Chapter 47: Visiting Aunt Zhang

Chapter 47 Visiting Auntie Zhang

Sheng Huaimin had been busy with family matters lately and didn't know that Lin Zhijin already had a boyfriend. He excitedly brought Liu Yuan along to wait for her at the entrance of Anhe Street.

"Do you think she'll say yes?" Sheng Huaimin looked at the bracelet in his hand and asked uncertainly.

"With your good looks and now being the head of the Sheng family, how could Miss Lin possibly say no to marrying you and becoming the lady of the house?" Liu Yuan said confidently.

Although the Sheng family wasn't as prestigious as the Chen family, they were still one of the wealthiest families in Nancheng. Countless women would jump at the chance to be Sheng Huaimin's concubine, let alone his wife.

Sure, Miss Lin is pretty and might seem to have a decent job to outsiders, but marrying into the Sheng family would definitely be her marrying way up. As long as she wasn't an idiot, she'd definitely say yes.

Sheng Huaimin wasn't so sure. After all the times he'd interacted with Lin Zhijin, he could tell she genuinely didn't care about wealth or status.

Maybe she was spooked by what happened with the Chen family, but he could promise Lin Zhijin that if she agreed to marry him, he'd never take another woman and would be faithful to her and only her.

After about half an hour of waiting, Liu Yuan spotted Lin Zhijin first—but it looked like there was a man beside her.

"Young Master, Miss Lin seems to be on her way back," Liu Yuan said hesitantly.

Sheng Huaimin had seen them too. He recognized the guy—he'd even had him investigated. His background was just as good as Yang Su's, and he was accomplished in his own right.

"Young Master, Miss Lin looks like she's holding hands with him," Liu Yuan said cautiously.

"I've got eyes, I don't need you to tell me." Sheng Huaimin stared hard at Lin Zhijin and Gu Yan, grinding his teeth.

He took a deep breath, grabbed Liu Yuan, and ducked out of sight. So damn close—why couldn't she wait for him? Didn't she say she was still young and wasn't in a rush to date?

Liu Yuan saw Sheng Huaimin's bloodshot eyes and dropped his head, too scared to make a peep.

Gu Yan frowned and looked around. He felt like someone was watching them, and the stare was making him uneasy.

"What's wrong?" Lin Zhijin tilted her head to ask.

"Nothing." Gu Yan smiled, not wanting to scare her.

Lin Zhijin hesitated, then said a little shyly, "How about coming over to my place for dinner? Sister Li Yue and Sister Chunhua want to meet you too."

Since everyone already knew they were dating, there was no point in hiding it. She might as well be upfront about it, so the neighbors in the courtyard would stop teasing her.

Gu Yan was happy Lin Zhijin invited him over, but he was worried about her reputation. "Maybe in a while."

Society was always harder on women. Zhijin had been married before, and if he went into her home right after they'd just made things official, people would definitely talk.

"Okay." Lin Zhijin thought about it and agreed that waiting a bit would be better.

But since they were officially dating now, he didn't have to just leave her at the street corner like before. Gu Yan walked her all the way to the front door, where they ran into Zhang Jinxiu coming back from grocery shopping.

"Zhijin, you're back. Is this your boyfriend?" Zhang Jinxiu looked Gu Yan up and down. He had a handsome face, a tall, elegant build, and a gentle vibe. She'd heard he was a college student—smart and good-looking, a real standout.

"Yeah, this is my boyfriend, Gu Yan. And this is Sister Zhang Jinxiu from the middle courtyard," Lin Zhijin introduced with a smile.

"Hi, Sister Jinxiu," Gu Yan greeted politely.

"Our Zhijin is a good girl. You better treat her right and not mess with her. Otherwise, all of us neighbors in this courtyard will have your head," Zhang Jinxiu said with a smile that carried a note of seriousness.

"I'll definitely take good care of Xiao Jin." Gu Yan wasn't offended. If anything, he was glad Lin Zhijin had such good neighbors.

As they were talking, Li Yue and Wang Chunhua showed up one after the other. Seeing Gu Yan there, they invited him to stay for dinner, but he politely declined, saying he had to get back to the factory for work. Li Yue and the others didn't push it.

Back home, Lin Zhijin was picking vegetables when Wang Chunhua sidled up and nudged her with an elbow. "Not bad, huh? So when's the engagement?"

Lin Zhijin sighed. When she didn't have a boyfriend, they nagged her to find one. Now that she had one, they were nagging her to get married. And once she got married, they'd definitely start nagging her about kids.

