuan and three mao (small currency units). Feeling guilty, she pretended not to notice and pressed on, “Do you think he has any... feelings for Gu Ying?”

“What kind of feelings?”

This time, he turned to look at her, his scowl replaced by a furrowed brow of confusion, nearly causing Xie Xinyi to get distracted by his good looks and forget her purpose.

“What kind of feelings do you think?”

She glanced meaningfully between them, raising an eyebrow suggestively. Finally, Gu Yu seemed to grasp her meaning and replied indifferently, “I don’t know.”

Don’t know?

How could he not know?

Aren’t men supposed to understand men? Unwilling to drop it, Xie Xinyi continued, “...Look, Regimental Commander Gao is from Shanghai, comes from a good family, is capable, doesn’t smoke or drink, and keeps his home impeccably tidy. A man like him is usually very popular with women and is considered a rare catch by mothers. How could he still be unmarried at his age?”

She posed the question to the man pretending to sleep, but instead of an answer, she watched his frown deepen and his expression darken.

Was he...

Disapproving of her words?

Xie Xinyi couldn’t decipher his thoughts and decided not to push further.

Gu Yu was perceptive, and she feared that saying too much might arouse his suspicion, so she left it at that.

She had said all she needed to say, both appropriate and inappropriate. How much he absorbed and what he inferred was beyond her control.

At the very least, she had planted seeds of doubt about Gao He. Since Gu Yu already disliked him, she assumed he would be even more vigilant in the future.

And Gu Yu did indeed become more wary of Gao He, though not because of Gu Ying—but because of his wife, who couldn’t stop praising the man so highly.

“Doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink, and keeps his home impeccably tidy.”

This phrase replayed in Gu Yu’s mind, keeping him awake for several nights. He even stayed up with Xie Xinyi on New Year’s Eve, with dark circles under his eyes.

For days, no one noticed his unusual behavior, least of all Xie Xinyi, the culprit, who was entirely oblivious to his mood, focused entirely on planning where to take Gu Ying in her hometown.

“Have you ever caught crabs?” she asked Gu Ying, who was sitting in the back seat.

“No, Beijing isn’t coastal. I’ve only heard Uncle talk about it. Can you catch crabs where you’re from?”

“Yes, I’ll take you. There are plenty.”

The two girls chattered away, planning their itinerary, while Gu Yu focused on driving. His serious expression only softened when they arrived at the Xie home and he saw Mother Xie.

“Mom.”

He addressed the smiling Mother Xie in a low but solemn voice. Unlike the “Aunt Li” he used during his last visit or the stiff “Mom” during the wedding, this carried a warmth reserved for family.

Li Jiyun was visibly stunned, and even Xie Xinyi, following behind, was taken aback.

Gu Ying, standing behind Gu Yu, cheerfully called out “Aunt Li.” Mother Xie finally snapped out of her daze, taking the items from their hands and stammering, “Oh.”

“Did the trip go smoothly?”

“Yes, it did.”

Gu Yu was as terse as ever, which made Gu Ying frown behind him. "Aunt Li, you have no idea how smooth the journey was. My brother even took me to a state-run restaurant for a big meal."

She stepped forward with a smile, linking arms with Li Jiyun as they walked into the house, chatting about their trip and deliberately mentioning their meal at the state-run restaurant to reassure Xie's mother that they hadn't gone hungry on the long journey.

With her sweet looks and smooth talk, she was nothing like her cold-faced older brother.

Xie's mother responded with a smile but glanced awkwardly at her son-in-law following behind.

Even though she had lived under the same roof with Gu Yu at the Gu family during her daughter's wedding, she still couldn't feel at ease chatting comfortably with her son-in-law.

Their interactions never felt like a mother-in-law meeting her son-in-law. Xie Xinyi sighed silently in resignation before also stepping forward to loop her arm through her mother's and head inside.

Since the new room was built without knowing Gu Ying would be coming, she had to make do sharing a bed with Xie Xinhuan this time.

Gu Ying, eager to escape the matchmaking pressures at home, didn't mind at all. As soon as Xie Xinyi made the arrangements, she immediately pulled Xie Xinhuan away to see her little nest for the next few days.

The newly built room was right next door. Xie's mother helped them carry their luggage to the new room before heading to the kitchen to start cooking.

Xie Xinyi glanced around the room's layout. To the left of the entrance was a newly painted desk, specially requested for her younger sister.

The bed was placed in the middle, and with a checkered cloth pulled across at night, it became a private bedroom.

Further in was the bathroom, complete with a sink.

Space was limited at home, but Xie's mother had done her best to recreate what was in Xie Xinyi's drawings.

Hiring labor in this era was both costly and troublesome. Though not as luxurious as in later times, Xie Xinyi felt warmed by the tidy little room before her.

It was like a weary traveler setting down a heavy burden, bringing an inexplicable sense of tranquility.

