Chapter 104

Lin Yao nodded, pleased to hear there was progress. It was important to find Ping’an’s biological parents soon, to help make up for the love he missed out on during his troubled childhood.

Recently, Ping’an has been staying in Dongzi’s room. Dongzi’s small room couldn’t even fit a double bed. Gu Shi’an moved the bedside cabinet to create a small area, placed a small bed against the wall, and stacked a wooden box next to it. Ping’an slept in the small bed at night, while the wooden box, covered with a floral cloth, served as a desk with neatly arranged textbooks, and a flower pot was on the windowsill.

Ping’an had suffered too much in his early years and often woke up crying from nightmares.

Dongzi, being rather careless, could not provide much emotional support. Sometimes he would fall asleep immediately after lying down, forgetting to light the mugwort.

Gu Shi’an went to fumigate the room with mugwort, and Lin Yao followed.

Seeing Ping’an sleeping peacefully reassured Lin Yao. She returned to the bedroom and noticed the chubby baby had kicked off his blanket, sleeping in all directions. She couldn’t help but smile as she adjusted the blanket for him.

The couple talked for a while, and the room was lit by the flickering candlelight, creating a gradually intimate atmosphere.

Tonight, Deputy Director Gu wanted to sleep with his wife in his arms, but Lin Yao wasn’t pleased, complaining that he was too hot and felt like a furnace. In winter, it was warm, but in summer, it was unbearable.

Deputy Director Gu said nothing, turned off the light, and quietly went to sleep on his side.

Lin Yao, feeling sleepy, quickly fell into a deep sleep. As she slept, her restless feet kicked out, and she accidentally kicked Deputy Director Gu’s face.

Lin Yao murmured and turned over, continuing to sleep soundly.

Deputy Director Gu had to get up and move her white, tender feet off his face.

Just as he reached over, Lin Yao unexpectedly opened her eyes and saw the large hand approaching. Her delicate eyes widened in surprise.

“What are you trying to do with your hand?”

“Yao Yao, it’s not—”

“Not what? Sister Chunmei was right. All men are just like dogs! Hmph, I’m thinking of sleeping alone, and you’re sneaking your paw over, plotting something!”

Lin Yao was furious and pounced on him, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

Deputy Director Gu, unable to explain, was pounced on and scratched a few times by Lin Yao. His dark eyes heated with passion as he suddenly lifted her up and aggressively showed her how he felt.

“…….”

*

In the summer of 1960, in response to the increasingly severe international situation, the Central Committee proposed the slogan of “Training the Whole Nation and Everyone Defending the Country.” All regions actively responded, forming their own militia units. Yunshui County was flattened into a wide expanse, with donkey carts compacting the land, starting a large-scale militia training.

The county’s cotton textile factory also established a women’s militia company. The female workers in the factory, each holding a gun, trained diligently and impressively, showing no less prowess than men.

Lin Yao was no exception and joined the factory’s militia unit—she had no choice, as the regulations required all female workers aged 18 to 40 and in good health to participate. Every afternoon, she practiced shooting, climbing, scouting, and other drills with her comrades, returning home covered in mud each day.

Little Doudou at home amused himself with cats and rabbits, and at night, he was as dirty as a little stray cat, but Lin Yao couldn’t scold him since she was even dirtier.

That evening, Lin Yao, exhausted from training, came home to find Deputy Director Gu had prepared hot water for her. She enjoyed a comfortable bath, let her hair dry, and braided it into two loose pigtails, then took a leisurely walk in the yard.

Gu Doudou imitated his mother, walking with his little hands behind his back, taking slow, shuffling steps that made him look like a tiny old man.

Gu Chunmei, sporting the latest trendy style of bangs, with her hair pinned back with black hairpins and wearing military-green armbands, arrived at the courtyard holding Xu Tangyuan’s hand. As soon as they entered, she saw the mother and son duo mimicking each other’s actions, strolling around the yard with their hands behind their backs, and couldn’t help but laugh, “What are you two doing?”

Lin Yao was massaging her shoulders and legs. “What brings you here, Sister Chunmei?”

Gu Doudou also rubbed his chubby arms and legs, mimicking his mother’s tone, “Brother Tangyuan, what are you doing here?”

The playful mother and son made Gu Chunmei and her son laugh heartily.

At the supply and marketing cooperative, where Gu Chunmei worked, there was also a women’s militia unit. Unlike Lin Yao, who was more about participation, Gu Chunmei, who was hardworking and capable, had been promoted to the leader of the women’s militia unit.

Gu Chunmei lifted the bamboo basket she was carrying, “The grapes from our home are ripe. I brought some for you to try.”

In the Xu family’s yard, there was a grape arbor. Father Xu had brought a few grape vines from relatives in his hometown. The clusters of red grapes hung in the air, plump and juicy, and Lin Yao always felt tempted whenever she visited.

Gu Doudou, being his mother’s son, couldn’t resist good food.

The mother and son pair were very attentive, quickly welcoming Gu Chunmei and Xu Tangyuan into the house, offering tea and snacks, and setting out small stools.

