“Missing…” Xu Xinghe murmured to herself, tears streaming down her face, splashing onto her clothes and spreading into a dark stain.
She knew all too well what those two words meant.
Because as long as a person is alive, as long as there is still a chance, they will try every means to contact their superiors.
That's not just a simple loss of contact; it means their fate is unknown!
Countless young soldiers have vanished forever from the list of missing persons in the vast world.
Years, decades, and still no remains, not even a scrap of clothing, are found, leaving only endless waiting for loved ones!
Jiang Linchuan can't do that!
He absolutely cannot get hurt!
Xu Xinghe clutched her chest, where the pain felt like it was about to split open.
The thought that Jiang Linchuan's disappearance might be related to her, that the prescription and ointment she brought attracted spies and dragged him into an even more dangerous mission, made her feel so guilty that she could hardly breathe.
She passed away regretfully in her previous life, unable to stay by his side.
Having finally reunited in this lifetime, she thought they could stay together for life, but she never expected to push him into such a dangerous situation.
"It's all my fault...it's all my fault!" Xu Xinghe choked, tears blurring her vision. She curled up on the ground, her shoulders trembling violently.
She didn't know how much time had passed, until her voice was hoarse from crying and her eyes were so swollen she could barely open them, before Xu Xinghe slowly recovered.
No, I can't cry anymore.
She leaned against the wall, staggered to her feet, and walked to the sink.
She turned on the tap and splashed the cold water on her face.
Xu Xinghe couldn't help but shudder, instantly becoming more alert.
She looked up and saw her disheveled reflection in the mirror.
His eyes were red and swollen, his face was pale, and his lips were chapped.
In just one hour, he seemed to have aged several years.
"No, Xu Xinghe, you can't fall down. Now is not the time to cry. You must stay clear-headed and healthy. Only then can you negotiate with the higher-ups after they reply, get information about Jiang Linchuan, and find him!"
After speaking to herself in the mirror, Xu Xinghe picked up a towel to dry her face, took deep breaths again and again, and forced herself to suppress the sadness in her heart.
Now, only one thought remains in her mind.
No matter the cost, we must find out Jiang Linchuan's whereabouts and bring him back safely!
The prescription is our only bargaining chip right now!
In the time to come, she needs to rest well, recharge her energy, and wait for her superiors' reply.
Xu Xinghe sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze fixed on the medicinal herb field outside the window.
The tender green shoots are swaying in the wind, carrying a sense of vitality.
The courtyard was completely silent, with only the soft rustling of leaves in the wind, making each second seem exceptionally long.
A day passed in the blink of an eye, and Xu Xinghe received no news.
She forced herself to lie in bed and close her eyes, but her mind was filled with images of Jiang Linchuan. Sometimes it was his gentle smile, sometimes it was his blood-covered appearance in her dreams, and she couldn't fall asleep at all.
She tossed and turned until late into the night before finally managing to doze off for a short while.
On the other side, Political Commissar Wang's office was brightly lit.
He sat at his desk, the ashtray in front of him overflowing with cigarette butts, the air thick with the smell of smoke.
He glanced at the wall clock every now and then, and then picked up the telegram drafts on the table and looked at them repeatedly.
He hoped his superiors would grant Xu Xinghe's request, not simply for the sake of the prescription.
As an elder who watched Jiang Linchuan grow up, he felt sorry for the steady and reliable young man, and couldn't bear to see Xu Xinghe tormented by anxiety every day.
However, due to confidentiality regulations and his military duties, he could not say anything and could only watch Xu Xinghe anxiously. This sense of powerlessness tormented him.
Around midnight.
The office door was gently pushed open, and a communications soldier strode in, holding a newly translated telegram. "Political Commissar, the higher-ups have replied!"
Political Commissar Wang suddenly stood up, quickly took the telegram, and scanned the words on it with his eyes.
"We agree to Xu Xinghe's conditions. The priority is to obtain the complete prescription and ingredients for the special external injury medicine. After the prescription is handed over, we will disclose the core information to him as appropriate to ensure that no other secrets are leaked."
Upon seeing the word "agree," Political Commissar Wang breathed a long sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing.
He raised his hand and rubbed his throbbing temples, finally feeling relieved.
He was about to stub out his cigarette, preparing to tell Xu Xinghe the news first thing tomorrow morning, when a sudden, sharp pain shot through his chest, as if he had been hit hard by a heavy object. The pain made his vision go black, the cigarette fell to the ground, and he collapsed straight down, instantly losing consciousness.
Upon seeing this, the communications soldier was terrified and rushed forward shouting, "Political Commissar! Political Commissar!"
The next day, before dawn, Xu Xinghe woke up.
She slept lightly all night, and her eyes were bloodshot.
She simply got up and went out into the courtyard, sat on a wicker chair, looked at the gray sky outside, and waited for dawn, as well as for Political Commissar Wang's reply.
The sky gradually brightened.
The light in the courtyard is getting stronger.
Just then, there was a sudden knocking sound at the door.
Xu Xinghe's heart skipped a beat, thinking that Political Commissar Wang's men had arrived, and she immediately got up and rushed over to open the door.
But standing outside the door was Lin Hui.
Lin Hui had a forced smile on her face and was carrying a cloth bag in her hand, looking exceptionally enthusiastic. "Xinghe, good morning. When I left here last time, I didn't look well because my foot injury was hurting badly. It wasn't directed at you, so please don't overthink it."
As she spoke, she tried to walk into the yard, saying, "I came here specifically to apologize to you, and I brought some dried goods from home. Please try them."
Xu Xinghe's mind was completely occupied with Jiang Linchuan, and she had no mood to deal with her at all.
After hearing these words, Xu Xinghe simply shook her head indifferently, "No need."
After saying that, he slammed the door shut before Lin Hui could react.
Lin Hui froze on the spot, her smile instantly freezing, her mind going blank.
Although Xu Xinghe had been distant from her before, she had maintained basic politeness and had never directly asked her to leave like this.
What's going on?
Did Xu Xinghe realize something?
Lin Hui felt a pang of panic and knocked on the door again. "Xinghe? Xinghe, please open the door. I really came to apologize."
No matter how much she knocked or called out, there was no response from inside the room.
Lin Hui knocked for a while, but seeing that Xu Xinghe really wouldn't see her, she could only turn around and leave unwillingly, her unease growing stronger.
Xu Xinghe lay back down on the rattan chair, her gaze fixed on the old tree in the yard, her mind in turmoil.
Not long after, there was another knock on the door.
She rushed over to open the door as usual, but the person standing outside was not Political Commissar Wang, but Aunt Mei.
Aunt Mei was usually very kind and helpful to her, so Xu Xinghe couldn't treat her the same way she treated Lin Hui. She could only suppress her disappointment and ask, "Aunt Mei, what brings you here?"
Aunt Mei sighed, "Xinghe, I have something to tell you. Political Commissar Wang has fallen ill!"
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