The 60s Island: The Daily Life of a Capitalist Young Lady with the Army - Chapter 75: Not What You Think

Chapter 75: Not What You Think

Xu Xiangsi shook her head without hesitation. “I’ve slept all day and almost feel numb from it. I’ll stay in the main hall, and I can manage on my own.”

But Long Peiye clearly had no intention of missing this chance to care for her. He directly moved the bamboo recliner against the wall to the table, wiped it clean with a towel, and had her sit back comfortably. Then he pulled up a stool beside her, picked up the bowl, scooped a spoonful of porridge, and brought it to her lips.

“Open your mouth,” he said with an extremely serious expression, even more solemn than when drilling troops. “If it’s too hot, tell me, and I’ll blow on it to cool it down.”

Xu Xiangsi found herself torn between laughter and tears. “There’s really no need to feed me. I have plenty of strength now—”

Before she could finish, he was already scooping a second spoonful, explaining with utmost seriousness: “I’m not at ease. What if you suddenly faint and break the bowl? The bowl doesn’t matter, but we shouldn’t waste Sister-in-law Yan’s efforts.”

He spoke with such conviction, as if genuinely worried the porridge might spill everywhere the next second.

Seeing his determination, Xu Xiangsi couldn’t be bothered to refuse anymore. She could only cooperate by slightly opening her mouth, passively accepting being fed, while deliberately provocatively staring into his eyes with a ‘go on, then’ expression on her face.

But Long Peiye didn’t take the bait at all. His gaze remained steady as a mountain from start to finish, carefully observing the temperature and portion of each spoonful—almost as if he wanted to use a measuring scale to determine the perfect amount—

It felt less like feeding an adult and more like coaxing a three-year-old to eat with grave seriousness!

Sunlight streamed through the main hall window, stretching their shadows across the blue brick floor—one tall and straight, the other slender and soft—creating an indescribably warm and tranquil atmosphere, as if the entire world consisted only of the two of them accompanying and relying on each other.

The bowl of porridge was soon empty.

Long Peiye patiently fed her the last spoonful before setting down the bowl.

This porridge, simmered over low heat for several hours, was indeed extraordinary, its delicious flavor still lingering between her lips and teeth.

Xu Xiangsi squinted contentedly, like a cat that had sneakily eaten dried fish, lazily letting out a small burp.

Watching her satisfied appearance, a tenderness unconsciously surfaced in Long Peiye’s usually stern eyes—one even he didn’t notice.

This cooking skill… it seems I should find time to learn from Sister-in-law Yan.

He secretly calculated in his heart.

“I’m full,” Xu Xiangsi said, coming to her senses and remembering an important question. “What about you? You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

She couldn’t help urging him: “Hurry and get yourself something to eat. Don’t go hungry.”

“Not in a rush,” Long Peiye responded lightly, but his gaze remained fixed on her fever-flushed face.

He suddenly reached out, his broad, warm palm gently covering her forehead.

Xu Xiangsi’s breath caught.

His brow furrowed slightly, seemingly dissatisfied with the temperature.

The next moment, that large hand slid down and pressed against her slender, vulnerable neck.

“Mmm…”

The warm, rough touch made her whole body stiffen, a tingling electric current exploding from her neck and instantly spreading throughout her limbs.

Heavens! What was this man doing now!

“We don’t have a thermometer at home. Feeling here is most accurate,” Long Peiye’s voice was deep and serious, as if delivering some military report. “If my palm detects heat, it means the fever hasn’t completely subsided.”

His expression couldn’t have been more upright, making Xu Xiangsi feel that her earlier flustered state had been an overreaction.

Sure enough, his brows furrowed even tighter: “Your temperature seems to have risen again during dinner.”

He immediately stood up and strode to the cabinet, retrieving the medicine packet and warm water: “Here, take your medicine.”

His voice was exceptionally gentle, filled with indulgent coaxing, afraid that Xu Xiangsi would refuse like she had with the ginger soup yesterday.

This time, Xu Xiangsi obediently swallowed the bitter powdered medicine with water.

She no longer dared to take her health lightly.

“Go to sleep after taking it,” Long Peiye said as he tidied the cup, then added, “Go to bed after you finish.”

“But I can’t sleep!”

Having slept all day, her bones felt practically softened by rest—how could she possibly feel sleepy now?

She tugged at the corner of his clothes, gazing at him with pleading eyes full of entreaty: “I really can’t sleep anymore.”

In this day and age, on this island, even the electric lights were dim at night, let alone entertainment facilities like televisions or mobile phones.

It was utterly, profoundly boring!

“There are books on the bookshelf,” Long Peiye pointed toward the corner.

“No,” Xu Xiangsi shook her head like a rattle-drum, “I just recovered from illness, and my head is still muddled—I can’t absorb a single word.”

Her words left Long Peiye at a loss.

As a grown man, his life usually revolved around training and missions, with entertainment activities practically nonexistent.

“Well… it’s late at night, I can’t exactly take you out to play,” he said, somewhat troubled.

Seeing him like this, Xu Xiangsi simply resorted to throwing a small tantrum.

She released his clothes, crossed her arms, and deliberately turned her head away, leaving him with a sulky view of the back of her head: “Hmph, forget it then.”

“Just let me sit here alone until dawn!”

Long Peiye looked at her sulky profile and found himself caught between laughter and exasperation.

This little temper of hers flared up quite quickly.

As a battalion commander who never tolerated dissent in the military, he actually felt somewhat helpless facing this patient.

After thinking for a long while, he tentatively suggested: “Then… how about I tell you a story?”

The moment he finished speaking, Xu Xiangsi whipped her head around, her sparkling eyes filled with a “are you kidding me” expression.

“Tell a story?” her voice rose three notes higher, “Battalion Commander Long, do you take me for a three-year-old child? Needing bedtime stories when I can’t sleep?”

Long Peiye: “…”

That was exactly what he had been thinking.

But he couldn’t admit that truth.

He cleared his throat, trying to make his expression appear more sincere.

“Not the kind you’re thinking of,” he explained, “No Granny Bear or Big Bad Wolf—those are for deceiving children.”

“I’ll tell you some interesting stories from our military unit.”

Xu Xiangsi looked at him suspiciously, her long eyelashes blinking: “Stories from the military?”

She thought about it and realized this might actually be a good way to pass the time.

Certainly better than the two of them staring at each other until dawn.

“Alright then,” she finally relented, then pointed authoritatively at the empty bowl on the table, “But you go eat first. You need energy to tell stories properly.”

“Hurry up!”

Seeing her drop her stubbornness, Long Peiye felt relieved, a faint smile unconsciously curling at the corners of his lips.

He deftly went to the kitchen and cooked a bowl of noodles, finishing the task in no time.

He even drank every last drop of the soup.

When he returned to the main room, Xu Xiangsi had already moved herself to the bed in the inner chamber. Covered with a thin quilt, only her small head was visible, her eyes full of anticipation as she gazed toward the doorway.

She looked just like a little kitten waiting to be fed.

Long Peiye’s heart softened inexplicably.