Chapter 4: Phoenix Nirvana

  The bullet-riddled off-road vehicle carrying Lin Ruolan back to the Cheetah Corps was already evening. Jin Huan opened the door and helped her down, and the military doctor Lin Yang, who had been ordered to wait, came forward and held one of her arms, and said to Ma Xiangdong, who was injured on his right arm: "Follow me, go to the medical office to bandage the wound."

  Jin Hao gazed at Lin Ruolan's lonely and weak back, his eyebrows tightly furrowed together. After a moment of hesitation, he pulled Chen Jianfeng aside and said in a low voice, "You write the report for today's events, I..."

  Before he could finish, Chen Jianfeng nodded in understanding: "I know, you go. This girl hasn't received psychological self-regulation training, this hurdle is probably hard to pass, someone needs to accompany her."

  Jin Hao nodded, just about to leave, when he suddenly turned back with a fierce gaze at Chen Jianfeng: "The next order is from me. Strictly prohibit anyone from inquiring about today's gun battle with her. Those who disobey will be immediately expelled from the Hunting Leopard Squad!"

  "I understand." Chen Jianfeng patted his shoulder, wanting to say something but hesitated, watching Jin Hua walk towards the medical office. After a long while, he let out a soft sigh and said to Lei Ming, who was still standing by the car in a daze: "Go back and take a bath, write a situation report about today's events and submit it to the political commissar."

  "Yes." Lei Meng loudly responded and ran back to the company headquarters.

  Lin Yang administered a sedative to Lin Ruolan, who was pale, and let her rest quietly in the observation room of the medical office. When she fell into a deep sleep, he turned around and looked at the tall figure still standing by the door, asking in surprise: "Jin Hao, do you want to stay here and watch over her?"

  Jin Huang walked to the bedside and sat down, his movements gentle as if he was afraid of waking up Lin Ruolan. He raised his hand and gently smoothed out Lin Ruolan's disheveled short hair, nodding slowly: "I'll get through this with her."

  Lin Yang had known Jin Huan for eight years, but it was the first time he saw this man's warm and gentle side. His puzzled gaze swept from Jin Huan's face to Lin Ruolan's: "Her? Could Jin Huan's soulmate really be her?" He subtly shook his head: "Too weak, isn't she?"

  The woman who had been injected with anesthetic had long fallen asleep, but even in her sleep, two crystal-like tears quietly fell from the corners of her eyes. Jin Huan stretched out his rough fingers to wipe away those two warm drops, and as his fingertips were moistened by the tears, he suddenly felt a murderous impulse: "Damn it, she shouldn't have had to bear all this!"

  Jin Hao didn't know when or how the girl named Lin Ruolan had slipped into his heart, but by the time he realized it, he was already deeply entrenched and couldn't pull out.

  I heard a guy say before: Women are the most difficult animals to figure out in this world, you never know what they're thinking about. When you start to get curious and want to explore their thoughts more deeply, that's when you completely fall into trouble.

  Jin Hao had always been skeptical, he always thought he had a strong and powerful heart that was above everything. His will was as stable as a rock, nothing could shake it, nothing could move it. Until, he met this girl named Lin Ruolan - her eyes were as gentle as water, but also hid a certain sharpness, her voice was like the clear and pleasant sound of hard jade hitting each other, every tone was so beautiful. The beauty, firmness, gentleness, and clarity of this woman deeply shocked his heart, the crystal clear brightness in her black eyes was what he had been dreaming of.

  He told himself very clearly in his heart: she is his dream, the girl he wants! He was thoroughly defeated in a flash of unpreparedness and willingly accepted this fateful encounter.

  Even after being injected with tranquilizers, Lin Ruolan slept very restlessly. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and no matter how much Jin Huan caressed her, he couldn't calm her down. Her hands grasped the corner of the quilt tightly, clenched until her fingers turned white, but she refused to let go. In the second half of the night, the tranquilizers gradually lost their effect, and she began to develop a high fever. Her small body was scorching hot, and her little face was also burning red. She opened her eyes, looking at Jin Huan with a dazed expression, and in her dark pupils, there was deep fear and anxiety. Holding Jin Huan's hand that had put an ice pack on her forehead, she grasped it like a lifeline, pulling it towards herself, muttering non-stop: "Cold... I'm cold... Save me... I'm so cold..."

  "Get another quilt," Jin Hao instructed the nurse, who brought one over. He shook it out and covered her with it, then picked her up, quilt and all, and held her close. "It's okay, it's okay, everything is over, don't be afraid, I'll stay with you," he whispered softly in her ear. His warm body heat seeped through the quilt, and Lin Ruolan, still dazed, instinctively snuggled closer to the source of warmth, absorbing the temperature he provided.

