The next day.
Lin Ting was woken by noise.
Her eyes were too sore to open, so she lazily rolled over under the quilt.
“Awake, dear?”
The gentle, affectionate voice reached Lin Ting’s ears. She froze for a moment, then abruptly opened her eyes. “Mom?”
Li Taohong smiled. “Yes!”
Li Taohong was 47 years old. Her complexion was considered fair for someone from the countryside. With her ear-length bob and oval face, though time had weathered her features, one could still glimpse the beauty of her youth. Lin Ting and her second brother Lin Wei had inherited their captivating Peach Blossom Eyes from her.
Confirming it was indeed her mother, Lin Ting’s sluggish brain finally kicked into gear. She sat up abruptly, her long hair a mess. “What time is it? Why are you here?”
As she spoke, she leaned over to pick up the watch on the bedside table.
7:10.
Good, it wasn’t too late. With that thought, Lin Ting rubbed her eyes again. Last night, she and her mother-in-law had cried in each other’s arms. She must have cried too hard; even though she had used an ice compress before bed, her eyes still felt uncomfortable.
But after that crying session, the pent-up grievances in her heart had dissipated.
Seeing her daughter rubbing her eyes, Li Taohong, who was sitting by the kang, patted the pillow. “It’s still early. If you’re tired, sleep a little longer.” Her daughter had lost weight after all the traveling these past few days.
“I’m not sleeping anymore. When did you arrive?” Lin Ting shook her head and moved to the edge of the kang, throwing off the quilt.
Seeing that her daughter really didn’t want to sleep, Li Taohong didn’t press her. She turned and handed over the clothes she had placed at the foot of the kang. “Not long ago.”
In truth, she and her husband had tossed and turned all night on the kang, only catching a few fitful winks before setting off at daybreak.
If they hadn’t been worried about disturbing their in-laws too early, they would have arrived even sooner.
Lin Ting didn’t quite believe her mother’s “not long ago,” but she didn’t press for details. She quickly dressed and turned to fold the quilt, only to find her mother already bent over, tidying the bed.
“What are you standing there for? Go brush your teeth and wash your face.”
Hearing this, Lin Ting withdrew her hand, which had been about to snatch the quilt, and turned to get her toothbrush and towel from the dressing table.
Then, just before pulling open the door, she remembered she had been woken by noise.
She paused, easing her grip and opening the door just a crack.
Instantly, clearer voices drifted in through the narrow gap.
Most households in the Xiangyang Brigade lived in two-room mud-and-thatch houses with kangs on the north and south sides. The Huo family’s brick-and-tile house was a rarity in the village.
Built just two years ago, it faced south with three rooms under a gabled roof. The kitchen was a separate structure on the west side, its door facing east.
Lin Ting was currently staying in the main east-wing bedroom of the Huo house, which served as the bridal chamber.
Since the door opened directly into the living room, she had a clear view of the situation outside.
There were fewer people who had come to gawk than Lin Ting had expected—only about a dozen.
Just as she took a deep breath, ready to charge out in one go, someone smacked her bottom.
Caught off guard, Lin Ting jolted.
Li Taohong chided, “What’s with the jumpiness? Weren’t you going to wash up?”
Lin Ting straightened up and cleared her throat lightly. “I’m going out now.” With that, she steeled herself and pushed the door open.
As expected, she immediately became the center of attention.
It was only then that Lin Ting noticed her father by the window, playing with the Dragon and Phoenix Twins.
Lin Shengli was a highly skilled carpenter. Every time he visited, he brought new toys for Guo Guo and Miao Miao.
This time was no exception. Lin Ting glanced at the two extra wooden rocking horses and called out with a smile, “Dad.”
Lin Shengli was a year younger than his wife, now 46 years old. He had a sturdy build, thick eyebrows, and sharp eyes that made him seem unapproachable.
In reality, he was known for his good nature—honest, generous, and deeply devoted to his children.
Although the original host was born in the countryside, she had been raised with delicate hands that never touched harsh labor. Besides her own academic diligence, this was largely due to her family’s doting.
Her father, Lin Shengli, was especially indulgent.
