Ace Troops Episode 34 Recap
> Ace Troops Recap
Dean Lou, worried about the low success rate of Gao Liang's surgery with current domestic medical technology, thought of Professor Emir, an internationally renowned neurosurgeon famous in the field of neurosurgery in the United States. She was a visiting professor at Lingnan University and was currently vacationing in China. Gu Yiye went directly to her hotel to seek her help, only to discover she was Hu Yang, a woman who had deeply loved him years ago.
Despite the passage of many years and Hu Yang's significant changes, she still felt a stir in her heart upon seeing Gu Yiye. Gu Yiye explained his purpose, hoping she would personally operate on Gao Liang. However, Hu Yang asserted that doctors, like soldiers, require long-term accumulation of experience. Her current standing was the result of countless days and nights of hard work.
Knowing the extreme difficulty of Gao Liang's surgery, she was unwilling to risk her professional future on a gamble. Hu Yang also shared how the past, proud and decisive Gu Yiye, who could cut ties for his career, had supported her through her hardest times. She then outlined her path to becoming an exceptional doctor, emphasizing her meticulous, paper-driven approach over ""over ten years"", meticulously fighting her human weaknesses, considering her laboratory and operating table as her battlefields.
She explained that hardships like going to the Middle East and West Africa were merely necessary steps to compensate for her shortcomings, mere "interesting meditations" compared to the long, arduous road of her career. Gu Yiye, deeply moved by her story, felt she deserved a military salute, irrespective of his current request, but purely for her admirable dedication and perseverance as a Chinese individual striving overseas.
Hu Yang, touched by his sincerity, confessed that she never treated any surgery lightly, viewing Gao Liang's case as a gamble she wouldn't normally take as a scientist. Yet, she admitted that there were moments when she wasn't entirely objective. She pondered if she would operate if Gu Yiye himself were the patient, concluding she would not hesitate. She firmly stated that, apart from Gu Yiye, no one else could make her abandon her principles.
Meanwhile, Jiang Nanzheng excitedly returned to Gao Liang's hospital room with their marriage application form. Since there wasn't time for a new photo, she had simply cropped their picture from Zhangmu Train Station, removing Gu Yiye from it. She playfully told Gao Liang that Gu Yiye had to disappear for their marriage, to which he complained about Gu Yiye being cut out. She then asked him to sign the application form.
Gao Liang, already aware of his grim condition, painstakingly wrote "Love you" on the form before collapsing into a coma once more. The application fell to the floor, clearly displaying "Love you, Jiang Nanzheng." With Gao Liang's life hanging by a thread, Jiang Nanzheng sought out Hu Yang. Acknowledging Hu Yang's professional reservations, Jiang Nanzheng didn't press her unduly.
Instead, she urged Hu Yang to see that top experts in any field undergo continuous self-breakthrough, and that taking risks is an essential part of that journey. Before leaving, she conveyed a powerful quote her sports teacher once shared from an ancient Greek Olympic motto: "Don't pursue victory. Just pursue the courage to move forward." She emphasized that from indomitable struggle comes honor for oneself and glory for all mankind.
Hu Yang, still wary, reiterated that a scientist like her doesn't gamble, but wished Jiang Nanzheng's academic lecture would win genuine applause, effectively dismissing her. Due to the Huang Tianwei incident, Division Commander Chen Dashan had suspended Gu Yiye. Unbeknownst to many, Gu Yiye had already submitted his resignation to Regimental Commander Li Shaobing, intent on bearing full responsibility regardless of approval.
Li Shaobing vehemently opposed his departure, arguing it would be "crime squared" for the army to lose a soldier like him. However, Gu Yiye was firm, stating that as the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and military commander of the Red First Battalion, he had to take responsibility for the incident. When Xiu learned of Gu Yiye's resignation, she was distraught, feeling he was unjustly wronged and calling him the "brightest star" in the army.
Gu Yiye tried to lighten her sorrow, asserting that a bright star shines wherever it goes. He claimed a military magazine had actively sought to hire him after reviewing his profile, even offering an eighty-square-meter apartment, much larger and better than their current residence, meaning their family wouldn't have to live in a cramped space anymore.
Xiu, however, tearfully insisted she would rather be squeezed in their current home than see him shed his military uniform, as this was their home. Gu Yiye told her that the work with the division was sorted out and the procedures would be completed in another month. He asked her to pack their belongings and give away items like the dining table to the deputy battalion commander and the wardrobe to the political instructor.
Not long after, Hu Yang unexpectedly appeared before Gu Yiye, demanding a compelling reason to take on the risky surgery. Gu Yiye solemnly declared that Gao Liang was his "blood brother," a brother forged with him on the life-and-death line of war. Hu Yang agreed to operate, primarily motivated by a desire to pull Gu Yiye out of his despair and resolve his inner turmoil, but only on one explicit condition: Gu Yiye must "save himself."
