Xiao Mandong spotted Sun Wenbin in the crowd at a glance. Their eyes met, and Xiao Mandong felt as if the air had solidified.
There was a faint smile on Sun Wenbin's lips. He nodded at Xiao Mandong. In Xiao Mandong's eyes, Sun Wenbin's smile was like a venomous snake spitting out its forked tongue, making her feel a chill run down her spine.
The on - looking crowd dispersed, each with their own thoughts. The two sisters also left while chatting.
"Manxue, you're going to school in a couple of days. Don't trust anyone at school. Don't be so meek and let others take advantage of you. We're no worse than anyone else. I can't always be by your side to protect you. You need to know that one wrong step could lead to a lifetime of regret. Although you're already eighteen, I hope you won't fall in love at school. Study hard at school and let yourself grow. Only after graduation can you get a good job and have a better future."
Xiao Mandong had done her best to change Xiao Manxue's fate in her past life. If she was still as cowardly as before, Xiao Mandong couldn't do anything about it. She could only say that she had really tried her best.
"Sister, I know. Don't worry. I'll never let others bully me like before. This is the opportunity you've earned for me with your merit in saving Deputy Commander Shen. I'll definitely not let you down. You also need to take care of yourself."
Xiao Manxue wiped her tears with her sleeve. She knew that her sister had used such great merit to get this opportunity for her, and she would surely cherish it. In fact, Xiao Manxue had always been aware of her own personality problems. She cared too much about what others thought of her and had a bit of a people - pleasing personality. Xiao Manxue swore that she would definitely let her sister see her change.
Xiao Mandong stopped and wiped the tears from Xiao Manxue's face.
"Tell me if anything happens. Send letters to the hospital for now. I'll tell you my new address after my internship. No matter who comes to you, even if they say I'm dead or sick, for any reason, don't leave school..." Xiao Mandong nagged on and on.
Xiao Manxue nodded vigorously.
Soon they returned to the stone house. Zhou Qichuan was waiting for them at the door.
"I heard you were back. For your safety, you two can stay at my place tonight. I'll stay at your place."
Before Xiao Mandong could figure out how to bring it up, Zhou Qichuan proposed it on his own. So, this was the high - level awareness of a soldier.
"Thank you, Company Commander Zhou. I'll go back home first and check if anyone has entered. I'll come to your place for dinner later."
After saying that, Xiao Mandong patted the bamboo basket on her back to show Zhou Qichuan that she had a lot of delicious food.
"Okay." Zhou Qichuan wasn't polite either and followed the two sisters into the yard.
"Sister, look, there's a piece of streaky pork here."
Xiao Mandong stepped forward, picked up the meat, and examined it. She clearly saw the white powder in the meat.
There was medicine in the meat. She guessed that Sun Wenbin wanted to kill Diandian. Fortunately, she had sent Diandian to Zhou Qichuan's place.
Xiao Mandong checked the inside and outside of the house again and found no signs of anyone entering.
"His leg is badly injured. It's probably inconvenient for him to climb over the wall and escape, so he didn't enter the house for now. He just wanted to take revenge and harm Diandian."
Zhou Qichuan whispered his analysis of why Sun Wenbin hadn't come.
Xiao Mandong agreed with Zhou Qichuan's idea.
"Then you also need to be careful today. What if he gets desperate when he sees us back?"
Zhou Qichuan waved his hand indifferently. "Don't worry. It's very likely that he won't come. He's probably worried that your sudden return is a trap."
"Sister, what are you talking about?" Xiao Manxue curiously leaned in.
"We're saying that someone wants to harm Diandian. We're staying at Company Commander Zhou's place tonight, and we'll leave him here to catch the dog - thief."
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Xiao Mandong opened the door and saw it was Huang Chunxing, the wife of Zhao Laosi, holding a basket in her hand.
"Auntie, come in and sit. What's the matter?"
Huang Chunxing glanced at the yard and whispered, "I have something to tell you."
Xiao Mandong quickly invited Huang Chunxing into the house, told Xiao Manxue to go home with Zhou Qichuan, heat up the food they bought at the state - owned restaurant, and that she would come for dinner soon.
After closing the door, Huang Chunxing began carefully.
"The day before yesterday, my husband left his sickle on the mountain when he went up. He only remembered it when it was getting dark. When he went back to look for it, he suddenly had diarrhea, so he found a place to relieve himself."
Huang Chunxing told the story in great detail. Xiao Mandong knew she wouldn't come for no reason. There must be something, so she didn't interrupt and listened attentively.
"Guess what he saw? That Wang, the sent - down youth, and Sun, the sent - down youth, were having an affair."
"You mean Wang Yuanyuan and Sun Wenbin?"
"Yes, it's them. You don't know. They're together. Oh, that Wang Yuanyuan looks like a gentle and refined girl, but I didn't expect her to be so promiscuous. Tsk - tsk... My husband said she was making such loud noises. Well, my husband even wanted me to learn from her when he got home. You know how old I am. It really annoyed me..."
Xiao Mandong forced a smile. Only then did Huang Chunxing realize she had gone off - topic and quickly shut up.
"Look at my mouth. It just doesn't listen. Don't mind me, okay?"
"Sun Wenbin is quite strong physically. It lasted almost twenty minutes. My husband's legs were numb from squatting. He almost sat in his own feces. Then he heard Sun, the sent - down youth, talking with Wang, the sent - down youth, about you. He asked Wang if she had found out where the Xiao family was sent down. Wang said her aunt didn't know at all. Then Sun asked about your father's and uncles' names, and Wang told him all of them. Sun said he would find someone to check it himself and told Wang not to worry about it."
"My husband thought that since they could do such immoral things, they must not be good people. He didn't know what bad things they were up to, so he sent me to remind you."
"I see. Thank you, Auntie. How is Uncle's leg recovering?"
"It's recovering really well. It's really thanks to you that my husband's life was saved. I have two unmarried sons at home, and our family's financial condition is not good. I don't know what to thank you with. So, I've saved up some eggs. Please don't mind."
With that, Huang Chunxing lifted the cloth covering the basket, which contained about twenty - odd eggs. Xiao Mandong felt warm inside. Actually, she didn't expect any rewards, but she still hoped that her good deeds would be reciprocated.
Xiao Mandong knew how vicious the spy was and was afraid of implicating Auntie Huang. She carefully chose her words.
"Auntie, have you told anyone about this?"
"No, we didn't dare to. We didn't know what he wanted with your family, so we've been waiting for you to come back and tell you."
"Auntie, let me tell you. That Sun Wenbin is extremely cruel. Don't tell anyone about this, or your whole family might be in trouble."
Huang Chunxing was so scared that she quickly covered her mouth. "Okay, I know. I won't tell anyone, won't tell anyone."
