Inside the waiting lounge, a peculiar atmosphere lingered.
Gu Zhenhua stood beside the row of wooden chairs, making occasional conversation with the three siblings. Yet, it quickly became apparent that only Li Jianguo and Li Jianmin responded.
Li Shuying, however, remained unusually quiet. She sat with her head slightly lowered, her slender fingers absentmindedly worrying the knots of the cloth bundle resting in her lap. The repetitive motion betrayed her composure, an unmistakable sign of nervousness.
Gu Zhenhua noticed and his brows drew together faintly, though he said nothing. Even he himself could not fully explain why he had chosen to remain here.
By all logic, this matter had nothing to do with him. It was neither his duty nor his responsibility to personally receive the family members of a squad leader from another battalion and yet he had stayed.
Perhaps it was curiosity or perhaps something else entirely.
At that moment, the door opened and He Jianci entered briskly and saluted. "Deputy Company Commander Gu."
He stepped forward and placed three large aluminium lunch boxes on the table. Their metal surfaces gleamed faintly under the electric light. "The canteen is about to close," he added. "I managed to get these in time."
Li Jianguo immediately spoke up, a little embarrassed. "But we already had dinner on the train. There is no need to trouble you."
Gu Zhenhua gave a slight nod to He Jianci before turning to Li Jianguo. "It has been over four hours since then," he said calmly. "The journey was long and exhausting. You may not feel it now, but you will grow hungry later." His tone was steady, leaving little room for refusal. "Eat when you need to."
Li Jianguo fell silent. After all he was beginning to feel a faint emptiness in his stomach.
To the side, both He Jianci and the guard stationed in the lounge exchanged fleeting glances. Though their expressions remained disciplined and neutral, inwardly they were deeply astonished.
Deputy Company Commander Gu showing such consideration? It was something they had never witnessed before.
Just then hurried footsteps echoed from outside. The door was pushed open and Li Guoqiang entered. His posture was straight as he stepped in, and without delay, he raised his hand in a crisp salute. "Deputy Company Commander Gu!" But before the salute was fully completed his gaze shifted and froze as his eyes fell upon the three figures seated in the room.
Shock overtook him so suddenly that his body almost swayed and his footing nearly faltering mid-salute.
Gu Zhenhua, who had just turned toward him, was equally taken aback. Before him stood a man of about thirty-four or thirty-five.
Li Guoqiang was tall and solidly built, his frame honed by years of labor and military discipline. His shoulders were broad, his stance firm, exuding the quiet strength of someone accustomed to hardship.
His features were striking in a rugged, masculine way.
Sharp brows framed a pair of steady, resolute eyes. His nose was straight, his jawline defined, carrying the unyielding character of a soldier. Though his skin bore the darker tone of long exposure to sun and wind, it only added to his presence, like a mountain weathered by seasons yet standing unmoved.
There was nothing delicate about him and yet there was a certain refinement in his bearing, a dignity a man one could rely on.
Gu Zhenhua's gaze lingered for a brief second longer than necessary, a fine soldier, he thought.
But Li Guoqiang saw none of that. His world had narrowed to his three children before him.
Li Jianmin and Li Jianguo sprang to their feet almost at the same moment.
"Father!" Their voices rang out together, bright with excitement, as they rushed forward without restraint.
Li Guoqiang's gaze instinctively flickered toward Gu Zhenhua, as if seeking silent permission for the breach of military decorum. Receiving a slight nod in return, he lowered his hand from the salute and bent just enough to gather his sons into his arms.
His rough palms, calloused from years of training, came to rested on their heads. "What are you two doing here?" he asked, his voice no longer steady but tinged with urgency. "How did you travel all the way here? Is everything well at home? Is your mother alright?"
Li Jianmin, unable to contain himself, threw himself fully into his father's embrace. "Father, it was Officer Gu who brought us here! We took a ride in train, we saw the city and even rode in a military jeep!" he said in exitment, his words tumbling over one another. "It was amazing… well, except for the jeep ride which was terrible!"
Li Guoqiang let out a short laugh, the sound low and warm, as he tightened his hold on his youngest son.
This child is still so lively, still so unrestrained, he thought.
