It turned out that Old Master Song was actually a schoolmate of Father in his youth — quite a surprise to everyone.

But life is full of strange coincidences.

The capital city isn’t too big, nor too small.

After all the twists and turns, it all comes back to familiar faces.

Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan exchanged a glance, then tacitly stepped out for a while before returning not long after.

“Uncle Song, has the place Xiao Luo is being sent to the countryside been decided yet?!”

As soon as she entered the room, Qiao Jiuru asked Old Master Song directly, without any preamble.

“Not yet — the final registration deadline hasn’t arrived,” Old Master Song answered without hesitation. He didn’t believe Qiao Jiuru would ask about this for no reason.

There must be something behind it.

“Uncle Song, Xiao Luo is definitely going to the countryside. My advice is — don’t let him go south. They have plenty to eat there, sure, but because the land can be farmed all year round, that means people get no rest the entire year. Working like that every day, without proper food, it’s hard on the body.”

Qiao Jiuru had never lived in the south, but she’d heard plenty about it.

Working in the fields day in and day out — isn’t that just like an ox?

And even an ox gets to rest when it’s not plowing.

Old Master Song and his wife were stunned.

They had never thought of that.

They’d only considered that the south didn’t snow and there was always food to be found.

They hadn’t realized crops could grow even in winter.

“Niece Qiao — if I may call you that — where do you think Xiao Luo should go, then?”

Perhaps because of the years of hunger, Old Master Song had always focused on survival first and hadn’t considered other factors.

Now that Qiao Jiuru had brought it up, he, too, began to think the south might be too tough.

“My daughter is being sent to Jisheng Province. If Xiao Luo wants, he could go along with her.”

“Our Qiao family used to visit Jisheng often back in the day — we probably still know a few people there.”

That was exactly what Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan had discussed earlier.

It might be good to let Song Luoyun go to Jisheng with their daughter — they could look out for each other.

Of course, it wasn’t about having him do work for their daughter — rather, they hoped he could help keep an eye on her.

If something unexpected happened, he could inform them right away.

And Qiao Jiuru wasn’t wrong — Jisheng may be cold, but during the snowbound winters, people could rest and recover.

As long as one worked hard when the snow cleared, they could get by.

“Niece Qiao, that’s wonderful. Our Xiao Luo will go to Jisheng too. That way they can look after each other.”

Old Master Song didn’t hesitate to decide that his eldest grandson would go to the countryside in Jisheng.

He trusted the Qiao family.

“Jisheng is cold, but the mountains have plenty of special local goods. If he’s diligent, he might even send some things home.”

Qiao Jiuru thought life in the northeast was good — other than the cold, there wasn’t much to complain about.

Old Master Song nodded repeatedly, just about to say something, when a childish voice suddenly interrupted.

“Grandpa, I want to go to the countryside with Brother too. That way, we’ll save on food at home, and we can even send food back for Grandma, Grandpa, and the younger ones.”

Little Song Luonian’s innocent face was full of seriousness.

He looked up with wide eyes, speaking like a little adult.

He was young, but he had matured early.

After years of not having enough to eat or wear, he had always worked hard to ease the family’s burden.

“Xiaonian…”

The younger grandson’s thoughtful words brought tears to Old Master Song’s eyes.

He gently patted the boy’s head, choking up and unable to speak.

“Grandpa, I want to go to the countryside too. Let me go with big brother. I’m a little older than Xiaonian and can do more work, earn more work points, and send more grain home.”

Inspired by her cousin’s words, Song Luoshu’s eyes lit up.

She, too, wanted to help her family by going to the countryside, saving food at home, and maybe sending some back.

That way, Grandma and Grandpa wouldn’t have to work so hard, and she could help support her younger siblings.

“Luoshu, Xiaonian — Grandpa says no. Life in the countryside is hard, not as simple as you think.”

He couldn’t agree.

He just couldn’t.

Old Master Song shook his hands repeatedly.

On one hand, he felt he’d let the children down; on the other, he was touched by how sensible and filial they were.

Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan were shocked by the children’s words.

The Song family was clearly in such difficult times that even the kids wanted to go to the countryside just to reduce the family’s burden and send food back. It broke their hearts.

Life was too hard.

For everyone.

“Uncle Song, I just had an idea. Would you be willing to hear it?”

Qiao Jiuru couldn’t bear it anymore.

A thought had formed in her mind — since fate had brought them together, maybe she could lend a helping hand.

“Niece, go ahead.”

“What if both Xiao Luo and Luoshu went to the countryside together? Luoshu might not earn many work points, but if she can manage four or five a day, and supplements her meals with wild vegetables, she could stay about 70–80% full. If she goes, her food rations in the city can stay home for the family. We’ll arrange for her to have easy work, and she can share a room with my daughter.”

“Grandpa, Aunt Qiao is right. I’m not that young anymore — I’m almost fourteen. In another two or three years, I’d be sent down anyway. With Big Brother and Sister Qiao there, I won’t be scared. I’ll be fine.”

“Uncle Song, let me explain why I suggested Luoshu go too. If the two older ones leave and only the elderly, sick, and children are left behind, then in case of emergencies, a boy is much more reliable than a girl in terms of strength and safety.”

“She’s right, Grandpa.”

“Jiuru, Uncle Song, I think we might as well have Luoshu register for the countryside now. She’s almost fourteen — in two or three years she’ll be of age anyway. By then, Xiaonian will also be old enough, and the Song family will have to send another one.”

“That’s true, but if Luoshu goes now, the Youth Office only gives a 200 yuan settlement fee. If she stays registered in the city, her food quota stays with the family.”

“That’s right — 200 yuan isn’t worth two or three years of food rations.”

“Exactly. Might as well wait two or three years to file for countryside registration.”

“You’re right. That 200 yuan might only buy 400 or 500 jin of grain — not even enough for two years.”

“Uncle Song, if Luoshu does go to the countryside, she’ll be sharing a bed with my daughter. You won’t need to prepare extra bedding. I’ve already arranged for two sets in advance.”