Chapter 52 Appointment

  Inside the brightly lit dining hall, people were still savoring this rare delicacy, with laughter and chatter filling their ears. At this moment, the din of war and confusion were all thrown to the back of their minds. Despite the domestic shortage of supplies, people had prepared various gifts: handmade hats, scarves, gloves, or self-made cards, handicrafts, even just a small balloon.

  Taking advantage of the distraction, a young couple slipped out of the hall hand in hand and made their way to the nearby beach under the bright and enchanting moonlight, then strolled casually along the winding coastline.

  "The scarf you knitted is so warm!" This was a deep male voice full of affection.

  "Your smoked meat and wine are also very good, everyone is very happy!" The woman's voice was full of gentle beauty.

  "Ah, unfortunately I didn't have time to buy you a gift!" The man said with a hint of apology.

  "Don't be silly, your presence is the best gift for me!" The woman not only didn't mind, but her tone was also filled with a strong sense of happiness.

  After a pause, the male voice asked very seriously:

  "Anna, do you believe me?"

  "Of course, why ask?"

  The man said calmly: "Next year will be the most difficult year in the war, and also the last year of the war! Believe me, but it's better not to mention these words to others!"

  The girl hesitated for a moment, "I understand, Haino! When the war is really over, we will never be apart again, okay?"

  Zhang Hainuo stopped in his tracks, seriously looking at the clear and delicate face in front of him. If possible, he would rather not be separated from her again starting from today, but whether publicly or privately, this was unrealistic.

  "Anna, I think I must tell you that the end of this war will be a disaster for Germany. Chaos will spread throughout the country, traffic may come to a standstill, cities will become extremely unsafe, violence and bloodshed will be everywhere, hunger will plague the entire nation! If we lose contact with each other, go to the Fink estate in the outskirts of Oschersleben, my steward's name is Hasting, I'll let him know about you beforehand!"

  Anna's face was written with deep astonishment, but those azure eyes did not have a hint of disbelief.

  "This is too terrible, Heinrich! If it's really like that, will you come here and fetch me?"

  This is something that Zhang Hainan has always wanted to do deep down, but he also deeply knows that there are more important things for him to do, which is also an indispensable part of his plan.

  "The Imperial Navy will be the first place to erupt in chaos, this is not a prophecy, but can already be seen from many subtle signs! I'll try my best to escape, but if the chaos starts and I haven't arrived yet, if it's safe here, you stay here first. If it's not safe, you can go directly to my Fink estate or go home to pick up your family and then head there. Don't worry about food, I've already instructed my steward to stockpile as much as possible!"

  After saying these words, Zhang Hainuo saw not disappointment but worry in those clear eyes, a kind of worry from his lover.

  "Don't let me lose you!"

  This time, Anna wrapped her arms tightly around Zhang Hainuo's waist, as if she was afraid that once she let go, someone would snatch him away.

  "Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Zhang Hainuo gently patted her shoulder.

  Anna remained silent for a while, then lifted her head and asked:

  "Hainuo, nothing will happen to my father, will it?!"

  Xiang Hainuo shook his head calmly, Anna's father might have retired directly like most German soldiers, or he might continue to stay in the "Million Army", or perhaps join the Free Legion. There were too many possibilities here, and even Xiang Hainuo himself couldn't be sure. But for now, Anna had just lost a loved one, and she couldn't bear any more pain, so he kindly told a lie:

  "Don't worry, your father will definitely be safe and sound! The army's situation is much better than the navy's! They will withdraw safely from the battlefield back to their home country!"

  Anna felt a little relieved and soon buried herself in Zhang Hainuo's arms again.

  "What about you? What will you do at that time?"

  "No one dares to treat me, a top-notch boat captain, like this!" Zhang Hainuo said with pride, "But I need to spend some time taking care of my subordinates! Once I've settled down, I'll send a telegram or write a letter back to Fengke Manor, so when you arrive there, even if I haven't returned yet, you can wait for news from me there! The Hastin people are good, they will take care of you and your family!"

  Anna didn't say anything else, but instead tightly nestled in Zhang Hainuo's arms, silently feeling the warmth from his body.

  In the following days, Zhang Hainuo, a handsome naval lieutenant, became Anna's loyal little follower, helping her carry medicine trays, assisting wounded patients with dressing changes, and even sun-drying bed sheets. The doctors and nurses in the hospital didn't hesitate to ask Anna to "borrow" him for any physically demanding tasks. Zhang Hainuo didn't mind at all and instead enthusiastically took on the role of a small handyman. The tension from the previous two months of continuous battles in the English Channel was greatly alleviated here, and he felt that this trip to the sanatorium had come to the right place. If it weren't for the fact that the current situation was not optimistic, he would have really wanted to get injured again on the battlefield, just enough to send him back to this place.

  During his stay in the sanatorium, Zhang Hainuo also heard from some officers who came to recuperate about the performance of the German Navy in the Battle of Moon Sound. Although it is called "Battle of the Strait", it was actually a series of landing and counter-landing, blockade and anti-blockade operations around several islands at the exit of the Gulf of Finland, Russia. The scale was not large, and it took place during the Russian turmoil (between the February Revolution and the October Revolution), so it did not have a significant impact on the overall situation and progress of the war, and is not as well-known as the Battle of Dogger Bank, the Battle of Jutland, or the Gallipoli Campaign. However, as the last combat action of the German Navy in World War I, it laid the groundwork for the Kiel sailor's uprising a year later.

  The Gallipoli Campaign, launched in 1915 by the British and French to capture the Dardanelles and Constantinople from Turkey and open a sea route to Russia, ended with the withdrawal of the Allied forces. The campaign resulted in approximately 250,000 casualties on both sides.

  The holiday finally came to an end, and on that day, Anna still sent him to the train station in town. This time, however, the emotions between them were no longer as subtle as before. They shared a long, enviable kiss on the platform until the train slowly started moving, and Zhang Hainuo reluctantly jumped aboard, waving his hand at Anna with all his might. This scene would become an unforgettable moment etched in both of their minds...