"Xiao Yi, you'll stay outside for now. I'll find a suitable time to tell your dad about your return." In a secluded courtyard, Yao Huixian handed her daughter a handful of banknotes, her face full of heartache.

Qin Huaiyi's life at the forest farm has not been easy these past two years.

Even though Yao Huixian would send her money and supplies every now and then, the emperor was far away, and she was a woman with no strength to fight back. She was arrogant and prone to offending people with her words, and she was often dealt with and schemed against by the people in the forest farm.

When Qin Huaijun set foot on the soil of Beijing again, he had a very surreal feeling.

"Mom, where's my brother?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

When Yao Huixian heard her mention Qin Huaijun, tears immediately streamed down her face. "Your brother... your brother was framed and died."

Qin Huaijun's body stiffened. "Dead...dead?"

Her brother had already risen to the position of deputy director of the Department of Basic Education, so how could he be so easily schemed against?

After Yao Huixian explained the whole story, Qin Huaiyi clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh.

She stood in the shadows, only her eyes shone with a frightening light. It was not ordinary light, but a cold, venomous gaze, like a venomous snake lurking in a corner, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment.

Yao Huixian glanced up casually and was startled by the look in her daughter's eyes.

"Xiao...Xiao Yi, you...?"

Qin Huaiyi quickly recovered and said angrily, "Mom, my brother must have been killed by that bitch Lin Xiaoxiao."

Yao Huixian felt a pang of heartache when she thought of her son.

“Not only Lin Xiaoxiao, but also that bastard. If they hadn’t stood by and watched your brother die, he wouldn’t have died.”

"You bitch, you're all bitches..."

"We shouldn't have given that bastard the chance to run off to Jiangcheng back then."

"And Lin Xiaoxiao... If Mom had known that arranging such a marriage for that bastard would bring us so much trouble, she shouldn't have interfered with him."

Yao Huixian complained about heaven and earth, and about everyone who didn't lend a helping hand to Qin Huaijun.

"That's not what I meant." Qin Huaiyi grabbed Yao Huixian's hand, only then realizing that her own hands were even rougher than Yao Huixian's.

Her eyes were filled with resentment. "Lin Xiaoxiao is also from a classified unit. It's said that she's Huang Jian's superior. The reason my brother got into trouble must be because she set us up."

"What?" Yao Huixian asked in a shrill voice, grabbing Qin Huaijun's hand and asking urgently, "Are you telling the truth?"

Qin Huaiyi only knew that Lin Xiaoxiao was most likely someone from a classified unit.

Lin Xiaoxiao had no idea whether Qin Huaijun's collusion with enemy agents was related to her, nor did she have any evidence.

But this doesn't stop Qin Huaiyi from labeling her.

With a look of near madness in Yao Huixian's eyes, she nodded firmly.

Yao Huixian suddenly took two steps back, looking dazed. The next second, she revealed a twisted expression, her eyes seeming to hold a sharpened knife.

"I'm going to kill her."

"Avenge your brother."

Qin Huaiyi was very satisfied to see Yao Huixian's expression of being completely absorbed in hatred.

Whether it's Lin Xiaoxiao or Qin Yushen, they both have to die.

She knew her father's temperament. Once he found out that Yao Huixian had brought her back, he would definitely send her back to the forest farm again. As long as the Chu family remained in power, she could not return to Beijing.

With no hope of returning to Beijing, she seized this rare opportunity to kill all those who had bullied her in the past.

Rather than wasting my whole life in the forest farm, I might as well end it all.

The thought of finally being able to vent the hatred she had buried for so many years filled her with excitement, making her tremble.

And her brother Wuxuan...

"Mom, don't panic. You've experienced Lin Xiaoxiao's skills firsthand. We need to come up with a foolproof plan..." Qin Huaiyi's soft voice rang in Yao Huixian's ear.

Immersed in hatred, Yao Huixian was unaware that these were the whispers of a demon, nor did she know that her own daughter had dragged her down a path of no return.

Just like Qin Huaijun back then.

Lin Xiaoxiao, who was being watched by Yao Huixian and Qin Huaijun, was holding a newspaper. Her fingertips paused when they touched the bold and large font on the cover. She then looked up at Qin Yushen, who was smiling at her, and asked incredulously, "Really?"

Qin Yu nodded, a smile in his eyes.

"Ah!" Lin Xiaoxiao jumped up excitedly, clutching the newspaper and throwing herself into his arms. "Qin Yushen, you're amazing!"

As Lin Xiaoxiao lunged at him, Qin Yushen swiftly pulled An'an aside, opened his arms to hug his wife, and kissed her cheek.

An'an: Huh? ? ?

Lin Xiaoxiao leaned against him and pointed to the words on the newspaper, reading, "Comrade Qin Yushen, captain of the Black Panther Commando Team of the Military Region, has been awarded a first-class merit in border defense operations and is now appointed as the deputy commander of the XXth Division of the Army."

The newspaper was produced by the military propaganda department and was a military newspaper exclusively for the use of the troops.

Any news, achievements, or promotions within the military will be published in the journal.

The notice of Qin Yushen's promotion to deputy division commander was posted on the bulletin board early in the morning. The yellowed newspaper clippings were highlighted, and the large print made them gleam in the early autumn sun.

Lu Yunzhang walked over from the end of the drill field. He had just finished running five kilometers with the new recruits. Dark sweat stains were seeping from his back, and there was still dust on the back of his shoes.

"Old Qin is really something else." Yu Honglei walked towards us with a smile, accompanied by the regimental staff officer.

They were still discussing Qin Yushen's promotion to deputy division commander.

"As expected, with so many military merits, even if he doesn't have enough seniority, he's more than qualified for deputy division commander." The regimental staff officer slapped Yu Honglei on the back. "You're a few years older than Deputy Division Commander Qin, what are you thinking about being overtaken?"

"Thoughts?" Yu Honglei rubbed his hands together. "How can I not treat everyone to a meal for such a good thing as a promotion?"

"I'll give him a good beating another day."

Regimental Staff Officer: "..."

Well, being carefree isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Commander Lu, you're back from the training exercise?" Yu Honglei greeted Lu Yunzhang.

Lu Yunzhang nodded, hummed in agreement, and strode away.

Yu Honglei watched his retreating figure and muttered to the regimental staff officer, "What are they thinking, sending a regimental commander like himself to lead new recruits?"

It's something that can be solved by sending a battalion commander.

The regimental staff officer glared at him irritably. "Shut up. What right do we have to question the decisions made by those above?"

"There must be a reason why the higher-ups did this."

"We just need to do our jobs well."

Yu Honglei had only asked that one question, but upon hearing the staff officer's response, he immediately changed the subject, "Alright, let's go see how those kids are doing with their training."

The two chatted and laughed as they headed towards the training field.

When Lu Yunzhang passed by the bulletin board, he also saw that particularly eye-catching newspaper.

His gaze lingered briefly on the words "Deputy Division Commander," then he walked toward the regimental headquarters with a normal expression.

The army commander's bodyguard rushed over, his voice trembling: "Regimental Commander Lu, your family called the army commander's office. They said your grandfather is unwell and they want you to go back immediately."

Lu Yunzhang's expression changed drastically.

He took off running towards the parking lot.