CHAPTER 126: CHAPTER 126: PERSUADER

But the useful information Lin Xiang could gather was really limited; no matter how she wracked her brain, she couldn’t piece together the whole story’s cause and effect. She would have to wait until Lin Yun woke up to find out.

The next morning, Lin Xiang got up early, washed up with the remaining hot water from the thermos, stacked the cups neatly, and intended to go straight to the hospital to see Lin Yun. However, as she walked out of the dormitory building, Secretary Wang stopped her.

"Comrade Lin, the Township Party Secretary has something for you. If you’re available now, please go to the Secretary’s office."

"Okay, I’ll head there now."

Upon entering the Township Party Secretary’s office, Lin Xiang noticed that, besides the Secretary, the high-ranking officer she had only met a few times was also present.

"Comrade Lin Xiang, please have a seat," the high-ranking officer gestured to the seat opposite him, speaking kindly to Lin Xiang.

Lin Xiang hadn’t interacted much with the high-ranking officer but obediently sat down.

The Township Party Secretary personally poured Lin Xiang a cup of plain water and placed it on the table before her, then said, "Comrade Lin, there’s no need to be nervous; the high-ranking officer just wants to chat about your brother."

Upon hearing it was about Lin Yun, Lin Xiang instead became anxious, "Has my brother woken up? Is he out of danger now?"

The high-ranking officer nodded slightly, "He regained consciousness yesterday after midnight. According to the doctor’s diagnosis, he is now out of life-threatening danger. However, the location of his injury is quite unique, and he needs to lie still for a while to recuperate."

Lin Xiang exhaled a long breath of relief, "As long as he’s okay, that’s good."

The high-ranking officer looked at Lin Xiang with a complex expression, "Are you very worried about him?"

Lin Xiang felt puzzled, "He’s my brother; isn’t it normal for me to be concerned about his health?"

"But as far as I know, Lin Yun is not related to you by blood, and your relationship doesn’t seem very good."

Lin Xiang was momentarily at a loss for what to say.

The high-ranking officer was a man who had been on the battlefield; how could he possibly enjoy gossip like the village women? If he was saying this now, it was certainly not to discuss the blood relations between her and Lin Yun; there must be some other purpose.

But why was the high-ranking officer discussing this with her?

"Sir, you’re right; my brother and I aren’t related by blood. He was an abandoned child my father found in the back mountains years ago, and he has been fostered under my parents’ names ever since. Although there’s no blood relation, we are on the same household registry, and the whole Li Hua Team has already accepted us as family."

"As for the issue you’ve mentioned, about our not-so-good relationship, I don’t know how to explain it either. Every family has its hard-to-recite lessons, and no family can ensure that everyone’s relationship is flawless. It’s inevitable for people with differing personalities to have friction along the way."

The high-ranking officer did not respond, his gaze lingering on Lin Xiang with strong curiosity.

With the officer acting this way, Lin Xiang grew increasingly puzzled.

"Hu, could you leave us for a moment? I need to speak with Comrade Lin alone."

The Township Party Secretary agreed, then left the office, deliberately leaving a gap in the door.

"Comrade Lin, are you curious why your brother got injured?"

Lin Xiang nodded eagerly, "He just told me he had some business to attend to and would be gone for several days. But he didn’t tell me what he was doing."

"My brother is always kind to others and has never offended anyone; who could have hurt him?"

"Additionally, the kidnapper from yesterday said he kidnapped me to get revenge on my brother. What did my brother do exactly?"

Lin Xiang took this opportunity to voice all her questions.

The high-ranking officer didn’t hold back and answered Lin Xiang’s questions, "Your brother was very heroic. He helped us dismantle a criminal ring and captured their leader. He got injured while protecting someone during the arrest, using his body to shield them from bullets."

"Comrade Lin Yun is a natural-born soldier. Whether it’s his impressive skills without formal training or his keen observational and counter-surveillance abilities, he should join the army."

"Rather than spend a lifetime working on farms facing the dirt, he could join the military, realize his value, and contribute to the country’s development."

"Comrade Lin Xiang, what do you think?"

Lin Xiang was silent.

She now understood the truth about Lin Yun’s injury.

And she realized that the high-ranking officer’s reason for calling her today was to make her a persuader and convince Lin Xiang to join the army.

But how did this not align with what was written in the book?

In the original narrative, after a few years, Lin Yun accidentally reunited with his biological father, who was already a successful businessman at the time, caught the wave of the 1980s’ economic reform, and became a business mogul.

His life was supposed to be falling in love with Shi Lemeng, reuniting with his father, starting a business, marrying Shi Lemeng, then breaking off ties with the original mother’s daughter duo, and living a happy and fulfilling life.

But now, the high-ranking officer wants Lin Yun to enlist?

Lin Xiang couldn’t recall any similar scenario in the book, so was it her crossing into the book that caused a butterfly effect, changing Lin Yun’s life path, or did the book also have a similar situation that Lin Yun refused?

Lin Xiang now felt a chaotic mess in her head.

Her journey into the book yielded no superpowers; even the slight help from the storyline was now utterly disturbed.

Lin Xiang took a few deep breaths to stabilize her emotions, "High-ranking officer, you’re hoping I can persuade my brother to enlist?"

The high-ranking officer smiled, "I just think that choosing this path is the best for Comrade Lin Yun. Whether you have blood relations or not, as his sister, you want him to succeed, rather than being a lifelong farmer facing dirt, right?"

Lin Xiang’s hands, resting on her knees, tightly grasped her pants, her expression unchanged, speaking with a composed and independent tone, "High-ranking officer, I have no authority to sway my brother’s decision. I can only discuss the pros and cons with him. Ultimately, his choice is his right, and no one has the power to interfere."

"But I believe if you persuade him, he will certainly agree."

Lin Xiang suddenly raised her head to look at the high-ranking officer.

Something felt off.

Lin Xiang could understand the officer being a talent keeper, discovering potential and wanting them to join the military for further development.

But wasn’t the high-ranking officer’s attitude towards Lin Yun a bit too eager?

Otherwise, why would he ask Lin Xiang to be the persuader?