Chapter 68

That night, Li Teng was more intense than ever before. Ruan Nianchu couldn’t endure it, scratching his back and biting his shoulder alternately. Eventually, exhausted from his torment, she could only let him continue, curling up into a small ball in his arms, whimpering and crying.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep from exhaustion.

Li Teng wrapped her, along with the quilt, tightly in his arms, holding her close. He kissed the blush on her cheeks and the tear stains at the corners of her eyes.

Outside the window, the night was as dark as ink.

In his arms, her delicate body was as warm and enchanting as spring.

Li Teng held his beloved girl like that, staring into the distance until the black night gave way to the golden morning light that brightened the entire sky.

The next day, Ruan Nianchu’s whole body felt like it was falling apart. She was a mix of shame and anger, poking Li Teng’s arm with her index finger, and angrily accusing him, “If you keep demanding so much, do you believe I might move out?”

Li Teng leaned in, rubbing his nose against hers, his eyes half-closed, speaking in a lazy tone, “High intensity and frequency increase the probability of hitting the jackpot.”

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Swyd Lkydnbw, dsv wdelapvydekdt, ypjle pwprknkswpzu, “Ebyv fynjrsv rascyckzkvu?”

Tl aykple yd lulcaso yde obkprlale y qlo osaep kd bla lya, “Yyjkdt usw tkhl xl y psd.”

Swyd Lkydnbw’p qynl vwadle caktbv ale wrsd blyakdt vbkp, yde pbl jknjle bkx kd lxcyaayppxldv, “Uyd’v usw cl plakswp?”

Nk Mldt alxykdle nyzx, “Tso nyd R cl plakswp obld R’x kd cle okvb usw?”

Swyd Lkydnbw oyp xsxldvyakzu prllnbzlpp yde vbld xydytle vs pvyxxla swv ydsvbla iwlpvksd, y ckv ekprzlyple, “Zsw yzoyup vyzj ycswv byhkdt y psd. Ebyv kq kv’p y eywtbvla? Psd’v usw zkjl eywtbvlap?”

“Fsd sa eywtbvla, kv’p yzz vbl pyxl vs xl.” Nk Mldt pxkzle, bkp qkdtlap cawpbkdt bla nbllj, “Ebyvlhla usw tkhl ckavb vs, R’zz nblakpb.”

Swyd Lkydnbw oyp yxwple, rkdnbkdt bkx, “Vqqv.”

Gqvla psxl xsal yqqlnvksd, Nk Mldt awccle bla blye okvb bkp zyatl byde, prlyjkdt psqvzu, “Jl tsse, tlv wr. El dlle vs ts swv.”

Her eyes sparkled slightly, “Where to?”

“To buy groceries.” Li Teng curved his lips, “I’ll make dumplings for you.”

There wasn’t a market near the military dormitory, so they went straight to the Yonghui Supermarket on the next street, buying flour, napa cabbage, pork filling, and various other household items, a big shopping trip.

They returned home around eleven.

Li Teng placed the plastic bags with the ingredients on the table, took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and casually said, “Rolling dough, chopping fillings, and then making the dumplings, it’ll probably be ready by noon. You can watch TV in the meantime.”

Ruan Nianchu found it quite novel and excitedly said, “I’ll make them with you.”

He glanced at her, “Do you know how?”

“No.” She shook her head, her eyes bright, “But you can teach me.”

Li Teng thought for a few seconds and nodded, “Okay. Go wash your hands.”

“Alright.” Ruan Nianchu responded cheerfully, hopping into the bathroom. When she came out, she saw that he had already put on an apron.

A nearly 1.9-meter tall man wearing an apron looked somewhat amusing.

Ruan Nianchu laughed and teased him, “Wow, our leader is quite skilled.”

Li Teng gave her a sidelong glance and, catching her off guard, dabbed some flour on her nose, scoffing lightly, “If you’re going to learn, learn. If not, stay out of the way.”

Unaware that she now looked like a little kitten, she quickly said, “I’ll learn, I’ll learn.” She put on another apron, rolled up her sleeves, and looked around, “Do we start with the dough? How do we do it?”

