Xu Nianqing wanted to cry, but couldn't.
This is what happens when one is plunged into extreme sorrow.
She wanted to take off her white coat, but no matter how she searched, she couldn't find the place to unbutton it, nearly tearing the coat in frustration.
Shangguan Yu'an immediately took Xu Nianqing's hand. "I'll help you."
After taking off her white coat, Xu Nianqing wanted to find a place to be alone. Shangguan Yu'an wished to accompany her, lest Xu Nianqing attempt suicide.
"I won't take my own life. I just want to be alone," Xu Nianqing said, her eyes vacant.
Under her insistence, Shangguan Yu'an could only let Xu Nianqing go.
Xu Nianqing, as if her soul had been lost, instinctively went to Ninghai University and sat withered on a bench by the campus lake.
Several black swans were gliding on the lake.
Xu Nianqing's gaze never left these black swans.
She remembered.
The first time they had a date, they sat on this very bench counting black swans. That was the beginning of all their happiness.
Even now.
Xu Nianqing still remembered every detail of their time together, likely something she would never forget in her lifetime.
"It's all my fault..."
"If only I had stuck to my guns and not gone abroad to study according to my father's wishes, perhaps we would still be together. Then you wouldn't have joined the army, and this wouldn't have happened."
"Chen Jinzhao, you're truly a scoundrel!"
"How could you abandon Yu Mengzhi and just leave like this?"
"..."
Xu Nianqing sat on the bench muttering to herself, completely oblivious to the strange glances from the students on campus.
How she wished that when she closed her eyes and opened them again, she would see the eighteen-year-old boy from the depths of her memory standing in the sunlight, smiling at her.
If only she could return to the beginning.
Xu Nianqing would have resisted with all her might and held onto that boy's hand!
"If life were only like the first meeting, why would the autumn wind grieve over the painted fan?"
Lingnan, provincial capital.
After joining her new unit, Tao Qiyue immersed herself in work day and night, believing this was the only way to forget the past.
But in the intervals between work, she still remembered that young man whose heart burned with ideals.
On this day.
Tao Qiyue finished working on a case and sat by the window, gazing outside.
Unsure of what she was thinking about, Tao Qiyue sat there in a daze.
Only when the cheers of her colleagues reached her ears did Tao Qiyue look out the window blankly, seeing snowflakes falling gently from the overcast sky.
They say Lingnan has no snow.
But that's only true most of the time. Historical records mention many instances of snow in Lingnan.
The snow falling again now left Tao Qiyue stunned.
She had once told herself that if it snowed in Lingnan, she would go back to see Chen Jinzhao, but without disturbing his life.
"I once thought of watching the snow with you in Lingnan. I thought it was just an unrealistic fantasy," Tao Qiyue felt this must be a sign from heaven.
She could go back during the Spring Festival holiday.
Tao Qiyue pursed her lips and smiled. No one knew why she was so happy.
She opened her phone, about to contact Xu Yaoyao, when Xu Yaoyao suddenly sent her a message. As she read the message, her mind exploded.
That person was dead.
Under her colleagues' questioning gazes, Tao Qiyue covered her face and wept, then quickly packed her belongings and left the unit.
No one knew what had happened.
Western suburbs of the capital, the highest combat command center.
Xu Hanchen returned to the command center. It was evident that the old man was in a terrible mood.
Li Buyan said, "Please accept my condolences."
Xu Hanchen took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening.
A chilling aura emanated from him, causing Qin Jianguo and Li Buyan to look solemn.
"Is there anything we can do for Chen Jinzhao?" Xu Hanchen asked.
Li Buyan nodded.
Qin Jianguo agreed with Xu Hanchen's suggestion, saying slowly, "If we do nothing, wouldn't it be a blatant declaration to the whole world that Hua Guo is a weakling to be trampled upon? Moreover, our external environment is dire, and we need to carve a bloody path."
"What are your thoughts?" Li Buyan asked.
Before Qin Jianguo could speak, Xu Hanchen said, "Have you noticed a detail? The military aircraft that shot down Chen Jinzhao's were not from Miteri, but belonged to Xinluo. This indicates that Miteri is afraid of pushing us too far and also fears being caught red-handed. Therefore, I am certain Miteri will not escalate the conflict over this incident, which means we can exert extreme pressure on them."
"How specifically?" Li Buyan had already guessed the general idea but wanted to get the precise answer from Xu Hanchen.
Xu Hanchen snorted, "We will do as Miteri did."
"First, execute the Miteri high-ranking individuals under our control. Second, have Baizi north of Xinluo begin shelling, to apply pressure from the south. Third, shoot down the Xinluo military aircraft involved in this operation, without direct confrontation with Miteri."
"If necessary, we can sink one or two Xinluo warships, to let those people be Chen Jinzhao's funeral offering!"
Li Buyan nodded.
Qin Jianguo also agreed with this proposal, stating grimly, "Do these dogs really think we are gentle rabbits? Even the gentlest rabbit will bite when pushed too hard."
Orders were passed down and quickly distributed to the front lines.
In the Eastern Ying command center.
Miller was very satisfied with the combat reports from the front lines and breathed a sigh of relief.
The adjutant smiled obsequiously, "Mr. Miller, the dragon Chen Jinzhao has been slain. It is predictable that Hua Guo will unlikely produce another rising star like Chen Jinzhao. This mission has finally been successfully completed. Congratulations."
Miller chuckled, "Don't celebrate too early. We should first observe Hua Guo's reaction. You know, Hua Guo is Miteri's only enemy."
The adjutant, however, was dismissive and even said with a hint of mockery, "In my opinion, Hua Guo will never risk their lives for just one person. At most, they'll issue a condemnation at a press conference and forget about it in a few days."
Miller hummed.
This was the most likely scenario, but he had to guard against it.
Ring ring!
The private line on Miller's desk rang. The adjutant tactfully moved aside.
Miller picked up the phone and said, "This is the Eastern Ying Command Center, Miller speaking. What's the progress from the front?"
"General Miller, eighteen Hua Guo fighter jets have broken through the defense line and have reached the coast of Eastern Ying. Their targets are Xinluo military aircraft and warships. The Xinluo aircraft that executed the combat mission earlier have been shot down. They are also searching for other Xinluo targets!"
"How should we respond next, General Miller, please instruct!"
On the phone.
The sounds of explosions could be heard intermittently.
Miller's expression turned ashen, as if he could wring water from it.
"Damn it!"
"Didn't everyone say Hua Guo is a gentle rabbit? How dare they openly enter Eastern Ying airspace and open fire to shoot down military aircraft?"
"Respond with artillery immediately. First, drive them away. If they still don't leave, shoot them down!"