The winter of 1970 came especially early.

It was only the beginning of December, and snowflakes were already falling in the drizzle.

There were few pedestrians on the wide and flat road. The jeep drove south through the rain and snow, over the puddles and fallen leaves.

Guard Xiao Hu looked through the rearview mirror at the division commander who was frowning and looking out the window in the back seat. He coughed and reminded him, "Commander, didn't you say you wanted to buy egg cake for Yu Yu this morning? We're just ahead at the cooperative."

Chen Demao came back to his senses, thinking of his daughter who had been recovering better and better in the past few days. The heaviness in his eyes was replaced by kindness: "Pull over, I'll go buy it."

Xiao Hu frowned: "I'll go. It's raining outside. Don't let you catch a cold."

Chen Demao waved his hands and scolded with a smile: "No need, I'm not that pretentious."

Besides, I guess I won’t buy it many times.

Seeing that the leader insisted, Xiao Hu had no choice but to stop the car and lean over to hand over the umbrella on the passenger seat.

Perhaps because it was cloudy, dusk had already fallen even though it was not even six o'clock.

Chen Demao held an umbrella, glanced at the sky for a few times, gathered his calm mood, and walked quickly towards the cooperative . The tank division family compound was built alone on the bank of the Changluo River.

Chen Demao led the guards back home. When he saw his wife coming out to greet him, he took off his hat and handed it to her.

"Why did you buy so many things?" Seeing the big bags of snacks in Xiao Hu's hands, Ji Mo turned around and glared at her husband.

"Where's that girl Yuyu?"

"I went to Xiuzhen's house to borrow soy sauce for me."

Chen Demao nodded, took off his outer coat, and said in a deep voice: "Send her away in the next two days."

Hearing this, Ji Mo paused from patting Yu Xue's hands, and the gentle smile on her face faded, but she didn't rush to say anything, probably because she was mentally prepared.

"Are you sure?" She turned around and hung the military cap on the hanger, then took the coat from her husband's hand and hung it up together.

Chen Demao pinched his brows, asked the guard to leave, and told him the news he had received during the day: "Old Lu was capped and sent to the border."

"What about the sister-in-law of the Lu family?" Ji Mo was shocked.

Chen Demao led his wife into the house and said, "It's understandable that we published a divorce in the newspaper. Otherwise, the children would suffer."

This was a difficult statement to make. Judging from Mrs. Lu's past behavior, Ji Mo didn't think she was getting a divorce for the sake of her children.

But it was someone else's family affair, so she just thought about it in her mind: "What does the old leader say?"

Since the new policy came out, the situation has become more tense day by day.

The situation was relatively better in the army, where big-character posters were posted outside and homes were smashed and looted everywhere.

Now even Old Lu has been affected, which is even more disturbing.

Chen Demao sat on the sofa, patted his wife's hand when he heard the words, sighed, and said nothing, yet it seemed as if he had said everything.

The old leader is also having a difficult time now. There are too many people to look after and he is afraid that he can’t take care of himself.

Seeing this, Ji Mo's heart tightened. She subconsciously looked back at her daughter's room and murmured with a lonely look: "Then let's do as you said and send Yu Yu away as soon as possible. It's okay for us to suffer a little. My daughter is only 15 years old."

This had been discussed long ago. Chen Demao comforted him in a deep voice: "Don't worry, I will definitely make sure Yu Yu is settled."

Having said that, deep down, Chen Demao did not want his wife to suffer with him. He was a very rational man. At this time, it would be safest for his wife to draw a clear line with him and live with their daughter.

But his wife was beautiful. Even though she was already forty-two years old and wore simple clothes, it could not hide her radiant beauty.

Besides, the two families had no real relatives anymore, and he couldn't feel at ease letting the mother and daughter live alone in such a world.

Thinking of this, and thinking of his daughter who was even more beautiful, Chen Demao couldn't sit still. He stood up and said, "Have a good chat with my daughter later and analyze the pros and cons with her. I'm going upstairs to call Sister Qiuhua."

Ji Mo also stood up: "You go ahead, I'll go to the kitchen to check on dinner first. Yu Yu will be waiting over there when she finishes her meal, we'll talk to her together."

“Okay.”

= This side.

