Chapter 30

Shen Qingyun left the camp and took three and a half hours to reach the regiment, and by now, it was almost noon.

He jogged into the regiment’s main gate, wanting to hurry so as not to catch the meal time and delay the staff section comrades from eating. That would be improper.

As he lowered his head and rushed along, he almost collided with Deputy Colonel Qiao Linheng, who was hurriedly walking out.

Before Shen Qingyun could greet him, Qiao Linheng pointed inside and said, “Hurry up, Regiment Commander Cheng has been waiting for you for a long time and is about to lose his temper.”

Shen Qingyun was momentarily stunned—why was Regiment Commander Cheng looking for him?

Yesterday, he had received a call from the regiment’s staff section, saying they needed to temporarily transfer him to the military industrial institute for assistance.

The staff member who notified him hadn’t mentioned that he was supposed to report to the Colonel upon arrival.

Seeing him frozen in place, Qiao Linheng slapped him on the back and urged, “Go on, the afternoon train! Regiment Commander Cheng will really get anxious if you don’t hurry.”

“Oh, alright,” Shen Qingyun quickly replied, but he was even more confused now.

Regiment Commander Cheng’s office was at the far end of the corridor.

As he walked in, Shen Qingyun began to slowly reflect on the situation.

Before coming, he had just thought of this as a routine temporary assignment.

After all, as a junior officer in the navy, he had always known that the country was investing heavily in the secret development of its own submarines.

To this end, military factories often requested the transfer of experienced officers and soldiers from the frontlines for research and investigation.

Last year alone, he had been temporarily assigned there two or three times.

The longest was almost two months, and the shortest was only two weeks.

When the staff section called him yesterday, they specifically reminded him to bring a cotton-padded coat.

At that time, he knew he would be going to the same military industrial institute he had visited before.

He had stayed there for almost a month, so he was familiar with the place and didn’t think much of it.

But now, he suddenly felt that things might not be as simple as he had assumed.

Shen Qingyun actually had a good relationship with their Colonel Cheng Baohe. Years ago, it was Regiment Commander Cheng who strongly supported Da Bao’s father, Du Changyu, and, against all opposition, insisted on giving him a spot in the military academy.

But in today’s world, one couldn’t read people’s hearts. No one could say for sure who might stab you in the back at any moment.

So even though Regiment Commander Cheng had shown him kindness in the past, they both remained distant when they were outside.

Even Cheng Baohe wasn’t as close to Shen Qingyun in front of others as he was to the other battalion commanders.

But today, he specifically called for him and made it public in front of the other cadres in the regiment.

What was going on?

Shen Qingyun, still puzzled, knocked on the door of the Colonel’s office.

“Report!”

“Come in.”

Shen Qingyun pushed open the door and saw Colonel Cheng standing by the window, looking outside.

From his angle, only a side profile was visible, but Cheng Baohe appeared calm, with no sign of the anger that Lieutenant Colonel Qiao had mentioned.

When he saw Shen Qingyun enter, Cheng Baohe walked back to his desk and gestured to the chair across from him. “Sit.”

Shen Qingyun sat down as instructed.

With no one else around, Cheng Baohe didn’t bother with formalities or small talk.

Instead, he spoke directly: “This time, the assignment to the military factory is something I arranged. The work is similar to before—participating in research. It probably won’t take long, maybe a week or so. 

I heard there are some specific details they need to ask about. Once that’s done, you’ll come back. The engineers are swamped with work right now and don’t have time for casual conversation.”

At this point, Cheng Baohe paused for a moment, watching Shen Qingyun but didn’t continue.

Shen Qingyun calmly met his gaze, neither obsequious nor curious, not speaking unnecessarily.

Seeing that he was clearly waiting for a response, Shen Qingyun simply replied, “Understood.”

His simple reply made Cheng Baohe chuckle, and the earlier seriousness on his face vanished.

He even winked at Shen Qingyun.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what I actually want you for?”

Shen Qingyun pursed his lips. “If I don’t ask, you’ll still tell me.”

Cheng Baohe: “…”

He cleared his throat and gave his favored subordinate a playful glare.

