Chapter 200: “shocked By What”
Noticing Grandpa Gu’s gaze, Mao Dan’er touched his face, his tone puzzled, “Grandpa Gu?”
“No, nothing.” Gu Fu tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Mao Dan’er didn’t think much about it, putting all his attention on Ning Lao Tai.
Gu Mu pulled the old man to the corner, her eyes sizing him up, “What’s going on? Why does Mao Dan’er look so strange?”
“You mean…” Gu Fu weighed his words carefully, his eyes looking at his wife, “Mao Dan’er’s dad has no remains, only a sacrifice certificate. Is there a possibility that he didn’t die?”
Gu Mu: “…”
She reached out to touch the old man’s forehead, “You don’t have a fever, do you? The certificate issued by the troops—how could that be fake!”
Gu Fu felt the same, “Then I must have seen wrong.”
“What did you see?” Gu Mu asked curiously.
“…Saw a person who looks a bit like Mao Dan’er’s dad.” Gu Fu said. Actually, it wasn’t just a bit—it was very similar. Mao Dan’er’s dad was tall with broad shoulders and deep eye sockets. In military uniform, he looked so upright. The person he saw had some differences from the one in his memory, but they really seemed cast from the same mold.
So similar.
Mao Dan’er was a replica of that face.
“People can look similar.” Gu Mu said, “Mao Dan’er’s dad sacrificed years ago. Don’t bring it up randomly, or you’ll poke at their sore spot.”
“I know.”
He wouldn’t mention it, but fate had its own arrangements.
Doctor Sun accidentally saw Mao Dan’er’s face and instantly lost his composure. He grabbed the guard’s arm, pointing at the little boy not far away.
“Look at that child quickly. What do you feel?” He stared at the guard.
The guard scratched his head, “Feels strangely familiar, heh heh.”
“…”
Where did this fool come from!
Doctor Sun nearly choked on his breath.
“Don’t you think that child looks like your leader?” he asked. Afraid the kid would say something shocking again, he added directly: “Like they were stamped from the same mold?”
The guard widened his eyes and looked. He really saw something, “…Really, he does. Like Leader’s son.”
“Right!” Doctor Sun clapped his hands. Thinking of that person’s age, he felt it wasn’t impossible.
“No way…” the guard said, “He looks only six or seven. How could he be the leader’s son?”
“Looking six or seven doesn’t mean he is six or seven.” A thoughtful glint flashed in Doctor Sun’s eyes, “Some children grow slowly.”
Without a man at home, life wouldn’t be easy.
Mao Dan’er was very perceptive and sensed someone staring at him. He looked over vigilantly and saw the military uniform on the guard. His gaze hesitated for a moment, and his tense little shoulders relaxed.
Gu Mu came to find Mao Dan’er and saw him stopped at the corner. She took the wet towel from his hand and pulled him toward the hospital room, “…Back to the hospital room. What are you standing there for?”
Mao Dan’er moved his mouth, wanting to say someone was looking at him, but felt embarrassed. He touched his ears and gave the aunt a shy smile. He didn’t look that way again and followed Gu Mu back to the hospital room.
They had just left when Leader Ning arrived, surrounded by several people, two of whom had mobility issues.
Doctor Sun and the guard wanted to mention the little boy, but now wasn’t a good time to talk, so they dropped it for now.
The imposing group walked forward, to the end, entering the largest hospital room.
The purpose of this trip was for the drug trial, right under the top leader’s watch.
The two with mobility issues were also retired soldiers, now doing clerical work in the Armed Forces Department—one with a strangely bent right leg, the other with a powerless arm.
They had suddenly been called back by the organization and were still confused, but upon hearing the reason, they agreed without hesitation.
It wasn’t the doctor’s first time; he was very familiar with the process. It was just that Leader Ning kept staring at him. The other’s gaze was very oppressive. If not for his solid expertise, his hands would be shaking badly by now.
Fortunately, it went smoothly.
The male doctor wiped the sweat beading on his forehead, his voice light and steady, “Next, just wait for the drug to take effect. You’ll feel pain—that’s normal. Try not to move around, or it will affect the treatment.”
One soldier said: “Pain’s no problem, as long as it works.”
No matter how painful, it couldn’t compare to being forced to leave the troops and comrades back then… that heartache.
“Right.” The other soldier said, “We’re soldiers. We can weather wind and rain. Pain’s nothing.”
Leader Ning’s expression showed approval.
Yes.
Which soldier hasn’t been injured or scarred?
But for defending the country, they just don’t complain about pain or fatigue.
Soon, the two soldiers felt their old injury sites heating up, burning like fire, as if their skin and flesh were splitting open.
After the scorching sensation came the pain.
