Gu Tinglin was stunned by Jiang Ning’s reply and was speechless for a moment. 

The Earth may not stop rotating, but its plates can collide and shatter at any time. 

He wanted to do better; maybe he could let more survivors survive. 

This is an unprecedented disaster. If no one is willing to stand up, the final outcome will be the extinction of humankind. 

He has no family, no children, and no worries, so he chose to stand up and accept the national mission. 

Even if he has blood ties now, they are insignificant compared to the mission he has to perform. 

To say he has no regrets would be fooling himself. 

But the reality is that fate plays tricks on people. When he was young, he went on a mission and lost the person he loved, and now he doesn’t even have the opportunity to make it up to his daughter. 

“Jiang Ning, I’m sorry.” 

He also hoped for a day when he could step down, but there’s no time for that now. 

Everyone’s choice is different. What Jiang Ning can’t do doesn’t mean it’s wrong. 

On the contrary, many people have chosen the same path as Gu Tinglin; otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many survivors. 

Gu Tinglin coughed violently. 

Jiang Ning picked up the cup on the table and found it was empty. 

“I’ll go get some water.” 

She had never experienced family affection, and she really didn’t know how to get along with Gu Tinglin, so she hurried out with the cup. 

There was a line at the water dispenser. Seeing that it wouldn’t be her turn soon, Jiang Ning chose to use the restroom instead. 

After relieving the pressure in her bladder, she was about to open the door and leave when several women came in and whispered, “Sister Zhou, I just saw a young woman enter the chief’s ward. She looks like the chief’s wife, and it was Sister Qing who brought her in.” 

“I saw it too, but it doesn’t seem to be Chen Yanfei. When did the chief have another daughter?” 

Sister Zhou was speechless. “Don’t make a fuss about the leader’s affairs.” 

“It’s not stirring up trouble; we’re just standing up for Sister Qing. She’s waited for the Chief for over a decade, and instead she became the mistress.” 

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Sister Zhou couldn’t bear to hear the young people slandering Shu Xueqing, so she scolded, “Song Yaling is shameless. She was just the chief’s lover when he was young. Later, she turned to someone else for wealth and glory. The chief took her in just for the sake of old times, but she was so shameless as to call herself the chief’s wife. Bah!” 

Several young people were surprised. “No way, then she actually has the nerve to trouble Sister Qing?”

 

They pestered Sister Zhou with gossip, eager to know the truth. 

Because of Song Yaling’s trouble-making, Shu Xueqing’s reputation was not good, but in order to protect Gu Tinglin, she chose to bear it silently and never explained to outsiders. 

Sister Zhou sighed. “We reported to the military hospital in the same batch. At that time, Xueqing was only in her early twenties. Who knew that she would be moved by the injured and hospitalized leader? He was not a leader at that time, but his military rank was already very high…”

 

At that time, Gu Tinglin was only in his thirties, which was the most mature, stable, and charming age for men. 

Although there was a difference of more than ten years, Shu Xueqing was head over heels and knowing that he was not married, she actively pursued him. 

Her enthusiasm frightened Gu Tinglin, who tried to avoid her. 

This pursuit lasted for several years, chasing Gu Tinglin from his thirties to his early forties. 

This matter caused a great sensation in the military region, and even the leaders came forward to matchmake and let Gu Tinglin consider his personal issues. 

Perhaps Shu Xueqing really moved Gu Tinglin. The two dated for more than half a year. Although there was a gap of more than ten years, they felt that they were very suitable for each other, and he even submitted a marriage report. 

After passing the political review, the two were only short of getting the marriage certificate and holding a wedding banquet, but then a natural disaster struck. 

Gu Tinglin gave up getting the marriage certificate and accepted the national mission. 

Shu Xueqing cried for several days. She couldn’t give up this relationship and resolutely chose to go to the military base. After work, she would silently care for and protect him. 

Gu Tinglin devoted himself to work, worked hard to build the base, and managed everything in an orderly manner. 

Just when Shu Xueqing wanted to speak again, Song Yaling came with her daughter. 

Loving someone from a young age, all the way to nearing forty, Shu Xueqing endured immense hardship and pressure. 

Even Gu Tinglin advised her many times not to wait for him and to find a good man to marry. 

Shu Xueqing tried, but she really couldn’t do it. 

“Loving you is my own business; it has nothing to do with you. You just need to be yourself.” 

“What is a good man? The natural disaster has come, and I may die one day. Does it matter whether I get married or not?” 

In the end of the world, with natural disasters and life and death, can anyone say who is right and who is wrong? Both of them are right. 

Sister Zhou scolded the young people, “Don’t talk about it anymore. Do your own job well and don’t gossip all day long.” 

Several people sighed, looked at each other, and dared not say anything more. After going to the toilet, they hurried back to work. 

Jiang Ning came out of the restroom and went to get water. 

As soon as she arrived at the corridor, she ran into Shu Xueqing again. She brought the boiled Chinese medicine over, “Jiang Ning, this is the chief’s medicine. Please take it with you.” 

Thinking about what she had overheard in the restroom, Jiang Ning couldn’t help but examine Shu Xueqing more closely. 

She wasn’t particularly beautiful; her aura and appearance couldn’t compare to Song Yaling. Her features were decent and pleasant. 

More than ten years of time and the cruel living environment had caused fine lines to grow at the corners of her eyes. 

Jiang Ning had learned a lot from Ma Guangnian and Professor Li. She knew which medicines were used just by smelling them, but she still asked, “What is the prescription?” 

Shu Xueqing was very concerned about Gu Tinglin’s illness. She remembered the prescription very clearly and explained it all. 

After many rounds of natural disasters, many herbs in the plantation had died, and the doctor didn’t have many choices for prescribing. 

Jiang Ning said nothing and took the medicine back to the ward. 

While no one was paying attention, she added a few Western medicine pills. 

Sure enough, Gu Tinglin was busy working again. 

But when he saw her come in, he quickly put the documents aside. He felt a little guilty for some reason. What was going on? 

Jiang Ning didn’t hide it, “Head Nurse Shu asked me to bring this over.” 

Gu Tinglin didn’t explain his relationship with Shu Xueqing and drank the medicine obediently. 

There were sleeping pills in the medicine, which probably allowed him to sleep well. 

Communication without emotion was really awkward, so Jiang Ning didn’t stay any longer, “I’m leaving.”

 

Gu Tinglin didn’t try to keep her, but he still looked at her a few more times. 

After leaving the hospital, Jiang Ning didn’t hide anything and told Huo Yishen about Gu Tinglin and Shu Xueqing. 

Huo Yishen held her hand, “I’m much luckier than him.” 

Great love comes at a price. 

He couldn’t do it himself, but he admired Gu Tinglin. 

Back home, she took a nap after dinner. 

After waking up and entering the space to look for herbs, Jiang Ning explained, fearing that Huo Yishen would misunderstand, “The hospital is seriously short of medicine and can’t cure his illness at all. I plan to prepare some medicine to repay him for the space, so I won’t feel like I owe him anything in the future.”

 

Huo Yishen saw through it but didn’t say anything, “Okay, I’ll help you.”