Yun Jin was awakened by the knocking on the door.
Li Aimei also got up: "Who is it?"
"I'm Xiao He from the communications station, wife of Regiment Commander He. I have a call from Beijing looking for you," Xiao He explained.
Yun Jin immediately snapped out of it, and as she got up, she said, "Okay, I understand, thank you, I'll be there in five minutes!"
After Xiao He relayed the message, he immediately returned to his post and waited.
Yun Jin tidied up, left Li Aimei to watch over the still-sleeping Xiao Niangao, and hurried toward the communications station. It must be that He's parents had news of He Tingchuan.
Yun Jin secretly prayed that it was good news, good news, good news.
She had only been there for half a minute when the phone rang from Beijing. After Xiao He at the communications station verified her identity, he handed the phone to Yun Jin. Yun Jin heard He's mother speak with lingering fear and emotion: "Xiao Yun, you are truly my savior. You have saved so many people. Xiao Yun, thank you. I was wrong to misunderstand you. I didn't believe what you said before."
Yun Jin: "......"
Mrs. He had a lot to say: "If you hadn't reminded us, Zizhen and I would probably be buried underground by now. It's a huge earthquake! Did you hear the radio? It really happened."
"Yes, Mom knows what's going on over there. Where is Nian Gao's father now? Is he safe? Is he alright?" Yun Jin was focused on He Tingchuan.
Mrs. He was dumbfounded: "Wasn't the third son with you at the garrison?"
Yun Jin realized that He's mother was unaware of He Tingchuan's situation. She had let it slip, and under He's mother's questioning, she told her about He Tingchuan being assigned a mission yesterday.
Mrs. He's expression changed: "I heard the evacuation was timely and most people are safe, but it seems the last group to evacuate didn't manage to leave in time and ended up in the disaster area."
Yun Jin asked, "There's no rice cake daddy, right?"
"I...I don't know either. I'll go ask now. Your dad will definitely know." Mrs. He hung up the phone impatiently.
Yun Jin had a bad feeling. She didn't dare to think too much about it and waited to see how things went with Mother He.
Mrs. He called Mr. He, and this time Mr. He was able to answer the phone. In response to his wife's questions, Mr. He said, "That's right, the third son is indeed in the disaster area. He lost contact with the main force. They were the last group to evacuate."
Mrs. He's vision went black: "What...what do you mean by 'missing contact'?"
Mr. He's beard was completely white. He rubbed his temples, took a deep breath, and reassured his frightened wife, "Don't worry, your son is lucky. He'll be alright. Just wait for news!"
Tears streamed down He's mother's face as she said, "I...I want to go to the disaster area."
Mr. He was furious: "Nonsense! You can't go anywhere. Do you still think you're the sanitation worker you used to be? Comrade Li Guifen, you're a retired head nurse. Don't go and cause them trouble."
“But…but the third son…” Mother He burst into tears at the thought of her missing son.
Mr. He said earnestly, "He is a soldier; this is his mission and his duty."
Thinking of something, Mr. He said, "Don't tell anyone, especially not to Nian Gao's mother. Don't say a word."
Mother He nodded through her tears, then hung up the phone, covering her face and suppressing her sobs.
At this moment, He Zizhen woke up with a start. Clutching her leg, she looked at her intact leg and rushed out, still shaken. Seeing her mother, she threw herself at her, saying, "Grandma, I had a nightmare! It was so scary! I dreamt that we went to Tang City and encountered an earthquake. You and I were buried underground, and my leg was crushed. I couldn't save either of my legs, sob sob..."
Upon hearing this, He's mother could no longer hold back and burst into tears, hugging He Zizhen.
He Zizhen thought her grandmother was feeling sorry for her after hearing about the tragic events in her nightmare. She comforted her while crying, "Grandma, don't cry. I told you it was a nightmare, not real. How could it be an earthquake? We didn't go to Tang City."
"There was an earthquake! A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Tang City last night." Looking at He Zizhen, whose face was streaked with tears, He's mother said, "Your aunt saved us. If she hadn't persuaded us not to go to Tang City, we would be buried underneath now, and your legs would probably be..."
He Zizhen trembled with fear as she looked at her long, slender legs and recalled the painful, desperate, and broken self in her dream. The pain in her legs pierced her heart.
"Did an earthquake really happen?" He Zizhen asked in disbelief.
When Mrs. He turned on the radio, all the broadcasts were about the earthquake. She knew immediately what had happened; she wasn't lying.
He Zizhen's pupils contracted slightly: "I... Aunt..."
"Treat your aunt well from now on, and stop targeting her," Mother He earnestly advised.
He Zizhen nodded through her tears: "Waaah, Grandma, I'm sorry. I was being willful before. It was my fault. I made everyone unhappy. I know I was wrong to target Auntie. I will never do that again."
Mother He hugged He Zizhen with relief, but the thought of her missing youngest son filled her with suppressed pain and unease.
Just then, the phone rang at home.
When Mrs. He heard the phone ring, she was startled. She guessed it was Yun Jin calling. The phone rang for a while before Mrs. He took a deep breath and composed herself: "Hello, Xiao Yun!"
Yun Jin asked on the other end of the phone, "Mom, is there any news about Nian Gao's dad?"
Thinking of her husband's words, Mrs. He's eyes welled up with tears, and her throat tightened. She tried her best not to reveal her emotions: "He...he's fine. Don't worry, you'll know when he comes back."
"Really?" Yun Jin breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that He's mother was lying to her.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
