Chapter 41

Spring’s warm winds had swept through the vast lands, but they hadn’t reached the border areas. The snow-capped peaks and towering mountains in the river valleys were still freezing cold.

In that battle negotiation, border guards fought desperately against those who had crossed the line. The frontline team lost two members, both new recruits.

During the confrontation, the commander had charged ahead of everyone. Despite the clubs, steel pipes, and even blades being used against him, he managed to save dozens of lives.

However, the commander sustained a wound on his forearm.

A steel pipe weighing several kilograms, solid and heavy, was used against him. Amidst the crowd of people, the pipe was repeatedly swung at him and struck his back. He gritted his teeth, like an iron wolf, shielding the frontline until reinforcements arrived.

The last straw was the blade.

A deep cut was made on his already bruised and swollen back. Had he not reacted quickly, the blade would have struck his carotid artery, causing a gush of blood.

Despite suffering such severe injuries, he still did not retreat.

Not even a single step backward.

Absolutely not.

Even though his blood had stained half the river.

Because of this, he suffered severe complications, leading to two major surgeries and a recovery period of three months. Afterward, this commander had to retire due to health reasons.

All of this was found by the old man online.

He doesn’t use the internet himself, so he had a neighbor’s child search it up for him. Among the complex news articles, he chose this one and read it carefully.

The old man had to wear reading glasses to see such small text.

He read through the words line by line, his usually stern expression becoming more and more solemn. After one reading, he checked again to confirm, until the phone screen went black, and his gaze remained fixed on it.

When cruel words turn into bloody reality right before one’s eyes, the brief phrases can never fully convey all the experiences.

Even though he himself had been on the battlefield and fought fiercely.

He remembered the time when Fu Cheng first returned.

He wouldn’t talk about anything.

The thing he cared most about was Fu Cheng’s retirement. Over the years, he had beaten him many times because of it. Even when beaten with a stick, Fu Cheng never said a word.

The first time their relationship began to thaw was when he came back from visiting old comrades and mentioned the marriage engagement. Fu Cheng took the initiative to say that he wanted to fulfill that promise.

His willingness to marry was the only thing that did not oppose the old man.

After a long silence.

The old man opened his phone again and dialed Fu Cheng’s number.

There was no immediate response, only the silence of several seconds.

“Have your injuries healed?”

Fu Cheng paused for a moment and said in a deep voice, “They healed a long time ago.”

As an elder, he only learned today about the struggles and unspoken difficulties Fu Cheng had endured. The words that were on the tip of his tongue seemed to encounter an iron wall, ultimately being swallowed in silence.

“When you have time, bring Youyi back for a meal.”

“Okay.”

The brief conversation carried countless unspoken words and long-standing, helpless gaps. After ending the call, the old man once again opened the news article.

Some pains are meant to be remembered forever.

Whether for the family, the country, or himself.

They cannot be forgotten.

*

That morning, Youyi left early.

She went out early in the morning without saying what she was doing. When Fu Cheng called her in the afternoon, there was no answer.

He sent her several messages, but still got no reply.

Fu Cheng was discharged from the hospital. Although the doctor recommended he stay for two more days to observe his back injury, Fu Cheng felt it wasn’t necessary.

He had already made up his mind.

Instead of risking further unnecessary repairs, he preferred to believe that the calm surface reflected the same stability underneath.

He chose to persist.

Yet, he still couldn’t reach Youyi.

The weather had been consistently awful lately, with the cold wind stirring the edges of the ground. Fu Cheng sat in the car, continuing to call Youyi.

Finally, she answered.

“Hello.” Her voice was very soft, and the surroundings were extremely quiet.

“I’m at school. I’ll be back soon.”

Fu Cheng sighed with relief, “Should I come pick you up?”

Youyi replied, “No need, I’ll come back myself.”

After a pause, she reminded him, “Remember, you shouldn’t use your right hand too much.”

Without saying more, she hung up the phone.

Fu Cheng returned home alone.

When Youyi came back, it was already past eight in the evening.

She entered the house carrying two books, and the warmth from the room enveloped her, making her blood feel suddenly hot. The alternating warmth and cold made her invigorated. She put the books aside, took off her coat, and couldn’t help but rub her fingertips.

Fu Cheng came out of the bathroom, tying his bathrobe and asking, “Where did you go?”

During those days in the hospital, he couldn’t enjoy a comfortable bath, especially since the hospital bathroom was small and made him feel constrained.

Now that he was home, he finally had a relaxing hot shower.

Youyi said, “I went to the library to borrow some books.”

She had gone to the library early in the morning and stayed there for a long time, coming back with a few books.

Her finger was injured.

There was a thin line of blood on her fingertip. Fu Cheng lifted her hand to examine it, the blood had only just started to coagulate, and the skin on her palm was slightly cool.