He then looked toward Li Jianguo. Unlike his brother, the boy stood composed, a faint but steady smile on his face. It had always been this way. Both his elder sons bore understanding beyond their years. Only the youngest remained a child.
"Tell me properly," Li Guoqiang said, his tone softening. "Why have you come? Do you not have school to attend?"
Li Jianguo nodded respectfully. "Little Shuying wanted to see you," he said. "There were labor days at school, so we took the opportunity to come. And… Officer Gu has helped us greatly along the way."
At those words, Li Guoqiang turned toward Gu Zhenhua and inclined his head slightly. "Deputy Company Commander Gu," he said sincerely, "thank you for your care. I hope my children have not caused you any trouble."
Gu Zhenhua shook his head. "Not at all, it was a pleasant journey. Your children are both brave and clever." After a brief pause, he added evenly, "And this was also at the request of Battalion Commander Zhang Wenhao. It would not be appropriate for me to refuse."
"Battalion Commander Zhang Wenhao?" Li Guoqiang repeated, his brows knitting together. Confusion flickered across his face. He knew the structure of this unit well. There were three battalions and he knew each commander by name. There was no Zhang Wenhao among them.
Meanwhile Li Shuying still did not move from her place.
While her brothers rushed forward and filled the room with their voices, she remained where she was, as though rooted to the ground. Her hands hung loosely at her sides, her fingers trembling faintly.
Her gaze was fixed entirely on the man before her, her father. He was nothing like the figure etched into the darkest corner of her memory. Not the broken, bloodied man from the execution ground with his face bruised, his body collapsing under the weight of false accusations and public scorn.
This man stood tall, alive and steady. His back was straight, his presence firm, although though time and hardship had left their marks upon him, there was still an undeniable strength in him. His eyes were like one in her memories, still carrying a quiet warmth, familiarity, as though belonging to a life she had long lost.
For a brief moment, Li Shuying forgot how to breathe. It felt as if time itself had fractured, splitting her world into two overlapping realities. One was the present, the man standing before her, whole and untouched. The other was the past, the same man, dragged to the execution ground, bruised, humiliated, and finally silenced beneath gunfire.
But she knew this is truly him…
The realization did not come gently. It struck her with a quiet, crushing force.
The vague, fading memories of her childhood, once dulled by time and regret suddenly became painfully clear. She could hear his laughter again, low and warm. She could feel the strength of his arms lifting her effortlessly onto his shoulders. She could remember the safety of his embrace, the rare moments of peace in a life otherwise filled with hardship.
All of it came rushing back at once and with it came something far heavier, regret. A suffocating, relentless regret that tightened around her chest like an iron band. In her previous life… she had doubted him.
She had stood among the crowd that day, silent and unmoving. She had looked at him, not as a daughter should but with suspicion, with confusion… even with resentment.
The memory struck her like a blade.
Her fingers curled tightly, her nails pressing into her palms as if to anchor herself to the present.
In his final moments, when he had looked out into the crowd, what he saw in his own children's eyes was doubt. A tremor ran through her body.
"Father…" The word formed soundlessly on her lips, too fragile to be spoken aloud. The pain was too deep. Too overwhelming. She had been given a second life to change her fate, but standing here now, she understood something she had not fully grasped before.
This was not merely about changing the future. It was about redemption. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she forced them back with all her strength. She could not cry right?
But the moment Li Guoqiang's gaze shifted toward her, Li Shuying's fragile composure shattered.
All the restraint she had forced upon herself dissolved in an instant. Her vision blurred, her chest tightened, and before she could stop herself, a broken sob escaped her lips.
"Father..." The single word came out trembling, laden with emotions too heavy to bear.
Li Guoqiang was startled. He had only just turned toward her, but upon seeing her tear-streaked face, his expression changed immediately. The warmth in his eyes deepened into concern as he released his sons and strode toward her without hesitation. "Shuying, what is this?" he asked, his voice soft yet urgent. "Why are you crying like this, ah?"
But Li Shuying could no longer hold back. All the fear, regret, guilt, and longing that had been buried deep within her surged forth like a flood breaking through a dam. She rushed forward and threw herself into his arms, clutching onto him tightly as though afraid he might disappear if she let go.
