Xu Xinghe found the doctor in charge of Zhou Chengmu, "Hello, Dr. Li."
Dr. Li, who was organizing medical records, looked up at the sound and saw the porcelain bottle handed to him. His eyes were full of doubt. "This is..."
He instinctively took the porcelain bottle. It felt warm and smooth to the touch. There were no labels on the bottle. He poured a little out onto his fingertip. It was a light blue ointment with a faint herbal fragrance.
“This is an ointment I got by chance. It’s very helpful for external injuries. Could you give it to Comrade Zhou to try? I hope his leg will get better, otherwise his future will be ruined.”
Dr. Li thought of the frostbite cream that Xu Xinghe had brought out earlier and nodded, "Okay, I'll go and test the ingredients first, and use it only after confirming it's safe."
"Okay, then we'll leave to Dr. Li. We'll be going now and come back tomorrow."
Xu Xinghe waved her hand and left side by side with Jiang Linchuan.
Two hours later.
Dr. Li received the test results.
The ingredients of this ointment are unknown, but it is certain that it is harmless and has very high activity, so it should be effective.
Dr. Li brought the ointment to the ward. "Comrade Zhou, this is medicine that Comrade Xu brought. It should be safe. Would you like to use it? Since it's not a hospital medication, we are not responsible for any complications."
"Use it!" Zhou Chengmu agreed without hesitation. "Use it now! Since I'm already like this, I might as well try anything!"
Dr. Li could only carefully remove the gauze from his leg; the swollen, bluish-purple wound was heartbreaking to see. Dr. Li used a cotton swab to apply a suitable amount of ointment gently to the wound.
As soon as the ointment was applied, Zhou Chengmu couldn't help but hiss. It wasn't from pain, but from a cool sensation spreading along his skin. The burning pain seemed to be instantly soothed, and he felt much more relaxed.
By the time all the ointment was applied, his eyelids were already too heavy to open.
The pain had kept him awake all night, and the wound had drained him of all his energy. Now that the pain had subsided, a wave of exhaustion washed over him...
The next morning, Zhou Chengmu was awakened by the sunlight.
He slowly opened his eyes, subconsciously moved his legs, and was surprised to find that the excruciating pain that had made him ache with the slightest movement had lessened by more than half!
Just then, Dr. Li and a nurse entered the ward for rounds. Seeing that he was awake, she immediately went to check on him, asking, "How are you feeling? Is your leg still hurting a lot?"
"Much better!" Zhou Chengmu exclaimed excitedly. "After applying the ointment that Comrade Xu gave me yesterday, it felt especially cool, and I slept very well last night. Now, even moving around doesn't hurt as much as before!"
Dr. Li lifted the gauze, and the sight before him was a pleasant surprise. The previously red, swollen, and bruised wound had begun to subside, and the previously pale skin had regained some color.
He gently pressed the surrounding skin with his hand, and Zhou Chengmu only frowned slightly, without grimacing in pain as before.
"It's amazing!" Dr. Li couldn't help but exclaim. "The medicine Miss Xu gave you is far more effective than expected. If you're lucky, you might really be able to avoid any aftereffects!"
Zhou Chengmu's hope was rekindled, and his voice trembled, "Really? Can I really recover?"
"Of course!" Dr. Li nodded with a smile. "If the medication continues to work, and you combine it with rehabilitation training, you will definitely be able to recover to your previous condition!"
In the afternoon, Xu Xinghe and Jiang Linchuan came to the ward again, this time bringing some fresh fruit.
Jiang Linchuan specially had it bought from town.
As soon as I entered the ward, I saw Zhou Chengmu leaning against the headboard, holding an old book and flipping through it. His complexion was much better than in the morning, and his eyes were brighter.
"How are you feeling? Does your leg still hurt?" Xu Xinghe stepped forward and asked with a smile.
Upon seeing her, Zhou Chengmu immediately put down his book, sat up straight, and said with deep gratitude, "Much better! The doctor said the swelling has gone down a lot this morning, and now, apart from a little numbness, it barely hurts. Comrade Xu, thank you so much! If it weren't for your medicine, I don't know how long my leg would have been in pain..."
He paused, then added somewhat awkwardly, "This medicine must be very expensive, right? Even military hospitals don't have medicine this good. Name your price, no matter how much it is, I'll definitely pay you back later!"
He knew how precious this special medicine was. He didn't have much money right now, but as long as he recovered, he would definitely be able to pay back the money for the medicine with the subsidies he saved up later.
Upon hearing this, Xu Xinghe couldn't help but laugh. "No need to be so polite, and you don't need to pay me back. I obtained this medicine by chance, and it didn't cost much. I just hope that once you recover, you can be a good soldier again, protecting the people and land here."
Her smile was gentle and sincere, like the afternoon sun, falling into Zhou Chengmu's heart and making him feel warm all over instantly.
At that moment, looking into Xu Xinghe's eyes, the affection in his heart was like wildly growing vines, almost leaping out of his heart.
How could anyone not be moved by such a gentle, kind, and beautiful girl?
He couldn't help but wonder if it was divine mercy that allowed him to receive such help from her when he was in despair.
But as soon as this feeling arose, he forcefully suppressed it.
His gaze swept to Jiang Linchuan beside him. The other man's tall figure stood naturally next to Xu Xinghe. The tacit understanding and compatibility between the two was like an invisible wall, keeping him out.
They were engaged, a perfect match, and the envy of everyone in the military.
Zhou Chengmu's heart sank instantly, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.
Yes, Xu Xinghe has such an excellent fiancé as Jiang Linchuan. One is gentle and resilient, and the other is brave and decisive. They are a match made in heaven.
And what about myself?
He was just an ordinary soldier with little education, and now he had injured his leg. If it didn't heal, he might have to be discharged. Compared to Jiang Linchuan, he was like a rat in a gutter, insignificant and laughable.
He dared not look Xu Xinghe in the eye again, and quickly lowered his head, his voice a little hoarse, "I understand, I will definitely be a good soldier in the future and not let you down. Um... I'm a little tired and want to rest for a while, you guys go back first."
Xu Xinghe didn't notice anything unusual about him, assuming he was just really tired, and nodded, "Then you should rest well, we'll come see you again tomorrow."
The two turned and left, their footsteps fading into the distance.
Zhou Chengmu kept his head down until the ward door was completely closed, then he dared to raise his head and stare longingly at the doorway, as if he wanted to see Xu Xinghe's back one more time.
After a while, he slowly took out a piece of milk candy from his pocket.
The candy wrapper was faded and the edges were worn.
The candies inside had been in my pocket for too long, and had long since deformed and melted, sticking stickily to the candy wrappers.
This candy was given to him by Xu Xinghe before. He had been reluctant to eat it and kept it in his pocket close to his body. He would take it out and look at it from time to time, as if that would bring him closer to her.
But now, this candy has become sticky and disgusting.
Zhou Chengmu held the milk candy, his eyes slowly reddening.
This candy is so much like his feelings for Xu Xinghe. He cherishes it so much, yet he can only hide it in the shadows, without even the courage to let it see the light of day. In the end, all that's left is resentment and humiliation.
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