Chapter 1283: Chapter 857: The Grand Finale: Is It Xinhong or… Ming Xu?
Xiao Meng thought about many things on her way home.
Thinking about Xiao Ang, who lost his mother early on, and then thinking about Shuangshuang and Huang Huang, who have been showered with love since childhood, living happily and worry-free.
But when she thought about it closely, Su Xiaomeng found it quite terrifying; she and Yin Shixiu have narrowly escaped death several times, so in this peaceful era, couples like them who’ve been through such turmoil are rare.
If either she or Yin Shixiu had failed to cross the line between life and death, Shuangshuang and Huang Huang might be facing challenges no less than Xiao Ang right now.
Returning home, she found that there were visitors; no, calling them visitors was too inaccurate.
“Meng Meng, Madam Commander, shouldn’t you be at home taking care of yourself? Why did you come home at this hour?”
Although Shan Munan and Yin Shihua have moved out, the Shan Family villa and the Yin Family residence are both Yin Meng’s family homes.
Yin Meng was at Mengqin Garden, looking for her grandfather.
Xiao Meng asked as soon as she came in.
Yin Meng has been pregnant for over three months. She notified Xiao Meng immediately upon realizing her pregnancy. Yin Meng had just graduated from grad school, and Commander Lin was already eager to become a dad; they were very decisive.
Thinking of Yin Meng’s contradictory tone when she was at her wits’ end yet somewhat delighted, Xiao Meng felt genuinely happy for them.
Yin Meng glanced at Su Xiaomeng, but her expression was very serious, which made Su Xiaomeng suspicious for a moment… She walked to Yin Meng’s side.
Zhou Mengqin was sitting nearby, her graying eyebrows slightly furrowed; Xiao Meng hadn’t seen such worry on the elderly lady’s face for a long time.
Something must be wrong.
“What’s the matter? Yin Meng, why the expression…”
“Xinhong… has gone missing.”
“…missing, what do you mean by that?” Su Xiaomeng was puzzled; the phrase ‘gone missing’ didn’t seem appropriate for a military district commander of his rank, right?
“I’m not talking nonsense; he’s truly missing.”
Yin Meng appeared calm, her words were steady and clearly articulated; Su Xiaomeng watched carefully, then noticed Yin Meng clutching her clothes tightly, her knuckles pale with the pressure, enduring her emotions with unknown force.
“Mom, what… is happening?”
Su Xiaomeng turned to Zhou Mengqin.
Zhou Mengqin said, “It’s a military matter; your dad has already gone to the study to inquire… but he’s been retired as a commander for many years, whether he can still gather inside information, we’re unsure.”
Yin Meng pursed her lips, taking a deep breath, trying to maintain her calm.
“Why do you say Lin Xinhong is missing? He’s a soldier; losing contact for a while may be quite normal, right? Wasn’t Ming Xu like that before? Once the military issued a task, there was often no news for months, and at that time, Third Sister and her husband were anxious too, but then everything was fine.”
“Ming Xu is also missing.”
Yin Meng looked at Su Xiaomeng and said.
Su Xiaomeng was speechless and at a loss for words.
“Dad and Mom don’t know yet; after all, Ming Xu is that kind of worrisome character, but Xinhong is different from Ming Xu. If Xinhong was working outside, he would communicate with me at least once a week.”
“…”
“Xinhong hasn’t contacted me for four weeks, not even a text message.”
Xiao Meng actually wanted to say, it’s quite normal, since Lin Xinhong previously contacted her against rules, maybe this time he simply had no means to do so?
“I know what you’re thinking; you think I’m too nervous.”
“No, Meng Meng, I’m hoping you don’t worry too much. Things may have indeed been delayed; you’re pregnant now, and your emotional state in the early stages is really important for the child’s development and your own health.”
Yin Meng’s smile was bitter, truly harder to look at than crying, and Su Xiaomeng felt her heart ache with it.
“I understand everything you’re saying, but how can I be at ease… From the moment he left home four weeks ago, something was wrong. That night he received an urgent call from his superiors; his demeanor after answering the call is still vividly in my mind.”
“…Lin Xinhong is already a commander. With his rank elevated, his responsibilities naturally increase, and besides—”
“Before he left, I repeatedly pressed him if it was a dangerous mission; he insisted it wasn’t, and even in the car window as he was leaving, reassured me to not worry.”
“Given Xinhong said it—”
“Xiao Meng! If it were Yin Shixiu, you’d feel the same way. Lin Xinhong is an honest man; he doesn’t lie, at least to me. Since we got married, he’s made it clear that although the likelihood is low, as a soldier, he must be prepared to sacrifice for the country, and hopes I will be too…”