“Why so surprised?” Zhao Fengying sat up, patting her husband’s back while chiding him.
It’s because what you said was too shocking, Wei Tao grumbled inwardly after a long bout of coughing.
If this really happened, where would he find a wife to compensate Huo Xiao when that kid returned?
Although for the sake of the nation, soldiers had prepared for all possibilities of sacrifice when accepting missions.
But that was only as a last resort.
However… Wei Tao placed the tea mug on the bedside table, tucked his coatless wife back under the covers, and lay down himself before casually asking: “Why bring this up suddenly? Weren’t you quite fond of that kid Huo Xiao before?”
It’s only been four months, and you’re already arranging for his wife to remarry?
Zhao Fengying sighed: “I still admire him now, but we have to be reasonable. If Lin Ting had been living in the Family Compound from the beginning, the organization would have probably arranged matchmaking for her already. Everyone does this… Besides, I’m not suggesting Xiao Lin remarry right now. Wasn’t I just discussing the Dragon and Phoenix Twins situation with you first?”
That made sense, but Huo Xiao hadn’t sacrificed himself. Wei Tao felt terribly stifled inside, yet couldn’t explain it to his wife, so he could only roll over irritably, turning his back to her.
Zhao Fengying was puzzled: “Hey! We’re talking here.”
Wei Tao: “Let’s discuss it later. I’m tired.”
“Hey, you old man.”Zhao Fengying punched her husband in dissatisfaction.”
Wei Tao remained silent, his mind beginning to ponder.
It had already been four months. According to multiple pre-mission calculations, Huo Xiao should be returning soon.
Sigh… If he doesn’t come back soon, his wife will have remarried.
And it might even be his own wife who arranged the match.
How terrifying!
In the adjacent bedroom next door.
Lin Ting had no idea she had become the central topic of the Brigade Commander couple’s conversation.
For her, this trip could be considered quite successful.
The most troublesome issue of train tickets had been resolved, with departure scheduled for tomorrow at 5 PM.
Brigade Commander Wei said he would arrange for a guard to take her to the train station.
Otherwise, the half-day journey would require two days of transfers if she went alone.
This time Lin Ting didn’t refuse – the return trip’s luggage would be too heavy for her to carry alone.
Everything… was moving in a positive direction.
Feeling relieved, Lin Ting relaxed and caught up on some sleep.
Of course, she didn’t feel comfortable sleeping too long.
Before resting, she borrowed an alarm clock and woke up at 4 PM to help her sister-in-law prepare dinner.
“You look much better after that sleep – your complexion is rosy, unlike this morning when you were deathly pale.” Zhao Fengying happened to be coming indoors and, upon seeing her, examined her carefully before nodding with satisfaction.
Lin Ting smiled in response: “I can go home tomorrow, so I’m happy and slept well.”
Zhao Fengying set her vegetable basket on the floor, fetched a washing basin from the kitchen, and said: “It’s still too rushed. This trip will take you nearly ten days again, and you haven’t fully recovered. You really should rest a few more days.”
“My family must be worried. I can rest after returning home too.” Lin Ting brought over a small stool and sat down to help with the preparations: “Small Green Vegetables can still grow in this weather?”
Zhao Fengying sorted through the somewhat malnourished green leaves and smiled: “We covered them with Rice Straw, but they don’t grow well. We’re just eating them for freshness.”
Lin Ting: “What are we making with these?”
Zhao Fengying: “Didn’t I soak peanuts this morning? I got a few ounces of Soybean Oil from the kitchen squad recently. How about cooking vegetable porridge for dinner and steaming a couple of Sweet Potatoes?”
Lin Ting: “That sounds good.”
To be honest, just having that soybean oil was already considered extravagant.
Only a family with the Brigade Commander’s means could afford such refinements.
Of course, her presence was undoubtedly a factor too, which was Lin Ting’s main reason for wanting to leave quickly.
“By the way, you’ll pass through Hu Shi on your way back, right?” After some more casual chatter, Zhao Fengying asked as if suddenly remembering something.
Lin Ting: “Yes, according to the train schedule, I’ll have a day and a half layover in Hu Shi.”
Zhao Fengying: “You should take the opportunity to look around then. Really, it’s not easy to travel this far. Many things in Hu Shi don’t require ration coupons, and prices are cheaper than here. I heard they’ve even come out with some kind of shampoo specifically for washing hair. It might seem a bit fancy, but with your long hair, soap is hard to use and rice water doesn’t clean well. You should go check it out.”
Admittedly, Lin Ting glanced at the thick, dark hair falling before her and felt genuinely tempted.
She’d always cared about her appearance. Back when she was 28 or 29, her skin remained fair and smooth – besides good genes, this was thanks to careful maintenance.
Her current good complexion relied entirely on youth, which might not last in a few years.
Maybe she really should take this chance to look?
Though it probably wouldn’t be cheap, the original owner had brought her wedding betrothal gifts, plus the dowry from her parents. She should be able to afford Xuehua Gao, toothpaste, shampoo… right?
No, better not think too hard about it – the more she thought, the more depressing it became, having to scrimp even on toothpaste.
But she was now Lin Ting of the late 1960s.
So… she had to adapt! She had to get used to it!
Looks like earning money needed to be put on the agenda too.
But… would shopping at a time like this be inappropriate?
What would her mother-in-law think?
And villages had no secrets.
The moment she started using new products, the whole village would probably know…
Indeed, villages had no secrets.
Especially after the loudspeaker had been broadcasting for two straight hours.
Not just the entire Xiangyang Brigade, but even neighboring Production Teams had heard everything clearly.