Pain like being sliced one cut at a time.
The tough man who said he wasn’t afraid of pain was sweating profusely, his teeth clenched together, making grinding sounds.
Doctor Sun couldn’t bear to watch and gave each a piece of softwood to bite on.
Don’t heal the leg just to break the teeth.
The soldier comrades took the softwood and bit down. The moment they relaxed their teeth, low pain groans escaped their mouths.
Damn, it really hurts!
The torment continued, the pain intensifying. Gradually, they couldn’t control slight trembling.
The doctor stood by, quickly recording.
【…The older the injury, the stronger the pain, and the longer it lasts.】
This was a new conclusion.
Doctor Sun wasn’t idle either. He sat by the two soldiers, taking their pulses one by one. He felt their pulses growing stronger and stronger, surprise appearing in his eyes.
Strange.
But it was good.
He nodded to Leader Ning.
Leader Ning’s furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
After a while, the two soldiers, whose faces had been twisted in pain, slowly eased their expressions, spat out the softwood, and smiled.
“No more pain.” The first soldier to remove the softwood said.
The other followed suit, “My arm feels numb, but stronger.”
Their words were full of excitement.
Leader Ning couldn’t sit still and stood up.
Time passed.
The two drug trial soldiers felt no sensation in their injury sites and stood up at the same time. One took tentative steps forward; the other carefully swung his arm.
After testing, they found it different!
The former’s leg could stand straight, and walking was no problem—perfectly upright; the latter’s arm could straighten and bend, and he could lift a cup to drink water without issue.
Bright light burst from their resolute eyes.
“I can walk?!”
“My arm works again?!”
The moment the words left their mouths, they burst into laughter together.
“If comrades suffer injuries like ours in the future, they won’t have to leave by force. Great!”
“Thank the country, thank the organization, thank the doctor…”
The thanked doctor waved his hands hurriedly, “Don’t thank me. I’m ashamed. Someone else made this drug.”
He glanced at Leader Ning, looking taboo.
Almost openly saying that person’s identity was sensitive.
Leader Ning narrowed his eyes.
He had an idea in his mind and didn’t ask more for now.
If that person had real skills, he didn’t care what sensitive identity they had—they should go where they belonged!
The Military Region Hospital was short on good doctors.
Confirming the drug really worked, Leader Ning was determined to get it.
“This drug…” His tone paused slightly, “Who should I talk to?”
“Knock knock knock!” The hospital room door was knocked on.
The guard pushed open the door, “Leader, Comrade Yang is here for you.”
Yang?
Leader Ning instantly knew who it was.
Before people from the Military Region arrived, the Yang Family and Jiang Family had mediated to keep the drug from speculators.
All good comrades.
He nodded politely to the people in the hospital room and walked out.
Seeing it was a young man wasn’t surprising.
The two went to the dean’s office for a private talk.
From Yang Yunzhi, he learned the drug maker was a bad element raising pigs in the brigade. Leader Ning felt pained.
Let such talent raise pigs?
His face darkened.
What nonsense.
“That’s not a problem.” Leader Ning said gravely.
Yang Yunzhi was delighted.
Half of Cheng Huai’s entrustment was done!
He added: “This drug is useless without the prescription. There’s an uncommon herb in it, only that comrade has it, and only he knows how to cultivate it. Why not let him join the Military Region to grow herbs specifically? That’s worth far more than him raising pigs.”
That was exactly Leader Ning’s plan.
No emotion showed on his stern face.
“The organization will arrange it.”
Yang Yunzhi said no more.
Fine, those in power don’t like others meddling. He understood—his grandfather was the same, saying what he meant without backtalk.
He obediently handed over the prescription.
At this point, he’d done what he needed to. The rest was up to others.
Cheng Huai should have arranged it, right?
Indeed—
Leader Ning had been missing for years, his connections long gone. To overturn the Meng Family case, he still needed the Yun Family.
Old Master Yun was an old revolutionary with plenty of comrades in high positions—his network was formidable. He was willing to protect anyone who contributed to the country or soldiers.
Upon receiving the telegram from the junior he admired, he acted immediately.
The Meng Family’s exoneration file had just come down.
After handling the main business, Leader Ning wanted to take people back to the guesthouse, planning to go to Fengshou Brigade tomorrow to see that uncommon herb.
As they walked, Doctor Sun spoke up, “I saw a boy earlier.”
Leader Ning turned his head to look at him.
“And then?”
Before Doctor Sun could speak, the guard couldn’t hold back, “That child looks exactly like you, especially the brows and eyes.”
Leader Ning didn’t take it to heart.
People can look similar—normal.
“Leader, do you have a son?” the guard said, “Could that child be your son?”
He idolized the leader and put extra heart into everything about him.