"No rush. We talked about it and decided to wait until things are more stable between us before getting engaged." As for marriage, that was even less of a rush. Lin Zhijin planned to wait until she turned twenty. Besides, Gu Yan wasn't that old himself.

"Aren't you two getting along great? Isn't your relationship already solid? Why wait?" Wang Chunhua couldn't understand.

"Enough, stop meddling in young people's business. This is a big life decision, so it's better to be careful," Li Yue pushed Wang Chunhua away.

Wang Chunhua muttered something under her breath but dropped the topic and moved on to work stuff.

A woman in a Nancheng neighborhood had died at home. They were about to bury her when her maternal family demanded an exhumation and autopsy. They found out her death wasn't natural and reported it to the police, who then contacted the Women's Federation.

"Now the dead woman's kids say she drank rat poison to kill herself, while her maternal family claims the kids poisoned her. They've been going at it all day, and it's given me a splitting headache," Wang Chunhua said with a troubled expression.

Lin Zhijin had heard about this case too. On top of that, the dead woman was pregnant, but her husband had already passed away.

"Have they found the baby's father?" Lin Zhijin asked curiously.

Wang Chunhua shook her head. "The dead woman didn't live with her kids, so they don't know either."

No sooner had they talked about it than the case got handed over to their Chengnan Street office. Since the police station was short on female officers, they also asked the Women's Federation for help.

"Cadre Lin." Li Bing glanced at Lin Zhijin. Dressed in a Lenin suit with two braids, she was stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately, he'd had his head up his ass before, judging by appearances, and had missed his chance.

"Officer Li, are you in charge of this case?" Lin Zhijin asked, immediately getting up to speed on the case's progress.

Li Bing snapped back to attention and cleared his throat. "No obvious signs of a struggle were found at the deceased's home. The autopsy confirmed she died from rat poison. We're currently tracing the father of the deceased's unborn child and have made some progress. The breakthrough is the deceased's youngest daughter—she might know something. That's why I came to you. You're all women, so you might have an easier time getting information out of her."

Lin Zhijin frowned slightly. "Alright, should we go now?"

Li Bing nodded. "Yes, she's at the police station right now."

At that moment, Wang Xiaoyao, who had come along to assist, leaned in. "Zhijin, I think we could also investigate the source of the rat poison—ask whether the deceased bought it herself and if anything seemed off."

Li Bing shook his head. Rat poison was too common, and even if the deceased's children had bought it, it didn't prove anything. If there were rats in the house, buying rat poison was perfectly normal.

"Maybe we should interview the neighbors—did the deceased have any arguments with her family before she died? There couldn't have been no commotion at all, right?" Lin Zhijin asked.

"We've already looked into it. Everyone says the deceased's children were unfilial, rarely visited, and argued whenever they did. Oh, one clue: the deceased wanted to remarry, but her children wouldn't agree," Li Bing said as they walked.

Lin Zhijin raised an eyebrow. The deceased wanted to remarry but her children opposed it? She exchanged a glance with Wang Xiaoyao. Could she have killed herself over that?

"Let's go talk to the deceased's youngest daughter first," Wang Xiaoyao said with a headache.

The three soon met the deceased's youngest daughter. She looked about eleven or twelve, thin and frail, her eyes filled with unease and fear as she looked at them.

Understandable—a young girl brought to a police station would naturally be scared.

Lin Zhijin composed her expression and spoke as gently as possible. "Hello, we're from the Women's Federation. We'd like to talk to you about your mother. Don't be afraid—we just want to figure out what happened so your mother can be laid to rest properly. Also, your brother and sister-in-law are still in custody. I heard they have two children. Who's taking care of them now?"

"I... I really don't know. My brother and sister-in-law didn't kill Mom, I swear. Their youngest is only a year old and still needs milk. Now that my sister-in-law's been arrested, little Bao has no milk to drink." The girl's eyes reddened as she choked out the words.

"Then you should tell us what you know, so your brother and sister-in-law can come home sooner. I heard that after your father passed, your brother and sister-in-law raised you. For their sake, you should help us solve this case quickly and clear their names." Lin Zhijin sighed softly, then added with concern, "I wonder how your little nephew is doing now. Such a small child, sigh."

The girl seemed to think of something, and her face suddenly turned pale. She opened her mouth, then pressed her lips together. After hesitating several times, she finally said slowly, "It... it was... Uncle."

