Early the next morning, Shu Yao sent the Little Brat and his food supply to the nursery, while she went to the workshop.
She had been assigned the morning shift this week, working from seven in the morning until three in the afternoon, with a short lunch break at noon.
However, since she was in her breastfeeding period, she was entitled to additional childcare time. If she did not go to the nursery midway through the day, she could get off work an hour early.
She worked in the Syrup Workshop, and the job itself was very simple: filling containers. It was not physically tiring, but the repetitive movements exhausted Shu Yao mentally.
After finally making it to the end of her shift, she dragged her feet to the nursery to pick up her cheap son.
The brat seemed to have just woken up. He was lying on a wooden bed, kicking his legs. When he saw Shu Yao, he gave her a sweet smile.
“Did he make a fuss today?”
Shu Yao poked his little belly.
When she had brought him over that morning, the little thing had been terribly wronged when she left. He had stared at her with tears welling in his eyes, whining pitifully, but at least he had not burst into loud sobs.
“No, he was very well-behaved!”
The nursery attendant beside them answered with a smile.
The little baby was adorable. Whenever he was awake, everyone fought to amuse him, and his smile was sweet enough to melt anyone’s heart.
Shen Huaiyu had waited for quite some time, but Shu Yao still had not made a move. He raised his arms, asking to be held.
“Comrade Yang, we’ll be leaving first.”
Shu Yao laughed and picked him up.
But halfway there, the Kid grinned and gave her a big surprise—he had pooped.
Since the day she had traveled through time, this was only the second time Shen Huaiyu had pooped. She had not noticed the first time, but when she remembered it later, she was so frightened that she immediately went to ask Auntie Cai. Only then did she learn that children could store up their bowel movements.
Three or four days was normal; five or six days happened too.
Good heavens! Shu Yao stiffly supported his neck and legs and sprinted back.
Yue~yue~yue~
This diaper absolutely had to be thrown away!
After finally cleaning everything up, she saw Shen Huaiyi poking his head around when she went outside to throw out the trash. The younger one had not come with him.
“Little Aunt.”
When he saw her, the child’s eyes lit up.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Shu Yao waved him over.
“No. The date of our forced relocation has been set. It’s the day after tomorrow.”
“Those people told us to gather at Huixiang Square the morning after next.”
That day, after Shu Yao had gotten Shen Huaiyi to find out the specific time and place of the forced relocation, he had come to tell her.
“Do you know where you’ll be sent?”
“They didn’t say. But those people took Grandfather and the others away again.”
After Shen Jianghai and the others left, they were not released until the night before the rural relocation. They were forced to undergo round after round of inspections and ideological education, leaving the entire family utterly exhausted.
Even Shen Zhongheng and Shen Zhongyue had bloodshot eyes, unable to maintain any expression on their faces.
Fortunately, they learned the destination of the rural relocation: Yunshan County.
Their luck was good enough that the entire family had been assigned to the same county. Even if they were sent to different villages, it was still better than being separated by tens of thousands of miles, unable even to inquire about one another.
But was this really just good luck?
The parents and children of other families were scattered to opposite ends of the country, while only their family remained together. Although the stated reason was that the villages under Yunshan County were poor and harsh, with heavy land-reclamation duties requiring able-bodied laborers like Shen Zhongheng and Shen Zhongyue—
there were plenty of other difficult places throughout the country.
“Elder Shu must have exerted some influence behind the scenes.”
Shen Jianghai spoke.
“It was Yaoyao. It must have been Yaoyao.”
Qin Shu suddenly spoke.
“Yaoyao must have asked the Former Senior Commander to intervene.”
Otherwise, she could not understand why Senior Commander Shu would risk intervening.
Given the current situation, standing by and watching was the wise thing to do.
Shen Jianghai stopped Qin Shu from saying anything further.
“Don’t mention this again, lest it bring disaster upon the Shu Family and Yaoyao.”
“We need to clean up and pack whatever is useful and whatever we can bring. After we go to the countryside, with our identity, it will be difficult for us to leave again.”
There was not much worth cleaning up. Almost everything in the house had already been hauled away by those people, leaving behind only some junk.
But even that junk was packed into their bundles.
The next day, the entire family arrived at Huixiang Square on time.
Someone had arrived earlier than them. Their bundles were forcibly searched, and everything inside was thrown all over the ground.
“Well, well, I knew you weren’t honest. You’re all being sent away for Rural Reformation, so what are you carrying all this money for?”
The person conducting the search kicked the man. The man covered his head and did not dare make a sound.
The slightly thicker clothes were ripped open for inspection, as were the quilts and shoes. The money and ration coupons they had hidden, and even their better clothes, were searched out and stripped away once again.
The Shen Family’s bundles received the same treatment. Seeing that there was indeed nothing to find, the man snorted and let them go.
“Don’t say we’re being heartless. You’re being sent away for Rural Reformation, so naturally you must live simply and endure hardship. With all that money and so many ration coupons, are you here for Reformation or enjoyment?”
“Once you reach the countryside, do you intend to continue your hedonistic ways?”
The leader lectured them for a few moments.
“All right, all right. Send them away.”
Thus, they were taken to the train station once again.
Naturally, this group would not personally escort them to the destination of their forced relocation. Train attendants would keep an eye on them along the way.
They were not worried about anyone escaping either. These days, an introduction letter was required everywhere. Being an illegal drifter was even worse than forced relocation; if caught, they would receive an even harsher punishment.
Shu Yao had exchanged shifts with someone today. She came to Huixiang Square early in the morning carrying a large bag, then followed them to the train station.
Shen Zhongyue and the others were sent into the train station and handed over to the station staff. They even had to report it whenever they went to the toilet.
Shu Yao: …
Surely all this stuff she had prepared would not go to waste.
Fortunately, during this period, entry to the station was not strictly controlled. It was even possible to see people off onto the train.
Shu Yao struggled to carry two large bags onto the platform, but when she looked up, the people were gone.
For a moment, ten thousand mud horses galloped through her heart.
Shen Zhongyue had noticed her first thing that morning. It was not just him; Shen Zhongheng and Shen Jianghai had seen her too.
The three father and son were all military men and exceptionally perceptive.
Shen Zhongheng and Shen Jianghai continued escorting Qin Shu and the others onto the train. Shen Zhongyue avoided the eyes of those people and quietly came over, grabbing Shu Yao by the arm.
“What are you doing here?”
“Aren’t you afraid someone will see you?”
The words were clearly meant out of concern, but they came out extremely awkwardly.
Shu Yao had just been about to give the lecher the same elbow strike when she turned around and saw Shen Zhongyue. She immediately brightened with delight.
When one road ends, another opens up. All her effort had not been wasted!
But Shen Zhongyue was also speaking the truth. She shoved the two large bags into his hands, then immediately turned and left, her attitude utterly carefree.
In her opinion, under such circumstances, being able to do this much meant she had done everything she could.
Whether for her casual partner or her cheap son, she could give a satisfactory account of herself.
Shen Zhongyue tightened his grip. The two heavy bundles still held the warmth of Shu Yao’s body.
Rarely, a trace of bewilderment appeared in his eyes.
He truly could not quite figure out what feelings Shu Yao had for him—or for the Shen Family.
Shen Zhongyue restrained himself from looking back and boarded the train with the flow of people.