Several people congratulated Zhu Jinghui—no wonder he'd been grinning ear to ear since coming downstairs. "Where has your wife been assigned to work?"
"The supply and marketing cooperative, and it's a lucrative position too. Worth the long wait we endured."
Li Gongliang couldn't hide his envy. "If only my wife could get assigned a job soon. She’s bored out of her mind staying home all day."
Lin Han disagreed. "Female comrades work hard too—washing clothes, cooking meals. With three kids at home, your wife hardly has time to idle."
Li Gongliang flushed awkwardly. "You’re right, Brother Lin. That was narrow-minded of me."
To lighten the mood, Zhu Jinghui changed the subject. "Heard there’s a new mission from higher-ups, and the secrecy level is high. Wonder who the regimental commander will assign."
For them, missions meant dancing on the edge of death. Who wouldn’t fear it?
But if they didn’t follow orders, who would safeguard the nation’s security? How else could they support their families? Lin Han had once taken on dangerous missions relentlessly just to earn extra bonuses, accumulating military merits in the process.
"Lin Han, are you going?"
Whenever Zhang Yiheng carried out missions with Lin Han, he felt an unparalleled sense of security—Lin Han was experienced and meticulous.
"If both of us get selected, let’s team up again?"
"I’ll follow Regimental Commander Ye’s orders. It’s up to him whether I go or not."
Li Gongliang, however, was eager to prove himself. "I hope they pick me this time."
Back home, Nan Sheng stewed pork bones and braised two pig’s trotters. When Lin Han mentioned how the kids downstairs always craved meat, Nan Sheng chuckled.
"Let’s send them a bowl later. Sister-in-law often shares vegetables with us."
Both were busy, and their small vegetable plot had been neglected—weeds now outnumbered the crops.
Just then, a knock came at the door. It was Li Gongliang’s wife, Yuying. "Battalion Commander Lin, since you weren’t home earlier, I collected a letter for you. Looks like it’s from your hometown."
Lin Han thanked her, unaware that Yuying’s eyes burned with jealousy the moment she turned away. They eat meat every day—why don’t they just choke on it!
At home, Li Gongliang acted like a lord, doing no chores, waiting to be served—even his meals had to be dished out and chopsticks placed in his hand.
"Did you deliver the letter?"
Yuying scowled. "Yes. And they’re stewing meat again? Even landlords in the old days didn’t eat like this. Isn’t this bourgeois decadence?"
"Shut your mouth!" Li Gongliang snapped. "This is a military zone. Don’t spout that poisonous nonsense, or I’ll strangle you!"
The leadership had explicitly warned against disrupting harmony in the ranks—offenders would be expelled immediately.
Yuying shrank back, too terrified to speak. Over the past two years, she’d been beaten often, and her husband forbade her from crying aloud, threatening to send her back to their village if outsiders found out.
The thought only deepened her resentment toward their youngest daughter.
After dinner, Lin Han brought a bowl of meat downstairs. Zhang Yiheng was sheepish. "I was just making small talk earlier—you didn’t have to actually bring us food."
"Take it. I need to get back. It’s not for you anyway—let the kids have a taste."
Hua Fen quickly washed the bowl and handed it back. "Lin Han, thank your wife for us, will you?"
Once Lin Han left, the couple exchanged whispers. "Ever since his wife joined him here, Lin Han’s become more easygoing—even talks more."
That evening, Lin Han finally opened the letter. It was from his mother, Fan Shuting, who only mentioned matters concerning Sun Qian’s family and briefly asked if they’d settled in well. Nan Sheng thought it a waste of postage.
"No wonder your letters to me were so short—guess it runs in the family?"
Lin Han smiled sheepishly. Truthfully, he had countless questions but feared getting no reply.
"While writing back, return the gift money and add ten extra yuan for the elders. Don’t let them keep covering expenses for us."
Lin Han nodded. His parents didn’t want him meddling in family affairs, so he’d pretend not to know.
Nan Sheng suddenly remembered something. "Last year, your younger brother borrowed money from me for grain and never paid it back. Remind me later. And let’s set a rule: no more loans until old debts are settled."
Lin Han agreed without hesitation. His wife was principled and fair—he just had to follow her lead.
The break was fleeting. Recharged, they returned to work.
"This border support mission is critical. If tensions escalate, war could break out. Be mentally prepared."
Upon arriving at the base, officers at battalion commander level and above were summoned to a meeting chaired by Division Commander Yao, who briefed them on the latest developments.
"The roster is finalized and will be announced shortly. The nation’s dignity and territorial defense rest on your shoulders. Come back alive!"
"Yes, sir! Mission first!"
Surprisingly, Lin Han wasn’t on the list this time. Both Zhang Yiheng and Li Gongliang were selected and began preparations.
Zhang Yiheng sought out Lin Han. "Brother, this mission’s urgent and could take a while. I’d appreciate it if you and your wife could keep an eye on my family."
Lin Han didn’t hesitate. "Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered."
Meanwhile, Nan Sheng was in Yannan Village, investigating a report that a "sent-down" resident had stolen collective grain.
She’d agreed to go partly because she recalled Liu Yun being assigned there. Of all people, it had to be her again—what cursed luck.
"Director Nan, sent-down individuals are only allowed two bowls of gruel a day—your own rule! Yet over twenty pounds of flour were found in her place. She must have stolen it!"
Nan Sheng glanced at Liu Yun, still forced to kneel in humiliation.
"Village head, was anything reported missing from the collective stores or any households?"
The Yannan Village head replied promptly, "No losses at the granary, and no villagers complained of theft."
Everyone knew Director Nan had a temper; no one dared lie.
"Then how do you know Liu Yun ‘hid’ the flour? How do you know it wasn’t hers to begin with?"
The busybody who’d spoken earlier piped up again, eager for credit.
"Director Nan, I found it! I often check the cowshed area. Her door was always locked, so I broke in—and there it was! When she arrived, I saw her with just one bundle. No way she brought flour!"
A relative in Yunshui Village had told her Liu Yun was sent down for adultery. Fearing she’d seduce local men, the woman had kept watch—and struck gold.
Nan Sheng had no patience for this. Her stance was clear: Stop stirring trouble! Stop it! Stop it!
Why were there still fools testing her limits?
