Chapter 41

This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival seemed different from all the previous ones.

For the first time since crossing over into this world, Lin Xiang was celebrating an important festival. Having spent more than twenty lonely years in her past life, she now found herself enjoying the Mid-Autumn night with her partner and the warm-hearted Zhou family, savoring mooncakes under the full moon in a scene of togetherness.

The silver moon hung high in the sky, casting its soft glow equally over every inch of land. Its light sprinkled down on the family compound, where people gathered in the courtyard, chatting and sharing the joy of the festival. Adults and children, couples and lovers—all basked in this moment of unity and reunion.

In a quiet corner, Lin Xiang, her cheeks flushed, leaned against He Hongyuan’s shoulder. His broad and sturdy frame felt reassuring—what people in the modern world would call “Pacific-wide shoulders.” She nuzzled her fluffy hair against him, stray strands brushing against his neck, tickling slightly.

A gentle breeze passed by, bringing a slight chill. Just as He Hongyuan was about to ask if she was cold, the woman resting against his shoulder suddenly sat up in alarm, her face filled with panic.

His heart tightened as he quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lin Xiang absentmindedly scratched her chin with her index finger before looking at He Hongyuan with a hint of regret. “Oh no, I just pointed at the moon with my finger!”

He Hongyuan was puzzled. “So what?”

Lin Xiang was shocked. “You’ve never heard of it? If you point at the moon, your ears will be cut off!”

He Hongyuan nearly laughed at her words. He raised a hand to cup Lin Xiang’s ear, his rough palm wrapping around her small, delicate earlobe as he gently rubbed it. “You’re not three years old anymore.”

“You’re the one who’s three!” Lin Xiang had believed in this superstition since childhood. Back in the orphanage, she didn’t even know which child had first spread the idea that pointing at the moon would result in getting one’s ear cut.

Young Lin Xiang had taken it to heart and had always been careful not to make the mistake.

She couldn’t help but pinch He Hongyuan’s waist in mock annoyance. “So you think I’m childish, huh?”

But the way he was rubbing her ear felt oddly ticklish.

“It’s okay,” He Hongyuan whispered. “If you really have to lose an ear, I’ll take your place.”

Only a child would seriously discuss such superstitions. Lin Xiang gazed at the man’s handsome face under the moonlight. She reached up to touch his cheek, his sharp jawline appearing even more defined under the silver light, though his brows and eyes remained gentle.

Her heart warmed at his words, and her voice softened, carried by the breeze. “If someone had told me this when I was little, I wouldn’t have been so scared all the time.”

It was as if He Hongyuan had heard the voice of his own childhood self. His dark eyes flickered with emotion before settling into calmness once more. Without another word, he pulled Lin Xiang back against his shoulder.

The bright moon shone down, illuminating the pair as they leaned against each other.

—

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lin Xiang returned to Factory No. 2.

The crisis at Factory No. 1 had been temporarily resolved. The reformulated shrimp paste canned goods had sold out completely, gaining unexpected attention. With the classic shrimp paste flavor set to return to the market, the 119-brand shrimp paste seemed to have regained its former prestige, overshadowing its competitors at Shewei Foods.

Lin Xiang’s name had become well-known at Factory No. 1, and even the factory director publicly praised her contributions over the loudspeaker. The workers, who had spent the past month or two in constant anxiety as they watched their flagship product nearly collapse, now saw it revived, making them look at Lin Xiang with newfound respect.

In workshops across the factory, workers chatted while working, almost every conversation mentioning Lin Xiang.

“Comrade Lin Xiang is incredible—she saved the shrimp paste cans just like that!”

“It’s such a pity she’s stuck in Factory No. 2.”

“Don’t worry, isn’t she coming back in October? She was originally one of us, after all.”

A forgetful worker asked curiously, “Why did Factory No. 1 even send Lin Xiang to Factory No. 2 in the first place?”

The more sharp-minded workers exchanged glances before turning their eyes toward He Fen, who had been demoted to the fermented black bean fish canning section, now just an ordinary first-level worker.

