Chapter 193 My Family Has a Treasure 1

Ling Ruoke had a lot of dreams all night and didn't sleep well. She got up at the crack of dawn, grabbed a pregnancy test, and ran to the bathroom.

The test result was different from yesterday's; it was clear that there was only one line.

Ling Ruoke stared blankly at the red line, overwhelmed by the rollercoaster of emotions. It took her a while to come to her senses, and she walked out of the bathroom dejectedly.

I crawled back into bed, but couldn't sleep. It felt like a cat was scratching at my heart. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment—that's the feeling, isn't it?

I tossed and turned in bed until dawn. When I finally got up, I felt dizzy and didn't want to move at all. So I stayed in bed a little longer and didn't go to the gym.

Another week has passed in the blink of an eye, and my period still hasn't come.

Ling Ruoke felt a glimmer of hope. She had previously researched online and learned that pregnancy tests were sometimes inaccurate. So, she decided against testing herself and went directly to the hospital that morning.

She arrived early, so it was her turn quickly. The test result was still negative; she wasn't pregnant. The doctor asked her if she wanted the baby if she did, and she said yes, so the doctor didn't perform an ultrasound and told her to come back in a week for another checkup.

As Ling Ruoke left the hospital, she encountered a mother with her child at the entrance. The child, just one year old, was a particularly lively and adorable little boy. Seeing Ling Ruoke smile at her, he reached out a small hand and made babbling sounds. The mother smiled kindly at Ruoke and taught the child to call her "Auntie."

Ling Ruoke watched the mother and son walk away, and then walked to the parking lot to get her car, feeling somewhat disappointed.

The next day, Gu Miaomiao called to invite her to dinner. Ling Ruoke hadn't seen her since they last met at the hospital. After thinking it over, she went anyway.

They met at the same elegant restaurant as before. Gu Miaomiao ordered a huge feast, saying that she had suffered so much in the hospital and deserved a good meal. Although she was still thin, she had a strong smile on her face.

Ling Ruoke was delighted to see this change in her. Watching her eat with gusto, she couldn't help but laugh and say, "Aren't you afraid of becoming a big fat person?"

Gu Miaomiao stuffed her mouth full and only stopped after she finished chewing. "What's there to be afraid of? I'll get fat first, and then I can lose weight later." She said with a silly laugh, looking very optimistic.

Ling Ruoke raised an eyebrow. "That's right, how can you have the energy to lose weight if you don't eat your fill?"

"Mmm-hmm-hmm." Gu Miaomiao was engrossed in her work and didn't want to stop and answer.

Ling Ruoke didn't eat much; she mostly watched Gu Miaomiao devour her food. She even wondered if Gu Miaomiao had been starving for over a month, otherwise how could she eat so much?

Finally, Gu Miaomiao finished eating and patted her round belly with a sigh. "So full." Her mouth was glistening with oil.

Ling Ruoke couldn't help but laugh. "I was starting to think you came from the slums. How long has it been since you ate a proper meal?"

"It's been at least half a year, if not a year." Gu Miaomiao smiled bitterly, a fleeting sadness in her eyes that couldn't be hidden.

Ling Ruoke understood. Perhaps ever since she discovered Xuan Yuanjinan's infidelity, she hadn't been able to eat a proper meal, as evidenced by her emaciated appearance.

"Ling Ruoke, I'm going abroad. You won't see this annoying person like me anymore," Gu Miaomiao said loudly. She spoke as if she didn't care, but the heaviness in her heart couldn't be completely hidden.

Ling Ruoke felt a pang of sadness, but she smiled and said, "Gu Miaomiao, I don't dislike you. Or rather, I don't dislike the way you are now. But going abroad to see the world is a good thing; you might discover a lot of wonderful things."

Perhaps because of past entanglements, Gu Miaomiao always called her by her full name.

"That's right, anyway, I'm really looking forward to it." She raised her chin, looking smug, but the look in her eyes couldn't be hidden.

Ling Ruoke picked up her teacup and raised it. "Come on, I'll offer you tea instead of wine, wishing you happiness every day abroad. If you ever come back and find me not so bad after all, come find me for a meal."

Gu Miaomiao picked up her cup and clinked it against hers, saying nothing. Her eyes seemed to be moist. Her eyes were already large, but now they looked even more frighteningly large.

The two didn't stay together for long. After clinking glasses and exchanging a few more words, Gu Miaomiao left.

Ling Ruoke watched from outside the restaurant as Gu Miaomiao got into a car. Gu Miaomiao waved, and the car drove away. The car headed towards the airport.

