[Gone with the Wind] Back to the beginning

"You look really embarrassed."

Scarlett heard the harmless mockery as soon as she came out of the hospital gate and jumped down two flights of stairs.A smile couldn't help creeping up the corner of her mouth, Scarlett suppressed it quickly, raised her head and said angrily, "Rett, why are you here?"

"Come to pick you up, the wind and sand on the road are too strong." Rhett replied with a loud smile.

Rhett has been missing all day long these days. Scarlett guessed that he was probably tossing about the medicine, and it was hard to say anything, so the two hadn't seen each other for a few days.At this moment, Rhett was sitting on the carriage with a smile, and stretched out his hand to her.His expression seemed to be courteous, but also seemed to be challenging her.The man looked at ease, his muscular muscles bulging under his well-tailored clothes.In this miserable, ragged Atlanta, he couldn't have been more conspicuous.

"You are really hateful." Scarlett couldn't help getting angry when she saw his brand-new clothes, and there was a hint of worry and reproach, "It's not like you don't know what life everyone is living, why are you like this?" swagger?"

"So want to be like you? My little beggar, kind angel." Rhett disapproved, and habitually laughed back.

Scarlett turned her head angrily.Although her calico purple dress had been patched several times today, and sweat and a little blood were splashed on it, his words were still annoying.Of course she hoped that she could appear in front of him beautifully, but is it possible now?And she had to keep herself busy so she wouldn't be worrying about Mom and Tara all the time!Can't this person be considerate of her?

"What's the matter? Fake beauty?" Rhett teased, with a careless look, but secretly regretting it in his heart.The girl became anxious when she heard him laughing at her, but failed to respond to the first half of the sentence "My little beggar".He slowed down his tone: "Don't be angry, it's because I came here to pick you up."

Scarlett snorted as a sign of forgiveness.

Seeing her like this, Rhett smiled, and reached out to help her into the carriage.Then he opened his mouth cheerfully:

"You've surprised me all this time. I thought you didn't like to help the hospital."

"Do you think everyone is like you?" Scarlett stabbed him casually, but not too harshly.

Rhett laughed.

"Yes, you're a good girl, you're different from me." His expression became serious, "Scarlett, I think I have to tell you something—an urgent notice from the military that there is a demand for this batch of medicines from the train. Go to the front at once, and Atlanta will leave nothing behind."

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"What?" Scarlett was stunned when she heard Rhett's words.She eagerly grabbed Rhett's arm, "How could this be? Atlanta is almost out of medicine. Why do we have to send all the medicine to the front line?"

Reiter's expression was serious: "The front line suffered a lot of casualties, and many wounded died on the road because they couldn't withstand the bumps. And it's not just medicine—it's said that even doctors will be brought to the front line in batches, and they will be treated at a place later in the front line. .”

"But what about Atlanta?" Scarlett asked anxiously. "My God, there are so many people waiting in Atlanta—oh Rhett! My mother is still sick!" She screamed as if she had just woken up from a dream .

"Keep your voice down, don't worry!" Rhett quickly squeezed her arm, Lian Sheng comforted, "Don't be afraid, I have already asked someone to make arrangements. There will be enough medicine thrown at the entrance of the grove when passing through Atlanta Off the tracks—your mother's going to be all right, Scarlett. Don't be afraid."

Scarlett repeatedly confirmed to him, and Rhett explained to her over and over again—when she was finally sure that the medicine given to her mother would definitely be intercepted through Rhett's relationship, Scarlett couldn't help but limp and limp. On the car seat, I realized that my back was soaked.

"Rhett," she called weakly, "Rhett, thank you."

As she spoke, she closed her eyes tightly, hugged herself with her hands as if she was afraid of the cold, like the posture of a baby when she was frightened, and curled up her whole body.She could feel the heat source on her right approaching, and a coat that smelled of smoke, mint, and leather fell over her shoulders.That smell is so comforting, it's Rhett's smell, it's Dad's smell—this smell, in Scarlett's heart, is equivalent to security and strength, and it makes her let go of her guard.Rhett's voice whispered in her ear, "Don't be afraid, Scarlett, I'm here, I'm here. Nothing bad will happen, trust me. Trust me, Scarlett."

Under his coaxing tone, Scarlett gradually calmed down.She realized that she was still holding Rhett's arm tightly - the clothes she had grasped were all wrinkled and even torn in places, and she felt a little embarrassed and let go of it later.Rhett stroked her hair lightly, but said nothing.The atmosphere became quiet for a moment.

After a long time, it was Scarlett's voice that broke the silence first:

"So it's true that there will be no excess medicine left in Atlanta?"

Rhett shook his head heavily.

"This is a direct order from High Command - it cannot be changed."

There will be no medicine!Scarlett drew a sharp breath, as if realizing again how terrible the news was.There will be no medicine!What would Dr. Meade think?He could not wait to mention this batch of medicine seven or eight times every day, his mouth full of longing "it will be easy when the medicine comes".What about those wounded?There is no anesthetic, why carry a knife?High Command?How could it do that!How could it—how could it shatter everyone's plans and dreams with just one sentence! —This damned war!

No one knew more about the shortage of these drugs in Atlanta than she did.Scarlett thought about it, and after confirming that her mother's medicine could be saved, her attention finally shifted to Atlanta.For several days and nights, I was busy running with Dr. Meade, barely closing my eyes, walking around the corners full of stains, blood and mites, just to close the eyes of the dead soldiers and make room for the beds.She watched helplessly as a severely wounded man who was desperate for survival underwent an operation without anesthesia, but died of infection after the operation, just because there was no medicine!God, can't Atlanta be given some medicine?Scarlett wanted to clench her fist and scream her wish aloud like a child, but she couldn't.She blinked her sore eyes, she still had to prepare to get the typhoid medicine that Rhett had intercepted through her relationship, take it back to treat her mother, and keep her relatives... Where does she have a position, where is she qualified to replace Atlanta That cry of grief? !

"Another piece of sad news," Rhett said, almost grimly, just as Scarlett barely recovered, "the Atlanta-Tennessee and Alabama railroad has been cut off. Sherman is now Attack the Atlanta-Macon railroad with all its might—via Jonesboro."

Jonesboro was only five miles from Tara, and this railroad was Scarlett's way back to Tara!For this bad news, Scarlett was still mentally prepared, but she still couldn't help frowning.But she quickly unfolded again, and said decisively:

"The trains must be full by now—I'd hate to ride a train with scarce medicines, much less put my fate in someone else's hands. Besides, there's always something wrong with the railway line! Rhett, promise me , help me get a horse ready? I'm going to ride it back."

Hearing Scarlett's words, Rhett showed rare hesitation and worry on his face.But in the end he did not speak dissuading words. On the contrary, he said to Scarlett:

"I will help you find a horse—but not now." He said, glancing at the two stallions pulling the cart, "there is news that the state's Confederate government will requisition horses soon, and when the time comes You have to hand it in no matter what, and keeping it will be troublesome." He said this with ease, "but don't worry, I will steal the horse back for you when the time comes. As long as you haven't changed your mind."

"I'm not going to change my mind," said Scarlett, adding silently that I must go back to Tara early and get Mama back.