Several people rolled their eyes at her. “Isn’t it because of someone with a belly full of bad intentions? If it weren’t for that, Lin Xiang wouldn’t have ended up in Factory No. 2. What a waste of talent.”

He Fen stirred the fermented black beans in silence, the pungent smell of fermentation filling her nostrils. The overpowering stench clung to her, soaking into her clothes. Every evening when she got home, the smell of black beans on her garments made her want to vomit.

She had once worked in the factory office—a respectable and enviable position. But now, she spent her days mixing fermented black beans, her hands sore and legs weak, her body reeking of the process. She felt like she was losing her mind.

Just earlier, the factory loudspeaker had announced the director’s praise for Lin Xiang. Now, the entire workshop—perhaps even the whole factory—was talking about her. Some workers even traced the root cause of the problem back to He Fen, shooting disdainful glances in her direction. She could only lower her head, saying nothing.

Meanwhile, the shrimp paste workshop had made a full recovery, holding off Shewei Foods’ latest attack for now. The workers were full of energy, motivated by the thrill of what felt like a victorious battle, channeling that excitement into their work.

However, Qin Yangbo was still at home resting, leaving the shrimp paste workshop leaderless for the time being.

Factory Director Huang was deep in thought. Qin Yangbo was one of the founding figures of the shrimp paste workshop, the workers respected him the most, and he had unmatched technical expertise. He had personally developed the recipes for all the seafood canned products in the factory. Without him, the workshop wouldn’t function properly—they needed him back.

Yet, when the deputy workshop director and the head of the fermentation team went to Qin’s house to ask him to return, he refused.

Qin Yangbo simply said, “I’m not capable enough. I won’t be coming back.”

Factory Director Huang knew all too well that Qin Yangbo was someone who cared deeply about saving face. Now that Lin Xiang had resolved the crisis, Qin felt utterly humiliated—he had lost to a young girl and had no face to return.

“This old Qin, already at his age, still acts like a three-year-old!” Factory Director Huang sighed.

Secretary You consoled him, saying, “Director, Director Qin is just struggling to get over his pride. It might be best to give it some time and revisit the matter later.”

Fortunately, the shrimp paste workshop had standardized procedures, so even without Qin Yangbo, operations continued smoothly.

Huang could only accept this for now.

Since Qin Yangbo refused to return out of pride, Huang turned his attention to Lin Xiang. She was a real talent—she had made a huge contribution to the factory this time. There was no way she could go unrewarded, and more importantly, he planned to transfer her back to Factory No.1 immediately and put her to good use. Factory No.2 was simply not the place for her.

With this in mind, Huang took a specially approved bonus of 100 yuan and a certificate of merit for Lin Xiang and headed to Factory No.2 with Secretary You.

At that moment, Factory No.2—just a wall away—was bustling with excitement.

Lin Xiang had returned, and Director Zhao had organized all the workers to give her a round of applause. The overwhelming welcome made Lin Xiang a little embarrassed—it was almost too dramatic!

But the workers’ faces were filled with excitement and joy, and their hands clapped loudly.

Big Sister Guazi exclaimed excitedly, “Oh my, oh my! I told all my neighbors in the residential compound that the one who helped the shrimp paste workshop defeat Shiwei was from our Factory No.2! I even bragged that I’m close friends with Xiao Lin!”

Workshop technician Yang chimed in with pride, “If Xiao Lin is capable, that means Factory No.2 is capable! Which means all of us are capable!”

Yang was the worker who nearly rolled up his sleeves to fight at Factory No.1’s shrimp paste workshop the other day. He was naturally strong and, before mixing equipment was introduced, could stir the paste properly using just his hands.

Lin Xiang thanked everyone again, placed her bag in the office, and, as lunchtime approached, went to the workshop to check on operation protocols. Along the way, she chatted with the workers.

Qiu Hongxia pulled her aside to sit and handed her a handful of sunflower seeds.

But these sunflower seeds were different—they were already shelled!

