Lu Yi had a point. Given the presence of intention, Miao Xinyuan could be charged with first-degree murder if the footage were to be submitted as evidence. On the other hand, Lu Yi would take no blame at all, since he acted out of the intention to save someone.
This might have been resolvable had Miao Xinyuan been a civilian, but she was a soldier. She knew the law yet broke it.
“One more thing,” said Instructor Huang unwillingly. “The soldier who was nearly badly hurt by Miao Xinyuan is Yan Huan.”
Most people ought to have been familiar with the name. She was, after all, ubiquitous to the public’s eye. Her face was one that was hard to forget, as was her name. Many people might share the same time, but she was the Yan Huan.
“Yan Huan? That actress?” said someone remembering.
“Yes,” nodded Instructor Huang. That actress— the best actress of that year. Her training there as a normal soldier didn’t change the fact that she was a public figure. If she was harmed, more trouble would have followed.
In the information era, the age of the internet, every idol has diehard fans who would go to any length for their idols. There’s no guessing what they might do.
“Also…” said Instructor Huang. She hoped that they would take the news well.
“Yan Huan is Lu Yi’s registered spouse…”
“How is she?” Lu Yi asked the military doctor. “Is she okay?”
The military doctor pushed his spectacles up and gestured at Lu Yi.
“Follow me.”
Lu Yi’s face darkened at the prospect of bad news.
The military doctor laid a diagnostic report before Lu Yi.
“I have got bad news,” he began. He didn’t want to say the words. This wasn’t just any bad news to Lu Yi and Yan Huan. It was a disaster.
Lu Yi pressed his hand against his forehead. The tips of his fingers felt numb.
“What is it?”
His voice was calm, but no one knows what laid behind that calm facade. From his numb fingers, you can tell that he was afraid.
He rarely was afraid. Not many things or people scared him in his life. In fact, this was a first for him.
“She has a womb injury,” sighed the doctor. It wasn’t something that can be cured easily. “It might severely affect her fertility in the future. What’s wrong with this Miao Xinyuan? Hasn’t she went through proper training? Kicking a woman on the tummy is no different than kicking on a man in the groin. It will cause problems.”
Lu Yi put his hand down slowly. He took the diagnostic report and flipped through. He didn’t understand certain medical jargon, but that mattered little. The result was apparent to anyone who could read Chinese characters.
On it were the words: Womb injury, might result in infertility. Might. The doctor had minced his words in the report.
He took it and tore it into half, and again, and again, until he had shredded it to pieces. He threw it all into the bin.
“Rest assured,” the doctor was aware of the meaning behind Lu Yi’s actions. “I saw no diagnostic reports, and will tell anyone she’s in perfect health and merely sustained some ligament injuries.”
“Thanks,” Lu Yi turned around, his back stiff as a pole.
The doctor glanced at the pieces of paper in the bin and sighed softly. What’s the point of tearing it? It wouldn’t change anything.
“She might be infertile in the future, Lu Yi. What’s your take on this? And what of your family?”
Tsk… He finally understood why there was a saying “women are the devils”. Miao Xinyuan had explained it to him.
Women were not just trouble, but venomous snakes that bite without any remorse. To him, Miao Xinyuan was the most venomous of them all.
Outside the room, Yan Huan was playing around with Lu Yi’s phone in boredom. She found herself with absolutely nothing to do after checking the news and watching some short dramas. She was fine for the most part, except for some bruises that would heal in days.
She never would have expected Miao Xinyuan to actually harm her. She believed that she wasn’t foolish enough to break the law while wearing her rank.
Lu Yi walked out and squatted down before her.
“What’s wrong?” blinked Yan Huan. “Am I ill?” She sensed that something wasn’t right. Was there some sort of complication?
“Nonsense. Why would you be ill?” Lu Yi stroked her short hair that had grown past her ears.
“Don’t cut them again. Your long hair is pretty.”
“Alright,” Yan Huan brushed her hand through her hair too. She too felt that short hair didn’t suit her. Still, she was getting used to it since it was easy to tend to. A woman with long hair will never be as agile as a woman with short hair. Conversely, the latter would never know how womanly a woman with long hair can be.
Yan Huan saw merit in both, but she preferred short hair for now. She was used to it after all. It would be troublesome to grow it out again.
But she would give it a go, since it would eventually grow longer anyway.
She rested her head on Lu Yi’s shoulders. Lu Yi stroked her short hair gently. A look of sorrow flitted across his eyes.
Don’t worry, everything’s going to be okay. No matter what happens, I will never abandon you.
The snow fall grew heavier. The coldness had seemingly ushered in the festive mood of the New Year. Another year is about to pass, and a new one is about to begin. In the sparkling splendor of winter, ice was starting to melt, as did hearts.
Yan Huan was done packing up. “Are you really not coming back after the New Year?” asked Huang Mengmeng, pouty and teary-eyed. The friendship they had forged in the past year was the real deal.
Yan Huan wrote down a string of numbers on a piece of paper and stuffed it in Huang Mengmeng’s hand. “Here’s my private number. Pay me a visit if you come to Sea City.”
Huang Mengmeng quickly kept the number and wiped her tears away. A smile finally broke out.
“I will. I will,” she smiled. Suddenly, her smile seemed a little devious.
Yan Huan blinked nervously.
Did she walk right into that one?
When she had gone out of the camp, what awaited her was snow and ice. Snowflakes fell onto her, getting caught between her lashes. Winter was at full bloom.
