He was a disabled military officer who doted on his research work in the Northwest.

Chen Zhiyuan gripped his chopsticks without saying a word.

The person the regimental commander mentioned as having connections was her. Last time, when she acted rashly, it was because she said the regimental commander was ill and needed to worry more, that the opportunity was too good to pass up, and that since Commander Mu was still sick, there was no need to add to the trouble of reporting everything; things should be done in advance, and only discussed after they were done properly.

Actually, it's my own fault for being too easily swayed. The commander was right to reprimand me, and I won't change my ways in the future.

He picked up his glass, took a sip of water, and didn't look at her again. "Yes, you don't understand."

Liu Fang stood to the side, stiffened for a moment, and sensed the subtle change in the atmosphere.

He shouldn't have reacted like this. He would always tell her what he was thinking, but today—

Maybe I'm overthinking it.

With a smile on her face, she said, "Go wash your hands and eat."

……

Lu Yanzhi visited again, this time on Sunday.

The day before, Shen Tang specially switched shifts with the hospital, moving her Sunday morning clinic to Wednesday afternoon, so that she could spend the whole day accompanying Lu Yanzhi for sample collection.

She had calculated everything perfectly: Mu Qinghan went to the hospital for rehabilitation therapy every Sunday morning without fail, and didn't return until noon. The courtyard was quiet during that half-day, which allowed Lu Yanzhi to take samples freely without worrying about being questioned.

As a result, early Sunday morning, she came out of the kitchen with breakfast in her hand—

Mu Qinghan sat on a rattan chair under the eaves of the main hall.

He was basking in the sun, flipping through a book, his cane leaning against the chair. He looked completely relaxed, as if he wasn't going anywhere that day.

Shen Tang paused in her steps.

Aren't you going to the hospital today?

"I'm not going." Mu Qinghan turned a page of her book without looking up. "It's cold, I'm too lazy to go."

"...You also said it was cold last week." She looked at him questioningly.

"It's even colder this week."

Shen Tang glanced out the window—a bright, sunny day, calm and warm, a rare treat since the start of winter. "You haven't gone out for two weekends in a row, are you alright?"

I know what I'm doing.

Hmm? Did he know that Teacher Lu was coming, so he—

She placed breakfast on the small table next to him, not exposing his lie, but simply saying, "That's good. Anyway, Professor Lu will be coming to collect samples soon, and he'll probably be here all morning. You being home—you can help me entertain the guest."

Mu Qinghan's hand tightened on the pages of the book. "Teacher Lu is here again?" His tone was indifferent. "He just came last week."

Still pretending? Shen Tang found his reaction amusing. "Sampling will take several weeks in a row."

Shen Tang dragged a small stool over and sat down next to him, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at him. "He said that changes in the microbial community need to be monitored continuously, at least seven or eight more times."

"Seven or eight times," Mu Qinghan repeated, putting the book down on the table. "He's quite diligent."

That expression—calm on the face, sarcastic remarks, and the cover of the book in his hand was almost crumpled from being squeezed.

Shen Tang suppressed a laugh. "Yes, of course Professor Lu is diligent. He's from Beijing, and I heard he used to work at the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences." She deliberately softened her voice and leaned closer. "He isolated several strains of bacteria all by himself; he knows so much—"

Mu Qinghan turned her head to look at her.

That look in his eyes was colder than the northwest wind.

"It seems you admire him?" he asked, his tone much the same as usual.

"Yeah, who doesn't admire him?" Shen Tang, with innocent eyes, slowly added fuel to the fire. "The things he knows, you won't find another person in the entire Northwest who can discuss them with me—"

Before she could finish speaking, Mu Qinghan slammed the book shut.

"I'll keep you company." He stood up, leaning on his cane, looking down at her sitting on the small stool, his jaw clenched. "Anyway, I have nothing else to do today."

Shen Tang suppressed a laugh and obediently nodded, "Okay. Then I'll trouble you, Brother Qinghan."

Mu Qinghan walked into the courtyard with his cane, ignoring her completely.

Shen Tang followed behind, watching his back straighten out in a huff, and finally couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Mu Qinghan had excellent hearing, and upon hearing her laughter, he walked even faster.

……

Just then—

A loud bang came from afar.

A dull, sharp sound, accompanied by the cracking of metal, slammed into the ground like a heavy hammer.

The book in Mu Qinghan's hand fell.

Shen Tang suddenly stood up.

horizon--

A plume of black smoke rose into the air. Thick and swirling, it was a startling sight against the gray December sky.

It's the direction of the machinery factory.

After the explosion, a second wave of impact followed—more muffled, like rumbling thunder rolling from underground.

The sheets drying in the yard rustled loudly in the hot wind brought up by the gust of air.

"Commander! Commander!"

Xiao Li's voice came from the front yard, as hurried as a gust of wind.

Shen Tang's heart tightened, and she immediately turned and ran to the front yard.

Xiao Li nearly bumped into the gate frame as he rushed into the courtyard, clutching a walkie-talkie, his forehead covered in sweat: "Something's happened at the machinery factory!"

Mu Qinghan had already come out of the main room and was standing on the porch, leaning on her cane.

"What's going on?" His voice instantly calmed down, and the awkwardness he had felt earlier vanished.

Xiao Li handed over the walkie-talkie, his hand trembling: "The commander wants you to answer the phone—"

Commander Su Zhenguo's deep voice came through the walkie-talkie, mixed with static:

"Qinghan, a series of explosions have occurred in Workshop No. 3 of the Municipal Machinery Factory. Local rescue forces are severely insufficient, and the Municipal Party Committee has just requested emergency assistance from the Military Region. I now order you to take full command of the on-site rescue—to allocate medical resources and coordinate with local rescue efforts. The Military Region Hospital will provide full support. Understand?"

"Understood! I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Mu Qinghan's reply was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

"The provincial investigation team will arrive tomorrow. You need to cooperate, but don't overstep your authority."

"Yes."

The walkie-talkie disconnected.

Mu Qinghan cut off the communication, turned to Xiao Li, and said rapidly, "Pass on my order: inform Chen Zhiyuan to bring his engineering platoon to assemble and board the vehicle within five minutes!"

Mu Qinghan leaned her cane against a pillar in the corridor and personally called the dean.

"Dean, this is Mu Qinghan. There's been an accident at the machinery factory—a large number of injured people are being brought in immediately. The highest level red alert has been activated! All medical staff on leave must return to their posts immediately! Prepare the emergency room, operating room, and blood—yes, all available medical personnel must be on duty. If you run out of medicine, report it, and I'll coordinate immediately."

He walked out while talking, and Shen Tang followed behind.

"I'll go too," she said. "There are too many wounded, and we don't have enough people. I can help."

Mu Qinghan turned to look at her and nodded.

Ten minutes later. At the training ground.

Chen Zhiyuan had already assembled the first battalion's engineer platoon and medical squad, with more than thirty men lined up neatly on the parade ground, fully equipped.

Mu Qinghan was pushed to the front of the line in a wheelchair—there were too many things to deal with, and she couldn't afford to waste her energy on crutches.

"Chen Zhiyuan."

"arrive!"