A worker teased, “Qiu Hongxia, you give us sunflower seeds with shells, but you give Xiao Lin the shelled ones?”

Qiu Hongxia scoffed, “Get lost! You think you’re worthy of eating sunflower seeds peeled by my own hands? Only Xiao Lin is!”

Lin Xiang couldn’t stop laughing. She even joined in snacking during work hours, feeling like she was being treated too well!

It wasn’t just sunflower seeds—other workers also brought her oranges, winter melon candy, and glutinous rice sticks. Lin Xiang nearly ate her fill right there in the workshop.

During the days Lin Xiang was away, Qiu Hongxia had been feeling restless—she had so much gossip to share but no one was as good a listener as Lin Xiang. Now that Lin Xiang was back, Qiu Hongxia immediately started spilling everything:

“You wouldn’t believe it—Captain Liu and his wife had a huge fight in the residential compound…”

“And Captain Feng’s wife and mother have been arguing non-stop—big fights every three days, small fights every two days.”

“Oh, and Instructor Sun’s wife is five months pregnant. She keeps saying it’s a boy, but I took a good look at her belly—it’s round, I tell you. I bet it’s a girl! They’re desperate for a son after having three daughters. If this one isn’t a boy, what are they gonna do?”

Gossip about family feuds and trivial matters was the main source of entertainment in this era, and Qiu Hongxia, with her sharp ears and keen memory, knew everything—she was practically the residential compound’s walking encyclopedia.

Lin Xiang listened with great interest until, suddenly, Big Sister Guazi shifted the topic to her.

While munching on sunflower seeds, Qiu Hongxia casually asked, “So, Xiao Lin, when are you and Captain He planning to hold the wedding banquet?”

At this time, marriage certificates weren’t the norm—holding a wedding banquet was the true sign of a couple’s union.

Lin Xiang, mid-chew, froze in place.

He Hongyuan had mentioned marriage a few times before, but Lin Xiang always felt that for a couple who had fallen in love freely, things were moving too fast. After all, they had only officially been together for just over a month.

However, as she thought about their time together—especially last night, when they quietly watched the moon in a secluded corner of the bustling residential compound—her heart fluttered. The idea of building a family with a man like him suddenly felt… quite appealing.

Blushing slightly, Lin Xiang smiled and said, “Soon. I’ll be handing out wedding candies when the time comes.”

“Oh, now that’s great news!” Qiu Hongxia beamed. “When you two come to pick a house in the residential compound, be sure to ask me. Choosing a home is no small matter—you need to consider the house’s direction, the neighbors on both sides… There’s a lot to think about!”

Lin Xiang knew this was an important issue. Once she and He Hongyuan were married, they would need to apply for housing. Since they weren’t familiar with many families in the residential compound, ending up with bad neighbors would be a headache. She immediately agreed, “Of course, Sister Guihua! I’ll definitely come to you for help when the time comes.”

As they chatted and laughed, the workers suddenly dispersed lazily at the sound of Factory Director Huang’s voice.

When Huang stepped into Factory No.2 and saw the workers slacking off again, he was too numb to react. He couldn’t even be bothered to scold them—Factory No.2 was beyond saving. Instead, he pulled Lin Xiang aside.

“Comrade Xiao Lin, this is a special bonus and certificate of merit awarded to you by the factory.”

Huang’s gaze toward Lin Xiang had changed—he now saw her as a rare talent. Having been a leader for years, he was used to holding meetings and giving long speeches.

Lin Xiang held the certificate and bonus, feeling overjoyed—her little savings stash had just gained another significant sum.

When the factory director paused for a moment and mentioned that she should simply return to Factory No.1 the next day to officially start work, even arranging a good position for her, Lin Xiang was momentarily stunned.

“Factory Director, returning to Factory No.1 early?” Over the past few days, she had nearly forgotten about the initial arrangement—she was originally set to take over Sister Sun’s position in the factory office in October after Sister Sun left to follow her husband’s transfer.

