Chapter 11

Huo Xiao, still confused and slightly uneasy, cleared his throat. “Should I report the mission first?”

Brigade Commander Wei laughed. “I already have a general understanding. It was tough, but we successfully caught all the traitors. You can submit a detailed report later. Right now, it’s more important to call your wife and let her know you’re safe.”

Although he was in a hurry, Huo Xiao was thrown off by his leader’s words. He hesitated. “My…wife…ahem… What do you mean by that?”

Wei Tao handed everyone tea and explained in detail. Another officer, Wei Liao, added, “Lin Ting is a good comrade. I think she truly cares about you. When the new unit assigns you, apply to have her join. A couple shouldn’t be apart for too long.”

Huo Xiao sat upright, hands on his knees, and listened carefully.

Frankly, he was surprised. Others might not know, but he did—he and Lin Ting had never even met. Their marriage was a practical arrangement, not a love match. At best, they had agreed they were suitable for marriage.

Still, no matter the circumstances, he felt grateful and indebted to her.

He chose not to explain this to his leader. Instead, after a moment of silence, he inquired about his mother and twin siblings.

When he learned his mother had been ill for months and had only recently improved, he could no longer sit still. He immediately picked up the phone.

_

The Lin family’s brigade was adjacent to Xiangyang Brigade. Most of the villagers shared the surname Li, and the village was historically called Lijiadian ^[1]which means “Li Family Shop”.. With policy changes, it was renamed Prosperity Brigade.

Though the two brigades were next to each other, they were not particularly close.

Walking in temperatures below -20°C, Lin Ting, despite her fur hat, was sweating from exhaustion. She struggled with the slippery roads, while her parents, accustomed to farm work, walked with ease.

Seeing her daughter out of breath, Li Taohong sighed. “I should have asked your father to borrow the team’s carriage.”

Since brigade horses and cows were communal property, borrowing them wasn’t easy. Lin Ting waved it off. “It’s fine. Walking is good exercise and keeps me warm. We’re almost there… Mom, isn’t that Second Brother ahead?”

Li Taohong squinted. “It is.”

Lin Wei, the only family member with a formal job, worked as a purchasing agent at the county supply and marketing cooperative.

After high school, he had the chance to apply for factory jobs, but unlike his classmates, he chose a temporary porter position at the supply and marketing cooperative. Most found this puzzling—he was a good student with a strong image and excellent speaking skills, seemingly destined for a white-collar job. But Lin Wei had his own plans. He knew that the best-paying position was as a purchasing agent, and working as a porter was just a stepping stone.

Sure enough, in less than half a year, he was promoted.

His job required frequent travel, but he had stayed home longer this time for his sister.

Now, seeing his family, Lin Wei strode over. He playfully tapped his sister’s head, making her stumble, then grinned and handed his shovel to his father. “Dad, you and Mom go ahead. I need to talk to Tingting.”

Li Taohong had deliberately refrained from questioning her daughter about running away with money—she had left that to Lin Wei, the closest to her.

Hearing his request, she simply said, “Come home soon. It’s almost lunchtime.”

Lin Wei nodded. Once their parents were out of earshot, he led Lin Ting to a sheltered spot and asked coldly, “Do you want to tell me, or should I ask?”

Lin Ting sighed, already prepared for this. “I originally planned to go to Tibet.”

She knew that claiming she traveled thousands of miles for Huo Xiao might fool outsiders unfamiliar with her personality, but it wouldn’t work on her family. Half-truths were easier to pass off as believable.

“Sure enough…” Lin Wei took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. “Why did you change your mind again?”

Lin Ting poked at the waist-high snow pile by the roadside. “On the train, I met a soldier who had served in Tibet ^[2]a region with harsh conditions, high altitudes, and extreme cold.. He told me a lot about life there. I thought I wouldn’t survive the journey and regretted my decision when I arrived in Shanghai.”

Lin Wei continued, “So now you’re in a situation where you can’t back down, and you’re using brother-in-law as an excuse?”

Lin Ting felt wronged but had no way to argue, so she turned away in silence.

That was enough for Lin Wei to draw his conclusion. His anger flared. “Have you never seen a man before? That scumbag is worth abandoning your family for? I’ll introduce you to an entire platoon—let them stand in a line for you to choose!”

Lin Ting, used to her brother’s teasing, replied instinctively, “No need for attention stance, standing at ease is fine.”

Lin Wei choked on his words, then grabbed her ear. “I think you’re asking for trouble…”

Lin Ting: o(╥﹏╥)o

She was scolded for over half an hour.

