On her third day training at the grain-threshing yard, Comrade Su Rui successfully snapped the seventh wooden stick that Su Li had carved for her. Without hesitation, she picked up her trusty old sugarcane stalk again.

“This one still feels best.” She twirled it expertly, then planted it firmly on the ground like a weapon.

Wanzi and Si’er cheered her on enthusiastically, clapping hard and shouting, “Again! Do it again!”

Su Rui raised her sugarcane, gave a loud “Hah!” and spun it like a windmill, her hands alternating swiftly, the stick moving so fast it left afterimages.

“Nice!”

“That’s amazing!”

Su Rui beamed, revealing her little tiger teeth. When it came to wielding a spinning sugarcane, who could outmatch her? She might be just a small fry, but she was still a small fry from Flower Fruit Mountain.

Heh heh.

The applause grew louder. Su Rui swung the sugarcane with even more vigor.

“Don’t stop clapping!”

What could she say? She was just a little girl who thrived on praise.

“Good!”

“Fantastic!”

“Keep going!”

Su Rui basked in the cheers, but something suddenly felt off.

Why was there a man’s voice among the cheers?

She whipped her head around and instantly froze.

Fang—Fang Chiye?!

What was he doing here?

At some point, Sister Zhao had arrived with Fang Chiye, standing behind her, watching her performance—and even clapping along.

Wasn’t this just making a fool of herself in front of an expert?

Su Rui’s face turned red as she hurriedly tossed her sugarcane into the pile, clapped the dust off her hands, and bashfully said, “What kind of wind blew my dear Little Uncle here today?”

Little Uncle?

Fang Chiye, who had been holding back his laughter, couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Sister Zhao shot Su Rui a look, and Su Rui immediately got the message, quickly reintroducing herself. “Good day, Captain Fang.”

Fang Chiye smiled faintly. “Very good indeed.”

Su Rui flashed her little tiger teeth and blurted, “You old—”

Fang Chiye gazed at her quietly, as if daring her to continue.

Under his silent pressure, Su Rui’s courage wavered. She nearly bit her tongue trying to correct herself. “You old… always seem to come by a lot.”

Fang Chiye replied indifferently, “I’m here for you.”

Old Lady Ah Xi, who had been resting on a stone nearby, suddenly stood up and stepped in front of Su Rui, declaring loudly, “I was the one who beat those two human traffickers to death! If you’re here to arrest someone, take me! I’ve got plenty of friends waiting for me in the afterlife. Go ahead and shoot me!”

Fang Chiye asked in surprise, “How old are you?”

Old Lady Ah Xi responded righteously, “Seventy-two! Go ahead, execute me!”

Sister Zhao quickly held her hand, supporting her as she said, “You misunderstood, we’re not here to arrest anyone. It’s good news.”

Old Lady Ah Xi immediately pointed at Su Rui and said, “It’s all her doing.”

Fang Chiye couldn’t help but laugh. He turned to Su Rui and said, “You may not have many people, but your division of labor is quite clear.”

Su Rui scratched her head. “Gotta teach according to one’s aptitude.”

She noticed that Fang Chiye hadn’t come alone. A few soldiers were walking over from the jeep in the distance, carrying large red flowers and flower baskets. It really did seem like a joyous occasion.

Then, she looked at Sister Zhao. The usually calm face now showed rare excitement.

Fang Chiye didn’t keep them in suspense. He took the big red flower and was about to pin it on Su Rui. Sister Zhao quickly said, “Wait, let me make an announcement over the broadcast first. After all, this is a commendation ceremony, it should have some sense of ceremony.”

Su Rui was stunned. She turned her head and asked blankly, “Commendation?”

Sister Zhao, unable to hide her joy, lowered her voice and said, “The people you caught last time weren’t just human traffickers. They were enemy spies! Two of them!”

Su Rui’s small hands started trembling. She hadn’t even found her bigr brother yet, and she had already caught enemy… enemy spies? And not just any enemy spies, but double enemy spies?!

She was shaking so much that she couldn’t take it anymore. She crouched down and grabbed her old sugarcane, only feeling steady again with something in hand. “I… I caught enemy spies?”

To confirm, she looked at Fang Chiye.

Fang Chiye nodded. “Yes, Comrade Su Rui, you have made a significant contribution. I am here on behalf of the army to thank you.”

Su Rui quickly called over Si’er and Wanzi. “They helped me catch them too.”

Seeing that she wasn’t taking all the credit for herself, Fang Chiye felt reassured and said, “After our investigation, you were the first to notice and capture the spies. However, these two young comrades provided support on the side, so we will reward them with prizes and bonuses as well.”

Su Rui grinned, showing her little tiger teeth, and said crisply, “Thank you for the army’s recognition and encouragement!”

Soon, the village broadcast started playing.

When the women of Xiaoba Village heard that Su Rui had made a great contribution, they all came rushing out. When they arrived at the grain-threshing ground, they saw that the village officials had even rolled out a red carpet.

