Braised fish, roast duck, Kung Pao chicken, steamed egg custard, stir-fried cabbage, spicy and sour shredded potatoes, egg drop soup, steamed rice, and white wheat buns.

Six adults and two children, a table full of dishes, just enough to seat everyone.

“Wow, what’s the occasion today?! This is way too lavish!”

Lu Baoguo had been to the Su family’s home before, but the meal today was more sumptuous than ever. He didn’t think much of it.

“Brother Lu, we’re asking for a favor today, so of course, we need to treat you well,”

Qiao Jiuru joked with a deeper meaning in her tone, then invited everyone to eat.

“Come on, let’s eat. We’ll talk afterward. Dabao and Xiaobao, you two eat more and get strong soon.”

Besides Su Huaiyuan and Qiao Jiuru, only Zhang Hong knew part of the situation.

As he served food to the two kids, he also encouraged Lu Baoguo to eat.

Lu Baoguo wasn’t stupid—he could tell something was going on, something he didn’t know.

But he didn’t say anything.

The meal didn’t take long; within an hour, it was finished.

While Qiao Jiuru and Zhou Wanwan were cleaning up and doing the dishes, the men had already moved into the study.

“Wanwan, take Dabaobao and Xiaobaobao to play in the living room. Turn on the radio for them. We have something to discuss.”

“Yes, Mom, I know.”

Zhou Wanwan didn’t need her mother-in-law to say much—she understood the two uncles coming over must mean something serious, and turning on the radio was to prevent anyone from overhearing.

She was cautious and sensible, asking no questions.

As soon as Qiao Jiuru entered the study, she closed the door.

The chatting men immediately fell silent.

“Jiuru, Xiao Feng’s placement has been arranged. The acceptance notice was sent out this afternoon. He should receive it within three days. When will you tell him to come back and inform him?”

Zhang Hong got straight to the point in front of Lu Baoguo and Su Ze.

Their old comrades from the military had really come through—fast and efficient.

He had breathed a big sigh of relief when he got the news.

“Mom? What’s wrong with Xiao Feng? What acceptance notice? Is he going to intern at Uncle Zhang’s hospital?”

Su Ze was confused and asked, though he knew his parents and Uncle Zhang had always wanted his younger brother to work at the hospital after graduation.

But his brother still had a year and a half before graduation.

“Son, your father, Uncle Zhang, and I have decided to let your brother start interning early. He’ll be assigned to a military hospital on an island. If all goes well, he’ll report there in a few days.”

Though Qiao Jiuru addressed her eldest son, her gaze also fell on Lu Baoguo, who was listening thoughtfully.

“Jiuru, is something going on with your family? You suddenly made arrangements for Xiao Feng… could it be…?”

Lu Baoguo’s sharp eyes locked on Qiao Jiuru.

As he spoke, his mind raced.

The more he thought, the colder his back felt.

Su Ze had been listening carefully.

At this point, he seemed to realize something too and looked at his mother in shock and panic.

“Last night, in the middle of the night, someone slipped a note into our ward saying we’ve been reported.”

In her previous life, Qiao Jiuru had only been able to tell Su Huaiyuan that she had a terrifying and vivid dream.

So in front of Zhang Hong and Lu Baoguo—and her eldest son—this was the excuse she gave.

“Su Ze, our family has ties abroad. Your uncle and others are overseas. We can’t take any chances. Better safe than sorry. That’s why I asked Uncle Zhang to send Xiao Feng away first. Next, we’ll arrange for Huazhu.”

“Tonight, we asked Uncle Zhang and Uncle Lu to come so we could discuss what to do if we are really sent away. We must not be assigned to the harshest places. Your father and I can endure it, but Dabao and Xiaobao are still young. We can’t let anything happen to them.”

When it came to her family, Qiao Jiuru’s greatest concern was the two grandsons, then her younger son and daughter, and finally her eldest son and daughter-in-law.

“Mom…”

“Jiuru, if what the person who warned you said is true, why haven’t the authorities acted yet?”

Su Ze felt a bit calmer now that he knew his parents had made preparations.

Lu Baoguo frowned.

He couldn’t understand it either.

From what he knew, Su Huaiyuan and Qiao Jiuru were well-liked both at school and in the neighborhood. Plus, they had supportive friends like them.

How could they be reported?

“Huaiyuan and I think they’re waiting for the right moment to act. Also, they’re probably eyeing the wealth of the Su and Qiao families. I believe the person who warned us is likely genuine.”

“Better to believe than to ignore, and never go into battle unprepared. Just look at the Zhou family. And they were all adults. We still have two young kids. If we’re really sent to those places, do you think they’ll survive?”

Qiao Jiuru’s voice choked up as she said this, nearly unable to continue.

In her previous life, the children had really died.

Now that she was reborn, she absolutely wouldn’t let that tragedy happen again.

If it came down to it and nothing could change fate, she would hide the children in her space dimension. Staying alive was more important than anything else.

But that would be a last resort.

Unless there was no other choice, she didn’t want the children to live cut off from the world.

“How about letting Huazhu go with Xiao Feng to the island? It’s far away, and safer.”

Zhang Hong never doubted Qiao Jiuru’s words.

These things happened too often nowadays.

Who could really guard against them?

Just as Jiuru said, it didn’t matter if adults suffered.

But Dabao and Xiaobao were so young—what chance would they have in those harsh places?

“Huazhu could take the two boys to the island and settle down there.”

Lu Baoguo also felt the island was safer—the best option.

He agreed with the plan.

“Then tomorrow, Lu and I will contact our old friends in the unit and see if we can arrange for Huazhu to go to the island too.”

Zhang Hong made the final decision.

With the siblings together on the island, they could look after each other, and everyone would feel more at ease.

“Brother Zhang, Brother Lu, if we can’t get Huazhu onto the island, then let her go to the Jisheng region. In Tong City, Huaxian County, Mentou Township—villages like Baigou, Dashan, and Baisha have all benefited from the Qiao family before. If Huazhu goes to those villages for re-education, she’ll be safer.”

“All right, Huaiyuan, Jiuru. Lu and I will work on Huazhu’s placement tomorrow.”