Director Huang couldn’t bear to see Lin Xiang being “corrupted” in Factory No.2 any longer and said sternly, “Yes, and you don’t need to take that factory office position anymore—it would be a waste of your talent. I’ve arranged a better position for you: team leader in the shrimp paste workshop. That’s a role that even many experienced workers with seven or eight years in the factory haven’t been able to earn.”

“Factory Director, I’d still like to stay in Factory No.2 for now.”

It was already mid-to-late September, and there was less than a month left before she was originally scheduled to return to Factory No.1. Lin Xiang asked herself honestly—she had no strong desire to leave early.

On the contrary, the thought of leaving Factory No.2, which she had initially resisted coming to, now made her feel an unexpected sense of attachment.

“Comrade Lin, what are you thinking?!” Director Huang was utterly baffled. Who in their right mind would refuse a promotion and a transfer back to Factory No.1? That was just foolish! “Do you not realize the difference between Factory No.1 and Factory No.2? Even though Factory No.2’s soda sales have improved, it’s still far behind Factory No.1. You’re young—staying in Factory No.2 is a complete waste of your potential. The sooner you return to Factory No.1, the better.”

Lin Xiang, however, could only think about how comfortable and enjoyable her daily life in Factory No.2 had been—getting along well with colleagues and even having them stand up for her during the shrimp paste workshop dispute.

She shook her head and firmly declined the director’s offer again. “Factory Director, I’ve already attracted enough attention lately. Let’s not make an exception and rush my transfer. Let’s just stick to the original plan.”

Director Huang left, feeling frustrated. On the way back to Factory No.1, he couldn’t help but complain to his secretary, “These people are just infuriating. Old Qin is too prideful to return, and now Lin is being completely irrational, refusing to transfer early. Seriously…”

Secretary You followed closely behind, offering some words of comfort. “Factory Director, Comrade Lin Xiang probably just doesn’t want to be seen as getting special treatment—such a high level of awareness! There’s not much time left until October anyway, so she’ll be back soon enough.”

---

Having received her generous bonus, Lin Xiang was in a great mood. She went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy two pounds of sugar coupons, using them to get a pound of orange candies and a pound of nougat to share with the workers at Factory No.2.

She also prepared gifts for the Zhou family. She had been living at their house, enjoying their food and hospitality, so she felt deeply grateful. The gifts she chose were practical: a fountain pen for Zhou Lu, since he frequently handled official documents; a bottle of Pechoin cream for Aunt Feng—good for skincare, light in texture, and pleasantly scented; and a white handkerchief embroidered with red peonies for Yuezhu, which looked quite elegant.

Finally, there was the matter of picking a gift for He Hongyuan.

When it came to buying things for Lin Xiang, He Hongyuan was always generous—wristwatches, bicycles… nothing cost less than a hundred yuan. Lin Xiang was astonished by how well-off the regiment commander seemed to be. This made choosing a gift for him all the more challenging.

He Hongyuan didn’t seem to care about material things. He led a simple life, showing almost no personal preferences, with all his attention focused on his military duties. As long as he could get by, he didn’t fuss over his living conditions.

Lin Xiang racked her brain but couldn’t think of what to buy for him. It was so much easier picking gifts for everyone else! The problem was that He Hongyuan didn’t have a single obvious hobby, making it nearly impossible to decide.

Finally, when Saturday arrived, Lin Xiang discussed with him the idea of going into town the next day. She wanted to visit the department store in the city, where the selection was far better than the limited offerings on their island’s supply and marketing cooperative.

On Sunday morning, He Hongyuan picked up Lin Xiang from the Zhou household, and the two set off together, navigating the waters with practiced ease.

This was their first time heading out alone together. Today, Aunt Feng and Yuezhu weren’t coming along, each opting to rest at home instead. Yuezhu had only asked Lin Xiang to check the department store for any new hair clips—if there were any nice ones, she wanted Lin Xiang to bring one back for her.

The boat swayed gently over the blue waves, packed full of military families. With so many people crowded in the cabin, Lin Xiang was inevitably squeezed toward He Hongyuan.

