The 60s Island: The Daily Life of a Capitalist Young Lady with the Army - Chapter 73: Anytime

Chapter 73: Anytime

Long Peiye’s heart softened, the coldness in his eyes instantly melting into an overwhelming tenderness.

Without a word, he bent down and scooped her up horizontally, holding her securely in his arms.

As he passed Liu Weijun, who was still frozen in place, Long Peiye paused his steps.

He tilted his head slightly, casting an icy, piercing gaze.

That look was like an unsheathed blade, carrying the unique chilling aura of a soldier, making Liu Weijun shiver all over and instinctively take a step back.

Long Peiye turned and walked away with her in his arms, his retreating figure radiating an unapproachable coldness.

It wasn’t until the door closed again, blocking that almost freezing gaze, that Liu Weijun felt sensation return to his stiff body.

He felt inexplicably guilty, but more than that, he was burning with humiliation at having been publicly slighted.

Only when the steady footsteps faded into the distance did he lower his voice and complain angrily to Zhang Xiaoqiang, “What’s he so cocky about!”

“So what if he’s a bit taller? What’s so great about that!”

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Pointing toward the door, he nearly spat as he ranted, “We were talking nicely to that female comrade for so long, and she didn’t even bother to lift her eyelids, completely looking down on us!”

“And that man, glaring at me without saying a word! Who does he think he is!”

Zhang Xiaoqiang frowned and patted him. “Alright, that’s enough. Can’t you see? That man is clearly not someone to mess with.”

Recalling Long Peiye’s build and gaze, he said with lingering fear, “That presence, that physique—ordinary people don’t have that. He’s probably a soldier.”

“And think about it, for family members to be allowed on the island as military dependents, what rank must he be?”

Zhang Xiaoqiang lowered his voice, analyzing for the still-fuming Liu Weijun, “Without at least a company commander rank, family members wouldn’t be approved!”

Liu Weijun was taken aback, but then his defiance surged again.

He curled his lip, his tone sour. “Oh, so he’s a company commander.”

“No wonder that female com married him!”

“She’s just after his status as a cadre, so she can be an officer’s wife, right?”

As if he had found the perfect excuse to salvage his pride, his voice grew louder. “If you ask me, our working class isn’t bad either! I think that woman is just a social climber, marrying him to latch onto power and privilege!”

At these words, even Zhang Xiaoqiang was stunned.

When he first saw Xu Xiangsi, his awe and attraction were genuine.

But after learning she was married, his interest had faded.

Besides…

One tall and heroic, the other delicate and charming—a handsome man and a beautiful woman, they were a perfect match, weren’t they?

How had it become so sordid in his friend’s words?

For a moment, looking at Liu Weijun’s face twisted with jealousy, Zhang Xiaoqiang felt the urge to distance himself from this friend.

…

On the other side, Xu Xiangsi was steadily carried away from the clinic by Long Peiye.

The island breeze, carrying a hint of salty moisture, brushed against her cheeks, dispersing the irritating clamor of the clinic.

She nestled comfortably in Long Peiye’s broad, firm embrace, feeling his steady, powerful heartbeat, like a kitten that had found a safe haven.

She lifted her face, gazing at his sharply defined jawline.

“Just now… was I being too… spoiled by insisting you carry me back?”

Her voice was soft, carrying a barely detectable hint of probing.

“Would you find me annoying? After all, I’ve already had the injection and feel much better than before.”

Long Peiye kept his eyes forward, his steps never faltering, his voice deep and steady: “You’re a patient.”

“Patients should be well taken care of.”

He paused, then added, his voice seeming to carry a faint trace of amusement: “Besides, you’re not heavy.”

What he actually thought was: Under normal circumstances, they rarely had opportunities for such intimate contact. Now that he had this perfectly legitimate reason, he was more than happy to take advantage of it.

This small bundle in his arms was fragrant and soft – once holding her, he didn’t want to let go.

Hearing his words, Xu Xiangsi’s heart completely settled, a sweetness spreading through her chest.

Her courage growing, she tightened her arms around his neck, her tone taking on a playful, mischievous note: “Since patients have privileges…”

“Then I’ll take advantage of being sick to make some ‘unreasonable demands’.”

Long Peiye’s Adam’s apple bobbed, a low chuckle rumbling from his chest.

He glanced down at her, his gaze deep enough to swallow someone whole: “You don’t need to be sick to make requests.”

Xu Xiangsi looked up at him, a cunning light sparkling in her eyes: “Really? You’d be that accommodating?”

Long Peiye looked down at her, their eyes meeting, his deep voice carrying undeniable certainty.

“Can you point to any request you’ve ever made that I haven’t fulfilled?”

His words seemed to give her immense boldness.

Xu Xiangsi’s eyes immediately darted around several times, like a little fox scheming how to steal something tasty.

She cleared her throat deliberately, drawing out her words as she tested the waters with a major challenge: “Well then… I want to go to Storm Island.”

Long Peiye’s arms around her tightened abruptly, his steady footsteps halting for an instant.

Storm Island… where her grandfather and uncles had been sent down.

He fell silent.

After several seconds, Long Peiye resumed walking, his voice deeper than before: “We can go, but not now.”

He explained: “Going to Storm Island requires a legitimate reason. Otherwise, there are plenty of watchful eyes in the military who would use this against us.”

Hearing this, Xu Xiangsi’s “patient” temperament immediately surfaced.

She deliberately let out a long “ai” sound, her voice drawn out soft and pitiful: “I’m sick, so I particularly wish to have family nearby.”

As she spoke, she even sniffled meaningfully: “My biological father might as well be a stepfather, and he’s far away in Shanghai – completely unreliable.”

“The closest relatives I have would be my grandfather and uncles on Storm Island…”

Her argument was both reasonable and carried the delicate weakness of illness, making it nearly impossible to refuse.

Long Peiye’s Adam’s apple bobbed again, his footsteps halting once more.

He looked at the pale yet still lively face in his arms, feeling as if something was blocking his chest.

After a long moment, he uttered three words: “I’m sorry.”

These three words were low, hoarse, filled with solemn apology.

He had said he could fulfill her requests, but this matter… he truly couldn’t manage.

Xu Xiangsi had only been acting willful because her illness made her head fuzzy, deliberately making things difficult for him. Deep down, she knew perfectly well that going to Storm Island was impossible right now.

But she never expected Long Peiye to apologize to her so earnestly.

She froze completely, then let out a sudden, clear laugh.

Her bright laughter rippled through the sea breeze, dispelling the heavy atmosphere: “Why are you apologizing to me?”

She reached out and gently poked his firm chest: “I’m clearly the one being unreasonable.”

Seeing his serious expression, she couldn’t help but laugh again.

“Long Peiye, if you keep being like this, you’ll be very easy for me to bully in the future.”

Long Peiye looked down at her, his deep eyes instantly transforming from seriousness into indulgent softness.

He chuckled lowly, the vibration from his chest transmitting through their touching skin, making Xu Xiangsi’s heart tingle.

“If you want to bully me,” he paused, his voice filled with willing acceptance, “you can do it anytime.”