The two whispered a few words outside the door, and soon Huo Tingzhou returned.
"Wife, you eat first. I have some business at the military base. Don’t wait for me tonight."
Since they got their marriage certificate, Huo Tingzhou couldn’t go three sentences without calling her "wife."
Though "Sisi" was also lovely, the term "wife" was uniquely his.
Jiang Si nodded. The military had its rules, and she didn’t ask further.
Huo Tingzhou didn’t return until past 11 p.m. Though he tried to move quietly, Jiang Si sensed him immediately.
Seeing her groggily turn on the bedside lamp, Huo Tingzhou paused what he was doing.
"Did I wake you?"
Jiang Si shook her head. In this era, there weren’t many entertainment options.
By eight in the evening, most households in the residential compound had already turned off their lights to rest, and Jiang Si was no exception.
After dinner, she had taken a bath.
Then she’d slept until now—glancing at the time, she realized she’d been out for nearly three hours.
Her mind still wasn’t fully awake.
After a moment, Jiang Si registered that Huo Tingzhou had been packing.
Before she could ask, he sat by the bed and told her he was being sent on a mission.
Jiang Si remained remarkably calm about the news.
Truthfully, from the moment she decided to come to Qiongzhou Island, she had mentally prepared for this.
"Has the departure time been set?" Jiang Si asked.
"Yes, we leave before dawn."
Jiang Si frowned. She had assumed they’d depart at least by morning, but it was sooner than expected.
"How long will this mission take?"
"Unclear for now. If things go smoothly, maybe a month."
But Huo Tingzhou suspected it might be extended. They were being sent to the Sino-Soviet border.
The airspace there was complex, and the makeshift airfield runways were insufficient.
Aside from familiarizing themselves with the terrain, they had to complete nighttime reconnaissance and anti-air drills in the shortest time possible.
But this was only the beginning.
Establishing a complete aerial support system along the Sino-Soviet border was the ultimate objective of their mission.
Hearing this, Jiang Si fell silent, quietly sorting through the plot in her mind.
She knew from the book that Huo Tingzhou’s fate was to live out his days alone.
But she suspected her arrival had already altered the story’s trajectory and ending.
She remembered clearly—this mission hadn’t been mentioned in the original novel.
Then she reviewed modern history.
Though the novel was entirely fictional, its timeline and events largely mirrored reality.
Seeing her furrowed brow, Huo Tingzhou felt not just worry and guilt, but deep remorse.
If not for him, the Su family wouldn’t have targeted her.
The residential compound wouldn’t be rife with gossip.
She had just arrived on the island, barely settling in, and now he had to leave.
The thought made his chest tighten painfully.
"Wife, I’m sorry."
Jiang Si shook her head. "We’re one now. There’s no need for apologies."
"You’re a soldier. Your first duty is to protect the country. I can’t help you there, but I can take care of myself."
"Don’t worry about me. Really."
She smiled faintly. "The broadcast at the base today had a great impact. Didn’t you see how the other wives looked at me differently this afternoon?"
Whether sincere or not,
at least civility was maintained.
Besides, Jiang Si was pragmatic. Her energy was limited; she didn’t have time to cultivate friendships.
A simple nod in passing was more than enough.
Moreover, the military had just conducted ideological training.
Anyone with sense wouldn’t dare cause trouble for her now.
As for their unconsummated wedding night, Jiang Si wasn’t bothered.
Her favorite saying came to mind:
Water doesn’t compete to be first—it flows unceasingly.
They were young. There would be time.
With everything laid out, Jiang Si urged Huo Tingzhou to finish packing.
He knew best what to bring for missions.
Meanwhile, she went to the kitchen.
Qiongzhou Island’s climate was mild year-round, so the food hadn’t gone completely cold. She quickly reheated it.
While he ate, she packed some apples into a nylon net bag for him.
These apples had been ripened with spiritual spring water. Though not as potent as drinking the water directly, they still nourished the body well.
Time flew, and soon it was time for him to leave.
Jiang Si saw him off at the door. Everything that needed saying had already been said.
But seeing his reluctance, the words caught in his throat—
her heart softened in response.
The next moment, her arms slipped around his waist of their own accord.
Her cheek pressed against his chest, her gaze unfocused in the distance.
"Wife?"
After a quiet pause, her muffled voice rose.
"I’ll be fine here. Don’t worry."
Don’t worry?
How could he not? She was afraid of the dark, of rats, of anything that slithered.
After a long moment, Huo Tingzhou exhaled roughly, his voice low and strained.
"The island has occasional blackouts. I left matches and candles in your bedside drawer."
"There are mousetraps under the bed. Be careful not to step on them."
"And mosquito coils—"
"You fool!"
Jiang Si laughed in exasperation. She should’ve known—getting sweet talk from him was harder than scaling the heavens.
Pushing him away dispelled the tender mood.
She straightened his uniform collar, her tone solemn.
"Be safe out there."
"I will."
"Go. Don’t keep them waiting—"
Before she could finish, Huo Tingzhou pulled her into a crushing embrace.
Thud—
Thud—thud—
Amid the pounding of his heart, she heard him say,
"Wife, take care of yourself. And wait for me."
The first day without Huo Tingzhou, Jiang Si felt oddly adrift.
She’d grown accustomed to being waited on hand and foot.
Habit was a frightening thing.
Fortunately, Jiang Si was good at adjusting. That afternoon, two wives dropped by at someone’s request to keep her company.
Gradually, she stopped dwelling on it.
Two more days passed. Jiang Si was puzzled that Su Wanwan’s disciplinary outcome still hadn’t been announced.
Then, early that morning, Director Cao from the Political Department arrived—along with several unfamiliar faces.