Li Teng curved his lips slightly, looking down as he taught her how to knead the dough, “First, pour some water in…”

Ruan Nianchu learned very earnestly.

As she learned, she couldn’t help but admire his hands: they were truly beautiful. But unlike the clean, pretty hands of city elites, these hands were tanned, with distinct joints, and covered in calluses, full of strength.

These were hands that safeguarded the peace of the nation, and now, they were making dumplings for her.

As Ruan Nianchu thought about this, she became a bit lost in her thoughts.

“Just like that,” the owner of the hands suddenly said, “Got it?”

Ruan Nianchu’s expression froze, and she looked up blankly, “Huh?” What was ‘just like that,’ and what was she supposed to remember?

Li Teng squinted his eyes, “What were you daydreaming about?”

Ruan Nianchu felt a bit embarrassed and, after hesitating for a moment, softly said, “I was just thinking that I might already be the happiest person in the world.”

Li Teng’s movements paused abruptly as he turned to look at her, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

She smiled again, her voice light and gentle, “Because I really feel that being liked by you is something incredibly fortunate.”

After a moment, Li Teng smiled faintly, “Of course not.”

Ruan Nianchu was taken aback, “Why not?”

He responded softly, “Because after marrying me, you’ll only become happier.”

A little past noon, the pork and cabbage dumplings, big and stuffed full, were ready. Each of them had a portion, sitting across from each other at the dining table, eating.

Ruan Nianchu blew on the steaming dumpling, took a bite, and chewed.

Li Teng watched her intently, “Is it good?”

“Yes, it’s very good.” She nodded, quickly eating six dumplings before putting her chopsticks down on the table.

“You’re eating so little?” he asked.

“Your dumplings are too big; I’m a bit full. I’ll take a break,” Ruan Nianchu replied with a smile, taking out a napkin to wipe her mouth. She took a deep breath and then exhaled, still smiling but with a softer voice, “Li Teng, you have something to tell me, right?”

His eyes were deep like the night sky, and he curved his lips, “How did you know?”

“Intuition.” Ruan Nianchu looked at him with bright eyes, “Did I guess right?”

Li Teng said, “Yes.”

Ruan Nianchu smiled again, her eyes glinting mischievously, “Let me guess again. What you want to tell me has to do with the upcoming mission to capture Da En, right?”

Li Teng stared at her fair, snow-like face, unwilling to look away. He was silent for a few seconds before answering, “Yes.”

As the words fell, the whole house fell into a deathly silence.

After a long time, Ruan Nianchu heard her own voice, strangely calm, “When is the mission?”

Li Teng said, “In the next few days.”

She frowned slightly, “Da En is so cunning. Have you already found out where his main base is?”

“Not yet,” Li Teng replied calmly, “but if everything goes well, we should find it soon.”

She asked, “Is the entire Falcon unit going?”

“Yes,” Li Teng nodded, “This operation is directly commanded by the Air Force Command.”

Ruan Nianchu stared into his eyes, “Is it dangerous…” She realized this was a pointless question and corrected herself, “How high is the risk?”

Li Teng was silent for a moment, not answering immediately. Instead, he reached out and held her hand, his fingers tightening around hers. He said in a deep voice, “Ruan Nianchu, I promise you, for your sake, I will definitely come back.”

For some reason, when she heard him finish his last sentence, her nose suddenly felt sore, and her vision blurred. She nodded, “Okay. I’ll wait for you.”

This farewell conversation was extremely brief and simple, not emotional or dramatic. Li Teng deliberately downplayed all the uncertainties and possible misfortunes, leaving her only with a promise.

He said that when he returned, they would have a wedding and then go on a honeymoon.

Ruan Nianchu smiled through her tears and agreed, adding, “Actually, there’s a place I’ve always wanted to revisit. Let’s go there for our honeymoon.”

Li Teng brushed her nose gently and asked, “What place?”

Ruan Nianchu grabbed his hand and kissed it, “I’ll tell you when you come back.” After a pause, she said seriously, “So Li Teng, you must come back.”

You must.

*

At two in the morning the next day, Li Teng sat in the living room smoking one cigarette after another. Then the phone on the table began to vibrate.

He answered it.