Standing on the red carpet, Su Rui puffed out her small chest, looking energetic as she clutched her old sugarcane, feeling very proud.

Fang Chiye had finally appeared in front of the villagers. Everyone was surprised by how young and handsome he was, and as they observed his gestures and demeanor, they could feel his strong presence, clicking their tongues in admiration.

Old Lady Ah Xi was combing Si’er’s hair. Si’er had never worn a little red flower in her life, so she mimicked Su Rui, puffing out her chest with a proud look on her face. Meanwhile, her parents were in the crowd, wiping away tears—who would have thought their simple-minded daughter could be so impressive?

Wanzi stood next to Su Rui. Her parents, upon hearing that there would be photographs, hurriedly dressed her in the new cotton-padded jacket meant for the New Year. The poor girl was sweating from the heat, but all she could think about was how Sister Zhao had sent someone to fetch the butcher. That meant there would be meat to eat today!

Someone lit firecrackers, and the loud crackling instantly heightened the atmosphere. The women of Xiaoba Village clapped for Su Rui, their applause even more enthusiastic than the firecrackers!

Su Rui wore the large red flower, holding a flower basket. When she looked down, she saw that it was filled with apples and bananas. Very satisfying.

Standing beside her, Fang Chiye looked down at her proud little expression. Amidst the applause, he congratulated her, “Those two enemy spies were very important. I can’t share the specifics, but I can tell you that you protected a military hydropower station under construction.”

Su Rui wasn’t foolish. She knew that many military facilities might seem unremarkable to the locals, but in the eyes of enemy spies, they were classified locations. Otherwise, there wouldn’t always be news reports about people getting caught selling photos of certain buildings—those were actually military secrets.

The half-built dam in Xiaoba Village was exactly where the military hydropower station was being constructed. Keeping it safe meant the dam project could continue. That made Su Rui very happy. That half-built dam had been a source of sorrow for the women of Xiaoba Village for years. Why were so many of them widowed? It was all because of that dam!

The loudspeaker played revolutionary songs, interspersed with words of commendation for Comrade Su Rui. Her little face remained flushed with excitement.

Among the crowd, the Su family had also come. The only ones who were truly happy for her were probably her father and Su Hongpei. Su Yuqin and Su Chang’e left before the commendation ceremony even ended.

Thinking about how Su Chang’e would be fuming at home, Su Rui felt even happier.

“Here’s a five-hundred-yuan bonus,” Fang Chiye said, handing her a red envelope. “This is a token of appreciation from the army for your contribution.”

How much? Five hundred yuan, and it’s just a token?!

Su Rui’s eyes lit up.

Seeing this, Fang Chiye tactfully stuffed the envelope into her pocket, worried that she might be too shy to accept it.

But Su Rui wasn’t thinking about that at all. All that was on her mind was—husband fund! The husband fund was finally saved up!

The commendation ceremony lasted the entire morning. By noon, tables were set up in the open space in front of the women’s office to celebrate Su Rui’s achievement and also to host Fang Chiye.

Building good relations with the military had countless benefits. The army and the people needed to stay united like fish and water, maintaining close ties.

Su Rui followed Sister Zhao to toast Fang Chiye.

Fang Chiye praised her tactfully, “You have courage and wisdom.”

Sister Zhao placed a bowl of spinach and meatball soup on the table, patted Su Rui’s shoulder, and said, “Among the young people in Xiaoba Village, the one I think most highly of is her. Don’t be fooled by her small frame—she’s the leader of our village militia team.”

Su Rui chuckled. “Acting leader, acting leader.”

Fang Chiye smiled and said, “Still impressive. You have a bright future ahead of you.”

Even though she knew it was just polite words, Su Rui still found them pleasant to hear.

During the meal, two women approached, each holding a child. They had initially thought Su Rui had caught human traffickers and had brought a large bag of black fungus as a gift.

“Our kids like to run around everywhere and only come home after dark. When we heard there were traffickers in the village, we were scared to death. Knowing they’ve been caught, all the families with kids are especially grateful to you.”

“That’s right. Otherwise, we wouldn’t even dare let our kids go outside to play. Who would have thought that even in such a remote place, there could be human traffickers? Comrade Xiao Su, this black fungus is from our own harvest. Please take it.”

Su Rui quickly waved her hands. “I can’t accept it. Even as an acting cadre, I’m still a cadre. I can’t break the rules, right, Sister Zhao?”

However, Sister Zhao took the black fungus and stuffed it into Su Rui’s arms, saying, “Just take it. It’s a token of their gratitude. We’re all from the same village, it doesn’t count as bribery.”

Su Rui’s beautiful apricot eyes turned to Fang Chiye. Fang Chiye nodded and said, “It’s fine. If you feel bad about it, you can always give a return gift.”

With approval from both leaders, Su Rui happily accepted the black fungus. In return, she handed them two pieces of blood sausage and said, “I won’t take it for free. This was a reward from Sister Zhao, so I’ll share two pieces with you.”

After some back and forth, the two finally accepted the blood sausage and left.

