Political Commissar Wang looked at the young people and tactfully said goodbye, "Alright, you young people haven't seen each other for a long time, you must have a lot to talk about, I won't disturb you here, have a good chat."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Lian Xiao had just finished putting the things in the cloth bag away when he turned and walked towards the kitchen, muttering, "Judging from your complexion, you must not have drunk enough water on the way. I'll go get you a glass of warm water so you can soothe your throat."

Before Xu Xinghe could respond, he quickly came out with a cup of steaming water. "Drink slowly, don't burn yourself."

Xu Xinghe took the water glass, feeling the warmth on her fingertips. She had just taken a sip when Lian Xiao said in a slightly aggrieved and dissatisfied tone, "You two, you went on a mission without a word, without even leaving me a message! I went to look for you a few days ago and found the house locked. I asked Aunt Mei and found out you hadn't been back for several days. In the end, I had to ask Political Commissar Wang myself to find out you went on a secret mission. What kind of mission could it be that would take so long?"

Xu Xinghe put down his water glass and briefly told him about his mission to go to Dongmeng Forest Farm, pretending to be an educated youth, to arrest Zhang Qiang.

However, not many dangerous details were mentioned; it was only said that the mission went relatively smoothly.

Lian Xiao frowned as he listened, glancing at Jiang Linchuan every now and then with a look full of accusation in his eyes.

Good grief, she went off to cultivate her relationship with Xu Xinghe behind his back!

Jiang Linchuan remained unmoved, letting him watch.

Zhang Cishu, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up, his gaze falling on Xu Xinghe, "So, how did you feel about your time as an educated youth? Was it the same as you imagined?"

Xu Xinghe thought for a moment and gently shook her head. "It's not good, but it's not bad either. There's always work to do, like sorting timber, organizing supplies, and sometimes we have to help in the fields. The food is also very ordinary, mostly coarse grains and simple vegetables, with meat only occasionally. But it's not as tiring as I imagined. Maybe it's because I have a mission in mind that supports me, so I don't feel bitter. It's more like I'm doing an ordinary job, just with a different work environment and content."

Zhang Cishu listened quietly, his gaze fixed on Xu Xinghe's face. After a few seconds, he slowly spoke, "You have indeed changed a bit."

Xu Xinghe paused for a moment, subconsciously touched her face, and asked in confusion, "What's different? I don't notice anything. Did I get tanned or lose too much weight?"

“No, not at all.” Zhang Cishu shook his head. “It’s a feeling. Compared to when you were in the military, you seem more composed and mature. It’s like your mindset has changed after all you’ve been through.”

Xu Xinghe was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

Perhaps, as Zhang Cishu said, this experience as a sent-down youth, though brief, helped her grow without her even realizing it.

She turned to look at Jiang Linchuan, and met his gentle gaze. They smiled at each other, everything understood without words.

Seeing this, Lian Xiao felt a mix of sadness and urgency. "It's good to be more mature, but even if you're mature, you still need to eat properly! I'm not leaving tonight, let's go to a restaurant for something nice later."

Xu Xinghe nodded, "Okay, it's on me!"

The four walked side by side toward a nearby restaurant. Along the way, Lian Xiao kept talking to Xu Xinghe about the latest happenings in the military.

Zhang Cishu occasionally struck up a conversation.

Jiang Linchuan walked beside Xu Xinghe.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Lian Xiao ordered several hearty dishes, including sweet and sour pork, braised pork slices, and chicken stew with mushrooms. He also specially added a serving of candied sweet potatoes, which Xu Xinghe loves.

The dishes were served piping hot and had a wonderful aroma.

Xu Xinghe was indeed hungry, so she picked up her chopsticks and ate slowly while listening to Lian Xiao and Zhang Cishu chatting.

The meal was relaxed and enjoyable. Afterwards, Lian Xiao and Zhang Cishu chatted with them for a while before saying goodbye and telling Xu Xinghe to get some rest.

Back home, Xu Xinghe didn't even have the energy to change her clothes properly. After a quick wash, she lay down on the bed. The jolting on the train and the fatigue of the past few days overwhelmed her, and she could barely keep her eyes open.

Jiang Linchuan walked over, tucked the blanket around her, and said in a very soft voice, "Get a good night's sleep. Get ready at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, and we'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get our marriage certificate."

Xu Xinghe opened her eyes groggily, looked at his gentle features, and nodded weakly, "Okay, I understand."

As soon as she finished speaking, she fell into a deep sleep, not even noticing when Jiang Linchuan left the room.

The next morning, Xu Xinghe was awakened by the chirping of birds outside the window.

It wasn't winter in Heilongjiang Province; everything was vibrant with life, and it wasn't too hot. She liked it very much.

She stretched, feeling much less tired, and quickly got up to get ready.

She specially changed into the light blue shirt that Jiang Linchuan had bought for her before, and her hair was also neatly combed.

Jiang Linchuan had already prepared breakfast. After the two finished eating, they took a jeep to the Civil Affairs Bureau in the city.

The car stopped in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau. Xu Xinghe opened the car door and was about to walk in when her gaze inadvertently swept over the alley next to her, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

The person who just walked past the alley entrance looked strangely familiar!

She stopped abruptly and turned to look more closely, but the person had already strode into the alley and disappeared in an instant.

Even though it was just a fleeting glimpse, that face was as clear as if it were etched into her mind.

It's Xu Mingli!

In her past life, she was imprisoned by him for so many years, and every day she faced this hypocritical and ruthless face. Even if she turned to ashes, she would never mistake him!

"What's wrong?" Jiang Linchuan asked as he saw her suddenly stop moving and look serious.

"I think I just saw Xu Mingli!" Xu Xinghe's voice trembled slightly. "He's in that alley. I need to go check it out!"

Even if it's not true, but just a mistake, she still needs to confirm it!

Otherwise, for some reason, I always feel a little uneasy.

Jiang Linchuan frowned instantly. "He should still be in Shanghai, not here."

Despite saying that, he didn't hesitate at all and immediately followed Xu Xinghe's footsteps, "I'll go with you, be careful."

The two walked quickly into the alley, which was quiet except for a few boxes placed by the roadside. The figure from before had long since disappeared.

Xu Xinghe was not giving up. She carefully examined the alley, her eyes scanning every corner. She had only one thought in her mind: she had to make sure that the person was Xu Mingli!