Chapter 167: Turned Into a Madman with a Broken Mind

Although Hua Zhenrong wasn’t very interested in joining the army at first, since he was already there—and with Sheng Zexi by his side motivating him—he trained hard and seriously. Plus, he had Uncle Hua’s genes.

As a result, Hua Zhenrong’s performance was outstanding.

You could say he truly lived up to the name “Zhenrong.”

At first, Hua Zhenrong wasn’t keen on being a soldier, but gradually, he grew to love it.

Later, the two of them went on missions together, fighting side by side against the enemy.

They were the perfect partners—battle buddies who could entrust their backs to each other without hesitation.

In the military district, they were famous as the “Twin Heroes.”

“But later, that man deliberately had me transferred out of the Northwest Military District…” Sheng Zexi gritted his teeth, hatred flashing in his eyes.

That man, of course, was Sheng Xinhao.

Because Uncle Hua had helped Sheng Zexi, Sheng Xinhao took out his anger.

But Uncle Hua’s status was no lower than Sheng Xinhao’s, so he couldn’t vent his anger on Uncle Hua or even on Hua Zhenrong.

He could only pick on the weaker target.

So, Sheng Zexi was transferred to another military district.

Military orders are absolute.

There was nothing he could do. No matter how unwilling Sheng Zexi was, no matter how hard he tried, he could only obey.

And just like that, the two partners who had worked so well together were separated.

“…And when, after a year of hard work, I finally managed to get transferred back to the Northwest Military District, I couldn’t find any trace of Zhenrong.”

It wasn’t until he went to the Hua family in Beijing and saw the tied-up, raving, and delirious Hua Zhenrong that he finally understood.

It turned out that, half a year earlier, during a mission, there had been a leak by an enemy spy, and their unit was almost completely wiped out.

In the end, only one comrade returned, carrying the severely injured Hua Zhenrong on his back.

Hua Zhenrong was saved, and physically he was fine, but his mind seemed to have broken.

He’d become a madman with a shattered mind.

No one could imagine what Sheng Zexi felt when he couldn’t find Hua Zhenrong in the Northwest Military District, rushed to the Hua family in Beijing, and saw his friend tied up, unable to control himself.

Sheng Zexi was wracked with guilt.

“At the time, I thought, if I hadn’t insisted on joining the army, Zhenrong wouldn’t have begged Uncle Hua, and he wouldn’t have joined the army—then maybe none of this would have happened…”

Looking at the sorrow and guilt in Sheng Zexi’s eyes, Gu Jianing’s heart ached. She stood up and hugged Sheng Zexi tightly. “No, don’t think like that. I believe, if Comrade Hua were clear-headed, he wouldn’t want you to blame yourself.”

Sheng Zexi hugged Gu Jianing, burying his face in her embrace, not letting her see his reddened eyes or his vulnerability.

In fact, it wasn’t just him—Uncle Hua also blamed himself deeply. His hair had turned white, and he seemed to have aged ten years overnight.

Uncle Hua said that since Zhenrong hadn’t been interested at first, he shouldn’t have forced him.

Was inheriting his ideals and legacy really more important than his own son?

Of course not!

But what’s done is done, and there’s no way to turn back time.

“Ningning, Zhenrong’s condition is getting worse. I heard he often has splitting headaches and wants to bang his head against the wall. I’m really afraid…”

He was afraid that the next time he returned, he’d hear even worse news.

“I know, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll help cure Comrade Hua. He’ll get better,” Gu Jianing comforted him, holding him close.

Gu Jianing had always felt that the name Hua Zhenrong sounded familiar.

Now, she finally remembered.

In her previous life, after she died, her soul floated around Sheng Zexi, witnessing his life bit by bit.

Reborn in this life, those memories suddenly became clear.

She remembered that in her previous life, every year, Sheng Zexi would visit the grave of a special comrade.

That was his comrade, his best friend, his brother.

But he had died young—by suicide.

Zhenrong…

That’s right. When Sheng Zexi paid his respects, the name he called out at the tombstone was Zhenrong.

She remembered clearly the sorrow on Sheng Zexi’s face at that time.

So, in her previous life, Hua Zhenrong died young?!

It must have been because of this PTSD.

But when did he die?

Gu Jianing frowned, trying to recall the birth and death dates on Hua Zhenrong’s tombstone.

The next second, her eyes widened—she remembered.

July 23, 1975!

That’s it, that’s the date.

And that’s this year.

Right now, it’s March.

Which means there are less than five months before Hua Zhenrong’s suicide.

He must be saved!

Hua Zhenrong was Sheng Zexi’s friend, brother, and the greatest regret in his previous life. He must be saved!

Of course, even if Hua Zhenrong weren’t Sheng Zexi’s brother or friend, just the fact that he developed PTSD while serving his country would be reason enough for her to save him—it was her duty.

In a month, when she went to Beijing to visit her mother-in-law’s grave, she could also treat Hua Zhenrong. There should be enough time.

When Sheng Zexi heard Gu Jianing say she would treat Hua Zhenrong, he felt as if his heart was filled with warmth and sweetness.

“Ningning, thank you. How lucky I am to have married you.”

“But don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

“Don’t worry, I know my limits.”

Since she’d promised Sheng Zexi to cure Hua Zhenrong, Gu Jianing took it seriously.

From then on, besides her regular shifts in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, she spent all her spare time in her space, studying courses on treating PTSD.

To her surprise, the course covered a lot of psychology. For Gu Jianing, it was both novel and challenging, and there was a lot to learn, so it took her quite a while.

Moreover, the course covered PTSD not just in humans, but also in animals.

Gu Jianing started with the animal section, and after finishing it, she treated Amber first.

Time passed as Gu Jianing worked and studied.

Previously, Old Chen, who rarely visited the TCM department, had started dropping by more often.

Whenever he saw that Gu Jianing’s office was free, he would discuss medicine or difficult cases with her.

Gu Jianing welcomed Old Chen’s visits.

Every time they discussed, she learned a lot.

To Gu Jianing, Old Chen was like a teacher. In fact, during their discussions, Old Chen taught her earnestly, no different from a real mentor.

Although Gu Jianing had stuffed her mind with countless medical books, she never thought of herself as a miracle doctor.

She knew that memorizing knowledge and knowing how to apply it were two different things.

And often, saving lives wasn’t just about book knowledge.

Experience was crucial, too."