Chapter 49

It was the fifth day since the Propaganda Department ^[1]which is government office responsible for media and ideological control. secretary had informed them.

Huo Xiao, who had voluntarily stayed behind in the last mission, finally returned.

When Lin Ting came home from school, she found him already on the bed, snoring loudly.

Seeing her mother-in-law’s red eyes, she had mentally prepared herself, but actually seeing Huo Xiao made her heart ache.

In just over two weeks, he had lost weight and looked darker…

Food was scarce, and transportation was poor. Even the rescue soldiers had trouble getting enough to eat or drink.

Despite bracing herself, Lin Ting couldn’t hold back tears when she saw his sunken cheeks and cracked lips.

It was then that she realized—the unease she had felt and the heartache now were signs of her deep love for Huo Xiao.

She liked him more than she had thought.

“Tingting…”

Lin Ting quickly wiped her tears and leaned in. She noticed how hard it was for him to open his eyes. Amused yet distressed, she reassured him, “I’m fine, the baby is fine too. Don’t worry about me. Go to sleep.”

Hearing this, Huo Xiao, who had been struggling to stay awake, immediately fell into deep sleep, his loud snoring resuming.

“Tingting, don’t cry anymore,” said Hu Xiu while setting the table. Seeing her daughter-in-law’s teary eyes, she couldn’t help but advise her.

Lin Qing added, “Brother-in-law said the main force will return within a week. Don’t worry too much.”

She didn’t dare mention that when he first arrived, he had looked far worse—like a true refugee. Their mother had cried terribly then. Luckily, Tingting hadn’t seen it.

Lin Ting touched her still-small belly. “Mom, don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

Hu Xiu nodded in relief. “Come eat. I saved you some good meat.”

Lin Ting shook her head. “Before dark, I’ll go to the health station to get some disinfectant for Huo Xiao.”

When tucking him in earlier, she had noticed his hands and arms were covered in wounds, as well as his legs.

There was no tetanus vaccine available, so she had to at least get disinfectant.

As a midwife, Hu Xiu understood immediately. “No need. I had a bottle saved. I’ll have Xiao use it later.”

Lin Ting finally felt some relief.

Now, she had time to check on the two children. They seemed unusually quiet. Her expression softened. “Miaomiao, Guoguo, what’s wrong?”

Children were sensitive. Both their mother and grandmother’s moods had made them uneasy.

Now that Lin Ting finally looked normal again, Miaomiao clung to her mother’s leg silently.

Seeing this, Guoguo hugged the other side and spoke hesitantly in his baby voice, “Mom, don’t be mad. Smile. Guoguo was very good today.” He glanced nervously at his grandmother.

Lin Ting’s heart softened. She squatted down, pulling them into her arms, comforting them before kissing each on the forehead. “I’m sorry. Grandma and I weren’t mad—we were just sad because Dad worked too hard. We ignored you. Mom apologizes, okay?”

Guoguo, easy to coax, puffed out his little chest, kissed his mother back, and flashed a toothy grin. “Guoguo forgives you… and grandma too.”

Hu Xiu chuckled. “Thank you, grandma.”

Guoguo generously replied, “You’re welcome.”

Miaomiao asked worriedly, “Didn’t the teacher say all the dads became heroes?”

Lin Ting patted her daughter’s head, took her children’s hands, and led them to the dining table. “You are going to be a hero.”

Miaomiao looked confused. “Is it hard to be a hero?”

Thinking of the man in the room who had committed a serious crime, Lin Ting’s nose tingled. “Yes, heroes have a hard time.”

The next morning, at dawn, Lin Ting, who usually slept soundly, woke at the slightest movement beside her.

Huo Xiao removed his hand from her belly and reassured her, “It’s not even five o’clock yet. Go back to sleep.”

In the past, Lin Ting would have gone back to sleep, but now she immediately sat up. “Are we leaving now?”

Huo Xiao retrieved a clean military uniform from the cupboard and put it on. “Let’s eat at the cafeteria before we go.”

“There’s still chicken soup in the pot. Drink some before you leave.”

“No time. I have a meeting with the soldiers.”

“Then I’ll take you there.”

“No, just rest.”

Lin Ting didn’t reply but got up anyway. Huo Xiao had no choice but to place her slippers at her feet and ask, “How are you feeling?”

Lin Ting put on her shoes, stood up, and slipped into a long-sleeved shirt. As she buttoned his uniform, she said, “I’m fine. I can eat and sleep well, and I’m not vomiting. The baby is three months along and stable. Besides, Mom is a professional, so don’t worry about me. But you…”

She hesitated, then finished buttoning his collar. “I know you believe in serving the people, and I support you. But can you take better care of yourself?”

