"Sister-in-law, something has happened!"
Company Commander Huang wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was much older than Tang Qiyue, but because of rank and military custom, he still had to address her as "sister-in-law."
"I just received a telegram. The battalion commander and Old Hu were ambushed. There are quite a few wounded. Doctor Qin is already waiting at the dock. We need you to come help."
Company Commander Huang went straight to the point without wasting time.
Tang Qiyue immediately guessed that the person who suggested calling her must have been Doctor Qin.
"Wait a moment. I'll go get the medical kit."
Tang Qiyue did not refuse. She was also worried about Zhan Zeye's situation. After all, he was currently her greatest support.
The two of them hurried toward the dock.
Along the way, Tang Qiyue asked about Zhan Zeye's condition, but Company Commander Huang could only shake his head.
"I don't know the details either. The telegram only told us to wait at the dock."
By the time they arrived, it was already dark. Only a faint red glow remained where the sea met the sky.
If they had come just to enjoy the scenery, no one could have remained indifferent to the magnificent colors of the sunset.
Apart from the cries of seabirds circling overhead, the sea was quiet. In the distance, whales occasionally leapt from the water, spraying tall columns of mist.
The waiting felt painfully long.
A newly built lighthouse stood on the island. As night fell, its powerful beam began sweeping across the sea.
Tang Qiyue rubbed her arms.
She had rushed out in a hurry and hadn't changed her clothes. Although the island was warm during the day, the sea breeze after sunset carried moisture and felt rather chilly.
Realizing that Zhan Zeye and his team might not return for a while, Company Commander Huang ordered several soldiers to gather dry branches and start a fire.
Once the campfire was lit, the warmth quickly drove away the chill.
At that moment, the man responsible for guarding the dock brought over a bucket of crabs and placed it beside the fire.
"Here, roast these. We've got nothing else to do while we wait."
He was also a soldier, but he had practically retired because of an injury—similar to the one-eyed veteran on the island. The difference was that the one-eyed man had lost an eye, while this man had injured his arm.
Although his arm was weak, it did not affect his work. Dock guards mainly watched for ships and monitored the sea, which required little physical effort.
Company Commander Huang asked a few soldiers to use branches to hold the crabs over the fire.
These crabs didn't even need seasoning. Their natural saltiness from the sea was already enough.
Doctor Qin frowned when she saw this.
"We're here on standby, not here to eat!"
She was worried about the wounded soldiers and felt that Company Commander Huang and the others were being too relaxed and careless.
The soldiers looked a little embarrassed and didn't know whether they should continue.
The injured veteran—Old Li—took out a cigarette, lit it, and glanced at Doctor Qin with an unfriendly expression.
"What? If they don't dock until the middle of the night, should we all just stand here like fools and wait? Their lives matter, but ours don't?"
Doctor Qin stamped her foot.
"Uncle Li, that's not what I meant! I just think soldiers should behave like soldiers. Everything should follow orders!"
Old Li spat to the side.
"Bah! What should soldiers be like? When I was fighting enemies alongside the old commanders, you weren't even born yet! I've never seen any of those commanders make a fuss over something like this."
Company Commander Huang quickly pulled Old Li back. He was afraid Old Li's temper would drive Doctor Qin away. After all, she was the only military doctor stationed on the island.
Doctor Qin's face flushed red.
She had always been praised wherever she went. First she had been criticized by Tang Qiyue about her medical skills, and now Old Li was lecturing her as well.
Her pride was so wounded that she almost wanted to quit.
Tang Qiyue glanced at them but didn't say anything.
As a military wife, she wasn't part of the military hierarchy. It would be foolish for her to interfere.
At that moment, she noticed a crab trying to crawl out of the fire.
She used a stick to push it back in and waited until it stopped moving.
Only then did she raise her head—and suddenly noticed everyone looking at her.
"The crabs are done. Do you want some?"
Tang Qiyue picked up a few roasted crabs and offered one to Old Li beside her.
Old Li chuckled.
Although he wasn't as large and imposing as the one-eyed veteran, he had spent many years on the battlefield. He had killed hundreds—perhaps thousands—of enemies.
Even when he restrained himself, the fierce aura around him still kept most people at a distance.
Yet Tang Qiyue, a young woman, showed no fear at all. She simply smiled and held out a crab.
Old Li took it and asked Company Commander Huang,
"This is Xiao Ye's wife?"
Company Commander Huang nodded.
Old Li squatted down beside Tang Qiyue and began cracking open the crab.
"Girl, are you here waiting for Xiao Ye?"
The crab wasn't very big, and the shell wasn't very hard. Old Li chewed through it shell and all.
It was obvious that he had excellent teeth.
Tang Qiyue felt her cheeks ache just watching him chew.
"I suppose so."
After all, she had been called here, but she wasn't a doctor. Saying she was waiting for someone sounded reasonable enough.
Old Li watched Tang Qiyue eat.
Although she handled the crabs the same way he did, somehow her movements looked much more elegant.
The shell was not very hard, but it still required some effort.
Tang Qiyue pinched a crab leg and easily cracked it open, revealing red-and-white crab meat.
Instead of biting it, she used the shell itself like a small tool to scoop out the meat.
Then she bent her head and popped it into her mouth.
The salty, fresh flavor was delicious.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Tang Qiyue peeled the crab as easily as if she were cracking sunflower seeds.
She was so focused on eating that she didn't notice the soldiers around the campfire had stopped talking and were watching her.
Only after she finished one crab and threw the empty shell into the sea did she realize Old Li and Company Commander Huang had been staring at her.
"Um… do you want me to help peel the crab?"
Tang Qiyue thought that was why they were looking at her.
Her words suddenly reminded everyone of the food.
The soldiers immediately started eating again.
Like Old Li, they chewed fiercely. Soldiers truly had iron stomachs—they could even chew crab shells.
Only Doctor Qin looked at Tang Qiyue with a strange expression.
"Are all daughters of capitalist families this… special?"
Tang Qiyue tilted her head and looked at her.
"Daughters of capitalist families are still people, aren't they?"
"Besides, I only ate one crab. Is there a rule on this island saying military wives must stand at attention and can't eat while waiting?"
Doctor Qin: "…"
She clearly hadn't expected such a gentle-looking beauty to have such a sharp tongue.
She didn't know how to respond.
A soldier nearby couldn't hold back his laughter, breaking the awkward silence.
"Girl, don't listen to her nonsense. We soldiers aren't made of wood."
Old Li supported Tang Qiyue.
Tang Qiyue stopped arguing, but Doctor Qin still refused to let it go.
"But Battalion Commander Zhan told us to stay on standby. She's not a soldier—but aren't you?"