So it turned out the Huo family’s young daughter-in-law hadn’t run away – she’d gone to collect her husband Huo Xiao’s belongings from his troop.
While Secretary Wang’s approach might seem excessive, it had effectively quelled the rumors in the shortest time possible.
At least now when villagers mentioned Lin Ting, it wasn’t with contempt but rather admiration for her loyalty.
Of course, while many believed, some remained skeptical.
They just didn’t dare voice their doubts openly under the watchful eyes of Old Secretary and Secretary Wang.
Wang Xiuqin, having lived an extra lifetime, was the only one who firmly refused to believe.
According to her memories from her previous life, that wretched woman Lin Ting had taken the money and run, never to return.
Though at this point in her last life, she’d already been married herself, so she wasn’t sure if there had been any broadcast announcements.
Thinking of this, Wang Xiuqin sighed again at her miserable fate.
She’d lived to thirty, given birth to three worthless girls without a single son, constantly tormented by her husband and mother-in-law.
One night during heavy snowfall, weak and frail, she’d been driven out by that old hag to fetch the barefoot doctor.
On the way, the world spun around her – she didn’t even know where she fell. When she regained consciousness, she’d returned to being 20 years old.
But her timing hadn’t been ideal.
Because Huo Xiao and Lin Ting had already been married for three days.
Just three days too late!
If she’d returned a few days earlier, that wretched woman Lin Ting would never have had the chance to marry into the Huo family.
But it’s not too late now. She watched coldly, waiting for Lin Ting to run off with the money just as she had in her previous life.
Meanwhile, she made time to visit the Huo family whenever possible.
Since Aunt Hu Xiu had chosen Lin Ting as her daughter-in-law, she would surely choose her too.
As long as she was considerate and filial, she would eventually become a general’s wife.
The thought of the heights Huo Xiao had reached in her past life set Wang Xiuqin’s heart ablaze.
“Where are you going again? Can’t you see it’s snowing outside?” Zhao Sanni’s face darkened when she saw her daughter with a basket on her arm, dressed to go out.
She thought to herself that the girl had been like a soul possessed lately, never staying home, and who knew what she was up to.
Zhao Sanni was very thin, almost emaciated.
Her leanness made her face appear gaunt, and her already long features looked even more severe.
In truth, she wasn’t a bad person and was quite upright, but her face was intimidating. Even Wang Xiuqin had been afraid of her in the past.
But after a lifetime of battling a malicious mother-in-law, such a cold expression meant nothing to her now.
Casually adjusting the basket on her arm, Wang Xiuqin smiled sweetly. “I’m going to chat with Aunt Xiu. She’s been feeling down lately, and I think she’s quite pitiful. Since I’ll be stitching shoe soles anyway, I might as well keep her company and help lift her spirits.”
Suspicious, Zhao Sanni stepped forward, lifted the cloth covering the basket, and rummaged through it. Only after confirming it held nothing but layered soles did she ask, puzzled, “Since when have you gotten so close to Aunt Xiu? I thought you couldn’t stand listening to her chatter…”
Aunt Xiu had finally found a bit of hope—she worried her sharp-tongued daughter might say something careless and upset her…
Wang Xiuqin thought to herself that she still couldn’t stand the chatter, but wasn’t she trying to win over her future mother-in-law?
Oh, and she had also tucked two pieces of candy in her pocket to sweeten the twins. These were all opportunities to make a good impression.
Wang Xiuqin firmly believed that as long as she won over every member of the Huo family, Huo Xiao would surely marry her.
After all, that wretched woman Lin Ting had entered the Huo family the same way.
If she didn’t seize this chance to offer charcoal in snowy weather—so to speak—she’d be a fool.
Of course, she couldn’t reveal these thoughts.
With that, Wang Xiuqin ignored her mother’s questioning, adjusted her ear muffs, and pushed the door open.
In mere moments, she vanished into the swirling snow.
Her retreating figure looked unmistakably eager.
Zhao Sanni grew even more uneasy.
She knew her own daughter well—and she wasn’t being unfair.
To put it nicely, the girl was quick-witted; to put it bluntly, she was unreasonable and loved taking advantage of others. She’d been like this since childhood, and no amount of correction had changed her.
This sudden change in behavior naturally made her mother suspicious.
Could she be using Aunt Xiu as an excuse to secretly meet a beau?
A few months ago, she’d seen her laughing and chatting with the son of the Shanghe Production Brigade’s accountant.
That boy was so spoiled he couldn’t tell his left from his right—completely unmanly. How could he be a good husband?
Especially since none of the elders in his family were easy to deal with. If her daughter married into that family, wouldn’t she be ground to dust?
No, the more she thought about it, the more worried she became. Zhao Sanni untied her apron and hurried back to her room.
In the dim room, Wang Liujin, who was lounging on the kang and smoking a pipe, saw his wife’s flustered appearance and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Zhao Sanni pulled on a heavy coat. “Nothing. Just going out for a walk.”
Wang Liujin glanced back at the goose-feather snowflakes drifting outside the window, even more puzzled. “At this hour?”
Zhao Sanni, in a less-than-pleasant mood, retorted sharply, “Must you talk so much? I’m leaving!”
With that, she snatched up her sewing basket and strode briskly outside without waiting for her husband’s reaction.
As she pushed open the main door, she seemed to remember something and turned back to shout, “I buried a few sweet potatoes in the stove pit—they’re ready to eat. Hurry up and dig them out!”
The sound of her voice faded just as the wooden door creaked shut.
Wang Liujin muttered “This woman…” under his breath before slumping back onto the kang.
Then he called toward the west room, “Third Kid, your mother wants you…”