As the two of them ended up standing close together, some of the military wives who knew them started teasing.

“Oh, Captain He is actually accompanying his fiancée into town! That’s so much better than my husband.”

In many households, the men wouldn’t lift a finger even if an oil bottle tipped over. Naturally, the women took full advantage of the chance to poke fun at Captain He, who had once shown no interest in relationships or marriage.

Lin Xiang smiled at the other women before turning to whisper in He Hongyuan’s ear. “Just look at how low the bar is for you—you’re getting praised just for coming to town with me. That just goes to show how unthinkable it used to be for you to accompany your partner anywhere.”

He Hongyuan chuckled. “Then it was my mistake. I’ll make sure to take you into town more often so they get used to it.”

Lin Xiang: “…”

Out of sight from the others, Lin Xiang reached behind her and gave his arm a playful pinch. But it was no use—his skin was thick and his muscles solid, so she couldn’t get a good grip.

After about forty minutes of travel, the boat finally docked at the northern pier.

Lin Xiang had been sitting the whole way and now felt sore all over. She quickly got up and rushed to disembark first.

As soon as her feet touched solid ground and she took a deep breath of fresh air, she couldn’t help but sigh, “I really have a whole new appreciation for how tough your missions at sea must be. Just sitting on a boat for this long was already so uncomfortable!”

This is like putting a person in a little box to drift aimlessly at sea. Just thinking about it is terrifying. No matter how beautiful the ocean scenery is, after a while, you’d get tired of it. When all you can see in every direction is water, all that remains is boredom and monotony.

He Hongyuan, however, was unfazed. “You get used to it.”

The city of Phnom Penh was bustling with life. The two of them strolled around first. This was only Lin Xiang’s second time in the city. The last time had been a rushed trip with four people, so there were still many places she hadn’t explored.

Aside from the department store and cinema she had visited before, this time Lin Xiang spotted another two-story blue-brick building—the Xinhua Bookstore, standing right by the roadside.

In her previous life, she had loved visiting bookstores. Seeing neatly arranged books always lifted her mood. However, bookstores in the 1970s were quite different. The two-story building wasn’t particularly large. The first floor mainly stocked basic books. Since the national college entrance exam had been canceled for years and the “Four Olds” movement had taken place, there were hardly any Chinese or math textbooks available. Classical literature was also difficult to find. Most of the books on display were political slogans, agricultural and industrial technical manuals, along with some comic books and picture-story books.

The second floor served mainly as a book storage area, with a quiet reading room.

Wandering through the bookstore, Lin Xiang felt a rare sense of freedom. The moment she stepped inside, her body and mind seemed to relax completely.

She casually flipped through the political books on the shelves, filled with the ideological rhetoric of the time. Around her, many people were absorbed in reading—young men in their twenties full of vigor, elderly men in their fifties and sixties wearing glasses, all deeply engrossed in their books.

After browsing for a while, she discovered some books on agricultural and industrial machinery, including ones related to production equipment. She immediately selected a few to buy and take back to the factory.

He Hongyuan, on the other hand, only had one type of book he was interested in—military theory. He casually picked one up to skim through, only to notice Lin Xiang staring intently at a picture-story book.

“You like that?” He Hongyuan knew many of his comrades liked to buy a few picture-story books to pass the time, but they were mostly popular among children.

Lin Xiang gave him a mischievous smile. “Mhm, I’m planning to buy a stack as gifts.”

He Hongyuan nodded without questioning further. If she was buying picture-story books, she was probably getting them for Yuezhu, that childish girl, or for some neighbor’s kid.

But to his surprise, the moment they stepped out of the bookstore, Lin Xiang handed him a carefully selected set of eight picture-story books.

He Hongyuan: “…?”

Lowering his gaze to the books—something he associated with three-year-olds—he was both amused and exasperated.

“Why are you giving these to me?” His face remained stern, an expression that clearly said, Do I look like the kind of person who would read this? His serious demeanor made Lin Xiang burst into laughter.