"What?" Lin Zhijin was stunned, not quite processing what she'd said.

The girl's face turned even paler, and she said with her eyes squeezed shut, "It's my uncle, my mother's maternal half-brother."

After revealing this secret, the girl's shoulders slumped, and she decided to let it all out.

"Mother wanted to marry my eldest uncle, but my brother, sister-in-law, and elder sister all disagreed. They argued about it several times. My brother, sister-in-law, and sister said that if Mother insisted on marrying eldest uncle, they would cut her off. Half a month ago, Mother suddenly came to me, told me to listen to my brother and sister-in-law from now on, gave me two hundred thousand yuan, and then left. After that, I heard that Mother had died. When my sister-in-law and sister were changing her clothes, they noticed her belly was a bit swollen. Afraid someone would find out, they hurried to bury her."

The girl sniffled and looked at them timidly. "Officers, my brother and sister-in-law really didn't kill Mother. Mother... probably couldn't hide her pregnancy anymore. My brother and sister-in-law wouldn't let her marry eldest uncle. Oh, and my grandmother seemed to be arranging a marriage for eldest uncle, saying he needed a second wife. That might be related too. Mother couldn't accept it and took the poison."

Lin Zhijin glanced at Li Bing. "Thank you for your cooperation. Don't worry, we'll solve this case as soon as possible and get your brother and sister-in-law back home."

The three of them went to question the girl's brother and sister-in-law. Li Bing interrogated the brother, while Lin Zhijin and Wang Xiaoyao interrogated the sister-in-law. They were questioned separately, then they compared the statements.

Maybe because the girl had already spilled the tough secret, or because they were worried about their children, the couple held nothing back and told everything they knew.

The three gathered in Li Bing's office, looking at the three statements before them. First, the dead woman's lover was indeed the eldest uncle, and it had been going on for a while. Both the eldest uncle's wife and the deceased's husband had known about it. From the sister-in-law's tone, the eldest uncle's wife's death might even be connected.

This case wasn't even solved, and now another one had popped up.

But that wasn't Lin Zhijin's concern anymore. Leave it to the pros.

"Thank you for today, especially Cadre Lin. If it weren't for you, who knows when that girl would've talked," Li Bing said gratefully.

Lin Zhijin shook her head. "It wasn't me. She was already at her breaking point; I just happened to be there."

She figured Wang Chunhua and the others had already questioned her. They knew better than her how to ask questions. It was just too embarrassing to talk about, and they wouldn't bring it up unless they had to.

"Anyway, thanks for your help." Li Bing glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. How about I buy you all dinner?"

"Xiao Jin." Gu Yan stopped his bicycle at the police station entrance. "I went to the Women's Federation looking for you, and Sister Chen said you'd come to the police station."

"Sorry, my boyfriend's here to pick me up. I'll head out first." Lin Zhijin nodded at Li Bing and headed out with Wang Xiaoyao.

As she left, Wang Xiaoyao turned back and shot Li Bing a knowing smile. Hmph, he'd dared to look down on their Zhijin before—now he had to be regretting it!

"Xiaoyao, the cafeteria's probably almost out of food. Why don't you eat with us?" Lin Zhijin pulled Wang Xiaoyao along.

"No, my fiancé is nearby. I'll go eat with him." Wang Xiaoyao shook her head. She wasn't about to be a third wheel, and besides, she had a fiancé too—it's not like she didn't have one.

Lin Zhijin shrugged and went with Gu Yan to that noodle shop they'd been to before. Their shredded pork noodles really were delicious.

"Tonight, I'll take you to a noodle shop on Maple Leaf Lane. Their noodles are great too, especially the pickled radish. The owner's a really nice lady. I haven't been there in a while." Lin Zhijin thought of Boss Dai and smiled.

"Sure, and we can swing by Willow Lane on the way." Seeing Lin Zhijin's puzzled look, Gu Yan smiled lightly. "I used to be a bachelor, so the factory dorm was fine. But in the future... I'll need a place of my own. I had someone help me look for a house, and Liao Xiaobao said there's a nice residence on Willow Lane. I wanted to bring you to see it. If you like it, we'll buy it."

Lin Zhijin looked at his reddening ears, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Alright, let's go together."

A man willing to plan a future with you—that's a good thing. She didn't plan to marry too soon, but she shouldn't kill his enthusiasm either.

After work that afternoon, as Lin Zhijin was packing her things, Gu Yan walked in carrying a bag of loquats and passed them out to everyone.

