Wen Ci met Doctor Su. She was the demure, girl-next-door type, with a scholarly air about her that suggested she was very well-read.
The two exchanged a friendly nod.
Back in the car, Wen Ci fastened her seatbelt and leaned back in her seat. Xue Li smiled. "Alright ladies, sit tight. We're about to get going!"
Not long after they left Sea City, Wen Ci gazed out at the Gobi Desert. Yellow sand swirled everywhere. In her memory, the Northwest had always been an impoverished region, with the exception of its provincial capital.
'Lagging behind in every respect.'
Xue Li drove, humming a little tune. He glanced at the rearview mirror and asked curiously, "Doctor Su, may I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
"Everyone else is rushing to go abroad. Why did you decide to come back?"
The country was in a state of reconstruction, but many people were still heading abroad, always thinking that life was better in a foreign country than at home.
Very few people ever came back.
Su Wanqing replied in a mild tone, "The medical schools abroad have advanced equipment, and the salaries are quite good. I wanted to stay there, too, but..."
She paused, a hint of love warming her eyes. "The man I love is back in the country, so what could I do? I came back to build my career here."
"Oh, I see."
Listening to Su Wanqing's love-filled words, Wen Ci couldn't help but smile. 'The man Su Wanqing loves must be in the Northwest Military Region.'
'Otherwise, with her qualifications, she could have her pick of any good hospital in Beijing.'
-
After more than five hours of driving, they passed through a village called Li Family Village. There was a checkpoint at the entrance, but upon seeing the military pickup truck, they were waved right through.
Wen Ci asked, "Are we almost there?"
"Nope. About another half an hour to go."
"Then why is there a checkpoint?" Wen Ci asked, curious.
"More than a decade ago, before our Northwest Military District Courtyard was fully constructed, Li Family Village was our final security line. It's just been kept here ever since we moved."
Wen Ci nodded and stretched her stiff neck. She'd been in the car for six hours straight and was starting to get antsy.
She recalled the last time she'd been in a car this long was before the apocalypse. The train tickets home for the New Year had sold out, and she'd had to hitch a ride.
The closer they got to the Northwest Military Region, the less yellow sand there was. Wen Ci rolled her window down a little to get some fresh air. Doctor Su, in the back seat, was wearing perfume.
The perfume had been pleasant at first.
But after a long time in the car, it was starting to get a little nauseating.
Half an hour later, Wen Ci saw a high wall built from red brick. It was covered in various government slogans, and armed sentries stood guard at the gate.
Xue Li explained, "This is our military district courtyard. The military hospital, family quarters, and school are all within a ten-minute walk of each other."
Su Wanqing asked, "And where will I be staying?"
Xue Li replied, "Doctor Su, you'll be staying at the hospital. There's a dormitory just for doctors, which makes commuting easy."
Wen Ci didn't ask.
'As a military wife, I'll naturally be living in the family quarters.'
The pickup truck pulled up to the entrance of the family quarters. Xue Li stopped the truck and looked at Wen Ci. "Ma'am, I'll take your things directly to the training ground in a bit."
"I have a case of instant noodles."
At that, Xue Li hopped out and retrieved a full case of instant noodles from the truck bed.
Wen Ci took the case from him and asked, "I don't know which house I've been assigned."
"Right now, you're the only one moving into the three-bedroom houses, so it should be very easy to find. If you really can't find it, just ask one of the other soldiers. Mention Brother Huo's name."
Wen Ci thanked Xue Li. "Thank you for all your trouble today."