Oh! He's the man I'm going to marry!

Song Ning almost jumped in surprise. She stared at the man before her and said:

"Gu Zheng! Y-you, don't scare me!"

But Gu Zheng looked at her with blank, unfamiliar eyes.

"Gu Zheng!"

Song Ning called to him cautiously. "You... really don't recognize me?"

Gu Zheng shook his head.

Song Ning studied his eyes for a moment, then rubbed her chin and told him with utmost seriousness:

"My name is Song Ning! Gu Zheng! You have to remember that name! You were unconscious, and I saved you! But before you passed out, you said you'd repay me. You said you'd buy me a house, and-you'd give me spending money and support me in my old age... Oh, right, do you remember how much you have in savings? And where you keep your bankbook?"

"Hey-aren't you being a little too greedy? Asking for money is one thing, but what's this about supporting you in your old age?"

Gu Zheng found the woman before him unexpectedly shameless. He couldn't keep up the act anymore.

"Hahaha..."

Song Ning grinned from ear to ear. "I saved your life, you know! I was going to ask you to find me a job too, but then I thought, a job would mean going to work every day. You might as well just support me for the rest of my life!"

Gu Zheng struggled to sit up. Looking at Song Ning's radiant smile, he couldn't help smiling too.

"I thought my acting was pretty good! How did you figure it out?"

Song Ning gave him a sly smile. "I bluffed! Either way, I had nothing to lose! If you'd really lost your wits, wouldn't it be great if you obediently handed over your bankbook?"

Gu Zheng pointed at her, at a loss for words...

Then they both laughed.

Gu Zheng casually took a cigarette pack from his coat pocket.

His coat had dried, and the cigarettes were mostly dry too.

But as soon as he put a crumpled cigarette between his lips, Song Ning reached over and took it away.

"You can't smoke in your current condition!"

Gu Zheng tried to snatch it back, but Song Ning raised her hand, leaving him grabbing at thin air.

Gu Zheng narrowed his eyes and gave her a sidelong look. "You're ordering me around? No woman except my mother has ever dared do that!"

Song Ning wagged her index finger in front of him. "Wrong! Right now, I'm not a woman-I'm a doctor! And patients have to listen to their doctors! That's only natural!"

Gu Zheng fell silent for a moment, then sighed. To his surprise, her argument made so much sense that he couldn't refute it.

"Then shouldn't I ask how you became a doctor? And how you ended up here doing disaster relief?"

Song Ning scratched her head. His question was perfectly reasonable-so reasonable that she couldn't refuse to answer.

She had no choice but to trot out her old explanation. "My grandfather wasn't just on the battlefield. He was also a medic, and a very good one... As for why I came to help with disaster relief, now that's the important question!"

Afraid Gu Zheng would dwell on her grandfather's medical skills, she hurried to ask a question of her own:

"Oh, right! Gu Zheng! You're from the Southwest Military Region too, aren't you?"

Fortunately, Gu Zheng didn't press her about her grandfather's medical skills. He followed her lead and nodded.

"Yes! The Southwest Military Region's 13th Army!"

Song Ning said excitedly, "What a coincidence! That's exactly where I'm headed! Originally, the Anping County Public Security Bureau arranged for me to go to Yu City with Section Chief Fang and Comrade Xiao Zhang, then find a way to Rong City. But Director Hao told me to come straight here and find the comrades from the military region..."

Gesturing as she spoke, Song Ning explained why she had come to the disaster area, then concluded:

"Regimental Commander Gu! Could you take me back to the military region with you once you're finished with disaster relief?"

Gu Zheng looked at the young woman before him. Whenever she wanted something, he was Regimental Commander Gu; otherwise, he was simply Gu Zheng. She switched effortlessly, and both names rolled smoothly off her tongue. He couldn't be bothered to call her out on it and merely asked:

"What are you going to the military region for? Do you really want to join my unit?"

Song Ning chuckled and was about to answer when a signal flare went off outside the cave with a whoosh. The sound carried toward them from afar, echoing across the sky for a long time.

Gu Zheng's expression turned serious. Bracing himself against the cave wall, he tried to stand. He was fine when he stayed still, but the moment he moved, the world began to spin.

After all, he had struck the back of his head. Although it hadn't affected his intelligence, it still hampered his movement.

Seeing that something was wrong, Song Ning quickly stopped him. "I'll go out and take a look!"

Gu Zheng drew a gun from behind his waist and handed it to her. "A flare gun. Point it upward and pull the trigger. They'll hear it and come find us."

"All right!"

The cave wasn't easy to locate. After firing the signal, Song Ning went some distance farther out to meet the search party and finally linked up with the soldiers from the military region.

Their leader was a young man named Han Xiao. Song Ning recognized him; back in the mountains, he had followed behind Pan TuozI.

After seeing Gu Zheng, Han Xiao gave him a brief report...

Tiedan had been rescued and rushed out of the mountains for treatment.

Then there was a telegram from the military region ordering Gu Zheng to return immediately for a new assignment. Other comrades would take over the relief work.

The telegram had arrived at seven that morning, and the search for them had already caused a considerable delay.

Gu Zheng immediately ordered Han Xiao and another soldier named Chen Liang to escort Song Ning, while he hurried back to the military region with two other soldiers.

Before leaving, he told Song Ning, "I can't take you with me right now. If you want to go to the military region, Han Xiao can bring you later! Whatever you need, just ask him!"

Song Ning knew military orders were absolute. All she could do was repeatedly stress to Gu Zheng that a blow to the head could have all sorts of consequences, and that he must get a thorough examination once he was out of the mountains.

Gu Zheng agreed, and the group hurried away.

She had no idea whether he had taken her words to heart.

Judging by his condition, Song Ning was certain Gu Zheng had a concussion. She could only hope it wouldn't leave any lasting effects.

On the way, Han Xiao told Song Ning about the current situation in Rockhorn Village.

Following emergency repairs, the road to Rockhorn Village was almost clear. New members of the medical team had arrived there that morning, and given the village's current condition, the evacuation of its residents to Gao Ping was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

So all Song Ning needed to do now was head straight back to Gao Ping.

Seeing how talkative Han Xiao was, Song Ning asked, "Comrade Han, you're in the 13th Army too, aren't you? Do you know someone in the 7th Regiment called Lu Changqing?"

Han Xiao looked surprised. "We're from the 7th Regiment! Lu Changqing is in the Communications Company. He came along for the disaster relief operation too!"

Song Ning was taken aback. "You mean I might be able to meet him right here?"

"Yes! But the relief teams are spread over quite a few places, so you might not run into him!"

Han Xiao asked curiously, "Comrade Song Ning, why are you asking about him...?"

"Oh! He's the man I'm going to marry!"