Early the next morning, just after dawn, Lin Shuyao got herself ready and asked Lu Chengjing to take her somewhere she could make a phone call.
Telephones were a rarity in those days. There was only one public phone available in the military compound, and making a call required submitting a request and waiting in line.
“Let’s go.”
For Lu Chengjing, this was hardly a problem.
He was the only remaining member of the main Lu family branch, and he rarely interacted with relatives. There was practically no one for him to call.
Whenever he requested access to the phone, he was usually given priority.
“You can go take care of your work now. Thank you.”
“Mhm.”
Lin Shuyao first called her parents.
The call connected through the compound switchboard, and the operator’s crisp voice came through. After giving her father’s name, she waited patiently.
A moment later, her father’s voice sounded from the other end, carrying unmistakable urgency.
“Yaoyao?”
“Dad, it’s me.”
Lin Shuyao’s voice softened.
The exhaustion she had been carrying for days seemed to melt away the moment she heard him.
“How are you doing over there? Have you gotten used to the place? How is your husband treating you? Has anyone given you a hard time?”
The string of questions warmed her heart.
“Dad, everything is fine here. Lu Chengjing is a good man, and I haven’t been mistreated. Conditions in the Southwest are a little tougher, but I can adapt. Don’t worry.”
She didn’t mention Bai Qiaolan’s hostility, nor did she bring up the unpleasant rumors. She only shared the good things.
After asking about the family and learning that everything at home was going well, she finally felt relieved.
“You left in such a hurry that you didn’t bring anything. Your mother has gathered a lot of supplies for you. In a few days, we’ll have someone deliver them.”
“Sounds good!”
Father Lin continued offering advice, reminding her to take care of herself in the Southwest, not to push herself too hard, to tell the family if she encountered difficulties, and to get along well with Lu Chengjing.
Lin Shuyao agreed to everything before finally ending the call.
Next, she dialed her eldest brother’s number.
Lin Shuyuan was the eldest child of the Lin family and seven years older than her. Having inherited their father’s technical expertise, he had become a senior technician at an armaments factory at only twenty-nine years old. The previous year, he had even secured a position at the Tianjin Heavy Munitions Base.
His future was incredibly bright.
Yet in the original novel…
For the sake of his younger sister, he would eventually oppose the protagonists, be framed, publicly condemned, and executed.
His ending was tragic.
The phone was answered by his wife, Wang Xiulian.
“Yaoyao? Your brother has joined a key project and probably won’t be back for another half month. Mom said you went to support development efforts in the Southwest? That’s amazing!”
“Sister-in-law, I’ve already arrived. How are you and my brother doing?”
In truth, Lin Shuyao had never met the original owner’s brother or sister-in-law.
But from the memories she inherited…
Both of them had been exceptionally kind.
The Lin family had always been harmonious. The three siblings were united, with no major conflicts or misunderstandings.
Now that she had become Lin Shuyao, she felt responsible for preserving that sincere family bond.
“We’re doing great! We’re doing great!”
Wang Xiulian’s voice immediately brightened with delight.
“Your brother and I have both been worried about you. Are you getting used to living there? How’s the food? Your brother specifically found ration coupons for a sewing machine and a bicycle. I’ll arrange to mail them to you tomorrow.”
More supplies.
And not just any supplies—some of the most valuable items available in that era.
“Everything’s fine, Sister-in-law. I’m not lacking anything here. Don’t worry, and don’t spend so much. I really don’t need those things.”
Her refusal, however, had no effect on Wang Xiulian.
“Yaoyao, this is your brother’s way of showing he cares. He told me to take care of it, so I have to do it. If you refuse, he’ll just complain to me later.”
“Alright, alright. Then thank you, Brother. Thank you, Sister-in-law.”
“Listen to you, being all formal with me.”
The two chatted warmly, discussing work, daily life, and all sorts of ordinary matters.
After a while, Wang Xiulian suddenly lowered her voice, unable to conceal her happiness.
“Yaoyao, I have some good news.”
“What is it, Sister-in-law?”
“I’m pregnant!”
Her voice overflowed with excitement.
“I only found out today. I’m almost three months along. You’re going to be an aunt!”
“Really? Sister-in-law, that’s wonderful!”
Lin Shuyao was genuinely delighted.
She was about to offer congratulations when a sudden shock struck her mind like a bolt of lightning.
A scene from the original novel surfaced.
The book had mentioned that Wang Xiulian would eventually suffer a miscarriage and lose the ability to have children.
After that, she would sink into depression and never recover.
Until the day he was executed, Lin Shuyuan would leave behind no descendants.
Lin Shuyao frowned deeply and slapped her forehead.
The plot point had only been briefly mentioned.
What exactly had happened?
Then she remembered.
Something had happened to Wang Xiulian’s family.
Her grandfather had been severely wounded and killed by enemy agents. More importantly, classified documents had been stolen.
The shock had caused Wang Xiulian to miscarry.
Grandfather Wang worked in Kyoto’s railway defense department, and those documents were related to railway security deployment plans.
The incident later became one of the key pieces of evidence Chen Zhiheng used to frame Lin Shuyuan.
The realization made Lin Shuyao’s heart tighten.
A chill spread from her chest through every part of her body.
Her grip on the telephone receiver tightened until her knuckles turned white.
Still, she forced a smile into her trembling voice.
“Sister-in-law, that’s truly wonderful news.”
“It is. After all these years…” Wang Xiulian said softly. “I know your brother never talks about it, but he’s wanted this child even more than I have.”
“Of course. We’ve all been hoping for this.”
Lin Shuyao responded, but her thoughts were in complete turmoil.
She knew that most events in the novel happened as destined.
If this disaster wasn’t prevented in advance, the consequences would be unimaginable.
But she was thousands of miles away in the Southwest.
How could she warn her sister-in-law?
How could she protect both her and the child she carried?
“Oh, right. Lu Chengjing is incredible. Not long ago, he performed a great service and even captured enemy agents…”
Not knowing how else to approach the topic, Lin Shuyao began telling stories.
Drawing on all the novels she had read, she crafted dramatic tales full of twists and turns.
“Really? Someone was actually killed by enemy agents? How could they do that?”
“Absolutely. Those enemy agents are ruthless. To obtain classified information, they’ll kill without hesitation. The comrades who sacrificed themselves may have made mistakes, but they were still heroes. It’s their families who suffer the most.”
Lin Shuyao dared not be too direct.
First, she feared her sister-in-law wouldn’t believe her.
Second, she had no way to explain how she knew these things, which might only create more trouble.
All she could do was repeatedly emphasize the need for caution, hoping Wang Xiulian would stay alert and mentally prepared.
“I was planning to call my family anyway,” Wang Xiulian said. “This sounds so dangerous. I should definitely remind everyone to be careful.”
“I’m only mentioning it casually. It never hurts to be cautious. Being prepared is always better.”
“That’s thoughtful of you, Yaoyao. Take care of yourself over there. If you run into any trouble, remember to tell your sister-in-law.”
“I will.”
After hanging up, Lin Shuyao felt a heavy weight settle in her chest.
She stood there for a long time before finally turning to leave.
The sunlight shone warmly upon her, yet all she felt was cold.
She knew how powerful the story’s original plot could be.
And despite knowing what was coming, she felt helpless to stop it.