"No thanks, you two enjoy them." Su Jianhong shook her head in refusal.

Honestly, she still wished Lin Zhijin and Yang Su had worked out. But given Yang Su's line of work, a young woman would feel insecure, so it made sense she'd pick Gu Yan. Besides, Gu Yan was equally outstanding.

"Director Su, these are from the hill behind the machinery factory. They might be a little sour—hope you don't mind." Gu Yan couldn't exactly take them back. After some small talk, he took the remaining loquats and led Lin Zhijin to Maple Leaf Lane for dinner.

Lin Zhijin peeled one. It wasn't just a little sour—it was really sour. But most fruit was sour this time of year. The sweetness of later generations came from scientists improving them over and over.

Luckily, she loved sour stuff, so she actually liked them, polishing off four or five in a row. When she went for another, Gu Yan stopped her.

"Dinner will be ready soon. If you eat too many loquats, you won't have room, and they're too sour—eating too many will upset your stomach." He took out a handkerchief to wipe her hands, speaking softly.

"Fine." Lin Zhijin licked her lips and smiled at him.

Gu Yan's gaze swept over her moist, rosy lips, his eyes darkening. He lowered his head and folded the handkerchief away.

At the noodle shop, Boss Dai wasn't there. Lin Zhijin asked and learned she'd gone out on business. She was a bit disappointed not to see her, but her brother-in-law was there, so the food was still delicious.

"Ordering dishes at a noodle shop?" Gu Yan laughed as Lin Zhijin ordered three dishes at once.

"They don't usually serve stir-fried dishes here, but I'm familiar with Boss Dai. She probably worried I'd get tired of noodles, so she had her brother-in-law cook for me." Lin Zhijin lifted her chin proudly.

Gu Yan's lips curled slightly. He took the pickled radish the server brought over, placed a piece in her bowl first, then took one for himself. "Let me see if it's as good as you say."

It was indeed tasty, though a bit sweet for Gu Yan's taste. But he wasn't picky.

"Delicious." Gu Yan picked up another piece.

Halfway through the meal, Boss Dai suddenly returned. Seeing Lin Zhijin there, she looked pleasantly surprised, then noticed the man across from her. Her gaze swept back and forth between them, and she raised an eyebrow at Lin Zhijin.

"Sister Dai, this is my boyfriend, Gu Yan. Gu Yan, this is Boss Dai, the kind woman I told you about." Lin Zhijin introduced them openly.

Boss Dai looked Gu Yan up and down, suddenly understanding why Lin Zhijin hadn't been interested in the men she'd introduced. She'd never seen such a handsome man in her life. The two of them really were a stunning couple—a match made in heaven.

"Long time no see, and you've already got a boyfriend. What does Xiao Gu do?" Boss Dai asked with a smile.

"I work at the machinery factory." Gu Yan figured Boss Dai, running a business here, would know the area well, so he decided to ask her for information. "Sister Dai, do you know Willow Lane?"

"Of course I do. Whether you're asking about people or matters, if it's in this area, I probably know it. Since you're Zhijin's boyfriend, I'll tell you everything I know." Boss Dai said cheerfully.

Gu Yan didn't stand on ceremony and asked directly, "I asked someone to look at a house for me—number thirty-five on Willow Lane. Do you know anything about it, Sister Dai?"

Boss Dai was briefly surprised, but looking at Gu Yan's distinguished bearing, it made sense he could afford a house on Willow Lane.

"Number thirty-five?" Boss Dai thought for a moment, then clapped her hands with a laugh. "I remember now—that's Boss Du's home. He's actually selling his house?"

"The landlord's surname is Du," Gu Yan confirmed.

"Boss Du runs a fabric shop—see, it's right over there." Boss Dai pointed to the fabric shop not far from the door. "He's a charitable man, a genuinely good person. Unfortunately, his son is a disappointment—got into smoking opium, apparently led astray by others. I'd guess he's planning to sell the house and the shop, then take the kids back to his hometown."

"He's selling the shop too?" Gu Yan's interest was piqued.

His assets were all in the capital. He'd originally planned to spend a few years here for experience and then return. But now that he had Xiao Jin, he was willing to stay here for her, which meant he needed to establish himself here.

Lin Zhijin's heart stirred too, but not with desire—with the need to refuse. No way. They were working-class now. If they acquired property, that would make them capitalists, which wouldn't bode well in the future.

But Boss Dai was here, so she didn't say anything. She'd talk to Gu Yan later.

