“You seem to have a lot of free time.”
Xie Jinwen emerged from the restroom wearing a blue tracksuit. As she walked, she gathered her long hair and twisted it into a bun.
Seeing Ling Xiao, she said,
“Stop messing around. Don’t touch those little paper figures. If you want to read something, read that sheet of paper.”
Only then did Ling Xiao stop what he was doing and continue studying the wish list.
Thinking of something, he took out his phone, snapped a photo of the page, and sent it to his superior.
Old Zhou arrived almost immediately, appearing in the ward as though he had sprinted a hundred meters.
“Where is it? Where is it?”
Ling Xiao handed him the wish list.
“Right here.”
Old Zhou practically snatched it away and began reading eagerly.
As he looked at the familiar handwriting, tears welled up in his eyes.
After a long while, he finally composed himself and walked over to Xie Jinwen, carefully examining the young woman before him.
Some things simply could not be explained by science and had to be approached with reverence.
Especially the handwriting on that wish list.
A person’s handwriting could be imitated.
But to perfectly imitate every person’s handwriting?
And that of numerous deceased individuals?
That was nearly impossible.
The girl before him was young and beautiful.
Her eyes were bright, like a clear blue sky.
Yet hidden within them was a profound calmness, as if she could see through all things in the world.
There was no fear.
No flattery.
No unnecessary emotion.
Only tranquility.
A state of mind far beyond her years.
Moreover, on his way here, Old Zhou had reviewed the ward’s surveillance footage.
He had seen the interaction between Xie Jinwen and Zhao Meiyu at the nurses’ station.
Zhao Meiyu had seemed to be speaking to thin air.
Yet the name “Qin Huai” she spoke was that of a real deceased soldier.
And Qin Huai’s name was indeed on the wish list.
Qin Huai’s wish had been to find his younger sister.
Now that his lingering obsession had dissipated and he had entered the underworld…
Had he already found her?
Perhaps it was that nurse.
Old Zhou had also seen that everything began when Xie Jinwen borrowed paper and a ballpoint pen from the nurses’ station.
Had this young woman somehow manifested otherwise invisible souls?
Or had she orchestrated an elaborate spectacle to attract attention and stir public discussion?
If so, what was her objective?
Facing Old Zhou’s scrutiny, Xie Jinwen remained completely calm.
Unbothered.
Knowing how formidable this superior officer was, Ling Xiao couldn’t help worrying about her.
Even though Xie Jinwen clearly had no intention of asking for help, he still stepped forward.
At that moment, Old Zhou asked:
“What do we need to do?”
Xie Jinwen replied leisurely,
“Nothing too troublesome.”
“You just need to place the paper figures inside light-proof boxes and deliver them back to their hometowns.”
“Then the matter will be settled.”
Seeing that Old Zhou had no intention of making things difficult for Xie Jinwen, Ling Xiao stepped back again.
Xie Jinwen added a reminder.
“You must not touch the paper figures.”
“Men possess strong yang energy. It will burn them.”
Only then did Ling Xiao realize why the paper figures had been so frightened and had avoided him earlier.
It was because he could actually hurt them.
Old Zhou understood immediately.
He promptly arranged for a batch of light-proof wooden boxes to be delivered.
He also organized personnel and assigned dedicated vehicles to transport the boxes back to each soldier’s hometown.
Before jumping into the open wooden boxes, the little paper figures lined up neatly and saluted Xie Jinwen in perfect unison.
Thanking her for helping them.
Xie Jinwen gave a slight nod.
“Farewell.”
After all the paper figures had been placed inside the boxes, she formed a hand seal and cast a simple protective barrier.
This would prevent anything from colliding with them or causing unexpected changes during the journey.
“Alright,” she said.
“They can be sent off now.”
When everything was finally over, only Xie Jinwen and Ling Xiao remained in the ward.
Ling Xiao said sincerely,
“Thank you.”
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Xie Jinwen’s forehead.
The fever inside her body had improved significantly.
A few more good deeds, and she would return to normal.
Ling Xiao pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to her.
“You’ve started sweating. Wipe it off.”
Xie Jinwen tilted her head slightly and signaled with her eyes.
You do it.
“Verbal thanks don’t seem quite enough.”
“There should be some practical expression of gratitude, don’t you think, Young Master Ling?”
Ling Xiao swallowed hard.
Holding the handkerchief, he slowly and gently raised his hand and carefully wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Thump!
Thump-thump!
Thump-thump-thump!
His heartbeat accelerated wildly.
It was the first time in his life he had helped a girl wipe away sweat.
He carefully controlled his strength, afraid of pressing too hard, yet unable to be too gentle, otherwise he wouldn’t wipe it clean.
Xie Jinwen raised an eyebrow and teased him.
“What is it?”
“Are you hot too?”
“Why are you sweating as well?”
Embarrassed, Ling Xiao instinctively used the handkerchief to wipe his own forehead.
Only after doing so did he realize—
The handkerchief had just been used on Xie Jinwen.
Xie Jinwen smiled.
“I don’t mind.”
“Do you?”
Ling Xiao had endured harsher, dirtier, and more exhausting environments.
He had never been the type to be squeamish.
Why would he mind a handkerchief that had touched her forehead?
It was just that whenever he was around Xie Jinwen, he always seemed to end up at a disadvantage.
She constantly led him around by the nose.
And strangely enough…
He didn’t dislike it.
Just then, a ringtone suddenly broke the atmosphere.
Only then did Ling Xiao remember that Yin Ciying was still waiting downstairs.
As he prepared to answer the call, Xie Jinwen pressed a hand over his.
“I won’t go with her.”
“My condition doesn’t require treatment in the capital.”
“I only need to stay by your side for a while to recover.”
Ling Xiao hesitated.
“Miss Xie, wouldn’t it be better for you to receive proper medical treatment?”
Xie Jinwen replied,
“My staying or leaving isn’t for you to decide.”
“If you insist on sending me away, I can guarantee that you won’t see me again for the next three years.”
The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
In the end, Ling Xiao compromised.
He raised a hand and touched her forehead.
Her temperature had indeed dropped.
The fever was not as severe as before.
Though her cheeks remained rosy, like peach blossoms in bloom.
Ling Xiao asked,
“If you’re not going to the capital, what are your plans?”
“Your home was destroyed. Even rebuilding it will take time.”
Xie Jinwen looked at him.
Her lively eyes curved into a smile.
“Didn’t someone just say he’d take responsibility for me?”
“Then let me stay at your place.”
Ling Xiao blinked in surprise.
“You want to come back to the family compound with me?”
Xie Jinwen countered,
“Is that a problem?”
Ling Xiao shook his head.
It wasn’t exactly a problem.
It was just that the family compound housed military families, and she…
Before he could finish the thought, the phone rang again.
This time, Xie Jinwen looked away.
Ling Xiao answered.
“Sister Ying, sorry for making you wait.”
“Miss Xie… she’s not going.”
“You don’t need to wait for her anymore. You should head back to the capital.”
There was a brief silence on the other end.
Then Yin Ciying spoke.
“Ling Xiao, is she trying to take advantage of you?”
“Girls from remote places can be quite calculating.”
“Be careful she doesn’t fool you.”
Ling Xiao immediately objected.
“Sister Ying, you’re overthinking it.”
But Yin Ciying replied,
“We’re family.”
“Why would I ever try to harm you?”