Chapter Ten: The Radiance of Pearls and Jade

"Knock, knock!"

A rhythmic, polite series of knocks sounded at the door, followed by a warm, familiar address that interrupted the family’s heavy silence and despair.

"Uncle Jiang, Auntie!"

The Jiang family turned to look, and their eyes instantly brightened. Standing in the open doorway was a tall, imposing young man who had just strode into the room.

His appearance was truly striking. Beneath a simple, close-cropped buzz cut lay a remarkably refined bone structure. Clad in a blue flight training suit, he stood as steady as a pine and moved with the grace of the wind. His eyes were as sharp as a falcon’s, and his demeanor was heroic and spirited. Even in a world filled with dull shades of black, blue, and gray, he was dazzling, casting a glow that seemed to make the humble hospital room shine like a jewel.

Had he been walking down the street, anyone who saw him would surely have praised him as a handsome, spirited young man, drawing eyes that could not help but linger.

For the first time, Jiang Jingzhu understood the true, visceral impact of what it meant to have a "divine" appearance.

"Oh, Xiao Yin, you're here? Are you finished with your duties?"

Seeing him, even with the clouds of worry hanging over them, Jiang Baoshan and Tong Shufen couldn't help but perk up and greet him warmly. This young man was, after all, their Zhuzhu’s savior!

He had been a handsome child, and now that he was grown, he was even more remarkable. Just looking at him brightened their spirits.

"Things have settled down for now, so I stopped by on my way to see how classmate Jingzhu is doing. Has she improved?" Yin Zhen asked earnestly.

Born in early '42, when the fires of war had yet to be extinguished, he had grown up on the fringes of shifting battlefields. He had enlisted as a teenager, and the brief period of stability in his childhood in Qin Province remained the brightest and most relaxed memory of his early life.

"You're still the same as when you were a child—just call me Da Zhen; it sounds so much closer!" He handed the tin of malted milk powder he had brought to the Jiang couple.

"Why bring so many things? You should keep them for yourself. You pilots have heavy missions and your bodies take a lot of strain; you need to take care of your own health even more!"

"Zhuzhu is better, much better! She woke up yesterday. The doctor said we were incredibly lucky—there were no lingering complications, and she can basically be discharged tomorrow! Just yesterday, Zhuzhu was saying she wanted to thank you properly!" Tong Shufen immediately turned to her daughter and called out, "Zhuzhu, Zhuzhu, this is your Brother Yin Zhen, the one who rushed you to the hospital in time!"

"Comrade Yin, thank you for your timely help!" If this had been last year, before the school restructuring, they would have been comrades-in-arms. Jiang Jingzhu straightened herself, offered Yin Zhen a sincere military salute, and pushed back her quilt, intent on getting out of bed to bow in gratitude. A life-saving grace was something that had to be acknowledged properly.

"Classmate Jingzhu, there is no need for such formalities. Uncle, Auntie, you are being too serious. It was only right; anyone who encountered that situation would have done the same!" He had simply been in the right place at the right time.

Yin Zhen took a long stride to the bedside, returned the salute with solemn precision, and stopped Jiang Jingzhu from getting out of bed.

"I happened to have some vouchers on hand. Just treat it like something from Jing’an; it’s just a small gesture from me to help out."

The fact that the little sister of the Jiang family had woken up was wonderful news!

At the time, when he had confirmed it was truly the Jiangs' youngest, he realized that since Jiang Jing’an was far away at the border, he likely wouldn't make it back in time even if he applied for leave. He had chosen to notify the Jiang parents directly, as his family had always maintained ties with them and he still remembered their contact information.

Tong Shufen, filled with gratitude, began to make arrangements: "Good child, it’s all thanks to you for happening upon her and getting Zhuzhu to the hospital for emergency care in time to save her. Your uncle and I must thank you properly. You absolutely cannot leave at noon; let your Uncle Jiang treat you to a meal!"

With Zhuzhu away at school on her own, they hadn't even known when the accident happened.

