"Lu Lin, there's someone loitering around the courtyard gate. They look rather suspicious."

She tugged at Lu Lin, who was wiping the table, her tone tinged with unease.

Lu Lin immediately put down the rag, picked up the military cap by the door and put it on, and said in a deep voice, "I'll go take a look."

Just as Lu Lin reached the courtyard gate, he saw the man peeking inside. Before Lu Lin could speak, the man cupped his hands in greeting and asked, "Comrade, may I ask if Comrade Gu Mingyue lives here?"

Lu Lin didn't answer, but instead asked, "Do you need to see Gu Mingyue for something?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Shouyi explained to Lu Lin, "My name is Zhang Shouyi. A while ago, I was hunting in the mountains and I was bitten by a snake. I happened to run into Comrade Gu, and she took me to the hospital without saying a word. Otherwise, my old bones would have been in danger."

As they were talking, Gu Mingyue heard a noise at the courtyard gate and peeked out from behind Lu Lin.

She carefully examined the old man in front of her. He looked somewhat familiar and had a kind smile on his face.

Suddenly remembering the scene at the foot of the mountain a few days ago, she quickly nodded: "Oh, it's you! Your injury has healed completely?"

"All healed!" Zhang Shouyi patted his arm, his voice full of gratitude. "I brought some things especially for Comrade Gu to express my thanks."

Lu Lin then relaxed and stepped aside to let him into the courtyard.

Lu Lin then relaxed and stepped aside to let him into the courtyard.

As soon as Zhang Shouyi stepped into the courtyard, his eyes swept around the small courtyard.

A neatly draped bed sheet hangs on the clothesline, several pots of lush green spider plants sit on the stone table, the vegetables in the small vegetable patch in the corner are growing vigorously, and even the firewood in the corner of the yard is stacked neatly.

He couldn't help but smile and nod: "Your little courtyard is really well-managed; you're clearly a family that knows how to manage a household."

His gaze fell on Lu Lin supporting Gu Mingyue's hand, and then he noticed the warm bowl of porridge on the table, which made him even more emotional.

“I saw them at the door just now. The young couple is so caring for each other, their relationship must be really good.”

Gu Mingyue was a little embarrassed by the praise, and smiled as she invited him into the house: "Uncle Zhang, please come in and sit down. Lu Lin, you and Uncle Zhang sit for a while, I'll go make some tea."

Lu Lin responded and took the cloth bag from Zhang Shouyi's hand.

There were quite a few teas collected by Lu Lin at home. Gu Mingyue rummaged through them and found a jar that tasted good, so she brewed a pot.

"Uncle Zhang, please have some tea."

Zhang Shouyi took a sip of his hot tea, his gaze falling on the neatly stacked firewood in the courtyard, and suddenly smiled.

"Comrade Lu looks very capable. When I was a squad leader in the army, I was very particular about the cleanliness of the barracks. The quilts had to be folded into tofu blocks, the weapons had to be polished so that you could see your reflection in them, and even the vegetable garden in front of the barracks had to be planted according to the spacing between the ranks."

Lu Lin had just put the mountain goods that Zhang Shouyi had brought into the storage room when he heard this, and his eyes lit up. He sat down opposite him.

"Uncle Zhang also served in the army? The family compound I live in now was converted from an old barracks back then."

These words immediately opened up Zhang Shouyi's floodgates. He put down his teacup and began gesturing unconsciously with his hands.

"Of course, I was in the Northwest, guarding the border. In winter, the snow could be up to my knees. I still got up early every day to clear three paths: one for training, one for the kitchen, and one for patrolling."

Zhang Shouyi gazed into the distance, his eyes filled with both nostalgia and a sigh, "Those were tough times, but for the sake of the country, we had to do it no matter how hard or tiring it was."

Lu Lin listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with a comment about the new rules in the military.

The two chatted about everything from barracks duties to amusing anecdotes about patrols, forgetting even to touch the melon seeds that Gu Mingyue had brought them.

