Zhao Meifeng was immediately swayed by Lin Shu’s persuasion, “Wait for me. I’ll go to Sunjia Village in a couple of days and make sure to get it back from them.”

Lin Shu’s sister-in-law was the daughter of the Sun family from Sunjia Village.

Lu Shaocai’s maternal grandfather’s family was also from Sunjia Village.

Lu Shaocai’s maternal grandfather was once a big landlord in Sunjia Village, but he died early, and his eldest son squandered the family fortune on opium.

They became poor without even needing to fight against landlords.

Although the old man was long gone, Lu Shaocai wanted to go to his maternal home to complain about his father’s favoritism and how no one supported him.

He also wanted to show off his new position as brigade accountant.

Moreover, he had invited his maternal relatives for a lavish meal yesterday.

Zhao Meifeng was heartbroken and felt she needed to find an opportunity to make up for the loss.

They had taken two chickens, so today she was determined to get them back!

Zhao Meifeng wanted to use Lin Shu to make money and Lin Shu wanted to extract more value from her, asking her to speak with the Sun family.

Seeing Zhao Meifeng still not leaving, Lin Shu used the excuse that the family’s vegetable garden hadn’t grown yet and asked Zhao Meifeng to pick some squash and eggplants from her garden, as well as two heads of garlic and a few peppers.

Zhao Meifeng wasn’t stingy with the vegetables from her garden, as it was so large.

Any leftover vegetables would be picked by herself later.

She didn’t forget to make a jab, “You used to have such a large yard lying fallow, and now you’re always asking me to plant vegetables.”

Lin Shu replied, “Wasn’t it your elder husband who didn’t allow us to plant? He said it would be a waste of effort. I don’t know why planting vegetables is considered a waste. Oh, Big Sister, since you have nothing to do, please help me with that.”

“Go dig up that vegetable bed, I want to plant some carrots and radishes.”

Zhao Meifeng was annoyed to hear her complain and then be asked to do work herself.

She quickly said, “Oh, it’s almost noon. I’ll hurry to Sun’s Village to get you a sewing machine.” She hurried outside, but not before reminding Lin Shu, “Don’t start making shoes for me yet; make your own clothes first.”

Lin Shu smiled brightly, “Sister-in-law, you’re so good. You’re the best to me.”

Zhao Meifeng left feeling quite pleased with herself, thinking Lin Shu was just a fool.

She had been busy lately, originally focusing on finding a wife for her eldest son.

But then she decided it was more important to first make some money from the second branch.

Now that her money-making plans had failed and her family had lost a significant amount of money, she felt it was more important to find a powerful man for Lin Shu.

With a good job and money, what else could she worry about? Finding a city spouse would be easy.

She planned to visit Sun’s Village before lunch, have a meal at her brother-in-law’s place, and then go to Sun’s to mock Old Sun about how his daughter was monopolizing the sewing machine.

How could they be so shortsighted?

---

Lu Shaotang, although still unable to move freely, had already set up a plan with Chen Yanming to lure the enemy and eliminate traitors.

His injuries were severe, and the doctor had mentioned that he might not survive or, if he did, he might never wake up.

Chen Yanming made sure to let nurses or doctors accidentally leak this half-truth information, trusting that the traitors would overhear it.

Lu Shaotang and Chen Yanming relied on their secret identities.

Their files were highly classified, and they used aliases and accents different from their hometowns to deceive the enemy and avoid exposure if captured.

Their salaries were directly paid by the capital under the name of normal military officers.

Black Snake Xu Jin was a promising young surgeon who had graduated from medical school before joining the Liberation Army’s general hospital due to his outstanding performance.

However, his mother was actually the daughter of a Nationalist officer.

Before leaving the mainland for the Bay Island, the ship his mother was on sank near the Isle of Boats.

After many twists and turns, she took on another’s identity and ended up in the southwestern border region.

No one knew her true identity there; she appeared as a war orphan who married a doctor.

From a young age, she told her son her story, urging him to study medicine well to serve the Chairman, and to wait for the Bay Island’s counterattack.

By then, their mother and son would be regarded as heroes.

Now, he had become a key member of a secret organization, a significant figure in the Southwest region.

He had recently obtained a very reliable piece of information: the patient in Room 63, under strict surveillance, was in critical condition.

According to Director Qiao, they were only trying to delay the inevitable.

However, Xu Jin received a message from his superior that the military district’s top brass had ordered that, at all costs, Patient 63 must be revived.