It was all thanks to Xiao Yin, who had looked after Zhuzhu during the emergency, settled her in, and notified them so she wasn't left alone without anyone to care for her. If they had waited for the hospital to contact the school and then find their information, who knows how long it would have taken.

It is easy to add flowers to a brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow.

The fact that this young man still kept them in his thoughts and specifically came to visit Zhuzhu after his shift meant the world to them; their hearts were truly overflowing with joy!

They didn't know what he needed or what he liked, but a home-cooked meal was a necessity!

"Auntie, you're being too formal with me. Jing’an and I are comrades who have been through life and death together. When I was small, I ate your cooking more than a few times—I didn't go hungry!"

Since reconnecting with Jing’an, the thing he heard most about was how his little sister was doing, how clever and outstanding she was, and that she would surely become a scientist who would develop the most advanced warships and aircraft. He even joked that one day he might get to fly a plane that his own sister had helped design...

That blockhead had no idea how much talent was required to develop such cutting-edge machinery, burdening his own sister with such heavy expectations!

But for a young girl to be admitted to Huining Military Industrial University with such high marks was truly extraordinary!

For such a clever girl, if she hadn't woken up, the blow to the Jiang family would have been devastating!

When he had handed her over to the hospital staff to go on his mission, the doctor's prognosis hadn't been good. As soon as he finished his work, he had made time to come over to see if there was good news.

"Auntie, I noticed you all looked a bit troubled just now. Is there something that isn't going well? Is there anything I can do?"

The look on their faces before he entered hadn't been good. Since it wasn't because her injuries had relapsed, there must be something else bothering them.

He had ties to the Jiang family not only from being cared for in his youth but also through his brotherhood with Jing’an and the fact that they had once shielded his father. Their relationship was deep; having encountered this, Yin Zhen would certainly not stand idly by.

"Da Zhen isn't an outsider. Your uncle and I are just worried about what to do with Zhuzhu. You know the current situation. Now that Zhuzhu has only just recovered, those heartless, rotten people at the school want to slap labels on her, condemn her, and send her away to the countryside."

"Your uncle and I truly can't bear to see her go off and suffer! We've been selfishly thinking that if there's no other way, we'll try to find a way to transfer her files and bring her home to recover!"

They had no regrets about sacrificing their own blood and sweat for the country, but they couldn't bear to watch their child suffer.

"If Zhuzhu were a boy, your uncle and I wouldn't have the slightest hesitation; a man should be tempered by hardship!" Since they were small, they had raised all their children with that same spirit of patriotism and consistency.

The three older ones were all working diligently in their respective posts: their eldest daughter had answered the call to go to university to serve the people, their eldest son had joined the military to serve the country, and their youngest daughter had earned her place at a military-industrial university. Even the most restless of the three, the middle child, was now working steadily at his job without complaint.

But Zhuzhu was still young, and she was a girl—in the prime of her life. When people become malicious, it’s impossible to guard against every move.

"After going through this, if something else happens to Zhuzhu, our old bones really won't be able to take it!" Wiping her heated eyes, the usually strong-willed Tong Shufen showed a rare moment of vulnerability.

There was no shame in admitting she couldn't protect her child. As long as there was even a glimmer of a chance to arrange things properly for Zhuzhu, she wouldn't give up.

If she truly owed a debt of gratitude, she would spend the rest of her life working to repay it, but she wouldn't gamble with Zhuzhu's safety!

"Mom, it hasn't reached that point yet. If I apply myself, I can still break the deadlock!" It wasn't about being aloof; it was that Jiang Jingzhu truly couldn't bear to see her parents agonizing and bowing to others on her behalf.

Just as her parents couldn't bear to see her suffer, love was mutual.

This was only the beginning, and there would be a long, arduous time ahead. If she left the school environment, she would no longer be affected by the toxic atmosphere there!

She had never thought about arguing too much with those people. Even if she took down one "Zhang," there would be another "Li."

The current climate gave opportunities to opportunists. Once their protective cover was stripped away, those people were nothing—not even worth the effort of keeping an eye on.

Her time was precious. She had no time to waste on scum who would be purged sooner or later.