When the other party called out Director Nie's name, the few communications officers present all changed expression!
On one side, someone pretended to be Nie Xing's colleague, soothing Old Wang and telling him not to hang up.
On the other, someone hurried off to find Nie Xing!
Inside the crude dormitory.
The howling wind outside battered the windows. Though they were tightly shut, the dim yellow light still flickered faintly.
Nie Xing had too much on his mind to sleep, and he had no desire to celebrate with his colleagues.
He remained in the dormitory, checking through the data and numerical reports from previous projects. His gaze moved over rows of precise figures, and his thoughts gradually became absorbed in them. His logic was incomparably clear as he continuously verified the data's accuracy and analyzed the various derivatives branching from it.
The dim yellow light swayed, illuminating his desk.
The desk faced the window, which was occasionally struck by the fierce wind outside.
Because of the terrain, the ghostly wails of the wind across this Gobi desert had long become commonplace.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, a hurried set of footsteps approached, followed by knocking on his door.
A communications soldier's voice came from outside:
"Director Nie, someone from the hospital is calling you!!"
"What?"
Nie Xing opened the door and fixed his gaze on the communications soldier.
The soldier said anxiously:
"The hospital called. Your father has been issued a critical condition notice!"
The words rang in his ears like a thunderclap in his mind.
For a moment, he could not even react.
Wearing only a thin shirt on his upper body, Nie Xing ran straight toward the communications station!
The nights on the Gobi were freezing. By the time he reached the communications station, his face was bright red, and tears had been forced from his eyes by the cold.
He stretched out his trembling hand and took the phone.
It felt as though something was lodged in his throat. He struggled to open his mouth.
"This is Nie Xing!"
"Well, you little bastard! I thought you didn't dare show your face! Old Nie raised you all these years, huh? Is this how you repay him? Damn it, Old Nie was such a good man—how did he end up raising an ungrateful wolf like you? The moment you left, did you think your wings had grown strong enough that you could just abandon Old Nie? Damn it, I'm telling you, I don't fear you, and I won't indulge you either."
Old Wang's voice came through the phone. Without any hesitation, he launched straight into a furious tirade.
Nie Xing felt as though something were stuck in his throat. His voice trembled as he asked:
"Uncle Wang, how is my dad now?"
"Don't call me Uncle. I can't bear it! Old Nie was diagnosed with cancer a whole year ago. It got this bad, and not a single person was by his side to care for him! Yet you're such a filial son, aren't you? You even told him you were going to find your biological parents! You heartless bastard, how could you say something like that? If I hadn't felt something was wrong tonight and gone to check on him, Old Nie would already be gone! Even while unconscious, he kept... calling your name!"
Old Wang cursed in a rage.
But as he spoke, tears began to fall, and his voice choked up more than once.
On this end of the line, Nie Xing endured the pain tearing through his heart as tears slid down his face.
He could not imagine the old man's daily life alone, enduring illness while still worrying about him.
Even while unconscious, he had still been calling his name!
When Old Wang heard Nie Xing remain silent for so long, his tone softened somewhat.
"Nie Xing, let me speak from the heart. Old Nie has truly done everything for you in this life. You... for the sake of when you were little and drank my wife's milk, could you come back once? Consider it Uncle begging you. Just come back once! Come back and see Old Nie one last time, so he can leave with peace of mind, all right?"
"Uncle Wang, I..."
Nie Xing could not speak, his throat too constricted.
His tears would not stop pouring out as he fought back his sobs.
The thousands of workers on the Gobi had never come here fearing death. They had prepared themselves to sacrifice for the nation's scientific research at any moment, and they had also prepared to conceal everything forever.
They would not tell their parents above them, nor their wives and children below them. They would see it, remember it in their hearts, bury it deep inside, and take it with them into the grave!
This was the principle they upheld!
Now, even with the old man critically ill, he absolutely could not reveal the truth!
After hanging up, he stood there expressionlessly for a long time without moving.
Tears ran down his resolute cheeks and crashed heavily onto the ground.
Inside the communications station,
Several figures walked in.
"Go back. See your father one last time!"
A familiar voice suddenly sounded behind Nie Xing!
Tears streaming down his face, Nie Xing turned around, immediately wiped them away, and straightened his back!
It was Elder Liu!
Elder Liu looked at Nie Xing with a complicated expression and said with some pain in his eyes:
"You may go back now, but you also know the special nature of our work. Even after you return, you cannot reveal any information! Do you understand?"
"Yes!"
Nie Xing's expression changed, and he quickly nodded!
Then he added:
"We do what must never be revealed, and we become people who conceal our names!"
"Well said!"
Elder Liu patted his shoulder and comforted him.
"You have contributed to the nation and protected us. That is a fact that can never be forgotten or erased!"
"Tonight, I'm taking a special plane to the capital. Pack your things and come with me!"
As the words fell, even this towering man could not help shedding hot tears.
He nodded heavily.
At the hospital, Old Wang hung up the phone.
He looked toward the emergency room and shook his head helplessly.
"Old Nie, Old Nie... how did you raise such an ungrateful wolf? You're still calling his name, yet he won't even come for one last look..."
"Fine. I'll accompany you through this final stretch!"
His voice contained far too much disappointment.
Young Wang, standing nearby, had also been moved by his father's earlier words. He had never seen his father beg anyone.
Yet today, in this hospital, he had begged Nie Xing once.
Thinking of how he had once somewhat understood Nie Xing, it all turned into a helpless sigh. He let out a heavy breath and was thoroughly disappointed in Nie Xing!
He walked over to Old Wang, his expression grave.
"Dad! Don't worry. If Uncle Nie passes away, let me wear mourning clothes and see him off!"
"You!?"
Old Wang was about to scold him, but when he saw the determination in his eyes, he could only smile.
"Good, good. At least one of you has a conscience. Old Nie didn't live his life in vain!"
As he smiled, tears began to flow.
Third update delivered!
Don't worry, this is the second day's third update.
There won't be any fewer than three updates tonight!
I write part-time and only have time to write at night, so I've kept everyone waiting. Sorry about that. After all, a person still has to make a living! It isn't easy. I hope everyone understands. If you don't, that's fine too—I'll do my best!
Thanks to Hao for the tip! Thanks to the Qidian reader for the tip! Thanks to Summer Rain for the tip!
Special thanks to the big supporters Limited Edition, Little Monk, and You Xiang for their tips!