The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight shone on the white poplar trees by the Qisi River, Nie Bozhao borrowed his second brother’s bicycle, crossed the bridge, and rode back to Chenjiahe village.

At the village entrance, he saw the fair-skinned, somewhat awkward young woman waiting by the riverbank road.

With long legs, she propped the bicycle against the ground. “Comrade Chen, please hop on.”

Chen Lina sat sideways, gripping the back of the seat tightly.

Nie Bozhao pushed off, and the bicycle sped off, almost flying through the crisp autumn air.

The sunlight was warm, and the spokes of the bicycle wheels crunched through the fallen autumn leaves.

“Are you holding on tight?” Nie Bozhao asked.

Chen Lina hesitated for a moment.

She had wanted to hold him around the waist, but in the end, she simply clutched the buttons of his coat. “Yeah, holding on tight.”

They were still by the Qisi River, but today, Nie Bozhao wasn’t heading to the bridge; instead, he rode down to the hydropower station downstream.

This was a place where the turbine generators had been installed by Nie Bozhao himself, and he wanted to check how well they were running now.

As expected, the entire staff at the power station was on a break, reciting the leader’s quotes.

“I heard you were a college student?” Nie Bozhao asked.

Chen Lina, still clutching the edge of his coat, nodded. “My dad taught me well.”

“Getting into a women’s normal university isn’t easy. It has to do with your dad’s good teaching, but the key is your own efforts. I also heard you speak Russian?”

“I learned it from the radio. I can sing a song, ‘Katyusha.'”

Nie Bozhao thought that this young woman had good looks and a nice figure, but he found her habit of tugging at the coat really uncomfortable.

It was something she needed to work on.

“Why did you leave after just one year of university?”

“Our family class is poor, we’re ‘bad elements’.” If you looked carefully, her head tilted slightly, and her mouth twitched every now and then.

“What’s wrong with your head?”

Chen Lina tilted her head even further. “Before I dropped out, I got into a fight during the ‘cultural revolution’ and got beaten.”

Nie Bozhao had heard of the cruelty of the political struggles, though he hadn’t experienced them firsthand.

“Did you sustain any lasting damage?”

“One of my ears always hums, and my head isn’t quite right. But don’t worry, Comrade Nie, it doesn’t affect my work.” She then stretched out both hands.

When she could be a princess, she was a princess, and when she could be a strong woman, she was a strong woman.

Chen Lina had never been willing to accept defeat.

Yesterday, she had made dumplings, rolling the dough so quickly with the rolling pin that she had left Nie Bozhao stunned.

She was quick and capable, and her hands were always busy—that was Nie Bozhao’s first impression of her.

“Do you want to go to the hospital for a check-up? Maybe get an X-ray?” Nie Bozhao suggested.

Chen Lina tilted her head further, her mouth twitching more.

She stammered, “No… no need. I’ve been checked, and I’ve taken medicine. The doctor said the damage inside my head is permanent, it can’t be fixed. I’ll just have to live with it.”

No wonder a university student was working as a nanny—turns out she had been knocked silly during the struggles.

Nie Bozhao thought it was truly pitiful, but the way she seemed so absent-minded was also somewhat endearing.

“Urmayi, on the Gobi Desert, life there is tough, and there are three children to take care of. Comrade Chen, you might miss home, or you might not be able to handle it.”

“Did they have political struggles there?” Chen Lina continued tugging at the edge of his coat, twisting it into a long strand.

Nie Bozhao chuckled. “Oil is the most important national industry, it’s the leader’s hope for surpassing the West. In our oilfields, we focus solely on production. Everything else is secondary.”

The conversation continued as they rode along, the sounds of the bicycle tires mingling with the soft whispers of the autumn wind.

“As long as there’s no violence, I’ll go. I’m from the countryside, raising children is something I’m good at. If they don’t listen…”

“What?” Nie Bozhao’s face immediately changed.

“If they don’t listen, you’ll have to educate them. My head’s not right, and my ears aren’t very sharp. I can’t hear what the kids are saying most of the time,” Chen Lina said.

“Then it’s settled, let’s make an agreement. A five-year contract. I’ll pay you ten yuan a month to help me take care of the kids. How does that sound?” Nie Bozhao said directly, not noticing that they had originally agreed on only five yuan a month.