She had her own reasoning: “Kids love these! Reading them makes for a happy childhood. But we met too late—I don’t know what you were like as a child. So I’m making up for it now~”

He Hongyuan stood there in a daze, holding the picture-story books. Looking at the young woman in front of him, he felt as if an invisible hand had squeezed his heart—sour, bittersweet, and full. The lightweight books in his hands suddenly felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

For lunch, they ate at a state-owned restaurant, each having a bowl of lard-mixed rice noodles. The rice noodles were first boiled, then rinsed in cold water to make them even more firm and springy. A spoonful of lard was mixed into the seasonings, releasing a rich aroma that seeped into every strand of noodle. Every bite was bursting with the savory scent of lard.

The portions at state-owned restaurants were generous, and the ingredients were substantial. A large bowl of two liang (about 100 grams) of noodles in this era was much more filling than the same weight in later years. Lin Xiang ate contentedly. When she turned to look, she saw that He Hongyuan, who had ordered three liang, had already finished his bowl.

Men tended to eat fast, and He Hongyuan was among the fastest. His eating speed was almost absurd.

Lin Xiang had asked him about it before. He simply explained that it was a habit from his days in the army. During training or on the battlefield, time was tight and tasks were urgent—meals had to be devoured in a hurry. That habit had stuck with him ever since.

“Aren’t you afraid of burning your mouth, eating so fast?” Lin Xiang murmured, lightly scolding him. She then gave him a playful wink. “Can you eat slower from now on? Otherwise, you’ll finish too quickly, and I’ll be left eating all alone.”

Just a simple meal, yet she made it sound as if she were a poor, lonely child.

He Hongyuan paused for a moment, then quickly nodded. “Alright.”

After lunch, they went to the city cinema to watch a movie. When they came out, it was already 2:30 in the afternoon. Remembering the letter they had sent to He Hongyuan’s mother last time, they stopped by the post office to check. Surprisingly, there was actually a reply from Aunt He.

There was a post office on the island as well, but all letters and packages from across the country were first sent to the Phnom Penh post office, where they were sorted and delivered to the island at a later date.

Retrieving the letter, Lin Xiang noticed that the recipient field listed both her and He Hongyuan’s names. She immediately recalled that when she had sent the letter, she had written both their names in the sender’s field as well.

Aunt He was illiterate and couldn’t write, so the letter had been dictated to a literate member of their production team.

The letter spoke about how she was satisfied with her current life—everything was going well, the crops in the fields were growing nicely, and she had received the ration coupons Lin Xiang had sent, praising her as a good child. She then rambled on about how it was a wonderful thing that her son and Lin Xiang had gotten together. She specifically asked them to pass on her greetings to He’s third brother and his wife and mentioned that she had sent them some homemade goods—not worth much, just a little something to taste.

With the autumn harvest approaching, everyone was busy, so she wouldn’t be visiting this time. She ended the letter by saying that the next time she came over, it would be for their wedding celebration.

Lin Xiang pretended not to see the last sentence and handed the letter to He Hongyuan while she lowered her head to check the package.

Along with the letter, Aunt He had sent a parcel filled with dried wild vegetables, dried radish, two pieces of sausage, a section of cured meat, and six salted duck eggs—a heavy, well-packed bundle full of love.

On the boat back to the island, Lin Xiang carefully checked each salted duck egg—none were broken. Aunt He had wrapped each egg in straw, managing to send them over completely intact.

“Mother has good skills. When I was a kid, I loved following her to pick wild vegetables. Once dried, they could be stored for a long time, and whenever there wasn’t enough food at home, we’d grab a handful and cook it,” He Hongyuan said as he sat beside Lin Xiang, gazing at the sea as if reminiscing about his childhood. “Back then, our family was struggling, and on top of that, my mother took in two kids whose entire family had been killed when the Japanese invaded the village. We were often hungry—being able to eat meat once or twice a year was already a luxury. My eldest and second brothers and I would go up the mountains to catch wild rabbits and pheasants, roasting them over the fire. Even without salt, it was enough to satisfy our cravings. But out of all those things, my favorite was still my mother’s homemade salted duck eggs.”

