Chapter 51: Hidden Connections

It had to be said, the cooking skills of Zhang Guihua and the others were quite impressive, and they were not stingy with the oil.

The stir-fried leeks with cured meat were rich but not greasy, the mushrooms stewed with ribs had bones so tender they fell off with a gentle bite, and the soup they served perfectly offset the saltiness of the cured meat.

Fang Mingxi and Tang Yao ate with restraint. They did not light up at the sight of meat but nibbled carefully, one small bite at a time.

The people at the table could not stop offering them more food, but the girls politely refused, insisting they had had enough. Coordinating silently, they quickly finished a bowl of rice and refused to eat any more, no matter what.

With more than half the food still left, Zhao Hongying and Zhang Guihua could only sigh and let it be.

After the meal, He Yu had no reason to let Fang Mingxi and Tang Yao linger any longer. The whole family packed a few things for them and watched as the girls left.

Each carrying a pouch of sunflower seeds and peanuts, Fang Mingxi and Tang Yao walked a good distance before cautiously speaking up.

“Xixi, do you think we will get in trouble when we go back? We went to someone else’s house to eat without telling Grandma.”

Fang Mingxi deliberately asked, “Sister, what is ‘getting in trouble’?”

Tang Yao blurted, “It is when Grandma Tong hits you on the bottom with a stick.” But her grandmother was such a gentle person; surely she would not hit anyone.

“Grandma would not dare hit me,” Fang Mingxi said confidently. Grandpa and Grandma were already spoiling her; there was no way they would hit her.

But, as it turned out, her confidence was premature.

Holding hands, the two girls walked home, only to run into Wu Meixia and Tong Lingxian at the intersection. Both women were holding a stick, waiting for them.

“Finally, you are back. Come over,” Tong Lingxian called, beckoning.

Fang Mingxi and Tang Yao’s scalps tingled. They resigned themselves and walked over.

Fang Mingxi quickly held out her basket to Tong Lingxian. “Grandma, I found some wild strawberries and wood ear mushrooms.”

Tong Lingxian stared at her, skeptical. “And you went to someone else’s house for a meal, huh?”

Fang Mingxi lowered her head awkwardly. “He Yu invited us to eat.” It was not their idea; they were just too polite to refuse.

Tong Lingxian scowled and yanked Fang Mingxi by the collar, dragging her back home.

“Tonight, Grandma will teach you what it means to follow rules.”

“Grandma—”

Fang Mingxi was dragged along, feeling as if she were facing an enemy. She glared despairingly at Tang Yao, extending a desperate hand.

Save me, Yaoyao! Block the punishment!

Tang Yao failed to catch the signal. Under Wu Meixia’s death glare, she smiled appeasingly.

“Grandma, I brought you some wild strawberries.”

“Come on, back home with me.” Wu Meixia was not buying it and lightly twisted Tang Yao’s ear as she pulled her into the house.

That night, screams of pain and terror echoed from the cattle shed, occasionally punctuated by Tong Lingxian’s scolding and Fang Bo Song’s cries of mercy as he tried to save his granddaughter but got scolded himself.

The next day, when the sisters met again, both had panda eyes. Rubbing their reddened ears, they sat miserably on the field ridge.

Grandma might usually be gentle, but when she laid hands on them, she spared no mercy; their ears were nearly torn off.

They skipped going to the mountain that day, deciding to rest.

Fang Mingxi propped her chin on her hands, half-listening to Tang Yao’s rambling.

Yesterday’s dinner was not a total loss; at least she had gained something.

In the main hall where they ate, a photo on the wall had completely confirmed the Brigade Leader’s identity.

When the Brigade Leader had served in the military, the two characters on his uniform and his special attire marked him unmistakably.

Fang Mingxi concluded that the Brigade Leader must know Grandpa and Grandma. When they were young, they were likely party members, and after the founding of the country, they held fairly high positions.

Now, discovering that the Brigade Leader had also been a soldier, she realized there might be a special connection among the three.

Her eyes lit up. Certain of her deduction, she patted her bottom and dashed into the house.

“Xixi, where are you going?” Tang Yao called.

“To find Grandma.”

“Grandma? Didn’t you say last night that Grandma Tong almost twisted your ears off? And now you are going to find Grandma?” Tang Yao asked, puzzled, withdrawing her gaze.

Inside, Fang Bo Song and Tong Lingxian were tidying up. Seeing Fang Mingxi rush in, both set down what they were holding.

“Xixi, what is wrong?” Fang Bo Song asked.

Fang Mingxi ran up and hugged Tong Lingxian’s legs. “Grandpa, Grandma, a photo. I saw a photo yesterday.”

Fang Bo Song’s eyes filled with question marks. “What photo? Where did you see it?”

“At the Brigade Leader Grandpa’s house. On the wall, many people were standing in a row holding a flag.”

Fang Bo Song and Tong Lingxian exchanged a glance. “What flag? Do you remember what the clothes looked like?”

Fang Mingxi gestured as she described what she had seen. “They wore hats, Grandpa’s kind of shoes, long socks, and held lots of sticks.”

Fang Bo Song’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at his worn cloth shoes. “Are you sure, Xixi? Were there any words on the Brigade Leader’s uniform?”

“Of course there were,” Fang Mingxi pretended to recall, then squatted and drew two numbers with her finger.

“18. The Brigade Leader had these two numbers on his arm. Sister taught me to read ’18’ a few days ago. There were more words after that, but I don’t recognize them.”

Fang Bo Song and Tong Lingxian understood immediately.

Fang Bo Song scooped Fang Mingxi up and praised her. “I understand, Xixi. But you must not tell anyone about this, okay? Not even your sister Yaoyao. Only we know.”

“Yes!” Fang Mingxi, who never spoke much anyway, had successfully passed on the message and ran off with her small stool.

The room fell silent.

Tong Lingxian asked, “Could it be that when the Brigade Leader was young, he served under you?”

She was certain she did not know this person. Most of her comrades had died in battle, and only a few had survived. Among the survivors, none had ties to Yun Province in terms of household registration, family, or children.

Fang Bo Song was uncertain. “I had so many soldiers under me. I could not remember them all. But I am sure I never went to Yun Province. I did go on missions to Chuan Province. Maybe the Brigade Leader served there?”

Judging by how generously the Brigade Leader had helped them, he must have known them from before; otherwise, he would not have secretly given them things.

His behavior over the past few months had far exceeded that of an ordinary Brigade Leader. Who would give so much without leaving a trace if they were not familiar?

They had suspected this from the start but lacked concrete evidence.

Now that they knew about the photo through Xixi, it confirmed that the Brigade Leader was the one helping behind the scenes.

Yet, no matter how Fang Bo Song and Tong Lingxian tried, they could not recall He Daixing’s appearance.

His name was not familiar either. Did they know this person when they were young?