Zhou Xiaoling was taken aback. When it came to her second brother, her mother had never been quite rational—though she was sharp about everything else.

Li Yunlan thought for a moment. "But your brother should be coming home on leave soon to marry Xiao Ran. I heard someone say recently that Xiao Ran might be getting married... Is that true?"

Zhou Xiaoling was shocked. "Mom, who told you that? Xiao Ran marrying? Who would she marry? She's always been so sad because of my second brother."

Li Yunlan shook her head. "I don't know. Why would she be sad? Did she and Xiaocheng have a fight? Those two have always been so close."

Zhou Zhennan signaled Zhou Xiaoling to stop asking. He knew a little—the Luo family wouldn't let their daughter wait forever for a man who was presumed dead. They'd recently been arranging blind dates for Luo Anran, and she seemed to have hit it off with someone from the Geng family. He didn't know the details.

Zhou Xiaoling muttered, "Xiao Ran waited for my brother for so long. Just when there's hope, she gets married? What will my brother do when he comes back? Wouldn't it break his heart to see her married? Maybe I should call Xiao Ran and tell her he's still alive."

Zhou Zhennan frowned and stopped her. "Xiaoling, for your brother's safety, let's not discuss this further. Don't tell anyone. If you tell Xiao Ran and word gets out, it could put your brother in danger."

Zhou Xiaoling thought it over and nodded. "Alright, I won't say anything. I just hope my brother comes back soon, or his future wife will be gone."

Listening to the conversation, Lin Xiaoxiao felt a wave of relief. At least she and Zhou Huai'an could be together every day. Her heart also ached for the girl named Xiao Ran. She herself had found those two months without Zhou Huai'an almost unbearable—each day dragging on endlessly.

How had Xiao Ran made it through three years? In the end, the pressure from her family had likely become too much. Arranged marriage was, after all, what life often came down to.

During the meal, Zhou Zhennan asked Lin Xiaoxiao how her exam preparations were going and if she had a particular university in mind.

When she mentioned wanting to go to Peking University, he looked surprised. "Beida's admission scores are quite high."

Lin Xiaoxiao nodded. "I'll do my best. If Peking University isn't recruiting here this year, I'll go to Shanghai."

The moment Shanghai was mentioned, Li Yunlan shook her head without hesitation. "No, no. Shanghai is too far. Peking University is better—it's only a twenty-minute walk from our home. Very close. We can look after the baby while you study."

Lin Xiaoxiao knew that was the ideal arrangement. But if Beida wasn't admitting students from their region, or if her scores fell short, Shanghai would be her only option. She was determined to continue her education—without a degree, she'd be stuck as a small-town doctor, and that wasn't her dream.

Zhou Zhennan agreed. "Besides Beida, there are other good universities in Beijing. You could consider those. If you go to Shanghai, you can't very well bring the baby. You'd have to leave the child with us—maybe only see them once a term. Could you bear that?"

Lin Xiaoxiao fell silent. She had assumed that if she went to Shanghai, she would leave the baby with Li Yunlan. But she hadn't really thought about how hard that separation would be.

Now, hearing Zhou Zhennan's words, it hit her: How would she cope without her child? Once the baby was born—a soft, growing little person—she knew she wouldn't want to be apart.

Noting her silence, Zhou Zhennan continued gently, "Try for a university in Beijing. That way, your family can support you, and you won't have to be separated from your child."

Zhou Huai'an listened quietly, a new thought troubling him: Would having a child derail Lin Xiaoxiao's future? She was such a skilled healer—she deserved every opportunity. But giving up the child? He lowered his gaze. Selfishly, he couldn't bear the idea.

Zhou Zhennan looked from Zhou Huai'an to Lin Xiaoxiao. "It might be hard on you both—seeing each other only once a year."

The thought pained Lin Xiaoxiao, but she was resolved. "It's only temporary. Once I graduate, I'll go wherever Zhou Huai'an is. If he's still at the Second Institute, I'll apply to work there as a doctor."

Zhou Zhennan smiled. "Then it's settled. Study hard—I'll help however I can."

Having taught at a military academy in Beijing, he had connections with faculty at several universities. If Lin Xiaoxiao's scores were decent, she might still get in through a special admission or sponsored training. He did worry, though—she'd never attended high school. He didn't want to dampen her hopes, but he wondered realistically what her chances were.

The family enjoyed the rest of their meal together. Afterward, Zhou Huai'an arranged for his parents to stay at the institute's guesthouse, then went to the housing office to see if there were any vacant units nearby. His parents would likely be staying for a while.

Lin Xiaoxiao went with him. She'd noticed many empty houses around their compound during her walks—overgrown with weeds, clearly unoccupied. She pointed them out to Zhou Huai'an. "There are empty places behind our house, and in the next row too—all close by. Why does no one live in them?"

Zhou Huai'an explained, "Many employees at the Second Institute and the mountain bases have families who are unwilling to move here. The conditions are still harsh. Urban families don't want to come, and rural families can't afford to lose a working hand at home. So many houses stay empty."

Lin Xiaoxiao sighed. "No wonder people here sometimes seem so concerned with small things—life is really difficult."

After a moment of silence, Zhou Huai'an said, "If you go to Beijing, I'll do my best to transfer to the headquarters there."

Lin Xiaoxiao looked at him in surprise. "You can transfer to the main institute?" That would be wonderful.

Zhou Huai'an nodded. Before, he'd never given much thought to promotions or transfers. He was focused on his duty—doing his job well, using his skills, protecting state resources. But now he felt a selfish desire: he wanted to be with his wife and child.

Thrilled, Lin Xiaoxiao hugged him right there in the street. "Then let's both work hard! Everything will keep getting better. Our family will always stay together!"

They managed to borrow a house just behind their own for Zhou Zhennan and Li Yunlan, making it easy for them to come over and help with meals and care.

With their support, Lin Xiaoxiao's days became much easier—so much so that she didn't even return to the health center. She attended her tutoring classes each day, came home with Zhou Huai'an, and enjoyed warm meals waiting for her. Life was comfortable and easy.

So easy, in fact, that she almost forgot she even had a heart condition.