"How did it go?"
"There are a lot of people coming and going at People's Hospital, but to avoid being noticed, we only went to the maternity and pediatric department. We’ll go back in a couple of days."
"Good, hurry up and sketch out the hospital’s layout. We’ll need it for the plan later. The more people, the better—it’ll draw attention. They’d never expect us to strike there."
At the entrance of the nursery school, some children came out happily, while others were crying, their faces smeared like little kittens.
"Grandma!"
"Grandma!"
Dabao and Erbao rushed toward Yang Yufen, who scooped them up and onto the tricycle. The two little ones immediately settled onto their small stools, drawing envious glances from the other children.
Dabao waved at a friend he’d made that day.
"Did you have fun today?"
"Lots of fun!"
"Then Grandma will take you again tomorrow. Did you eat enough at lunch?"
"We ate until we were full!"
Dabao patted his belly but then pouted.
"But now I’m hungry again."
Yang Yufen couldn’t help but laugh.
"Here, one for each of you. Eat this first, and when we get home, Grandma will make you some milk."
She pulled out two peach shortcakes, and Erbao’s eyes lit up.
"Thank you, Grandma!"
Yang Yufen turned to watch the two happily munching on their treats as she pedaled faster.
Back home, Yang Yufen prepared milk for the children and then started cooking.
The two little ones gulped down their milk and began chattering about all the fun things they’d done at school that day.
After failing to intercept someone on her first attempt, Yang Yufen decided not to try again.
Once the children had been attending school for over half a month, she grew accustomed to the quiet house. Their behavior had changed noticeably too—earlier, she’d pick them up after school, but now they walked home together on their own.
Since they were within the compound of the residential area, there was no real risk of anyone kidnapping them. Still, children always had their wild imaginations.
Like today, when the two came back covered in mud, each clutching a handmade bowl.
"Grandma, here! Fire!"
"Fire! Pretty!"
The lopsided clay bowls, neither round nor square, were their latest treasures, and they insisted she bake them in the fire.
"Alright, alright. But first, wash off all that mud—it’s even in your hair! Next time, I’ll just shave your heads to save me the trouble."
Though she grumbled, Yang Yufen still placed the bowls on the stove and prepared water for the kids.
"Waaah—it cracked! My bowl—!"
A heart-wrenching wail erupted when the clay bowl shattered in the fire. Yang Yufen’s heart sank at the sight of the broken lump in the stove.
Dabao’s cries were so loud that even Yaoyao, who had been doing homework next door, came running over. Erbao didn’t wail, but his silent tears were just as heartbreaking.
The day passed in chaos, and as National Day approached, the atmosphere in the residential compound grew tense.
"The logistics director was taken away."
"Director Yi from the logistics department? What about Director Zhao Lian?"
"I just saw Director Zhao rushing off. Rumor has it that Yi Mengling’s workplace called, and then Director Yi was detained."
"Yi Mengling… Sister Yang, do you remember her?"
Yang Yufen was stitching shoe soles—winter was coming, and the children’s shoes needed to be ready.
"Of course. That gossipy girl never seemed like a decent person."
She looked up. Yi Mengling had been the first to cause trouble for her daughter-in-law when they moved into the compound. While others focused on bettering themselves, that girl was always scheming, her eyes constantly darting around.
The next day, Yang Yufen heard the rest of the story.
Zhao Lian, fearing that Yi Mengling’s actions would tarnish her husband’s reputation, had exposed everything the girl had done.
"That Yi girl—trying to climb the social ladder by targeting married men! The wife showed up at her workplace, and in the scuffle, she pushed the woman down. They say she lost the baby. The family has connections, so they came straight here."
With the military parade preparations underway, the city had tightened security.
"Sister, quick! Help! The kid ran off and hit his chin on the steps—it’s split wide open, and the bleeding won’t stop!"
Aunt Liu rushed over, pressing a hand to the child’s bleeding chin.
"Oh no, that’s bad! I’ll watch Dabao and Erbao—you take them to the hospital!" Aunt Wang exclaimed, startled.
Without hesitation, Yang Yufen wheeled out the tricycle. Once they were seated, she pedaled straight to Third People’s Hospital. These days, everyone in the compound was busy except for the women and children without jobs. Aunt Liu had first gone to the clinic, but finding it empty, she’d turned to Yang Yufen for help.
"The cut’s too deep, and there’s gravel inside. We’ll need to clean it thoroughly before stitching. It’ll leave a scar."
"A scar’s fine—it’s under the chin, hardly noticeable. But look how swollen it is! Please hurry, he’s losing so much blood he might faint!"
Aunt Liu stamped her feet anxiously. Only then did Yang Yufen see the wound—the flesh was torn open, no wonder it bled so much.
"Cleaning it will hurt. Someone needs to hold him still."
As the doctor prepared the supplies, Aunt Liu glanced at Yang Yufen—her hands and feet had gone weak.
Understanding, Yang Yufen stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the boy. An eight- or nine-year-old could be as strong as a little bull.
"It’s alright, Grandma Yang’s got you. The doctor will fix you up soon."
She soothed him, and though he whimpered in pain, he knew she meant well. A few times, the pain nearly made him bolt, but Yang Yufen’s firm grip kept him in place.
By the time the stitches were done, the boy was exhausted. Thankfully, it was over.
Learning they were from the research institute’s residential area, the doctor gave them some care instructions before sending them off.
"I need to use the restroom."
Yang Yufen suddenly felt the urge.
"Go ahead, we’ll wait here."
She nodded and hurried toward the bathroom. But as she stepped out, someone bumped into her. Recognizing the face, she nearly gasped—then felt something pressed into her hand. She clenched it tightly.
After the brief encounter, she returned to the tricycle and took Aunt Liu and the child home. Only once inside the compound did she stop.
"What’s wrong? You’re sweating buckets! Are you tired? Let me pedal."
"It’s nothing, just the heat."
Catching her breath, Yang Yufen saw them home before examining what she’d been given—a wax-sealed pellet. After a moment’s thought, she left the compound again, heading straight for the military district.
"I need to see Political Commissar Zhao. I’m Shen Xianjun’s mother, and my daughter-in-law is a researcher at the institute. I have urgent information to report."