She pointed out his severely distressed state, far from the confident Gu Yiye she remembered, and urged him to take care of himself, regardless of whether he stayed in the army or left. Gu Yiye promised. Hu Yang also advised him to visit his father, Dad Gu, whose thirty-year research project had been revoked, leaving him as despondent as Gu Yiye himself. On the day of the surgery, Hu Yang personally served as the chief surgeon for Gao Liang.
Gu Yiye and Jiang Nanzheng waited outside the operating room, consumed by anxiety. Fortunately, the surgery proceeded smoothly. The news quickly spread that Gao Liang's broken bone correction was successful, and his nervous system was intact. Everyone rushed to his room to visit, showering Hu Yang with praise for her "magical knife" and "bringing a patient back to life." Gao Liang, now conscious, thanked her and introduced Jiang Nanzheng as his girlfriend. Hu Yang simply replied, "I know."
Hu Yang, however, pulled Jiang Nanzheng aside for a private conversation. Gu Yiye, sensing something was amiss, followed them. It was then that they learned the full, devastating truth: while the surgery was successful, it didn't guarantee a complete recovery. Gao Liang's nervous system was severely damaged, and after two weeks, his lower limbs showed almost no response, indicating damage to his spinal nerves was more severe than initially assessed.
This meant a long, arduous road of rehabilitation, potentially spanning many years, with the possibility that he might never stand again. Hu Yang, in her professional honesty, laid out all the possibilities, advising Jiang Nanzheng to prepare mentally for the immense struggle of finding hope in despair, as it would be "very hard and very difficult." Subsequently, Gao Liang's recovery journey proved incredibly difficult. Despite his best efforts, his legs remained numb, and he eventually spiraled into despondency.
Jiang Nanzheng continued to accompany him through rehabilitation, but often retreated to corners to cry silently, heartbroken by his suffering. Niu Mancang visited Gao Liang, bringing insoles from Jiagui's mother and describing how well his company was doing, winning training awards. Gao Liang, once a vibrant soldier, now looked defeated.
He confided in Niu Mancang, expressing how much he missed army life, feeling trapped in his hospital bed, missing the reveille and queue slogans, and unable to perform basic functions or even pour a glass of water for his friend. He spoke of the humiliation of needing adult diapers and plastic sheets, and how seeing Jiang Nanzheng care for him made him hate his "useless legs" and himself.
He told Niu Mancang to stop visiting and focus on training new recruits. Niu Mancang understood Gao Liang's pain, acknowledging he missed his military uniform. Gao Liang admitted he longed to hear "queue slogans" again and mentioned he had heard Gu Yiye was "cashiered." One day, Gu Yiye arrived at the hospital to find Gao Liang lashing out at the nurse and cruelly telling Jiang Nanzheng to leave, saying he found her face irritating and her presence stifling his recovery.
Jiang Nanzheng, though deeply hurt, rushed out but quickly returned. She knew Gao Liang's harsh words stemmed from his desire not to burden her. Gu Yiye confronted Gao Liang, reminding him of all Jiang Nanzheng’s sacrifices, from spending countless hours by his bedside to finding an expert surgeon and even giving up her Ph. D. opportunity. Gao Liang reiterated his self-hatred, feeling undeserving of her sacrifices. Gu Yiye apologized for having hidden the severity of his condition.
Jiang Nanzheng, facing Gao Liang directly, stated she understood his attempt to drive her away and make her hate him, but vowed never to give up on him. Gao Liang declared he wouldn't marry her until he could stand again, urging her to leave and find happiness elsewhere. Jiang Nanzheng proposed a compromise: she would agree to leave in one year, but until then, they would face the rehabilitation together.
She presented data, revealing that while the complete recovery rate was low (less than three percent), his special forces training offered a higher chance of being among the ninety percent of athletes who did recover. Inspired by Jiang Nanzheng and Gu Yiye's unwavering encouragement, Gao Liang's hope was rekindled, and he agreed to commit to his training. At home, Xiu had packed all their belongings, giving away most items.
However, she meticulously preserved all six sets of Gu Yiye’s military uniforms from his enlistment to the present, neatly folded in a box. Gu Yiye was overcome with emotion, tears welling up as he looked at his uniforms. In that moment, his entire right arm went numb, and Xiu hugged him tightly, weeping. Xiu had already prepared his luggage for his visit to his father. Seeing his mother's sadness, Xiao Fei mistakenly thought Gu Yiye had upset her.
Gu Yiye, with a deeply serious expression, then asked Xiao Fei if he wanted to become a soldier when he grew up, just like his father and him. After bidding farewell to Xiu and Xiao Fei, Gu Yiye boarded a train alone. A heated argument that erupted in his train compartment brought back vivid memories of a similar altercation he and Gao Liang had as new recruits.
