Zeng Huilan covered her mouth and started crying, while Su Guomin, who was standing next to her, also had red eyes. Seeing his wife crying, Su Guomin quickly reached out and patted her shoulder.
The villagers were confused, but those nearby heard clearly: Su Guomin's daughter, Xingran, had fought in the war and received second and third class merit awards. Those further away didn't hear clearly, only seeing Su Guomin and his wife reading the newspaper. Guomin's wife cried as she looked at the newspaper.
The village chief sighed. He knew why the couple felt sadness and grief, not joy and excitement, upon hearing the news. Their daughter had gone to the front lines, risking her life; she might have easily lost it. A second-class merit was essentially a death sentence; returning safely meant a second-class merit, while failing to return or returning severely wounded meant a first-class merit.
The village chief cleared his throat and said, "Guomin and Huilan, you two don't need to be too sad. Your child has returned safely and even received a medal of honor. This is a joyous occasion. You have raised a wonderful daughter."
Su Guomin lowered his head and said something to Zeng Huilan, who gradually stopped crying. Su Guomin asked the village chief, "Village chief, can we have this newspaper?"
The village chief nodded and said, "Sure, of course. I reckon the town might send someone to visit your family. After all, Xingran has brought honor to Stone Town."
Su Guomin and his wife had no interest in working and asked the village chief and brigade leader for leave. The couple rode the bicycle that Su Xingran had left behind when she was in school and headed towards the town.
The couple went to the post office and sent a telegram. They did not question or blame Su Xingran, nor did they care about how much she had done. They just wanted to hear with their own ears that their daughter was safe and sound.
It's currently the busy farming season, so it's not advisable to take too much leave; otherwise, the couple would have to make a trip to Beijing immediately. Looking at the photos, the person appears unharmed, but it's unclear whether there are any injuries hidden under their clothing.
Whether they knew Su Xingran or not, everyone who read the news knew about this. For Su Xingran, there were both advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage was that Su Xingran's reputation grew, and more and more people sought her medical help. Even though she was only an intern, her patients trusted her.
The inconvenience is that wherever Su Xingran goes, people recognize her face and greet her warmly, trying to chat with her. They'll also be very enthusiastic about introducing her to potential partners.
While at the military base, Gu Moli saw the news broadcast and also received a newspaper with the news of the commendation ceremony. Looking at Su Xingran in her military uniform receiving the award from her superiors, Gu Moli's eyes were filled with deep smiles and affection.
And that solo photo in the newspaper, Gu Moli looked at it again and again. Su Xingran looked so radiant, but Gu Moli knew that she had bravely risked her life to achieve it. This girl both moved Gu Moli and made his heart ache.
Deng Chenhui also saw Su Xingran on the evening news. He finally realized that the female doctor who treated his wound that day was Su Xingran. Deng Chenhui regretted not recognizing Su Xingran, but at the same time, he felt a little fortunate. He wondered if he and Su Xingran were destined to be together.
Upon receiving the telegram, Su Xingran realized what she had forgotten. She had forgotten to tell her parents about it. Before being notified of the awards ceremony, Su Xingran had intended to keep it a secret. Later, in her busyness, she had completely forgotten about it, forgetting that she hadn't told her parents.
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