Chen Nongmo, who had no idea that he was about to be sent away, held an umbrella in one hand and a half-bowl of soy sauce in the other. He walked home with light steps and saw his mother waiting at the door from a distance. She smiled and called out, "Mom!"

Ji Mo reached out to take the bowl from her daughter's hand, touched her hand habitually, and frowned: "I told you not to go, but you insisted on going. Look, it's cold, isn't it?"

Chen Nongmo folded his umbrella, shook off the water stains on it, and followed his mother into the house. He didn't say a word, but listened to her chatter with a faint smile on his face.

"Girl, you only know how to laugh. I don't know who you inherited this soft temper from. Girls have to be more aggressive, otherwise you'll easily suffer."

Hearing this, Chen Nongmo, who came into the kitchen to help, drooped his eyelashes.

She is not a gentle person by any means, but she had been through a lot in society in her previous life and suffered a lot, which made her look harmless now.

Yes!

It’s the previous life!

I don’t know why, I don’t know what the opportunity was.

She only remembered that 8 days ago, during an earthquake, she was buried in the rubble while trying to save her elderly mother, the director of the building.

When he opened his eyes again, the 28-year-old Chen Nongmo in 2023 had become the 15-year-old Chen Nongmo in 1970.

It is said that the original body was trapped in the mother's womb for too long when born, and his mentality has always been like that of a three-year-old child.

The only difference between her and other children is that she doesn’t cry or make a fuss, but just stays quietly every day.

But to others, these are just signs of stupidity.

But Chen Nongmo, who came back to life, didn't think the little girl was stupid.

She even had a strong feeling that the original body was her and she was the original body.

The reason why the little girl was muddle-headed before was that it seemed like there was no healthy soul in her body. "I'm asking you a question? Why are you in a daze?" Ji Mo patted her daughter.

Chen Nongmo blinked, her thick eyelashes fluttering like a small fan. She looked at her mother blankly, "What?"

"I stewed some salted fish tonight. How about scrambled eggs for you?"

"No, salted fish is enough. Why should we have radishes?" Although the family is well-off, they cannot be so extravagant as it will attract attention.

Thinking of this, and the gossip he had heard in the compound in the past few days, Chen Nongmo frowned again and asked tentatively: "Mom, I went to Aunt Xiuzhen's house to borrow soy sauce just now, and I always felt that she seemed to have something to say to me."

This is true, not only for Aunt Xiuzhen, but also for other military dependents in the entire family compound.

Perhaps because he grew up in an orphanage, Chen Nongmo is very sensitive to other people's emotions.

She was sure that the gazes that had lingered on her these days were definitely not just because she was no longer stupid.

Ji Mo lifted the lid of the pot, scooped a little fish soup with a spoon, tasted it and found it sweet and salty. She felt it was not spicy enough, so she added a few dried chilies, covered the pot and simmered it on low heat. Hearing this, she paused in her action of adding straw to the stove: "There's no rush for this. I'll talk to you about it after dinner. Go get the bowls and chopsticks and set the table. Get ready to eat."

It would take at least ten minutes for the fish to be ready, but Chen Nongmo noticed the unnaturalness behind his mother's smile. Although he had a bad feeling in his heart, he still responded obediently, "Okay."

= After dinner.

My father went upstairs again.

Chen Nongmo was helping his mother clean up the dishes.

Liu Xiuzhen from next door came in with a plate of fried peanuts. She had a bright smile on her round face: "Oh, our Yuyu is really sensible, unlike those two brats in my family who just run outside all day long. Old Ji, I think you are good at raising children. You might as well just steal Yuyu and make her my daughter."

"You have such a big mouth." Ji Mo shook her head in amusement. She didn't bother to be polite with her friend. She took the plate from her hand and looked at her daughter beside her: "Go wash your face and feet first. Let your dad wash the dishes."

Chen Nongmo naturally couldn't let her father wash the dishes, knowing that this was just an excuse for her mother to get her out of the way.

So she greeted Aunt Xiuzhen shyly and went to the kitchen to wash the bowl.

Seeing this, Ji Mo's eyes turned red and she murmured, "This child..."

Liu Xiuzhen was also happy for her friend. The two had known each other for more than 20 years, so she knew how much effort the couple had put into their child. She comforted him in a gentle voice, "Isn't the child sensible now? I see that Yu Yu is very smart and clever. Don't worry too much. Everything will be fine."

