CHAPTER 298: CHAPTER 298: I’M GOING TO GET HOT WATER

"I’ll go get a pot of hot water," Song Yuanhuan said, harmoniously bonding with his comrades. Though their brisk visit was filled with jests, Zheng Guohui and Fu Guanglei clearly hesitated to speak, worried that Xu Xiuxiu might find their words inappropriate. Using the excuse of fetching hot water, she left the hospital room with the kettle.

Who knew that the group would leave as hurriedly as they had arrived? When she returned to the room with a kettle of boiling water, it was quiet again, with only Song Yuanhuan sitting on the hospital bed, his eyes downcast and hands clenched, a picture of melancholic restraint.

"They’ve all left?" Xu Xiuxiu broke the awkward silence, busying herself clearing the fruits and canned goods the comrades had brought.

"Mhm," Song Yuanhuan murmured.

"Oh, do you want some water? I’ve put the water and fruits on the bedside table. You can easily reach them if you’re thirsty or hungry. I have to run to Soup City in a bit and might not be able to stay at the hospital, can you manage alone? Do you need me to ask Yuanying to come and stay with you?" Song Yuanhuan was visibly distressed, but Xu Xiuxiu spoke to him as if nothing was amiss, normalizing the conversation.

She knew she couldn’t stay long at the hospital, even her hospital visits to bring him meals were squeezed into her busy schedule.

"No need," Song Yuanhuan shook his head. He wasn’t a child; he didn’t need constant companionship, although he indeed wished Xu Xiuxiu could stay longer.

"Xiuxiu, do you think it would embarrass you if I go and move bricks in Soup City after I recover?" Song Yuanhuan suddenly looked up after refusing, his eyes clear yet deep, filled with determination and fear: "It seems I really might have to transition out of the army." It was a serious matter, yet it carried a heavy sense of heartache and reluctance, his voice tinged with discouragement.

He had mentally prepared himself, but now that things had developed to this point, he felt very unsettled, having never imagined the day he would take off his military uniform.

Xu Xiuxiu, stunned by his words, her gaze locked on Song Yuanhuan, "You won’t need to move bricks; even at his worst, my man is still a boss." Xu Xiuxiu blurted out these words honestly, without a hint of consolation.

"Okay." Song Yuanhuan smiled softly, his normally stern face momentarily brightened by a halo, almost dazzling.

"Has the army already started arranging your affairs?" Xu Xiuxiu followed up with concern, somewhat displeased with the haste. So many issues awaited post-disaster reconstruction, and they were already hurrying to transition Song Yuanhuan, whose leg had not yet healed?

"Mhm."

"..." Xu Xiuxiu fell silent: "It’s okay, if you transition out, I’ll support you." She threw out the words with grandeur and then, driven by curiosity, she asked, "How exactly is the army arranging it?"

"The current level of medical expertise in our country is low, and even if my leg heals without becoming crippled, it will likely lack flexibility. It would be impossible to return to my previous duties in the army," he said, fully aware of his own physical condition, not even feeling his right leg these days, vividly remembering the boulder that had crushed it, even the sound of his bones shattering: "The army values talent and recommended me to study at a military school in Capital City for two years, giving time for my leg to heal. If I recover well after graduation, I would return to my post in the army. If my mobility is limited, they’ll arrange a civilian position for me."

"That sounds good, doesn’t it!" The arrangement was considered considerate, allowing Song Yuanhuan to keep his uniform. However, Song Yuanhuan looked like he couldn’t accept it, "Don’t you want to go to the military school?"

"The slot at the military school was Fu Guanglei’s. Each Military District gets only two nominations, and he was the one initially set to go for advanced training. His combat abilities are top-notch, and such an opportunity could boost his career significantly." If he hadn’t known about this arrangement, he might have happily accepted it. But to have Fu Guanglei step aside so that he might take the opportunity, only to possibly end up in a non-combat role, felt like a waste of valuable resources.

He didn’t want to waste this opportunity.

"What did Fu Guanglei say about it?" Such a significant decision, Fu Guanglei must have had some thoughts on it.

"He volunteered his slot at the military school for me," admitted Song Yuanhuan, grappling with his feelings. Otherwise, he’d likely face a transition out of the army. He’d climbed the ranks from a lowly recruit to a lieutenant colonel, enduring hardships and handling transitions, well aware of both the mercilessness and attachment he felt to the army, yet he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving.

"Then you should go for the advanced training at the military school!" Xu Xiuxiu wasn’t sure to what extent Song Yuanhuan’s leg injuries could heal, but with two years – and if she persistently fed him the pink berries daily – his condition might improve significantly: "Who knows, by then your leg might have healed, don’t waste Fu Guanglei’s goodwill."

"Xiuxiu, I don’t have high hopes, don’t paint me grand visions," Song Yuanhuan realistically tempered her enthusiasm: "Me going to the military school is simply a waste of limited resources."

"..." Xu Xiuxiu, frustrated, glared at him: "What do you mean by ’wasting limited resources’? Who knows, maybe after two years when you graduate from the military school, the injury to your leg might heal just like Zhao Nan’s face did!" Xu Xiuxiu impulsively tried to persuade Song Yuanhuan, yet was cautious of revealing too much.

But with such a meaningful statement, how could Song Yuanhuan not understand? Zhao Nan’s facial scars had healed remarkably well, shocking everyone — such a large scar had crossed half his face, but a few months after their mission, it had faded to near invisibility, and now there were no traces of injury at all on his face.

Wasn’t that strange? Indeed, it was peculiar, and recently when Li Yunqiong came asking for the scar-healing ointment, the effectiveness of the ointment Xu Xiuxiu provided was also astonishingly good according to what he’d heard.

However...

Song Yuanhuan pondered, his gaze at Xu Xiuxiu filled with a tumult of emotions.

"Song Yuanhuan, can you trust me?" Xu Xiuxiu was somewhat agitated: "I don’t know how else to explain this to you, but I am confident that I can heal your leg injury, it might just take some time. If the army arranges for you to study at the military school for two years, maybe by the time you graduate, you won’t need to shift to a civilian job. You could still fight alongside your comrades."