In an era when an average worker earned only eighteen yuan a month, she had gouged thirty-five yuan out of Su Xiangwan.

Carrying the square meter of fabric and leading the two children, Su Xiangwan started asking around and made her way toward the county police station.

She intended to find Tingxiu, file a report, and have that woman arrested.

Ludan, being healthier, was still able to run. But Goudan, weaker and frailer, was struggling to keep up.

Noticing Goudan’s sulky demeanor, Su Xiangwan gently tickled his ear.

The boy lit up immediately, almost wagging his tail. “Mom! Mom!”

With a sly smile, Su Xiangwan handed him a biscuit she’d saved for Zhizhi in case the baby got hungry. Then, in a low voice, she asked, “Are you upset because your little aunt favors your brother over you?”

Goudan was adamant in his denial. “I, Song Xiling, only need Mom’s love. I don’t care if anyone else loves me.”

Stubborn as a mule.

But deep down, when Ludan shared his biscuits earlier, and Goudan realized their aunt loved Ludan more, an indescribable sadness filled his heart.

He felt he must be lacking somehow, or perhaps he wasn’t as obedient as his brother, which was why his aunt didn’t love him. That self-doubt resurfaced.

“It’s not just about Mom’s love,” Su Xiangwan said softly. “Your little aunt has a bias, but you have to work hard to change her mind, understand?”

Goudan bit his lip so hard it almost turned white, then puffed out his chest in a show of defiance. “I, Song Xiling, will make my little aunt love me.”

“Then, can you start washing your hands more often? Stand up straight? And talk to everyone loudly and confidently?” Su Xiangwan asked.

Goudan walked ahead, his small chest puffed up like a proud rooster. “I, Song Xiling, always speak loudly—except to Mom and Zhizi. I’ll be gentle with them.”

“Now that’s the spirit,” Su Xiangwan said with a hearty laugh.

She was determined to turn this timid little boy into a bold and confident leader—a Dragon Overlord in the making.

Su Xiangwan had imagined the Public Security Bureau would be quite grand, but to her surprise, it was just a small courtyard with a few tricycles and one extremely old car, likely dating back to before the Liberation.

At the time, public security uniforms were dark blue with red collar insignias. While not exactly stylish, they exuded authority and solemnity.

“Comrade, I’d like to see Comrade Song Tingxiu. Is he here?” Su Xiangwan leaned toward the gatehouse and called out loudly.

In the office of the Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau, Song Tingxiu, who had only been in the role for a few days, was familiarizing himself with the work.

His first task was to gather statistics on the county’s population.

Next, he had to review case files from previous years.

Then, he needed to compile a list of all the scoundrels who had done time in jail.

This way, he could get to know the major and minor troublemakers in the county, prepare himself, and plan to deal with them when the time came.

It was an exhausting job. Just reading the case files had kept him awake for two straight days and nights.

When he heard that his sister-in-law had arrived, Song Tingxiu panicked.

He took a sip of tea, choked on it, and quickly said, “Tell my sister-in-law I’m not here.”

The officer reporting to him was Officer Lü, the same one who had gone to Xiao Song Village to arrest Song Laosan.

Still unfamiliar with the new Deputy Director, Officer Lü said, “It’s a woman. I’ve seen her before—very fierce, very beautiful. She’s brought three kids with her. At least let her come in and have a drink of water. Our Public Security Bureau doesn’t forbid family visits, after all.”

Before Song Tingxiu could respond, Su Xiangwan’s voice rang out from outside: “If Song Tingxiu isn’t here, fine. Comrades at the Public Security Bureau, I don’t know who to talk to, but I’m a rural woman who’s been swindled in town. I want to file a report. Do you handle reports or not?”

“Sister-in-law, what are you doing?” Song Tingxiu pushed open the window and called out.

This vain young man probably thought she had come chasing after him.

Through the office window, Su Xiangwan placed two items—a piece of fabric and a box of matches—on Song Tingxiu’s desk.

“Yes, I sought you out because you’re my brother-in-law, and I thought it might be easier to get things done with a familiar face. But today, I came across a fraud ring in town. I want to know if you’re going to take care of it or not.”

“What fraud ring?” Song Tingxiu asked.

As a justice-minded public security officer, nothing excited him more than a case to investigate.

Of course, his reluctance to meet his sister-in-law stemmed from her behavior after his brother’s death.

She had thrown herself into fits of crying, begging, and even threatening to hang herself in an effort to marry him.

The whole ordeal had terrified him.

Looking at this vain young man, Su Xiangwan said, “A black market racket specifically targeting rural people.”

Song Tingxiu immediately opened the door and let Su Xiangwan in. “Sister-in-law, were you scammed? Take your time explaining, and I’ll have Officer Lu take your statement.”

Su Xiangwan wanted respect from Song Qingshan, but she also demanded respect from Song Tingxiu.

She worked hard to live, study, and raise her child, believing that it was necessary to earn the respect and recognition of everyone in this world.

But as she spoke, she stumbled: the address… she had found the hideout but didn’t seem to remember the address.

