“This way, cousin, this way.”

Song Luoyun led the way ahead, trying hard to recall the directions to Baigou Village that the comrades from the production team had told him.

Fortunately, the roads between villages weren’t narrow paths; as long as the direction was right, they would eventually arrive.

Su Huazhu and Song Luoshu followed behind, the two young girls tightly linking arms and walking briskly.

It was said that walking from Dashan Village to Baigou Village took less than an hour; if they hurried, the time could be even shorter.

They set off at five o’clock already and had to be back before work started.

The three of them ran along the way, and finally, after half an hour, they reached the outskirts of Baigou Village.

“Cousin, I don’t think Auntie and the others live inside the village. They’re probably on the edge of the village or somewhere not too far away. We need to look around,”

Song Luoyun had already inquired about places like cattle sheds; generally, labor reform workers wouldn’t be allowed to live with the villagers.

The educated youth points were usually built some distance away from the villagers, weren’t they?

Su Huazhu and Song Luoshu agreed, so they all walked around the edge of the production team’s area.

After about ten minutes, they saw in the distance several houses even more dilapidated than those where the villagers lived.

Su Huazhu and the others immediately felt a surge of hope and their eyes lit up.

“You two wait here at the edge. I’ll sneak over quietly to take a look first.”

Song Luoyun considered himself the only boy among them, so naturally, he wanted to shield his cousins and protect the two girls.

Su Huazhu and Song Luoshu obeyed his orders — after all, more people meant a bigger target, and boys could run faster.

When they were about a hundred meters from the houses, Su Huazhu and Song Luoshu hid, and Song Luoyun went over alone.

He first crept to the front of the first house, but couldn’t see inside because it was very dark.

“Auntie Qiao, Uncle Su, Auntie Qiao, Uncle Su.”

Time was pressing; it was already six o’clock and they still had to return.

So Song Luoyun decided to slowly call out in a low voice, squatting down.

The row of houses remained silent, but those awake inside could clearly hear the voice outside.

Creak.

Just as Song Luoyun, anxious, was about to raise his voice, the door of the house where he was squatting suddenly opened.

Song Luoyun was overjoyed, staring nervously at the door — but the middle-aged man who poked his head out… was a stranger.

“Who are you…?!”

As fate would have it, the man opening the door was Cai Qingwen.

He had just woken up and heard the voices outside. Since the calls were for “Qiao” and “Su,” he guessed the visitors were looking for his close friends.

“Hello, I’d like to ask, is there someone named Su Huaiyuan here?”

Song Luoyun hesitated slightly upon seeing the stranger, but still bit his lip and asked.

“What’s your relation to him?”

Cai Qingwen sized up the young man, noting his clothes and accent — probably an educated youth from the capital.

“I’m his nephew.”

Song Luoyun quickly confirmed his identity in a low voice, relieved to have found someone.

“They don’t live here. They live in the opposite direction, where there are two houses.”

Cai Qingwen whispered, pointing to a far direction. He trusted the young man.

“Thank you, Uncle.”

Overjoyed with this news, Song Luoyun thanked him quickly and prepared to leave.

“Wait, never mind, I’ll take you there myself.”

Unexpectedly, just as he turned around, he suddenly heard the man say this behind him.