No matter whether it is a happy day or a painful day, when it passes, you will find that it passes very quickly.
“Central China and South China have fallen. Nanjing has become a massacre zone. Although the war is still going on in the north, but the situation is much better. The next one… should be us.”
After Qiao Song finished his report, he closed the battle report with a serious look on his face.
Duan Yelin listened carefully, then rubbed his hands on his face vigorously, as if to make himself more alert: “How long have I been here?”
His biological clock has been reversed recently, his life is in chaos, and he can’t even remember the exact time anymore.
Qiao Song reminded him, “It will be two weeks the day after tomorrow. Commander, are you still going to send troops according to the original plan?”
Thinking back to the past few days, Xu Hang’s symptoms had been getting better. He no longer rolled around in pain or had convulsions. He no longer had to use handcuffs and ropes. He also had regular meals and sleep patterns, and especially from yesterday to today, he hadn’t felt any discomfort.
“No change,” Duan Yelin rubbed his temple. “Gather the troops and set out the day after tomorrow morning.”
As soon as Qiao Song left, the military doctor came in. He had just come out of Xu Hang’s room after finishing the latest checkup. Without waiting for Duan Yelin to ask, he congratulated him first: “Commander Duan, the results of the detoxification are really gratifying! The most dangerous first week has passed. If he can get through this round, the next course of treatment will be much better. As long as you keep a close eye on him and don’t give him the opportunity to come into contact with drugs in the future, it will be foolproof!”
“Will he exhibit that abnormal behavior again?”
The military doctor assured him, “No, it’s just like a cigarette addiction. Once you’ve had it, you’ll miss the taste all your life, but as long as you don’t do it again, it’ll be fine. But… this time it was really painful. It’s a big blow to vitality. You need to take good care of it.”
Duan Yelin felt relieved at this moment: “No need, you can go back.”
“Ah?” The military doctor was confused and scratched his head. Then he bravely said, “Commander, this is the critical point of drug rehabilitation. We can’t be careless just because of the initial success. Many people can’t hold on later…”
Duan Yelin raised his eyelids and said, “No need. The Japanese are about to invade, and I don’t have that much time to stay here. It’s enough to be able to do this step. He is not an ordinary person. With his perseverance, he can overcome the difficulties that come next.”
This kind of full belief and confidence could not be questioned at all. Although the military doctor complained in his heart, but he did not dare to say it out loud. He responded with a smile and hurried away.
Seeing Xu Hang getting better little by little, Chan Yi’s mood also became very good. Today, it was rare, there was no vegetables, tofu, porridge, or steamed buns, she prepared a very sumptuous table. She also killed a chicken and stewed soup to nourish Xu Hang.
She was busy running around, and when she walked in front of Xu Hang, Xu Hang grabbed her wrist. She was wearing a glove, and the area where the little finger should be was empty.
Chan Yi pulled it back nervously and hid it behind her back: “Head of the Household… you, you can just tell me if you have anything to say, there’s no need to drag me…”
Xu Hang raised his head slightly, looking at this slender, weak, and loyal girl. It would be a lie to say that he was not touched at all. As a master, he had not been able to bring any wealth to Chan Yi, so how could he accept such a gift from her?
So, he sighed deeply: “You silly girl…”
He was so thin and had been tortured to the point where he was just a skeleton, so even his long breath felt like his vital energy was leaking out.
Chan Yi didn’t want to make Xu Hang sad, so she just kept smiling foolishly and didn’t let him see any of her tears.
When the chicken soup was served, Duan Yelin also arrived.
Ever since that ‘crazy’ time, Xu Hang has been obedient. He eats when he is told to eat, sleeps when he is told to sleep, takes medicines when he is told to take them, endures when he is asked to quit drugs, does not talk back or struggle, and even… does not say a word to Duan Yelin.
He doesn’t know whether he has become obedient or is finding other ways to express his anger.
However, Duan Yelin would rather think that he could not find any better attitude to get along with him, so he could only remain silent.
This is also fine… also fine.
The chicken soup looked very light, with little oil and salt. Duan Yelin scooped half a bowl with a spoon and placed it in front of Xu Hang. Xu Hang picked up the bowl and sipped it in small sips. It took him a long time to finish it. After seeing him put the bowl down, Duan Yelin picked up a poached egg and boiled meat for him.
He didn’t eat himself but watched Xu Hang pick up the chopsticks limply, his eyes seemed empty but also seemed to be just looking at the food on the plate seriously.
Xu Hang was very interesting when he ate poached eggs. He would use the tip of chopsticks to poke the half-cooked egg yolk, watch it flow out, wrap the whole egg, and then eat it bit by bit. He seemed to do this habit unconsciously. Duan Yelin had never looked at his little eating habit so seriously, and he became fascinated as he watched.
After the egg was completely eaten, Duan Yelin served himself some rice, saying, “I’m leaving the day after tomorrow.”
Xu Hang stopped eating.
Duan Yelin ate happily, and his mood was not affected at all. He stuffed the food in one gulp and swallowed it, saying, “If you don’t want to die earlier than me, you should be more careful.”
Seeing Xu Hang’s suspicious look, Duan Yelin added, “I will only help you up to this point. As for the future, whether you take drugs or seek death is none of my business anymore. I help you because I still want to give you freedom. I forced you to stay with me in the beginning, and now that I want you to leave, I should also let you leave in peace. In this way, we are even.”
Having said this, Duan Yelin paused, as if thinking about how to start the next sentence.
At this time, Xu Hang put down his chopsticks and finally spoke: “You want me to tell you where the medicines are, right?”
“Apart from this, there is no other connection between us anymore.” Duan Yelin finished the rice in his bowl very quickly and said this very calmly, so he didn’t notice that Xu Hang’s eyelashes trembled.
Xu Hang took a deep breath and said, “Obviously, Ruan Xiaodie has already entered the city. It shouldn’t be difficult for you to find her.”
Duan Yelin smiled and said, “What’s the point of finding her? If someone can be of use to you, they won’t betray you easily. Xu Shaotang, I’m not doing this for personal gain. The country is in crisis, so put aside your grudges and give me the medicines.”
They talked so calmly, just like they were discussing where to go for an outing tomorrow.
Xu Hang’s voice sounded hoarse: “Do you really think that we are cleared… between us?”
Seeing Xu Hang’s indifferent look, Duan Yelin thought he was still stubbornly holding on to his hatred, so he started to make a joke, half-truthfully: “If you think I’m an eyesore, you won’t be able to see me anymore soon. The war is imminent, and I’m going to the battlefield. I can’t leave my life in your hands. If I’m unlucky and die on the battlefield, you’ll be happy…”
“You won’t die.”
Xu Hang interrupted him abruptly, staring at him intently. After realizing what he had said, he lowered his head again and poked the rice in the bowl with his chopsticks: “If you die, the Japanese will drive straight north, and the thousands of miles of plains in China will be in danger. So… you can’t die.”
Duan Yelin’s heart rose a little at first and then sank again.
“Then the medicines…?”
“…I understand.” Xu Hang stood up and walked out the door. “Since you are leaving the day after tomorrow, I will tell you my decision the day after tomorrow.”