  Lin Yang walked into the observation room with the prepared antipyretic medication, quickly disinfected and inserted the needle into Lin Ruolan's blood vessel. He adjusted the speed of the infusion and whispered: "Jin Huan, it's already midnight, why don't you go rest for a while? You still have training tomorrow."

  "No, I'm with her." Jin Huan's voice was low and husky, the unfamiliar ache in his heart causing him to furrow his brow involuntarily. He gently stroked Lin Ruolan's fiery red cheeks with his warm, rough palm, speaking softly: "Little thing, don't be afraid, I'll always be with you."

  That night, Chen Jianfeng's office was brightly lit all night long, he held a thick psychology book, searching and learning...

  For the next three days, Jin Huan stayed by Lin Ruolan's side, but no matter how hard he tried, it was all in vain. Lin Ruolan was rapidly losing weight. Her face was deathly pale, and she had completely lost her appetite. The sight of anything red or white made her vomit uncontrollably, and the nights became a terrifying hell as she woke up drenched in sweat from nightmare after nightmare. Everyone understood that she was going through a critical period, one that could potentially ruin her life, but they were all helpless due to the strict confidentiality rules. They couldn't send her for psychological counseling, so she had to rely on her own strength to get through it.

  On the third day, Jin Hao had reached his limit of endurance. He went to the infirmary to find Lin Yang: "Do you know a psychological counselor?"

  Lin Yangzheng was reading a book about psychological treatment cases with Chen Jianfeng, he raised his head and rubbed his tired eyes: "You're always calmer than anyone else, what's wrong today? Don't worry first, Jianfeng and I have been thinking of ways these two days, and also consulted my classmates at the Capital Medical University..."

  "Calm? I'm not calm. I can't just watch her walk towards self-destruction day by day!" Jin Hwan's icy face showed no expression, only his deep, bottomless black eyes revealed the intense pain that was burning inside him.

  Chen Jianfeng was silent for a moment, this comrade who had been with him through thick and thin for twelve years seemed different from before, able to make the normally calm and collected Jin Huan lose his rationality, this must be the power of love. He suddenly revealed a smile that had not been seen in many days, a smile that carried a calming power: "I and Lin Yang are discussing this matter, we've come up with a plan worth trying, give me one more day."

  Jin Hao's hands were propped on the table, motionless as he stared at Chen Jianfeng, saying word by word: "Alright, just one day. If there's no improvement by this time tomorrow, I'll take her to Beijing." After finishing speaking, he turned around and was about to leave.

  "Jin Huang, no matter what method I use, you can't interfere." Chen Jianfeng said loudly.

  Jin Hao seemed to be thinking seriously and nodded with difficulty after a long time: "I won't interfere with you within 24 hours."

  "Jin Huang, have you fallen in love with her?" Lin Yang's question made Jin Huang stop in his tracks. He took a deep breath and didn't respond, walking away quickly. Leaving behind Chen Jianfeng who was speechless and Lin Yang who was bewildered.

  Chen Jianfeng had the cook bring in a large cup of tomato juice, and he walked into Lin Ruolan's office with it, where she was sitting at her desk staring blankly. Chen Jianfeng let out a soft sigh in his heart, placed the cup in front of Lin Ruolan, "Drink it!" His voice was cold and solemn, with an irresistible metallic tone.

  The bright red color immediately triggered Lin Ruolan's panic, she stood up and quickly retreated, leaning against the iron file cabinet behind her, "No... don't." Cold sweat dripped from her pale face.

  "Do you want to drink it yourself or should I help you pour it down? Chen Jianfeng's expression was like a ferocious demon, holding the tomato juice and step by step approaching Lin Ruolan. "Aren't you always thinking that you're very strong and calm? A cup of tomato juice has scared you off? You can choose not to drink, pack your things and get out of here, go be a deserter and let people laugh at you for the rest of your life. From now on, never say that you served in the Cheetah Squad again, the Cheetahs won't acknowledge this person!"

  Long Fei and Liu Xinjie, who were guarding the door, looked at each other in dismay, wasn't this adding insult to injury?

  The most unbearable words stirred up Lin Ruolan's anger, her beautiful eyes were wide open with rage, and her hands were also clenched into fists: "I am not a deserter!"

  "Then prove it to me!"

  Lin Ruo Lan snatched the cup from his hand, closed her eyes and tilted her head back to drink it all in one gulp. Because she drank too quickly, she was choked into a violent coughing fit. The tomato juice did not bring about a feeling of nausea, but instead brought a refreshing sensation that moistened her parched throat.