The person on the other end sounded serious and asked, “Did you finish the business you said you had to handle?”

Li Teng was silent for a few seconds, then said, “Yes.”

“Then proceed with your plan.”

“Okay.”

After hanging up, Li Teng gazed out at the night sky for a long time before extinguishing his cigarette.

Not long after, news broke from the military hospital about Yang Zhengfeng’s death. The cause was multiple organ failure due to gunshot wounds. Despite multiple resuscitation attempts, his vital signs could not be restored, and he was declared dead.

The news caused an uproar.

Li Teng arrived, as did Officer Lei, He Hu, and several other members of the Falcon Squad. The young men, normally tough as iron, couldn’t hold back their grief, covering their faces and crying in the hospital corridor.

People couldn’t accept the departure of a hero, just as they couldn’t accept the birth of a tragedy.

The hospital was in chaos.

Yang Zhengfeng’s body was covered with a white sheet and was soon taken to the morgue, awaiting burial.

Lei Lei looked somber, standing next to a young female officer carrying a laptop. It was unclear what her role was.

Li Teng stood against the wall, holding an unlit cigarette and a military lighter, staring expressionlessly at a certain spot.

Following his gaze, the team members saw only the pale wall at the staircase corner, and the even paler light on it.

No one could guess what he was thinking. Years of fighting side by side told them he was waiting.

For what, they didn’t know.

Time ticked by. The sounds around were chaotic and confusing, but Li Teng seemed oblivious. He stood at the boundary between light and darkness, continuing to wait.

After an indeterminate amount of time, his phone vibrated in his hand.

There had been many calls tonight, but this time, he seemed to sense something. Without hesitation, he answered.

The sound of wind came through, mixed with the rustling of leaves and the flow of a river.

Li Teng glanced at Lei Lei beside him, his eyes darkening.

In a flash, Lei Lei seemed to realize something, her face changing slightly. She gestured to the female officer beside her, who immediately opened her laptop and began tracking the call, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

The next moment, a man’s voice came through the receiver, low and smooth, speaking in Cambodian, “I heard Captain Yang had an accident. My condolences.”

Li Teng took a deep breath and exhaled, his tone icy, “It’s been a while since we last spoke. When do you plan to meet and catch up, Master Da En?”

On the other end, Da En’s voice carried a hint of amusement, “Do you want to catch up, retrieve the battery data, or…” He paused, chuckling lightly, “Avenge Yang Zhengfeng, Lee?”

“Whatever my reason for seeking you out, we need to settle this between us, don’t we?” Li Teng’s tone was calm, “After all, you know exactly how Khunsha died.”

Da En snorted, “You don’t need to provoke me on purpose. The first round of the game is over. I called you to tell you my location; otherwise, who would play with me in the second round?”

Li Teng smiled, “Then I should thank you.”

“Have you confirmed the coordinates yet?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the technician completed the location tracking. She relaxed and nodded at Lei Lei.

Lei Lei signaled to Li Teng.

Li Teng said, “Just about.”

Da En’s tone was contemptuous, “Alright. I’m waiting for you and your ‘Falcon’ team.” After saying this, he abruptly hung up.

Washa, who was beside him, was puzzled and said, “You deliberately exposed your location, clearly setting an ambush for them. They know there’s a problem; they won’t come.”

“If they want to catch me, this is the only way,” Da En was certain, “They will come.”

Washa shook her head, “The Chinese are very smart. You don’t understand them.”

“Have you heard the Chinese saying, ‘Knowing there are tigers in the mountain, yet walking towards the mountain’?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I mean, it’s you who doesn’t understand the Chinese, Washa.” Da En smiled, lifted her chin with his hand, and said in a very light voice, “You can never imagine how foolish Chinese soldiers can be for what they call mission and responsibility.”

Yuncheng Military Hospital.

Li Teng dialed a number on his phone with a stern look on his face. After a moment, the call connected, and the person on the other end said, “Hello, Air Force Headquarters Secretary.”

“Li Teng, Captain of the Falcon Special Operations Unit, please connect me to Commander Zhang.”

“Hold on.” A few seconds later, a middle-aged man’s voice came through, “Comrade Li Teng, how is the task assigned to you and Yang Zhengfeng progressing?”