“It was cut by a book page,” Youyi explained.

Fu Cheng gently held her fingertip.

The coolness of her hand transferred to his palm, giving him a tangible sense of her presence.

Youyi’s fingers were delicate and white, with beautifully oval nails glowing with a pinkish hue. Her nails were clear and clean, and she wore no adornments.

Her soft, small hand made him want to pinch it, though he restrained himself.

Her hand contrasted sharply with his own, even though he could completely envelop both hands, the differences—pale and tanned, delicate and calloused—were stark opposites.

Fu Cheng always felt that meeting Ding Youyi was the most fortunate thing in his years of experiences.

He held her fingers, continuously feeling the fine bones, as if confirming their size and length, until Youyi felt a slight itch in her palm and pulled her hand back.

“What’s wrong?” Youyi asked.

“I’m just confirming something,” Fu Cheng said.

Youyi frowned, not understanding his meaning.

But she asked him, “Is it confirmed?”

Fu Cheng nodded, “Yes.”

As for what was being confirmed, Youyi didn’t ask.

Fu Cheng finally let go of her, and Youyi went to change clothes in the bedroom. Her previously tied-up hair had been let down, flowing smoothly beside her ears.

Youyi carried the books into the study, brewed a cup of coffee, and added a small amount of milk. The coffee cup was placed on the opposite side of the books.

She planned to read late into the night.

Fu Cheng took care of his own injury in the living room.

The bandages had been removed, leaving only a thin layer of gauze. Compared to the wound on his back, this was nothing.

In a few days, he would go to the hospital to have the stitches removed. The wound would slowly heal, leaving behind only a small scar.

It would become one of the many insignificant scars on his body.

By eleven o’clock at night, Youyi was still in the study, reading.

She had already finished two cups of coffee and was struggling to keep her eyes open, trying to turn another page.

By one o’clock in the morning, she could no longer hold on and fell asleep, her head resting on the desk.

When Fu Cheng came in, her hand was still on the book page.

He glanced at it and saw that it was a professional book they used.

He saw that she was more diligent than she had been during her finals. He didn’t know what she was studying now, but he closed the book for her, bent down, and gently lifted her up by her legs.

She fell into his arms, as if finding a safe haven. Her cheek rested against his chest, and she snuggled closer.

She lay on him like a child.

He ran his hand through her dark hair and placed her head on his arm, then wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her tightly.

This was Youyi’s favorite position.

The next morning, when Youyi woke up, she was still in Fu Cheng’s arms.

She remembered being in the study last night, her mind overwhelmed by the complex knowledge from the books, like a winter storm ravaging her thoughts. She opened her eyes slightly and tenderly kissed the firm, tensed muscles in front of her.

“Youyou, put your legs down,” Fu Cheng said, nudging her with his knee to move her legs off him. His voice was deep, applying just enough pressure to keep her from moving.

Youyi, half-asleep, responded, “Husband, I want to tell you a secret.”

She moved her legs but realized she couldn’t compete with Fu Cheng’s strength, so she gave up.

Fu Cheng asked her patiently: “What secret?”

Youyi’s mind was pulled from sleep. She might have been fully awake or not, but she had studied so much professional knowledge the night before that her head felt like it was going to explode.

She even dreamed about it.

Her fingers moved to touch his abs, and she felt a scar, which made her heart ache a bit. The pain accumulated, causing tears to well up in her eyes.

She wondered how much pain Fu Cheng must have endured when he got those injuries.

“I want to always be with you,” she whispered, almost inaudible.

Like a spoiled child.

Such a direct confession was something she confirmed many times after realizing her feelings. Even after falling in love, there were still many more emotions.

In reality, she truly couldn’t be without Fu Cheng.

So, once shy and reluctant to speak, Ding Youyi could now say such things. In front of Fucheng, she felt free to speak the truth.

She could say anything.

During the days she stayed at the hospital, she hadn’t slept well. Many times she woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, dreaming of terrifying scenes of battles on snowy mountains.

She, who couldn’t even watch horror films, couldn’t imagine how frightening it would be to experience it firsthand.

In medical terms, wounds are defined as general or severe ruptures of the skin, mucous membranes, or soft tissues, often accompanied by some degree of organ damage.

These few words cover a lot.

But they only encompass the language aspect.

The snippets in books can’t truly capture the real pain.

“Fu Cheng, why haven’t you ever told me you love me?”

Even though she knew, she still wanted to hear it.

After a pause, she changed her tone and quietly called, “Husband.”

The room fell into a brief silence.

One second, two seconds…

Five seconds…

Fu Cheng’s hand grasped her waist, lightly patting her, then he lowered his voice and said, “Then you should sit on top.”