The air fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone was stunned by Lin Nian’s calm, almost casual words.
Lu Tingchuan’s tall body suddenly swayed. The color drained from his face at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning pale as paper.
He stared at Lin Nian, lips trembling, but he couldn’t utter a single word.
In those deep eyes of his surged shock, pain, disbelief—along with a hint of something even he hadn’t noticed… fear.
Dead?
Died for the country?
She had actually… in front of everyone, declared him dead.
Lin Nian didn’t glance at him again, as if he were just an irrelevant stranger.
She tightened her grip on her two children’s hands. Under all those different gazes, she straightened her back and walked out of the kindergarten, calm and steady.
Only after turning the corner and completely losing sight of the gate did Lin Nian’s tense body suddenly go weak, almost collapsing to the ground.
She leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. Her back was already soaked with cold sweat.
“Mom, what’s wrong?” Lu Ning lifted his little face and shook her hand anxiously.
Lu An pressed his lips together and stayed close to her small body, as if giving her strength.
Looking at the children’s clear, worried eyes, the tears Lin Nian had been holding back finally fell uncontrollably.
She didn’t cry out loud—she just shed silent tears, one drop after another hitting the ground.
She crouched down and tightly hugged both children, holding them as if she wanted to fuse them into her bones and blood.
“Mom is fine…” Her voice was thick with nasal congestion and terribly hoarse. “Mom is just… a little tired.”
Yes, she was exhausted.
From the day she awakened, she had been stretched tight, not daring to relax even for a moment.
Escaping, giving birth, surviving… she had been like a tireless warrior, cutting through thorns every step of the way.
She thought she had become strong enough. Yet today, with Lu Tingchuan and Bai Yueru appearing together, they still effortlessly tore open the hard shell she had built, exposing the bloody wounds beneath.
“Mommy won’t cry.” Lu An stretched out his little hand and clumsily wiped her tears, imitating the tone of an adult. “I’m a man. I’ll protect Mommy.”
“Ningning will protect Mommy too!” Lu Ning lifted his chubby hand and patted her back.
Looking at her sensible children, Lin Nian broke into a teary smile.
Yes, she still had them.
They were her weakness, but also her armor.
For them, she wasn’t afraid of anything.
Lu Tingchuan? Bai Yueru?
If they dared try to take her children, she would fight them to the death.
When they returned home, Lin Nian closed the courtyard gate, shutting out all disturbances.
She didn’t have time to drown in sadness.
She washed her face with cold water. The eyes of the woman in the mirror were slightly swollen, but her gaze had regained its determination. She took a deep breath.
Lin Nian, pull yourself together!
You’re no longer that disposable side character!
You have hands, feet, a brain, and children who love you. Your life has only just begun!
After releasing her emotions, an endless stream of motivation followed.
Lin Nian began setting up this new home for the three of them.
She cleaned every corner thoroughly. From the second-hand market, she bought cheap but sturdy tables and stools, washed them, and arranged them neatly.
She also bought the cheapest floral fabric she could find. Borrowing a sewing machine, she stayed up late making new curtains for the windows.
When the sun-scented curtains were hung, the simple house instantly felt warm like a real home.
She didn’t let the empty yard go to waste either.
With Lu An and Lu Ning, she dug the soil and pulled weeds, creating a small vegetable patch.
They planted seasonal greens, chili peppers, and scallions.
The kids got covered in dirt, laughing brightly, bringing life to the once quiet courtyard.
After settling their home, Lin Nian poured all her energy into her food stall.
After the incident at the kindergarten, she understood even more clearly: only by becoming strong and earning enough money could she give her children true protection.
Their new home was closer to the market, making work even more convenient.
She didn’t want to stick to selling only spicy hotpot.
In the 80s, resources weren’t as abundant as later generations, but people never stopped loving food.
Using memories from her previous life and her own cooking skills, Lin Nian began developing new dishes.
She asked someone to get pig head meat, pig ears, chicken feet, tofu, and other ingredients. With several spices, she experimented repeatedly until she finally made a pot of fragrant secret braised broth.
Once the braised items came out of the pot, they were glossy red, shining with oil, and the aroma spread down half the street.
She also created cold dishes:
Crisp marinated cucumbers, sour and spicy kelp strips, spicy bean curd skins…
Each dish was mixed with her carefully prepared sauces—delicious enough to make people unable to stop eating.
On reopening day, Lin Nian’s stall looked completely refreshed.
Besides steaming spicy hotpot, there were several large basins filled with braised dishes and cold plates.
“Yo, Boss Lin, new items?” her regular customers exclaimed.
“Try them! New braised dishes and cold plates. If they’re not good, you don’t have to pay!” Lin Nian greeted them with a smile.
Someone bought a portion of braised pig ears just to try.
The pig ears were tender and flavorful, yet still crisp with a good bite. Paired with Lin Nian’s special chili oil, one bite filled the mouth with fragrance.
“Oh my god! Boss lady, your cooking is incredible! So good!”
Word spread quickly.
News of “Lin’s Snacks” launching new dishes spread like wings throughout the military compound.
Spicy hotpot was already popular. Adding braised dishes and cold plates made the business explode even more.
Every day when she opened, a long line formed.
Customers included military wives, children, and many off-duty single officers.
After a day of training, exhausted and hungry, a bowl of spicy hotpot, half a pound of braised dishes, and a chilled soda was pure bliss.
Lin Nian was so busy her feet barely touched the ground, but watching the growing stack of money made her feel immensely secure.
With her own hands, she had carved out a path for herself and her children in this unfamiliar place, creating a safe harbor for them.