Shy
Su Su was eager to see Lin Chuan, so she didn’t waste any time. She walked quickly into the room and saw him trying to straighten his blanket, seemingly reluctant to let her see him in a dishevelled state.
But it was still before dawn, and the room wasn’t lit—there was hardly anything to see anyway.
“Are you okay?” Su Su asked, scanning him up and down. Not knowing where he was injured, she resisted the urge to throw herself into his arms and stood a proper distance away. Her eyes adjusted slightly to the darkness, revealing his familiar silhouette.
Lin Chuan seemed a little nervous. “Why did you come? Didn’t I say I didn’t want you here?”
“Then I’ll leave now.” Su Su’s temper flared. She had gone through so much to get here, and this was the first thing he said? She turned to leave, but before she could take a step, a large hand grabbed her wrist.
“Don’t go,” Lin Chuan said, his voice anxious but awkward. “I… I wanted to see you.”
She turned back, still irritated. “Don’t you dare tell me not to come again. Otherwise, I’ll leave and never see you again.”
Lin Chuan immediately caved, knowing she wasn’t joking. He didn’t dare push her.
“Where are you hurt? I can’t see clearly,” Su Su asked, her heart softening as she moved closer. It had been so long since they’d last seen each other—he looked different somehow.
“My… my leg is injured. But it’s nothing serious; I’ll be walking again soon.”
“I don’t believe you. I’ll check when it’s light,” she said, eyeing the blanket. She wanted to lift it immediately but decided against it since she wouldn’t be able to see much in the dark.
To her surprise, Lin Chuan’s reaction was dramatic. “No, you can’t!”
“Is it that bad? Don’t lie to me. No matter how serious it is, we’re married now. I won’t abandon you,” Su Su said firmly, her thoughts spiralling. Was it possible his leg had been amputated? If so, he’d be a different man—a once strong and capable person reduced to dealing with such a heavy loss.
Lin Chuan realized she’d misunderstood and quickly grabbed her hand. “It’s really not that serious. The wound just looks a bit scary. How about you wait until it heals before you see it?”
Hearing this, Su Su finally exhaled in relief. “Alright then.” She squeezed his hand, noticing it was a bit cold. Quickly, she tucked his hand under the blanket. “Get some rest. It’s not even morning yet.”
“You’re the one who should rest,” Lin Chuan said, his voice softening. “You’ve had a long journey, and you must be tired. There’s a chair over there—sit down for a bit. When Deputy Chang comes back, I’ll have him arrange for you to stay at the guesthouse.”
Su Su felt a pang of warmth at his concern. “Lin Hai had to stay home to take care of the younger boys, and Mom and Dad went to visit relatives,” she explained briefly.
At that moment, Deputy Chang returned with a cup of water for Su Su. “The guesthouse is all arranged. It’s right next to the hospital. Tonight, a soldier will come to care for the captain, so you can rest.”
He handed her a key and glanced at Lin Chuan, whose face was subtly turned away. Was the man blushing?
“Thank you,” Su Su said politely, accepting the key. Deputy Chang nodded and was about to leave when Lin Chuan called after him.
“Old Chang, make sure the kitchen knows to prepare an extra breakfast.”
Deputy Chang raised an eyebrow, the scar on his face pulling tight. Though his expression looked fierce, his voice was light. “Got it,” he said before leaving. Internally, he was chuckling. Who knew their stoic captain could be so attentive, worried his wife might go hungry?
“Since she might be carrying the future generation of soldiers,” he thought, “I’ll make sure lunch includes a couple of extra dishes.”
As dawn broke, Su Su finally saw Lin Chuan’s face—and her heart ached. He had lost so much weight that his cheekbones were hollow. His injuries, while treated, were still visible, with some red and swollen scrapes marring his once-handsome face.
Tears welled up and fell before she could stop them. “You’ve gotten so thin. How did you end up like this?”
Lin Chuan knew how bad he looked. “Am I that ugly?”
“No,” Su Su said, her voice trembling. “It’s just… it makes me sad to see you like this. How did you get hurt so badly?”
Lin Chuan reached out and gently wiped her tears. “It’s just a few scrapes. I fell down a mountain. Nothing serious—really, just surface wounds.”
His wife didn’t mind his scars. That was a relief.
“Drink some water. Your lips are so dry,” Su Su said, blowing on the enamel mug before lifting it to his mouth. She had come to care for him and wouldn’t shirk her responsibilities.
Lin Chuan had no choice but to drink the water, though he was battling another issue—his bladder was full. But with his wife so close, he didn’t dare say anything.
Finally, a young soldier arrived to deliver breakfast. Lin Chuan, unable to wait any longer, glanced at Su Su, her delicate face glowing as she smiled at him.
“Wife…”
“Hmm?”
“Can you… step outside for a moment?”
“Why?” Su Su asked, genuinely puzzled.
“I… I need to use the restroom,” he admitted, his voice low and embarrassed.
Su Su instantly understood and dashed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Inside, she heard the sound of water splashing. Poor guy—he must have been holding it in for hours. Of course, he couldn’t get up and had to use the portable urinal. Considering they hadn’t consummated their marriage yet, it was no wonder he felt so awkward.
A little flustered herself, she realized this was normal and that he was just shy.
After a while, the young soldier came out and said, “Sister-in-law, the food is inside. You and the captain can eat now. I’ll come back at noon.”
“Thank you,” Su Su said, waving as the soldier blushed and hurried off.
“He’s so shy,” Su Su mused, watching the boy flee. “I wonder why?”
Back in the room, Lin Chuan still looked a bit uncomfortable. Pointing to the tin table where two meal boxes sat, he said, “Hurry and eat while it’s hot.”
Su Su opened the meal boxes to find millet porridge, a few pickled vegetables, and a fried egg. Though simple, she knew the fried egg was a luxury in these times.
Instead of eating herself, she picked up the box and started feeding Lin Chuan.
“I’m not a child,” he protested, his tone tinged with embarrassment. “I can eat on my own.” “You’re injured. Let me take care of you,” Su Su insisted. “Besides, there’s no one else here to see.”
Leave a Reply