Staff Officer Lin found Qin Yuanzheng, who was currently in a meeting with the engineers at the construction site.
Qin Yuanzheng was actually a bit distracted, glancing toward the train station every now and then.
Even though they were at the construction site right now and could not see anything from there.
Several engineers and designers beside him were comparing blueprints and discussing something heatedly. Qin Yuanzheng stood to the side, took out a cigarette, lit it, and smoked in silence.
Seeing this living King of Hell from afar, Staff Officer Lin felt a surge of inexplicable frustration.
Their regiment commander really needed to find a partner and settle down soon, then take a marriage leave and go home for a couple of weeks so that his subordinates could finally catch a break.
He was as energetic as a bull every day, constantly coming over to torment his soldiers!
Qin Yuanzheng was feeling incredibly irritable. As soon as he saw Staff Officer Lin, he frowned. Why are you here?
Staff Officer Lin walked over and lowered his voice. Commander, it is like this. Xiao Yang just came back and said he is taking Comrade Xiao Qiao to the train station. Her train is at ten o'clock. He asked if you want to go and see her off.
Qin Yuanzheng's heart stirred. He put out his cigarette, shoved it into his pocket, looked up at the sky, and remained silent for a long time.
Looking at his expression, Staff Officer Lin knew he was conflicted again.
He sighed and said, Ah, actually, it is fine if you do not see her off. Even though Comrade Xiao Qiao is only eighteen, pretty, and innocent, and was almost kidnapped right after she arrived... but it is fine. I am sure heaven will protect a good person like her during that three-day and four-night train journey.
Qin Yuanzheng was speechless.
Staff Officer Lin continued, Still, I do not know what her family is thinking, daring to put such a young girl on a train to the north all by herself. It is such a long distance; normal parents would never be at ease, right? Since she failed to get married this time, once she goes back, she will probably be married off to just anyone. Sigh, what a pitiful little girl. How will she survive without anyone to protect her?
Qin Yuanzheng remained speechless.
Qin Yuanzheng knitted his brows tightly and said, What era is this? Can parents still force their children into marriage?
However, Qin Yuanzheng suddenly thought of Wang Huiping drugging his wine and intentionally walking into the wrong room in the middle of the night, and he fell silent again.
Come to think of it, this era was actually the easiest time for someone to be forced into things.
Because once a physical relationship occurred, there was no turning back.
Qin Yuanzheng stayed silent, his heart growing increasingly agitated.
Staff Officer Lin immediately followed up, Of course, Comrade Xiao Qiao's parents might not be that unreasonable. However, given Comrade Xiao Qiao's situation, she will probably have to be sent down to the countryside. Sigh, with her petite and fragile figure, and her soft-spoken voice, I really do not know what kind of farm work she could possibly do in the countryside.
Watching Qin Yuanzheng's expression, he pushed further:
I heard that some pretty female educated youths get harassed by local young men after they go to the countryside. These youths either live in dilapidated houses or lodge with villagers. It is entirely possible for someone to climb the wall and sneak into their rooms in the middle of the night. Comrade Xiao Qiao is so beautiful, it is highly likely... Hey, Commander, where are you going? Wait for me!
Before Staff Officer Lin could even finish his sentence, he saw Qin Yuanzheng striding away without looking back.
Staff Officer Lin was about to chase after him when Qin Yuanzheng turned back and glared at him. You stay here and work.
Staff Officer Lin was full of question marks.
Before Staff Officer Lin could say a word, Qin Yuanzheng was already far away.
Unable to run away in time, Staff Officer Lin was grabbed by the chief engineer. Hey, hey, hey, Staff Officer Lin, you came at the perfect time. Let us go over these blueprints. Let us finish checking the work before Commander Qin gets back, and then you can just report to him. We are very busy.
Staff Officer Lin was speechless.
These cunning guys clearly did not want to deal with Commander Qin, which was why they were holding him back!
Qin Yuanzheng rushed back to his office in the mining area, but after being hit by the warm air from the heater, he calmed down again.
Wait, what was he getting so worked up about?
If he went over there and stopped Comrade Xiao Qiao, what would that even mean?
He had no justifiable reason to do so.
Moreover, he had been so fierce to Comrade Xiao Qiao before. After acting like that, how could he face her now?
Qin Yuanzheng stood with his hands on his hips, pacing back and forth in the office.
At that moment, the door to the guard room next door opened, and a guard ran over. Report!
Qin Yuanzheng said, Come in.
The guard opened the door, came in, and said loudly, Commander, there is a phone call for you.
Qin Yuanzheng immediately turned and walked toward the guard room next door. Who is it?
Usually, calls for him came from the headquarters building, so he assumed it was some kind of emergency.
As it turned out, the matter was indeed quite urgent, but the call was not from headquarters.
Young Company Commander Yang spoke urgently over the phone, Commander, you need to come to the First Military Region Hospital right away. Comrade Xiao Qiao has gone crazy. She says she wants to get her tubes tied.
Qin Yuanzheng was speechless.
Qin Yuanzheng thought he had misheard. Get her tubes tied? What the hell was that? It sounded like such an unfamiliar term.
What was more, associating it with Comrade Xiao Qiao made it sound incredibly scary.
Sweat broke out on Qin Yuanzheng's forehead. He said, seemingly calm, Calm down and repeat that.
Young Company Commander Yang paused for a moment and repeated in a very calm tone, Reporting to the Commander, Comrade Xiao Qiao suddenly got out of the car just now and refused to go to the train station. She says she wants to get her tubes tied. Do you think you should come over? I cannot stop her.
Qin Yuanzheng wiped the sweat from his forehead, his voice tightening. Did you not say she was going to the train station? Everything was fine, why does she suddenly want to get her tubes tied?
Young Company Commander Yang felt a bit guilty and stammered, Well, Commander, it is all my fault. On the way, Comrade Xiao Qiao asked me why you rejected her and whether it was because you thought she was too young. I said no... I said it might be because of your infertility issue... Anyway, after hearing that, Comrade Xiao Qiao started making a fuss about getting her tubes tied.
Hearing this, the veins on Qin Yuanzheng's forehead bulged. He gritted his teeth and said, I will deal with you when I get back! Keep a close eye on her. I am heading over right now.
Xiao Yang quickly agreed. After hanging up the phone, he walked out of the director's office, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and hurriedly ran down to the first floor, where he found Qiao Lanshu sitting on a hospital chair.
Qiao Lanshu had originally wanted to go straight to a doctor to consult about the tubal ligation, but seeing how nervous Young Company Commander Yang was, she found a chair to sit down and let Xiao Yang call Qin Yuanzheng first.
She actually did not intend to go through with the procedure; she just wanted to test the waters and see if Qin Yuanzheng cared about her.
If she was about to get her tubes tied and Qin Yuanzheng still did not show up, she would completely give up on him.
After returning to Yangcheng, she would go to the countryside if she had to, or marry someone if she had to. She would not think about Qin Yuanzheng anymore.
But if she did not fight for it this one last time, they would be worlds apart in the future, and it would be too late for regrets.