She sat on the bed spread with a new blanket, slowly unpacking her luggage while Gu Yu assisted quietly nearby. Though neither spoke, they worked in seamless coordination. By the time Xie's mother had the meal ready, they had already finished unpacking.

Since this was just a temporary stay, Xie Xinyi hadn't brought much. Thinking that Xie Xinhuan would use the room after they left, she placed the books brought from Beijing directly on the desk.

After tidying up the room, the two headed to the kitchen.

The kitchen was also something Xie Xinyi had strongly urged Xie's mother to build. Previously, the mother and her two daughters had been bullied by Second Xie's family—not only was their martyr's certificate taken, but they were also allotted only one room.

A room six meters square had to serve as both kitchen and bedroom. Xie Xinyi would never forget those difficult days when they couldn't stir-fry at night and mornings were spent sleeplessly amidst smoke—it was utterly miserable.

So when the Xie family decided to build a new house, her first thought was to add a separate kitchen.

For the new kitchen, Xie Xinyi blended elements from both later times and the current era: a simple stove, with a row of cement-built cabinets behind. Though small, it had all the essentials and was kept spotlessly clean by Xie's mother, making it very pleasant to look at.

Xie Xinyi happily sat by the stove, chatting idly with Xie's mother, who was adding eggs to the pot.

Gu Yu stood nearby for a while but, finding no opening in the conversation, glanced at the firewood in the corner, picked up a cleaver, and went to the yard to chop wood.

Xie's mother watched the busy figure in the yard and turned to whisper to Xie Xinyi, "Xiao Gu is diligent and caring, just like your father."

Back when Third Xie was alive, Xie's mother never had to lift a finger for household chores. Third Xie took care of everything, even bringing lunch and dinner back from work to eat with her.

The years married to Third Xie were the happiest of Li Jiyun's life. Having experienced such meticulous love, she could instantly recognize Gu Yu's feelings for her daughter.

She praised him approvingly, and Xie Xinyi also turned to look at the busy figure in the yard.

Perhaps restricted by his heavy clothing, the man had taken off his coat and sweater, now wearing only a thin autumn garment. His left foot planted firmly forward, right foot slightly back, he raised the axe high with powerful arms. With a sharp "crack," the log on the stump split in two. Then he bent down, picked it up, steadied it, and repeated the process...

This was the first time Xie Xinyi had seen Gu Yu doing such heavy labor. As expected of a soldier, his movements were fluid and his stamina impressive—a pile of firewood accumulated at his feet, yet he wasn't even breathing heavily.

The man continued splitting wood expressionlessly, the lean lines of his waist faintly visible beneath his clothes with each movement.

Xie Xinyi's gaze initially lingered on his sharply defined face but gradually drifted unconsciously to that perfect silhouette, conjuring indescribable images in her mind. Her face slowly flushed...

Xie's mother, mistaking her blush for shyness at her earlier words, seized the moment to ask when they planned to have children.

"Every woman goes through it. Although Gu Yu has an older brother, your in-laws will still care more about your branch of the family. It’s best if the first child is a boy; after that, whatever comes doesn’t matter."

Drawing on her experience, Xie's mother offered advice, concerned that there was still no news after such a long marriage.

She knew her son-in-law was reserved and had initially worried about compatibility between the two. But seeing Gu Yu helping her daughter with luggage and tidying up today eased those concerns, though now she worried about her daughter's temperament.

Young girls are shy. Suddenly married to a stranger and expected to have children—it’s natural to feel uneasy.

Having been through it herself, Xie's mother understood her daughter's feelings.

She advised Xie Xinyi at length, phrasing things as delicately as possible, but Xie Xinyi, who had always been single, was unprepared for this.

As Xie's mother repeatedly steered the conversation toward having children, Xie Xinyi blushed even more than when admiring the handsome figure earlier. Under her mother's persistent questioning, she could only mumble repeatedly that she had it under control.

"As long as you know. Don’t blame me for nagging, but Xiao Gu isn’t young anymore. Your father was already watching Xiaohuan run around the yard at his age."

Mentioning her long-deceased husband, Li Jiyun’s voice choked up. Xie Xinyi, unsure how to comfort her, simply turned to watch the figure in the yard without a word.

The mother-daughter talk ended in silence. That evening, after dinner, back in their room, Xie Xinyi suddenly asked the man washing up, "Will you be twenty-six after this year?"

Gu Yu nodded, puzzled but not questioning why she asked.

Thinking she wanted to discuss something, he hurried through his washing. But after lying in bed ready for a deep conversation, the girl fell silent after that one question.

Perplexed, he recalled an older comrade in the army complaining that his wife thought he was too old, and suddenly grew uneasy.

Xie Xinyi had just turned eighteen when she married him; he was twenty-five, a full seven years older—even more of an age gap than his comrade and his wife.

Could her question mean she thought he was too old?

Gu Yu turned over, watching the youthful girl standing by the washbasin, then raised a hand to touch his rough, desert-like face, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Xie Xinyi at the washbasin was also deep in thought.