Ling Ruoke stood at the door for a while, until the car had disappeared for quite some time, before she walked towards the company. A sense of sadness welled up inside her, a feeling that everything was gradually changing and things were no longer the same.

Staring at the computer screen, looking at the endless stream of unread emails, Ling Ruoke felt incredibly frustrated and couldn't calm herself down. It was as if her former drive had been completely drained away, leaving her suddenly devoid of interest.

Ling Ruoke longed to confide in someone, but besides Pei Shi, she didn't know who else she could turn to. She'd already given Pei Shi the advice she needed last time, so there was little point in talking to her again. Zhuang Yicheng and Wild Wolf might be able to offer her advice, but she couldn't ask them.

In her second life, Ling Ruoke felt like she had failed as a person. The first time was when she was imprisoned by Cang Weiwo, and she felt like a complete failure.

After working until the end of the day, Ling Ruoke grabbed her bag and went to the parking garage. She had just gotten into her car, before even starting the car, when her phone rang. The two words displayed on the screen made her smile instantly—"Husband!"

"Husband," Ling Ruoke called out with a smile, her voice involuntarily drawn out, with a hint of coquetry.

Huo Qingfeng's voice was gentler than usual, as if he were speaking right next to her ear. "Wife, are you off work yet?"

Ling Ruoke leaned back in her seat, staring blankly at the Chinese knot hanging behind the windshield. "I just left the company and am about to drive home. Have you eaten yet?"

"I was just about to eat. You should cook more good food for yourself, don't make yourself too thin."

Ling Ruoke suddenly felt a lump in her throat, though she couldn't explain why. She replied somewhat irritably, "I don't want to eat."

"Why?" Huo Qingfeng's voice immediately became tense, as if he couldn't wait to appear in front of her.

Ling Ruoke bit her lip, her eyes welling up with tears. "I just don't want to eat, I just don't want to eat!"

Huo Qingfeng felt like he was going crazy; this was the first time Ling Ruoke had acted like this. She usually responded gently and softly, even reminding him to be careful and take good care of himself. But now she was acting like a child, throwing a tantrum, and was about to cry. He couldn't help but worry. "Ruoke, has something happened?"

"No, nothing at all. Huo Qingfeng, I miss you, I want to see you, right now!" Ling Ruoke pursed her lips, and finally tears streamed down her face. She hated herself for being like this from the bottom of her heart, but she couldn't help it. It was as if something inside her was broken, and she couldn't control herself.

Hearing the tearful voice, Huo Qingfeng felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if something were squeezing it. "Ruoke, I'll go home in two more days, okay? If you don't want to be alone at home, you can go to Tan Peishi's house, okay?"

"Oh no! I need to see you! I'll come find you, okay? I'll come find you right now!" Ling Ruoke started the car, really intending to go to the military base.

Huo Qingfeng had initially intended to persuade her, but suddenly changed his mind. "Then drive to where I parked last time, remember?"

"Yes, I remember." Hearing his agreement, Ling Ruoke's emotions stabilized.

"Then drive carefully and be safe. I'll be waiting for you right there, okay?"

Ling Ruoke sniffed and smiled. "Okay. I understand. I'll hang up now, I'm driving."

"good."

Ling Ruoke hung up the phone and sped off down another road. Her mood had completely changed from its previous gloom to one of elation. It would take more than two hours to get to the place he mentioned, a considerable distance and time, but it didn't dampen her spirits.

That road led to the outskirts of the city, or rather, deep in the mountains, so there were very few people and vehicles. At first, you could occasionally see a house by the roadside, but later only the woods remained. The trees were tall, the wind howled, and eerie sounds emanated from the forest. The trees cast strange shapes on the road, which were particularly frightening.

Ling Ruoke stared intently ahead, thinking that she would soon see Huo Qingfeng, and felt no fear. She didn't even realize that the smile on her face hadn't stopped since she hung up the phone.

When the car suddenly stopped and wouldn't move after several attempts, Ling Ruoke was a bit bewildered. She got out and looked around, but while she knew how to drive, she knew absolutely nothing about fixing a car. The car had broken down.

There was still more than half an hour's journey left, which meant dozens of kilometers of distance. She couldn't possibly walk all that, could she? Even if she were willing to walk, there were no streetlights along the way. Although she could barely see clearly, it was still very disadvantageous. However, after spending half a year at the Wild Wolves' base, Ling Ruoke had become quite tough. Although it was pitch black, she wasn't particularly afraid.

She took out her phone, intending to call Huo Qingfeng. But the call was cut off before it even connected. Her phone was dead! A smartphone battery usually only lasts a day, and her client had called her several times today; the battery was long gone.

When it rains, it pours!

