Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Huo Huaichuan picked up a piece of meat and placed it in her bowl. "Eat."

"Got it!" Gao Mingzhu didn't hold back at all, picked up the meat from her bowl and ate it.

The smile in Huo Huaichuan's eyes deepened.

After they confessed their feelings that afternoon, the wall between them had completely disappeared.

The atmosphere now felt like a honeymoon phase.

There weren't many forms of entertainment in this era, and after dinner, there was even less to do.

In the past few days, Huo Huaichuan had been in low spirits, and Gao Mingzhu didn't want to provoke him, so they mostly kept to themselves.

Tonight was different. Both of them sat down at the desk.

Gao Mingzhu picked up the "Aviation News" that Huo Huaichuan had been reading often these days. The pages had become worn from repeated reading.

She opened it and glanced at it. "How long have you been reading this?"

"More than half a month. I've read it over and over, almost memorized it," Huo Huaichuan said calmly.

When he first woke up from his injury and realized he would never stand again, he was filled with despair, wishing he had died in the accident.

He spent each day in a daze. To help him pass the time, his comrades brought him some books—essays, novels, popular science and textbooks.

But he couldn't get into any of them. Only aviation stuff could settle his mind.

So he asked someone to find more similar ones and read them repeatedly.

"Just something to kill time," he added with self-mockery.

He knew for sure he'd never walk again in this life. His movements were severely restricted, and he could only rely on these books to kill time.

Hearing that, Gao Mingzhu shot him a glance and said casually, "Reading is great! Who says it's only for killing time?"

Huo Huaichuan turned to look at her.

What does she mean?

Gao Mingzhu picked up his book, which was covered in underlines, the pages almost worn out, with formulas he had annotated on the side. It was clear he truly enjoyed studying these things.

No wonder in his past life he'd come up with that formula that stunned the National Defense Science and Technology Commission.

"Do you think people read just to kill time?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly that. The knowledge you gain can be applied to all kinds of professions: like being a teacher to educate people, or a writer, or doing research, or a scientist... Lots of jobs can be done even if you can't walk." Gao Mingzhu gently prompted him.

Huo Huaichuan frowned. "Are you saying that I can read and then become a teacher, writer, or scientist?"

"Exactly! Many jobs don't require running around on your legs. You enjoy reading, and once you really get it and study it deeply, you'll have an advantage. Then you've got a way out!"

In his past life, Huo Huaichuan had fallen into research more by accident.

In this life, she could use what she knew from the future to point him in the right direction, helping him avoid a lot of detours.

Of course, in this life, she knew for sure he'd be able to stand again.

At that point, he wouldn't necessarily have to take the research path. If he still loved flying, he could go back to it.

With his talent, no matter what field he chose, he could reach the top!

What she could do was put those choices in front of him and let him decide.

Huo Huaichuan fell into deep thought.

He'd never thought there was another path—or rather, he'd never even considered taking a different one.

Ever since he found out he'd never fly again and would become useless, he felt like the sky had collapsed. He'd even thought about ending things.

But in the end, he couldn't let go of his mom... and her.

And now, she was telling him he didn't have just one road to walk...

The heart that had been quiet for so long in his chest started to beat again.

He seriously considered this possibility, and the more he thought, the more possible it seemed.

More importantly, if he could make it big in another field, wouldn't that make him less of a burden to her?

Wouldn't he then have more confidence to keep her by his side?

In the end, Huo Huaichuan was selfish. He just couldn't stand to let her go.

He looked at Gao Mingzhu, a light in his eyes that had been missing for so long. "Mingzhu, you're right."

Gao Mingzhu smiled. She knew Huo Huaichuan was smart; he didn't need much guidance from her. Just a little nudge, and he could see the key point.

Truly worthy of being the man she had set her sights on!

"Right?" she said triumphantly. "So I said, no difficulty is insurmountable! We're husband and wife. As long as our hearts are together and we work toward the same goal, we can get through any difficulty!"

"Whether it's work or your legs! I don't believe there's no hope for your legs. My intuition has always been right. You can take my word for it—I really think you might be able to stand again!

So from now on, cooperate with me. Take your medicine, do your rehabilitation exercises, okay? It would be best if you can stand, but even if it's not possible right now, we'll keep studying!

