Xu Qingzhou’s hoarse cry of “I’m sorry, wife” felt like a handful of salt thrown into Fang Yao’s eyes, stinging until they ached.
Looking at the half-conscious man on the hospital bed, who even in the desperate moment of near death had remembered his promise to her, her heart felt as if it had been seized by a hand.
Trembling, she reached out to hold his right hand, covered in fine cuts and dirt, but hesitated, afraid of hurting him.
For an ordinary person, such injuries would require layers of bandaging, but compared to the severe wounds on his body, these minor cuts seemed insignificant, only treated with disinfectant.
“I’m here, Xu Qingzhou, I don’t blame you,” Fang Yao whispered in his ear, hoping to pull him out of his nightmare.
But he kept talking, as if trapped in an endless loop, and Fang Yao could only repeat, “I don’t blame you, it’s okay now, you’re back, it’s all over.”
“Qingzhou…” Wang Hua called out his name once before losing control, covering her face and turning away.
Even the two comrades responsible for Xu Qingzhou’s care couldn’t hold back their tears, unconsciously recounting what had happened.
“If it weren’t for Company Commander Xu, those cowards who fled would have died! Trading his legs for their worthless lives wasn’t worth it!”
“If those bastards aren’t sent to a military court, I’ll never be able to swallow this anger!”
Perhaps their words stirred Xu Qingzhou, or the anesthesia had completely worn off, as he stopped shouting and slowly opened his eyes.
“Qingzhou, you’re awake?” Fang Yao called out nervously.
Hearing her voice, Xu Qingzhou realized he was still alive, and a flicker of joy passed through his dull eyes. But as he tried to turn his head, excruciating pain shot through his skull and body, as if he had been crushed. Speaking was even more impossible—his throat felt as if it had been sliced by countless blades, and he could only produce faint, raspy breaths.
It was likely that the mud and debris that had flooded his nasal passages during the landslide had caused a respiratory infection. Even breathing brought a burning pain. Now, the only part of his body he could move was his eyes.
Seeing that Xu Qingzhou was awake, his comrades immediately called for a doctor, who examined him, treated his minor wounds, and instructed his family on how to care for him.
Fang Yao listened carefully, committing every detail to memory, afraid she might miss something.
The doctor administered more painkillers to help Xu Qingzhou sleep peacefully, giving his highly strained nerves a chance to rest.
By the time they finished, it was already past noon. A comrade named Yang Fan went to the cafeteria to fetch meals for everyone. Handing Fang Yao her portion, he saw that she was holding up well and went to comfort Wang Hua, urging her to eat as much as she could.
Another comrade named Liu Shitou stayed with Fang Yao by the hospital bed, quickly finishing his meal before standing up and saying to her, “Sister-in-law, you go eat over there. I’ll empty the urine bag for the boss.”
“Let me do it,” Fang Yao said, putting down her lunchbox and preparing to stand up.
Since she was ready to care for him, she wouldn’t shy away from any task. But Liu Shitou refused, pushing her aside insistently.
“Sister-in-law, I know you care about the boss, but the leaders assigned us here specifically to take care of him. This is our duty. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he’s well taken care of.”
After Liu Shitou finished his assurance, he immediately got to work. Seeing that his movements were quite meticulous, Fang Yao went to check on Wang Hua.
Wang Hua had barely managed a few bites of food before she could swallow no more. Her eyes kept involuntarily drifting toward the hospital bed, only to retract in heart-wrenching pain each time she looked.
"Mom, let me add some water to your lunchbox?" Fang Yao picked up the thermos. A person could survive without food for a short while, but without water, they would collapse within a couple of days. The road ahead was long, and both she and Wang Hua had to hold on.
Wang Hua also knew that her negative emotions were becoming a burden on her daughter-in-law. When Fang Yao poured water for her, she proactively extended her lunchbox, drinking half of it along with the remaining rice. She saved the rest to soak in water later, making it enough for another meal.
"Fang Yao, I'm going home to fetch some daily necessities and bring a change of clothes for you and Qingzhou," Wang Hua stood up and discussed with her.
As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to recover from broken bones. Xu Qingzhou had suffered comminuted fractures in both legs, and the wounds all over his body were inflamed. He would undoubtedly need a long-term stay in the hospital.
Fang Yao wasn’t comfortable letting her go back alone, so she turned to Yang Fan: "Comrade, could I trouble you to take my mother home?"
"Sure, the leader left the car for us to use freely anyway. I’ll drive Auntie back," Yang Fan agreed without hesitation, accompanying Wang Hua as they walked out.
Liu Shitou, having tidied up the urine bag, sat on a chair and leaned against the wall, falling asleep.
Fearing he might catch a chill, Fang Yao went to the door and asked the nurse for two blankets, then walked over to cover him.
Liu Shitou didn’t wake. He and Xu Qingzhou had narrowly escaped death together on the battlefield, and after all the anxiety and running around, he was utterly exhausted.
Fang Yao sighed softly and returned to Xu Qingzhou’s bedside. Seeing the dried mud still clinging to his cheeks and wrists, she wanted to clean him up but was afraid of waking him and causing his wounds to ache again.
She knew how much Xu Qingzhou usually cared about cleanliness—even his clothes were always kept neat and wrinkle-free.
Yet, this same man had braved life and death in all kinds of harsh environments, proving that he had long transcended himself, becoming strong and exceptional enough.
…
Wang Hua rode home in the military vehicle. As soon as they entered the village entrance, they drew the attention of the villagers.
News of Xu Qingzhou’s severe injury and hospitalization had spread within less than a morning. By the time the car stopped, a large crowd had gathered around, expressing their concern.
"Wang Hua, how is your Qingzhou? Is he alright? Are his injuries serious?" The neighbor who had delivered the message that morning took the lead in asking.
Before Wang Hua could reply, Old Mrs. Xu from the front yard, leaning on her cane and supported by Xu Jianshu, hobbled over, weeping as she ran.
"Hua… how badly is Qingzhou hurt? Why didn’t he come back with you?"
Despite the old lady’s partiality, the misfortune of her accomplished eldest grandson weighed heavily on her heart. She was terrified that something truly serious might have happened.
Wang Hua held back the tears in her eyes and, facing the crowd, tried her best to put things in a positive light to reduce panic and gossip.
"Qingzhou’s life isn’t in danger. He just needs to stay in the hospital for a few days. Fang Yao and I will take care of him there, and his comrades are helping too. Everyone, please don’t worry!"
After speaking, Wang Hua pushed through the crowd and entered the house. Old Mrs. Xu followed closely behind. Proud and strong-willed all her life, she didn’t want her family’s affairs to be the subject of outsiders’ attention. She promptly instructed Xu Jianshu to close the main gate and continued questioning Wang Hua inside.
Wang Cuilian had been waiting for news at home, but when she rushed over, she was still a step too late and got locked outside the gate. Feeling cold, she casually asked a neighbor a couple of questions, then turned around and went back home.
As soon as she entered, Li Xuemiao walked over and asked, "Mom, what's going on at Auntie's house?"
Wang Cuilian couldn't gloat in front of outsiders, but at home, she didn't need to hide it. She snorted with schadenfreude, "They say it's nothing serious, and he's still in the hospital, but I reckon it's bad! I've always said Fang Yao is a jinx, but Wang Hua wouldn't listen. Now look, she's even dragged her son into this! He served in the army for so many years without a scratch, but just a few days after getting married, he ends up half-dead? Don't you think he deserves it?"