Chapter 18

Lin Xi said she was going to sell something, and Tian Yufen immediately understood what she meant.

“You mean you want to take the things you’ve made these past few days and sell them on the street?”

“No, I’m taking them into the county town.”

“Then I’ll go with you! Your waist still hasn’t healed, you can’t carry anything.”

“It’s fine, I’m not walking there. As for grain and such, I’ll just buy them on the street when we come back from town. We’ll take an ox cart home, so I won’t have to carry anything.”

“…”

In the end, little Xingxing went with Lin Xi into town, while Xiao Gu Yang and Grandma stayed home.

Early the next morning, before dawn, Lin Xi got up. She had washed her hair the night before, and her long, sleek black hair now hung smoothly down her back. She put on a headband she had made herself.

When she came out, she saw little Xingxing already washing her face. The things they were taking had already been packed by Tian Yufen into a back basket, covered with a blue cloth.

“Xiao Xi, wash your face and take the egg pancakes with you. I’ll walk you to the head of the village to catch the cart.”

After helping Xingxing, Tian Yufen poured a basin of water for Lin Xi. While Lin Xi washed her face and tied Xingxing’s hair, she went to pack egg pancakes for them and filled a kettle with cold boiled water that she had prepared the night before.

As she bustled in and out, she muttered away:

“Eat the pancakes on the cart, keep an eye on your basket, and keep your money safe.

Xingxing, you must hold your aunt’s hand tightly and never let go.

Xiao Xi, don’t buy too many things—there’s enough at home. Sell what you can and come back quickly, don’t miss the bus…”

Lin Xi nodded along while listening to her nagging. This mother-in-law really was quite adorable.

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Looking down, Lin Xi saw Xingxing with two cute little pigtails, each decorated with a flower hair clip. The little girl was tilting her head and blinking up at her, her dark eyes sparkling with little stars…

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Meanwhile, the previous afternoon at a military base in the suburbs of Huajing, Gu Qingyan—who should have been packing to go home—was summoned to the commander’s office.

Several men were frowning over something. When they saw him come in, they quickly waved him over. Huang Guohong handed him a file.

Gu Qingyan frowned as he read it, and Huang Guohong said:

“Qingyan, I’m afraid you won’t be able to go home for now. This mission is extremely important to the country. Both higher-ups and we here have discussed it, and we all agree you’re the most suitable to lead the team.”

Gu Qingyan was his best soldier, and Huang had fought hard to get him transferred under his command.

He knew there must be something urgent at home if Gu Qingyan was insisting on taking leave this time.

But… if someone else led this mission, their chances of success would be much lower, and there might even be casualties.

So they had decided to call him in and hear his thoughts. If the matter at home was truly urgent, they’d try to find a compromise.

“Commissar, I accept the mission.”

“What about your family’s situation…”

“That can wait. As a soldier, I always put the safety of the country first.”

“Xiao Gu, I have a brother-in-law from your hometown—if there’s anything I can help with…”

“Thank you, Commander Li, but it’s nothing urgent.”

Though he was worried about home, this mission was special—he had to go.

As for that woman back home, he would deal with her after he returned. For now, his poor mother and the two children would just have to endure a few more days in her hands.

Back at home, the “suffering” Tian Yufen—whom Gu Qingyan imagined—was at that moment seeing her daughter-in-law and granddaughter off with extreme reluctance.

Even after the ox cart had started moving, she followed alongside, giving last-minute reminders. Lin Xi promised over and over before she finally turned back, looking back at them every few steps.

Just as she entered the house, she saw the little boy sitting on the threshold of the main room, eyes brimming with tears.

“Grandma, where’s my sister?”

“She went to town with your aunt.”

As soon as Xiao Gu Yang heard that, he burst into tears and tried to run after them, but Grandma caught him by the back of his shirt.

“The ox cart’s been gone a while—you can’t catch up. Be good, they’ll be back this afternoon. Stay here with me.”

He only cried harder, speaking between hiccups:

“Sis… sis will be… sold off by… the bad woman…”

The more he spoke, the harder he cried.

“Grandma—hic—I—hic—let’s hurry—hic—go get sis—hic—back!”

He was so anxious he started hiccupping from crying.

At first, Tian Yufen hadn’t thought much of it, but his words made her remember Lin Xi’s past dislike and harsh treatment toward the children.

She could ignore it before, but now that she thought about it… she wasn’t so calm.

Could a person really change that much in such a short time?

Why hadn’t Lin Xi let her come along, but instead insisted on bringing such a young child, saying she was a “little signboard”?

Had her failed attempts at stealing money made her decide to pretend to be kind, win her trust, and then take the little granddaughter out to sell her?

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became. She tried to reassure herself it couldn’t be so—her daughter-in-law’s recent kindness couldn’t be an act—but she couldn’t stop the doubts from creeping in…

While the grandmother and grandson at home were worried sick, Lin Xi and little Gu Xing on the ox cart were happily eating their egg pancakes.

At this hour, the road was still shrouded in gray—no longer as dark as night, but not yet fully bright. And in the mountains, the morning fog was heavy, making visibility low.

The other passengers on the ox cart were chatting, but the two of them just ate in silence. Not until daylight began to spread did someone speak in surprise:

“My! Little Gu Xing looks so pretty today! These hair clips and hair ties are lovely—did your grandma buy them for you?”

No one believed Lin Xi would buy such things for the child, because they’d seen her beat the kids before—she could really hit hard.

Saying she doted on the children would be like saying pigs could climb trees. When they’d seen her that morning taking the child to market, some of them had already been wondering if Qingyan’s mother had lost her senses—how could she trust the child with her?

So now, when someone asked, everyone else was sure the girl would say her grandma bought them.

But the little one pouted and said:

“Auntie made them—she went like this and like this, and flowers came out.”

As she spoke, she moved her small hands to mimic the motions Lin Xi made when crocheting flowers. She looked so adorable that Lin Xi couldn’t stop laughing.