“Behind the department store, in the family quarters of the flour mill, the second gate, on the left side on the first floor, there are about ten men and three women inside, all disheveled. They’re not only involved in black market activities but also throwing around slogans and quotes. They specialize in deceiving people from the countryside,” said Lu Dan, speaking calmly, rationally, completely unlike a child.

Moreover, he hadn’t been conspicuous just now, and Su Xiangwan didn’t even know how he had observed all this.

Su Xiangwan turned back to look at her son: “Song Donghai, you’re impressive, you remembered all that.”

Lu Dan stood aside with a look that seemed to say, “We’re excellent, but we won’t say anything.”

Song Tingxiu immediately understood. Su Xiangwan had been tricked.

And these people who were involved in black market activities and specialized in deceiving people from the countryside—weren’t they the main targets of the public security department’s work?

“Xiao Lu, how many people can respond to an emergency in our police station right now?” Song Tingxiu asked.

Xiao Lu thought for a moment: “Deputy Director, everyone else has been sent down to the countryside to work. Right now, it’s just an old man guarding the gate, and you and me. The only ones who can go are us.”

“Song Donghai, how many people are there on the other side?” Song Tingxiu asked Lu Dan.

“At least thirteen, the oldest one is at most seventeen,” Lu Dan replied succinctly.

“Let’s beat them!” Song Tingxiu said as she stood up, unloaded her gun, and locked it in the desk drawer. After all, anyone under the age of seventeen is considered a minor.

They could only educate, not use firearms.

After Song Tingxiu left for the mission, Su Xiangwan took Zhi Zhi to the bathroom first, and then let Lu Dan and Gou Dan take turns to practice walking with the little girl in Uncle Hao’s office.

The little girl had been carried on her back for a while, and then suddenly let go, able to walk now, happily calling, “Mom, mom.”

Su Xiangwan opened the small package her sister had sent, and indeed, inside were small clothes, all washed clean and smelling good, many of them decorated with lace, looking beautiful.

She didn’t know how many places Su Xianghong had visited, but in these hard times, to get so many clothes for Zhi Zhi was no small feat.

She pulled out a sweater with little strawberries printed on it and put it on Zhi Zhi.

The child was so happy, her little paws like soft cat paws pointing at the strawberries, asking her mom what it was.

Lu Dan and Gou Dan were so enthusiastic about teaching Zhi Zhi to walk, one taking her for a walk while the other did the same. Zhi Zhi was laughing happily.

An hour passed, then another, and Song Tingxiu still hadn’t returned.

As for the rest of the police station staff, it was said that they had all been sent to the countryside for labor, and the police station yard was left with only an old man guarding the gate.

If you hadn’t really experienced it, like Su Xiangwan, who had grown up in a society with rule of law, it was hard to understand just how terrifying the paralysis of a government agency could be in this era.

Just imagine, a county’s police station, and the only people able to respond to emergencies were the deputy director and one policeman.

As the sun set and they still hadn’t returned, not only was Su Xiangwan anxious, but even Lu Dan and Gou Dan were getting impatient.

Zhi Zhi could now eat food, but her main meal was still formula.

When Su Xiangwan left, she had only brought a bottle of milk for the child, and now, Zhi Zhi was hungry, constantly searching around, saying, “Grandma, grandma.”

She was looking for her milk bottle.

Su Xiangwan had only brought a small amount of formula, and after thinking about it, she decided that if they couldn’t go home, she would go outside and buy some more milk powder for the child.

Just as she stepped outside, a large group of people rushed in.

Song Tingxiu had been injured, and Xiao Lu was limping.

The most surprising thing was that Song Qingshan was also there.

He was followed by four young men, all of whom were only wearing underwear.

These were all muscular young men, but none of them had muscles as firm and beautiful as Song Qingshan’s. His body was so well-defined that if he wore a suit from later generations, he would look like a walking mannequin.

Su Xiangwan had seen many fights, but never one that ended with people being left topless. She was stunned.

“Mom, do you know why Dad’s topless?” Lu Dan asked Su Xiangwan.

Su Xiangwan shook her head: “I don’t know, you tell me.”

“I’m not telling you because it’s not fair. You gave Gou Dan a biscuit but not me,” Lu Dan said sulkily.

Su Xiangwan reached into her pocket, tugged at Lu Dan’s ear, and said: “Song Donghai, no parents can be perfectly fair. Sometimes, they don’t have much to give their children. I only had one biscuit, and Gou Dan needed it. Let me ask you, did you need that one biscuit?”

“I didn’t need it,” Lu Dan protested stubbornly. “I’m not greedy for the biscuit, I just… just…”

Su Xiangwan quickly kissed him.

At first, Lu Dan was so angry that his mouth was pouting, but slowly, his lips curled up into a smile.

Right, what he needed was the same amount of attention from his mother as she gave Gou Dan.

Song Qingshan stepped forward and instinctively hugged the handsome, cute, and obedient Lu Dan. Suddenly, he lowered his head and saw Gou Dan shyly looking at him, so he picked him up as well and tossed him playfully.

Gou Dan curiously touched Song Qingshan’s muscles, then shyly asked, “Are you cold?”

Song Qingshan shook his head: “Not cold.”

He turned to Liu Xiangqian, the platoon leader, and said: “Xiangqian, let’s borrow a police uniform from you, then take my son to get our clothes.”