So now, every time she saw him, she had to swallow her feelings.

The more she held it in, the angrier she became.

"Haven’t you said enough?!"

The argument ended with a smashed bowl, porcelain shards littering the floor.

They ignored each other and turned away. One went into the bedroom; the other stormed out, slamming the door.

In the heat of their vicious argument, they both forgot.

A small figure was cowering behind the sofa in the corner of the living room.

Their daughter, Cao Jiajia, was huddled in the corner, silently watching it all unfold.

From that day on, she grew quieter and quieter, rarely even smiling.

Meanwhile, Ling Anxun was already rushing to the most dangerous front line.

The night was ink-black and the wind howled as he stood in the back of a military truck.

The moment he arrived, he charged into the most chaotic, heavily bombarded sector.

Artillery thundered in the distance and the air was thick with smoke, but he leaped from his cover without a moment’s hesitation.

Those who knew him had long since figured him out.

The more dangerous the place, the faster he’d charge toward it.

For days, there was no word from him. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

They were short-handed on the front lines; everyone was working around the clock.

Even a moment to catch your breath and gnaw on a cold bun while sitting in the mud was a luxury.

Who had time to call home and report they were safe?

There was no water to drink and no time to sleep. Even when your gun barrel glowed red-hot, you had to keep fighting.

Even if you got a sliver of free time, you gave it to a comrade who needed it more.

An injured brother needed to let his family know he was alive. A young child was waiting to hear their father’s voice. How could you not give them your turn?

Ling Anxun?

He never said he was tired, and he never talked about his family.

He gave all his chances away.

At night, the lights were off and the curtains drawn.

Their minds tossed and turned, replaying images of him on the battlefield.

But Shanshan was different.

She ate with gusto, happily finishing one mouthful of rice after another and helping herself to the dishes.

"Grandpa, Grandma, don’t worry! My dad is so tough, he’ll be fine. You two need to eat more. Otherwise, when he gets back and sees you’ve gotten so thin, he’ll be heartbroken. He’ll have made it through, but you’ll be the ones collapsing. What a waste that would be."

At the table, only her bowl was scraped clean, without a single grain of rice left.

Ling Anyu shot her a glance, his eyes filled with a complex mix of surprise and other emotions.

He murmured, "Shanshan certainly has unwavering faith in her father."

"Of course I do," Shanshan said, looking up with indignation. "My dad’s so amazing. How could anything happen to him?"

What she didn’t say was that the Jade Pendant she’d worn since she was a child was resting quietly against her chest.

It hadn’t cracked or turned black.

According to ancient family legend, the Jade Pendant was enchanted, its fate tied to the bloodline of a loved one.

If that person faced a great disaster, the jade would crack, blacken, or burn with a searing pain.

But this jade remained smooth and warm, completely unharmed.

That meant he was alive and well.

’If that’s the case, what is there to be afraid of?’

"Shanshan... are you really not scared? What if... I mean, just what if... if he... you really wouldn’t cry?"

She didn’t dare finish her sentence, her voice dropping to a near whisper, as if afraid to shatter the fragile peace.

"Yeah, Shanshan," Ling Zhiwei couldn’t help but add. "No matter how capable Uncle is, the battlefield is incredibly dangerous. I’m always worried about you, so how can you be so confident about him?"

He frowned, completely baffled.

Even Ling Zhenkang couldn’t resist asking.

He wasn’t trying to imply anything; he was simply baffled.

The child was absurdly calm about this one thing, of all things.

"Come here, my dear granddaughter."

Shanshan slid off her chair and padded barefoot across the wooden floor to her grandfather’s side.

"Can you tell Grandpa what you’re really thinking?"

Ling Zhenkang looked down, gently stroking her hair.

"Of course," she said.

Shanshan could vaguely sense how tense the atmosphere in the house had become lately.

The source of this suffocating tension was all because of her father.

Ever since he’d been called away on an urgent mission to the front lines, everyone in the family had been on edge.

Just a moment ago, several of the adults had looked at her with disapproval.

She felt a little stung, but she didn’t dwell on it and simply lowered her head.

"Before he left, Daddy told me to take good care of myself and to keep Grandpa and Grandma company for him."

She paused, her tone even.

"He said that was the only way he could focus on his work without worrying about us back home. I don’t want him to be distracted. If he’s constantly worried about us, he can’t do his job properly. I don’t want him to have a single thing holding him back."

As the words left her mouth, the dining room fell so silent you could hear the pendulum on the clock tick.

Ling Anyu froze, his teacup hovering in mid-air.

"The trust between those two... we really can’t compare."

Ye Ruoling sat at the table, her old military-green jacket still on, her back ramrod straight.

"That’s right."

Ling Anyu and his wife, who had just been feeling resentful toward Shanshan, felt their faces flush with shame.

Ding Qin’s eyes grew hot, instantly welling with tears.

She said nothing, but shot up from her seat, crossed to Shanshan in a few strides, and pulled the girl into a tight hug.

"Our Shanshan, you’re so thoughtful."

Her voice trembled, thick with emotion.

"We should all learn from you. By taking care of yourself, you’re letting your dad focus completely on his work so he can come home safe and sound. You’re the bravest little soldier, you know that?"

Just as she spoke, the front door was thrown open.

Everyone jumped and whipped their heads toward the sound.

The eldest brother, Ling Antao, rushed in, his forehead beaded with sweat and a large, dark patch soaking the back of his military-green uniform.

"Mom! Dad! We have news!"

He yelled, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement.

"A communication just came in from the front! I rushed right over as soon as I heard!"

He had a desk job in the rear and wasn’t on the front lines.

He spent his days in the command and dispatch center, staring at maps, phones, and radios.

Even though he didn’t carry a gun onto the battlefield, his responsibilities in the rear were just as heavy.

Personnel, vehicles, and supplies all had to be dispatched through his office.

A mistake at any stage could jeopardize the entire operation.

He had just managed to catch his breath and had only taken two bites from his cold lunchbox.

The moment he heard the news, he hadn’t even bothered to call, just dropped his lunchbox, jumped in his car, and raced home.

"Really? How is Anxun?"

Ling Anyu shot to his feet, his voice cracking with emotion.

"Is Uncle okay?"

Shanshan struggled out of Ding Qin’s embrace, craning her neck on her tiptoes as she stared wide-eyed at her big brother.

"He’s fine! He’s doing great!"

Ling Antao nodded emphatically.

"The mission went perfectly! His team has already pushed into the most dangerous part of the disaster zone! At the peak of the mudslide, they managed to carve out a lifeline and rescue thirty-seven people! They’re past the most critical phase. Now it’s just rescue operations, and everything is going smoothly!"

Ling Antao told them everything he was cleared to share.

"Oh, thank God, thank God!"

Ding Qin pressed her hands together, and the tears finally fell.

"We finally have real news! The weight on my heart is finally half-lifted!"

A weight had indeed been half-lifted from everyone’s hearts.

But as long as Ling Anxun wasn’t home, they couldn’t truly be at ease.

In the days that followed, the entire family pulled together as one.

No one complained about being tired, frustrated, or facing difficulties.

Ling Antao took the lead, pulling his brothers and nephews into late-night meetings to come up with a support plan.

Those who could give money gave money; those who could give their time and effort gave their time and effort.

A month later, news finally arrived that Ling Anxun was coming home.

Ding Qin immediately set aside her needlework and hurried into the kitchen to prepare a meal.