Two years later, China‘s first nuclear submarine completed its initial underwater test dive. The trial was a complete success, and the submarine was officially incorporated into the navy’s combat sequence and entered service.
This project was a top-level national defense secret and was not publicly disclosed until over a decade later.
Having completed this phase of his mission, Su Jue chose to quietly transfer back to the Capital’s Naval Directly Affiliated Research Institute to reunite with his family.
That same year, Su Li started attending the military district’s kindergarten.
Liu Feng’s leg had recovered significantly. Though there was still a slight difference from a normal walking posture, his basic mobility had been restored.
Xu Yueyun and Su Bingcheng were getting older and could no longer travel back and forth between the capital and the island.
After Su Li started kindergarten, the two elderly people returned the island house and moved back to the capital with Sister Yu’s family.
A few more years passed. Linlin graduated from elementary school, and Jiang Chengzhou started high school.
During the summer break, although Lin Zhilan didn’t have to go to school to teach, the school assigned several students to shadow her in the traditional Chinese medicine clinic. She had to work and teach at the same time.
Su Jue sent a letter from the island, inviting Lin Zhilan’s family to visit the capital.
But he knew the nature of Su Lang and Lin Zhilan’s work, so he said that if they were too busy, he could come and pick up the children.
Lin Zhilan and Su Lang were about to agree when they received a call from Miao Yue.
Chen Jing had retired the previous year.
Lin Zhilan always sent gifts to Chen Jin and Zheng Hui during holidays, mostly common dried seafood from the coast, along with some tonics for the elderly.
Chen Jin and Zheng Hui felt they only held the titles of Lin Zhilan’s godparents without really helping her much.
Besides, as Zhouxin County was inland, items like dried abalone, dried scallops, and kelp were rare delicacies—hard to come by.
They had nothing impressive to offer, so every year they smoked some cured meat and ribs for her.
Now that Chen Jin was retired, he couldn’t sit still.
Knowing his goddaughter was well off, he realized she wouldn’t be interested in a little pocket money from him.
Last winter, Chen Jin decided to go into the mountains to catch some forest frogs for Lin Zhilan and make her some snow frog oil.
Snow frog oil has a sweet, slightly salty nature and a mild warmth. It is good for conditions like physical weakness, postpartum deficiency, and lack of vitality after childbirth, serving as a warming tonic.
As a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, Lin Zhilan knew better than anyone how to take care of herself.
Chen Jin had heard by word of mouth that snow frog oil was beneficial for women. Since it was a local specialty unavailable in the south, he wanted to get some for her.
Catching forest frogs required waiting until the temperature dropped, as that was when they migrated in large numbers from the mountains to stream valleys for winter.
The frogs were attracted to light, so he had to go at night with a flashlight along the shallow streams.
Chen Jin had a military background and always considered himself physically strong—unwilling to admit defeat.
But on that trip to catch frogs, he fell and broke his leg.
He forbade his family from telling Lin Zhilan. He ended up catching no frogs and could only send her some cured meat instead.
Miao Yue only called this time after Chen Jin’s fracture had healed to explain what had happened.
Having lived on the island so long for Lin Zhilan, time felt slow. Only the gradual aging of the elderly and the growth of the children reminded her of its passage.
Hearing about Chen Jin’s fracture, Lin Zhilan anxiously asked about his current condition.
When she learned he had fully recovered, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Miao Yue then asked about Linlin.
Chen Dongfeng worked at the local police station, with Zhou Chen as his superior now.
Knowing the inside story, Chen Dongfeng never brought it up at work.
Zhou Chen, however, found him awkward and specifically sought him out about it.
After learning that Zhou Chen had cleared the air with Lin Zhilan, Chen Dongfeng felt much more at ease.
When Miao Yue mentioned Zhou Chen, Lin Zhilan fell silent for a moment.
Linlin had just graduated from elementary school.
Lin Zhilan and Su Lang had decided back then tell Linlin the truth about Zhou Chen after her elementary school graduation.
But the couple worried about the psychological impact on their daughter. Zhou Chen himself was no longer in a rush. In fact, he had taken the initiative to tell them that the current situation was fine.
Linlin now had a good relationship with him. With Lin Zhilan’s help, they had become pen pals.
Linlin often shared her life with him and wrote to him every time she won an award.
Zhou Chen feared that if Linlin found out the truth, she would become distant.
Nevertheless, Lin Zhilan felt it was time to tell Linlin.
Lin Zhiran was something of a celebrity on the island; it was easy for anyone to pry into her personal affairs.
It was better to sit down with Linlin and have an open, honest talk than for her to hear it from someone else.
After chatting with Miao Yue for a while, Lin Zhilan hung up and went home.
Linlin was doing her homework.
Since childhood, her dream had been to build airplanes, and that hadn’t changed.
With Su Jue as her uncle, she had access not only to articles and magazines on aviation knowledge but also to extra math and physics assignments he set for her.
Linlin had many interests and wanted to try everything. Lin Zhilan wanted her to explore them all.
Linlin was good-looking, with long arms and legs.
The military’s art troupe had a youth training program. The dance program started early, recruiting children aged 8 to 10.
Division Commander Qin’s wife worked in the art troupe and had approached Lin Zhilan, asking if she wanted Linlin to join the youth class.
Lin Zhilan didn’t say yes or no but took Linlin to visit the troupe.
Linlin weren’t very interested in dance, but she learned to play the flute from the older members and could play a few revolutionary songs.
However, after Su Jue sent more books over the past two years, Linlin set aside the flute. Only drawing remained as a hobby, and that was only because Su Jue insisted she learn how to create technical drawings.
Linlin had been pampered by her parents while growing up, but when it came to studying, the girl showed remarkable tenacity.
Jiang Chengzhou worried that his sister would become a bookworm like Li Xuan, so he often coaxed her out to play.
Li Xuan, on the other hand, was quite pleased about it, feeling that Linlin should have been his sister.
While Linlin was doing homework, Jiang Chengzhou was doing push-ups nearby, with Su Li counting for him.
Seeing Lin Zhilan return, Su Li immediately forgot his counting task and rushed over like a cannonball. “Mom!”
Lin Zhilan quickly raised her hand to stop him. “Hold on, hold on. Look at you, all sweaty. Are you going to wipe it all over me again?”
Su Li giggled. “Mom, I want a popsicle!”
“Okay, you can go buy one later.”
Su Li cheered.
Lin Zhilan put her index finger to her lips. “Shh. Your sister is still doing her homework. We need to talk quietly.”
Su Li nodded dramatically.
Jiang Chengzhou finished his 50 push-ups and stood up, his arms supporting his weight.
He grabbed a towel draped over the chair back and wiped his face carelessly. “Aunt, Yan Yuan brought over a big conch today. I want to eat sliced conch.”
