Chapter 87

On the plane, two assassins attempted to kill Xu Qixia. The Burmese escorts fought desperately to protect him, ultimately eliminating all the assailants, but suffering one death and one serious injury. Xu Qixia suffered a lung injury and was temporarily unable to board the plane. The Burmese leadership consulted with the Hong Kong police, agreeing that the Hong Kong Special Duties Unit (SDU) would initially protect Xu Qixia and his personal doctor, until Burmese personnel would be dispatched for the handover and escort. The mission was expected to last approximately five days.

Xu Qixia's protection duties at the hospital were taken over by Team A. Iris couldn't get through to Zhuang Zhuoyuan by the time she was supposed to leave work, so she guessed he wouldn't be home for a while. Jennie was a little unhappy about this. She hadn't really liked her son-in-law's job to begin with, but she had tolerated this shortcoming because she loved him. But seeing her daughter's current situation, she couldn't help but complain: "I don't mean to blame A-Yuan, but what if he's on a mission when you're giving birth, and he's not around and can't answer the phone?"

“Mommy…” Iris held her hand and called out softly. However, this call did not have the effect as usual. Jennie was still not happy: “I think Alice did the right thing. She should wait until he leaves Flying Tigers before dating him.”

“It’s too late for me now,” Iris said, leaning against Jennie and acting coquettishly. “I can’t exactly tell Yuan that I’ll only have a baby after you leave Flying Tigers. Even if I did, Tangyuan wouldn’t be able to wait.”

Jennie poked her forehead and crossed her arms: "So when you told me you were pregnant, I was a little unhappy afterwards."

“Mommy,” Iris hugged Jennie even tighter, “Yuan is really good to me, and we love each other very much.”

“He loves his job more than he loves you.” Jennie sighed. “Alright, alright, if I keep talking you won’t be able to sleep tonight. Be rational, Mommy’s evaluation of him is still 95 points, you can relax.”

"Thank you, Mommy." Iris gave Jennie a big kiss, smiling, but feeling a little bitter inside. She understood Jennie and Zhuang Zhuoyuan, but the price of understanding was that she had to cry alone in bed at night. She couldn't tell if it was resentment or fear, but life had become more difficult.

The next day, she still arranged to meet Lamy for a chat. She used to be curious about Lamy's life, but now she longed for some comfort from her experiences. Lamy rarely saw Iris so down, and was initially extremely worried. After understanding the reason, she choked back a sigh, letting it escape slightly. She had long expected this day to come; being the woman behind Flying Tigers wasn't easy.

In truth, Lamy always felt that Iris had done a better job than her. Lamy was more traditional in her thinking, always prioritizing her husband after marriage. Therefore, for many years she sacrificed herself and her daughter, trying her best to reduce her mother's worries. Although she believed these sacrifices were worthwhile, she couldn't deny the years of mental and physical torment she suffered. Iris was better off, more outspoken and daring, but Iris was too young.

Lamy tried her best to answer all of Iris's concerns and to comfort and reassure her. However, as someone with experience, she knew very well that this anxiety couldn't be eliminated with just one conversation; new problems would arise, and new worries would increase. So she decided to have her husband talk to Yuan when they got back. Even though they weren't in the same group now, they were both at SDU and would eventually run into each other. At the end of the conversation, Lamy gave a straightforward reminder: "Iris, try to look on the bright side. Reality isn't as bad as it seems. If you're still uneasy, let your husband handle those anxieties. You have to believe that these men are much more resilient than you think. Besides, one of the reasons your husband exists is to help you solve problems. If he can't even do that, you should consider whether you still want him around."

This last witty remark finally brought a smile back to Iris's face. Indeed, Zhuang Zhuoyuan was someone she could rely on; their marriage required the effort of both of them, and they should face life's problems together. She seemed to be experiencing increased prenatal anxiety lately, and the growing tension around her was affecting her mood. She felt she needed to talk to Edgar again, and they would go see him together after he finished his task.

Zhuang Zhuoyuan acted faster than she expected. The next day at noon, upon learning that his wife was in a bad mood, Zhuang Sir took advantage of lunchtime to meet with Iris. The two ate at a restaurant near the university. Zhuang Zhuoyuan held her hand, looking her up and down as if trying to stare a flower into her face. Iris's mood had calmed down considerably because of his appearance, and she no longer felt dissatisfied. She tried to pull her hand away and concentrate on waiting for the waiter to bring the food, but every time she moved, Zhuang Zhuoyuan followed suit, refusing to let go.

"The four diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine: observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation. Are you going to switch careers and become a doctor?" she asked, pouting.

Zhuang Zhuoyuan was quite serious: "I want to know what you're thinking and how to make you happy." He had been worried about Iris ever since he saw the text message from his mother.

Iris shook her head: "I can't remember. I was really unhappy yesterday, but I seem to be doing better today."

