Chapter 26: Mind Your Reputation

Gu Qingye took Lu Youyou’s bowl with lightning speed and tipped its contents into his own. Without a word, he lowered his head and continued eating.

Lu Youyou’s lips curled upward. Now, that was more like it! Had she known this would be effective, she wouldn't have had to force down that last piece of meat. She sat back down and began serving him soup with great enthusiasm.

"Don't just eat the rice; have some soup. Dendrobium and oyster soup is excellent for soothing the liver, reducing internal heat, softening hard masses, and promoting blood circulation. If you have any feedback on the flavor, just tell me, and I’ll adjust it next time."

Gu Qingye didn't know if the flavor was "correct," and he didn't really understand what she was talking about, but it was certainly the best soup he had ever tasted.

"It’s delicious. Thank you."

Although there was no need for such formalities between a husband and wife, he felt compelled to say it, even feeling that a simple "thank you" was far too light.

Lu Youyou beamed with satisfaction. She suddenly realized the joy of nurturing—especially when what she was nurturing was a superman with off-the-charts combat prowess.

"I didn't expect to find such high-quality Dendrobium. There must be other treasures on the mountain. Let me search more; I’ll stew it for you every day and try to make sure the menu never repeats."

Gu Qingye suddenly looked up at her. "Don't go to areas in the mountains without paths. If you really want to go, wait until I’m on leave to accompany you." Even if he drank the same thing every day, it wouldn't matter; her safety was more important than anything.

"Don't worry, I value my life," Lu Youyou promised with a smile. The main reason she went into the mountains was to have an excuse to bring out good things, and the treasure hunt itself was quite fun.

"By the way, there’s one more thing I want to ask your opinion on. I’d like to keep that eaglet at home for a while until it recovers and can be released."

Gu Qingye nodded. "If you need a veterinarian, there is a livestock and veterinary station at the farm next door."

This sounded slightly like a questioning of her professional expertise, but she let it slide, her attention immediately caught by the mention of a colleague. "There’s a veterinary station here?"

"Yes, we take the military dogs there when they get sick, though it’s a bit far, so the vet only comes by periodically."

As a dog lover, Lu Youyou was instantly intrigued. "You have military dogs? What breed?"

Gu Qingye hadn't expected a young woman to be interested in military dogs, so he explained, "It’s a newly developed breed, scientifically known as the Kunming Wolfdog."

Lu Youyou’s eyes lit up like stars; she had raised a Kunming Wolfdog in her past life! She had only known that the country started developing this breed in the 1950s; she hadn't realized they had already achieved results by this time.

Gu Qingye smiled. "If there’s an opportunity later, I’ll take you to see Zhuifeng."

"Zhuifeng? Is that your dog?"

Seeing Gu Qingye nod, Lu Youyou clapped her hands. "It’s a deal!" She began to wonder if the military dog unit accepted dog food deliveries; the urge to start making snacks for the pups was already bubbling up.

Gu Qingye finished his meal quickly and even took care of the dishes. Lu Youyou couldn't even find a way to be polite and help, so she just leaned against the doorframe, admiring his physique and providing moral support.

"I’m on leave tomorrow. Let’s go to the city and get our marriage certificate. What do you think?"

It was like a thunderclap. Lu Youyou froze on the spot. Get the certificate?! Since arriving at the family quarters, she had felt a huge weight lift off her heart, completely forgetting that they were not yet legally married. She still needed that one crucial step to live here legitimately.

Lu Youyou forced herself to remain calm, pretending she couldn't hear her heart thumping against her ribs. "Okay, let’s get the certificate tomorrow." It was hard to describe the feeling; it was quite sudden, even if it was the outcome she wanted.

Gu Qingye wiped his hands clean and walked over to her. "Lock the door after I leave. I’ll come to pick you up tomorrow morning."

Lu Youyou, still dazed, suddenly snapped back to reality. She hadn't heard the last part of his sentence, only the words "after I leave."

"Leave? Where are you going? Are you going on another mission?"

She asked in one breath, her mind automatically playing scenes of gunfire and flying bullets. She instinctively grabbed Gu Qingye’s arm. "Is your camp out of people? Why are they always picking on you? Do you still have the medicine I gave you? I’ll get you some more!"

She had thought joining him at the military base would be a wonderful beginning, but it felt like a miserable start. Her good mood evaporated instantly. She let go of him to get the medicine, but he grabbed her wrist in return.

"I meant I’m going back to the barracks to sleep tonight. I’ll come for you tomorrow."

"Back to the barracks?" Lu Youyou’s brain short-circuited. "Why?"

Gu Qingye raised an eyebrow, a faint smile touching his lips. His expression was more vivid than she had ever seen. "We haven't gotten the certificate yet. I need to be mindful of the optics."

Lu Youyou’s face began to burn. Just as the redness reached its peak, she heard the second half of the sentence: "You won't have to worry about that after tomorrow."

In an instant, she turned the color of a boiled shrimp at double speed. If her spine hadn't stopped her, she would have curled into a ball. Heavens, that wasn't what she meant! She really wasn't that desperate! However, there was no way to explain it—the more she said, the worse it would look.

Lu Youyou looked up at the ceiling, speechless. Fine, let it be. She had thick skin; she could handle the embarrassment.

Fortunately, Gu Qingye was a gentleman. At least when facing his fiancée, he was very considerate and quickly changed the subject. "In the military, weddings are usually held in the cafeteria with a few tables of guests. Do you have any thoughts on that?"

Lu Youyou hadn't expected the night to be so grueling, suffering one heavy blow after another. In her heart, she felt they were just getting married as a formality; the idea of announcing it to the whole world made her feel uncomfortable.

She studied Gu Qingye’s expression and tentatively asked, "Isn't there a call for frugality? Wouldn't it be bad to make a big fuss?"

Gu Qingye looked at her in silence for a moment, making the back of her neck prickle.

"Then we’ll just eat at home. We can invite a few comrades over; it can count as a housewarming."

Lu Youyou couldn't read anything unusual in his dark eyes, but she worried about the logistics of hosting guests at home. "Um, I don't know how to cook..."

"I'll cook."

Lu Youyou’s eyes widened. Men who cooked at home were rare in this day and age, and those willing to let it be known were even rarer. Who would want to be labeled "henpecked"? Even the term "spoiling one's wife excessively" carried a hint of scandal in this era.

She already saw Gu Qingye as a rare breed. She hadn't discovered a single bad habit in him; truly, all the good men were handed over to the state!

She couldn't be too reluctant, so she said, "Alright, you cook, and I’ll contribute a soup."

Gu Qingye just nodded without speaking, and Lu Youyou didn't know what else to say. The atmosphere turned silent.

After a long while, Gu Qingye said, "Get some rest early. I’m leaving now."

He turned back, and seeing Lu Youyou still looking down, he sighed silently. "Go inside, and remember to lock the door."

Their eyes met. Lu Youyou’s hand, hanging by her side, curled slightly. She gave a soft, "Mhm."

His tall figure gradually faded into the moonlight. The silence made the sound of her heartbeat even more pronounced. Lu Youyou suddenly realized that the task of saving him might be harder than she had imagined.