Then she thought about Gu Yan wanting to buy a house—maybe she should just let it go?

"Probably. I'm not sure. Should I ask around for you?" Boss Dai offered with a smile.

"No need, he was just asking casually." Lin Zhijin smiled, cutting off the conversation.

Gu Yan glanced at her. Since Xiao Jin didn't want it, he wouldn't pursue it further.

After dinner, they went to the house on Willow Lane and knocked on the door. A man in his fifties opened it. Learning they were there to see the house, he quickly stepped aside to let them in and sent a young girl to notify Boss Du to come back.

One look told them the man was the gatekeeper. The Du family had nerve—even after liberation, they still kept a gatekeeper and maids.

Then she thought of the Chen and Sheng families—they hadn't lost a single maid or servant either, just under different names.

Since the owners weren't back, the two of them didn't feel right going into the main courtyard, so they just looked around the front yard. You could tell the place was decorated with real care—all top-quality materials, and every plant was meticulously looked after.

Boss Du walked in, saw the satisfied look on their faces, and asked with a grin, "So, what do you think of my house? Not bad, right?"

"Could we see the main courtyard and the back courtyard?" Gu Yan asked in return.

"Of course, please follow me." Having been in business for years, Boss Du had a sharp eye for people. Judging by Gu Yan and Lin Zhijin's clothes and bearing, he was sure they could afford the place, so he gave them a warm welcome.

The main and back courtyards were even nicer than the front, especially the little garden out back—rockery, small pond, all exquisitely done. Boss Du had clearly put real thought into it.

"So, what do you think? Isn't this house great? I even hired a renowned feng shui master back then—anyone who lives here is sure to have thriving business." Boss Du said, sounding a bit smug.

Lin Zhijin shot him a glance. Sure, business was booming, but what good was that when his kids had turned out so badly?

Clearly, Boss Du was thinking the same thing. He glanced at Lin Zhijin and Gu Yan, wondering if they knew about his son.

"Boss Du, I really like this place, but buying a house is a big deal—I need to talk it over with my parents first. Once we've decided, I'll let the middleman know." Gu Yan didn't buy into feng shui, but when it came to buying a house—especially their future home—he wanted the best one he could get.

Lin Zhijin, on the other hand, thought it was way too big. Without hired help, just the two of them cleaning the place would take half a life out of them.

On the way back, Lin Zhijin frowned and said, "Forget that house. It's too big. If you really want to buy, get something smaller—a little courtyard with three rooms."

"Three rooms? Isn't that too small?" He didn't care where he lived, but he didn't want Lin Zhijin to feel cramped.

"Three rooms is plenty." Lin Zhijin looked around, then leaned in and whispered, "You know how class divisions work now. We're working class. If you buy a big house like that and a shop on top of it, you'd be a capitalist. I'm a Party member—don't drag me into trouble."

Gu Yan found her sneaky little act amusing, then felt her warm breath on his ear—ticklish, and it stirred something in him too. "I'm a Party member too. I'll do what you say—let's find a small place. If not, we'll just stay at your place on Anhe Street."

"You'd really be okay with that?" Lin Zhijin raised an eyebrow.

"If you're okay with it, why wouldn't I be? As long as you don't mind that I don't have a house." Gu Yan smiled.

Lin Zhijin shot him a look. The more time she spent with him, the more she realized he had no sense of decorum—that whole warm, refined gentleman act was just a front.

...

Today was Lin Zhijin's exam day, and Gu Yan had made a point of taking time off to drive her to school.

"Did you bring your pen? What about scratch paper?" Gu Yan checked her backpack, made sure nothing was missing, then handed it back. "Don't be nervous. You've studied hard—you'll definitely pass."

"I'm not nervous." Lin Zhijin shot him an amused sideways glance. He was the nervous one.

"Go on in. I'll wait outside for you." Gu Yan squeezed her hand, watched her go in, then found a shady spot to wait.

Lin Zhijin waved him off with a smile. It was just a third-grade final, and he was treating it like the college entrance exam.

The third-grade questions were naturally easy for Lin Zhijin, but she didn't dare get careless. She double-checked her answers before turning in the paper.

"Done? Hungry? What do you want to eat?" Seeing that Lin Zhijin looked happy, Gu Yan knew she'd done well and took her backpack with a smile.

"Let's get noodles—something with soup." Lin Zhijin handed him her backpack, hooked her arm through his, and said with a smile, "I've seen all these exam questions before, so my score shouldn't be too bad."

