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◎Day 16 of the control group◎
"Immediately afterwards, Mei Zixian's family was urgently transferred. Was that also a coincidence?"
Shen Xinglian's breath hitched slightly.
She also vaguely sensed Jiang Renzhou's change in attitude towards Zhou Qingyu.
From initial scrutiny and doubt to a later degree of acceptance and support.
She raised her eyes and looked at Shen Xinglian, a hint of fear in them.
"Xingxing, if he also came from the future, did he already know what Mei Zixian was going to do? Did he even know about us?"
"According to his past life, you should have really harmed me, but the ending changed when he first came to the Red Star Brigade."
"At that time, he realized that the two of us were not the same people anymore."
Shen Xinglian forced herself to calm down, her brain racing.
This conjecture is too audacious and too terrifying.
But if this is true, many doubts will be answered instantly.
“If Zhou Qingyu is reborn,” Shen Xinglian’s voice was dry, “then in his previous life, he must have experienced the original storyline. So in this life, he might have resisted at first, but changed his attitude after discovering that you are different?”
"What about my brother?" Jiang Wanzhou pressed. "If my brother knows too, it seems Zhou Qingyu has already reported to his superiors. You said he was able to accurately transfer to the island before. As far as we know, his family doesn't approve of my marriage to him."
Shen Xinglian continued, "At this point, he had already confessed and used it to come to your side."
“If my brother is found to be a native here, and by some twist of fate, he is chosen to take care of Zhou Qingyu.” She didn’t want to mention this possibility.
“Jiang Renzhou,” Shen Xinglian pondered, “His initial strong opposition was perhaps because he knew Zhou Qingyu was extraordinary. He later agreed because he saw that we had changed and saw new possibilities.”
"As for Mei Zixian's matter, if Zhou Qingyu is a reborn person, he may know that Mei Zixian will cause even greater damage in the future."
“If we hadn’t come to the island, this opportunity would have been for Sister Hongying. If something had happened to Sister Hongying or she had divorced Chief Liu, Chief Liu would have also encountered some unexpected problems.”
"It will be damage that cannot be lost."
"So Zhou Qingyu simply took this opportunity to deal with this hidden danger in his own way. Jiang Renzhou cooperated with him because they shared the same goal: to protect us, to protect this family, and to protect certain future trajectories that they wanted to change."
This conclusion left both of them unsure of how to feel.
"So what do we do now?" Jiang Wanzhou felt a sense of helplessness.
She suddenly realized that the people closest to her might be hiding deeper secrets, watching them from a higher dimension.
Shen Xinglian held her cold hand firmly: "Wanzhou, don't panic. Even if they really are reborn, at least for now, it seems they are trying to protect us and make things go in a positive direction. This doesn't conflict with our goals."
"We need to confirm. But we can't ask directly; that's too risky. Sometimes you have to be a little oblivious. When is Zhou Qingyu coming back?"
He said he would return after the mission was over, but he didn't say a specific time.
A few days later, Zhou Qingyu returned, looking travel-worn.
He had lost some weight, and his eyes showed signs of fatigue.
When Zhou Qingyu saw Jiang Wanzhou, his smile remained gentle and bright. He immediately touched her noticeably protruding belly, feeling the baby's movements, his eyes softening.
"Are you tired? How did the mission go?" Jiang Wanzhou hung up his coat and poured him some water.
"Yes, I'll have to go again in a few days." Zhou Qingyu said succinctly, took a sip of water, looked at her, and carefully examined her face.
"Is everything alright at home? I heard the exchange meeting was very successful, and the orders are booked until next year."
His tone was full of pride, and there was nothing unusual about it.
"It's alright." Jiang Wanzhou lowered her eyes and asked casually, "Did you know that Comrade Mei's family was suddenly transferred?"
Zhou Qingyu put down her water glass and nodded naturally: "I've heard about it. The transfer was quite sudden; I guess the higher-ups have made some new arrangements."
He reached out and ruffled Jiang Wanzhou's hair. "Don't think about those irrelevant people. The most important thing for you right now is to take good care of yourself. Do other things within your means."
His words were impeccable, and his concern was just right. However, Jiang Wanzhou sensed a deliberate attempt to downplay the matter from his overly calm reaction.
Jiang Wanzhou tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.
Zhou Qingyu, who was beside him, was breathing steadily and seemed to be sleeping soundly.
She quietly opened her eyes and, by the dim moonlight from the window, examined his well-defined profile.
Did this man truly return from decades later, carrying a wealth of stories and regrets, and choose her again?
What thoughts and plans lie hidden beneath his calm exterior?
And what role did the eldest brother, Jiang Renzhou, play in all of this?
She recalled Shen Xinglian's words, "Our goals are the same, not conflicting," but could they really continue to live with different dreams while sleeping in the same bed?
In the morning, Jiang Wanzhou saw that clothes were already drying in the yard and the water vat was full of water.
Zhou Qingyu also left a note, and next to it was the money for the mission.
Two weeks later, Zhou Qingyu did not return on time.
Two days have passed since the agreed return date, and there is still no news.
Rumors began to circulate uneasy in the family compound, saying that Zhou Qingyu had joined the last mission and something went wrong.
As a result, the person went again.
But no one can say for sure what the specifics are.
Jiang Wanzhou's heart sank lower and lower each day.
Pregnancy already makes people emotionally sensitive, and at this time it is even more difficult to sit still.
