Chapter 16: Separation

On the way back to the medical unit, Lin You thought about Dan Ye. He was undeniably handsome, but she couldn’t understand why he would like Qiong Hua. Perhaps love makes people blind to others’ flaws. Personally, she preferred people who were humble and understated, quietly focused on their work without drawing unnecessary attention. Such individuals tended to earn more respect and affection from others. Even if someone is talented and well connected, if they don’t know how to tone it down or build good relationships, eventually, someone equally skilled but with higher emotional intelligence might replace them.

Love is difficult for outsiders to judge. Although Lin You wasn’t particularly fond of Qiong Hua, someone still liked her. Maybe there was something appealing about her that captivated Dan Ye, making him willing to overlook her faults.

The relationship between her and Qin Lang had been subtly changing. She had already started caring deeply for him without even realizing it. Perhaps this feeling had been there before she arrived at the base but had gone unnoticed.

When Lin You arrived at the medical unit, she didn’t mention seeing Dan Ye to anyone, avoiding a round of gossip.

In what seemed like no time, Lin You had already been stationed at the base for two months. Her routine mainly consisted of going between the medical unit and the family quarters. Most days, they ate breakfast and dinner together at home. If Qin Lang came back late, she would save food for him, and their life together was harmonious.

One night, as Lin You was just drifting off to sleep, Qin Lang came back not heading to the kitchen as usual but instead heading straight for the bathroom. After a quick rinse, he woke her with an intense kiss.

Groggy, Lin You opened her eyes to see him. Normally, if he came home late, he would quietly slip into bed. She wondered what was different tonight. When his lips moved lower, with a firm yet gentle touch, she trembled, whispering breathlessly

“What’s… going on? … Tomorrow we… have work…”

But Qin Lang didn’t respond, he continued passionately, drawing her into a fervent embrace.

Afterward, he finally explained

“I have to leave early this morning for drills, and then I’ll be visiting different units to recruit promising candidates for special forces training. It might take three months.”

Hearing this, Lin You remembered he’d mentioned it two weeks ago, though she’d assumed it would only be for a couple of weeks, not months. Her heart ached, and tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed at him.

Holding back his own sorrow, Qin Lang reassured her gently

“Three months will pass quickly. I’ll try to finish early and be back with you soon.”

Lin You understood his duty but couldn’t deny her sadness. She embraced him, burying her face in his neck to hide her tears.

This might have been the first time she took the initiative to get close to him. In their current state, Qin Lang couldn’t resist the opportunity to indulge in their closeness once again.

After some time, Qin Lang gave her some final words of advice

“Remember to eat well. Feel free to cook with Xiao Nan and the others. On weekends, go into town with them just don’t go alone. If you need anything, you can go to Dan Ye or the squad leader. I’ll call whenever I can.”

And with that, he left.

It had been over a month since Qin Lang’s departure, and Lin You was now well-acquainted with the medical unit’s duties, even taking on night shifts by herself once a week. The weather was getting colder, and autumn uniforms had been distributed. The tree lined path from the medical unit to the family quarters now had scattered leaves, adding to the chill in the air. Lin You’s mood matched the season, feeling a quiet loneliness despite the kindness of those around her.

Watching Lin You’s back, Xiao Nan and Dr. Liu sighed:

“The captain’s been gone a long time now. Dr. Lin really misses him.”

“It’s hard being a military wife. If even Dr. Lin struggles, imagine how it is for others.”

“We should treat her even better.”

Qiong Hua had also come to the unit a few times for physical therapy, specifically asking for Captain Song to treat her, even if he was off duty. Captain Gao had once complained

“They’re like fairies a loof and hard to understand.”

Lin You and Dr. Liu could only sympathize with him.

After getting to know Captain Song better, Lin You realized he was easy going and open to everyone’s suggestions, even if sometimes he was too pragmatic. With Qiong Hua, for instance, he could refuse her out right but instead chose to accommodate her due to her family background.

Each time Qiong Hua came by, she would brush past Lin You with a disdainful “hmph.”

Lin You couldn’t figure out why Qiong Hua seemed to dislike her. Was it because of Dan Ye? She tried not to ask him for help anymore, but she still didn’t understand Qiong Hua’s attitude.

“Dr. Liu, why does she seem to have such a problem with me?”

“Dr. Lin, don’t overthink it; she’s like that with everyone.”

“But it feels like she’s singling me out, never looking me in the eye.”

If it wasn’t about Dan Ye, then maybe it was about Qin Lang. Over time, she’d heard a lot about Qin Lang’s strict and unorthodox training methods. While many soldiers initially complained, they eventually came to admire his outstanding skills.

Then a thought struck her, and she recalled Dr. Liu and the others’ reactions from earlier. Without meaning to, she blurted out

“Does Qiong Hua like Qin Lang?”

Dr. Liu’s eyes widened in shock, clearly unprepared for her to voice that thought.

“Xiao Nan, Xiao Bei, come here,” Dr. Liu called over.

“What’s going on, Dr. Liu?”

At that moment, Lin You knew her guess was correct.

Flustered, Dr. Liu realized it was pointless to hide it now.

“Dr. Lin… She does like the captain, but he doesn’t like her.”

Xiao Nan and Xiao Bei were dumbfounded, speechless.