Chapter 3 Everyone
The mission notification arrived as expected in the evening.
Qi An composed himself and went to Yu Shuang's office to read the mission instructions.
The wartime command headquarters of Base 1 in the North issued a mission to Lieutenant Colonel Qi An of Base 1 in the Western Regions:
Qi An needs to arrive at North Base 1 before April 5, 2056, to participate in experimental research related to the "White Tower" project.
Task period: 10-30 days.
Contacting Unit: North Base 1 Purification Alliance.
The mission's security level wasn't high, and the mission description was brief and to the point, but Yu Shuang's expression was solemn because of the words "experimental research."
"Xiao Qi, you don't need to go!"
"As long as there's a legitimate reason, like injury or illness, refusing a mission once is fine. Isn't this the time we're going to use all those battle merits we've accumulated?" Yu Shuang said.
Zhao Bohan shared the same sentiment as her, and his face also darkened slightly.
However, Qi An had not only learned about this person from "Blue Star" long ago, but had also received a call from Teacher Tang an hour earlier. The call was about this very thing.
Qi An comforted the two, "It's okay. This 'White Tower' project is related to the development of the remote purification device, and it's not some cruel biological experiment."
I only had the opportunity to participate because of my status as a senior purification master.
The two were somewhat surprised, and then exchanged a glance—Xiao Qi's information channels were now wider than both of theirs.
"Are you planning to go?" Yu Shuang asked.
Qi An nodded.
She nodded at the dinner table and emphasized, "There's no need for someone to come with me."
In typical escort missions, you can stay for a few days once you arrive at the destination. If you linger and refuse to leave, it would seem strange and attract attention.
They didn't eat out for the hot pot; they ate at Qi An and the other two's house.
However, what used to be Qi An's home has now been abandoned by Qi An, who is living alone.
Now that the base is becoming increasingly crowded and housing space is becoming more and more scarce, Qi An can still choose any empty house he wants.
She chose a top-floor room where she could practice the piano late at night without disturbing others.
The room was bright, and a long dining table was crowded with people, all of whom were looking at Qi An with concern.
Because she had never left the base alone to carry out a mission before.
"Sister Qi is so reliable, don't you guys believe she can take responsibility for her own safety?" This very nonchalant statement came not from Zhuang Xiao, but from Qin Tianshuo.
Zhuang Xiao sat next to Qi An, not with her legs outstretched as before, but with one leg straight and the other carefully bent.
His right ankle has not fully recovered to this day. He cannot walk too fast, nor can he rotate or stretch his tendons.
But he also raised his chopsticks and chimed in, "I believe in Sister Qi!"
“This isn’t a matter of belief!” Yu Shuang said, “We just have a new batch of man-portable rocket launchers that are going to be sent to Base North 1.”
"This task is for you, Lao Qin. Once you arrive, make sure Xiao Qi is safe and sound before you return."
"Okay." Qin Tianshuo had no objection, but he really felt that Yu Shuang's overprotective nature was so strong that people would believe she was her biological mother or older sister.
"Make sure the phone always has power and internet access," Zhao Bohan said, picking up a slice of meat with his chopsticks and handing it to Qi An.
This person has garnered just as much attention.
Qi An nodded with a smile.
Yu Shuang then put half a bowl of cabbage on Zhao Bohan's plate and blew on it for him.
Qi An's smile deepened, and he unconsciously rested his chin on his hand, which wasn't holding chopsticks, as he looked at them through the steaming heat of the copper pot.
The unspoken understanding between the two, which had remained unresolved for so many years, was finally broken this spring.
We still have to rely on Yu Shuang.
Zhao Bohan would occasionally hint at his feelings for Yu Shuang, but he was still making progress in pursuing her.
However, after the Battle of South China, he developed symptoms of chronic radiation sickness.
Anemia, headaches, hair loss, severely weakened immunity, and rapid weight loss.
His condition improved somewhat while he was in South China, but after returning to the base, the harsh climate caused Zhao Bohan to fall ill almost at the slightest breeze.
The conditions at the base hospital were mediocre; even with the curtains drawn, the wards were dimly lit.
At that time, Yu Shuang sat on the edge of the bed and scooped a spoonful of rice porridge to Zhao Bohan's lips, but Zhao Bohan turned his head away.
"Go back and rest, I'm full."
The man fell ill and became weak, and then he started to reject her.
Yu Shuang glanced at the bowl of porridge, which had barely been filled, her lips pressed tightly together, and she didn't move the spoon.
The rice porridge dripped onto Zhao Bohan's pale lips, but he didn't move; his arm was stiff and he didn't move either.
The stalemate continued until the sound of artillery fire rang out outside.
Of course, it wasn't cannons used to repel enemies; it was the sound of cannons celebrating the New Year.
Zhao Bohan turned to look at Yu Shuang, who looked at him and said:
"If you get cancer, I'll definitely be the one feeding you porridge at your bedside."
"Of course, you also have your brother and sister-in-law, but they're about to have a child, so they have a family."
If it weren't for them, I would be the one serving you, and I would be the one burying you.
Yu Shuang's angular face seemed to soften and become serene in the dim light and shadow.
In a daze, Zhao Bohan saw the first half of his life reflected in that face, and then looked at the second half of his life.
They seem to have been inseparable for half their lives. Can life and death really separate them?
Yu Shuang's gaze was like an unavoidable question, yet also like an unwavering answer.
Under that gaze, Zhao Bohan's usually calm eyes seemed to well up with tears, and he opened his mouth to take a spoonful of snow-white rice.
After finishing a bowl of porridge, amidst the New Year's firecrackers, Yu Shuang bent down and hugged Zhao Bohan.
Zhao Bohan was still frequently ill, and he went to the hospital for a few days during the late spring cold snap.
His face was much paler than before. He still had a large frame, but he could no longer make his military uniform look full and crisp like before.
But in private, Yu Shuang would hold his hand while walking, serve him food at the dinner table, and when others teased her, she would smile smugly and shout, "Ah, that's right, this man is mine now!"
Perhaps Su Qingran will have to move soon.
However, Su Qingran is not short of roommates.
She sat on the other side of Qi An, resting her chin on her hand, smiling as she looked at the person opposite her.
That smile was subtly different from before; the wistfulness and disappointment mixed with the teasing were less, and her face was flushed from the steam.
Su Qingran also had many suitors at the new base, but Chen Chuan, the captain of Team Star 4, stood out from the crowd and won the beauty's favor.
Qi An was surprised and then suddenly realized what was happening.
Su Qingran once spent a long time making her own ointment.
When they first arrived at the new base, they saw Chen Chuan's face, which was sunburned and peeling because he couldn't stand the scorching sun in the north.
Although the couple had broken up and gotten back together twice in just a few months, their relationship was far more intense and tumultuous than that of the captain and vice-captain. However, Chen Chuan, that young man, was not only calm and gentle, but also patient and stubborn.
Su Qingran's changes were visible to the naked eye.
The air was thick with the steam, and the laughter inside was just as lively. Qi An ate the piping hot mutton slices, feeling the warmth flowing through his limbs.
The half of her heart, heavy and damp with dark thoughts, wisely retreated into the shadows.
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