Liu Zhixia had lightness skill.
What would normally take an hour, she shortened to just twenty minutes.
Because of her speed, in two hours she almost completely surveyed the streets and alleys of the county town.
She visited the black market, the pharmacy, and even a small snack shop. She even made a trip to the government compound.
Everything was done silently and without drawing attention.
Along the way, she only inquired about prices of various supplies and medicinal materials.
She did not linger in the county for long.
Looking up at the moonlight in the sky, she sighed inwardly—she had spent too much time.
She needed to return quickly.
At this moment, the Zhou grandfather and grandson trio could no longer sit still and were all standing outside.
Old Master Zhou, afraid of drawing attention, made the father and son sit on the ground.
Zhou Yunting looked at the darkening sky.
A man who had never feared bullets or battlefields now felt a rare trace of unease.
He could no longer sit still and, taking advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention, disappeared into the night like a streak of wind.
At that moment, Liu Zhixia sensed a familiar aura.
She quickly took out the supplies from her space.
Two large bundles appeared in her hands, extremely eye-catching—especially as they nearly buried her slender frame.
From a distance, it looked as if the bundles were walking on their own.
Zhou Yunting’s deep, cold gaze paused for a moment when he saw them.
He thought: the bundles just look big—they probably aren’t heavy.
Liu Zhixia lifted her face from behind the bundles and smiled brightly.
“Zhou Yunting, why did you come out?
This is only the first step of a long journey—you can’t make a mistake so early.
Are you worried about me?”
Zhou Yunting didn’t know how to respond.
For some reason, when she asked if he was worried about her, he couldn’t meet her clear eyes.
He was afraid she would see his nervousness, afraid she would see through him completely.
He replied in a low voice:
“I’m alert. I won’t be discovered.
It’s just… it’s too late.”
Without hesitation, Liu Zhixia handed one of the bundles to him.
The moment he took it, he froze again.
At least a hundred jin.
She had carried more than two hundred jin all the way from the county—and she didn’t even seem out of breath.
Zhou Yunting’s expression turned complicated.
To him, Liu Zhixia was like a mist—every time he thought he understood her, she became even more mysterious.
He did not know that falling in love begins with curiosity, and slowly leads to losing oneself.
Both of them had martial backgrounds, so there was no need to hide.
They moved swiftly back toward home.
Old Master Zhou finally relaxed when he saw them return.
Then his stomach rumbled loudly, breaking the silence.
He coughed awkwardly.
“My stomach’s a bit upset. I’m not hungry, not hungry at all.
Zhixia’s back—that’s good. Rest early.”
But he had already forgotten to ask where all the supplies came from or how she brought them back.
Zhou’s father silently went inside to help organize the goods.
The more he sorted, the more shocked he became.
Where did this girl get all these things?
Don’t tell him she spent all the family money…
The bundles contained:
In this era—especially in the countryside—these things were extremely eye-catching.
Zhou Yunting froze again.
“Comrade Liu Zhixia, where did all these things come from?”
His voice carried a trace of tension.
He was worried she had gotten into danger. He knew these supplies were extremely difficult to obtain through normal channels.
Liu Zhixia’s perception was sharp.
She glanced at the Zhou grandfather and grandson trio.
None of them were looking at the supplies with joy—only concern and disapproval toward her.
That warmth in her heart quietly spread.
A feeling of emotion slowly took root.
She exhaled softly.
Forget it. They were still a family, after all.
Her thoughts had changed.
She no longer wanted to remain detached. If she was going to stay here, she should treat them with equal sincerity.
Even if she and Zhou Yunting would eventually divorce, she would acknowledge this Zhou family.
With a wave of her hand, she produced ten large meat buns.
“Grandpa Zhou, please… reluctantly eat a couple?”
The old man was still slightly annoyed at her recklessness.
But the aroma was too strong.
He swallowed.
She broke one open—the rich meat fragrance instantly filled the air.
“Try one?” she smiled.
In the end, he gave in.
He ate one bun… then another… then a third before finally feeling full.
He stroked an imaginary beard, satisfied beyond words.
Zhou Yunting was slightly stunned at seeing his usually stern grandfather like this.
But he liked this version of him.
He didn’t want the old man to suffer too much because of this crisis.
Their situation would improve.
They had already survived one trap—that meant they were halfway to success.
Looking at the smiling girl in front of his grandfather, for a brief moment he wondered—
Maybe… he could even let go of those old military honors.