Gu Mingyue sat to the side, watching the two chatter more and more enthusiastically, a smile playing on her lips. It was rare to see Lu Lin so engrossed in conversation.

Zhang Shouyi was chatting enthusiastically with Lu Lin when he noticed Gu Mingyue instinctively protecting her lower abdomen. Suddenly remembering something, he slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "I almost forgot about the important matter!"

He bent down and rummaged through the cloth bag he had brought, pulling out a small item wrapped in red silk cloth, which he carefully handed to Gu Mingyue.

“I heard you were pregnant the other day, so I specially dug out this old lock.”

Zhang Shouyi untied the red silk, revealing a polished, warm silver peace lock with a simple "Longevity" pattern engraved on it.

“This was passed down in my family. My son wore it when he was little. Now I’m giving it to your baby to wish him peace and good fortune.”

If it weren't for Gu Mingyue saving his life, Zhang Shouyi would have lost his life there.

The doctor said the snake venom was very potent. Fortunately, emergency treatment was given before the patient was taken to the hospital, and they arrived just in time for the best treatment. Otherwise, even if they had survived, they would have suffered long-term effects.

Zhang Shouyi picked up the wine bottle, added some tea to Gu Mingyue's bowl to serve as wine, and poured himself a full cup.

“I’ve never been afraid of life and death in the army, but when my legs went numb and I broke out in a cold sweat that day, I really panicked. Luckily, you happened to be passing by and not only helped me squeeze out the toxic blood, but also took me to the hospital. I will remember that for the rest of my life.”

Gu Mingyue quickly waved her hand: "Uncle Zhang, please don't say that. Anyone would have helped in that situation."

Lu Lin chimed in, "It's what we should do. I'm just glad you're safe."

Zhang Shouyi insisted on touching her bowl, then tilted his head back and drank the tea in his cup dry.

"Please keep these things; consider them a token of my appreciation."

Gu Mingyue was taken aback and was about to decline when Lu Lin spoke first: "Uncle Zhang, this is too precious."

Zhang Shouyi waved his hand and stuffed the safety lock into Gu Mingyue's hand: "What's so valuable about it? The child's safety is more important than anything else. This old body of mine has no other skills, so this thing is of no use to me."

Gu Mingyue was holding the safety lock and declining when suddenly hurried footsteps came from the courtyard gate.

A young man in military uniform rushed in, panting heavily with one hand on his knee. Upon seeing Zhang Shouyi, he exclaimed urgently, "Old Zhang! How could you just leave like that, leaving me stranded on the road? I've been looking for you for so long!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than another middle-aged soldier with a straight posture walked in, shaking his head at Zhang Shouyi with a hint of helpless reproach on his face.

"Old Zhang, you're still as stubborn as ever. You sneaked out after the check-up and even shook off the guards. If something happens to you, who can take responsibility?"

When Zhang Shouyi saw the man, he laughed instead: "Hou Yunliang, what brings you here too? I'm just here to deliver something to Comrade Gu, not to cause trouble."

Lu Lin and Gu Mingyue then realized what was happening and quickly stood up to greet him. Lu Lin saluted the middle-aged soldier: "Greetings, Division Commander!"

Hou Yunliang returned the greeting, his gaze sweeping across the room. He saw the peace lock in Gu Mingyue's hand, then glanced at the hot tea on the table, and joked with a smile, "Looks like I've come at the wrong time, disturbing Old Zhang's blessing."

The atmosphere in the courtyard instantly became lively, and Gu Mingyue went back to get cups to serve the guests.

Just as he reached the doorway, he heard Hou Yunliang patting Zhang Shouyi on the shoulder and laughing and scolding, "Back then, you gave your cotton shoes to the new recruits in the snow, and your feet were swollen like buns from the cold, yet you still stubbornly insisted that your old bones could withstand the cold. Now you've learned to sneak away?"

She paused, her heart filled with surprise.