Just as the mission had ended, a typhoon struck unexpectedly.
Without a second thought, Jiang Chengzhou boarded a small military speedboat with the rescue unit and headed for the island.
To prevent seawater from flooding inland, the soldiers had to carry rocks and sandbags, stacking them layer by layer along the embankment. They raised the temporary seawall by half a meter to a meter, plugging the gaps torn open by the waves and preventing the storm surge from spilling over the shore a second time.
Only after this section of the embankment had been reinforced did Jiang Chengzhou have time to go over and take a drink of water.
He had just swallowed a mouthful when he noticed several soldiers nearby casting strange looks in his direction. As they whispered among themselves, their gazes all drifted toward the area outside the pier.
He followed their line of sight and turned his head.
Under the blazing sun, a pretty young girl in a white blouse stood outside the cordon.
The sea breeze had whipped the wisps of hair over her forehead into a tangled mess. She pressed her lips together, her eyes red-rimmed, tears clinging to her lashes and threatening to fall. She stared at him just as she had when they were children.
The dipper in Jiang Chengzhou’s hand dropped back into the water vat, and he took off running.
After saying a few words to the sentry, he covered the distance in a few strides and stopped in front of Linlin.
The sun was scorching, and his camouflage uniform was soaked through with sweat, dark and light patches clinging to his body. Jiang Chengzhou bent slightly and tilted his head to look at his little sister’s lowered face.
“Why are you crying?” he asked, brushing aside the bangs the wind had blown across her forehead.
Linlin looked up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes and choked out, “You drank raw water again. Mom’s going to scold you.”
Jiang Chengzhou couldn’t help laughing. He patted his sister on the head. “Our Linlin has grown into a big girl.”
Linlin took a step back and looked him over.
Jiang Chengzhou was taller and broader than before. His jawline had become sharper, his skin had been tanned to a wheat-gold, and his eyes were steadier than they had been in the past. But the smile at the corners of his mouth was still as warm as ever.
“You’ve gotten old,” Linlin said. She felt sorry for her brother and deliberately teased him, but the tears continued to stream down her face.
At that, Jiang Chengzhou clutched his chest and put on an expression of deep anguish. “Your brother is clearly in the prime of his life. There’s something wrong with your eyes.”
Linlin burst out laughing through her tears.
Only after his sister stopped crying did Jiang Chengzhou relax. “How are your uncle and aunt? What about Su Li?”
“Dad’s been busy with disaster relief and hasn’t come home at all. Mom’s been busy too. As for Su Li…” Linlin turned her head and looked around before nodding toward the side. “There. He’s over there.”
Jiang Chengzhou followed her gaze and saw Su Li catching fish in a little ditch nearby.
“Su Li!” Jiang Chengzhou called.
Su Li turned around and ran over with short, eager steps.
Jiang Chengzhou’s eyelid twitched. “Su Li, how old are you?”
“One meter forty, seventy-six pounds.”
The corners of Jiang Chengzhou’s mouth twitched. That little brat knew how to avoid the question by giving his height and weight instead.
Jiang Chengzhou still had an assignment to complete and couldn’t stay long. After chatting with his brother and sister about things at home for a few minutes, he had to return to his post.
Linlin only reminded him that he absolutely had to come home once the mission was over—and that he had to take Su Li with him.
As soon as Linlin left, the others surrounded Jiang Chengzhou and began asking about her.
Some of them had been his classmates, while others were comrades he worked with. They were close enough to share the same pair of pants, but Jiang Chengzhou shut them all down.
His little sister was going to become a scientist in the future. These ordinary men were nowhere near good enough for her.
Su Lang had been away from home for two days. After working for an entire day and night, Lin Zhilan finally managed to return home.
The first floor had been flooded, and although the water had now been drained away, the smell of mugwort smoke still lingered in the air.
Lin Zhilan ate a few bites before asking about Jiang Chengzhou.
Linlin placed some food in her mother’s bowl and said with pursed lips, “Brother said they still have to go into the mountains to inspect the area for hidden dangers. Once the mission is complete, he’ll try to come home.”
There was a reservoir and a water-storage tank on the island’s mountain, used to store fresh water.
The heavy rain brought by the typhoon had pushed the water level close to the warning line.
If the spillway became blocked, the dam could easily collapse, causing flash floods and landslides.
Jiang Chengzhou still had to stand guard at the reservoir with the unit, clearing weeds, mud, and rocks from the spillway. If necessary, they would also have to divert the water and release the floodwaters.
Knowing that Jiang Chengzhou was safe, Lin Zhilan was finally able to regain some appetite and ate another bowl of rice.
Early the next morning, Lin Zhilan had to hurry back to the hospital for work.
Linlin and Su Li discussed it, then packed up a pile of food and nutritional supplements and followed the mountain path into the hills.
From the higher ground, they could see far into the distance. Looking down toward the foot of the mountain, they saw that much of the island lay in ruins.
A soldier spotted the siblings and shouted, “What are you doing here? It’s dangerous. Get down the mountain immediately.”
Su Li stepped in front of his sister. “We’re here to find someone.”
“Who?”
“Jiang Chengzhou.” Linlin held on to her brother’s arm. “I’m his sister. I wanted to bring him some things.”
The soldier came closer and got a clear look at Linlin’s face.
Linlin had gone to the pier to look for Jiang Chengzhou the day before. She had only shown her face briefly, but word had already spread throughout the unit.
“Wait here. I’ll go get him.”
Before long, Jiang Chengzhou came running over, covered in mud from head to toe. “What are you two doing here?”
Linlin handed him the things she was carrying. “These are for you.”
Jiang Chengzhou accepted them from a distance and scolded her, “You never listen. Do you have any idea how dirty and dangerous it is here?”
He had been wearing the same clothes for several days. It was the end of July, the hottest time of year on the island.
His clothes had been soaked and dried, then soaked and dried again, until they smelled sour.
Linlin pinched her nose. “You stink. There are clean clothes in the bag—your old ones. Go change.”
Jiang Chengzhou wanted to escort them down the mountain himself, so he led them to the shelter he had built.
He had the siblings sit inside while he took the clothes and a bucket of water outside. Using a plantain leaf to screen off a makeshift washroom, he quickly rinsed himself, then changed into the clean clothes and socks.
While he was gone, Linlin took out the malted milk powder from the bag. She spread Lin Zhilan’s homemade jam between slices of dry bread. As soon as Jiang Chengzhou came out, she handed it to him.
“Brother, eat something.”
Jiang Chengzhou was genuinely hungry. He set down his dirty clothes, wiped his hands, and accepted the food, taking large bites.
He knew at once that it had been made by his aunt. His eyes narrowed with pleasure.
Su Li watched from the side, swallowing repeatedly.
Jiang Chengzhou looked at him. “You want some too?”
Su Li nodded and grinned.
“In your dreams.” Jiang Chengzhou flashed him a wicked smile.
He hadn’t eaten anything his aunt had made in years. Su Li was at home every day and still wanted to mooch off him? Not a chance.
Su Li’s opinion of his brother plummeted by ten thousand points. He snorted. “I have some at home.”
Jiang Chengzhou ruffled his hair. “That’s my home too.”
Su Li pouted but didn’t argue.
As the brothers bickered, Linlin stood and looked around at their row of little shelters.
They had been thrown together simply from branches, and there wasn’t even a bed. Raincoats laid directly on the ground served as mattresses.
As for cooking, they had merely built a simple stove. Two bundles of firewood sat in front of it, while several bags of grain and lunch boxes rested on a nearby stone.