Huo Xiao looked at her, swallowed hard, and after a moment, said hoarsely, “Okay.”

They both knew this promise was impossible to keep. When it came to saving lives, there was no room for hesitation. But to reassure each other, one chose to deceive, and the other chose to believe.

When Huo Xiao finished washing up and was ready to leave, Lin Ting stuffed candy into his pocket until it was full. “Share it with your comrades.” Then she stretched out her arms. “Hug.”

Huo Xiao laughed, bent down, embraced her, and kissed the top of her head before turning away.

Lin Ting watched him disappear into the distance, then turned back inside and closed the door. Just then, she noticed her mother-in-law’s bedroom door move.

Her mother-in-law was a light sleeper and worried about Huo Xiao, so she likely hadn’t slept well. Thinking of this, Lin Ting walked toward her room.

The soldiers’ rotation schedule helped calm military families, including Lin Ting. She no longer felt anxious all the time. Now, she could focus on her older sister’s stay in Tianjin.

After class that day, Lin Ting went to the communications room to call her second brother.

Unfortunately, a member of the art troupe told her that he was away filming a movie.

Lin Ting wasn’t surprised and asked them to have her brother call when he returned.

The next morning, she heard her name announced over the loudspeaker, calling her to the communications room.

Coincidentally, she had just finished class and walked straight there with her books.

Surprisingly, the caller wasn’t her second brother. “…Qian Haitao?”

Qian Haitao chuckled. “It’s me. You called him ‘Second Brother.’ Are you waiting for his call?”

Lin Ting felt a bit embarrassed. “I thought it was him. By the way, are you calling because you’re getting married?”

Qian Haitao laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll let you know when I do. I have something else to discuss.”

“Go ahead.” Lin Ting had spoken with him before and knew he was practical. He wouldn’t call just to chat.

Qian Haitao asked, “You’re a junior high school English teacher, right?”

Lin Ting, though confused, replied, “Yes.”

“How good is your English? Can you translate technical documents?”

Lin Ting taught English openly because her family had no foreign connections, and teaching within the military was safer than in other places. However, she asked, “What’s the situation?”

A major flood had hit, submerging over 20,000 homes and numerous factories. Not only were goods lost, but expensive machinery was also damaged.

The maintenance workers had basic knowledge, but the damage was extensive, requiring complete overhauls.

Most of the machines were expensive imports, and no one dared disassemble them without proper guidance. “…The machines come with repair manuals, but they’re all in English. Factory leaders are struggling to find people fluent in English to translate.”

Lin Ting understood. “And they found you?”

Qian Haitao sighed. “My uncle is the deputy director of a steel plant. He knows I went to college and assumed I was good at English. But I studied Russian.”

“…Tianjin is a big city. It shouldn’t be hard to find a few people fluent in English, right?”

“It’s not difficult, but… I have to learn it in Russian.”

With just that vague statement, Lin Ting immediately understood what her old classmate meant. At that time, those fluent in English had mostly gone abroad. The remaining talented individuals either had difficult circumstances or were avoiding suspicion, making them hesitant to accept the job.

Even if some were willing, the factory would rather let the machines rot than have them work on them.

The thought weighed on Lin Ting. After some consideration, she said honestly, “I should be able to translate it.”

Qian Haitao’s eyes lit up. “Really? I knew you could do it! If you can actually translate it… ahem… you know what that means.”

Lin Ting smiled. “I know.” If she managed to do this translation, most of Tianjin’s factories would owe her a favor.

She wasn’t sure how valuable that favor would be, but it was tempting. Besides, after buying a house, her family’s savings had taken a hit. Earning extra money would be a great help.

Qian Haitao said, “Think it over before deciding.”

Lin Ting was surprised. “Aren’t you in a hurry?”

“It’s urgent, but this is a big deal. You should think it through.”

This old classmate was considerate. Lin Ting smiled again. “Alright, I’ll give it some thought and let you know soon.”

“I’ll wait for your answer then…”

After hanging up, Lin Ting kept mulling over the feasibility of the job on her way to school.

She was very interested but wary of potential trouble. The only person she could discuss this with was Huo Xiao, who wouldn’t return for several days. By then, the opportunity might be gone.

Suddenly, Lin Ting recalled something and turned around, heading straight for the camp.

Huo Xiao once said that Brigadier General Wei was a revolutionary predecessor worthy of admiration and trust. Perhaps she could bring this matter to light by publicizing it in a newspaper under the pretext of helping a military wife.

If it worked, it would be a win-win. She could earn money, gain favor, and enhance the army’s image.

With this thought, Lin Ting quickened her pace toward the camp.