On the pillow next to the training uniform lay a crooked paper crane folded from a candy wrapper.
The candy wrapper with the "White Rabbit" logo was soaked with sweat from my palms and had become slightly soft, but the wrinkles on it had been carefully smoothed out, as if it carried the most precious emotions in the world.
Su Tang's brain went blank for a moment, as if countless bees were swarming inside.
She remembered the candy.
That was from the package Qin Ye gave her, which she gave to Xiao Ya.
Xiao Ya treasured it so much, saying she would save it to eat when she missed home.
She reached out, her fingertips trembling slightly from the force, and carefully picked up the ugly paper crane.
A chilling, resolute coldness instantly spread from her fingertips throughout her entire body.
She climbed onto Wang Xiaoya's bed and pulled back the cold military blanket!
It was empty inside, with only a cold, nighttime temperature.
The person is not here!
She jumped off the bed, knelt on the floor, and reached under the bed to feel for Wang Xiaoya's shoes.
The pair of liberation shoes, which she had cleaned herself until the edges were slightly faded, were neatly placed side by side under the bed, with the toes pointing in the same direction.
She wasn't wearing shoes!
Su Tang stood up, and because the movement was too fast, she felt dizzy.
She gripped the edge of the bed, panting heavily, her gaze fixed on the wide-open back window of the dormitory.
A cold night wind was pouring in from there, making the curtains flutter like a desperately waving hand.
Barefoot, late at night, an open back window, a neatly folded military blanket, the last paper crane...
She rushed to the window in one stride, and without the slightest hesitation, she flipped over and jumped out!
"Little girl...please make sure nothing happens to you..."
Her figure shot off like an arrow, hurtling towards the back of the mountain.
...
Three in the morning, when the night is at its darkest.
A thin figure, barefoot, walked on the gravel path leading to the back of the mountain.
The cold, sharp pebbles hurt her feet, leaving tiny cuts, but she seemed oblivious to them.
Her gaze was fixed only on the shadowy mountain silhouette in the darkness ahead.
She kept walking and walking, across the silent, deserted playground, across the empty, desolate shooting range, and finally stopped in front of that familiar back hill.
This is where she and Sister Su An first did long-distance running training.
She still remembers that day when she was breathless from running, her lungs felt like they were on fire, and every step felt as heavy as if it were filled with lead.
It was Sister Su An who stayed by her side, gently telling her, "Little girl, don't look down at your feet, you'll get a stitch in your side. Look up, look at that crooked tree in front of you, take it as your goal, adjust your breathing, and take it one step at a time. You can definitely reach it." Sister Su An's words were like a ray of light, illuminating her heart that was on the verge of giving up.
She also remembered that in the cafeteria, Sister Su An disregarded other people's opinions and gave her the best-looking meat, showing genuine thoughtfulness.
She remembered how Sister Su An patiently corrected her posture when she taught her to shoot, showing her patience and trust.
She remembered that during the exercise, Sister Su An led her and Chen Xiaocao through a series of desperate situations to achieve victory, allowing them, these "peasants," to finally hold their heads high.
Su An was the kindest person she had ever met in her life, besides her parents. She treated her like an older sister.
However, her younger sister became her older sister's biggest burden and greatest threat.
She looked up at the crooked tree in front of her, dark and menacing in the night, like a ghostly figure with bared teeth and claws.
She wasn't afraid at all.
She just felt very cold, a cold that seeped into her bones.
She hugged her arms tightly and slowly walked to the crooked tree. The cold night wind made her thin body tremble slightly.
She unbuckled her belt, her hands trembling slightly, yet she tied a knot with remarkable skill, as practiced as if she were simply packing a backpack.
Then, with all her might, she threw the other end of the belt onto the thick tree branch, and carefully tightened it to make sure it was secure enough.
She took one last look at the dimly lit campsite below the mountain. There, her best sister and best friend were.
Goodbye, Sister Su An.
Goodbye, little grass, Landi.
Goodbye, Battalion Three.
She closed her eyes, and the last cold tear slid down her cheek.
That tear, a mixture of reluctance, pain, and relief, was instantly scattered by the night wind.
Then, she stepped onto a rock about half her height, stood on tiptoe, and stuck her head into the cold rope loop...
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