While Leader Ning negotiated with local officials, the guard went to inquire about the boy.
Thanks to his uniform, it went fairly smoothly.
Hearing the guard’s words, Leader Ning’s head suddenly ached.
“I have your seed now…”
“By your next return, the baby in my belly will be out. If you’re late, the baby will call you dad!”
“Stay safe, come back safe. You haven’t heard the child call you dad yet.”
“Don’t worry about your parents. I’m at home. You focus on defending the home and country. We’ll wait for you.”
“…Don’t forget to write!”
Words carried by the wind rang in his ears.
He clutched his throbbing head, nearly unsteady, leaning on the wall as some image rushed to emerge.
The guard saw the leader’s headache starting again and said quickly, “Doctor Sun, quick, get your needles and stick the leader’s head!”
Doctor Sun: “…”
Leader Ning’s head hurt terribly, his ink-black eyes turning red.
He looked at the guard.
Forcing himself, he asked: “That boy… what’s the situation?”
The guard hurriedly shared what he’d investigated, “The Ning Family has just a grandma and grandson. Heard they had a soldier son who sacrificed long ago.”
“When news of that son’s sacrifice came, his wife had a difficult birth and delivered that child, then passed away a few years later from illness. Later, the child’s grandfather died, and the old lady raises the grandson on the monthly pension…”
These were very unfamiliar to Leader Ning. He couldn’t match every detail, yet his eyes grew hot, his throat as if blocked.
Realizing his emotions were off, he looked at the guard, “Which hospital room are they in?”
After speaking, the usually rational man knew he’d acted impulsively but didn’t regret it. He vaguely felt he wouldn’t regret going.
The guard looked worried, “Aren’t you having a headache?”
Blue veins bulged on the leader’s forehead—a sign of severe pain.
“It’s fine.”
The guard glanced at Doctor Sun. With him here, it should be okay.
“Room “
Almost the instant he got the info, Leader Ning strode upstairs.
On the third floor, his gaze swept over and quickly locked on
He walked over and stopped at the door.
Through the small window in the door, he saw the people inside.
The slightly older woman rubbed the head of the little boy with his back to the door, smiling as she said something.
This must be the child Old Sun mentioned, the one who looks just like him?
Unaccountably, the tall soldier outside felt nervous.
Leader Ning was surprised.
He’d never felt nervous even on the toughest missions.
The guard saw the leader standing at the door, unmoving for a long time. Wanting to remind him, he was held back by Doctor Sun’s hand on his shoulder.
The half-white-haired old doctor shook his head.
What kind of blockhead was this—no insight at all!
Dopey.
“Don’t make a sound. Pretend you’re a wooden post.” Doctor Sun reminded in a low voice.
The guard was dopey but obedient. His mom taught him from childhood: if you’re dumb, listen to smart people. That’s what he did—look how well his future was going.
Thinking this, the tall dopey guy grinned foolishly.
The hospital room door was suddenly knocked on, and Mao Dan’er rushed to open it.
Several strangers outside, all so tall. The child felt oppressed and stepped back a bit.
“Who are you looking for?” he asked.
Leader Ning faced the little boy’s face directly, his heartbeat suddenly accelerating.
He felt struck by something.
His calm, sharp mind went blank instantly.
“You…” Leader Ning’s voice was dry, staring at Mao Dan’er, unable to recover for a long time.
Such a close feeling.
Just looking at this tender little face softened his heart, which had been still as an ancient well. He wanted to give him the best things.
“What’s your name?”
Mao Dan’er had no guard against anyone in military uniform.
He tried hard to look up at the man and said: “I’m Mao Dan’er, Ning Mao Dan’er.”
“Mao Dan’er…” Leader Ning’s gaze softened, “Very cute name.”
The guard looked at the leader’s back of the head in absurdity, his face showing horror.
He’d never heard the leader speak in such a gentle tone. Was this still him?!
“…Thank you.” Mao Dan’er replied politely.
He openly sized up Leader Ning without fear, calmly asking: “Did you knock because you need something?”
As the words fell, Gu Mu snapped out of her daze, her voice tight, “Are you Ming De?”
Leader Ning didn’t deny it immediately, his gaze falling on her face.
“Do you know me?”
As he asked, his sharp jawline tightened, complex emotions hard to describe in his heart.
Gu Mu: “…”
Gu Mu didn’t know if she should know him.
The old man was right—this person’s brows and eyes matched Mao Dan’er’s exactly, very like the person in their memory. But… the way he looked at her was unfamiliar.
It shouldn’t be.
If it was that person, he wouldn’t fail to recognize them, right?
The people at the door were talking, and Ning Lao Tai on the hospital bed opened her eyes.
