“Is that Chen Lina really unrelated to you?” After the meeting, Sun Dabao came out and coldly stared at Liu Xiaohong, immediately beginning to question her.

Liu Xiaohong quickly shook her head, saying, “No, I didn’t even know they were in the same car as me.”

“They said they were here for tourism, right? I saw them take the children to Devil’s City, but why didn’t your brother-in-law come along with them? Isn’t that a bit suspicious?” Sun Xiaoai said, grabbing Liu Xiaohong’s ear. “You little girl, tell me the truth—did you say anything to Nie Weimin on the way?”

The woman who had brought Liu Xiaohong quickly interjected, “No, we really didn’t talk at all in the car. It was crowded, and we spoke in Russian so no one else could understand.”

Sun Xiaoai then asked Sun Dabao, “What do you think we should do? Those kids are your nephews. If we can’t, should we just take them all with us?”

“Then let’s take them with us. They’ve already entered the Loulan farm, so they won’t be able to return,” Sun Dabao replied.

“But if they’ve come, it means Nie Gong already knows about this, right? He’ll definitely report this to the armed department of the mining area, and our actions might need to be expedited,” Sun Xiaoai said.

Sun Dabao stomped his foot and said, “Then it’s settled. I’ll think of a way to get the security team drunk, and we’ll leave immediately.”

However, Liu Xiaohong soon took advantage of her stomach ache and managed to get Liu Han out.

Once they were not far from Gou Ercai’s house, she said, “Dad, actually, Aunt Chen wants to meet you. Let me take you to where they are staying, okay?”

Just earlier, Sun Dabao had personally visited Gou Ercai’s house but hadn’t entered.

At the farm, security teams were stationed at the front and back, keeping watch, so it was impossible to escape unless one broke through the barricades.

Moreover, if they were to act ahead of time, they would need to get the farm director drunk.

He was busy preparing to get Director Guo drunk, so he called Sun Xiaoai to keep an eye on this place and prevent Chen Lina from trying to subvert others, while he went off to drink with the farm director.

Before long, Liu Han quietly arrived.

“Back at the base, when we helped Sun Xiaoai smuggle Russian goods, there were propaganda materials with corrosive ideologies.

Comrade Liu Han, back then, Lao Nie protected you all, so the military didn’t treat you as Soviet spies and shoot you. Now, are you openly planning to escape?” Chen Lina asked, full of righteous indignation.

Liu Han, unshaven and smelling bad, was helpless. “Comrade Xiao Chen, you’re the director of Mulan Farm now, so I should call you Director Chen, right?

People like you, with work and power, don’t know the suffering of us reform-through-labor criminals. We can’t even get enough to eat, Director Chen.”

Turning around, Chen Lina took two steamed buns out of her bag and said, “I’m also hungry. My family’s been eating steamed buns for a long time.

But right now, I’m working on improving our grain varieties. I believe that this year, our farm’s wheat yield will double.

You’re just a labor reform prisoner. If you improve your thoughts and behavior, you’ll get to eat the big steamed buns made from our new wheat in the autumn harvest.

If you really dare to risk your life and cross the border, I’ll show you the real numbers.

Back in the 1960s, when people tried to cross the border, there were 60,000 people, but only 30,000 made it to the Soviet Union.

How likely do you think it is for you to escape and survive?”

“I don’t seek to escape myself. I just want to safely send Xiaohong over.”

“She’s at Base 1. I give her three yuan every month, which I save from my salary. Xiaogang is still working in the boiler room and gets five yuan a month.

No one has enough to eat, we all share the hunger. Xiaohong, tell me, have you ever been hungry?”

“No, Aunt Chen has always been secretly helping me and my brother,” Liu Xiaohong replied.

Liu Han hesitated for a moment, clenched his fist, and said, “But my wife…”

Just as he spoke, the wooden door of the hut was pushed open.

Under the flickering candlelight stood a woman wearing a red mink coat.

It was none other than Sun Xiaoyue, the true Soviet spy who had escaped from Base 1.

“Director Chen, don’t try to convince us. Let me tell you, the Soviet Union is like paradise; we absolutely must leave.

As for you all, if you want to come with us, we’ll forget past grievances and go together.

But if you want us to stay, that’s impossible. We won’t stay here on this farm and suffer anymore.

And as for crossing the border being hard, let me tell you, the Soviet Union welcomes us.

Our Republic’s soldiers, as long as they see children on the vehicle, they will raise their machine guns, only sweeping without firing.”

She was now worried that Chen Lina might sway Liu Han to her side and wanted to reassure him.

The true escapees knew that the kindness and love of the Republic’s soldiers for children could be used against them.

They intended to block the gunfire with children.

Chen Lina slapped her hard: “Bah! You, just lazy and greedy for food, dreaming of wearing mink and eating Russian sausages, are getting a very promising officer executed just to smuggle this for you.

