"Hehe~" He Teng laughed, raising his hand to touch his beard. He Zhilan was right, he did look like an uncle, while her youthful radiance indeed made her seem like his daughter.
Perhaps he was starving; He Teng gulped down his meal, consuming three large bowls of rice in just a few minutes. Watching him, He Zhilan was both amused and exasperated. Eating at such a furious pace, he might just get a stomachache.
After they finished eating, He Zhilan left He Teng alone at home to rest while she went to buy him razor blades and aftershave. As there were no nearby stores selling these items, she was out for over an hour. By the time she got back home, He Teng had already fallen fast asleep on the bed.
Looking at the dark circles under his eyes due to lack of sleep, He Zhilan felt a pang in her heart. After placing the items she bought in their proper place, she took a shower. He Teng, usually a very alert man, didn’t stir even as she climbed over him to reach the inside of the bed.
"Sigh." He Zhilan softly sighed, wrapped her arms around He Teng’s waist, and laid her head on his chest, hearing his slightly heavy breathing and strong heartbeat.
He Zhilan didn’t dare to think about the possibility of He Teng taking on more assignments . Would she go mad before he did? This worry was truly torturous.
She raised her hand to gently touch his beard, allowing the prickling sensation to reach her palm. Then, she leaned in to kiss his lips. Just as she was about to lay back down, she noticed that He Teng had suddenly opened his eyes to look at her.
"Go to sleep." He Teng said only four words and then closed his eyes again. He was a soldier after all, and being here, perhaps because of He Zhilan’s scent, had him relaxing and falling asleep easily. But that didn’t mean he didn’t notice her considerable movements beside him.
"Good night." He Zhilan nodded and didn’t continue to bother He Teng. Then, she obediently lay down next to him. However, she didn’t withdraw her hand. Instead, she kept it resting on He Teng, her entire body leaning against him, making no other movements, knowing how extremely exhausted he was.
So, even if she wanted to have a proper conversation with him, she couldn’t bear to disturb his rest.
This sleep was the longest He Teng had ever had, so long that when He Zhilan got up the next morning to make breakfast, she was the only one eating. Seeing that He Teng was still asleep, she went out to buy some necessities, leaving them simmering in the kitchen while she went back to sleep, hugging He Teng.
It wasn’t until noon that He Teng woke up. At that point, He Zhilan was no longer by his side. Instead, he could hear faint sounds coming from the kitchen. Without guessing, he knew it was He Zhilan preparing lunch.
He Teng didn’t head towards the kitchen, but instead went to the bathroom to freshen up. Only when he saw the razor blades and aftershave on the countertop did he remember that He Zhilan had gone out to buy these items for him last night. However, he had already been asleep by the time she returned.
After shaving his beard, He Teng looked at himself in the mirror. Now that his appearance had improved greatly, he did not look so much like an uncle.
Just as He Teng walked out of the bathroom, He Zhilan came out of their bedroom, seemingly looking for him. Seeing him, she laughed and teased, "I’ve known you for over a decade, it’s the first time I’m seeing you sleep in! You look much better with your beard shaved!"
As she spoke, He Zhilan reached out to touch He Teng’s chin. "However, you might want to grow out your beard when you’re in your forties. It’s quite charming! Make yourself look good, maybe you could be a handsome uncle when you get older."