After Little Qi left, the family gathered together to read the letter.
Nan Sheng opened it and noticed that Lin Han had improved significantly—this time, he had actually filled most of the page.
Both Sizhe and Nan Sheng could read, leaving Siqi the only one anxiously asking, "Mom! Brother! What did Dad write in the letter?"
Nan Sheng pinched her daughter's lips into a duck-like shape. "No more noise. Let me finish reading first, then I'll tell you."
She felt happy for Lin Han in her heart. This time, instead of rushing home impulsively, he had secured a spot for military academy training. How impressive!
Unconsciously, it seemed she had altered the fates of quite a few people.
After reading the letter, Sizhe looked even more excited than Nan Sheng. Though he didn’t recognize every word, he still understood what Lin Han had written.
He stared eagerly at Nan Sheng and asked, "Mom, after Dad finishes his training, will he get promoted again?"
Nan Sheng confirmed his guess. "Improving his education is a good thing. The army will surely prioritize him for promotions in the future."
Sizhe didn’t really care how high his father could climb—he just thought his dad was amazing, absolutely amazing!
Siqi joined in the cheering.
"Then, Mom, when Dad comes back, will we go with him to live on the base?"
Sizhe wanted to live with his father, but the letter mentioned that Nan Sheng’s work arrangements might take a long time to settle. He worried she wouldn’t want to go.
Nan Sheng didn’t answer, only ruffled her son’s hair. She needed time to think it over.
Especially the last line of the letter—it had moved her. A husband who respected and supported his partner so much was truly rare.
Sizhe took his sister to deliver ice to their grandparents and share the good news about Lin Han’s training.
When they arrived, they found Grandma had fallen ill, with Aunt Lin Xue and Aunt Zhou Wei taking care of her.
He rushed home to tell Nan Sheng, who immediately packed half a bag of mung bean cakes and a jar of canned fruit before heading to the old house with her son.
Inside, Siqi had already climbed onto the kang, fussing over Fan Shuting, who looked pale and occasionally dry-heaved—just like Grandma Zhong a few days earlier.
Lin Xue, noticing Nan Sheng had only brought mung bean cakes and canned fruit, scowled. "Mom’s suffering from heatstroke. Shouldn’t you have brought all the ice from home?"
Nan Sheng shot her a glance. "Shut up, unless you want a slap."
Lin Xue clamped her mouth shut. She wasn’t foolish enough to invite a beating.
Nan Sheng placed the items beside her mother-in-law, speaking gently. "Mother, these mung bean cakes in oiled paper might help ease your symptoms. Rest well, and send Sizhong to fetch me if you need anything."
Fan Shuting weakly acknowledged. Her daughter-in-law had been cold toward her for a while, so this visit was unexpected.
After exchanging a brief greeting with Zhou Wei, Nan Sheng turned to leave. She’d fulfill her duties as a daughter-in-law, but personal care was out of the question.
She hadn’t skipped a single day delivering ice to the old house. Why Fan Shuting had heatstroke? Lin Xue knew full well.
Zhou Wei didn’t dare ask Nan Sheng to stay and help. Besides, with the gifts Nan Sheng brought, she already looked inadequate in comparison.
When the Lin men returned from work that evening, they sensed something odd about the sky—it felt like rain, but none dared say for sure.
Back home, Lin Guozheng learned his wife had fallen ill. She’d felt unwell since noon but toughed it out to cook, not wanting to worry him.
Furious, he lashed out at Lin Xue. "What good are you, lazing around at home? You don’t work, and your mother even minds your kids! If you hadn’t hogged all the ice, she wouldn’t have collapsed!"
Eldest Brother Lin hurried over and, though displeased with his sister, kept silent, only asking Fan Shuting if she felt better.
With ice and mung bean water, Fan Shuting’s symptoms had eased, though she remained weak. "Don’t worry, I’m much better now, thanks to your wife’s care."
Lin Xue defended herself. "Dad, how can you blame me? I was heartbroken seeing Mom like this—I took care of her all afternoon! You should be scolding Second Sister-in-law. She just glanced at Mom and left!"
Fan Shuting cut her off. "I’m not dying. With you and Eldest Sister-in-law here, it’s enough. Besides, she brought mung bean cakes and canned fruit—that’s plenty filial."
Children’s circumstances differed; she couldn’t hold them to the same standard. This arrangement worked: Second Daughter-in-law contributed goods, Eldest Daughter-in-law provided labor. She had no complaints.
As for the third son’s family, she’d long given up hope—just staying out of their way was enough.
Seeing the items on the kang, Lin Guozheng knew his wife spoke true. Lin Han’s wife was never stingy, even when at odds with them.
She never skipped formalities, even sending Sizhe daily with ice.
The night was anything but peaceful.
The stifling heat made sleep impossible. Just as everyone began to drift off, a thunderclap jolted them awake.
Light sleepers opened their eyes, wondering if they’d imagined it—until lightning streaked across the sky, confirming it was real.
Huai Mountain County finally showed signs of rain.
Amid the hopes of thousands, near midnight, raindrops began to fall—onto mountains, fields, riverbeds, and into the hearts of the people.
Awakened by the noise, Sizhe made a wish: "Please keep lightning far from Mom. Forget everything I said before—it was nonsense."
Hearing the villagers’ cheers, Nan Sheng smiled faintly, pulling Siqi closer in case the thunder startled her. The little girl nuzzled into her mother’s arms and slept soundly.
The rain poured all night. Nan Sheng braved the downpour to reach the town office.
She arrived half an hour late, but Secretary Ma didn’t mind. Everyone’s faces glowed with joy.
After the rain, the outdoor temperature gradually normalized—still warm, but bearable.
With little ice left at the factory, Secretary Ma decided to distribute the remaining stock to villages at once, reducing workload. He hoped Nan Sheng could now focus on Xiaoling Village.
He held high hopes for the fruit trees. The saplings, prepared by higher authorities, came at a symbolic cost.
A few days later, Huai Mountain County welcomed a second rainfall—marking the official end of the drought.
