Chapter 10 Covering Up the Cold Front

Startled, Lin Anran shivered and quickly covered him with a blanket. She noticed a nylon rope in the corner—the same one the original owner had used for hanging—and grabbed it. She tied it to a wall fixture and hung a bedsheet from it. After finishing, she stood outside the curtain, thinking it was at least somewhat concealed.

Soon, she heard faint, scattered sounds, like someone going into the kitchen. Not long after, she heard Gao Ershan’s voice: “Anran, you didn’t make breakfast?”

Lin Anran quickly replied, “There’s no flour in the bin. I don’t have money, and without ration tickets, I couldn’t cook.”

She heard his footsteps approaching her room, her heart pounding. If she put him in the space, no one else could enter, and only she could—this thought made her frustrated. Then came knocking on the door. Lin Anran held her breath, her heart racing, and quickly said, “I haven’t gotten up yet, so it’s inconvenient for you to come in.”

Gao Ershan had just seen the empty rice bin in the kitchen. Hearing her say she wasn’t up yet, he thought, Why can’t I go to my own wife? He reached to knock, but the door bolt was tight. Frustrated, he stomped and shouted, “Lin Anran, come out! How come I can’t enter my own house?”

Lin Anran didn’t dare make a sound. She could hide herself in the space, but there was a living person on the bed—suddenly, she regretted saving him, though it was too late. The shouting continued outside: “Open the door! If you don’t, are you hiding someone?” She forced herself to stay calm and said loudly, “This is your house, I don’t know anyone here, I’m just a fool—who would even notice me?”

Gao Ershan thought about it. She used to be fat, messy, unhygienic, and smelly—everyone avoided her. Even dogs would steer clear. He was about to leave, but then his eyes caught a drop of bright red blood on the floor. Shocked, he asked, “Anran, why is there blood on the floor?”

Lin Anran, thinking he had left, immediately became alert upon hearing the question. She calmed herself and said, “I got up to go to the bathroom. It was dark, I couldn’t see clearly, and I accidentally fell, cutting my hand a little.”

“Oh,” he replied.

At that moment, a coquettish voice rang out: “Ershan, you haven’t had breakfast yet! Look at your wife, still asleep. Who is she, and how lazy! Come, I’ll make you something delicious.” The sound of a door opening and closing followed. Lin Anran exhaled in relief, guessing Gao Ershan had gone to the widow Chen Yan—truly her savior!

She quickly lifted the blanket to check his abdominal wound—no bleeding, breathing steady, all seemed normal. She wrapped it carefully with gauze and bandages, securing it firmly. Thinking about the men who had chased him, her curiosity about him grew. She cautiously felt along his chest and found something hard. She pulled it out—it was a small green notebook. Opening it, she saw a photo labeled “Leng Feng,” a military officer from some unit.

As she focused on the notebook, she suddenly heard, “Have you seen enough?” Startled, she realized she hadn’t noticed the man on the bed had woken up. Losing her balance in shock, she fell on top of him, blushing, and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

The man furrowed his brows, smiled through the pain, and said, “I didn’t expect you to be quite heavy.”

Embarrassed, Lin Anran quickly got off his chest, saying, “I’ll go get something to eat.” Blushing, she ran out, breathing heavily, patting her face to calm herself, thinking: No need to panic, I didn’t do anything wrong.

The man looked around the room. Everything was neatly arranged, spotless, with a sheet dividing the room for some privacy—at least he was safe. The sound of a passing train whistled past his ears; he guessed the house was near the station. With their pursuers nearby, they would find this place quickly, and he didn’t want to involve innocent people. Time was critical.

Lin Anran saw the empty flour bin—no supplies. She decided to enter the space and take some, not checking if the crops inside were ready. In the warehouse, she opened a bag of flour and took a little, careful not to take too much to avoid suspicion. She left the space, mixed the flour into a batter, quickly lit a fire, and used two eggs from the space to make a simple egg noodle soup. She served a bowl to the main room.

The man, seeing her bring the soup, revealed a hint of tenderness and said, “Thank you for saving me and bandaging my wound.” He tried to get up. Lin Anran quickly placed the bowl on the table and supported him: “You’re injured—rest properly.”

Knowing he wasn’t steady on his feet, she laid down with him, resting her head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat accelerating. Blushing, she thought to get up quickly, but a pair of large hands grabbed hers. She looked up at his handsome face and momentarily lost focus.

Coming from the 20th century, she had seen handsome men before, even Director Xiao Feng—practically a walking celebrity—but this man shared a similar aura, even his name sounded the same. Could the director have transmigrated? She studied him carefully; he was even more handsome, with a towering height and a body like a walking mannequin.

She looked at him and said, “Um, you must be hungry! Hurry up and eat!” and then wriggled free from his grasp. Seeing her so anxious, his face flushed red. A ray of sunlight streamed through the window, highlighting her fair neck and that oval-shaped, beautiful face. His heart skipped a beat.

Leaning against the headboard and holding his wound, he took a sip of the soup. It tasted good, and since he was extremely hungry, he began eating heartily. Lin Anran watched him eat, feeling a gentle warmth in her heart.

After he finished, he said, “My name is Leng Feng. I’m a soldier. I came home to visit my family this time. I had offended some people before, and unexpectedly, someone revealed my whereabouts. The underworld tried to assassinate me.”

Lin Anran listened carefully, word by word, and felt a bit skeptical. It’s the 1980s, and this is happening? I’ve only seen such things on TV before… and now it’s really happening to me. She let out a small sigh. Coming back to herself, she said, “My intuition tells me you’re not a bad person. I believe what you’re saying.”

Leng Feng looked at this fearless woman in front of him and felt a mix of admiration and surprise—she actually trusted him. His emotions were like a roller coaster: the thrill of meeting such a rare woman, but the disappointment that she was already married. The room’s brand-new furniture, the table, even the smell of fresh paint—it all confirmed it.

He remained silent, gazing at her. Lin Anran, feeling a bit embarrassed under his stare, quickly grabbed her bowl and hurried out of the room. Behind her came a sharp, piercing gaze, as if it could see right through her.

She was about to head to the kitchen when Aunt Wang walked in holding a few eggs. “Anran, thank you for saving Lin’er. I was in the wrong before. Here, take these to nourish yourself. I’ll leave them in your room for you.”

Lin Anran held the bowl, watching her walk toward the main room, her throat tightening…