“If I’m asking you to go, it’s not just for a research trip. If that were all, I could send a staff officer instead. It wouldn’t be worth delaying you from participating in the competition… I know you’re probably cursing me in your mind right now!”

“Not at all.”

Cheng Baohe waved his hand at him, impatiently saying, “Don’t play games with me. The real reason I want you to go is…”

At this point, he suddenly lowered his voice and leaned toward Shen Qingyun, whispering, “The real reason is, I need you to bring back the trial sailing rights for the latest submarine!”

Shen Qingyun’s pupils contracted sharply, and his body immediately stiffened!

“It’s been successfully developed? Is this news reliable?!”

Seeing that he finally lost his composure, Cheng Baohe was instantly satisfied.

He even stood up from his chair, walked over to Shen Qingyun, and patted him on the shoulder, a proud gleam flashing in his eyes.

“Of course it’s reliable! Shen Qingyun, I’m entrusting this task to you. You must ensure that it’s done!”

“But Colonel, if you want me to complete the task, you need to tell me how to do it first!”

After his initial excitement, Shen Qingyun finally calmed down.

This was a huge matter.

He didn’t believe that, as a mere battalion officer, he had the ability to secure the trial sailing rights for a submarine that the whole military was focused on.

So many people had their eyes on this! Could it really be something that could be easily promised?

“There’s a particularly good opportunity right now. Listen to me, you can’t miss it…”

Regiment Commander Cheng didn’t immediately tell Shen Qingyun what the opportunity was but instead kept painting a big picture for him.

In fact, there was no need for him to explain; everyone understood—

Too many military units were eyeing these trial sailing rights.

After all, obtaining the trial rights meant that once the submarine passed the tests, the chances of it being assigned to the selected military units would be much higher than for others.

In these times, what military unit wasn’t lacking in hardware?

With the latest submarine, transforming into an elite battalion and then an elite division was just around the corner.

“Oh, and your Pioneer Battalion, well, that will become the elite battalion too.”

At this point, Regiment Commander Cheng glanced at Shen Qingyun.

What Regiment Commander Cheng was promising was clear: if Shen Qingyun could secure the trial sailing rights and the submarine was eventually assigned, they would ensure that Shen Qingyun’s battalion would be the first to board the vessel!

Shen Qingyun could no longer control his excitement and asked, “Stop beating around the bush, just tell me what the opportunity is?”

Seeing his eagerness, Cheng Baohe burst into laughter.

“The chief engineer responsible for the shipbuilding, Comrade Ning Haocheng, is here in our regiment right now. He’s here to assess the trial sailing military unit. The only problem is that I found out too late, and today they’re heading back to the military factory.”

Had Cheng Baohe known earlier that Comrade Ning Haocheng was here to choose the trial sailing waters and military unit, he would have done everything he could to get close to him! He would have been sticking to him day and night to secure an advantage.

But instead, he had treated this like just another routine research assignment, and hadn’t even had the chance to meet Ning Haocheng face-to-face.

Thinking about it now, Cheng Baohe regretted deeply and wished he could turn back time.

“Now,”

His expression grew serious, “The only thing I can do is use the fact that Ning Haocheng and his companion are carrying important documents as an excuse and send you to escort the vehicle. Since you’re already on assignment to report to the arms factory, it’s a good opportunity to go along the way.”

“As for how to get close to Ning Haocheng on the trip, how to make him think our regiment is the best trial site, that’s up to you to figure out and earn.”

At this point, Cheng Baohe suddenly shouted loudly, “Shen Qingyun!”

“Here!” Shen Qingyun reflexively stood up from his chair.

“Do you have confidence?!”

“Yes!” 

After answering, Shen Qingyun looked at his Colonel with a troubled expression.

This was what the Colonel referred to as “the best opportunity?”

He didn’t even know who Ning Haocheng was.

How could Cheng Baohe be so confident that just by traveling on a train with the man, Shen Qingyun would be able to win him over?

Thinking about it, Shen Qingyun felt a sharp pain on his forehead.

But as a soldier, orders were absolute.

Since he had accepted the mission, he would naturally do everything he could to complete it.

The title “Engineer Ning” sounded so familiar to Shen Qingyun, but he couldn’t recall why.

