She wasn’t one to brag, nor did she intend to show off.

But Huo Xiao never talked about his efforts, so she had to do it for him.

At least with these as a foundation, Lin Ting’s parents could see how well Huo Xiao treated her. They might even extend that goodwill to his family.

When discussing joining the army again, everyone would feel reassured.

Sure enough, after Lin Ting’s explanation, not only did her honest parents and Lin Ming accept it, but even Lin Wei smiled more genuinely. It wasn’t about the gifts but about Huo Xiao’s sincerity towards Lin Ting.

Understanding his intentions, Li Taohong abandoned the idea of asking the children to take more gifts back. Instead, she considered finding something to give in return. If she didn’t have enough, she would borrow from her old friends.

Thinking of this, she couldn’t sit still and waved to her eldest daughter-in-law, He Yun, whose face was flushed with excitement. “Come on, let’s cook. We need to get things ready for your big brother to head to town early. We can’t keep the leaders waiting.”

“Alright!” He Yun responded quickly, handing her baby to her husband before stepping out.

As she left, Li Taohong noticed her daughter putting on her shoes and rolled her eyes. “You’re not needed. Your sister-in-law and I are enough.”

He Yun smiled. “Tingting, just sit. When daughters visit their parents, they should be treated as guests. Besides, the food is almost ready.”

Lin Ting, knowing she had something important to discuss, didn’t insist. She sat back on the kang and said, “My mother-in-law asked me to stay overnight. I’ll make breakfast for you all in the morning.”

“Oh! You can stay? Why didn’t you say so earlier? Your in-laws are so kind!” Li Taohong, who had already stepped outside, turned back with a big smile. “Why not invite them and the children over for a lively gathering?”

Huo Xiao chuckled. “No need. My mother took the children to my uncle’s place for the night.”

Li Taohong smacked her lips in slight disappointment but went to the kitchen happily.

Seizing the moment, Lin Ting brought up the idea of villagers raising rabbits.

Northern winters were harsh, but with proper care, cold-resistant long-haired rabbits could be raised. The challenge was securing orders and convincing local officials to provide financial support. They might even have to travel to Huacheng for training.

Trade, exports, and foreign exchange coupons were unfamiliar to ordinary villagers, so Lin Shengli and Lin Ming barely understood.

However, Lin Wei and Huo Xiao immediately grasped the concept.

After some thought, Huo Xiao said, “I’ll visit the commune this afternoon to discuss it with Secretary Wang.”

Lin Wei added, “This won’t be easy. Secretary Wang might not want to take risks. Don’t get your hopes too high.”

Lin Ting shrugged. “I’m just bringing it up. If it works, we can get some jobs at the factory. If not, it’s just a conversation.”

Ideally, she should prepare a detailed report with data and evaluations, which would increase the chances of approval. However, she wasn’t a government official and didn’t want to draw attention, so she left it at that.

_

That afternoon, after Huo Xiao and Lin Ming left on their bicycles, the Huo family, who usually napped, stayed in the main room waiting.

Lin Ting, playing chess with her second brother, noticed her parents and sister-in-law growing restless. Taking the chance, she brought up the topic of following the army.

“What? You’re going to the army?” Li Taohong looked reluctant. “When?”

“In about a month. Huo Xiao needs time to adjust to his new unit.”

Beyond everything else, Lin Ting preferred going with him. Staying behind increased the chances of being discovered. She still felt uneasy remembering how her second brother tested her the moment she got off the train.

Seeing her daughter’s carefree attitude, Li Taohong slapped her arm. “You silly girl, a month flies by! Once you leave, who knows how many years it’ll be before I see you again?”

Her eyes turned red. She had always been emotional and couldn’t hold back tears.

Lin Ting, though eager to leave, felt a lump in her throat. But knowing that comforting her mother would only make her cry more, she stiffened her resolve and joked, “Then I won’t go. Tianjin is just four days away. I’ll ask Huo Xiao to visit home once a year!”

“Nonsense! A couple shouldn’t separate! I want grandkids!”

To shift her mother’s focus, Lin Ting, who hadn’t even held Huo Xiao’s hand properly, joked, “What if it’s a granddaughter?”

Li Taohong raised her hand as if to hit her playfully. “You brat! If I preferred sons over daughters, would I have spoiled you and your sister so much?”

At the mention of her elder sister, Li Taohong hesitated before cautiously asking, “Your eldest sister will give birth soon. Can you visit her? Sisters shouldn’t hold grudges.”

Lin Ting froze for a moment, recalling the original owner’s conflict with Lin Qing. She wasn’t sure how to react.

Both she and Lin Qing had been spoiled by their parents. But unlike her, Lin Qing had struggled academically and dropped out of junior high.

The family encouraged her to get a diploma, but at 16, she was already in a relationship—with her current husband, a former classmate.