"Your practice scores were already great." Gu Yan had Lin Zhijin wait in the shade while he went to get his bike. "Hop on—I'll take you to West Gate for lamb noodles."

The lamb noodle place at West Gate had been recommended by Liao Xiaobao. They'd been once, and the food really was great, but it was a bit far, so they could only go when they had time. They were both busy, so a day off was rare. Since they had nothing else to do, they could grab noodles and take a stroll.

"By the way, Aunt Zhang wants to see you. She invited us over for dinner tonight, and I said yes." Lin Zhijin poked Gu Yan in the back with her index finger. "Does your mom know we're dating?"

Gu Yan had said his mom didn't meddle in his life, but for something as big as marriage, his mother would definitely have something to say.

Even if Gu Yan was set in his decisions and would stick with her no matter what his mom said, having a future mother-in-law against the relationship was never a good thing.

"I told her. She said to bring you to the capital for a visit sometime." Gu Yan knew what Lin Zhijin was worried about and said firmly, "Xiao Jin, the one spending his life with you is me. Whether it's my mom or relatives or friends, their opinions don't matter. We're the ones who'll be a family. If we get along, we'll see more of them; if not, less."

Lin Zhijin's eyes widened a little. She could tell Gu Yan meant every word—so clear-headed, rare even in later generations.

"What? You think I'm too cold?" Gu Yan stopped the bike and turned to look Lin Zhijin in the eyes. "My dad died when I was young, and my mom was always busy with work. I've always been a loner. I don't like that whole big-family thing."

Thinking Lin Zhijin had several siblings and might like a lively, bustling family, Gu Yan looked at her a little nervously.

"No." Lin Zhijin quickly shook her head. "Actually, I feel the same way. I don't really like living with older folks either—too many restrictions, and a lot of things get awkward."

Honestly, what modern woman would want to live with her in-laws? She sure didn't. It was great that Gu Yan felt the same way.

The nervousness in Gu Yan's eyes faded, replaced by a faint smile. He squeezed her hand—they even thought alike, so they really were meant to be together.

Noticing someone watching them, Lin Zhijin pulled her hand back and gave his back a light pat. "Let's go. West Gate is far—we should eat and head back."

After eating, they wandered around a bit, then went to the department store to buy gifts. They couldn't show up at Secretary Zhang's place empty-handed.

"Just cookies and pastries? Isn't that too little?" Gu Yan frowned.

"We'll grab some fruit in a bit. Aunt Zhang treats me like a niece, and I think of her as family. Gifts that are too fancy would actually be awkward." Lin Zhijin looked at what they'd bought and said seriously.

Secretary Zhang usually ate at the cafeteria, but since Lin Zhijin and Gu Yan were coming over today, she'd left work early and picked up groceries on the way home.

"Aunt Zhang, let me cook." Lin Zhijin quickly reached for the vegetables she was holding.

"You two sit down. I may not cook often, but that doesn't mean I can't. Let me show you what I've got." Secretary Zhang sidestepped Lin Zhijin's outstretched hand, opened the door, and let them in.

She looked Gu Yan up and down. In terms of looks, he was on par with Yang Su, just a different style—one was dashing and commanding, the other fair and refined. Both had steady temperaments and clear, sharp eyes. Both were good kids.

Comparatively, Yang Su was often out on missions and got hurt a lot, while Gu Yan was the deputy factory director of the machinery factory. Busy, sure, but his job was stable and he could come home every day. He really was a better fit for Zhi Jin.

Secretary Zhang said they didn't need to help, but Lin Zhijin and Gu Yan couldn't just sit there waiting for food. One lit the fire, the other picked vegetables, and before long the meal was ready.

"Wow! Aunt Zhang, I didn't know you could cook like this." It wasn't flattery—Secretary Zhang's cooking was genuinely delicious. Lin Zhijin thought it was on par with her own.

Secretary Zhang was seriously impressive—she could fight in battle, run local government affairs, and cook a mean meal. Was there anything she couldn't do?

"Eat up if you like it." Secretary Zhang looked at them warmly and asked casually, "How'd the exam go?"

Lin Zhijin quickly swallowed her food. "Luckily, Gu Yan helped me review. He made practice tests for me, and every question on today's exam was one I'd already done, so my score shouldn't be too bad."

"Xiao Gu is a college graduate." Secretary Zhang said it offhandedly, not as a question.

"Yes, I graduated from Beijing University." Gu Yan sat up straight and answered respectfully.

