No one knew how much time had passed.
Chen Nian's crying gradually subsided into intermittent sobs.
She raised her head and looked at Yue Xiaofei, her eyes swollen to narrow slits and the tip of her nose bright red.
"Big brother."
"Mm."
"Thank you. Thank you for saving Mom and me last night."
Her voice was terribly hoarse, but every word was heartfelt.
Yue Xiaofei shook his head. "You don't need to thank me. Your brother protected all our lives on the battlefield. Now it's our turn to protect the people he cared about most."
"This isn't a favor. It's what we owe him."
Chen Nian looked at him, tears welling up again, but this time, she didn't let them fall.
Yue Xiaofei sat down across from her, looked into her eyes, and said each word distinctly:
"Chen Nian, listen carefully. From now on, I'm your brother!"
Chen Nian trembled.
"And not just me. Every one of the two hundred and thirty-one comrades standing outside that door is your brother."
"From now on, we'll protect you just as Chen Ze did. No one will ever bully you or your mother again! They won't touch a single hair on your heads."
His tone wasn't forceful, nor was it stirring or impassioned.
But Chen Nian could tell that those weren't polite words or empty comfort.
It was a promise.
A soldier's promise.
Her brother had been the same.
He never broke his word.
Chen Nian's lips trembled. In the end, she didn't cry again. She simply nodded hard.
Yue Xiaofei reached over, picked up a glass of warm water from the nearby table, and handed it to her.
"Have some water. Then listen to a few things I need to tell you."
Chen Nian took the glass and drank a few small