She couldn't sleep well at night, and during the day she forced herself to work, but her eyes would always involuntarily drift towards the door.
Shen Xinglian had just finished her postpartum confinement and was still recovering. Seeing Jiang Wanzhou's absent-minded appearance, she felt a pang of heartache.
She had to take care of Mingyuan Mingmei while also keeping an eye on Jiang Wanzhou as much as possible.
Jiang Wanzhou didn't want her to worry, so she kept herself very busy every day.
After two more agonizing days, some definite news finally arrived, but it wasn't good news.
The task force encountered an accident, and Zhou Qingyu was seriously injured while protecting his comrades. He has been rushed to the military hospital for emergency treatment.
Jiang Renzhou continues his mission and is temporarily unreachable.
Liu Hongying personally delivered the news to Jiang Wanzhou. Holding Jiang Wanzhou's cold hand, she spoke as calmly as possible: "Wanzhou, don't panic. The person has been taken to the best hospital, and the best doctors have been arranged. The most important thing now is for you to stay calm. You and the baby can't be harmed. I've arranged a car to take you to the hospital."
Jiang Wanzhou felt a buzzing in her ears and her hands and feet were ice cold. The baby in her womb seemed to sense the unease and began to move slightly.
She forced herself to take deep breaths, her nails digging into her palms, using the pain to stay awake.
"Sister Hongying, I'm fine. I'll pack my things and leave right away."
Shen Xinglian immediately said, "I'll go with you! Mingyuan asked Sister Li to watch over things for a day."
Jiang Wanzhou shook her head: "Mingmei is so young, she can't go to the hospital."
Shen Xinglian moved her lips.
Liu Hongying nodded: "That's fine, Xinglian will stay with you. Xinglian can stay at the guesthouse next door. I'll take care of Mingyuan for you these next few days."
Jiang Wanzhou still disagreed: "Mingyuan has gone to school and hasn't come back yet. If we leave in such a hurry, the child will feel insecure in the future."
"Xingxing, wait for Mingyuan to come back, and then we'll come together."
Jiang Wanzhou valued the child very much, so Shen Xinglian had no choice but to agree.
On the way to the military hospital, the jeep bumped along, and the side was crowded with military spouses and family members who were also going.
Jiang Wanzhou gripped the edge of the car seat tightly, her face pale.
Liu Hongying held her hand and found that her palms were covered in cold sweat.
"Wanzhou, everything will be alright," Liu Hongying whispered to comfort her, though she herself wasn't entirely sure.
They haven't informed Zhou Qingyu about her injury or Jiang Renzhou about his disappearance.
Only the young wife and toddler remained at home; no one knew why Old Liu had sent these two people.
The military hospital was noisy and everyone was busy.
The smell of disinfectant permeated the air.
Zhou Qingyu was still in the operating room. Several soldiers with solemn expressions stood in the corridor outside. When they saw them, they nodded and said something in a low voice.
"They are trying to save him, but the situation is not optimistic. The doctors are doing their best."
Not very optimistic.
These four words pierced Jiang Wanzhou's heart like an icicle.
Her legs went weak, and Liu Hongying quickly helped her up and sat her down on a simple bench nearby.
Jiang Wanzhou didn't want them to take her back: "I'm fine."
Time passed by second by second, each second feeling like an eternity.
The operating room door opened and closed occasionally, nurses rushing in and out, bringing vague and somber messages: "Excessive blood loss," "...injury."
Jiang Wanzhou stood up and raised her arm: "Draw my blood, I have type O blood."
Liu Hongying stood up: "What nonsense are you talking about? I didn't say anything about blood deficiency."
Jiang Wanzhou's hand froze in mid-air; the doctor had already gone inside.
Her fingertips were icy cold and trembling. Staring at the closed operating room door, her voice trembled with tears: "But he lost too much blood. He's an O-type universal donor. I can donate, I really can donate..."
Liu Hongying held her shoulders tightly, her eyes also reddening: "The doctor didn't say anything about preparing blood, but they're still doing everything they can to save her. You're pregnant, how can you donate blood? If you collapse, how heartbroken Qingyu will be when she wakes up?"
The surrounding military dependents also urged him, "Comrade, you must take care of yourself, the child is the most important thing!"
"Yes, your loved one is very lucky, they will definitely pull through!"
"..."
Jiang Wanzhou slowly lowered her arm, leaned weakly against the back of the chair, and finally couldn't hold back her tears, which fell onto the back of her hand.
She touched her slightly protruding belly and murmured to herself.
"Baby, your dad will be alright. He promised to be there for you as you grow up and to see you born..."
After an unknown amount of time, Shen Xinglian rushed over carrying Mingyuan. As soon as Mingyuan saw Jiang Wanzhou, he immediately broke free from his mother's embrace and rushed over to her.
"Auntie! Is Uncle sick?"
Jiang Wanzhou hugged Mingyuan, buried her face in the child's hair, and choked out, "Uncle is having surgery inside, he'll be out soon."
Mingyuan nodded as if he understood, and gently patted Jiang Wanzhou's back with his little hand: "Auntie, don't cry. My dad said that a man should protect a girl. I will protect you and the baby."
Shen Xinglian stood aside, walked to Jiang Wanzhou's side, and said softly, "Wanzhou, I brought you some food. Eat something, or your body won't be able to handle it."
Jiang Wanzhou shook her head; she had no appetite at all.
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