Don't forget, you were once called a prodigy, admitted into the aviation school on a special exception! With your talent, you can succeed in anything. Maybe you'll find another path and become one of the best in that field, still protect me and give me the life I want! Right?"

"..." Huo Huaichuan looked at Gao Mingzhu, staying quiet for a long time.

Not hearing his reply, Gao Mingzhu elbowed him. "Say something!"

"...Hmm," Huo Huaichuan said softly. After speaking, he gave her a deep look, his eyes full of barely hidden affection.

Finally, he couldn't help reaching out again, pulling her tightly into his arms.

He knew that in this marriage, Gao Mingzhu had been weighing the pros and cons, but he also knew she had endured many hardships. So he didn't mind her calculation.

He loved her, and that was enough!

Of course, he'd secretly hoped that over time, she might grow to like him too, but he was also prepared for the possibility that she never would.

He never imagined that in just half a year, she would...

What did he do to deserve this?

Huo Huaichuan's heart felt like something was squeezing it, a wave of bitterness welling up.

He couldn't help turning his head to kiss her cheek—once, twice, three times—then from her cheek to her earlobe, her hairline, and down to the hollow of her neck...

The temperature in the room slowly climbed, the air becoming charged with intimacy.

Gao Mingzhu felt a familiar, long-dormant desire.

After their divorce in her previous life, she hadn't deliberately stayed celibate, but for various reasons, she hadn't been intimate with anyone until she reunited with Huo Huaichuan...

But by then, her mindset was different from her younger days. Now, kissed like this, a tremor of deep-seated longing stirred her to the core.

As things edged toward being out of control, Gao Mingzhu barely held on to a shred of reason, pushing his hand away: "N-no, it's not convenient while you're in the wheelchair. What if I press on your leg?"

But Huo Huaichuan didn't let go as she wished.

In other matters, he usually deferred to Gao Mingzhu, but in this, he was always a bit assertive.

Especially now that he could clearly feel her arousal—he had no intention of stopping.

Seeing Gao Mingzhu hesitate to sit on his lap, he quickly pushed her onto the bed beside him.

Fortunately, the desk was close to the bed.

Gao Mingzhu fell onto the bed before she realized what he intended.

Although Huo Huaichuan had lost weight after his injury, he was still strong. And Gao Mingzhu, fearing she might hurt him in a struggle, didn't struggle much, so he was able to pin her down.

Soon, she had no strength left to struggle...

The two were lost in their tender moment, completely unaware that a huge fight had broken out at the old house.

Lin Meilan's father pressured her to get Gao Mingzhu to give up the accountant position for her brother Lin Tianxiong. She went to find Gao Mingzhu but was so frightened by Tiewei that she fled in a panic.

Furious, she cursed every generation of Gao Mingzhu's ancestors and stormed back to her parents' home.

Neighbors heard her raising a big ruckus in her parents' yard.

Later, the noise subsided. An hour later, she emerged from her parents' house, pale-faced. When someone greeted her on the road, she didn't even look up.

As soon as she stepped into the Huo family courtyard, she steeled herself like a fighting hen—face stiff, neck rigid—and entered the house.

Cooking duties in the Huo household were typically rotated among Mother Huo, Sister-in-law Huo, and Lin Meilan.

Today, it was supposed to be Sister-in-law Huo's turn, but she had to go to the county town in the afternoon to bring supplies to her husband, Huo Weimin, so she asked Lin Meilan to swap.

Lin Meilan had run off to her parents' house, leaving no one to cook, so Mother Huo had to cook when she returned home.

Old Man Huo had been starving for hours. The moment he saw Lin Meilan return, his anger flared up again: "You daughters-in-law are getting more and more capable! None of you cook—are you trying to starve me to death?"

"Then just starve to death! As if we can't get through a meal without you? Who do you think you are—some big shot? I've been slaving for this family like a beast of burden, working myself to the bone, and no one appreciates me. Fine, today I just don't want to do it! Let everyone starve to death, and be done with it!" Lin Meilan planted her hands on her hips and shot back.

Old Man Huo had just taken a puff of his pipe; he nearly choked on the smoke.

Of the three daughters-in-law, apart from Gao Mingzhu—who was pampered, never did chores, and simply ignored Old Man Huo's scolding—Sister-in-law Huo was mild-tempered and endured the scolding silently.

