After exchanging pleasantries, Duan Aihua broached the main subject.
"Commander, we rushed over here, and we are truly embarrassed to disturb you so close to the New Year, but my thoughtless daughter said she was going to spend the holiday with her father and yet hasn’t gone to his place. She called us from your house before, so we came to see if An Hao might know something?"
It was quite by chance that they discovered this matter.
Ever since the divorce last year, she rarely contacted Gu Yishan, Shuangshuang’s father.
She also knew that Shuangshuang had nowhere else to go and was unlikely to visit anyone else’s home besides Dr. Gu’s.
She was aware that Shuangshuang got along well with An Hao, but after all, the latter was already married, and even with the thickest skin, she couldn’t possibly impose on them for the New Year’s celebration.
Shuangshuang being with Gu Yishan in the military, Duan Aihua felt quite at ease.
But this year, she married Li Zhi’s father, and Li Zhi, who returned home for the winter break, couldn’t stop thinking about Shuangshuang.
Every day, he was listless at home, hinting in every conversation that he wished she would call Shuangshuang.
Seeing that Li Zhi was a good kid with promising prospects, Duan Aihua wanted to play matchmaker between the two.
So she called Gu Yishan’s military unit to ask about Shuangshuang’s situation, only to be surprised to learn from Gu Yishan that Shuangshuang wasn’t there.
It was only after confronting each other that they discovered Shuangshuang had lied.
In her anxiety, Duan Aihua remembered the phone call Shuangshuang had made to her during the holidays, so she redialed the number.
To her surprise, the call was answered by Ning Yibin, the Commander of the Northern Military Region, himself.
Duan Aihua plucked up the courage to explain her daughter’s situation, and Ning Yibin said he knew a thing or two, briefly sharing the details with her.
Only then did Duan Aihua realize that her daughter hadn’t even said goodbye before running off with a man to his hometown for the New Year.
Ignorance wasn’t an issue, but knowing this made her so upset she couldn’t eat for days.
After much consideration, she felt she should visit with Gu Yishan to understand what was really going on with this girl.
Not married, not informing the family, and just stealthily running off with a man – this was absolutely unacceptable!
Duan Aihua’s feelings were something Ning Yibin could relate to, and he said with a smile,
"It’s no problem at all. We completely understand how you feel. If there is anything you want to ask when the couple returns, just go ahead and ask. If we know anything, we’ll be sure to tell you."
"I truly appreciate it, Commander – thank you so much for the trouble!"
Having said this, Duan Aihua turned to An Hao and asked,
"An Hao, do you know where the home of Captain Tian is? We can’t let her spend the New Year with someone else’s family; we need to bring her back."
"I really don’t know much about that," An Hao wasn’t clear about Tian Niu’s family whereabouts.
Thus, to search for her appeared almost impossible.
In this era, lacking even a telephone number, and even if sending a telegram, it would take a day or two to arrive.
The New Year was upon them, and who knew if the postal carrier would even go to the village?
"Ah, what are we to do? Shuangshuang has been spoiled by us!" Gu Yishan lamented, feeling a headache.
"Don’t worry, if it comes to it, I will have someone check Tian Niu’s address for you," Ning Yibin suggested.
At this moment, Qin Jian spoke up, "No need, I know where his home is."
Duan Aihua was overjoyed, "That’s wonderful! Could you please write down the address for us? Her father and I will go to look for her."