Marriage in the 1970s: The Political Commissar's Contract Wife

A short while later, Fang Chu quietly finished washing up and pushed open the bedroom door to come in. He had changed into a clean shirt and undershirt, and his hair was still a little damp, carrying the fresh scent of soap.

Zhixia looked up at him, but didn't say anything, and continued what she was doing.

Fang Chu walked to the bedside, looked at Zhi Xia, and said in a tentative, slightly pitiful tone, "Qingqing... tonight... can I sleep here? I promise I won't bother you. I'll sleep on the side, far away from you, and I'll sleep in my own bed, okay?"

Zhixia stopped knitting, pursed her lips, didn't look at him, and said in a hard voice, "No. I want to sleep with my mom." She then put down the knitting needles and got into bed.

Fang Chu panicked, but didn't dare pull her. She only took half a step forward, blocking her way slightly. Her voice softened, pleading, "Qingqing baby... I swear, I really won't bother you. Look, Mom's asleep, don't disturb her. I'll sleep outside and watch over you, okay?"

"No." Zhi Xia turned her face away, but the tips of her ears turned a little red. "The doctor said I can't sleep with you."

Upon hearing this, Fang Chu's eyes lit up. She immediately seized the opportunity, leaned closer, and lowered her voice to explain, "Qingqing, the doctor said we shouldn't have marital relations, because he's afraid it will affect the baby. But he didn't say we can't sleep in the same room! Look, I'll sleep next to you, properly, it won't affect your rest or the baby, and I can take care of you anytime. It'll also be convenient if you need water at night..."

"Shut up!" Zhixia's face flushed at his "reasonable" explanation. Remembering the fright and embarrassment of last night, she turned to him, furious and embarrassed. "It's all your fault! You're so annoying! You made me fall off the bed!"

She became more and more aggrieved as she spoke, and her eyes even turned a little red.

Seeing her like this, Fang Chu's heart clenched. His face was full of regret and heartache. He quickly admitted his mistake: "I was wrong! Qingqing, I was really wrong! Hit me! Hit me hard! Calm down." He grabbed Zhixia's hand and gently punched it twice against his chest, the movement as light as a tickle.

Zhixia withdrew her hand, still glaring at him, but the anger in her eyes had subsided, leaving only lingering fear and resentment.

Fang Chu, observing Fang Chu's expression, knew there was a chance for things to turn around, and quickly seized the opportunity, raising his hand as if to swear: "I promise! I will definitely be more careful from now on! I will never cross the line without your permission! Just let me sleep next to you, okay? Look how big your belly is, it's not easy for you to turn over at night, if I'm next to you, at least I can lend a hand."

Looking into his sincere yet slightly ingratiating eyes, and recalling his meticulous care over the past few days, Zhixia felt a corner of the ice in her heart melt away.

She lowered her eyelashes, her fingers unconsciously twirling the yarn, her voice barely audible, tinged with a coquettishness she herself didn't realize: "Then... from now on you'll sleep by yourself, and you're not allowed... you're not allowed to crawl into my bed."

"Okay! I promise I won't crawl through!" Fang Chu immediately agreed loudly, her smile instantly spreading across her face as if she had received a tremendous reward.

"Also," Zhixia looked up, glanced at him, and slightly raised her chin, "my legs are a little sore."

Fang Chu was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant, and his smile widened as he nodded hurriedly, "Okay! Wait here, I'll go get the water!"

He went out quickly and soon came back with a basin of water at a comfortable temperature for washing feet. He placed the basin by the bed, squatted down, and was about to take off Zhixia's socks.

Zhi Xia pulled her leg back slightly, her face turning even redder: "...I'll take it off myself."

"Don't move, I'll do it." Without waiting for a reply, Fang Chu gently grasped her ankle, took off her cotton socks, and carefully immersed her feet in the warm water. His palms were broad, but his movements were exceptionally gentle. He carefully massaged the insteps and soles of her feet, avoiding acupoints with his fingertips, and gently massaging her feet, which were somewhat swollen due to pregnancy.

Zhi Xia was initially a little stiff, afraid that he would suddenly kiss the back of her foot like before. But the comfort of the warm water and Fang Chu's just-right massage gradually relaxed her. She sat on the bed, looking at his focused profile. The dim light cast a small shadow under his eyelashes, and his expression was more tender and serious than ever before.

In a corner of my heart, a part quietly collapsed, becoming unusually soft.

The room was quiet, with only the faint sound of water. Outside the window, the wind howled through the northern winter night, but inside, it was warm and cozy.

Fang Chu carefully dried her feet, put on clean socks, and then took the water out to empty it. When he returned, he had already quickly made his own bedding on the other side of the bed, leaving a clear boundary in the middle.

"Sleep well, Qingqing." He lay down in his blankets, turned to look at her, his eyes gentle. "Goodnight."

Zhi Xia hummed in agreement, slowly slipped into the covers, and lay down with her back to him. After a long while, she whispered almost inaudibly, "...Goodnight."

That night, the two guarded one side of the room, separated by an invisible boundary, yet they seemed closer than ever before.

Listening to the even breathing around him, Fang Chu felt a sense of peace and warmth filling his heart. He knew that there was still a long way to go before he could truly enter her heart, but at least tonight, he had taken another step closer to her world.

Night fell, and all was quiet. Only the occasional whistling of the wind swept across the eaves outside the window.

Zhi Xia didn't sleep soundly. In the later stages of her pregnancy, her body felt heavy, making it difficult to turn over, and she slept lightly. In her hazy state, she felt a corner of the blanket beside her being gently lifted, and a warm source of body heat carefully pressed against her.

She woke up immediately, her consciousness still a little hazy, but her body reacted before her brain did—it was Fang Chu.

The source of warmth made no further move, but simply wrapped his arms around her from behind with extreme gentleness, his arms loosely draped over her waist, his chest pressed against her back, continuously transmitting his warm body temperature. His breathing was even, brushing against the back of her neck, carrying a familiar scent.

Zhi Xia froze for a moment, then remained still. After a short while, the person behind her simply held her quietly, without making any inappropriate moves, as if he just wanted to keep her warm, or... simply wanted to get closer.

The initial wariness in her heart slowly dissipated, replaced by a complex mix of emotions. She was a little annoyed that he hadn't kept his word, yet also...coveting the warmth of this winter night. Being held so carefully in his arms seemed to lessen even the discomfort of turning over and the emptiness in her heart.

She didn't turn around, her voice slightly hoarse from just waking up and carrying a hint of barely perceptible reproach, as it rang out in the darkness: "...You lied to me again."

Fang Chu behind her stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, his arms around her seemed to tighten slightly, then immediately relaxed, as if afraid of choking her.