By modern standards, it might seem like young love, but back then, it was normal.

Seeing their daughter’s commitment and the young man’s good nature, Lin Shengli and Li Taohong approved of the match.

But she didn’t get married until she was 18.

The original host was four years younger than Lin Qing. When she was 15, her 19-year-old elder sister gave birth to a baby.

Seeing that her brother-in-law had been admitted to high school and planned to go to college, she worried he might change after getting into university. So, she urged her sister to continue her studies as well.

Both sisters were spoiled in the family. Though they had occasional conflicts, there was no real malice between them. The original host had good intentions, but her sharp tongue made her words hurtful.

Lin Shuang had just given birth and was feeling unwell, so even well-meaning advice sounded harsh to her. The sisters had a big fight and became distant, never speaking much again.

The original host felt her sister was ungrateful. After getting into university, she was away from home most of the year. Even if Lin Qing wanted to mend their relationship, they had little contact.

Thinking about this and seeing her mother’s expectant eyes, Lin Ting wanted to agree immediately. However, she only said, “Let’s talk about it later.”

Her second brother was beside her, as cunning as a fox, and she feared being exposed. Though Li Taohong was disappointed, she wasn’t surprised. She just cursed, “You ungrateful brat, I must owe you something in my past life.”

When Huo Xiao and Lin Ming got home, it was already dark. Seeing Lin Ming’s happy expression, the family knew everything was settled. Still, they kept asking for details.

Lin Ming, who had been smiling all along, eagerly responded, “It’s settled! I start work the day after tomorrow! Thanks to brother-in-law! The factory director is very kind.”

Huo Xiao added that Secretary Wang was interested in rabbit breeding and exporting rabbit fur, which had promising prospects.

With this good news, the family decided to celebrate with drinks.

There were now two formal employees in the family, marking a step towards a better future. Not celebrating with good food and wine would be unacceptable!

Lin Ting sat beside her husband, staring at the half-pound bowl of white wine in front of him, feeling nervous. She leaned closer and whispered, “How much can you drink?”

Unaware of her concern, Huo Xiao thought she was just worried about him. He leaned down and smiled, “I get tipsy after a bowl.”

Lin Ting understood immediately. She quickly told her family, “Only one bowl. Huo Xiao has to drive tomorrow.”

“This is just half a pound! It’s barely enough! Besides, isn’t my brother-in-law leaving in the afternoon?” Lin Wei protested. It was a rare chance to drink with Huo Xiao, and he didn’t want to waste it.

Half a pound wasn’t enough? Lin Ting ignored her brother’s boasting and kept an eye on her husband all night. Aside from the first bowl, she didn’t let him drink more, no matter how much the family laughed at him.

After all, they were sharing a bed tonight, and she had to make sure he stayed sober!

This successfully prevented Huo Xiao from getting drunk and acting recklessly.

That night, as they lay on the kang, Lin Ting kept trying to stick to the wall, putting distance between them.

The Lin family was large, and when Lin Ming got married, there wasn’t enough space, so they built another room. Though made of mud and thatch, the roof was tiled, making it one of the best houses in the brigade.

While most families shared large kangs, Lin Ting and her sister had their own rooms. The bedroom she was sleeping in now was her old one before marriage.

The room was small but fully furnished, thanks to the skilled carpenters in the family. This left just enough space for a 1.5-meter-wide kang.

“Did you blow out the candle?” Huo Xiao asked as he entered after washing up, seeing Lin Ting already in bed.

Lin Ting blinked. “Yes, I did.”

As soon as she spoke, the candlelight went out, and the room fell into darkness.

Then, she felt a tall, strong man lift the quilt and lay down beside her. The faint smell of alcohol lingered, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

Although they had slept together for two nights, this was the first time they were both awake while lying next to each other. Their arms almost touched, and she could feel his breathing nearby.

Lin Ting felt her arm getting warm from his body heat. She wanted to move farther away but didn’t want to make it too obvious, so she pretended to turn over naturally.

Just as she moved, she suddenly felt a sharp pain on her scalp and gasped.

Huo Xiao, who had been lying straight, noticed something under his shoulder and immediately sat up. “Did I press on your hair?” he asked, worried.

“Mm…” Lin Ting murmured. She had smoothed her hair before lying down, but somehow it got caught.

“Does it hurt a lot?” Huo Xiao reached out. “Where does it hurt?”

Lin Ting sighed. “It hurt for a moment, but it’s fine now.”

Even so, Huo Xiao gently rubbed her head with his large hands.

The room was dark, and she only realized what he was doing when she felt the soothing touch on her scalp. She felt awkward and whispered, “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” She wasn’t a child—she didn’t need comfort just because her hair got pulled.

Huo Xiao chuckled, not sure if he caught her embarrassment. He gently smoothed her long hair before lying back down beside her.