“That won’t do. We agreed that we would get married. I’m a grown woman, how can I go to the frontier with you if we’re not married? I won’t go,” Chen Lina’s voice became sharp at this point.

Nie Bozhao was stunned.

He had been looking for a nanny, but he didn’t expect this young woman to be thinking about marriage.

And she was so straightforward about it.

She would be an excellent nanny.

But now, she wanted to get married, and that put Nie Bozhao in a difficult position.

After all, he had never even thought about remarrying.

“So, what do you think we should do?” he asked.

“Get a marriage certificate, hold a wedding, and then I’ll go with you,” Chen Lina said, even making a little face and shrugging. “Oh well,” her eyes looked a bit silly.

“Do you think you could accept my conditions?” Nie Bozhao asked.

She was a twenty-year-old young woman, and he had been divorced with three kids.

Although there were plenty of educated young people in the nearby Mulan farm, if he really looked for someone there, it would come with its own set of problems.

After all, his mother-in-law was no easy person to deal with.

So, this seemingly silly girl who had lost her mind might actually be a good match?

“Comrade Nie, I think your conditions are good. The oil base is safe, there’s no violence, and we get enough to eat and stay warm. I’ll do my best to help you take care of the kids, but there’s one condition,” Chen Lina said.

“What’s that?” Nie Bozhao asked.

“Well, if there’s a spot for the support of frontier construction, you’ll need to transfer my sister there too, and I’ll agree to it,” Chen Lina said.

The policy for supporting frontier construction allowed people to relocate to areas like farms, which were safe from revolutionary struggles.

Chen Lina was hoping to bring her sister, Chen Lili, and her husband along.

In her past life, Wang Hongbing and Chen Lili had survived the revolution, but their health had deteriorated, and they never had children.

She didn’t want her sister to repeat the same tragic fate.

“I see. Well, if that’s the case, then let’s get married. Go back and talk to your parents. I can make decisions on my end. I’m agreeing to this, as long as your parents agree. We’ll have a revolutionary marriage. I’ll take you to the boarder, and we’ll fight through tough times together,” Nie Bozhao said.

Nie Bozhao thought to himself, “If we’re getting married, then fine. This second girl, though her mind seems a bit off, she’s quite down-to-earth.”

And despite her silliness, she was incredibly beautiful, the more he looked at her, the more attractive she became.

She had fair skin, a tall figure, and most surprisingly, a sharp, efficient demeanor.

If only her mouth didn’t twitch so much…

But then again, if her mouth didn’t twitch and her mind wasn’t a bit off, how could a beautiful young woman really want to come all the way to the Gobi Desert to take care of his kids?

Thinking this over, Nie Bozhao found some peace of mind.

His rough, calloused hand reached out and held Chen Lina’s hand.

Though it was rough, it was still far softer than his own.

And so, their marriage—one that began with a discussion about hiring a nanny—was tentatively decided.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you home,” Nie Bozhao said.

“How about we stop by the state-run store for a bit?” Usually, when people discuss engagement, they’d at least buy a bottle of soda or something.

Chen Lina wasn’t craving soda, but she thought the whole thing felt a bit too casual.

In her past life, he had kneeled down to propose to her eight times before she reluctantly agreed.

“Let’s wait until you’ve talked it over with your family,” Nie Bozhao said.

He was eager to get back to his three kids.

His stomach was upset, and he had trouble sleeping at night.

He still needed to buy some medicine for the stomach bugs.

Chen Lina plopped down on the bicycle, but before she could settle properly, Nie Bozhao pushed off the ground, and the bike shot forward.

The next evening, when Chen Lina returned home and told her parents about her situation, her father, Chen, was completely stunned. “What? You were supposed to be going to be a nanny, and now you’re getting married? Lina, what’s going on?”

“Dad, my head…” Chen Lina, who had only returned home two days ago, began to lie again in front of her parents. “My head doesn’t feel right.”

“What’s wrong? How doesn’t it feel right?” Her mother was immediately alarmed. “Are you crazy because your cousin broke off the engagement? Or did you secretly see him in the provincial city, and you two…”

Chen Lina interrupted, “Mom, what are you thinking?”

“I had an experience with a political struggle while I was at university. They hit my head, and now it always hurts. I forget things and can’t focus. Mom, I won’t be able to finish my studies, so I’ll have to get married.”