  "Yolanda!" Chen Jianfeng took a few steps forward, took the cup from her, and gently patted her back. His voice was softer than ever before, "If you want to cry, just let it out. You'll feel better after crying."

  "Who said I wanted to cry? Why should I cry? When have you ever seen me cry?" Lin Ruolan stubbornly held back her tears, trying to curve the corners of her mouth upwards into a smile. Before she could succeed, Chen Jianfeng stretched out his large hand and grasped her shoulder, pulling her into his warm and broad embrace.

  At that moment, all defenses collapsed, and Lin Ruo Lan finally couldn't help but burst into loud sobs. In Chen Jian Feng's arms, she cried until the sky grew dark, her tears wetting his chest pocket, the warmth of his body against her face, for the first time in her life, she shed all pretenses in front of a stranger, crying freely and unbridled. As if she had always been waiting for such an uninhibited moment, she cried until her heart was torn apart, all fears seemingly washed away, a voice by her ear constantly comforting her: "It's okay, it's all over, everything will be fine tomorrow."

  Just as Chen Jianfeng finally walked out the door, Long Fei hastily grabbed his arm and asked, "How is she?"

  "There's a turn for the better, but we still need to push her a bit more." Chen Jianfeng, fearing that he would startle Lin Ruolan, pulled Long Fei into the chief of staff's office.

  "How dare you be so reckless, aren't you afraid of stimulating her into a mental breakdown?"

  Chen Jianfeng sighed and shook his head firmly: "She won't, I believe she has enough strength."

  Long Fei stroked his chin and asked relentlessly: "What if she really did go crazy? How do you plan to explain it?"

  "Then I'll take care of her for the rest of her life!" Chen Jianfeng said coldly, and quickly left Long Fei who was stunned.

  Chen Jianfeng had been secretly observing, Lin Ruolan's complexion had somewhat recovered, but she still looked dispirited and listless.

  That night, after dark, Chen Jianfeng took Lin Ruolan out of the camp and drove for a long time on a rugged mountain road before stopping at the top of a hill.

  Chen Jianfeng pulled Lin Ruolan out of the car, "I often come here when I'm feeling anxious." He took off his military uniform and spread it on a smooth stone under the tree, beckoning to Lin Ruolan, saying: "Come sit down."

  Lin Ruo Lan walked over involuntarily, leaning against a big tree and sitting down. With starlight sprinkled on her, she raised her head and was immediately deeply attracted to it. The night sky changed from a leisurely pale blue to a deep, quiet ink blue, which made people's body and mind completely relaxed. The stars in the ink-blue sky were bright and beautiful, forming a silver river that stretched across the entire universe. Lin Ruo Lan quietly felt the tranquility that permeated her heart, and she also had such a night sky in her carefree childhood memories.

  A thin military blanket was lightly covered over her, a warm feeling came over her, and a genuine smile slowly rose to the corners of her lips. In a daze, she seemed to have returned to her childhood, the ancient Roman square, the ski resort on top of Zugspitze that overlooked all the mountains, the picturesque Schwerin Palace, the clean and tidy streets paved with cobblestones, the romantic alleys of the old town, the dreamlike Neuschwanstein Castle that appeared and disappeared in the wind-swept forest, and the beautiful daisies. She lay there, gazing up at the starry sky, motionless.

  Chen Jianfeng's gentle gaze fell on her, not disturbing her contemplation. She fell asleep like this, and tonight's dream had a sky full of stars, the flowing Danube River, and the snow-capped Alps that lasted all year round.

  When the first ray of sunlight tore through the dark clouds and spread across the land, Lin Ruo Lan woke up. The transparent sunlight shone on her white jade-like delicate face, making her snow-white skin look like it was half-transparent. She stretched out a long, lazy waist, feeling only that her chest suddenly opened up.

  Chen Jianfeng gazed at her, and her eyes were completely different from the day before, becoming calm and clear, firm and introverted. Moreover, there was a sense of relief in rebirth. "Tell me, what did you think about tonight?"

  "What were you thinking?" Lin Ruolan suddenly smiled lightly, "Accept what has happened, bid farewell to what can never be retrieved, and face what is not a dream." A burst of spring light came rushing in, the tender green shoots entered her line of sight, and the bright sunlight instantly illuminated the dark corners of her heart. Turning back to look at Chen Jianfeng, she said clearly: "I'm hungry."

  A long-forgotten sour and astringent feeling rushed up Chen Jianfeng's nose, he knew that this strong girl had made it through, faced herself, and her soul had undergone a phoenix-like rebirth.