Her sobs grew louder, raw and unrestrained, echoing through the small waiting lounge. She tried to speak, but her words came out incoherent, broken by trembling breaths and choking cries.
Li Guoqiang stiffened for a brief moment, caught off guard by the intensity of her reaction. But soon, his expression softened. His large hands came to rest on her back, gently patting and soothing her in slow, steady motions. Like calming a frightened child, he murmured softly. "There, there… it's alright," he said. "Father is here. No need to cry."
Yet, even as he comforted her, his brows gradually furrowed. He turned his head slightly and looked toward his sons, his gaze sharpening. "What happened?" he asked, his tone lowering. "Why is your little sister crying like this? Did you bully her? Or did something frighten her?"
Li Jianmin immediately shook his head, almost jumping in alarm. "No, Father! It has nothing to do with us, Little Shuying just had a nightmare. She even cried like this on the train."
Li Guoqiang's expression darkened slightly. "Nonsense, my Shuying is not someone who cries so easily. Even if she had a bad dream, would she cry like this?" His voice grew sharper. "Tell me the truth, did you do something to upset her?"
Seeing his younger brother about to be wrongly blamed, Li Jianguo stepped forward calmly. "Father, Third Brother is telling the truth. Little Shuying really did have a bad dream. She woke up on the train drenched in sweat and tears… and she was calling out for you."
At those words, Li Guoqiang fell silent. The coldness in his eyes faded, replaced by something softer and pained. He looked down at the girl in his arms, whose sobs had yet to subside, and his heart tightened.
He sighed quietly. "Foolish child," he murmured, his voice gentler now. "It was only a dream. Why trouble your heart over something unreal?"
His hand continued to stroke her back in a slow, comforting rhythm. "Stop crying now. Have you forgotten? You are a soldier's daughter. A soldier's child must be strong."
Li Shuying nodded faintly against his chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of his uniform as though drawing strength from it. "I… I'm sorry, Father…" she managed to say between her sobs.
For a fleeting moment, the words she truly wished to say, for doubting you. But she swallowed them back, "…for making you worry."
Li Guoqiang shook his head immediately. "There is nothing to apologize for, On the contrary, I am happy." He gently lifted her chin, his eyes filled with quiet warmth. "My children missed me enough to come all this way to see me. How could I not be pleased?"
Then, glancing around at the others in the room, he added with a hint of teasing firmness, "Now, stop crying. Look around, so many people are watching you. Do you want them to laugh at you, ah?"
Li Shuying let out a small, embarrassed breath. She nodded and slowly stepped back from his embrace, raising her sleeve to wipe away the tears on her face. Though her eyes remained red, her expression gradually steadied.
After a brief pause, she turned toward Gu Zhenhua. Her posture straightened, and with a composed yet sincere expression, she said, "Officer Gu, thank you for your care today. If not for your help, we would still be wandering outside, unable to find our way here. We are truly grateful for your assistance."
Gu Zhenhua, who had been silently observing the entire scene, seemed momentarily lost in thought. His gaze lingered on her. By now, he was certain of one thing, those tears had not come from a simple nightmare.
There had been something deeper in them, something heavy and something that did not belong to a girl of her age.
But what burden could such a young girl possibly carry?
His thoughts were interrupted by her voice, and he quickly composed himself. Giving a slight nod, he replied calmly, "It is nothing. Now that your identities have been confirmed, you may enter the compound without issue."
He then turned to Li Guoqiang and added in a matter-of-fact tone, "You are currently residing in the dormitory, which would make it inconvenient to accommodate them. Arrange rooms for them in the guesthouse."
Li Guoqiang immediately straightened. "Yes, Deputy Company Commander Gu." He gave a crisp salute, his tone respectful and firm. "Thank you for your consideration."
Gu Zhenhua acknowledged the salute with a slight nod. Without saying anything further, he turned and walked toward the door, his steps steady and unhurried.
Yet just before stepping out he paused, ever so briefly. His gaze shifted once more toward Li Shuying. Then, without another word, he stepped out into the night.
Today had indeed been a long and unusually eventful day.