“What?!”

“A ticket for tonight?!”

“You’re leaving right away?!”

Su Feng looked utterly stunned.

He stared at his parents in confusion—something felt more and more off.

From the moment Uncle Zhang was asked to help find him a job to now, it had only been three days. Wasn’t this way too fast?

“Dad, Mom, are you hiding something from me?!”

“I still have a year left before I graduate. Even if I’m going to intern now, I could do it at the school hospital, or a nearby hospital. Even Uncle Zhang’s hospital would be fine. Why are you sending me to such a faraway place for internship and work?!”

The more Su Feng spoke, the more serious his expression became.

He had an ominous feeling—something must have happened at home.

They were clearly trying to send him away as soon as possible.

The youngest son had indeed sensed it.

Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan were both surprised and helpless.

But since they had already decided to tell him, they wouldn’t keep it from him any longer.

Thankfully, they were standing in an empty area with open sightlines in all directions.

No matter who approached, they would be able to see them ahead of time.

“Xiaofeng, we originally intended to keep this from you. After all, even if you knew, it wouldn’t change anything. What we were most worried about was you acting impulsively and getting dragged into this too. One more person in trouble wouldn’t help—it’s better to send you away. The more we can get out, the better.”

Qiao Jiuru earnestly explained everything to her son: how the Su family had been reported six days ago, how she and her husband had been secretly preparing supplies, and how they’d gone everywhere looking for connections to send both him and Huazhu away.

She also revealed the current situation of their household—money, ration tickets, supplies—all the preparations they had made for being sent to the countryside.

In short, they had plenty of money, tickets, and supplies.

They wouldn’t starve or freeze. Everything was going to be fine.

“Xiaofeng, originally I wasn’t going to tell you. But Uncle Zhang and Uncle Lu both thought you were grown up now and should know what’s happening. Your dad and I agreed. Also, by sending you so far away, we’re protecting you from all this. There’s no need for your life and future to be consumed by it.”

“Also, what I want to say is—working over there isn’t useless. Once you get your wages and ration tickets, you can send them back to us. Especially since you’ll be working at a hospital, you can mail us medicine, or even buy us some nutritional supplements.”

Qiao Jiuru concluded her explanation with heartfelt words.

She didn’t want her son to feel useless, nor to think that his family was suffering while he was off enjoying a better life.

After listening to his mother, Su Feng lowered his head, solemn and silent for a long time.

Beside them, Su Huaiyuan played with Dabao and Xiaobao, giving mother and son space to talk.

“Mom… I’ll do as you say.”

After a long while, Su Feng finally looked up and said firmly, though his face was already streaked with tears, his eyes red.

He understood now—just as his mother had said, going with them to the countryside wouldn’t help the family. It would be better to stay out and occasionally send home supplies and medicine.

Maybe, in a year or two, he might even be able to visit them.

“Xiaofeng, don’t worry about us out there. I won’t let anything happen to your nephews or Huazhu. Even if it costs me my life, I’ll keep them safe.”

“Son, don’t be afraid. Believe in us. We will come back. Maybe it won’t take long. If we just hold on for three to five years, our whole family could be reunited.”

Of course, Qiao Jiuru didn’t dare say that she knew they’d return to the capital in a few years—she could only hint at it.

“Xiaofeng, your mom is right. It’s not just our family that’s been reported—this is happening all over. But change is coming. It takes time. Your mom and I have talked it over. It won’t last long. In the meantime, we must all stay strong and wait for the darkness to pass and the light to return.”

At this point, Su Huaiyuan finally spoke up.

He had to give his son hope—otherwise, how could the boy bear this?

Watching him feel guilt and worry would be even worse than going to the countryside together.

Perhaps it was their optimistic and calm demeanor—or maybe it was the fact that his parents had clearly prepared everything—that slowly lifted Su Feng’s spirits.

He took the carefully prepared belongings his parents handed him, along with the 300 yuan they had set aside for him.

“Xiaofeng, we know where your new workplace is. We’ll mail your other clothes, quilts, and shoes to you later. Tonight, your dad and I will take you to the train station to see you off.”

Before parting, Qiao Jiuru reminded her son once more—they would be seeing him off tonight, and it might be years before they met again.

Su Feng clutched what his parents had given him, nodded heavily, wiped his tears, and watched his parents and nephews walk away.

Then he turned and went back to his dorm to pack his things.

He wasn’t stupid—in fact, he was very smart.

He had understood everything his parents had said.

That’s why he couldn’t hold them back. He would go wherever they told him to.

“Su Feng, why are you packing?”

His roommates quickly noticed him packing his books and bedding.

“My uncle’s superior arranged for me to work at a military hospital. It’s on a very remote island. They bought me a train ticket and told me to go immediately.”

Because the island was remote and isolated from the mainland, the post didn’t seem like a good opportunity to most people.

Su Feng didn’t worry about anyone getting jealous.

At first, some classmates were envious that Su Feng had been selected for a job before even graduating. But when they heard it was on a remote island far from the mainland, the envy vanished.

Getting back from such a place would be hard.

A year or two without visiting home was normal—he’d basically be cut off from the world.

“Su Feng, safe travels!”

“Yeah, what a surprise. We wish you great success and all the best.”

“Xiaofeng, be sure to write to us when you get there!”

“That’s right—keep in touch. Safe journey!”

Everyone in the dorm came to see him off and even helped him pack.

Afterward, Su Feng went to the classroom to collect his books and returned to the dorm to pack them.

Since he was heading to such a distant island and might have to change vehicles several times, he decided to mail his books instead.

Fortunately, his mother had already given him the island’s address, so he mailed the books and some other bulky items at the post office.

Finally, Su Feng went to his teachers and explained his situation.

The teachers, in turn, told him that the military hospital had already called the school, and the paperwork for his internship was being processed.

Meanwhile, Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan, after leaving the medical school, went to the post office and mailed Su Feng’s quilts and clothing.

Then, with Dabao and Xiaobao on their bicycle, they headed to the hospital’s family housing.

When they arrived, Zhang Hong and his wife were already waiting.

“Dabao, Xiaobao, come give Grandma Zhang a kiss!”

The moment the kids showed up, Zhang Hong’s wife, Fang Xinyu, picked them up excitedly.

She adored them.

The children weren’t shy either—they’d seen her at the hospital many times, so they quickly warmed up to her.

“All settled?”

Zhang Hong brought Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan into the study and closed the door before asking quietly.

They both nodded.

Everything was ready. Now they were just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“These are the medicines I’ve quietly gathered over the past few days. Take them. If anything happens, have Huazhu write to us.”

Zhang Hong handed over a large bag of medicines—both Western and traditional—enough to last two or three years.

“Thank you, Brother Zhang. Oh, and something else—I ran into a relative this morning…”

Qiao Jiuru told him about meeting someone from the Song family, who had once been a childhood friend of her father.

She’d told Old Master Song that if he ever got sick, he could come to Zhang Hong for help.

Zhang nodded.

They were all people fallen on hard times. If the Song family came to him in the future, and it was within his means, he would definitely help.