He thought for a long time but still couldn’t figure it out.

Finally, he concluded that perhaps he had heard it when he was temporarily assigned to a military factory earlier.

Sitting on the train, Shen Qingyun’s sense of helplessness grew stronger. He felt that the chances of completing his mission were diminishing with each passing moment.

They had left the regiment’s headquarters at three in the afternoon and headed toward Haicheng Railway Station. After having a quick meal at the State-Owned Restaurant outside the station, they boarded the train.

Not long after boarding, this “Engineer Ning” had fallen asleep and didn’t wake up until nearly nine the next morning, missing breakfast.

When he finally woke up, after freshening up, he took a thick stack of documents and lay on the upper bunk, reading without uttering a word. This left Shen Qingyun, who had been waiting for hours and hoping to strike up a conversation, with no chance to talk to him at all.

It wasn’t something that could be done actively, after all, there was no such relationship between them.

Shen Qingyun understood that these intellectuals often carried an air of superiority and were not used to engaging with others excessively.

Without a valid reason, trying to get close could easily backfire, turning a friendly gesture into annoyance.

Frustrated, Shen Qingyun decided to just let things be.

With nothing else to do, he took out some paper and a pen and started writing a letter to his wife.

Although he couldn’t tell her where he was going, he now knew when he would return, so he figured he could at least share that with her.

As he thought of this, he couldn’t help but recall the look his wife had given him the night before when he told her about his temporary assignment.

That thought warmed Shen Qingyun’s heart, making it swell with emotion, and he wished he could finish everything and go home sooner.

“Gao Gong, it’s eleven o’clock now, the dining car should be open. What would you like to eat for lunch? I’ll go get it for you.”

As they approached Province C, the official trip was coming to an end.

Liu Chuang, who had been accompanying them for quite some time, was in a much better mood and looked more relaxed.

He glanced at his watch and smiled as he spoke to the upper bunk.

Engineer Ning put down his book and leaned out of the upper bunk. “Just buy something, whatever you see fit,” he replied casually.

At that point, he seemed to remember that Shen Qingyun was also traveling with them, sitting on the lower bunk opposite. He gave him a friendly smile.

Then, turning back to Liu Chuang, he added, “Take Comrade Shen with you to buy lunch. I’ll treat today, get some meat dishes if you can find them.”

Hearing his name mentioned, Shen Qingyun quickly stood up and waved his hand. “No need, no need. I brought my own provisions. Let Liu Comrade buy for you.”

After saying that, he looked back at Engineer Ning. “I have a task at hand, so I can’t leave the compartment while you’re here.”

Upon hearing this, Engineer Ning naturally didn’t insist further. He waved at Liu Chuang to go on his own.

Then he sighed at Shen Qingyun. “You Colonel is really cautious. I’ve been to various units for research many times, but this is the first time someone is escorting me so closely the entire way. It’s making me nervous too.”

After that, he chuckled to himself.

Shen Qingyun didn’t laugh along but answered seriously, “It’s necessary. The struggle between us and the enemy is still intense. For someone like you, a pillar of the nation, there’s no such thing as being too careful.”

These words made Engineer Ning pause for a moment.

Even though he was someone the country took great care of, Engineer Ning wasn’t oblivious to the world around him.

His situation was special, and no one would treat him poorly when it came to material needs.

However, his social status… was no longer what it once had been.

For instance, Liu Chuang, his assistant who had accompanied him the entire way. Though he tried to hide it, his indifference and impatience were almost impossible to conceal.

Engineer Ning often found himself self-deprecatingly thinking—

If it weren’t for the free work meals and extra allowances for side dishes that came with being around him, Liu Chuang would have probably long lost his patience and stopped pretending to be friendly toward this old man.

But the young man in front of him, when speaking to him, had no insincerity at all. His tone was earnest, and his attitude respectful, with every word seeming to come from the heart.

This left Engineer Ning somewhat moved.

For the first time, he carefully scrutinized the young man.

The lad appeared to be no older than his twenties, yet he was far more mature and composed than most young men of that age.

Just by sitting there, he gave off an indescribable sense of calm and reliability.