Secretary Zhang waved her hand, telling Gu Yan not to be nervous. She'd actually looked into his background and found out she'd met his father once. Commander Gu was very impressive—too bad he died so young. With his abilities, he'd definitely be a general by now.

"Xiao Jin is clever and hardworking. She finished all of third grade in just one year. If she hadn't been held back, she'd definitely get into university." Secretary Zhang looked at Gu Yan, her eyes saying: So even if you come from a good family and have a college degree, you can't look down on Xiao Jin.

"Right, Xiao Jin is very smart. She picks things up after seeing them once, and her memory is excellent. She was just held back." Gu Yan fully agreed with Secretary Zhang.

Lin Zhijin, the one being praised, blushed instead. She knew herself—it wasn't that she was naturally gifted; she'd already learned all this in her past life. She was a college graduate. If she couldn't handle third-grade material, she might as well go find a block of tofu and knock herself out with it.

"No, no. I'm an adult, so I can sit still better than kids. That's why I learn faster. As it gets harder, I definitely won't pick things up as quickly." She needed to set expectations so they wouldn't think she was a genius. Once she hit middle and high school, her pace wouldn't be this fast.

"Modesty is a good thing. Although Xiao Gu and I say this, you must not become conceited. You should work even harder. It's fortunate that Gu Yan is a college student—have him teach you more and get your elementary school diploma as soon as possible." Secretary Zhang praised Lin Zhijin in front of Gu Yan to keep him from looking down on her, but when facing Lin Zhijin herself, she rarely complimented her, worried she'd get a big head.

"I know, Auntie Zhang. Don't worry, I'll keep working hard." Lin Zhijin had already planned to take the elementary school exit exam next year, spend two years in middle school, two more in high school, and if possible, aim for a college diploma.

After discussing Lin Zhijin, Secretary Zhang turned to Gu Yan and asked, "Does your family know you're seeing Xiao Jin?"

"Yes, they do. The day after Xiao Jin and I got together, I called my mother to tell her. She said to bring Xiao Jin to the capital sometime." Gu Yan replied immediately.

"Does your mother know about Xiao Jin's background?" Seeing Gu Yan nod, looking unfazed, Secretary Zhang's eyes showed a hint of satisfaction. "Good. You're a man—since you've chosen Xiao Jin, you need to accept her past and protect her from any harm, even from your own family."

"Auntie Zhang..." Lin Zhijin started to say something in Gu Yan's defense, but catching Secretary Zhang's eye, she swallowed her words.

In both her past and present life, her parents might as well not have existed. Auntie Zhang was standing up for her like a mother would, so she couldn't speak up for Gu Yan.

"I knew about her situation before I started pursuing Xiao Jin. That wasn't her fault. Xiao Jin is wonderful—being with her is my blessing. Don't worry, I'll take care of her, protect her, and never let anyone hurt her." Gu Yan set down his chopsticks and spoke solemnly.

Secretary Zhang nodded approvingly again. She'd looked into Gu Yan's character and knew he was a responsible, dependable comrade, so she was willing to take his word for it.

"Eat up, have some more." Secretary Zhang said with a smile.

After the meal, Lin Zhijin and Gu Yan rushed to clean up the dishes, then sat around a bit before heading out.

"Take your things back. Why'd you bring anything at all? If you do this again, I'll really be mad." Secretary Zhang said with a stern face.

"It's nothing much. Since you're busy with work and don't have time to shop, we just got you some cookies and pastries to snack on." Lin Zhijin quickly explained.

Secretary Zhang glanced at the items—all food, sure enough—and stopped refusing, waving them off to go home.

"Auntie Zhang treats you really well." Gu Yan called her Auntie Zhang, following Lin Zhijin's lead.

"Yeah, she does." Lin Zhijin smiled with curved eyes. "She's always looked after me, just like a mom."

"Xiao Jin, about your birth parents... are you planning to visit them?" Either way, he felt he had to ask, since they were her birth parents after all.

"No need. When they sold me to the Chen family, they signed a contract selling me off. From that day on, I've had nothing to do with them." Lin Zhijin turned to look at Gu Yan. "Do you think I'm being unfilial?"

"No, they sold you. A mother has to be kind for a child to be filial. They weren't kind first—you've done nothing wrong." Gu Yan said firmly.

Lin Zhijin nodded, satisfied, and changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on it. "I'm heading to the countryside tomorrow for outreach work. I'll probably be gone for three days."