Su Rui sat beside Fang Chiye, opened the bag, grabbed a handful of black fungus, and exclaimed, “Hey, do you know small bowl fungus? It’s highly nutritious.”

Qin Shan, sitting across from them, interrupted, “Will eating it make you grow taller?”

Su Rui sensed that he was teasing her for being short. She tied up the bag with a fake smile and said, “I’ll give you some later. It’ll make sure you don’t drool.”

Qin Shan: “…” Was she calling him dumb in a roundabout way?

Fang Chiye glanced at Qin Shan and said, “Why are you provoking her? Eat your food.”

Qin Shan looked at him again—Oh? Already defending her?

Fang Chiye ignored what Qin Shan might be thinking. He genuinely wanted to get to know Su Rui better, so he asked, “Does the militia team train every week?”

Su Rui, chewing on a meatball, nodded and said, “Yes.”

Fang Chiye asked, “Who’s in charge of training now?”

Su Rui swallowed the meatball and picked up a piece of boiled pork. “The old militia members teach twice, then it’s all up to personal comprehension. No choice—we just have to be talented.”

Fang Chiye couldn’t help but chuckle. He cut off a drumstick from the small roasted chicken in front of him and pushed it toward Su Rui. “Eat more.”

Su Rui didn’t hold back. She ate the meat, then grabbed the drumstick and took a big bite, completely satisfied. She hadn’t had such a feast in a long time.

She even sneakily placed the bones between her and Fang Chiye so it wouldn’t look like she had eaten them all. Hehe.

Looking up, she saw Fang Chiye watching her. She quickly took out her handkerchief, wiped the grease from her lips, and pretended to be composed. “You should eat too.”

Fang Chiye laughed, picked up a piece of chicken, and put it in his bowl. “Comrade Xiao Su has quite the appetite.”

Su Rui took it as a compliment and continued eating her rice. “Of course. When you do a lot of labor, your appetite naturally increases.”

Qin Shan, as if asking for trouble, said, “Why do you work so hard every day?”

Wanzi, who had been quietly eating beside him, looked up, picked a grain of rice off her lips, and said, “She’s saving money.” Then, she grabbed another piece of meat and ate it.

Fang Chiye was puzzled. “You’re short on money?”

Su Rui answered honestly, “I need a dowry to marry a husband. My family is poor, so I have to save up myself.”

Fang Chiye almost choked. His usually composed expression cracked. “What did you say? You’re marrying a husband?”

Su Rui replied matter-of-factly, “It’s our village’s custom to have a live-in son-in-law. But I don’t need to save up anymore. The army’s bonus is enough.”

Qin Shan let out a low curse. He glanced at Su Rui, then at Fang Chiye, and muttered, “The wool came from the sheep, after all.”

The bonus Fang Chiye approved for Su Rui hadn’t even been issued yet. The five hundred yuan she received had actually been advanced out of Fang Chiye’s own pocket.

Su Rui was unaware of this detail. “What sheep?”

Fang Chiye sighed and handed her the other drumstick. “This isn’t an easy path. Work hard.”

Su Rui didn’t catch his deeper meaning. She passed the drumstick to Wanzi, then turned back with a bright smile and said, “Thank you for the encouragement, Captain. I’ll do my best.”

Qin Shan almost choked on his food and ran off to cough in the distance.

A couple of groups came over to toast Su Rui. Since she didn’t drink alcohol, she boldly downed an entire bottle of soda instead.

When Qin Shan returned after coughing, he patted Fang Chiye’s shoulder heavily and said, “Don’t worry about marrying off. The army will always be your maternal family.”

When Sister Zhao finally finished her work and sat down, she assumed they were still discussing militia matters.

Taking advantage of Su Rui’s recent recognition from the army, she put forth a request to Fang Chiye. “Our militia team’s training has been quite lax. Captain, do you think it would be possible to arrange a demonstration on hand-to-hand combat techniques for us?”

Fang Chiye replied seriously, “We’ve actually been considering this. Zhuye Mountain is closest to Xiaoba Village, which makes the village our first line of civilian defense. Training in self-defense is necessary. This time, we were lucky. Next time, if there’s an armed confrontation, you’ll need to know how to protect yourselves.”

Hearing this, Sister Zhao saw an opportunity and quickly followed up, “Then, Captain Fang, when would it be convenient to send someone for training?”

Fang Chiye said, “We can start tomorrow.”

Su Rui had always wanted to learn proper self-defense techniques. She couldn’t just rely on wild street-fighting moves. No matter how fierce her fights were, they would never look as impressive as military combat techniques.

Excited, she asked, “Who will be teaching? A squad leader?”

Fang Chiye glanced at her and smiled. “I will.”

Su Rui’s face fell. Forcing an insincere smile, she said, “You’re too busy for that, aren’t you, Captain?”

Fang Chiye replied, “I just happen to be free. Are you not welcoming me?”

Su Rui quickly clapped her hands. “Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome!”

Although he didn’t understand why she always seemed to avoid him, Fang Chiye kindly didn’t call out her fake enthusiasm.