Working with someone like this must be very pleasant, right? Engineer Ning couldn’t help but feel a shift in his heart.

He climbed down from the upper bunk and sat across from Shen Qingyun at the small table.

They began chatting casually, as if talking about everyday matters.

“Comrade Shen, how old are you? You look quite young! I heard you’re already a battalion commander—have you participated in any battles?”

Shen Qingyun answered each of Engineer Ning’s questions with respect, neither overly humble nor arrogant.

When Engineer Ning inquired about the situation in Shen Qingyun’s battalion, Shen Qingyun subtly embellished the details without making it obvious.

The two of them hit it off quite well, and before they knew it, over half an hour had passed. By the time Liu Chuang returned with the food, the two already seemed quite familiar with one another.

Liu Chuang was somewhat surprised by this.

After thinking for a moment, he pushed the food he’d bought to the center of the small table. “Comrade Shen, join us for a meal. I bought a lot.”

Since it wasn’t his own money, and he had indeed bought quite a bit, Liu Chuang didn’t mind.

Hearing this, Shen Qingyun quickly waved his hand and reached for his military backpack.

He pulled out a large can from the bag, along with a stack of corn cakes wrapped in oil paper.

These were something his wife had gotten up early to prepare for him the day before.

He wasn’t sure what she had added to them, but not only were they soft and warm, they hadn’t hardened overnight despite the passage of time.

Though there was slightly less than expected.

After all, he’d only mentioned that he might not be able to make it back to the regiment for lunch, but hadn’t anticipated needing several days’ worth of food.

Looking at the stack of cakes, Shen Qingyun felt a slight sense of regret.

He placed the can on the small table and pulled out one of the cakes from the oil paper. Smiling at the two men across from him, he said, “My wife prepared some food for me before I left. I need to eat it soon, or it won’t keep.”

Liu Chuang glanced at the yellowish, rough corn cakes and subtly made a face.

Though he thought the man seemed a little foolish for not eating any meat, he understood that military units had strict discipline and forbade taking anything from the people, so he didn’t press further.

Engineer Ning, however, was focused on the can, his eyes lingering on it as if it looked somewhat familiar.

Looking at the stir-fried mustard greens in the can, Engineer Ning looked up at Shen Qingyun and, somewhat hesitantly, asked, “Is your hometown also in Province C?”

“Yes,” Shen Qingyun nodded, though he wasn’t particularly surprised.

Although he had been away for many years, his tone still carried a bit of the C Province accent, something one could easily detect.

What surprised him, however, was that Engineer Ning had suddenly started paying attention to this detail.

“Then… do you have a son and a daughter, named Da Bao and Erniu?”

The hand Shen Qingyun had been about to twist the bottle cap with froze in mid-air.

“No way, did I actually guess right?! Oh my, I never expected this! Comrade Shen, you’re actually Da Bao and Erniu’s father? You’re so young, how could you have such big children? Ah, now that I think about it, your wife is young too—how did you two get married so early?”

Seeing Shen Qingyun freeze up, Engineer Ning immediately realized that his guess had been correct, and his excitement surged.

He felt as if he had suddenly become much closer to Shen Qingyun, and spoke without much restraint.

Caught up in his enthusiasm, he blurted out all the questions that had been lingering in his mind.

It was only after asking them that he realized he might have overstepped, and immediately became somewhat embarrassed.

“Ah, Comrade Shen, did I ask too much?”

He recalled how, at the station that day, he had hesitated for a long time, never daring to ask the young woman which military unit she was headed to, or who her husband was.

He had regretted it for quite some time.

He had thought he’d never get the chance to meet her again, yet, so coincidentally, the young man escorting him back was actually her husband!

Now, Shen Qingyun finally recalled who Engineer Ning was!

At the station, when Lin Hui was talking to Gao Chong, she had indeed mentioned this name.

But he hadn’t made the connection at the time.

He certainly hadn’t expected such a coincidence.

Now, hearing Engineer Ning’s question, Shen Qingyun quickly waved his hand. “It’s fine.”

He pondered for a moment and then let out a wry smile. “Actually, there’s nothing I can’t say. Da Bao and Erniu are my adopted son and daughter. Their father sacrificed his life while stationed on the island.”