“You look fine to me. You eat, drink, and talk well, and your hands and feet work quickly,” Hu Lan’er said, looking at her daughter, unable to see any signs of her being mentally impaired.

Chen Lina continued, “My ear’s also messed up. I can’t hear clearly anymore. When you talk, I just read your lips and try to guess what you’re saying. It’s easier with familiar people, but with strangers, I can’t even guess.”

The more she pretended, the more convincing it seemed.

Hu Lan’er, still unsure, leaned in close to her ear and shouted, “Even if you can’t hear, that doesn’t mean you have to marry a man with three kids! I oppose this. Your dad and I will help you with your hearing.”

“It’s not my ear, it’s my brain that’s broken. If I really want to marry him, then, Lina, do you think I’m right?” It was her father who seemed to understand her the most.

“Why are you pretending you can’t hear? Your ear’s fine!” her mother was now frustrated, and she said tearfully, “That man might look good, but Lina, raising three kids is no joke. Being a stepmother is hard, haven’t you heard?”

“Dad, Mom, this is the situation now. I’ve been to the provincial city. I’m still a college student. If I want to try something else, there’s nothing wrong with it. If it doesn’t work out, I can always come back. Isn’t that fine?”

“Marriage is not a game. Once you get married, you can’t just come back,” her father replied firmly.

“You talk about modern laws and divorce all the time. You even tell women that if they’re abused, they should report it to the police and get a divorce. But now, when it comes to your daughter, you’re being old-fashioned!” Chen Lina responded, blocking her father’s words.

Her father didn’t know what to say to that.

Her mother tried to calm things down, “Alright, I think the man is good. He’s really handsome. I’ve never seen anyone like him in Qisi Township. Let’s talk first, and see how it goes. Nie Guozhu has also married, so has Nie Laoda. She already broke off one engagement, why can’t she have a love marriage?” She laughed a little to lighten the mood.

Indeed, Nie Laoda was very handsome.

Back at the Nie family, Nie’s mother, lying on the kang, immediately said, “You said you were going to find a nanny, now it’s about getting married? And that girl looks shrewd. Those three kids will be treated badly. I oppose this marriage.”

“Right, big brother, you have such good conditions. If you’re looking for someone, you should find someone like your original wife, an engineer with a high salary, someone stable. How can you just marry a country girl? Think about it again,” Nie Laoda’s second brother also tried to advise him.

Nie Bozhao stood with his arms crossed, tall, with a bronzed complexion, thick eyebrows, and sharp eyes.

He was clearly a striking figure.

His second brother, on the other hand, was a completely different type, smaller and weaker.

Seeing that the younger brothers were all listening intently, Nie Bozhao quietly said, “Second brother, when your first wife was alive, you didn’t allow me to send any money to you guys.”

His second brother gasped and immediately sat up straight.

Nie’s mother’s expression changed too.

It was true that her eldest son had never been very close to her, and if not for the death of his adoptive parents and ex-wife, she wouldn’t have been able to get any money from him.

This was also why she was reluctant for him to remarry.

If he did, he would take the children with him, and the money they relied on would be gone.

But if he stayed single, she could use his income without hesitation.

Nie Bozhao calmly said, “Mom, if you help with the marriage and get it settled, I’ll make sure to send you twenty yuan every month, even if I take the kids with me. How about that?”

Nie’s mother immediately jumped up from the kang, eager to arrange the marriage, but hesitated. “Twenty yuan won’t feed the whole family. How about fifty?”

“That’s not possible. My salary was reduced. I used to earn one hundred a month, now it’s only seventy. If I give you more, the kids and I will be left with nothing,” Nie Bozhao replied firmly.

“You’re a petroleum scientist, one of the most important workers at the oilfield, how could your salary be cut?” Nie’s mother was shocked. “This doesn’t make sense. I’ll go talk to your boss.”

“Other units are all shut down. It’s lucky that the oilfield is still producing. You should go try and see if you can stop the tide of revolution,” Nie Bozhao said, blocking her objections with his final words.

Nie’s mother, who was usually very powerful, knew better than to argue with the revolutionaries, and that was the end of it.

Thus, the Nie family reluctantly accepted the marriage proposal.