Chapter 87: Her name is also on the monument of merit

Outside the intensive care unit of the Military Region General Hospital, the air was so thick it felt like water dripping from it. Like a soulless statue, Su Wanqing stood motionless before the closed door. Her face was translucently pale, her eyes red and swollen, as she stared intently at the indicator light on the door, as if trying to see through the cold panel. Her hands were clasped tightly against her chest, her nails digging deep into her palms, oblivious to the blood seeping through them.

Time seemed to freeze, every second stretching like a century. The terrifying scene in the chemical plant replayed in her mind over and over again—his kneeling figure, his muffled groan as he struggled to bear down on the iron bar, the resolute look in his eyes as he lunged at her, and the final gunshot, the glaring, bright red that quickly spread across his back...

"Because it's you..."

"We must be together even in death..."

The weak yet decisive words he uttered before he passed out were like the sharpest blade, slicing at her heart over and over again. The overwhelming fear and dread that followed were like an icy tide, nearly drowning and suffocating her. She couldn't imagine what would have happened if that bullet had been just a little bit off... if he...

No! No way! Nothing could happen to him! He had promised to work with her to clear his father's name, promised to accompany her to Jiangnan to sketch, promised to watch her expand her studio... He had promised! He never broke his promise!

Tears welled up uncontrollably once again, but she bit her lips tightly to stop herself from crying. She couldn't fall down, she had to hold on, he needed her.

Assistant Chen and a group of officers stood by, their faces heavy with grief, the atmosphere oppressive to the extreme. No one spoke, only the rhythmic ticking of the instruments faintly emanating from inside the door, hammering at everyone's heart.

I don’t know how long it took, it seemed like a century, the door of the intensive care unit was finally pushed open from the inside.

The attending doctor came out with a tired look on his face and took off his mask.

Everyone's heart instantly jumped to their throat! Su Wanqing stood up suddenly, and because she stood up too quickly, her vision went dark. She stumbled and was supported by Assistant Chen in time. She grabbed the doctor's arm tightly, her voice trembling and almost breaking: "Doctor! How is he...how is he?!"

The doctor looked at the nearly collapsed young woman before him, his eyes flickering with sympathy and...admiration. He took a deep breath, his tone heavy yet tinged with relief, "The commander's vital signs have stabilized for now. Thankfully! The bullet was less than a centimeter away from the heart and major vessels. The surgery was a success, but the patient has suffered excessive blood loss and is severely injured. He's not out of danger yet and requires close observation. The next 24 hours will be critical."

Hearing the words "temporarily stable" and "not out of danger yet," Su Wanqing's heart tightened again, but at least... at least he was still alive! There was still hope!

"Thank you...thank you, doctor..." She choked and almost collapsed, but was supported by a huge belief, "Can I...can I go in and see him?"

The doctor hesitated for a moment, looked at her pale face and the pleading in her eyes, and finally nodded: "Okay, but not for too long, and you must remain absolutely quiet."

Su Wanqing almost stumbled into the intensive care unit.

The strong smell of disinfectant hit him. Huo Tingxiao lay quietly on the hospital bed, his face as pale as paper, his lips devoid of color. He was plugged into various tubes and monitoring lines. His breathing was weak, his chest rising and falling slightly with the ventilator. His eyes were closed, but his brows were still furrowed in a habitual frown, as if even in a coma, he was still bearing a heavy burden.

Su Wanqing's heart ached beyond measure. She inched closer to the bedside and carefully grasped his cold hand, her fingertips trembling slightly. His hand was large, with distinct knuckles and calloused from years of gripping guns, but now it drooped limply.

"Tingxiao..." She called him softly, her voice hoarse, "I'm here... I'm fine... You have to be fine too... You have to be fine..."

She gently rested her cheek against the back of his uninjured hand, feeling his faint pulse, tears silently falling, soaking his skin.

"You said... we'll be together even if we die... You can't lie to me..." She choked with sobs, her voice almost whispering, "I'll wait for you... I and our future, we'll wait for you..."

The days that followed were an even more agonizing wait for Su Wanqing. Huo Tingxiao struggled on the brink of life and death for three full days before finally passing critical condition and being transferred to a general ward. But that wasn't the end. The severe injuries and blood loss left him extremely weak. The recurring high fever and pain tormented him, and also tormented Su Wanqing, who stood by his side.

She stayed by his side almost every step of the way in the hospital. She fed him water and medicine, wiped his body, massaged his limbs, read him documents (even though he was asleep most of the time), and even when he struggled unconsciously in pain, she hugged him tightly and whispered soothing words in his ear...

She became unusually silent and resilient, hiding all her fears and tears deep in her heart. She always appeared calm and gentle in front of him. She seemed to have grown up a lot overnight, silently carrying everything on her slender but firm shoulders.

Huo Tingxiao occasionally regained consciousness amidst the intense pain and drowsiness, always feeling the pair of worried yet resolute eyes watching him, and the pair of soft yet strong hands caring for him meticulously. He couldn't speak, and could only use his extremely weak strength to shake her hand back, or use his eyes to convey his attachment and...apology.

During this process, the storm outside did not stop.