Zhuang Zhuoyuan was taken aback by this answer. Looking closely at Iris's expression, which didn't seem feigned, he decided to attribute the situation to her fluctuating emotions. The comforting words he had prepared the night before flashed through his mind. After a moment's hesitation, Zhuang Zhuoyuan decided to try a different approach. Only after confirming that Iris was listening attentively did he carefully ask, "Are you unhappy because I'm not here with you?"

Iris was the one who hesitated. She relaxed her attention from Zhuang Zhuoyuan and his hand, and began to seriously analyze her emotional tendencies as required. After a while, she nodded and shook her head.

"What do you mean?" Zhuang Zhuoyuan waited patiently for her.

Iris wasn't quite sure how to put her thoughts into words: "It's not that I'm unhappy, but rather that I feel lost and scared. Suddenly not being able to contact you, and not knowing how long you'll be out of touch, makes me a little uneasy, and then I start thinking about tangyuan (glutinous rice balls), and then some random thoughts start forming."

Ultimately, it all boils down to a lack of security. Zhuang Zhuoyuan lowered his eyes and subconsciously pulled Iris's hand closer. He lowered his head to kiss her, but for a moment he had no good ideas.

“I’ve made appointments with Edgar and Junjun. We’ll chat with them after you finish your task. I think it will help me,” Iris stated. She had found that when she was busy, her fear of the future lessened. Of course, this was only a temporary solution, but it was enough to get her through a few difficult days. She also noticed a change in her feelings about waiting for Zhuang Zhuoyuan. Before, she only hoped for his safe return; now, she longed to avoid endless, aimless waiting. “Honey, maybe you could assign me some small tasks. That way, whenever I’m home alone, I can think about how I can surprise you when you come back, and that should cheer me up.”

"Tangyuan!" Zhuang Zhuoyuan suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Iris's biggest fear right now was probably the moment of childbirth. People say ignorance is bliss, but Iris was the opposite; she was a "knowledgeable" person who had done her homework. She knew too much about pregnancy and childbirth, yet had no actual experience, so it was inevitable that she would experience the prenatal anxiety of a new mother. She was also so afraid of pain. Thinking of this, Zhuang Zhuoyuan felt even more sorry for his wife. But he couldn't show all his worries and uncertainties for the time being. As Iris's pillar of support, he had to guide her emotions in a positive direction: "Baby, do you remember how we used to go to the arcade to play games? And all the toy stores, boutiques, and antique stores we passed by on our dates? We bought a lot of little things to bring home, some you liked, and some I spotted at first glance, but it seems we don't have a gift to welcome Tangyuan yet, and there are so many shops we haven't had time to visit..."

“I can find some small things to decorate our children’s room,” he said. Iris understood his meaning immediately. The wall art and furniture in the children’s room were already arranged, but how could a child never have too many toys? Iris was happy that Zhuang Zhuoyuan made this suggestion. Whether she had thought of it before or not, the fact that Zhuang Zhuoyuan had brought it up changed everything. Every gift she chose would feel like a contribution from her and her husband to their baby. The three of them, no matter when or where, would always be together.

Zhuang Zhuoyuan's time outside was indeed limited. Xu Qixia, having been attacked at the hospital, was moved to a safe house under the rotating protection of SDU's A and B teams. While one team was on duty, the other was on call 24/7 for immediate support. Given the tense situation, according to intelligence from the CIB, one of the assassins who attacked Xu Qixia at the hospital was still at large, and the possibility of him having accomplices could not be ruled out. Zhan Hantao dared not be careless and, depending on the situation, arranged for the A Team members to stay in the safe house or base at night, ready to act at any time.

Even now, everyone is still very dissatisfied with this mission. Partly because of Sing-jai, and partly because of Tsui Kei-ha himself. The latter is far too arrogant, constantly provoking the officers protecting him, which annoys everyone.

Zhuang Zhuoyuan returned to the safe house before handing over his shift to Team B. Upon entering, he noticed his Team B colleagues also looked displeased, clearly having been angered by Xu Qixia. The team members had been cursing Xu Qixia, calling him a mad dog, while the two captains remained serious. They understood their responsibilities and, more than anyone else, the importance of discipline. Since the mission had been assigned, regardless of the target, they had to follow orders and demonstrate the high standards of a disciplined force.

But is it worth it?

During the battle at the hospital, to prevent innocent people from being injured by the bomb, Yu Xueli stepped forward and pushed the cart containing the bomb into the elevator. He was injured by the blast wave and is still in the hospital.

Besides Xie Jiaxing, other team members also had relatives or friends who were directly or indirectly harmed by Xu Qixia's group. Those who hadn't personally experienced it had witnessed many ordinary people suffer devastating losses due to a single misstep during their years of service. But the most heartbreaking loss was the number of colleagues who sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of Xu Qixia.

They are police officers, law enforcers, and cannot abuse their power like [a corrupt official]. They can be patient and wait for this criminal to be punished by law. But is it necessary to risk everyone's lives to protect this scumbag? What is the point of this operation?