“The target location has been confirmed. Please give your instructions.”

“Proceed immediately.”

Li Teng’s face remained calm, his back as straight as a towering pine tree, and he responded in a deep voice, “Yes, sir!”

*

The day Li Teng returned to the base, Ruan Nianchu got up early to see him and a few others off at the airport.

Throughout the journey, she remained very calm. Besides reminding Li Teng to pay attention to the weather changes, to dress appropriately, and not to catch a cold, she didn’t say much.

Li Teng agreed to everything she said.

In fact, Ruan Nianchu’s reaction was entirely unexpected by everyone. The team members, all in their thirties, mostly married, remembered how their girlfriends used to panic whenever they heard they had a mission.

The stronger ones could hold back their tears, while the more fragile ones would cry on the way to see them off.

A wife as composed as Li Teng’s was rare.

It was only at this moment that the team members realized that this seemingly delicate city girl was not what they had originally thought.

As to what exactly was different, the team members couldn’t say.

But they knew that whatever they didn’t understand, their captain did. Perhaps, the reason the wife didn’t say anything was because everything she wanted to say, the captain already knew.

Before this mission, the last thing Ruan Nianchu said to Li Teng was, “I’ll wait for you.”

His response was to open his arms and hold her tightly, as if to merge their lives into one.

Before he left, he said nothing more to her.

Was it like this? It seemed so, and yet it didn’t.

On the way back, Ruan Nianchu suddenly couldn’t remember if he had whispered anything to her while hugging her. She tried to recall repeatedly but couldn’t remember clearly.

Ruan Nianchu didn’t go home. She took a taxi from the airport and, almost arriving at the military quarters, changed her destination, telling the driver to head to the Yuncheng Mental Illness Research Center.

After a while, Ruan Nianchu met Xiaoxing’s mother, He Lihua, in a hospital room.

Why she came to see He Lihua, she didn’t know. But she came anyway. What surprised Ruan Nianchu even more was that this woman, usually not very clear-minded, was exceptionally lucid today.

He Lihua, looking at the young girl peeling an apple for her by the bedside, asked calmly, “Why didn’t Li Teng come?”

Ruan Nianchu smiled gently, her profile soft and gentle as she spoke, “He’s on a mission.”

He Lihua’s tone became indifferent, “It’s about that battery again, isn’t it?”

“…” This was the second time Ruan Nianchu had heard He Lihua mention the battery. She was a bit puzzled, “You keep talking about the battery. What is it?”

He Lihua explained, “It’s a new energy product developed by Dr. Qi, primarily for military purposes. That battery is still a prototype, and the main technical data was stolen by a group of foreign criminals.” She looked down, her expression darkening, “The people escorting those items were also killed. Dr. Qi, Old Gao… and my husband. They all died.”

Hearing this, Ruan Nianchu’s expression changed dramatically in surprise, “Sister-in-law, you know about Brother Xia’s… death? Are you cured?”

He Lihua turned to look at her, puzzled, “Was I sick?”

Ruan Nianchu probed, “Don’t you remember you were sick? Do you know where you are now?”

“…” He Lihua looked around the room and shook her head, “No.”

“Do you remember Xia Xingxing?”

“No.”

Upon hearing this, Ruan Nianchu understood. He Lihua’s mental state was still unstable; her sudden recollection of the past was just a temporary clarity.

She could only remain silent.

After a moment, He Lihua continued, “Li Teng is on a mission. Are you worried?”

“Worried, very worried,” Ruan Nianchu smiled, cutting the apple into slices and putting them on a plate, her tone suddenly dropping a few notches, “But what’s the use? Worrying and being afraid won’t stop him from going.”

He Lihua said, “Going isn’t the problem, as long as he can come back.”

Hearing this, Ruan Nianchu’s eyes flickered. After a long while, she softly asked, “Sister-in-law, have you ever blamed Brother Xia?”

“No.”

“Why?”

He Lihua said, “Because he was a soldier. He just did what he was supposed to do, and regardless of the outcome, no one can blame him.”

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Sansukini: This is kinda sad.

We have 6 chapters left, including 4 main story and 2 extras.

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