"The captain is back!" Li Ming at the restaurant door was the first to see Ling Chengyan and immediately greeted with a smile. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Zhang Yuanhong took off his coat, wearing only a navy blue sweater and an apron, was busy, and upon hearing the voice, he came out holding a rolling pin in one hand and a half-made dumpling wrapper in the other.

He walked over with a smile, but his smile froze for a second seeing Ling Chengyan’s stern face, then he turned back, tossing the rolling pin and dumpling wrapper to other team members, and greeted Ling Chengyan: "We’re almost done, you don’t need to do anything, quickly take a rest, and just wait to eat the dumplings..."

While speaking, he gestured for Ling Chengyan to leave the restaurant, and before his words finished, the two had already left the restaurant and returned to the office.

Zhang Yuanhong entered, went to wash his hands first, asking, "What happened? Is Liu Xianghu’s condition serious?"

Ling Chengyan pursed her lips slightly before speaking, "Liu Xianghu’s situation is considered good, the doctor says that timely treatment after onset can cure it."

"Then what are you worried about? I thought..." Zhang Yuanhong said half-heartedly while wiping his hands, suddenly getting stuck, his smile disappearing, looking at Ling Chengyan, "What do you mean?"

"Schistosomiasis, you know it, right?" Ling Chengyan asked, observing Zhang Yuanhong nodding in confirmation.

"You know it indeed." Ling Chengyan pursed her lips again, her hands clenching tightly.

Zhang Yuanhong knows she didn’t know, despite her claiming to have abundant experience with leading troops, she still looks down upon many modern people.

Great Qi Country, she was born in the Northern Land, never been to the South;

Arriving in the modern age, during the Automobile Company times she made multiple trips to the South but never truly interacted with local rivers or lakes, she considered herself well-acquainted with the South’s weather, geography, humanity, even boasting comprehensive measures to protect team members from diseases, and influencing flood control command ensuring everyone avoided raw water...

But, amidst great care came negligence; she overlooked one of the infections water disasters most easily trigger—schistosomiasis.

She was too self-assured.

Zhang Yuanhong gauged her expression and probably guessed her mood.

He wanted to reach out, pat her shoulder, and offer comfort, but ended up just giving her a cup of hot water: "Here, this is your own cup, drink it assuredly, it won’t transmit to others."

Ling Chengyan let out a sigh, lifted her gaze to Zhang Yuanhong, displaying a wry smile: "Tonight’s dumplings might be..."

Zhang Yuanhong raised his hand to interrupt her, saying, "Dumplings should be eaten if they are meant to; that schistosomiasis is just a type of parasite, heating and cooking it kills it, preventing transmission, no need to be overly cautious."

Ling Chengyan: "The doctor says we need to temporarily isolate, about twenty days, to determine whether infected."

Zhang Yuanhong nodded: "Yeah, isolation doesn’t mean not seeing anyone, conversing face-to-face won’t transmit... regardless, eating at the same table, sleeping under the same roof won’t matter, the key lies in personal hygiene, washing hands frequently, handling excreta properly..."

Zhang Yuanhong explained more thoroughly than the doctor did.

Ling Chengyan couldn’t help laughing: "I need to reconsider my impression of you."

Zhang Yuanhong raised his eyebrows at her: "You better not gouge your eyes; I fear Hongling and Shi Tou might beat me."

Re-evaluation, twisted by him into nonsense so much it could infuriate a scholar. Yet, he successfully amused Ling Chengyan.

"You!"

After eating, Ling Chengyan returned home.

Hongling, Shi Tou, and the children were there, seeing her naturally made them all exuberant with joy.

Ling Chengyan conversed with the children smilingly, yet hugged none, not even the always affectionate Hongling.

After speaking with the children for a while, Ling Chengyan claimed she had a mission, needing to return to the base and couldn’t sleep at home.

Wang Liansheng chuckled, sending the children to sleep, accompanying Ling Chengyan out of the house.

At the doorway, Ling Chengyan clarified the truth to him, saying, "It’s still uncertain whether we’re all infected, observation and tests are needed for some time, once cleared, I’ll naturally come back home."

Wang Liansheng pulled her, retreated into a shadow in the alley, reaching to embrace her.

Ling Chengyan aimed to push him away: "I told you, keep a little distance..."

Of course, she used far less force than usual, much gentler than when patting kids.

Wang Liansheng feigned being pushed off balance, stepping back half a pace before steadying himself, even coughing: "Cough, cough, cough, my wife is truly fierce!"

"Are you excited?!" Ling Chengyan reproached sternly, though her words hadn’t landed before she herself couldn’t hold back a smile, "Alright, stop clowning around, we’re still outside."

She had already heard footsteps approaching.

Wang Liansheng’s hearing was surely inferior to his wife’s, but he knew his wife’s thin-skinned nature, truly angering her would require much effort soothing, hence he obediently released her, grabbing a few pieces of her packed laundry, escorting Ling Chengyan back to the team.

"Don’t overthink, since the doctor says early treatment leads to recovery, you needn’t stress too much..." Wang Liansheng gently consoled.

Ling Chengyan listened quietly, occasionally nodding.

The approaching footsteps halted, stood still briefly, then returned, leaving the alley.

Wang Liansheng escorted his wife out of the alley, seeing Fu Qiang waiting there: "When did Xiao Fu arrive, why not go home? The kids said they missed their sister Fu."

"Director Wang." Fu Qiang greeted him, then accepted the luggage bag from Wang Liansheng’s hand, taking the lead to exit the family courtyard.

Wang Liansheng accompanied his wife to the courtyard gate, watched her get into the car and as it drove away, he slowly withdrew his gaze, lifted his head, looking at the starry night sky of late autumn, and let out a long sigh.

Liu Xianghu returned to the provincial city when he fell ill, receiving timely treatment, though his onset was abrupt looking perilous, the treatment was effective, quickly relieving abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, only the rash remained quite obvious.

Zhang Wanxiang and Wu Qingyun, a few old buddies, visited him at the hospital; Zhang Wanxiang even joked with him, "Brother Tiger, with those spots all over, you look like a leopard rather than a tiger."

Liu Xianghu, his hand still attached to an IV, laughed and cursed: "You brat, don’t take this chance to be cheeky, wait till I’m better, see if I don’t flay you."

The group chatted and laughed, frolicked for a while, but as Liu Xianghu visibly grew fatigued in spirit, they tactfully bade farewell.

Li Ming escorted his comrades out of the ward, returned seeing Liu Xianghu on the bed, saying: "Don’t mind Wanxiang’s mouth, Tiger Brother, ignore his nonsense, once he sees you, he’ll know, your rash has diminished greatly, in a few days, you’ll be completely healed."

Liu Xianghu lay on the bed, gazing blankly at the white ceiling, speaking slowly after a while: "Is the captain alright?"

Li Ming, recalling the captain living alone in the dormitory, felt his own eyes slightly redden.