"Yes, it will be fine." Ji Mo wiped the corners of her eyes, sighed, and then pulled her friend to sit on the sofa, saying bluntly: "I know why you are here, but Yu Yu can't stay in your house."

Liu Xiuzhen glared at him: "What? You still don't trust me? I love Yuyu like my own daughter. If she likes my brat in the future, it would be even better if she becomes my daughter-in-law!"

If Old Chen hadn't saved her husband back then, Old Chu would have died long ago, and they wouldn't have the good life they have today.

With such a great favor, it’s not right for me to take care of Yu Yu.

"You know that's not what I meant, so stop deliberately saying things to provoke me." Ji Mo smiled bitterly and patted her friend, then without giving her a chance to speak, she continued, "What Lao Chen meant was that there should be a notice from above in a few days. The better ones might be sent to a remote military unit to be an instructor, while the worse ones will be sent directly to labor reform. If they really have to go to labor reform, wouldn't it be a target for Lao Chu if Yu Yu stayed in your house? You have to consider your Lao Chu and the two children."

Liu Xiuzhen held her friend's hand tightly and frowned, "That's what Old Chu meant. I've discussed it with him, and he agreed that Yuyu should live in our house. Even if you and Old Chen really go to the farm for labor reform, we're not afraid. At most, we can send Yuyu to my mother's house and ask Chu Dian and Chu Jun to accompany him. It takes half a day to get from Shanghai to N City by train. Who knows where the children will go to school?"

Although Ji Mo was touched by the timely help from her good friend and his wife, she could not drag them down because of their sincerity. She shook her head firmly: "Xiuzhen, you know, even if there is a one-thousandth chance that it will implicate you and Lao Chu, Lao Chen and I will not do it. Besides, we have already arranged Yu Yu's place, which is absolutely appropriate."

Liu Xiuzhen didn't believe that there was anyone who treated Yu Yu better than her, so she subconsciously asked, "Who?"

Ji Mo: "It's Sister Qiuhua."

Liu Xiuzhen was stunned for a long while before she sighed and said, "Sister Qiuhua can be assured indeed, but it's a pity. I really want Yuyu to be my daughter-in-law."

Ji Mo: “.”

= City N is located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and people don't heat the kangs here in winter.

Chen Nongmo was afraid of the cold, so after he cleaned up the dishes and washed up, he used a salt water bottle to fill three thermos bottles with water before going upstairs and curling up in bed to think.

She was not stupid. The connection of clues and the sorrow behind her parents' whitewashing of peace were enough for Chen Nongmo to guess that her family probably had not escaped this political storm.

The peaceful days will not last for many days.

It is impossible to say that you have no fear at all when facing unknown suffering.

But she had only been in this world for a few days, and apart from going to several hospitals for physical examinations, she had not been out anywhere.

Not to mention the environment outside, I don’t even understand the situation at home, so it’s impossible to change the status quo.

Instead of trying all kinds of methods in a hurry, it is better to hide more belongings before the document is officially issued.

Thinking of this, Chen Nongmo could no longer lie down, so he quickly sat up with the thermos in his arms, put on his cotton jacket, and prepared to get out of bed to find his mother.

Unexpectedly, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

She turned around and saw her mother had opened the door and walked in holding a package.

Seeing this, Chen Nongmo's heart skipped a beat, especially when he met his mother's red eyes, he felt that his previous guess was not wrong.

Ji Mo didn't know that her daughter had already prepared herself for the upcoming change. She sat down beside the bed and stuffed a small package into her daughter's hands. She touched her daughter's eyebrows and eyes, which were 70% similar to hers, reluctantly. After a while, she gently coaxed her, "Yuyu, there are banknotes and some valuables in here. Keep them. It's not peaceful outside recently. Tomorrow, ask Xiao Hu to take you to your mother Qiuhua's house to take shelter. Wait until your parents are fine and then pick you up, okay?"

Chen Nongmo subconsciously hugged the package tightly and asked in a daze, "Qiuhua's mother?"

Who is this? Ji Mo: "Yes, Qiuhua's mother is your father's ex-wife. She is a very good person. I feel relieved to leave you to her."

Are you serious? Chen Nongmo said she was even more confused. (End of this chapter)