In his logic, daughters would eventually marry and leave home, so they ought to enjoy life to the fullest while still under their parents’ roof.
Thus, not only was Lin Ting pampered growing up, but her older sister, Lin Xiang, was treated the same way.
Now, finally seeing his daughter, the tenderhearted Lin Shengli felt his nose sting with emotion. Too embarrassed to shed tears in front of so many people, he forced a smile and said, “You’re awake, sweetheart? Dad brought you some sugar cakes. Go eat them while they’re warm.”
Hu Xiu also smiled. “Yes, we kept them warm in the pot. Go have your breakfast first.”
Hearing this, Lin Ting didn’t hesitate further. She smiled at everyone, slipped on her thick coat, and pushed the door open to leave.
As she closed the door, she faintly overheard someone say, “Your daughter-in-law really has it easy…”
Lin Ting didn’t pause at the remark and headed straight to the kitchen.
In those days, there were no proper bathrooms. People usually drew water from the kitchen water jar to wash up, then tossed the dirty water out back.
After cleaning up, she took out a jar of Xuehua Gao from her pocket.
Just as she was applying it to her face, her parents pushed the door open and entered.
Lin Ting had guessed that the two would have many questions and had mentally prepared herself. Still, she was taken aback by her mother’s words.
Her eyes widened, and she nearly stammered, “Mom, what… what did you say?”
Li Taohong directed her husband to bring their daughter breakfast, then pulled Lin Ting to sit at the table. With a loving gaze, she said, “Why so surprised? Sooner or later, you’ll have to remarry anyway. You can’t possibly stay a widow in the Huo family for the rest of your life, can you?”
At this, Li Taohong’s heart grew heavy again.
She wondered what fate had against her daughter. Ever since the universities shut down, nothing had gone right for her.
She lost job opportunities to well-connected candidates, and just when she finally picked an outstanding fiancé, he passed away before they could even meet, leaving her a widow.
Life truly seemed soaked in bitterness.
Li Taohong even considered secretly taking her daughter’s birth details to the blind fortune-teller confined in the cowshed for a reading.
If nothing else, perhaps performing a ritual to alter her fate would help.
Lin Ting had no idea of her mother’s plans. Her mind was wholly occupied by the words “remarry.”
To be honest, even now, she still felt deeply unfamiliar with her married status, let alone the idea of remarrying.
She had assumed her parents would be more curious about her alleged embezzlement and flight.
“What are you spacing out for? I’m talking to you.” Seeing her daughter dazed, the impatient Li Taohong began poking her forehead.
Lin Shengli, who had been silent until then, immediately blocked his wife’s hand. Playing the peacemaker, he pushed the bowl of porridge toward his daughter and said with a smile, “What’s the hurry? Let Tingting eat something first.”
Lin Ting’s eyes curved. “Thanks, Dad.”
Li Taohong shot her husband a sidelong glance. “Always playing the good guy.”
Despite her words, she reined in her temper. Waiting until her daughter picked up the porridge bowl, she explained, “I’m not rushing you to remarry right now. I just want to remind you—you need to have a plan for certain things… And don’t worry about your mother-in-law being upset. She was the one who brought it up.”
Lin Ting wasn’t surprised by her mother-in-law’s stance.
She first handed each of her parents a piece of sugar cake, then stated her position as they beamed with delight: “I don’t oppose remarrying, but I must observe the three-year mourning period for Huo Xiao first.”
“Three years?” Li Taohong frowned. In her view, one year of mourning was appropriate.
Though she resented the Huo family’s son for leaving her daughter widowed so young, his sacrifice was for the nation’s greater cause and deserved respect.
But three years was too long. By then, her daughter would be 24. She recalled being pregnant with her first child at 18.
Truthfully, Lin Ting herself didn’t know if she would remarry—the future was unpredictable.
But she was certain she had no such desire now.
Protected by her status as a martyr’s widow, blessed with a reasonable mother-in-law, a pair of adorable Dragon and Phoenix Twins, and a life free from want, she lacked nothing but a husband. Whether she remarried truly didn’t matter.
Unless she met someone she loved.
But how easy was it to find love?
Having lived to 29 in her previous life without encountering it, she knew it was even less likely in this era of limited information and mobility.