Lin Xiang had never seen such an expression on He Hongyuan’s face before. Seeing that the other military wives around them were busy chatting about their full hauls and no one was paying attention to their corner, she quietly reached out and squeezed his hand. “I heard from your mother that you love these the most. So out of the five salted duck eggs, you’re allowed to eat two! The other three are for Yuezhu and the others.”

He Hongyuan smiled, not particularly concerned. “Mother had a tough time raising us, especially since she had bad luck—married the wrong man.”

It was the first time Lin Xiang had heard He Hongyuan mention his father on his own, and all he said was that he was “not a good person.”

After getting off the boat, the two carried their bags of goods back to the Zhou family home, bringing along the items they had bought and the food sent by Aunt He.

“Aunt Feng, Aunt He still remembers that you love sausage. She said she sent this especially for you so you could see if it still tastes the same,” Lin Xiang said excitedly, hanging the sausage and cured meat on an iron nail on the wall.

Feng Li followed her into the kitchen and looked at the sausages, which were a rich, glossy red. They had been smoked and dried, and the dark red casing was packed with firm meat, looking incredibly tempting.

“Second Sister-in-law is too thoughtful! Her cooking is the best! I’ve been craving this for ages!”

After dinner, He Hongyuan prepared to return to his unit. Before leaving, he picked up the eight illustrated storybooks Lin Xiang had given him, which immediately caught Zhou Yuezhu’s attention.

Zhou Yuezhu loved reading illustrated storybooks and often giggled while reading them. She rushed over. “Cousin, you’re actually reading picture books? Didn’t you say they were childish?”

He Hongyuan lifted his eyelids slightly and said seriously, “There’s nothing wrong with taking a look.”

“Then lend me a couple,” Zhou Yuezhu said, reaching for two books. But to her surprise, He Hongyuan raised his hand and dodged her effortlessly.

Zhou Yuezhu frowned. “Cousin, you’re not seriously this stingy, are you? You won’t even let me borrow two picture books?”

He Hongyuan raised an eyebrow. “If you want picture books, have your boyfriend get them for you.”

Zhou Yuezhu: “…!”

Are you even human?

Fuming, Zhou Yuezhu turned to Lin Xiang to complain, only to see Lin Xiang looking at He Hongyuan with a knowing smile. Neither of them spoke, but there was an undercurrent of emotion in their gazes.

Lin Xiang chuckled. “Yuezhu, I’ll buy you some next time!”

After sending He Hongyuan off and taking a walk, Lin Xiang couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Captain He, didn’t you say picture books were childish? Why wouldn’t you even lend Yuezhu one?”

He Hongyuan remained unbothered, his expression steady. “She has a boyfriend—why should she take the ones my girlfriend bought?”

Lin Xiang: … I have no argument against that.

After strolling around with He Hongyuan, Lin Xiang returned to the Zhou family home in high spirits. As she neared the door, she suddenly heard lively conversation inside. It wasn’t just the three Zhou family members—there were additional voices.

Pushing the door open, Lin Xiang saw that aside from the Zhou family’s three members, there were also two middle-aged individuals.

The middle-aged woman wore a finely made deep red blouse, her hands well-maintained and fair. Though traces of age could be seen on her face, her skin remained smooth and firm, and she carried herself with grace. Even her hair was well-kept, sleek and black, coiled into a low bun at the back of her head, exuding an air of elegance.

Beside her stood a middle-aged man in an olive-green military uniform, his imposing presence undeniable. His sharp eyes carried a natural authority, and as he turned toward the doorway at the sound of movement, his gaze toward Lin Xiang was both scrutinizing and probing.

Lin Xiang didn’t know these two people, yet the moment she laid eyes on the middle-aged man, she immediately understood who he was.

Because He Hongyuan bore a striking resemblance to him—at least five or six points alike. Their sharp, intense eyes seemed as if they were carved from the same mold.