Shen Qingyun’s explanation took Engineer Ning completely by surprise, leaving him deeply shaken.

The look he cast toward Shen Qingyun now carried even more respect.

“Didn’t expect that, Comrade Shen. I truly didn’t expect it.”

He shook his head with a sense of awe. “I’ll be honest with you, when we were on our way to Haicheng, your wife, the children, and I were in the same compartment, and we spent several days together. If you hadn’t told me this, I’d never have believed she wasn’t the biological mother of those two children! The way she cares for them is something no one could fake.”

At this point, he lifted his gaze and looked at Shen Qingyun meaningfully. “Comrade Shen, you’re heading to the military factory to help out, right?”

Shen Qingyun’s heart skipped a beat.

Though he wasn’t entirely sure why Engineer Ning suddenly asked this question, he still nodded. “Yes.”

“Then, would you mind changing locations?” Engineer Ning continued. “I’m short-handed on my side too, and I need someone who’s familiar with the front-line situation. If you’re willing, I can put in a word with the military factory. After we get off the train, you can come with me to the design institute for a while.”

Although his tone was phrased as a question, Engineer Ning’s expression was extremely serious.

There was no longer the previous ease in his demeanor.

It was clear that he had carefully thought this offer through.

Shen Qingyun’s heart pounded uncontrollably.

He felt like his head was about to explode!

Trying to keep calm, he struggled to maintain a neutral expression.

“Of course, I’d be happy to!” he replied with the same seriousness.

“Before we left, our commander specifically instructed that my most important task this time is to escort you. Reporting to the military factory comes second. As long as you need me, wherever we go or whatever we do, I will follow orders and make sure the mission is completed!”

Yin Xiaoman returned from the canteen before eleven o’clock and saw from a distance that Cui Yan, along with several children, was busy in the newly cultivated vegetable garden in her yard.

She hurried over, walking faster, and said anxiously as she approached, “Sister-in-law, we agreed I’d do this myself! Why are you working here again? I can manage the work in the garden now.”

When Cui Yan saw her return, she stood up from the garden without much concern and said casually, “I know you can do it, but don’t you have no time? The weather’s gotten hot now. If you don’t pull the weeds for a day, they’ll grow really tall. I’m just doing it as a bit of a favor.”

At that moment, Cui Yan suddenly remembered something and couldn’t help but ask, “Has Xiao Shen sent any letters yet? Didn’t he say he’d be back in half a month? It’s been nearly two months now, and there’s no news, not even a letter. It’s getting hot!”

“No, there hasn’t been any letter since then.”

When Yin Xiaoman heard her sister-in-law’s question, she answered anxiously, her eyes betraying her hidden worry.

She had received a letter from Shen Qingyun about a week after he left.

In the letter, he said that he met Engineer Ning, and they had a great conversation. He also mentioned that the time for this temporary assignment wouldn’t be too long and that he would be back in about two weeks.

But now, two months had passed, and there hadn’t been a single word, not even a letter.

As the weather grew hotter, those memories, like an incantation, kept echoing in Yin Xiaoman’s mind, making her restless and uneasy.

The problem was, Shen Qingyun hadn’t even left an address in the letter. She wanted to write to him and ask how he was, but she couldn’t.

How could she not worry?

Seeing the concern on her face, Cui Yan realized her words might have upset her and quickly tried to reassure her. “Ah, I was just asking casually! Don’t think too much into it. It’s normal for them to be away on business, right? Remember when Old Qi went for his training? He was gone for months! It’s nothing to worry about…”

At that moment, her gaze was suddenly drawn to the man standing at the door, and she changed the subject, surprised. “Hey, why are you back so early today? I haven’t even had time to cook!”

Qi Feng was sweating profusely, his face flushed red, looking like he had run back.

He didn’t acknowledge his wife’s words at all, nor did he even look at her. Instead, he tried to hide his nervousness and spoke to Yin Xiaoman in a calm, yet urgent tone. “Qingyun’s wife, someone from the regiment is here. They’ve specifically called for you. You need to come with me to the camp right now!”

Yin Xiaoman’s heart sank instantly.