"Heading to the countryside again tomorrow?" Gu Yan tightened his grip on Lin Zhijin's hand.

"Yes. You can't change thousands of years of tradition overnight. We have to keep going out and spreading the message, telling them over and over not to sell themselves short—that they're just as human as men, and under the law, they have the same rights as men." Lin Zhijin spoke with some pain, thinking of the women who had been conditioned.

Gu Yan interlaced his fingers with hers and sighed softly. "Don't rush. This is now New China. Once they accept the education of the Party and the state, their thinking will gradually change."

Only through personal experience could one understand how difficult the current women's work was. It wasn't a problem with men—it was that the women themselves resisted new ideas and education, especially the older ones. Not only did they refuse to accept the education, but they would also curse the workers for corrupting their women, and some would even chase them with brooms and carrying poles, afraid the workers would teach their daughters-in-law and daughters to think for themselves and stop obeying them.

One had to admire Chairman Mao's policies—it was he who raised the slogan "Women hold up half the sky," which brought a qualitative improvement to women's status.

That slogan wouldn't be published in the People's Daily until 1956, still four years away. They needed to do the groundwork now so they could better improve the plight of rural women later.

"Still thinking about work? Which township are you going to this time?" Gu Yan gently pressed on Lin Zhijin's furrowed brow.

"Baiyue Township. I went there two months ago. This time it's a follow-up visit to see if things have improved." Last month, Lin Zhijin had called Director Qian at the town office, who said cases of female infanticide had decreased significantly, but they still needed to check again.

As they walked, the setting sun cast its light upon them. A breeze blew, tousling Lin Zhijin's hair, and Gu Yan reached out to gently brush it aside.

"Xiao Jin, be careful when you go to the countryside. If anything happens, call me, and I'll come right away." Gu Yan wouldn't stop Lin Zhijin—she had her own ideals.

Lin Zhijin looked up at Gu Yan and broke into a big smile. "Don't worry, I'll take care of myself. Besides, we always travel in a group, so nothing will happen."

Gu Yan knew they brought a squad of soldiers with them on these trips, all armed with guns, which eased his worry somewhat.

"Still, be careful. Never go off on your own." Gu Yan looked at her lovely face and said seriously.

Lin Zhijin understood his concern. "Don't worry, this isn't my first time going to the countryside. I won't go anywhere alone."

She was scared too, especially at night—not just of people, but of ghosts. So when she needed to use the restroom, she'd drag Wang Xiaoyao along.

Originally, Li Yue was supposed to go with them this time, but she'd just found out she was nearly two months pregnant. Sister Li wouldn't let her go to the countryside and told her to rest and take care of herself in the city.

"I didn't even feel anything myself." Li Yue touched her belly, looking incredulous.

"Congratulations! You're going to be a mother." Lin Zhijin knew how anxious Li Yue had been to have a child—she'd nearly resorted to drinking medicine for it.

"Thank you." Li Yue's eyes glistened with tears.

Before, because they were still at war and had no fixed home, they hadn't tried for a child. After settling down in Nancheng, especially after He Yang was transferred there, they'd wanted a baby. But no matter how hard they tried for over half a year, nothing happened. Now, unexpectedly, the child had come.

"You're both healthy—it was only a matter of time." Wang Chunhua looked at Li Yue as if she were making a fuss over nothing.

Regardless, Li Yue having a child was good news. As someone with experience, Wang Chunhua rattled off a list of precautions. Though Lin Zhijin had never given birth, she came from an era of information overload and knew a thing or two, so she occasionally chimed in.

"Thank you all." Li Yue smiled with narrowed eyes, then suddenly looked at Lin Zhijin. "Xiao Jin, you and Gu Yan are a handsome couple—your children will be beautiful. Why not get married and have kids soon? We can arrange a betrothal between our children."

Wang Chunhua's eyes lit up, then she sighed with regret. Her child would be much older than Lin Zhijin's, so it wouldn't be suitable.

Lin Zhijin rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Stop it. Setting aside when we'll even get married, I wouldn't decide my child's marriage for them."

She thought of another pregnant woman—she'd been so busy lately that she hadn't visited Lin Shishu. She'd go see her after returning from the countryside.

But when she went to see Lin Shishu this time, she didn't see her swollen belly. Instead, her stomach was flat, and she lay pale-faced in bed.

"Zhi Jin, I lost my baby." The moment she saw Lin Zhijin, Lin Shishu's tears came pouring down.

Author's note:

None