Chief Fu nodded slightly in agreement, and then slowly said, "These are just trivial matters at work. I can roughly guess who is behind this."

Hearing this, Li Jin felt somewhat relieved and quickly replied, "That's good. It's good that you know who it is, Grandpa. This way, we can be on guard."

Although Commander Fu has retired, his influence in the Suzhou Military Region remains considerable. After all, he has spent many years in the military, accumulating a wealth of connections and experience. It wouldn't be easy for anyone to cause trouble under his nose.

Commander Fu seemed to see through Li Jin's worries and then comforted him, "But you don't need to worry too much. They can't cause any big trouble. I've been in the Suzhou Military Region for so long, what storms haven't I seen? I can handle their little tricks."

Li Jin nodded obediently and said softly, "Grandpa, I'm just worried that they will plot against you. You're getting old, and I'm afraid they'll stop at nothing."

Chief Fu smiled slightly, patted Li Jin's hand, and comforted him, "Don't worry, child. Grandpa knows everything perfectly well. I understand all their tricks. Grandpa won't let them succeed. You can put your mind at ease."

"At this moment, the guard came in to report that several old comrades from the military region had come to visit. Commander Fu's spirits lifted, "Quickly invite them in." A short while later, several elderly men with gray hair but vigorous spirits walked in.

They greeted Chief Fu warmly, and they also noticed Li Jin. Chief Fu quickly introduced her, "This is my granddaughter, Xiao Jin."

Li Jin quickly greeted everyone, "Hello, gentlemen. I'm going to check if my grandfather's medicine is ready. You all continue chatting!" With that, Li Jin went out.

After Li Jin left, their conversation quickly turned to the work of the military region. One of the old comrades frowned and said, "Old Fu, some people in the military region are acting without any principles these days." Commander Fu's gaze was firm. "I've noticed it too. We need to work together to find a way to prevent them from breaking the rules." Everyone nodded, and a discussion about the future direction of the military region began in a warm yet serious atmosphere.

Li Jin left Chief Fu's ward. Thinking that the old chiefs must have a lot to say, she walked out of the hospital. She had been in such a hurry when she came that she hadn't had a chance to properly look around!

Li Jin walked out of the inpatient department on the cement floor, the sunlight carrying the fragrance of locust blossoms onto her face. On the cement square in front of the hospital, vendors set up simple bamboo shelves in twos and threes, and carts and bicycles were parked haphazardly in a row, which was more lively than the smell of disinfectant in the wards.

At the stall closest to the door, an older woman in a blue cotton shirt was lifting the cotton cover, revealing neatly stacked white steamed buns, each as big as a fist, steaming hot. A wooden sign advertising five cents each was stuck in the side of her bamboo basket. Next to her, an old man wearing arm sleeves squatted on a small stool, soaking freshly picked green apricots in an aluminum basin. Seeing her look over, he immediately tapped the rim of the basin with a weight strung on a straw rope: "Comrade, military dependent, want two pounds? Sweet and sour, very appetizing!"

Further to the left, a girl in a polyester shirt was holding a wooden board with several pairs of neatly sewn cloth shoes on it. The toes of the shoes were embroidered with crooked peonies. Next to her, a glass jar contained floral handkerchiefs with tassels crocheted with red yarn at the edges. Li Jin noticed a tin biscuit box at the girl's feet, with a few coins scattered inside. Sunlight shone on the tin plating, reflecting tiny spots of light.

"Make way, make way, make way!" A crisp bicycle bell rang from the left. A young man in a white hat rode his bicycle through the gaps between the vendors. Two insulated buckets were strapped to the wooden board on the back seat, with "Mung Bean Soup" written in red paint on the buckets. The enamel mugs hanging from the handlebars jingled with each bump. As they passed an aunt selling steamed buns, the two greeted each other familiarly: "Aunt Zhang, your steamed buns are really fluffy today. I'll take two pounds to Nurse Wang in the inpatient department!"

Under the tree roots in the corner, an old woman in patched clothes squatted on a straw mat. In front of her were more than a dozen glass jars containing honey, acacia flower jam, and bayberries soaked in wine. Her cloudy eyes stared at Li Jin's white sneakers, and she suddenly spoke: "Girl, want some honey? Wild honey picked from the back mountain, it's the best for treating coughs." As she spoke, she wiped the glass jar with her fingers wrapped in tape, and the bottle immediately reflected Li Jin's slightly furrowed brows—those calloused hands were so much like the way her grandmother kneaded dough in the original owner's memory.

In front of the guardhouse on the right side of the hospital's main entrance, a wooden sign reads "Military Family Service Center." A middle-aged man in military uniform is hunched over the window registering patients, with several faded hospital gowns hanging on a clothesline behind him. Li Jin sees someone hurrying past carrying an aluminum lunchbox; the aroma of braised radish and pork wafts from the crack in the lid, mingling with the bitter smell of traditional Chinese medicine simmering on a distant coal stove, weaving a fine web in the warm air.

The shadows of the locust trees swayed on the ground. A child chased after a paper airplane, bumping into a stall selling needles and thread with a clatter. Li Jin, touching the persimmon cakes given to him by Commander Fu in his canvas bag, suddenly heard hushed whispers behind him: "See that girl? She came with Commander Fu's bodyguard. I heard she knows acupuncture; she pulled the old man back from the brink of death..."

As she turned around, the old man selling green apricots winked at her, a smile plastered on his wrinkled face: "Girl, how's your grandfather feeling? I saw a lot of high-ranking officials gathered around his hospital room yesterday, all old heroes who fought the Japanese back then, right?" Li Jin nodded, then suddenly noticed a few thorny wild roses leaning against the old man's bamboo basket of green apricots—exactly the same kind that grew wildly along the edge of their family plot back home.

As sunlight climbed through the window of the third-floor inpatient building, Li Jin saw the young guard, Xiao Li, waving at her from the end of the corridor, half a medical record sticking out of his white coat pocket. She turned to walk back, and as she passed the woman selling steamed buns, the woman suddenly shoved a hot bun into her hand: "Take this to tide you over. Don't let a young lady get sick from hunger." Before she could refuse, the woman had already turned to serve a new customer, and the steamed bun, under its cotton cover, began to steam again, slowly dissipating into wisps of white smoke in the late spring breeze.

The scene outside the hospital resembled a faded New Year's painting, each stroke carrying the warmth of bygone years. Li Jin clutched a warm steamed bun, suddenly remembering the year her grandmother passed away. The weather was similar then, and Li Jin watched the villagers bustling about for her grandmother's sake! Meanwhile, she could only crouch in a corner, weeping!