She sat in the car for a while, then suddenly gritted her teeth, grabbed the military knife, turned on the headlights, and locked the car. She had made up her mind; she would run.

She fastened her bayonet and took off running into the darkness. At that moment, she was only grateful she was wearing canvas shoes!

After the kidnapping, her body never fully recovered. Although the drug Gu Zheng injected her with didn't have severe side effects, it definitely caused some damage to her body, and she needs rest to fully recover.

So after running for about half an hour, she was already feeling very tired. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. The air she exhaled from her nose felt like hot steam, and her throat was extremely dry.

Upon hearing the sound of the engine, Ling Ruoke quickly darted to the side of the road and hid in a place where she would not be easily spotted.

A car sped by in a short while. But as it roared past, Ling Ruoke was startled to realize that the person inside looked familiar. It was Huo Qingfeng!

She chased after the car frantically, shouting, but it was going incredibly fast, and no matter how fast she tried, she couldn't catch it, not to mention she was exhausted by then. After a while, the car had already turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

Ling Ruoke stopped and squatted down on the spot. The burning sensation in her lungs, along with the grievances in her heart, made her eyes well up with tears. She buried her head in her arms and took deep breaths.

Then she heard the sound of an engine. She jumped up quickly because she recognized the car as coming from the direction of the city.

A moment later, a car sped towards her, its headlights illuminating her. Then, with a screeching sound, the car stopped beside her. The people inside jumped out and pounced on her like leopards, pulling her tightly into their arms.

"Baby, you scared me to death!" Huo Qingfeng held her tightly in his arms, wanting to crush her and melt her into his body.

Ling Ruoke breathed in his unique scent, mixed with the smell of sweat, and finally burst into tears. She hugged his waist tightly and rubbed against his chest.

Huo Qingfeng scooped her up and placed her in the passenger seat, then started the car. After driving for a while, he turned to her and asked, "Is there something wrong with the car? Why is your phone off?"

Ling Ruoke looked at him and grinned foolishly. "The car broke down, and I don't know what happened. My phone died and turned off."

Looking at her silly smile, Huo Qingfeng's heart softened. "I'll buy you another phone when we get back, the oldest kind, the kind where the battery lasts a week."

"Okay." Ling Ruoke smiled and agreed to whatever he said.

Huo Qingfeng reached out a hand and touched her face.

Ling Ruoke grabbed his hand and rubbed it against his palm. This action, like that of a kitten or puppy, made him laugh.

Soon the car stopped; they had arrived at the woods. Huo Qingfeng drove the car to the designated spot and covered it with green camouflage.

Ling Ruoke stood to the side, watching him close the car, then came over and hugged her. Hugging his waist, she snuggled against him and said, "Huo Qingfeng, I missed you."

Huo Qingfeng looked at her, his already deep eyes becoming even more unfathomable. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, smelling the sweat. Then he released her and crouched down slightly. "Come on, let your husband carry you."

Ling Ruoke didn't say anything, obediently clinging to his back. With a slight effort, he lifted her up and carried her deeper into the woods. "Did you break the rules by running out to meet me like this? Won't you get scolded?"

She acted impulsively, only thinking of her own feelings and forgetting to consider his situation. She wasn't like this before, and she didn't know what was wrong with her. Several times she'd wondered if this was one of the side effects of that injection.

"You're only thinking about this now? Isn't it too late?" Huo Qingfeng smiled slightly, his tone devoid of any blame.

Ling Ruoke rested her chin on his shoulder, letting it sway as he walked. "I'm sorry, I've been so naughty. I don't know what's wrong with me, I've been missing you so much lately. I just want to see you, otherwise I feel terrible."

Huo Qingfeng felt as if he were melting into water, an indescribable sensation. He turned his head, searching for her lips.

Ling Ruoke leaned her head forward a little and kissed him. "Are you unhappy? I won't do it again next time."

"I'm not upset, I'm glad you think that way." His wife's feelings for him were deepening, wasn't that something to be happy about? "Besides, I told you the other day that it's okay for you to be a little willful sometimes. But the premise is that you have to be careful and not hurt yourself, understand?"

Ling Ruoke nodded on his shoulder. "Mm."

Huo Qingfeng took something out of his pocket and handed it to her. "You must be starving because you didn't have dinner. Have something to eat first, and I'll make you noodles when we get there."

Ling Ruoke took the package and saw a chocolate and two sausages. She used her teeth to open the sausage wrapper, took a bite, and then held it to his mouth.

"I've already eaten, you can eat."

"Just one bite," she pleaded, her voice soft and sweet.

Huo Qingfeng took a small bite.