After hanging up the phone, Aunt Sun went upstairs and told Fan Hua what Zhao Yilu had said.
Fan Hua suddenly remembered that in the original book, Zhao Yilu had one of his legs blown off while leading a team on a mission. Even though that was the autumn two years later, she couldn't help but feel nervous and worried.
Fan Hua was very afraid that her arrival would change the trajectory of Zhao Yilu's fate.
After all, in the original book, Zhao Yilu became a squad leader only in the second year of his enlistment due to his outstanding performance, but now Zhao Yilu has been a squad leader for half a year earlier than before. Moreover, when introducing Zhao Yilu's military career in the novel, it was never mentioned that Zhao Yilu had come to Guangzhou to participate in exercises and competitions.
…
Fan Hua spent the next ten days in fear, waiting every day for another call from Zhao Yilu, hoping to hear that he had returned safely to the team.
The Lantern Festival came in a flash, and Fan Hua still hadn't received a call from Zhao Yilu.
That day, Director Xie brought Niannian and other people to the family building to celebrate the festival, carrying a lot of delicious food. Fan Hua remembered that Director Xie had also served in the army, and couldn't help asking, "Director Xie, how long did your missions usually last when you were in the army?"
Director Xie looked at Fan Hua and replied, "That depends on the mission!"
"How long does it usually take?" Fan Hua continued to ask.
"At least one or two days, at most one or two months. Generally speaking, the more difficult the task, the longer it will take!" Xie Yongliang answered seriously.
After hearing this, Fan Hua felt even more uneasy. Zhao Yilu had been gone for several days!
Fan Hua suppressed her worries and chatted calmly, "Then why didn't Director Xie continue to serve in the army?"
She had always been curious about this question, after all, there was no such person as Director Xie in the novel.
Director Xie's expression grew grim. He glanced at Geng Ailing, who was in the kitchen teaching Niannian how to roll glutinous rice balls. After a moment's silence, he spoke, "I was injured on my last mission and spent about half a year in the hospital. I was the only one in the entire platoon who survived. Two of my toes were blown off during that mission, so I was no longer fit to serve in the army, so I retired and became a police officer..."
In the kitchen, Geng Ailing had already stopped what she was doing and was listening attentively to Xie Yongliang's story.
She had never thought that Xie Yongliang had experienced such a tragic thing. Nian Nian's father should be one of the volunteers who died in that mission. She touched the head of little Nian Nian who was eating glutinous rice balls, and felt very sorry for this pair of father and daughter who were not related by blood.
Fan Hua thought that Director Xie retired due to injury, but she didn't expect it to be so tragic, and her anxiety was magnified.
At this time, Niannian popped his little head out of the kitchen and interrupted, "My dad is a hero!"
Xie Yongliang smiled and didn't deny that Niannian's biological father was indeed a hero! He looked at Niannian with a hint of loneliness in his eyes, as if he saw through Niannian those comrades who had followed him through life and death.
Geng Ailing also said sincerely: "Yes, you are all heroes!"
"What's the point of being a hero or not? We soldiers just hope that our country will not be disturbed or invaded, and that China will be safe and sound, and have a long and prosperous future!"
As Fan Hua listened to Xie Yongliang's words, her mood became increasingly gloomy...
She now deeply regretted why she had to throw a tantrum and not answer the phone that day, causing Zhao to go on the mission with such a bad mood. He would definitely be distracted and thinking about her. How dangerous that would be!
I was blaming myself when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my stomach...
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