Gu Chunmei smiled at their hospitality.

“Alright, stop fussing. We’re like family, aren’t we? Doudou, go play with Brother Tangyuan. Auntie will wash the grapes for you, okay?”

Gu Doudou eagerly agreed and immediately let go of the big orange cat he was hugging, wobbling over to take Xu Tangyuan’s hand, “Brother Tangyuan.”

“Brother Doudou.”

The two little ones laughed and hugged, hand in hand, and went inside to play with building blocks.

Gu Chunmei brought some grapes over. Lin Yao was not polite at all—she washed her hands, sat down, peeled the grapes, and popped them into her mouth. “So sweet, Sister Chunmei. The grapes from your family really are the best.”

“Glad you like them. We have more at home. I’ll bring some more for you tomorrow.”

Lin Yao responded with an “mm-hmm”, and the two women began chatting about recent developments.

In the past six months, Yunshui County has established an inspection team. The team members, riding bicycles with red armbands, patrolled the county daily, supposedly to catch profiteers. However, they were actually making a mess, breaking into homes to seize valuable items…

In just a few days, the county’s inspection team had caused widespread complaints among the local people.

For example, the Zheng family was targeted. Zheng Dacheng used to be a master cook at the steel mill, and although he was no longer in his prime, he still had some valuable items. When the inspection team’s rough young members barged into Zheng Dacheng’s home, they began to smash and grab, claiming they were catching profiteers. They found a shiny new Meihua ladies’ watch in a sandalwood box. This watch was worth at least 200-300 yuan in Pigeon Market.

The young men’s eyes lit up, and they quickly grabbed it. Zheng Dacheng’s wife, Liu Laidi, came rushing to snatch it back.

The watch was part of the dowry for their daughter’s marriage. Although Zheng Dacheng and Liu Laidi were not particularly kind-hearted, they were extremely devoted to their children.

Zheng Dacheng grabbed a kitchen knife and fought back.

Seeing that things were getting out of hand, one of the young men ran off to get reinforcements.

The commotion in the front yard almost turned deadly. Fortunately, the steel mill militia arrived just in time. Zheng Dacheng was considered part of the steel mill, and it was unacceptable for outsiders to bully them.

The two groups were at a standoff until the county police intervened and put an end to the chaos.

After this incident, the county leaders took strong measures against the inspection team, kicking out those who had entered through connections and those seeking personal gain. The inspection team members were also made to undergo rigorous training by Deputy Director Gu, leaving them exhausted and shaking whenever they saw him on the street.

The time passed quickly as the two women chatted. By 7 PM, Da Tou Brother arrived on his bicycle to take his wife and child back to Guihua Alley.

In mid-July, even after the sun set, it was still hot. Xu Xiangqian’s face was flushed from the heat, and sweat trickled down his neck. He first washed his face thoroughly in the yard and drank a whole jug of plain water before catching his breath.

“Where’s my brother? Why did you come back alone?”

“Old Gu is waiting for a call. There’s a call from Nanshan County.”

Gu Chunmei responded with an “oh,” and then took her family home.

Before leaving, Lin Yao handed her a flashlight ticket, “I know your flashlight isn’t working. Your brother asked me to give this to you. Don’t refuse it.”

Gu Chunmei felt a warm sensation in her heart and gave Lin Yao a tender glance, “Thank you, sister-in-law.”

Lin Yao pretended to shiver, and Gu Chunmei laughed heartily as she left.

Soon after, Dongzi and Ping’an arrived home, each carrying a small wooden sword and leading two sleek black dogs.

The two black dogs were used for training at the county police department. They were kept at the courtyard at night after being trained at the police station during the day. Since the county established the inspection team, keeping chickens and ducks was no longer allowed, and each household in the countryside could only keep three chickens—anything more was considered a vestige of capitalism.

The family’s rabbits couldn’t be saved. They were forced to butcher them all, and that night they ate rabbit meat with tears in their eyes.

The two black dogs were very intelligent. The police officers called them Dahei and Xiaohei. They lay in the corridor at night, eating whatever they were given, and didn’t bark when people approached.

When Gu Doudou saw the two black dogs, he immediately rushed over, hugging Dahei’s head and giggling uncontrollably.

Dahei, with his ears being pulled by the little chubby boy, only licked Gu Doudou’s small hands.

The two older children put down their school bags and joined in, playing energetically with Xiaohei.

Ping’an, having been well-fed and well-cared for at the Gu family’s home, had become much more cheerful. Zhang Cuilan and her husband, after finishing work, were relaxing at the alley entrance. Lin Yao was preparing noodles, mixing cucumbers and beans with garlic and a few drops of sesame oil, planning to make cold noodles.

Gu Doudou climbed onto Dahei’s back and suddenly pointed at the door, shouting, “Daddy!”

Lin Yao peeked out from the kitchen and saw Deputy Director Gu standing at the door. Just as she was about to walk over with a smile, a man in his thirties, dressed in a slightly worn summer military uniform, emerged from the alley. He was a tall, imposing figure with tears welling up in his eyes, gazing at Ping’an, who was playing in the yard.