As Niu Yibao was driving, he replied, "Commander Zhao told me about Sister-in-law coming to see Commander Lu and asked me to pick her up. Zhao planned to surprise Lu, so Lu has no idea you’re here. Lu’s injury must be severe. If it weren’t, he wouldn’t have been sent to the Provincial Military Hospital. He’s still in bed!"
"How was he injured? Can you tell me?" Feng Qingxue’s heart was immediately on edge. She had sent him two bulletproof vests and Ouyang Zijin had sent another two. Even if the first two had not been received, the later two should have been worn by him, how could he be seriously injured?
"Commander Lu was shielding his troops during the retreat. He was the last to leave and was attacked with artillery fire," Niu Yibao thought for a moment and said, admiration filled his eyes, "Commander Lu is really powerful. Not many people could survive being under such heavy fire, but he did!"
"But he’s seriously injured, isn’t he?"
Feng Qingxue had no right to judge Lu Jiang’s actions on the battlefield. She couldn’t say he shouldn’t have saved other soldiers just because he was her lover. Those other soldiers also had families. They too had risked their lives on the battlefield.
However, she had a right to show concern for Lu Jiang’s injuries, where they are, how severe they are, and whether they would affect his future health.
Niu Yibao, hearing Feng Qingxue’s words, nodded and said, "Yes, Commander Lu is severely injured. Many shrapnel pieces have penetrated into his flesh and bone. There are still four pieces of shrapnel in his leg that haven’t been removed. The doctor said that they would wait until Lu is better before they perform surgery to remove these four pieces. The miracle is that there were no external injuries to Lu’s chest or abdomen, that’s what saved his life."
He recalled waiting outside the operating room with Zhao Yong. The doctor had said then that, judging by the state of Lu Jiang’s destroyed uniform, even a fairy would have a hard time saving him had a few pieces of shrapnel penetrated his internal organs.
Luckily, Lu Jiang had been wearing a high-tech bulletproof vest, which protected his shoulders and chest from shrapnel injury.
Hearing this, Feng Qingxue said, "Comrade Niu, take me to the hospital first."
Niu Yibao drove straight to the military hospital. After parking the car, he led Feng Qingxue to Lu Jiang’s ward. The two large suitcases were left in the car, as he still needed to take Feng Qingxue to the guesthouse to rest afterwards.
Lu Jiang, bandaged like a mummy, lay in the bed listening to Ouyang Zijin’s chatter.
"We’ve achieved a major victory, chased the enemy hundreds of miles, regained our border territory, and it’s all thanks to your excellent cover while the troops retreated and ambushed. You completely caught the enemy off guard and took out their main base! Commander Zhao has recommended you for a first-class merit, so your injury wasn’t in vain, huh!"
Ouyang Zijin sat there, legs crossed, peeling an apple. The peel came off in one long, unbroken strip.
Upon hearing this from outside, Feng Qingxue commented disapprovingly, "Old Brother Ouyang, your words make it sound like Lu Jiang got injured just to earn a first-class merit." As the weather was warm, the door was not closed, so she walked right in.
At her words, Ouyang Zijin’s hand twitched and the long apple peel broke immediately.
Lu Jiang’s eyes widened as he turned his head towards the sound of her voice, "Qingxue?"
With the light coming from behind her, he couldn’t see Feng Qingxue’s face clearly, but he could feel her discontent. He, who had only shared good news and withheld the bad to Qingxue, was astonished, elated, and frightened, afraid that Feng Qingxue would bring up old scores.