Chapter 48

With her sister’s willingness to stay in Tianjin confirmed, Lin Ting now had a direction.

However, she was not impulsive, knowing that this couldn’t be accomplished overnight.

She originally planned to call her second brother so the three siblings could discuss it together.

However, unforeseen circumstances disrupted her plans. Heavy rains began pouring for days, bringing the rainy season to Tianjin about half a month earlier than usual.

The meeting with her second brother had to be postponed.

At the same time, Lin Ting grew increasingly anxious about the relentless downpour.

When she asked Sister Lan, she learned that the rainy season was the toughest time for soldiers.

The “dig the river” policy ^[1]which refers to flood prevention efforts like dredging and reinforcing riverbanks. had not yet been implemented, and Tianjin had already experienced several major floods in recent years.

Not only had the monsoon arrived early, but the rainfall was also torrential.

With the rivers and dikes in poor condition, they wouldn’t hold much longer.

As expected, three days later, a soaking-wet soldier arrived with urgent news.

Huo Xiao had been preparing for disaster relief, so Lin Ting wasn’t surprised.

However, being mentally prepared was one thing—worrying was another.

It was a flood. A real threat to life.

She wanted to ask her husband not to go, but instead, the words that came out were, “Be careful. Everyone, be careful.”

The soldier, Wu Xiaojun, grinned, revealing his white teeth. “Don’t worry, sister-in-law. We all know how to swim!”

Lin Ting found no comfort in that…

“Xiao Wu, wait a moment.” After a brief silence, she rushed inside. Along with her mother-in-law, she gathered all the candy in the house and placed it in a glass jar.

Handing it to Wu Xiaojun, she reminded him, “Sugar replenishes energy. If you don’t have time to eat, share some with everyone.”

Touched, Wu Xiaojun took the jar and grinned. “Thank you, sister-in-law! I’m off now.”

“Be safe! Tell your leader that my mother, the children, and I are waiting for his safe return. And you, too, stay safe.”

“I will!”

Watching the young soldier dash away, Hu Xiucai, who had been silent all along, wiped her eyes. “Heavens, what kind of misfortune is this!”

Lin Ting took a deep breath to compose herself. Then, holding her mother-in-law’s hand, she led her inside to console her.

Just as she turned around, Mrs. Wenlan from next door came rushing over in the heavy rain.

The two houses were close, but the downpour was so intense that she was half-drenched within seconds.

Hu Xiu immediately stopped worrying and hurried to get a dry towel.

Lin Ting sighed helplessly. “Sister-in-law, why didn’t you bring an umbrella? You’ll catch a cold.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Wenlan shuddered.

Seeing this, Lin Ting frowned. “Come inside and change into dry clothes first.”

Tang Wenlan waved her hand. “Wait, I’ll go back and change.”

Without waiting for Lin Ting to fetch her an umbrella, she rushed out again.

Lin Ting was speechless.

“I didn’t expect to get soaked just because I was lazy.” Three minutes later, Tang Wenlan returned, now in dry clothes.

Lin Ting chuckled at her carefree attitude and handed her a cup of hot tea before sitting beside her. “How could I not have expected this? The rain is pouring down.”

Tang Wenlan remained unfazed and got straight to the point. “I figured this was your first time dealing with something like this, so I came to check on you.”

Lin Ting nodded. “I was already mentally prepared. Huo Xiao warned me a few days ago.”

Tang Wenlan studied him carefully. Seeing no signs of distress, she said with emotion, “You’re quite steady. When I first joined the army, Old Xing wasn’t a political commissar yet. The first time I saw him on a mission, I was terrified.”

Lin Ting smiled bitterly. “I’m worried too. How could I not be? By the way, sister-in-law, how long do these rescue missions usually last?”

Hu Xiu and Lin Qing, who had been silent, also turned to listen.

Tang Wenlan hesitated before answering honestly. “It varies. It could be a few days or as long as a month or two, depending on the disaster. A few years ago, there was a massive flood here. Entire villages under the dam were submerged, with water over one and a half meters deep. The soldiers worked for more than a month.”

Seeing their serious expressions, she quickly added, “But usually, it’s just exhausting rather than dangerous. You should take this time to prepare things for Captain Huo’s return.”

Thanks to Tang Wenlan’s reminder, the family found a small distraction, but their worries remained.

Two days later, the rain had eased slightly but hadn’t stopped.

Lin Ting couldn’t visit the brigade commander for updates, so he called his old classmate, Qian Haitao.

