Chapter 68

Chapter 68

So Gao Mingzhu said to Mother Huo, "Mother, why don't you go ahead and cook? Decide which meat to use tonight, and save the rest for tomorrow. I need to have a word with Huaichuan in the room."

Mother Huo looked at Gao Mingzhu, then at Huo Huaichuan, and understood they wanted to talk privately. She didn't feel it was appropriate to say anything more, so she took the meat from Gao Mingzhu and said, "Alright, I'll start cooking."

"Good!" Gao Mingzhu smiled, then turned to Huo Huaichuan.

He was still staring at her with his lips pursed. She pursed her lips and silently pushed his wheelchair back to the bedroom.

Then she sat down on the bed across from him.

The couple locked eyes.

"Mingzhu, I don't agree with you taking that risk!" once Mother Huo was gone, Huo Huaichuan's voice was deeper and more forceful. "You're treating your safety as if it doesn't matter!"

"I'm not!" Gao Mingzhu had to explain as best she could. "To be honest, I care about my own safety more than anyone. Besides taking care of you, I have my parents and brothers to care about. So I will never put myself in danger recklessly, trust me!"

Huo Huaichuan's brow furrowed even more. "Then cut off contact with that Aunt Dao!"

Gao Mingzhu knew he would say that and fell silent for a moment.

She hadn't planned to explain the spiritual spring water to him this morning, but now it seemed she had no choice but to explain both the space and the spiritual spring water.

"Huaichuan, I said there won't be any danger. You have to believe me!" Gao Mingzhu said vaguely. "Think about it—why is the food I cook so tasty? I've only been learning to cook for a short time…"

This suggestive remark made Huo Huaichuan, who was fuming, pause abruptly.

He looked up, his eyes fixed on Gao Mingzhu, deep and intent, and saw her looking back at him steadily, her gaze open and honest, as if she were unaware she had just revealed a huge secret.

Though he had been despondent since coming back, as a soldier, he hadn't lost his keen instincts.

He had long noticed that Gao Mingzhu was different—both in the change in her attitude toward him, and in the meals she cooked, the water she gave him…

Especially that water. Every time he drank it, he felt refreshed and clear-headed. Even his atrophied leg muscles seemed a bit fuller, and the skin on his legs was less wrinkled.

Not to mention his overall mental state—it was unbelievably good. Except for the fact that his legs still couldn't move, he even felt that the strength in his upper body had nearly returned to what it was before his injury!

So he had a vague feeling that Gao Mingzhu was hiding a big secret.

Several times he had meant to ask, but when he looked at her, he knew she didn't intend to tell him.

He never wanted to force her.

If she didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't ask.

But he never expected her to bring it up of her own accord now!

"…" Huo Huaichuan was silent for a beat.

Seeing his attitude clearly soften, Gao Mingzhu knew he was no longer so suspicious about her "finding someone to buy meat" and was more convinced that she was safe.

She took a deep breath and was about to tell him everything about the space and the spiritual spring—

Suddenly, Huo Huaichuan looked up, fixed his gaze on her, and asked to confirm, "That Aunt Dao... she really won't put you in danger?"

"No, I promise I'll keep myself safe!" Gao Mingzhu said immediately.

Then she heard Huo Huaichuan nod and say, "Alright!"

Gao Mingzhu was genuinely taken aback. That's it?

He must have realized she was hinting at something, and he must have realized she was deliberately revealing it, planning to confess the truth. But… he wasn't going to pry into her secret?

Huo Huaichuan seemed to see right through her confusion, gazing at her deeply. "As long as you're safe… that's enough."

"…" Gao Mingzhu was speechless.

In both her previous life and this one, Huo Huaichuan had given her too many touching moments, each one touching her deeply.

Sometimes she wondered what she had done to deserve such deep and respectful love from him.

This time was no different.

Looking at Huo Huaichuan before her, her nose tingled, and she felt like crying.

"I…" She started, her voice choked with tears, wanting to reveal all the secrets of the space and the spring water.

But Huo Huaichuan, as if he could read her mind, gently stopped her. "Mingzhu, you don't need to tell me. That should be your source of security in life. I hope you can protect it, even if you face difficulties in the future, so you'll always have the ability to take care of yourself."

Gao Mingzhu couldn't hold it in any longer; tears streamed down her face.

She walked over, threw her arms around Huo Huaichuan, and buried herself in his embrace, her voice thick with tears: "How can you be so good to me…"

Huo Huaichuan was slightly taken aback.

But fortunately, compared to his earlier self-doubt, sensitivity, and despair, he was much calmer today.

He raised his hand to hold her, gently patting her back, and comforted her, "Because you're good to me too."

Since he came back after his leg injury, he had noticed every little thing Gao Mingzhu had done for him.

In this life, it was already worth it!

He only wanted her to be well—that was enough! Of course—

Huo Huaichuan looked down at his legs again.

If he could stand up again, if he could once again stand by her side and protect her, that would be the best!

Gao Mingzhu didn't know what Huo Huaichuan was thinking. After finally calming her emotions, she leaned over, planted a kiss on his cheek, and smiled playfully. "That's your reward! You stay put; I'm going out to help Mother with the cooking. By the way, what's the plan for tonight? About what time will the people from the commune come?"

She hadn't forgotten that Du Shan had come by in the morning saying the commune would send someone tonight to pick up the account books.

Huo Huaichuan wasn't sure of the exact time, but he had done many secret missions before, so he was very composed. "They'll arrange it. We just need to act normal and do what we usually do."

Gao Mingzhu thought the same, so she nodded reassuringly. "Alright, I'll go out and cook with Mother."

Mother Huo was busy in the kitchen, still preoccupied about Gao Mingzhu getting meat from the black market.

When she saw her come out of the bedroom, she didn't ask directly, but her eyes couldn't help drifting toward her. Finally, she couldn't resist and quietly asked, "Mingzhu, about the meat… Huaichuan agreed?"

"He agreed!" Gao Mingzhu replied with a smile while helping with the cooking.

Mother Huo was taken aback, then hesitated as if she wanted to say something more this time—not because she thought Gao Mingzhu buying meat was inappropriate.

When Huo Huaichuan first came back, Gao Mingzhu had meat every day, and Mother Huo thought she was being a bit extravagant.

But in the past few days, she had seen with her own eyes that Huaichuan's complexion had improved a lot. And after going through the incident with Old Man Huo, her perspective had changed compared to a few days before.

Look, in life you gotta handle what’s right in front of you before you can worry about the future.

If you can't even get by right now, what's the use of saving up all that money?

So now that Mingzhu says she wants to eat meat, the mother doesn't see anything wrong with it either.

Huaichuan has three thousand yuan in compensation, plus thirty yuan in monthly subsidies—more than enough to live on in the countryside. What's wrong with eating some meat?

But she's really worried about Mingzhu's safety!

"Don't worry, Mom. I've thought everything through safety-wise," Gao Mingzhu said, knowing what was on her mind, quickly reassured her, even pulling out her trump card. "Besides, Huaichuan agreed. Think about it—if he's on board, it's not that dangerous!"

"..." Mother Huo was instantly convinced.

That's right—given how much Huaichuan cares for Mingzhu, how could he bear to let her take risks?

Since Huaichuan has agreed, it means Mingzhu must have explained everything to him and made it clear that this isn't that serious.

With that thought, she finally felt at ease.

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