Memento

Tomorrow she would operate genetic repair surgery for Zeni. If everything went well, Zeni would recover and she would get a genetic repair license.   

Before, any significant matters she would all told Qian Xu.   

As if being bewitched, Lorraine dialed Qian Xu's communication number.

A beep beep sound came but no one answered. Lorraine sent a text message: "I'm already back in Alicata. I'm going to have a major operation tomorrow. I'm a little nervous and hope everything goes well. How are you doing? Have you missed me?"

Of course it was impossible to receive a reply. She didn't know what she was expecting. Suddenly, a beeping sound came from her personal terminal. Lorraine trembled, but when she took a closer look it was Zi Yan.

Lorraine declined the call but Zi Yan sent a text message.

"Lorraine, according to the regulations of the base, Qian Xu rented dormitory will soon be taken back. All personal belongings will be destroyed. Maybe you want to take a look. Contact me when you have time."

Lorraine immediately dialed Zi Yan: "I have time now."

Zi Yan nimbly said in clear-cut: "I will wait for you at Qian Xu's dormitory gate."

Moment later, Lorraine walked to Qian Xu's dormitory door and saw Zi Yan dressed in simple white clothes and black pants leaning on the fence pole and stared blankly into the sunset sky.

The scenery was incomparable gorgeous and beautiful, but this flower butterfly appeared to be lonely and desolate.

Hearing her footsteps, Zi Yan turned around opened dormitory's door.

"When Qian Xu was serving on the front line, he had a will to donate deposits and pensions to Alicata Orphanage. He is an orphan, no one will take his personal belongings. According to the regulations, we can only destroy it. If you want to keep it as a memento, I can arrange for you to keep it."

Lorraine stood in the middle of the living room, looking at the living room, dining room, and kitchen that were exactly same as the sample room.

Was it because he had always known that this day would come and he did not want to trouble others, so that he did not let himself to own anything?

Zi Yan did not expect Qian Xu's dormitory to be like this. It was so clean and tidy that there was not a trace of life. He said softly, "I will wait for you here."

Lorraine looked around each room and walked into fitness room then sat on the floor at the old-fashioned black box.

She picked up the black box and pressed play button. An old melodious singing echoed in the completely empty fitness room:

'When wind blew from a distance

You won't know I'm thinking of you again

Those times that we walked together

Wanted to forget

But always couldn't forget

Your smile in my eyes

Your warmth in my heart

Thought that my whole heart

Was just my whole life

Didn't know that life was so much of helplessness

All promise was blown away in the wind

Why meet just once

Took a lifetime to forget

Where came the wind

Blew and blew

Blew away falling flowers, blew away the waiting

Blue sea had turned into moss green

......'

Was Qian Xu listening to this song before leaving?

Seasons had changed. Stars had moved. What was once blue sea had now changed into mulberry fields. Time brought great changes to the world. Nothing in the world can last forever, but longing would linger in bones and be with life until breathing stops. Lorraine touched blue mythical flower on the black box, tears dripping on petals.

Suddenly, she remembered an amber flower she had given Qian Xu and immediately rushed into bedroom to search for it.

She searched every corner and didn't even let go of his cloth's pockets but found nothing.

Zi Yan heard the movement and walked in: "What are you looking for? Do you need help?"

Lorraine stupidly stunned for a moment, and said, "No need. Maybe he had taken with him and left outside."

Zi Yan thought that Qian Xu's bones were gone, and couldn't say anything.

Lorraine picked up the black box: "I want to take this, a music player."

"Sure, is there anything else?"

"Where is Qian Xu's robot?"

Zi Yan opened storage room's door: "You mean it?"

"Yes."

"Usually after formatting, the program will be reinstalled and deploy to a new owner. But its model is too old, maybe it will be destroyed."

Lorraine hurriedly said, "Can I pay to buy it?"   

"No need. Anyway, it's just a robot that will be destroyed. If you want to use it, then take it. I'll send it to your home."

Lorraine knew that Zi Yan was absolutely doing a huge help. No matter what, Qian Xu was an active soldier on duty. Legally she had no relationship with him, taking his robot was not an easy matter.

Later, Chen Sha brought Lorraine back home without saying a word.

.

.

.

In the next early morning, Lorraine had breakfast and when went to the hospital.

Lorraine and Feng Lin walked towards the operating room. The surgery was not even started when seeing the hospital staff confronting an armed police team.

Feng Lin asked in rage, "What are you doing? Don't you know this is operating area?"

Zong Li in police uniform walked over quietly like a poisonous snake, "Duke Feng Lin, currently there is evidence clearly stating that you might betray the Federation and sell classified information to enemy forces. I need to bother you to come with me for investigation."

Feng Lin sneered: "Absurd! Now I have an important operation now. No matter what, wait until I finish the operation and we will talk!" She turned to leave but Zong Li pointed a gun at her.

Feng Lin turned around, pointed in the direction of the operating room, and asked with stern voice, "One person life is waiting there. Is your investigation that important?"   

Zong Li remained unmoved and said coldly: "My investigation concerns Federation's thousands and ten thousands of lives."

Four police officers rushed over and surrounded Feng Lin. Her body trembled with anger, "Zong Li, your evidence better be very convincing, because I will complain your abuse of power!"

Four police officers escorted Feng Lin and walked out.

Lorraine chased after but was stopped by other policemen. She asked anxiously, "Feng Lin, what will Zeni do?"

Feng Lin turned around and said sadly, "The operation is cancelled!"   

"But Zeni can't wait any longer."

Sadness was across Feng Lin's face. She turned around and left with the police.

Lorraine rushed to the operating room. Others had been informed of the operation cancellation.

As Feng Lin's chief assistant, Anna interrupted everyone's dispute and said rationally: "The operation is cancelled and send patient back to the ward. We all tried our best!"

Lorraine suddenly said, "Anna, I can perform surgery on Zeni."

"You don't have genetic repairer's license, so you can't perform surgery on your own."

Suddenly, Lorraine got in front of Zeni's bed. "According to the operating room principle, if Feng Lin is not here, I am the person in charge. The operation is carry on normally. Everyone please get into position."

Anna said with her sincere and earnest heart, "It's not that we don't want to save him, but we have to do things in accordance with rules and regulations."

Suddenly, Chen Sha's voice came through: "If it doesn't violate rules and regulations, are you willing to cooperate the operation with Dr. Luo Xun?"

Lorraine looked back in surprise and saw Chen Sha in military uniform standing straight in the observation room, looking down from a height through the glass window at them.

Everyone stood straight and saluted: "Commander!"

Chen Sha said, "This is military base affiliated hospital. You all must be soldiers, right?"

"Yes!"   

"Soldier must obey the order unconditionally."

"Yes!"   

"Now I order the surgery to be operated. I will undertake any responsibility."

"Yes!"

Everyone had no slightest doubt at all and get in their place without saying any word. Lorraine stupidly looked at Chen Sha. He then asked coldly, "Am I your patient?"

Lorraine immediately turned her head and looked at Zeni.   

Anna reported: "Patient data are all stable."   

Lorraine took a deep breath, walked to the huge surgical instrument front, and held the operating port. "Start the operation!"