Lin Shiheng opened his eyes to a stark white hospital room. A young nurse in a white uniform was helping him remove the IV drip. When she saw that he was awake, she exclaimed with surprise, “Commander Lin, you’re awake?”
“Yeah,” he replied, moving his arm and feeling a sharp pain that made him frown slightly. “How long have I been asleep?”
“You’ve been unconscious for four days. Sister Miao is very worried; she has been taking care of you every day.”
She had expected that her words would elicit gratitude from Commander Lin, but he seemed not to hear her at all. He pushed himself up, his handsome features—different from other commanders—showing a slight frown. “Has the news of my injury been communicated to my family?”
“It should not have been. Um, Commander Lin, please don’t use your left hand just yet; it cannot handle any strain.”
“Is Zhang Yanming here?”
“Yes, Vice Commander Zhang visited you just a while ago, so he shouldn’t be far.”
She reached out to support him, but Lin Shiheng avoided her hand and sat up by himself. His voice was hoarse from four days in a coma as he softly requested, “Could you please call Zhang Yanming for me and bring me some paper and a pen?”
He was good-looking, clearly not the popular muscular man of modern standards. Despite his pale appearance from being unconscious for four days, he still looked handsome. When his serious eyes turned towards the nurse, she inexplicably felt her face flush.
She quickly took a step back, stammering, “Okay, please wait a moment; I will call Vice Commander Zhang right now.”
After she left, Lin Shiheng glanced at his bandaged left arm. He took a painkiller, and as the pain subsided, he began to explore the memories in his mind.
The original host had joined the military after graduating high school and, at 25 years old, had already achieved the rank of commander. He had sustained injuries while conducting mine clearance operations and was sent to the military hospital for treatment.
He had been injured multiple times before, and it was during his time in the military hospital that he met a nurse named Miao Xing. She was both lovely and shapely, and every time the original host was injured, she would tenderly care for him. Their relationship grew ambiguous, but neither had spoken of it—there was an unspoken understanding between them.
Now that he had sustained serious injuries and Miao Xing had been by his side caring for him, there was a mutual deepening of feelings once he finally awakened, leading to the decision for them to be together.
However, before this, the original host had a wife named He Xuezhu, who was also Lin Shiheng’s primary task target.
In that era, it was common for people to marry young. At 25, many were already parents, and the original host was no exception, having become someone else’s husband.
He hailed from a rural background, with his father having passed away early. His mother had only him as her only child. Due to a bad relationship with her in-laws, she had taken him and moved out to live alone, raising her only son, who eventually became a soldier, hoping he would be the one to carry on their family name.
They married through an arranged meeting; on the day of their engagement, the original host was absent while his mother selected the bride. They only met two months later when the original host managed to secure a brief leave to spend time with her, but he left again shortly thereafter without much quality time together.
Such infrequent meetings and a lack of prior acquaintance left the original host indifferent toward He Xuezhu, who managed the household and cared for his mother. He would send half of his income back home monthly, which, for a time, was more than enough for their needs. Although he could have applied for his family to live with him, he always postponed it, citing He Xuezhu’s wish to stay behind to take care of his mother as the reason.
The two were married for three years, and the original host’s visits home were few and far between. His education had ended at high school, while He Xuezhu had dropped out in elementary school and struggled with literacy. Increasingly, he found it harder to communicate with his wife, often preferring to remain at the military base instead of returning home. Even when he returned, he would often decline intimacy, claiming exhaustion, which made it normal for He Xuezhu to not conceive for three years.
His mother, however, held a different opinion, feeling disappointed that the substantial dowry she had paid for her daughter-in-law had not produced any children after three years. At 25, she couldn’t comprehend why her son had not even fathered a child to continue the family line. When he was away, she would frequently criticize He Xuezhu, harboring disdain toward her.
It’s easy to envision the life of He Xuezhu, who faced disdain from her husband, grievances from her mother-in-law, and the burden of her poor family who only came to borrow money each visit.
Once the original host recovered, he decided to take Miao Xing back home, divorce He Xuezhu, and marry Miao Xing. He felt guilty for his wife, who had taken care of the family for three years, and planned to offer some of his savings as compensation.