She recalled Xie's mother's words in the kitchen earlier. Yes, Gu Yu would be twenty-six after this year.

According to the book, the big shot started his entrepreneurial journey at thirty and divorced Xie Tingting at thirty-five.

Though she had married Gu Yu in place of Xie Tingting, she wasn’t sure how far the big shot would go with her.

Would they divorce? Or just drift along?

Uncertain, Xie Xinyi didn’t dare become too entangled with Gu Yu.

The big shot's life path had already been disrupted by her unexpected presence. Marriage was one thing, but if she had children with him, what would happen if they really divorced later?

She couldn’t find a perfect solution and couldn’t openly explain it to the eager older generation.

Her worries about the future weren’t wrong, but neither was Xie's mother’s point.

Gu Yu was twenty-six this year.

At twenty-six, in later times, one would be considered in the prime of youth. Not only would having children be fine, but even staying unmarried wouldn’t draw criticism.

But this is the 1970s - fifty years in the past. Not only is getting married at twenty-six considered late, but even having two children by age twenty would make people think you missed the best time to have a third child.

Times change people.

Xie Xinyi didn’t want to be unconventional, but reality gave her no choice.

Leaving aside whether she was willing to have children, even if she wanted to, Gu Yu might not be willing to have them with her.

The trajectory of the Big Shot's life had already been disrupted by her. If she shamelessly pressured him into having children with her now, how would that be any different from robbery?

Xie Xinyi didn’t want to be a robber, nor did she want to put Gu Yu in a difficult position. She could only take it one step at a time and avoid overthinking for now.

If there was one thing she was good at, it was her ability to stay optimistic and not overthink things.

Knowing that overthinking wouldn't lead to a perfect solution, she simply stopped thinking about it altogether.

After carefully washing her face, she went to the bed, ready to sleep. But as she approached, she stopped short at the sight of the quilt firmly covering the man.

There was only one quilt!

How would she and Gu Yu sleep tonight?

Xie Xinyi had put a lot of thought into setting up this new room but had forgotten to ask Xie Xinyi's mother for an extra quilt.

Now, with only one quilt—and Gu Yu having already claimed it—where was she supposed to sleep?

Xie Xinyi wanted to ask but hesitated.

She glanced awkwardly at the quilt neatly covering the man. During the day, it would have been easy to make an excuse and get another quilt from Xie’s mother next door. But it was already late, and Xie’s mother and younger sister were surely asleep. She couldn’t just wrap herself in a coat and make do overnight, could she?

Besides, in Xie’s mother’s eyes, she and Gu Yu were a married couple. Sharing a quilt was perfectly normal...

She couldn’t help but glance again at the man already lying in bed. His expression was as cold and unreadable as ever, but his stiff, motionless posture and the fact that he was turned away from her made it clear that he was just as uncomfortable with the situation.

Back when they lived with the Gu family, Xie Xinyi was used to having a quilt to herself. Now, sharing one with someone else—this was their first time being this intimate since marrying.

But what could she do?

There was no extra quilt, and she couldn’t go next door to get one. Was she really supposed to sleep wrapped in her coat?

Forget it—this was her home, the room was hers, and naturally, the quilt was hers too.

As a woman of the 21st century who'd seen plenty of the world, Xie Xinyi agonized over the dilemma for a moment before successfully convincing herself to just climb under the covers.

They were legally married, a legally recognized union.

She repeated the words in her mind.

No matter what the Big Shot thought or what the future held, the story in the book didn't match reality.

Even though she had wrestled with her thoughts earlier while staring into the mirror, reality was reality.

As the Big Shot’s lawful wife in this life, Xie Xinyi lay down contentedly on the bed. The familiar scent of the man beside her gradually filled the air, though his warmer body made her somewhat uncomfortable.

The quilt made by Xie’s mother was small, barely enough for two people. It wasn’t as spacious or comfortable as when they each had their own quilt. She could even feel the man’s subtle movements beside her.

His body lay stiff and still, as if he had been holding the same position for a long time. Just now, it seemed like he had moved his arm slightly.

Then he was still again—probably asleep. But then his foot must have gone numb, and she felt him twist it slightly.

Though his movements were slight, she could tell that he, like her, was uncomfortable with this closeness.

They maintained a safe distance, neither crossing boundaries. Even their breathing was soft, as if afraid to break the silence.

The nights in Guozixiang were quieter than those in Beijing. Xie Xinyi closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the wind outside the window. Perhaps worn out from the day’s travel, she slowly grew sleepy as she listened.

She didn’t want to talk or even bother turning over, but she could still feel the man gently adjusting the quilt. He changed his sleeping position, turned over, and then lay still again...

Everything seemed normal at first, until just as she was about to fall asleep, she realized Gu Yu was quietly stealing the quilt. Then, the source of warmth drew closer and closer, inching nearer and nearer...

Xie Xinyi jolted awake, her eyes snapping open. But before she could react, the man pulled her firmly against him.

Xie Xinyi: “!!!!”

What was going on?