Chapter 24: A Mark Like No Other

Annette handed the bowl of fish soup to Stuart, then gently pushed the money back toward him."I still have some money. You should keep this for now."

What she truly wanted more than anything was a proper shower and a change of underwear. The outer clothes she could endure being dirty a bit longer, but wearing the same undergarments for two days straight—this was her absolute limit.

As if he could read her thoughts, Stuart spoke up quietly, "There's a staff bathhouse at the back. You should be able to use it. It has scheduled times, though. Ask one of the nurses."

After saying that, he lowered his head awkwardly and took another sip of his soup.He wasn't used to this. Ever since enlisting at seventeen, he had lived among men—rough conversations, crude jokes, and a world where tenderness was considered weakness.He had no idea how to speak to a woman, let alone one like Annette.

But Annette found his discomfort completely endearing. Her eyes curved into a brilliant smile as she watched him—sharp yet attentive, a man who noticed even the smallest things and cared in his own quiet way.For a moment, she wanted to claim him as hers.

Then she quickly reminded herself: That's not fair. He belonged to the original Annette, not her. His care wasn't for her.

Pulling up a stool beside him, she grinned. "Alright, I'll ask the nurse later. After you finish eating, take off your undershirt—I'll wash it for you."

Stuart said nothing, clearly too embarrassed to respond.

After cleaning up the dishes, Annette went to find a nurse and ask about the bathhouse. It opened at five in the evening and was normally reserved for hospital staff or military family members.But since everyone knew Stuart, and Annette was now his wife, the nurse told her she could use it.

Annette happily counted her blessings—again benefiting from Stuart's reputation.She went out to buy a fresh set of cotton undergarments, washed them, and laid them out to dry on the heater in the nurses' breakroom, so they'd be ready in time.

Instead of going back to the ward, she stayed and chatted with two young nurses. With her pretty face, clever tongue, and friendly disposition—not to mention their collective admiration for Stuart—they quickly warmed up to her.

They talked about sweater patterns, the newest films, and even fashion trends in the provincial capital.To her surprise, Annette learned that neither of the girls had formal medical training; they had only completed a short vocational program.

One nurse, Lucy, noticed her surprise. "You're local, right? Don't you remember the last medical assistant training program they offered before New Year's?"

Annette blinked. "I wasn't really paying attention to those things back then."

The other nurse giggled. "You shouldn't be surprised. I heard some doctors in the smaller towns used to be veterinarians. They went from treating pigs and cows to treating people!"

Annette was speechless.By that standard, her surgical skills could easily qualify her to be a doctor.

She and Lucy hit it off so well that they even agreed to go to the bathhouse together later that day.

When evening came, the reality of public bathing hit her hard. The bathhouse was just a flat room with shower heads lined against the wall. There were no partitions, no curtains—nothing to shield you.

Annette stood at the doorway, holding her washbasin, too stunned to step inside.

Lucy tugged on her arm. "C'mon, let's go over there and change before it gets crowded!"

With no better option, Annette steeled herself and followed. Lucy, being a young unmarried girl, had no shame whatsoever and stripped down quickly.After a long hesitation, Annette finally began undressing too.

"Whoa!" Lucy gasped, pointing at her shoulder blade. "That birthmark is gorgeous!"

Annette blinked. "What birthmark?"

Lucy gently touched a spot on her upper back. "Right here, it looks like two red plum blossoms. It's so pretty, like something painted by hand."

That's when Annette remembered—the original Annette had a similar mark.Oddly enough, she herself had once had a small dark birthmark in the same place. Thinking it was ugly, she'd had it tattooed over with two red plum blossoms.

The fact that both of them had the same design, in the same spot, felt like a strange, beautiful twist of fate.

"Maybe I'm a plum blossom fairy, sent down from the heavens," she joked, unable to resist.

But Lucy nodded in complete seriousness. "Honestly, you might be. You look like someone straight out of a painting. Everyone says you're the prettiest here."

Annette couldn't help but laugh. "Flattery like that will make me blush. Come on, let's get cleaned up before I turn redder than those blossoms."

They washed quickly, chatting and giggling the whole time.Having a companion made the whole experience easier. By the time they were done, Annette felt refreshed, her skin tingling and clean, her spirit entirely renewed.

As they walked back, Lucy chattered on excitedly. "There's a movie at the assembly hall tonight! Starts at eight-thirty. Want to come with me?"

Annette shook her head. "Can't. I've got to stay with Stuart."

Lucy nodded. "Right, I forgot. But did you know? He's kind of a legend around here. The head nurse told me there was one time he came in completely covered in blood—wounds everywhere—and he didn't make a sound through a surgery that lasted more than twenty hours."

Annette was stunned. "He's been hurt that badly?"

Lucy nodded solemnly. "Yeah. He's like a hero to us. And believe me, you're not the only one who's got her eye on him. Half the hospital's female staff would marry him in a heartbeat."

Annette immediately thought of Charlotte. She wasn't surprised—Stuart was tall, handsome, and quietly commanding.He was polite, composed, and had that rare quality that made people instinctively want to draw close.

And suddenly, Annette understood why so many women had fallen for him. She wasn't exempt either.

When she returned to the hospital room, Stuart was sitting up in bed, quietly reading.To her astonishment, the book in his hands was a foreign original—entirely in French.

She blinked. "You speak French?"

Stuart shook his head and held up a thick dictionary. "Not fluently. I look up the words I don't know. This book was a gift from a former colleague. It covers the structure and technical specs of various international weapons. Very informative."

Annette stared at him, stunned.

I understand all of it, she thought to herself.

But then again, the original Annette wouldn't have, so she quickly put on a curious expression and said nothing more.