And now you want to harm Liu Han?

You of all people know what’s at the Kizilgar border, yet you’re trying to dull their senses with this nonsense.

Liu Han, let me tell you, in the vast desert, Republic soldiers can’t see what’s inside your green tarpaulin truck.

As for military operations, Sun Xiaoyue knows more than you.

They may raise the machine guns when they see children, but the bombers in the sky have no eyes.

Your big truck will stand out in the desert, an obvious target. One bomb, do you think anyone in that truck would survive?”

Sun Xiaoyue still tried to run, but Chen Lina slapped her again. “Moreover, Sun Xiaoyue never actually intended to escape to the Soviet Union. She just wanted to sell people’s heads, pocket the money, and use it for herself.”

“Sun Xiaoyue, you never wanted to leave with us, did you? Didn’t you say we would stop hitting children and do business in the Soviet Union together, raising children?” Liu Han squinted at her.

Sun Xiaoyue took a few steps back and quickly shook her head, “Of course I’m leaving with you! We’ll all leave together. Don’t listen to Chen Lina.”

“If you don’t believe me, Liu Han, I suggest you go search her bag and her money. Since we’re already here, you must be planning to move soon. Go ahead and see if the money you’ve saved for yourself is still in your bag.”

Sun Xiaoyue was cunning.

She had experienced the harshness of the border, and Chen Lina was certain that Sun Xiaoyue would send others away, but she herself would not run.

After all, as a spy, if she escaped to the Soviet Union, she would lose all her value.

Sun Xiaoyue tried to flee again, but Nie Weimin, eyes full of rage, glared at her: “Go squat in the corner.”

“Hey, you little brat, who do you think you’re talking to?” Sun Xiaohong swung her hand at him, but before she could strike, Nie Weimin suddenly jumped up and headbutted her chest.

“Ouch!” Sun Xiaoyue clutched her chest and fell to the ground.

Liu Han had started to hesitate.

After thinking for a moment, he kicked Sun Xiaoyue twice and then used his shoelaces to tie her to the bed frame in the hut.

Then, he rushed home to check his belongings.

He knew that he could profit from the “head fee,” and if he couldn’t escape, he planned to protect his daughter and escape with her, using the money for her.

But if Sun Xiaoyue stole it, he would have died in vain.

“Nie Weimin, where did you learn how to hit people?” Chen Lina asked in disbelief, chasing after the young Nie.

“You’re just like your uncle, Sun Dabao, a black-hearted, black-lunged guy. Oh my chest hurts so much,” Sun Xiaoyue complained as she was tied to the bed.

“If you don’t want to eat my dirty socks, shut up now,” Chen Lina warned, raising her foot, which made Sun Xiaoyue close her mouth.

Nie Weimin seemed rather pleased with himself: “Let me tell you, Comrade Chen, I know how to defeat both women and men. So, if you let me meet my uncle, I’ll also flip him over.”

“Flip him over? How?”

“Women’s weakness is in their chest, and men’s weakness is in their groin. I’ve known that for a long time.”

“You’re so young, have you become addicted to hitting people? I’ve been hearing the base families say you’re a little tyrant now, your voice has gotten much louder. I think I was wrong when I said I’d support you after you hit someone. I’m taking that back. Don’t dare hit anyone again, or I’ll slap you,” Chen Lina scolded.

This little gangster must be sent to school immediately, or he would go down the wrong path.

“Okay, Comrade Chen, I’ve remembered Uncle Lei Feng’s words: treat comrades warmly like spring and treat enemies ruthlessly like autumn winds sweeping leaves. That should be fine, right?” Nie Weimin said, without feeling that he had done anything wrong.

But soon, in front of Er Dan and San Dan, he received a very fiery slap.

“If I ever see you headbutting people again, I’ll slap you.”

“Big brother got hit, hehe,” San Dan laughed, and Er Dan also shouted, “Big brother definitely won’t say it hurts, hehe, it doesn’t hurt.”

In the corner, Liu Xiaohong was covering her face, secretly smiling.

Nie Weimin’s face flushed red.

Embarrassed, he suddenly rushed into Chen Lina’s arms, feeling too humiliated to face anyone.

“This sly woman really stole all my hidden money. She never wanted to leave with us. I was right,” Liu Han walked in, ready to kick Sun Xiaoyue, but was stopped by Chen Lina.

“Now’s not the time to hit her. Tell me, has Sun Daba already planned to take people and leave?” Chen Lina asked Liu Han.

Liu Han replied, “He’s drinking with Director Guo and the security team. Once they’re done drinking, they’ll leave.

As for me, I’m staying. I’ve changed my mind. I want to stay here and work on improving myself, hoping one day to return to the base and drive again.”