Her ears and cheeks turned red from the pulling.

Fortunately, their mother called them for dinner, saving her.

The Lin family prepared a feast, almost as grand as a Chinese New Year meal.

Everyone was present except Lin Shuang, who had moved to the next town after marriage. She had no idea about her sister’s departure since she was in the late stages of pregnancy.

Lin Ting took a sip of the chicken soup made by her sister-in-law, and her bad mood instantly disappeared. The food in this era had a natural, rich flavor, even the corn pancakes tasted sweet and fresh.

She silently drank a large bowl of wine, then smiled at her sister-in-law. “Your cooking skills are getting better and better.”

He Yun, sitting beside her husband, looked over in surprise.

She was an educated youth from Beijing ^[3]young intellectuals sent to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution.. She wasn’t valued in her birth family, so she had no problem settling in the countryside. But her sister-in-law had always kept her distance, neither rude nor warm.

Now, not only was she speaking kindly, but she even gave her a bottle of shampoo and a red plaid fabric for her daughter, Yuanyuan. He Yun felt like she barely recognized her anymore. Still, she kept her thoughts to herself and smiled. “Eat more if you like it.”

She scooped some chicken blood from the soup bowl and placed it in Lin Ting’s bowl, remembering she liked it.

Lin Ting’s taste was similar to her past self, so she really enjoyed it. “Thanks, sister-in-law.”

She then turned to her father. “Dad, when I was with Huo Xiao’s army, the women in the compound took good care of me. I picked out some gifts in Shanghai and plan to send them. I also want to include some local mountain goods.”

Lin Shengli nodded. “That’s a good idea. Let me know what you need.”

“Chengdu ^[4]a major city in Sichuan, known for its rich culture and history. is close to the mountains, so there’s no shortage of such goods. I’ll prepare something else for you later,” Lin Wei added as he scooped some chicken soup for himself. He placed three pieces of chicken gizzard in his sister’s bowl, sharing the remaining two with He Yun and Yuanyuan.

His brother gave him a look, pausing before scooping out the last piece and placing it in his bowl.

Lin Wei smirked. “Not going to eat?”

His brother grimaced… Only a fool would refuse.

_

After dinner, their parents, older brother, and sister-in-law all took a nap.

Feeling too full to lie down, Lin Ting played Galaha ^[5]a traditional Chinese card game. with her five-year-old niece.

Her younger brother, Lin Hong, had half a year left in high school. Since it was Sunday, he was home but had to leave in the afternoon, heading to the county with his friends.

Lin Wei, meanwhile, leaned on the kang reading a book. Later, he would return to the county supply and marketing cooperative with their younger brother.

When he saw his sister losing to a five-year-old, he laughed so hard he held his stomach.

Lin Ting, annoyed, kicked him several times.

“Alright, alright! You’re still so aggressive! Is your foot made of iron? That hurts. Let me ask you something serious.”

Lin Ting rolled her eyes, ignoring him.

Lin Wei wasn’t deterred. “It’s an important question.”

“Speak.”

“What are your plans for the future?”

Surprised, Lin Ting turned to him and answered honestly, “I’ll try to find a job.”

“What kind?”

“Being a teacher would be fine, but… are there other choices?”

Lin Wei touched his chin. “Probably not.”

Lin Ting wanted to roll her eyes again.

“The commune is looking for a broadcaster. Your Mandarin is good—why not try?”

“Would they really pick me?”

“Before, maybe not, but now? Secretary Wang got a lot of benefits because of you and brother-in-law. Plus, Minister Hu is watching. No one would dare take a job meant for a military widow ^[6]a woman whose husband died in service, often receiving social protection..”

Lin Ting’s smile faded.

Lin Wei raised an eyebrow. “What? Do you think you didn’t earn it?”

Lin Ting shook her head. Integrity was a luxury she couldn’t afford. She had spent most of her savings in Shanghai. Now was not the time to be proud.

Still, she couldn’t help but mind.

If she had found a job earlier, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out this way.

But there was no use dwelling on the past—life had to go on. “I’ll go check it out later.”

Lin Wei had expected to persuade her, but she made up her mind on her own. Just as he was about to praise her, the door suddenly burst open with a bang!

Lin held onto the door frame, panting. “Second sister! Someone from the commune came and said… said that my second brother-in-law is not dead!”

“Plop!” Lin Ting stared at her younger brother in shock. She didn’t even react when the Galaha in her hand fell to the ground.