She’d rather find a job first, since spring would arrive in a few months.
As a daughter-in-law, she couldn’t idle at home—she feared public criticism.
But Lin Ting truly disliked farming, so securing proper employment in the coming months was far more important than matchmaking.
Of course, the three-year agreement with her mother was mainly to secure peace, lest her mother pester her with constant matchmaking arrangements.
Unaware of her daughter’s calculations, Li Taohong frowned, ready to reason with her foolish child, when her husband tugged her sleeve.
She instantly redirected her anger: “What?! Can’t you stop bothering me?”
Lin Shengli smiled patiently: “This isn’t urgent. It’s at least a year away anyway. Since the in-laws consider our feelings, we should save face for them too.”
Lin Ting shifted closer to her father and offered her mother an appeasing smile: “Exactly! We can discuss this in a year.”
Li Taohong chuckled at her rare playfulness: “Silly girl, always with your clever tongue.”
Outside.
Hu Xiu, who had come to bring malt extract for her daughter-in-law’s health, unexpectedly overheard the vow to mourn her son for three years.
Tears she thought long dried surged from her eyes again.
Fearing misinterpretation, she hastily wiped them away with her sleeve.
Then she took several deep breaths of cold air and returned to the main hall.
Hu Xiu thought: Tingting must have loved Xiao’er deeply.
What a fine girl… her son was truly unfortunate to have missed such blessings.
After breakfast.
Lin Ting declined her father’s help, mixed hot water herself to wash the dishes,
tidied the kitchen, then led her parents to the main hall.
As expected, she was immediately bombarded with questions upon entering.
Perhaps because her parents, mother-in-law, and two aunts/uncles were present, or because her return had dispelled the rumors,
everyone now seemed more curious about the outside world.
For these aunties who’d rarely left the county, trains and Hu Shi were almost unimaginable wonders.
Lin Ting didn’t mind the barrage of questions, patiently answering each one.
It wasn’t until past ten o’clock, when everyone needed to prepare lunch, that they reluctantly departed.
Before leaving, the aunties praised Lin Ting over and over, saying that they hadn’t known her well before but now realized what a wonderful girl she was.
She had a good temper, was beautiful, well-educated, and full of affection and loyalty.
They praised her until her ears burned, while her parents and mother-in-law grinned from ear to ear.
Only after the guests had gone far did Lin Shengli and Li Taohong suggest taking their daughter back home for a visit.
This had been agreed upon earlier when the in-laws came over in the morning, so Hu Xiu smiled and said, “You should go back and take a look. Since it’s rare for you to return, stay a couple of extra days.”
But Lin Ting shook her head. “I’ll be back tonight. How could you manage the children all by yourself?”
With that, without waiting for her mother-in-law to say more, she went into the bedroom and picked up the small bundle she had packed the night before.
Inside were gifts she had bought for her family in Hu Shi.
At the same time.
In Rongcheng.
After four and a half months.
Huo Xiao, who had completed his mission at the cost of a gunshot wound to his shoulder, finally returned to the troop.
He didn’t rush to the medical station to change his bandages, nor did he have time to explain to his astonished comrades why he had returned from the dead. Instead, he headed straight to the brigade commander’s office to report on his mission.
After all, he was eager to contact his family. Although faking his death for the mission had been a last resort and a hasty decision, his mother, unaware of the truth, must have been deeply grieved.
And then there was his newlywed wife…
At this thought, the cold-eyed man pursed his lips, a flicker of guilt appearing in his narrow, deep-set eyes.
Ignoring the doctor’s advice, he endured the burning pain in his shoulder and broke into a run.
But he never expected someone to be even more anxious than he was.
Just as the tall, slender man appeared at the door of his superior’s office, Wei, the brigade commander—who had been startled several times by his own wife—was already urgently slapping the telephone. “Hurry, hurry! Call home and let them know you’re safe. You can’t let such a good wife get away.”
Huo Xiao…?
Wei didn’t notice his prized subordinate’s stunned and bewildered expression and added with a chuckle, “You lucky rascal, that wife of yours adores you so much.”
Huo Xiao…???