Only Lin Meilan, relying on her father being the village head, would occasionally talk back if Old Man Huo scolded her.

But Old Man Huo was still her father-in-law; she had never been this harsh before!

Telling him to starve to death was downright disrespectful!

Old Man Huo's beard trembled with rage. Huo Weicheng, hearing Lin Meilan's words from inside the house, rushed out to stop her: "Lin Meilan, have you lost your mind? What nonsense are you talking? Who told you to speak to your elders like that?"

"I have lost my mind!" Lin Meilan was beyond caring, shrieking as if she had finally found an outlet: "I gave your Huo family two sons! I get up before dawn and work until dark, washing clothes, cooking, slaving away like an ox! Your family is dirt poor, and I've been the one scrounging things from my parents' home to help support you! My dad is the village head—has there ever been a time your family needed help that he didn't provide? Huo Weicheng, your position as team leader—wasn't it my father who arranged it? Our Lin family has given you everything, and how do you repay us?!"

The Huo family was stunned.

Why was Lin Meilan suddenly dredging up all these old grudges?

Mother Huo, who was cooking in the kitchen, poked her head out and frowned.

Lin Meilan's next words shouted out what she was really after: "Now! My brother finally got a job, and it's only by becoming the accountant that he can marry a good wife! But your family—!"

"There's a perfectly good teacher job at the commune, but you won't take it! Instead, you have to snatch my brother's accountant job! Are you deliberately trying to make things hard for our Lin family? Waaah..."

The more she spoke, the more wronged she felt. She plopped down on the ground, slapping her thighs and wailing.

Mother Huo's heart sank—it was about the job again!

Old Man Huo's brow furrowed into a knot: "That's Gao Mingzhu's doing. Why are you scolding us here?"

He felt utterly wronged! Gao Mingzhu had never done him any favors as her father-in-law, yet he had to take Lin Meilan's scolding in her place?

This was outrageous!

Huo Weicheng was also furious: "What's wrong with you? You're blaming us for what Gao Mingzhu did? We didn't ask her to do it!"

"I don't care!" Lin Meilan wiped her tears and lifted her head abruptly, dropping a bombshell: "If you don't get her to give this job to my brother, I'm divorcing you!"

At the word "divorce," everyone was dumbfounded.

Huo Weicheng was especially stunned: "You crazy woman, what did you say? Over something so trivial, you want a divorce?"

"This is no trivial thing!" To prove she meant it, Lin Meilan immediately called her sons, "Niuwa, Zhuwa—hurry up and pack your things. We're going to Grandma and Grandpa's house!"

Niuwa and Zhuwa were unusually obedient this time and ran into the house to pack.

Lin Meilan got up to pack as well and added harshly, "I'm telling you, after the divorce, the kids are mine. None of you Huos will get a single one of them!"

"Hey! Hey!" Old Man Huo panicked when he heard this. How had things escalated so much? She was taking his grandsons? That couldn't happen!

"Second Brother's Wife, don't be foolish! You can't just throw around the word divorce like that! No one in these villages has ever gotten a divorce. If you divorce, everyone will laugh at you, won't they?"

"So what if I'm a laughingstock? What do I care? It's better than being a slave in your family and never getting anything in return!" Lin Meilan shouted from inside the room, her eyes darting several times at Mother Huo standing by the kitchen door before she ducked back to continue packing.

Old Man Huo suddenly understood his suspicion. His gaze turned knife-like toward Mother Huo, and he bellowed: "Du Xiumei, do you hear that? Hurry up! Tell Gao Mingzhu to give up the accountant job! Honestly, with a salaried commune teacher job, why would she come to be an accountant paid in work points? Is she out of her mind? I think she's doing it deliberately, trying to steal Meilan's brother's job!"

"What do you mean 'on purpose'?" Mother Huo exploded at this as well. "Mingzhu didn't go to the commune; instead, she stayed home to take care of Huaichuan! How would she manage if she went to the commune?"

"What's so hard about that?" Old Man Huo sprayed spittle as he shouted, his voice thick with phlegm, "Third Son's legs are bad, but he can still take care of himself! Does Gao Mingzhu have to be glued to him all day? I think she's just lazy! Making excuses!"

In his mind

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