Zhang Xue spoke with regret, "You didn't tell me earlier, or I could have come to see him too."
Chen Lishu, turning on the faucet to fill a basin with water, heard her and smiled, "We're all just people with the same nose and eyes. How about when he has some time off next, I'll have him treat you to a meal?"
Before Chen Lishu finished speaking, Zhang Xue immediately chimed in, "You said it, no backing out now."
After a moment, Zhang Xue glanced at a girl washing her face not far away and, seeing she had left, leaned forward and said somewhat shyly, "Lishu, can you talk to your man and see if he knows anyone suitable to introduce me to?"
"Pfft, cough cough." Chen Lishu, in the middle of rinsing her mouth, heard her words and choked on the water, coughing violently.
Seeing this, Zhang Xue quickly patted her back, "Look at you, is there any need to be so surprised?"
Chen Lishu calmed down for a moment before looking up and giving her a sideways glance, "What do you think?"
Zhang Xue chuckled and then explained, "You don't know, I've always admired soldiers since I was little. I wanted to join the army before, but my parents absolutely refused. When I was taking my college entrance exams, they insisted I major in teaching, saying it's good for girls to be teachers and easier to find a husband. What kind of thinking is that?"
Zhang Xue sighed helplessly after speaking.
Chen Lishu listened to her while washing her face. After cleaning it, she looked into Zhang Xue's eyes and said seriously, "Xue'er, introducing people is actually easy, but you need to think clearly. Admiration and love are completely different things. You haven't truly understood soldiers, nor experienced their hardships. If there's training, they might not be home for one or two months, and they could face life-threatening danger at any moment. If you're just curious and want to play around, I advise you to give up. After all, you have time, but they don't."
Zhang Xue quickly replied, "I didn't think about playing around."
Chen Lishu nodded, "Alright, let's assume you're serious and aiming for marriage. But as a friend, I still have to advise you to think twice before acting. Married life with a soldier is not as simple as you think. When you need them, they might not be able to be by your side due to their mission. Most of the time, you'll have to face many difficulties and troubles independently. If you can't make up your mind to accept this beforehand, you'll easily complain when problems arise. Once you start grumbling, it will be very difficult to sustain the marriage."
Chen Lishu knew that although Zhang Xue's family wasn't extremely wealthy, she was definitely a pampered daughter. It was easy for her to get swept up in the idea of dating someone, but for the sake of responsibility to both parties, she had to make her see the reality.
Hearing her words, Zhang Xue no longer rushed to deny them. She knew Chen Lishu was saying that for her own good and began to think seriously.
She had two older brothers, and she was the only girl. She had never suffered hardship since childhood, and even now, she didn't know how to cook. When others were sent to the countryside, her parents, to spare her hardship, even let her take over her mother's job. Could Zhang Xue really accept the kind of life Chen Lishu described? Zhang Xue also began to hesitate.
Chen Lishu quickly finished washing up, and the two returned to the dormitory together. The others were all reading and studying. Chen Lishu placed her washbasin under the bed, then took out a book and sat by the head of her bed, also starting to read diligently.
...
"Lishu, what are you doing after class? I heard the student union is holding a recitation, want to go together?" Zhang Xue glanced at the teacher on the stage and whispered, covering her mouth with her book.
"I won't go. I want to go to the hospital later." Thinking of the child she had saved that day, Chen Lishu planned to visit him. Besides, dealing with Sun Ling's grumpy face was already quite depressing, so she wanted some peace and quiet after class.
"Why are you going to the hospital? Are you feeling unwell?"
Chen Lishu shook her head, "To see a little child." She then briefly recounted what had happened on Saturday to Zhang Xue.
"Then I'll go with you." To be honest, she also disliked seeing Sun Ling's smug face.
And so, after class, the two headed straight out of the school gate.
Thinking of the child's ragged clothes at the time, Chen Lishu and Zhang Xue didn't go directly to the hospital but stopped by the department store halfway.
At that time, there were no dedicated children's clothing stores, and adult ready-made clothes were also rare. After looking around, Chen Lishu only managed to buy a small smock and a small vest for the child, and then bought a can of malted milk essence before the two went to the hospital with their purchases.
As soon as they entered the ward, they saw a small figure sitting on the hospital bed. The originally dirty little face had been cleaned, revealing delicate features. The clothes he was wearing had also been changed, likely temporary clothes found by the staff. They didn't fit well and were a bit large, with the sleeves and pant legs rolled up several times.
"Officer Yang." Chen Lishu greeted the female officer on duty with a smile.
"Why do you have time to come today?" Yang Shuang was trying to communicate with the child and got up from her seat when she saw Chen Lishu enter.
"I happened to have no classes, so I thought I'd come and see." Chen Lishu said, placing her items on the bedside table, "I bought him two pieces of clothing and a can of malted milk essence."
"You are truly thoughtful. I thank you on behalf of the child."
"Officer Yang, you're too kind." Chen Lishu said, her gaze falling on the child, "How is he doing now?"
"The fever has subsided, and the doctor said he should be able to be discharged after another two days of IV drips."
"Have the two bad guys been caught?"
Officer Yang shook her head with some helplessness, "Those two criminals are very cunning. They probably know we're after them, as we haven't seen a trace of them for the past two days."
Technology wasn't advanced at this time, and there were no cameras or surveillance. Once people escaped, it was like they vanished into thin air. If they weren't locals, even door-to-door inquiries would yield little results.
"Little friend, what's your name?"
Chen Lishu went to the bedside, braced her hands on her knees, bent down, and looked into his big, dark eyes, speaking softly.
The little boy looked up, stared at her for a moment, and then said in a small voice, "Rui Rui."
Chen Lishu smiled and gently stroked his little head, "Rui Rui, you're such a good boy."
"The child is too young, and he's been through a lot of shock lately. Besides knowing his name is Rui Rui, he doesn't know his home address, his parents' names, or even his surname," Yang Shuang said with无奈.
"What will happen to the child if the two bad guys aren't caught?" Chen Lishu's gaze shifted from Rui Rui to Yang Shuang, asking with some worry.
"After the child is discharged, we'll arrange for him to go to a shelter. If there's still no news in the end, he'll have to be transferred to a welfare institution."
He was so young and might be sent to a welfare institution. All three people present felt a bit heavy-hearted. Only Rui Rui, with his innocent,懵懂 eyes, was completely unaware of the situation he was about to face.