Chapter 18 — Return to Xiangnan Military Region

As soon as she mentioned the Song family, her fingers slightly stopped. Chu Tri Luat immediately changed the subject: "Are you used to staying here? If it feels cramped, I'll apply to change your room to the east." "No need." Mai Tu Khanh shook her head, held a glass of water and sat down on the edge of the bed. "This room is very good, anyway... I probably won't stay much longer." She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes shadowing a dark patch under her eyes. Chu Tri Luat paused for a moment, then smiled brightly: "That's right, when the marriage application is approved, I'll move to the dormitory." He walked to the window, his fingertips gently touching the rose petals. "At that time, I will buy you a large bookcase. You like to read books, feel free to fill them up." His sincere voice made Mai Tu Khanh unable to help but laugh, and her tense shoulders gradually relaxed. The night wind crept through the slightly open door, bringing cold air to the gentle room. She suddenly remembered something: "Ah, you said earlier... there was a gift you wanted to give me?" Chu Tri Luat smiled, then turned around and took out a small object wrapped in red silk from the pocket of his military uniform. He carefully opened each layer of fabric, revealing a small silver lock the size of his thumb. The lock's body is carved with a lotus pattern, the string is as thin as a hair, under the light it shines gently. "When I was on a business trip to Hoa Bac, I saw this and thought it was beautiful so I bought it." He threaded the string around her neck, his fingers brushing the back of her neck, causing her breathing to stop. "When I bought it, I thought I wouldn't have a chance to use it, but who would have thought that I would meet you." Mai Tu Khanh lowered her head and touched the silver lock, the cold metal was warmed by his body heat. The core vibrated slightly, making a small jingling sound, as if it had just tapped lightly on her chest. In her previous life, no one had ever placed her in such an important position in his heart. Even Tong Dinh Nien, what he gave her was forever just old clothes that other people didn't want to use. As for the man in front of him, he cherished each flower and each small silver lock. Mai Tu Khanh suddenly stood up, her eyes stinging: "Chu Tri Luat... why do you treat me so well?" The man retracted his smile, raised his hand to gently wipe the corner of her eyes: "What are you saying so stupidly? You are my fiancee, if I am not good to you, then who else can I be good to?" His voice was low, each word like a vow: "You deserve the best things in the world." Mai Tu Khanh couldn't bear it anymore, put her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his chest. The first time she hugged him! Chu Tri Luat paused, then immediately tightened his arms, hugging her tighter. The gentle scent of soap on the military uniform mixed with the warmth of his body, gently surrounding her. A moment later, he asked hoarsely: "Can I... hug you a little longer?" Mai Tu Khanh did not answer, just pressed her hot cheek against his chest, listening to the sound of his heart beating rapidly, mixing with her own rhythm. It wasn't until the lights-out siren sounded that Chu Tri Luat let her go. Before leaving, he carefully covered her with the blanket, and added clean water to the flower vase on the window sill. "Don't take the lock off, just consider that I'm by your side, guarding you." He stood at the door, his backlit figure as gentle as moonlight. Mai Tu Khanh tightly grasped the edge of the blanket and nodded, the silver lock pressed against her still warm collarbone, like a small mark engraved deep in her heart. That night, Mai Tu Khanh struggled to sleep. She gently stroked the pattern on the silver lock, suddenly remembering Chu Tri Luat's appearance when talking about the "big bookshelf in the new house". She didn't expect that he had carefully calculated the width of the cabinet and the color of the curtains, as if their future was a ready-made picture, just waiting for her to pick up a pencil to color it. And the lifelong shadow of Tong Dinh Nien, in this moment, suddenly disappeared. At the same time,

Chu Tri Luat was standing in his yard, silent under the moonlight that spread across the ground. Her warmth still lingered on her arm, the faint scent of lotion lingering on the tip of her nose. He took out another silver lock from his pocket. This lock was originally a pair of the other one, but instead of a pattern, the three words "Truong Tuong Thu" were engraved on the lock. It's just that Chu Tri Luat still didn't dare to give it to her in the end. He held the lock tightly in his palm and laughed softly: "The future is still long." The next morning, as soon as Mai Tu Khanh arrived at the medical room, she heard chatter in the hallway. "What's wrong with Captain Tong? Yesterday he was healthy?" "I heard he didn't pay attention during training and crashed into a tree... But that bruise at the corner of his mouth looks like he was punched." Vuong Le and Truong Thuy were standing at the door of the clinic, looking inside and whispering. Seeing Mai Tu Khanh coming, both of them immediately lowered their voices: "Doctor Mai, Captain Tong arrived early in the morning. He insisted on waiting for you to arrive before treating the wound." Mai Tu Khanh paused, her eyes turned towards the clinic. Tong Dinh Nien was sitting sideways in a chair, the corners of his mouth were purple, his collar was wrinkled, and his whole body looked depressed. Seeing her walk in, he forced a smile: "Tu Khanh, this wound of mine... I must bother you to look at it for me." Mai Tu Khanh laughed coldly, put the medical record down on the table and made a "bang": "I crashed into a tree during training? Or was it more accurate to say that I got drunk and fell and hit my head on a rock? Captain Tong's body is getting worse and worse." Tong Dinh Nien's face darkened and he signaled two nurses. Vuong Le and Truong Thuy looked at each other, understood and walked out, not forgetting to close the door. There were only two people left in the clinic, the atmosphere was thick. Mai Tu Khanh crossed her arms and leaned against the medicine cabinet, clearly not intending to see the patient: "Tell me, what kind of trick do you want to play this time?"