Chapter 9: Gu Tingzhou Reborn

“Mom, are you tired? Let me help you.” Gu Yanli was a sensitive little boy; he could clearly sense something different about his mother. Though her tone was as cold as usual, he felt she was particularly gentle today.

So he was a bit braver than usual, taking the initiative to offer his help. Normally, when his mother was busy, he lived in constant fear, worried he’d be scolded.

Li Qingyun had intended to tell him to go find his friends and play, since children his age were usually mischievous. But as she was about to speak, she remembered every time he’d gone out, he’d been bullied and excluded by other children. Eventually, he stopped wanting to go out altogether.

It all stemmed from Li Zhaodi—her refusal to marry, her habit of using her husband’s money to support her own family—these actions made the villagers avoid her and spread all sorts of rumors, which inevitably affected the child.

Food must be eaten one bite at a time, and a road must be walked step by step. Li Qingyun would never let herself remain in such an awkward situation forever.

“Then you take this end,” Li Qingyun said, handing one side of the garment to Da Bao while holding the other herself. She twisted it firmly, water gushing out from the clothes. Da Bao found it amusing and began to twist with all his might; the cool water splashed onto his body, making him feel wonderfully refreshed.

Mother and son continued like this, wringing out a whole basin of freshly washed clothes, and hung them out to dry together.

Da Bao had never known that chores could be so enjoyable; his bright, sparkling eyes squinted with laughter.

Li Qingyun smiled too, reaching out to gently touch Da Bao’s hair. “Silly boy, you must be tired. Go inside and find some clean clothes. Check if your brother needs a diaper change; if he does, take care of it. I’ll boil some water for your bath—look at how dirty you are, as if you’ve crawled out of a pile of dust,” she said, brushing her hands in mock disgust.

Da Bao cheerfully agreed and dashed inside for clothes, like a little cannonball.

Li Qingyun boiled a large pot of water, mixed it with cool water to fill a basin. In summer, a bit of warmth was enough; if the well water wasn’t so cold, she wouldn’t bother heating it at all.

Li Qingyun scrubbed Da Bao from head to toe, nearly wearing away his skin before he was finally clean. In the heat of summer, both tired and hot, she broke out in a sweat.

They teamed up to give Er Bao a bath as well; Er Bao played gleefully in the water, reluctant to get out.

After sending Da Bao off for his nap, Li Qingyun quietly prepared formula for Er Bao, who fell asleep right after drinking. She laid him beside his brother, and as she watched them sleep soundly together, she felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment as a first-time mother.

There was a mantel clock brought home by Gu Tingzhou. After tidying up the two brothers, Li Qingyun saw it was almost two in the afternoon. Exhausted and sleepy, she used the leftover water in the pot to wash herself quickly in the kitchen, then lay down beside her children, drifting into dreams with them.

She did not know that far away, on the military base, Gu Tingzhou was experiencing a little incident of his own.

Gu Tingzhou had a dream—someone asked him what wish he wanted to fulfill.

In this life, he had already achieved everything: honor, status, wealth. He wanted nothing more. Except, he regretted not raising his two children well, feeling he owed them deeply. If he could wish for anything, it would be to start again from the beginning, to accompany and care for his sons, giving them a happy family environment.

When he awoke, he found himself returned to thirty years ago.

At this time, Da Bao was just over four years old, Er Bao barely five months. His former wife had not yet reached that tragic end—everything was still possible.

Having never been superstitious, for the first time Gu Tingzhou silently thanked all the gods, grateful for the chance to start anew.

At fifty-five, Gu Tingzhou was no longer the naive youth of his past, but a mature, steady man.

As for his former wife, after she refused to marry and her family caused endless trouble, he had kept his distance, seldom caring or asking after her. When he first learned she’d been deceived by traffickers and died in a tragic accident, his heart was filled with deep disgust and a sense of relief, as if he’d finally shed a burden.

Later, after experiencing countless hardships, he began to reflect on himself, even feeling pity for that unfortunate woman. She had never been loved or cherished in her life; so whenever someone showed her even a little kindness, she would rush toward it, heedless of the consequences.

Thinking back, though she had many faults—selfishness, greed, opportunism—she was still the mother of his two children. If he had treated her a little better, guided her more, perhaps things would not have ended so badly.

He resolved that, for the sake of his children, he would pay more attention to his wife, try his best to guide her into being a good mother and wife. If she proved utterly hopeless, he would cut ties quickly and choose divorce.

But he would never remarry. Even if he retired from the army, he would stay with his children and never abandon them again.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t wait to see his two sons. Er Bao was only five months old—such a delightful age. He had missed nearly all of their childhood.

“Tingzhou, you’re finally awake. How are you? Does your wound still hurt?” As Gu Tingzhou was lost in thought, a man in uniform pushed open the door and entered.

The moment of Gu Tingzhou’s rebirth coincided with the time he had been injured during a mission in his previous life. Upon waking, he found himself lying in a hospital bed; it was only by asking the nurse that he learned the approximate time and situation.

“I’m fine—not so fragile,” Gu Tingzhou replied naturally.

This man was Jiang Fan, his longtime friend. In his previous life, they had always been close. Thinking of Jiang Fan’s family's fate in that life, Gu Tingzhou couldn’t help but sigh.

“Tingzhou, I must apologize to you. I’m sorry—I acted recklessly and you suffered a serious injury saving me. If you need anything, just ask; I’ll do my best to help,” Jiang Fan said earnestly.

They had led a team on a mission together; Jiang Fan was too aggressive and nearly fell into a trap. At the critical moment, Gu Tingzhou saved him, but took a bullet to his own leg.

The shrapnel had just been removed; his calf was still sore, but bearable.

After hearing Jiang Fan’s words, Gu Tingzhou thought for a moment. “Actually, I do need your help. I want to be discharged and return home to recover. With this injury, the regiment should grant me a long leave. I want to see my wife and children. But in my current condition, taking the train isn’t convenient. Could you arrange a car for me?”

Jiang Fan was a true red second-generation, with power, influence, and wealth in his family—arranging a car was a trivial matter.

“No problem with the car, but you just had surgery. Wait until the doctor approves your discharge. If your wound gets infected, do you want to lose your leg? You wouldn’t want your career to end here, would you?” Jiang Fan advised earnestly.

Gu Tingzhou considered for a moment, realizing there was no rush—things like submitting reports would take time anyway—so he agreed.