When she pushed open the ward door, a strong smell of medicine and the regular "beeping" sound of medical equipment hit her.

Xia Mengsheng lay on the hospital bed, his face as pale as paper, his body covered in tubes, and a ventilator rhythmically helping him breathe.

Su Yuzhen's tears welled up again.

She walked gently to the bedside and carefully took her husband's hand.

That once warm and powerful hand is now cold and powerless.

"Mengsheng, I've arrived."

She spoke softly, her voice trembling.

"You promised to come back safely, you can't break your promise."

The electrocardiogram lines on the monitor fluctuated slightly, as if in response to her words.

"Do you remember the first time we met? At the skating rink, you greeted me."

Su Yuzhen forced a smile.

"At that time, I thought, 'How could this officer be so stupid?'"

She gently stroked her husband's cheek, feeling his faint breath through her fingertips.

"Our wedding was so lively! The whole village came. You looked so handsome in your military uniform. My dad said it was the most impressive wedding he'd ever seen."

A tear fell onto the back of Xia Mengsheng's hand.

"You promised to take me to see the sea, and you said you'd teach our child to shoot a gun... You can't go back on your word, Meng Sheng..."

The monitor suddenly emitted a rapid alarm, and medical staff rushed into the ward.

"Family members, please leave first!"

The doctor gave a loud order.

Su Yuzhen was led out of the ward by a nurse. Through the glass window, she watched the doctors' busy figures, her heart breaking.

Mrs. Xia came over and put her arm around her shoulder tightly.

He'll pull through.

Mrs. Xia said firmly.

"The men of the Xia family don't fall so easily."

Su Yuzhen leaned on her mother-in-law's shoulder, her tears soaking the other woman's clothes.

At that moment, she suddenly understood what her mother-in-law had said before.

As a soldier's wife, waiting and resilience are lessons I must learn.

"mom..."

She said, her voice choked with emotion.

"I will be as strong as you."

Mrs. Xia gently patted her back.

"Good girl, this is the kind of daughter-in-law our Xia family should have."

...

Outside the intensive care unit, Su Yuzhen had been waiting for three days and three nights.

She was curled up on a plastic chair in the corridor, wearing the military overcoat her mother-in-law had brought her, her eyes red and swollen like two ripe peaches.

Every time medical staff enter or exit through that heavy automatic door, she would immediately jump up and look inside with expectant eyes.

"Madam Xia, you should go back and rest."

The head nurse came to persuade them for the fifth time.

"Your health will collapse if you continue like this."

Su Yuzhen shook her head, her fingers unconsciously stroking the jade pendant hanging around her neck.

That was her wedding gift with Xia Mengsheng.

“I won’t leave; he needs me.”

Her voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.

The head nurse sighed and handed her a glass of warm water.

"At least drink some water; you haven't eaten in a long time."

Su Yuzhen took the water glass and mechanically took a sip.

The water was at the perfect temperature, neither too hot nor too cold, just like Xia Mengsheng always prepared for her.

This thought brought tears to her eyes again.

She looked up at the glass window of the intensive care unit. Although the curtains were drawn, she could almost see her husband lying inside through the fabric.

"Mengsheng, you must hold on..."

She murmured softly, pressing the jade pendant to her lips.

Hurried footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

Xia Weiguo and his wife walked quickly, followed by an elderly military doctor with white hair.

"Dad, Mom, how are they?"

Su Yuzhen immediately stood up, her coat slipping off her shoulders.

Xia Weiguo's expression was solemn, but a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes.

"Professor Li was just transferred from the front lines; he is an authority on combat wound treatment."

Professor Li adjusted his glasses, his tone calm and composed.

"Instructor Xia's condition has improved, but he is still not out of danger. The shrapnel is only two centimeters from his heart, making surgery very risky."

Su Yuzhen's legs went weak, and she almost knelt down.

Madam Xia quickly caught her and asked, "What's wrong?"

When will the surgery be performed?

"One hour later."

Professor Li glanced at his watch.

"We need a family member's signature."

Su Yuzhen trembled as she accepted the consent form, her pen hovering over the paper, unable to fall.

She recalled how, three months ago, Xia Mengsheng had signed the marriage registration form in the same way, and how radiant his smile had been then...

"Yuzhen?"

Madam Xia urged softly.

A tear fell onto the paper, blurring the ink.

Su Yuzhen took a deep breath and signed her name, each stroke seemingly requiring all her strength.

The surgery lasted six hours.

When the operating lights finally went out, Su Yuzhen could no longer stand up and could only hold her mother-in-law's hand tightly.

Professor Li came out, took off his mask, and had a tired smile on his face.

"The surgery was successful; the shrapnel has been removed. The next 24 hours are crucial."

Su Yuzhen finally broke down in tears, her tears washing away the fear and despair of the past three days.

After the surgery, Xia Mengsheng was transferred to a special intensive care unit.

The doctor allowed Su Yuzhen to visit three times a day, for no more than ten minutes each time.

She adhered to the schedule as strictly as a nun guarding a temple, spending the rest of her time sitting on a bench in the corridor, her eyes fixed on the ward door.

On the morning of the fourth day, Su Yuzhen suddenly felt dizzy while washing up, followed by a strong feeling of nausea.

She leaned over the hospital sink, dry heaving, but nothing came out.

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