News of Huo Tingxiao's serious injury and coma was strictly suppressed, but the operation to eliminate the remaining enemies, under the command of Assistant Chen and Mr. Huo, was launched with even greater force. Utilizing the irrefutable evidence obtained from Su Wanqing's father and the network Huo Tingxiao had previously laid, they acted with lightning speed to eradicate all potential forces and associated personnel within the country, completely crushing the enemy's conspiracy.

The action report and battle summary were immediately delivered to Huo Tingxiao's bedside after he woke up.

Also submitted was a request report on the follow-up commendation and characterization of the incident, jointly drafted by the Military Region Political Department, Logistics Department, and Equipment Department.

The report details the entire process of thwarting the conspiracy of foreign forces and eliminating internal hidden dangers. At the end of the report, a special appendix was added: "Proposal on Awarding Comrade Su Wanqing the Second Class Merit."

The recommendation highly praised Su Wanqing's irreplaceable and key role in this major incident, based on solid facts and sufficient reasons:

1. In the process of re-identifying the historical contributions of his father, Su Bingtian (who was posthumously awarded the title of "Hero of the Hidden Front"), he provided key physical evidence (notes and seals), laying a solid foundation for thoroughly clarifying the historical truth and countering enemy slander;

2. When I was kidnapped and my life was seriously threatened, I remained calm and composed, actively cooperating with the rescue efforts, and created favorable conditions for the successful rescue and capture of the enemy.

Third, as the surviving family member of a significant military veteran and the spouse of a high-ranking officer in active service, she demonstrated the outstanding character and noble sentiments of a military wife in the new era by her perseverance, courage, and selfless dedication, silently supporting her husband's work and shouldering the pressure alone.

4. The "Watchman Design Studio" he founded actively serves the military construction, and its related achievements have been tried out in the army and received good feedback.

The report concluded that Comrade Su Wanqing effectively supported the military operations with practical actions, safeguarded the interests of the army and the country, and made outstanding contributions. It is recommended that he be awarded a second-class individual merit.

This report was solemnly placed on Huo Tingxiao's hospital bed.

Huo Tingxiao leaned against the pillow, his face still pale and his body still weak, but his eyes had regained their former sharpness and calmness. He read the entire report carefully, word by word, especially the last page of recommendations.

His gaze lingered on the words "Second Class Individual Merit" for a long time, his fingertips trembling slightly. Then, he raised his head and looked at Su Wanqing, who was sitting beside the bed and peeling an apple for him.

Sunlight streamed through the window onto her focused profile. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes drooping, her movements delicate and gentle. These days, she had lost a lot of weight, her chin was pointed, and there was a noticeable dark spot under her eyes, but her expression was unusually calm and resilient.

An indescribable complex emotion surged in his heart, a mixture of great pride, deep love and a hint of heartache.

He reached out and gently covered her busy hands.

Su Wanqing raised her head and looked at him puzzledly: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Huo Tingxiao shook his head, handed the report to her, pointed to the last page, and said in a low, yet unusually clear, voice, "Take a look at this."

Su Wanqing took the report with suspicion. When her eyes fell on the "Second Class Individual Merit" and her name, she froze instantly! Her eyes suddenly widened, and she looked at Huo Tingxiao in disbelief!

"This...this is..." Her voice trembled with shock.

"You deserve it." Huo Tingxiao looked at her with deep, gentle eyes, filled with unquestionable certainty. "Without the evidence your father left behind, we wouldn't have been able to identify the enemy so quickly and clear their name. Without your calmness and strength, this operation wouldn't have gone so smoothly. Wanqing, you deserve a large part of the credit."

Su Wanqing's nose felt sore and her eyes instantly turned red. She shook her head vigorously: "No... I didn't do anything... I just... I just did what I should do... The credit should be yours... It's you..."

"Silly." Huo Tingxiao interrupted her, shook her hand firmly, and said, "Half of this military medal is yours. This isn't just talk. It's the organization's greatest recognition and respect for you and your father."

He paused, looked into her eyes, and said solemnly, word by word: "Wanqing, your name is worthy of this achievement. Your name should also be on the monument of merit."

Tears finally burst out. Su Wanqing lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, her heart filled with great shock, glory, and... comfort for her father.

She never imagined that one day she would be associated with the words "Military Medal." This weighty honor belongs not only to her, but also to her father, who dedicated himself to his work and remained silent. It is the most powerful proof of her cleansing of the stigma! It is the highest consolation!

A few days later, a special and simple commendation ceremony was held in Huo Tingxiao's ward.

The head of the military district came in person, read out the order, and solemnly awarded the heavy, golden second-class merit medal and bright red certificate to Su Wanqing.

Su Wanqing, dressed in neat uniform, stood tall and straight, tears welling in her eyes, yet her gaze remained resolute as she saluted with a standard military salute. Although she was not a soldier, she saluted with great piety and pride.

Huo Tingxiao leaned on the hospital bed, watching this scene, the corners of his hard lips slowly raised into an extremely gentle and proud arc.

Her name is also on the monument of honor.

This honor is a comfort to the past and an expectation for the future.

She was no longer just a woman standing behind him, but a comrade and lover who truly stood shoulder to shoulder with him and won his own glory.

The sunlight shines through the window and onto the medal, reflecting a dazzling light, and also illuminating the hopeful future they will walk hand in hand with.