Chapter 10

“No, it’s better if I personally take you home to get familiar with the place. Little sister, you saved that rascal of mine—you saved our whole family. We must stay in touch!”

The Sun family only had Sun Jun as their only child. If something had happened to him, not just her, but even her in-laws who worked in the provincial capital would’ve cried their eyes out.

Her husband, Sun Yangwen, had served in the military. Not long after Sun Jun was born, he was injured during a mission—an injury that left him infertile.

Jiang Yao was a little overwhelmed by how enthusiastic Su Cuizhu and her husband were. How had things escalated so quickly? One moment they were talking, and the next she was being practically dragged to their house for a visit!

“Sister, here’s a little something from me. Please don’t mind how small it is. Just take it for now, and I’ll come visit properly to thank you later.”

Su Cuizhu handed over all the money she and her husband had on them to Jiang Yao.

After some back-and-forth of polite refusal, Jiang Yao was “forced” to accept the 300 yuan Su Cuizhu stuffed into her hands—and she was positively elated.

Sister Fortune herself! So generous right off the bat!

Since arriving in this time period, Jiang Yao was finally getting a taste of “sudden wealth.” That empty feeling in her chest was quickly being filled with the comfort of money. The pressure she felt upon first arriving—like being forced into a blind date—was fading fast.

With this 300 yuan, plus the 300 yuan reward from the public security bureau, she was now a bona fide little rich lady in the Qianjin Brigade.

“Sister Su, I really don’t deserve to be called a benefactor. My name is Jiang Yao. I’ll definitely visit your home another day, but it’s getting late now. My village isn’t close to the county town, and if I stay any longer, I’ll be caught out after dark.”

The Qianjin Brigade was still a bit of a trek from the county seat. Jiang Yao estimated that if she delayed any more, she’d be walking home in the dark.

Thinking of the ghost stories she used to tell to pass the time in her past life, and the tales Xu Lihong told about innocent girls being dragged into the cornfields by local thugs at night…

Jiang Yao shivered. She absolutely didn’t dare walk at night.

Not going back wasn’t realistic either. She had told her grandmother she’d be back before nightfall. If the Jiang family didn’t see her return, they would likely worry all night. Jiang Yao didn’t want to make her grandmother anxious.

In this era, being allowed to come to town on her own and given pocket money already showed how much her family cared for her.

“We left in a hurry today and didn’t bring anything. Please leave your address so we can come thank you properly another day,” Sun Yangwen said earnestly.

“Young comrade, saving my son makes you our family’s benefactor. We will always remember what you’ve done. If you ever run into any trouble, don’t hesitate to come find us.”

He could tell Jiang Yao wasn’t a local from the county. She had no elders or peers with her, so she wasn’t just there for a casual stroll. If she ran into difficulties, they were more than happy to help—or, at the very least, treat her like a little sister.

He had come close to never having a descendant again—this was no small matter.

“Secretary Sun, it was just a small thing. If you want to thank someone, you should really thank the soldiers. Without them stopping the traffickers, we wouldn’t have gotten away so easily,” Jiang Yao replied modestly.

“You’re too humble, young comrade. You and those soldiers are all my son’s saviors. Since your village is far from here, why don’t I arrange for someone to escort you home?”

Though both parties helped save his son, Sun Yangwen saw Jiang Yao differently.

She was the first to notice something was wrong. Without her vigilance, even if Sun Jun had spoken up, the trafficker might have sweet-talked him into submission.

Just then, Xu Shaojun returned after handling the situation. Everyone, including the Su couple and Jiang Yao, turned to look at him.

Xu Shaojun walked straight to Jiang Yao and introduced himself.

“Comrade, hello. I’m Xu Shaojun, a soldier stationed near Yanjun County.”

“We’ve preliminarily determined that this is an organized crime ring. There are still many hidden traffickers in Yanjun. By exposing them today, you’ve disrupted their interests. They may retaliate.”

He adjusted his military cap and looked sternly at Jiang Yao, entirely serious and without any personal agenda.

“I’d like you to leave your name and address. Please be very cautious in the coming days. If you notice anything strange, go directly to the police. You must prioritize your safety.”

“My name is Jiang Yao. I’m a member of the Qianjin Brigade under the Hongqi Commune.”

Though Jiang Yao wasn’t a local of the county, and the traffickers were probably based in Yanjun, caution never hurt.

She planned to stay out of town for a while, so she hoped that would keep her off their radar.

Still, looking at Xu Shaojun’s serious expression, a bad feeling crept into her heart. “Comrade soldier, are there traffickers hiding outside the county as well?”

“The investigation is ongoing. I can’t disclose any details right now,” Xu Shaojun replied, frowning slightly. With so many people around—curious onlookers included—it wasn’t safe to talk. Any leaked information might allow traffickers to escape.

But he still offered a warning: “Comrade Jiang, please stay close to family for now. Be extra cautious.”

“Alright. Thank you, Comrade Soldier. Comrade Su, Comrade Sun, I’ll take my leave now.” Jiang Yao turned to go, and Xu Shaojun immediately followed with long strides.

Su Cuizhu wanted to follow too, but was held back by Sun Yangwen. He quieted their squirming son in his arms and said, “Cuizhu, we already know where she lives. There’s no rush to thank her. Let’s pick a good day and visit her home properly. We can’t delay her any longer, or she’ll be walking in the dark.”

He had visited the Qianjin Brigade before—it wasn’t close to the county. If they kept her any longer, the girl would have to travel alone at night.

Su Cuizhu understood her husband’s meaning and stopped insisting. “And what about the soldiers?”

“I’ll thank them too.”

For soldiers, a handwritten letter of appreciation was far more meaningful than any fruit basket.

…

“Comrade Jiang,” Xu Shaojun called out. Jiang Yao turned back, surprised.

“The Qianjin Brigade is quite far from Yanjun. It’s not safe for a young girl like you to walk alone. Comrade Jiang, allow me to escort you back.”

“Also, please avoid going out unless necessary until this human trafficking case is resolved.”

“Thank you, Comrade Soldier. You’re so kind—soldiers really do look out for the people,” Jiang Yao said with a bright smile, walking beside Xu Shaojun.

“Don’t call me ‘Comrade Soldier.’ Just call me by my name, Comrade Jiang.”

“Huh? Oh… Alright, Comrade Xu,” Jiang Yao replied, choosing a compromise by addressing him the same way he addressed her.