My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Shi Nian titled her head in confusion.

Xu Binchen impatiently explained. "We decide to cooperate. He will cover the outside of the perimeter of the hospital while I stay close to you."

Shi Nian wanted to ask why not Wang Chengbing be the one to guard beside her and Xu Binchen outside, but she guessed that the man was currently not in a very good mood. Thus, she sensibly swallowed her question down to her stomach.

That afternoon, Xu Binchen was cranky and often irritated. Shi Nian didn't know the reason why, and because they were not close enough that she could freely ask about his business, Shi Nian refrained herself to do so even though she kept on stealing glances at him.

"What?" he snapped.

Shi Nian shook her head briefly.

Xu Binchen snarled. "If there's something you want to say then say it."

Shi Nian fidgeted for a moment. [Uncle…is there something wrong?]

"No. What's wrong?"

[You're angry.]

He rolled his eyes. "From what angle do you see that I'm angry?"

Shi Nian was so exasperated that she wanted to stomp her foot. Did he think that she's blind? Couldn't she see that across his face was plastered 'currently angry, do not provoke' words in capital letters?

She decided that she didn't want to talk to him anymore and turned her head away.

Nowadays, Shi Nian had been given permission to request her food to the canteen. As long as it wasn't so greasy and strong flavored, then the hospital would give her whatever she wanted to eat. Shi Nian thought that it was very great, she couldn't bear to eat porridge or soft rice any longer.

Because she was bored being holed up in the room all day, Doctor Chun gave her the permission to walk around the hospital. She could even eat in the canteen.

When the sky darkened and she had finished refreshing herself after all the sweat, she walked out of the room alone, totally ignoring Xu Binchen.

The man frowned and thought, "What is wrong with this girl again?"

Thus, he asked no more and silently trailed after her.

They were walking toward the elevator and Shi Nian was grumbling about Xu Binchen's mood swings which were more severe than women's PMS when suddenly, in the corner, she caught sight of a very, very familiar side profile.

Instantly, she stopped in her tracks.

Xu Binchen halted too. "What's wrong?"

Shi Nian couldn't hear him. No, she could hear and see nothing because her eyes were focused on the man sitting on the wheelchair far in the corner of the hall.

They were separated by more than twenty meters, and the man was sitting with his head bowed, the nurse behind him was talking about something in a low voice and he nodded imperceptibly.

The only thing Shi Nian could hear was her thunderous heartbeat.

Her mouth opened but no words came out.

General…

Even though the man looked far younger than the general in her memory with his skin unblemished without any long and hideous scar, furthermore he had bangs covering half of his face, still how could Shi Nian not recognize him?

Her heart soared, and she stared blankly at him.

Is that you?

Is that really you?

The man didn't turn to look at her, he didn't even notice her presence. He kept his head lowered, his hands placed on his knees.

Shi Nian's breath got stuck on her throat.

The nurse grabbed the handle of his wheelchair and started to push him away.

Shi Nian jolted and before her mind could process, she had already started running.

"Hey!"

Her eyes were anxious and restless. She opened her mouth, very much wanting to call out to him. But as if her voice was blocked, she could only make out some wheezing and soundless whimpers.

He turned and disappeared into the corner.

Shi Nian's knees softened and her feet gave out beneath her. She almost fell down straight to the ground but behind, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and hauled her back so that her back was leaning against a warm chest.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?!"

Shi Nian's eyes were blank as they glued to the corner where she last saw him. Her blood coursed wildly within her veins and no matter how hard Xu Binchen called her, she didn't give any reaction. He turned her around forcefully and lifted her chin. "Look at me!"

Shi Nian lifted her gaze lifelessly, her eyes empty without any clarity.

Because she had accidentally seen it.

The man who looked exactly like General Jiang…

But that man, one of his legs was missing.

"Shi Nian!"

The name somehow snapped her out of her stupor and she blinked a few times.

Xu Binchen's face hovered above her, so close that she could see his eyelashes. The man's gaze was sharp and guarded. His brows furrowed deeply. "Are you awake now? What the hell is wrong with you?!"

The urgency in his tone was hard and commanding, but Shi Nian found that her limbs were numb and she couldn't give any reaction for a moment.

Her mind spiraled on all kinds of possibilities, one was more terrifying than the other. Her appetite had evaporated completely and she suddenly grabbed hold of his wrist, so tight that her nails almost embedded into his skin.

Her mouth opened anxiously and for the first time, she hated the fact that she couldn't speak.

She was so distressed that the rims of her eyes reddened as if she would burst into tears at any moment. Xu Binchen didn't understand what she was saying and she didn't bring her board either.

In the end, he just stretched out his hand. "Write it here."

Shi Nian shook her head hard and pulled him forward instead.

This was the first time he had seen her make this kind of expression. Hell, this was the first time he had ever seen her make an expression other than smiling. Her lips were pursed tightly, and the tip of her nose reddened.

Her eyes were glassy and wet, the emotion in them was almost bursting out like fireworks. Joy, fear, expectation, grief, anticipation, sadness…

Xu Binchen let himself be led around.

They turned to the corner, but the hall was empty with no other soul to be seen.

The girl was breathing heavily and she suddenly squatted down while hugging her head.

Xu Binchen was almost shocked out of his soul. "What's wrong?! Does your head hurt?"

Shi Nian gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes tightly. Was that only a figment of her imagination? Did she let her yearning get to her head to the point where she was starting to hallucinate? But…was it really a hallucination? What if it was real?

General Jiang Jinyan…

A part of her heart felt exhilaration upon seeing him, but another part of her really wished that she had seen wrong.

Or else…such a proud man like him, how could he bear to live with one of his limbs missing?