Bai Oulan had sacrificed so much to achieve everything she now had. Why should this girl just arrive and try to snatch away her title as the Union Flower? Just a bastard daughter from the countryside, a mere village girlâwhat right did she have to compare to her?
As glorious as Sheng Ning was now, so too would her future be tragic.
*****
The day of the Spring Festival Gala arrived in an instantâtoday was the last day of the lunar year 1983. In preparation, the General Union Song and Dance Troupe had been training intensively in seclusion. By the Spring Festival, the entire General Union and the district were immersed in a sea of joy. Comrades with annual leave had already gone home for holidays, but most still remained at their front-line posts.
There were many activities during New Yearâs, various meetings, and various employee recognition events; even those who couldnât go home wouldnât feel lonely.
Especially for those comrades who performed excellentlyâthere were selections at the squad level and at the regimental level. If one could make it to an event organized by the General Union or the Rescue Association, or even participate in the organized gala evening, it would be a tremendous honor.
At this time, the most stifled atmosphere belonged to the War Wolf Rescue Team; their captain, newly married, had not returned from a mission, and although the secrecy operations were well handled, everyone was aware.
The difficulty of the mission must be great, otherwise, the captain himself wouldnât have gone. And with such a long duration without return, it left me worrying.
Shen Feihu understood this clearly; over these days, he had made numerous calls to the Southern forces. Citing confidentiality, they had not revealed a word, which made him quite passive. He mentally cursed a bunch of bastardsâwithout their dallying, how could command have fallen to the Southern forces?
"Letâs go check on the War Wolf Rescue Team; these wolf cubs are probably cursing me behind my backs!" Shen Feihu left the office, heading down with his people.
"Yes!"
A group hurried outside when suddenly, from the communications office, someone rushed over, gasping for breath.
"President, President..."
"What is it? Speak!" Shen Feihu waited to board the vehicle, urging impatiently.
"Living Yamaâno, Captain Xu wants to speak with you."
"Are you saying Xu Qigang?" Shen Feihu had one foot in the vehicle already but turned sharply at these words, startling everyone.
"Right, do you want to take the call?"
"Connect it, immediately reroute the call to my office."
"Yes, President!"
Shen Feihu quickly ran back to his office and picked up the phone, shouting into it, "You bastard, you finally decided to call?"
"Iâm sorry, President!" Xu Qigangâs voice was low and hoarse over the phone, his solemn apology coming through, "We lost the satellite phone as soon as we arrived in S countryâs territory, so I couldnât report to you in time."
"I understand!" Shen Feihuâs expression was stern, "Where are you now? Are you injured?"
"Iâm not!" Xu Qigang answered firmly. Chen Yingjie was vaguely shouting something in the background before Xu Qigang kicked him silent.
"How about Chen Yingjie? How is he?"
"He is fine too!" Now Xu Qigangâs voice sounded much more relaxed. The presidentâs immediate concern for their safety softened his facial expression considerably.
"President, we are currently on the plane returning, and we have entered the Da Xingâan Mountains territory," Xu Qigang spoke slowly, his deep voice conveying a sense of security that matched his personâsilent, restrained, vast like a mountain.