It was already late autumn. While the south was still basking under brilliant sunshine, the north had already become this cold.
Especially since Qiao Lanshu had arrived almost at nightfall. Once the sun set, the temperature difference between day and night became substantial, and the weather grew even colder.
Qiao Lanshu, who had grown up in Yangcheng, simply could not stand this kind of cold.
But her birth mother had died young, and her stepmother had been eager for her to marry as soon as possible. So, faced with the choice between going to the countryside and heading north to seek her husband, she had chosen to go north.
It was just that this place was truly too cold.
She was wearing only a short-sleeved T-shirt, black trousers, and black cloth shoes.
Her stepmother did know that the north was cold, and had specially prepared a thin padded jacket for her.
But even after putting it on, it felt no different from wearing nothing at all!
Qiao Lanshu stood inside the railway station, her small face blue with cold and her teeth chattering.
At the entrance of the railway station, she held her bag in one hand and her letter of introduction in the other, looking at the station that was both familiar and strange.
This time, she would not foolishly wait for four hours again.
She had to go find Qin Yuanzheng!
She just did not know where Brother Zheng was at this time.
She returned to the railway station, shivering all over from the cold. After finding a ticket seller inside, she went over and asked, “Hello, Comrade. Could you tell me how to get to this place?”
It was very late, and the ticket seller was already preparing to get off work. Seeing Qiao Lanshu’s blue-white face from the cold and hearing her accent, she could tell that Qiao Lanshu was not local.
She hurriedly asked, “Comrade, where are you going? It’s so late already—why are you still here?”
As she spoke, she came closer and looked at Qiao Lanshu’s palms.
Qiao Lanshu asked in a trembling voice, “I’m going to the army to seek my husband. My fiancé’s unit is the Independent Second Battalion of the Longcheng Production and Construction Corps. Its address is the Longcheng South Suburbs Forest Farm. Do you know how to get there?”
The ticket seller said, “Oh dear, you came too late. Bus Route Three to the Southern Suburban Forest Farm stopped running at six in the evening. If you can’t get there, take your letter of introduction to the Command Headquarters Building of the Production and Construction Corps across the road. They’ll help arrange accommodation for a military family member.”
As she spoke, the ticket seller enthusiastically led Qiao Lanshu out of the railway station and pointed out a building diagonally across the road. “See it? That’s the general headquarters of our Production and Construction Corps. Go over there and explain your situation to them.”
The moment Qiao Lanshu stepped out of the railway station, the northwest wind blew straight into her, nearly freezing her very soul.
She nodded gratefully and thanked the ticket seller, then walked stiffly toward the other side of the road.
Since morning, she had eaten only a single piece of rice cake. Until now, when it was already past nine at night, she had not eaten or drunk anything else.
At present, she only felt dizzy, while a bone-deep chill seeped through her entire body.
Otherwise, she would not have fainted in her past life.
This time, she had to hold on.
Just then, she saw several tall men in military uniforms inside the Command Headquarters Building. They lifted the wind curtain at the entrance and strode out while talking.
Qiao Lanshu casually glanced over—and suddenly froze.
The man walking in front looked somewhat familiar.
Her heart jolted, and she instinctively chased after them. “Comrade, People’s Liberation Army Comrade…”
Her voice was too soft. The group was arguing noisily, and they did not hear her at all.
Seeing that they were about to go far away, Qiao Lanshu grew anxious and hurried after them. “People’s Liberation Army Comrade, please wait a moment.”
In her anxiety, she quickened her pace and rushed forward heedlessly.
At that moment, she tripped over something and cried out in surprise before falling to the ground.
The bag in her hand flew out as well, striking the leg of the exceptionally tall soldier.
The soldiers suddenly turned around and looked at the girl lying on the ground.
Someone exclaimed, “Is she all right? Why is she dressed so lightly? She couldn’t have fainted from the cold, could she?”
Someone else said, “Hurry and check her. Make sure she hasn’t seriously injured herself.”
The man in the lead stared at Qiao Lanshu as well, a trace of surprise in his eyes.
Those deep-set eyes were ones Qiao Lanshu would never forget, even in death.
She was somewhat flustered and did not know what to do.
Qin Yuanzheng—this was her Brother Zheng.
So, amid her panic, she closed her eyes and pretended to faint.
The soldiers grew tense. “Regimental Commander Qin, she really fainted!”
Regimental Commander Qin frowned, and his low voice rang out. “You go back to the unit first. I’ll take her to the Military District Hospital since it’s on my way.”