“This…”
Instructor Zhao was left speechless by her lofty reasoning. Such a display of filial piety—if he didn’t help at least a little and word got back to the organization, wouldn’t that affect his year-end evaluation?
“Ahem, ahem…”
Instructor Zhao cleared his throat, straightened his collar, and immediately took Miao Miaomiao’s side.
Looking at Miao Qingqing, he said, “Comrade Miao Qingqing, your sister is right. Since you frightened the child, you should make some compensation… just pay a little.”
“What? But, Instructor…”
Miao Qingqing stared at him in disbelief, hardly able to believe what she was hearing.
She had clearly brought people to arrest someone—how did it end up with her having to pay money instead?
“Instructor, this is way too unfair!”
She pointed indignantly at Huzi and scolded, “That brat is obviously faking it. Why should I compensate him?”
“Comrade Miao Qingqing!”
Instructor Zhao hated being contradicted more than anything. He barked angrily, “You’re in the wrong to begin with, and now you’re blaming me? You scared the child—shouldn’t you make some compensation?”
Anger gathered on his face, his dissatisfaction with her obvious.
Miao Qingqing immediately pouted.
Instructor Zhao was someone she absolutely could not afford to offend. If he held a grudge against her, her future days would be very difficult.
Reluctantly, she fumbled in her pocket.
“…If I have to pay, how much?”
“O—”
“At least ten yuan,” Miao Miaomiao cut in calmly.
Huzi’s eyes widened in shock. He had only meant to say “one yuan,” but the sister beside him had opened her mouth and demanded ten yuan. Wow—what a ruthless price!
“Miao Miaomiao! Don’t go too far!”
Miao Qingqing pointed at her in fury, her face flushed the color of pig liver.
Miao Miaomiao folded her arms and looked at her coldly.
Ten yuan was nothing.
She knew Miao Qingqing could afford it. After all, she was the most glamorous one in the family—able to wear floral dresses and use Snowflake cream. If she wasn’t going to fleece her, who else?
“Ten is impossible! At most… I’ll give you five yuan!”
She threw down a bill and fled as if escaping.
Miao Miaomiao picked up the money and gave Huzi a victorious look.
With her gone, the instructor and the others also left.
Miao Miaomiao stuffed the money into Huzi’s hand.
“Here. Sorry about what happened tonight.”
How could Huzi accept it? He was overwhelmed with gratitude for her rescue. If not for her quick thinking, he might have been kneeling outside the commune office tomorrow, being publicly criticized.
“Big Sister, you saved me tonight. Huzi can’t take this money!”
He pushed it back into her hand, then dashed off in a puff of dust.
“Hey—hey—”
Miao Miaomiao craned her neck, wanting to chase after him, but couldn’t catch up.
Since that was the case, she had no choice but to keep it.
She hadn’t done a thing tonight and still ended up with five yuan—just thinking about it made her feel blissfully happy.
Although Huzi refused the money, the next day Miao Miaomiao still went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought two jin of fruit candy to give him.
The child was overjoyed when he received the sweets.
What had happened the night before was known to Li Third Aunt’s family, but since they felt guilty and in the wrong, they didn’t dare go looking for trouble with Miao Qingqing. They could only swallow their anger.
Still, after this incident, their whole family quietly came to hate Miao Qingqing.
As for Miao Miaomiao, she no longer dared to sell mountain goods. Instead, she followed Old Man Miao every day, doing farm work to earn work points.
Farm work was exhausting, and the more tired she was, the better she slept at night.
But that night, she dreamed again…
This time, in her dream, she saw Huo Qichuan wearing a green military uniform, holding a device in his hand as he walked along a dirt road.
Suddenly, the instrument in his hand began to beep rapidly.
Before he could react, he stepped on a mine in the grass to his right.
Boom!
The scene instantly erupted in a violent explosion, flames engulfing his entire body…
“Ah! No—!”
She jolted awake once more, her chest heaving violently, eyes staring ahead in shock.
After a long while, she finally calmed down. Weakly rubbing her forehead, she couldn’t help but think.
Could this be a prophetic dream?
No—since when did she have such an ability?
Miao Miaomiao remembered that these frequent dreams had only started after she transmigrated. Perhaps the original owner had possessed this ability all along.
Or… was something wrong with her mind?
“No, no, no!”
She狠狠地 slapped her own head, forcing herself fully awake.
It definitely wasn’t a problem with her brain!
Maybe it was just an ordinary dream, nothing more.
Her thoughts in turmoil, she still decided to make another phone call the next morning.
Thinking about it, it was really laughable. Why was she worrying about a liar anyway?
Miao Miaomiao, you really have too much time on your hands!
Even as she mocked herself, she dialed the number once again.
“Comrade, please… if you happen to see Comrade Huo Qichuan… remind him to pay attention to the grass on the right side… yes, that’s right—the right side. Please remember…”
…
At the guesthouse, the receptionist Huang Weijie hung up the phone, feeling that this woman was truly strange. Why would she randomly remind someone to watch the right side?
He had already checked with the organization about her—she was just an ordinary village girl, not someone from their unit.
A village girl saying such incoherent things—it was hard not to think she was crazy.
And what kind of relationship did she have with Regiment Commander Huo?
Just then, he looked up and saw Huo Qichuan walk in. He hurried over and greeted him cheerfully.
“Regiment Commander Huo, a woman has called you twice and left some messages.”
“Hm? What is it?”
Huo Qichuan took the message book and flipped to the page from half a month ago. A smile immediately lifted the corner of his lips—so she had successfully escaped and returned home. That was good news indeed.
Still smiling, he flipped to the most recent page, but his brows soon knit slightly.
“Xiao Huang, did she say what this meant?”
Huang Weijie glanced at it and replied casually, “This? No idea.”
He shot him a sideways look and asked mischievously, “Regiment Commander Huo, who is that woman to you? She sounds like she’s talking nonsense. You should be careful and keep your distance from her in the future.”
“If it’s none of your business, don’t ask.”
Huo Qichuan tapped his head lightly with the notebook and turned to leave.
“Regiment Commander Huo—”
At that moment, a man came running in, panting.
“Emergency mission! Our people found explosives left behind by enemy agents near the railway tracks. The secretary wants us to organize a team to investigate.”
Huo Qichuan’s expression instantly turned cold.
“Notify the members of the 322nd Regiment to prepare their gear. We depart immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
…
On this ordinary loess slope ran an east–west railway line. If an explosion occurred in the middle section, the losses would be unimaginable.
Dressed in green protective gear, Huo Qichuan held a mine detector, moving forward step by step, stopping cautiously as he searched.
There was a water pit on the left. He was just about to step to the right—
When her voice suddenly echoed in his mind:
“Remember—no matter what, don’t walk on the right side…”