The military district wanted to obtain his secret information.

The cost of revival would be his imminent death.

Xu Jin sneered.

It seemed that their self-proclaimed greatness wasn’t so impressive after all.

They were willing to sacrifice their own people for intelligence.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t let 63 have a chance at a last-minute recovery; he needed to strike first.

Over the past few days, he had used all his resources to investigate the background of the political instructor and patient 63, but he couldn’t find any leads, and his superior didn’t have any information either.

What a pity!

With no other options, he had to take the most direct approach—kill 63!

“Attention all departments, Director Qiao requires the surgical, internal medicine, cardiology, and neurology teams… to go to the fourth floor for a consultation.”

Xu Jin heard the announcement and was overjoyed.

The opportunity had arrived!

It seemed that 63’s situation was urgent, and Director Qiao was about to take final measures.

With so many people around and the scene in chaos, he could use this chance to blend in.

He was also a young and capable surgeon!

Chen Yanming and the others were fully sterilized, dressed in surgical gowns, and armed with weapons, standing guard in the operating room.

Xu Jin, like the other doctors, had only his eyes visible; the rest of him was wrapped up tightly, not even a strand of hair showing.

He quickly and calmly entered the ward with the others, surrounding Director Qiao and awaiting orders.

Director Qiao explained his principle: the primary measure was to awaken the patient and ensure his survival.

However, after the first step of the procedure, the patient’s condition suddenly worsened, and alarms from various instruments began blaring.

Director Qiao, somewhat flustered, directed the doctors to proceed step by step.

Whether it was due to the tension or the sharp gaze of the soldiers, his hands were trembling.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Xu Jin stepped forward and secretly injected a thin needle into the patient’s drip, almost instantly administering poison.

Soon, the patient began to convulse violently.

Chen Yanming suddenly restrained Director Qiao, “What did you do?” He glared furiously, “Arrest everyone!”

All the doctors and nurses in the room…

Xu Jin, who had been captured by Chen Yanming’s men, was unfazed because he knew these soldiers were just venting their frustrations.

Chen Yanming waved his hand, directing people to take them away and lock them up in separate rooms.

As Xu Jin walked down the corridor, he heard a soldier, suppressing his grief, crying out, “Instructor, 63… is gone.”

“Bastard!” The instructor roared in frustration.

Xu Jin smiled.

On the hospital bed, Lu Shaotang, who was supposed to be “dead,” looked coldly at Chen Yanming’s performance and sneered, “Your acting is terrible.”

He had removed the needle that had been stuck to the back of his hand; it hadn’t been injected into a vein, so the poison hadn’t taken effect.

Chen Yanming: “But I’ve captured the real traitor.”

Of course, the “Chairman” was just a distraction; the real target was Xu Jin.

Chen Yanming had initially planned to act against Xu Jin when he discovered his secrets but was stopped by Lu Shaotang.

Lu Shaotang: “My ‘death’ makes it easier to continue the mission. It’s better to catch all the traitors in one go rather than just one or two.”

Chen Yanming immediately understood his intention.

However—he looked at Lu Shaotang, who, despite being a severe injury patient, lay on the bed with no signs of weakness, showing an innate aura of authority and composure that made him appear especially dignified and commanding.

He was truly a born leader.

“What about your family? The military district issued a death notice for you. The elders might not handle the news well.”

Now that you’re back safe, shouldn’t you inform them?

Lu Shaotang quickly made a decision, “Send money to my family in my name, the same amount as my salary and allowances.”

Chen Yanming’s eyes lit up, “Alright, your family will understand, right?”

Lu Shaotang: “My parents are smart, they’ll understand.”

Chen Yanming: “I’ll arrange it then.”

Lu Shaotang: “Also, send some toys for my daughter and son. And…”

Chen Yanming teased, “And for your wife? Send something?”

Lu Shaotang lowered his thick eyelashes, “No need. Just send things for the children.”

It wouldn’t be right for a comrade to send gifts for his wife.

---

“Achoo—” Lin Shu sneezed, rubbing her nose. The draft was really not to be taken lightly; it was easy to catch a cold.

Pan Pan immediately grinned, “It must be that Daddy is missing Mommy. I sneezed too—Daddy misses me too.”

She encouraged Tian Tian to sneeze as well.

Tian Tian: “Immature.”

Tian Tian had become completely absorbed in reading picture books, unable to put them down, memorizing and reciting every word without error.

Lin Shu was astonished.