The situation outside was grim. While the exact numbers weren’t in yet, more than 10,000 households were affected. Even the Tianjin airport had been flooded.

Lin Ting didn’t dare tell her mother-in-law. She continued attending classes, eating, and sleeping as usual. But late at night, when everyone else was asleep, her anxiety grew overwhelming.

A week later, the skies finally cleared, bringing some relief.

Understanding the families’ concerns, the brigade commander sent officers to visit and reassure them early in the morning.

“Thank God there’s finally news. As long as they’re safe, that’s all that matters.” Hu Xiu, who had only dared to pray silently due to the recent movement against old customs, ^[2]refers to the campaign to eradicate feudal traditions, including religion. finally bowed in gratitude after the officer left.

In the past, Lin Ting found it amusing. Her mother-in-law never knew which Buddha to worship—she just followed the crowd. But at this moment, seeing her relieved smile, Lin Ting suddenly found comfort in it. “Mom, according to the officer, the soldiers will take turns resting at home. Huo Xiao might be back in the next couple of days. You should go to the kitchen team and order a chicken.”

They raised chickens at home, but they were kept for eggs.

Of course, many had the same idea. If they couldn’t buy one, they’d have to use their own.

Realizing this, Hu Xiu hurried out with money in hand—before even finishing breakfast.

Moments later, she rushed back. “Shuangshuang, I don’t know when I’ll be back. Please take Miaomiao and Guoguo to school.”

Lin Qing agreed immediately.

The recent disaster had dampened spirits at the camp.

Though the high terrain spared them from flooding, the teachers had little energy for laughter.

But today felt different.

When Lin Ting walked into the office with her bag, she saw three or five colleagues excitedly discussing something.

Gu Fang, who had arrived early, waved her over. “Come here! I have good news.”

Lin Ting pulled out a chair and smiled. “I know.”

Gu Fang wasn’t surprised. “Of course. The compound is so small. When did you find out Captain Cao was being transferred?”

“What? Captain Cao is being transferred?” Lin Ting, who had just sat down, widened her eyes in shock.

The two stared at each other for a long moment before Gu Fang asked, “Didn’t you just say you knew?”

Lin Ting sighed. “I thought you were talking about the officer’s visit earlier.”

“No! Didn’t you notice Liu Wenyan isn’t here today?” Gu Fang gestured toward the empty seat.

Lin Ting shrugged. “She’s absent sometimes. Never mind her—tell me more about Captain Cao.”

“He hasn’t left yet. He’s still on a mission, but his transfer orders have been issued. Everyone’s talking about it.” Gu Fang couldn’t help but gloat, thinking about how Liu Wenyan’s efforts to win him over had gone to waste.

This was great news. Lin Ting asked again, “How do you know? Is the news reliable?”

It wasn’t that she was being overly cautious, but something about this felt off.

The transfer of soldiers was entirely in Political Commissar Liu’s hands. If he had been willing to let Battalion Commander Cao go, why would he have allowed his daughter to humiliate others so openly?

No matter what people said about Political Commissar Liu being a good person who simply couldn’t control his wife and daughter, Lin Ting never believed it.

Gu Fang quickly nodded, then smirked. “It’s true. The transfer order came in yesterday. He’s been reassigned to division headquarters. It’s technically a lateral move, but everyone knows that transferring to a higher-level unit is like half a promotion… Plus, Captain Cao has quite a few connections.”

Unaware that her husband had played a role in this, Lin Ting nodded approvingly, feeling relieved. “This is great. We’ve regained our dignity, and that family must be furious.”

Gu Fang rolled her eyes. “They’re definitely mad. I heard the division commander personally recommended him. Political Commissar Liu will think twice before causing trouble for us again.”

Lin Ting agreed, her voice filled with satisfaction. “The Liu family must regret everything now. They thought they were dealing with a pushover, but they didn’t realize he had sharp thorns.”

“Haha, well said.”

This was indeed the case.

Since receiving the transfer order, Political Commissar Liu had maintained his usual demeanor, even offering congratulations. But inside, he was fuming.

His wife no longer respected him, and his daughter no longer adored him. That night, he went home and lashed out, berating them for being useless troublemakers.

After venting, he didn’t rest. Instead, he went straight to an old comrade’s house.

Reaching his position hadn’t been easy; a web of relationships supported him. Though he wasn’t afraid of the division commander backing Cao Wenze, he wanted to understand what had happened.

