Chapter 21 The Secret of the Souvenir
Wearing rubber gloves, Su Wanqing could clearly feel the outline and edge of the square, hard object through the sealed bag with her fingertips. The dark brown stain took on an unsettling sheen under the light, and the strong smell of disinfectant couldn't mask the faint, rusty odor.
Her heart was beating fast and hard, pounding against her chest. Reason told her it was most likely dried blood, but the implication of Huo Tingxiao asking her to "deal with" it gave her a chill.
She gathered herself, suppressed the churning in her stomach, and carefully carried the heavy package to the housekeeping room next to the kitchen—where there was a sink and more professional cleaning tools. She didn't open the sealed bag without permission. Instead, she found a large stainless steel basin, gently placed the package in it, then picked up the phone and dialed Assistant Chen's number.
"Assistant Chen, it's me." She tried to keep her voice steady. "The commander brought back an item that requires special handling. There's... stains on the outside, so it needs disinfection and cleaning. Are there any special procedures or precautions?"
Assistant Chen on the other end of the line was silent for a few seconds, seeming a little surprised, but quickly resumed his usual businesslike tone: "Madam, please wait a moment while I check the relevant health and epidemic prevention regulations. During this period, please be sure not to touch the objects directly and keep the room well ventilated."
The few minutes of waiting seemed incredibly long. Su Wanqing's eyes fell on the sealed bag, her thoughts swirling. What on earth was this? Why had Huo Tingxiao brought it back and given it to her?
Assistant Chen called back quickly, his tone serious. "Madam, according to regulations, items like these that may pose a risk of biological contamination must be sterilized at high temperatures and high pressures. The compound's logistics department has specialized medical waste disposal equipment, but you'll need to apply for it. If you find it inconvenient, I can contact the logistics department immediately to collect it."
Logistics Department? Medical waste? Reporting?
Su Wanqing's heart sank. If this went through official procedures, the news would spread quickly, and who knows how much speculation and rumors would spurt. Huo Tingxiao gave the item directly to her, rather than through Assistant Chen or the logistics department, perhaps because he didn't want to spread the impact?
She took a deep breath and made a decision. "Not for now, Assistant Chen. I'll try to handle it first and contact you if necessary. Thank you."
After hanging up the phone, she looked at the package in the basin, her eyes becoming determined. She found a larger sealed bag and covered the original package with another one, ensuring complete isolation. Then, she began to boil water, preparing a large amount of boiling water and disinfectant.
Donning a mask and goggles, she slowly poured boiling water over the outer layer of the package, providing a preliminary disinfection and softening of the stains. Under the water's flow, the dark brown stains gradually melted away, the water becoming murky and reddish, and the faint smell of blood seemed even more pronounced.
Her fingers trembled slightly, but her movements remained steady. After rinsing repeatedly, she began to use tweezers and a small brush to carefully peel off the blood-soaked and somewhat hardened sealing layer.
One floor, two floors, three floors...
When the last layer of wet sealing material was removed, the true appearance of the contents was finally revealed.
It was indeed a picture frame.
An old-fashioned picture frame, its wooden edges cracked and warped by some immense force. The glass had long since shattered, leaving only fragments clinging to the frame and the photo inside.
And that photo...
Su Wanqing's movements completely stopped, and her breathing seemed to stagnate at this moment.
The photo showed a young woman wearing an old-fashioned military uniform, with a gentle and beautiful smile. Her features bore a striking resemblance to Huo Tingxiao's, though the lines were softer, and her eyes were clear, imbued with the simplicity and hope unique to that era. In her arms was a little boy, seemingly only two or three years old, with a stern face and unusually bright, sharp eyes.
It was Huo Tingxiao and his mother, Aunt Qin.
This unique, seemingly invaluable photo of mother and child was now covered and stained with a large, dark brown stain of blood. The stain was concentrated in the lower portion of the frame, blurring most of the woman's figure and the boy's lower body. Only their faces and upper bodies were vaguely discernible, but the congealed blood was like the cruelest brand, tearing the once warm image into a horrifying fragment.
Su Wanqing's heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by an ice-cold hand, causing her to feel so painful that she could hardly breathe.
She finally understood.
This isn't some cold-blooded "souvenir."
This was the only blood-soaked relic of his mother left at the scene when she...probably died.
He brought it back from a distant and dangerous battlefield after going through untold hardships and perhaps even taking great risks.
It was stained with the blood of his closest relatives.
And he let her "deal with it".
Was it trust? A twisted recognition? Or... a heavy commitment to his deepest wounds, something he couldn't even articulate, something that could only be touched by her in this way?
Su Wanqing was instantly overwhelmed by immense shock and indescribable grief. She looked at the gentle, beautiful woman in the photo, at the precocious, sharp-eyed boy, then thought of Huo Tingxiao, now as cold as ice, and Qin Meilin's demanding and critical attitude... Countless fragments collided in her mind, piecing together a vague but heartbreaking outline.
Carefully, using all her patience and meticulousness, she began to clean the blood stains and glass debris from the frame. She used a cotton swab dipped in clean water and a very mild detergent, gently wiping it bit by bit, fearing to damage the photo in the slightest.
The process was slow and agonizing. Every inch of blood-stained area that was restored felt like uncovering an old, bloody scar. Unconsciously, her eyes welled up.
It took her nearly an hour to roughly clean the frame and photo. Although she couldn't completely restore them to their original appearance, the remaining bloodstains still left indelible dark marks on the wooden frame and the edges of the photo, but at least the gentle smile and bright eyes in the photo were clearly displayed again.
She found a clean soft cloth and carefully wiped the photo frame and photos dry. Then she found a clean box, covered it with a soft cloth, and carefully placed them inside.
After doing all this, she felt exhausted.
She stood up and her eyes fell on the neglected transparent box in her backpack.
The few plants there were still wilted, covered with foreign soil.
She picked up the box, walked to the window, and examined it carefully in the light. These plants looked extremely ordinary, even a little like weeds, with small leaves and well-developed root systems. But they were so carefully sealed and preserved, and brought back...
She suddenly remembered that Huo Tingxiao's mother was said to have died while carrying out a special mission abroad...
A thought flashed through my mind like lightning.
Could these plants... have grown on the very spot where his mother died? Were they the soil and life he had brought back from the scene?
The secret of the souvenir was heavier than she could have imagined.
These two objects, one stained with lost blood, the other pregnant with a fragile life. One represents the irreversible pain of the past, the other perhaps symbolizes a kind of silent memorial and continuation.
He brought them back together and gave them to her.
Su Wanqing held the box containing the photo frame and the small plant in the box, standing there for a long time, unable to move.
Outside the window, the night is deep.
She seemed to see through these two silent objects the surging dark tides and endless pain beneath the iceberg that had never been shown to the public.
This time, what he brought back was not a mission briefing or a medal of honor, but the deepest, most painful and most unknown secret corner of his heart.
And she, by accident, became the recipient and guardian of this secret.
An unprecedented complex emotion spread in her heart, mixed with shock, heartache, and an indescribable throbbing wrapped in a heavy sense of trust.
She looked at the box of plants, carefully opened the sealed lid to let them breathe, then found a small flowerpot and filled it with clean soil.
She would plant them.
Whatever they represented, she would keep them alive.
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