“Old Wei, we’ve been brothers for years. Be honest—did you have a hand in Cao Wenze’s transfer?” Political Commissar Liu sat in silence, smoking a cigarette before speaking directly.

Wei Lu sighed but answered truthfully, “It wasn’t me.”

Political Commissar Liu’s round face showed surprise. “If not you, then who?”

He knew Wei Lu well. If he said no, he meant it.

But he had looked into Cao Wenze—just a rural soldier with a modest rank. If he had real backing, he wouldn’t have waited until now to use it.

Wei Lu frowned, looking at his old friend with disappointment. “Old Liu… what happened to you?”

The man who once faced death fearlessly now felt like a stranger.

Political Commissar Liu lit another cigarette and smirked. “People change. Besides, I did nothing wrong. If that kid hadn’t been so defiant, I wouldn’t have pressured him.”

“But Wen Yan started this. You knew she was stubborn; you should’ve stopped her from the beginning!”

If others had accused him, Political Commissar Liu would have denied it. But talking to an old friend, he simply smiled. “You know my son is weak. I only have one son. When I’m gone, he’ll need a strong backer… You’re a father too—you should understand.”

Wei Lu’s face hardened. He didn’t understand. He believed if a child was incompetent, they should live a quiet life. For a soldier who had faced bullets, survival mattered more than ambition.

“At first, I had my eye on Huo Xiao. That guy is brilliant. He’ll achieve more than either of us. But he’s already married, and he’s too headstrong…” Political Commissar Liu sighed, his small eyes flashing with regret.

Wei Lu sneered. “And now Cao Wenze is also beyond your control. I warned you before. If you had listened, you wouldn’t be in this mess. Old Liu, how did you end up like this?”

Political Commissar Liu’s expression darkened, but he sneered. “Cao Wenze was just being foolish. If he had married my daughter, he wouldn’t have dared defy me. I could have guaranteed he made it to brigade level. Wouldn’t that have been an easy path for him?”

Wei Lu scoffed. “So you think he got here by luck?”

The years had widened the gap between them. Political Commissar Liu hadn’t come to argue, so he changed the subject. “Old Wei, I still believe no one powerful was backing Cao Wenze before. If someone had been helping him, he wouldn’t have endured so much. I just don’t know who pulled strings this time. Do you?”

“How would I know?” Wei Lu snapped, though he actually had his suspicions.

Even after their conversation, Political Commissar Liu got no answers. He frowned. Could he have been wrong? Did Wei Lu truly not know?

An unknown enemy was even more troubling. If he didn’t uncover the truth, he’d always be on edge. “Are you sure you don’t know?” he pressed again.

Wei Lu’s already stern expression turned even colder. “If I knew, don’t you think I’d tell you?”

This time, Political Commissar Liu believed him. He prided himself on his ability to read people, and Wei Lu wasn’t lying.

Now, he couldn’t sit still. After a few forced pleasantries, he quickly took his leave.

He needed to contact his network. Whether or not Cao Wenze sought revenge, he had to be prepared.

It wasn’t easy to reach this point; he couldn’t let a minor figure bring him down.

The brigade commander, having guessed the other party’s intentions, watched the man leave but didn’t rush out. Instead, he lit one cigarette after another, deep in thought.

It wasn’t clear how much time had passed before the study door swung open.

“Cough, cough… Are you trying to kill yourself? How many cigarettes have you smoked?” Pang Lihua coughed from the thick smoke in the room. She quickly opened the window at the back.

After clearing the air, she dragged her husband away.

“What happened? What did Lao Liu say?” When she settled him onto the living room sofa, she noticed his devastated expression. Her anger faded, replaced by concern.

The brigade commander opened his mouth but struggled to speak.

“Say something! You’re making me anxious!”

Reaching for another cigarette, he found the box empty, deepening his frustration. “Lihua, tell me… how can a person become so powerful?”

Pang Lihua understood immediately. Two years ago, she had warned her husband to stay away from Lao Liu, predicting future troubles. But back then, despite his disappointment, he still treated Lao Liu as a brother and refused to listen.

Now, it seemed he was utterly disillusioned.

If this had happened before, Pang Lihua would have laughed and made sarcastic remarks. But seeing her husband so downcast, she softened and spoke gently: “People change, but we must stay true to ourselves.”

People always change.

Lao Liu had just said the same thing. The brigade commander choked up. When he spoke again, his voice was weary. “But the change is too drastic. He used to be a good man… Power is truly frightening.”

How does it change people so completely?