That's his and Ling Huanwu's marriage registration file!

As soon as Zhou Jiuzhen disembarked, he instructed Guard Wang to go to Old Wang's residence at the Civil Affairs Office, remove the lock, and retrieve the marriage certificate.

He originally didn't want to have a falling out with Commander Zhao.

But now that this person has come to him, he will never let him go easily!

Zhou Jiuzhen held the paper high in his hand, and as he approached, he questioned Zhao Jingxiang, who had come uninvited, word by word.

"The woman you are going to marry is my wife, Zhou Jiuzhen's wife."

Zhao Jingxiang's face froze instantly, his lips twitching. "You're lying! This is definitely fake!"

"Fake?" A member of the inspection team who had come with them stepped forward and showed his credentials.

"We are from the Military Region's Review Office. Comrade Zhou Jiuzhen's marriage registration is legal and valid. Comrade Zhao Jingxiang, someone has reported that you bribed public officials to forge documents in order to force a military spouse into marriage, and are suspected of disrupting military marriages. You are coming with us now!"

The group of followers who came with Zhao Jingxiang to carry the betrothal gifts tried to stop him, but were scared off by a single look from Zhou Jiuzhen.

Zhao Jingxiang froze on the spot, looking at the file in Zhou Jiuzhen's hand and then at the disdainful looks of the villagers around him, his face turning ashen with anger.

"That's right!" shouted the villagers who had just come to watch, followed by a chorus of agreement.

"I've disliked that Zhao educated youth for a long time, and he even wanted to steal Comrade Ling!"

"Commander Zhou is truly impressive; let's see if he's still so arrogant now!"

"Yes, disrupting a military marriage, they should be arrested!"

Zhou Jiuzhen carefully put the file away again, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Jingxiang who had been taken away, before finally landing on his mother's grave. He lit the incense in his hand and solemnly inserted it into the incense burner in front of the tombstone.

night.

Ling Huanwu told Zhou Jiuzhen that her mother-in-law had fallen down the stairs after learning that Xiaobao was missing.

“Jiuzhen, your mother-in-law didn’t get into trouble because you were arrested, so don’t blame yourself.”

She gently hugged Zhou Jiuzhen's shoulders, trying to comfort him, but she herself burst into tears first.

Just like Zhou Jiuzhen, she herself had a wounded childhood and a broken soul, which was gradually healed by her mother-in-law's caring words.

They sat there until dawn.

The next morning.

When Ling Huanwu woke up from Zhou Jiuzhen's knees, she found him still awake, staring blankly at the things her mother-in-law had treasured in the iron box, as if his soul had been taken away.

She got up and, as she had done countless times in the past year, used soap to shave him as he lay stiff on the bed.

“When Mom passed away, her eyes were closed. Just a few days ago, she was saying that she should make us another quilt, because it’s getting cold and we should get a new one.”

“My mother has lived her whole life for her children and grandchildren, thinking about Xiaobao’s safety and wanting to see you one more time. I told her to hold on, and I took her to the city to see you. She held on for a full hour longer than expected…”

Ling Huanwu's voice choked as she spoke. She reached out to touch his arm, but then pulled back and instead gripped the fabric of his sleeve tightly.

"Cry if you want to, your mother won't blame you. She's worried about you enough to make you cry for three days and three nights. She'll only feel at ease if you cry it out."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiuzhen slowly raised his head. All his feigned strength collapsed at this moment, and he hugged Ling Huanwu and burst into tears.

Seagulls flew over the low stone houses and landed on a mudflat that had already been thoroughly cleaned by beachcombers.

Inside the room, Zhou Jiuzhen held her, crying his heart out, his sobs soaking her white clothes.

I don't know how much time passed.

After Zhou Jiuzhen had cried enough, he sat up in bed as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.

He closed the iron box his mother had left him, his eyes filled with determination. "I'm going to Hong Kong to fulfill my mother's last wish and find Xiaobao!"

Seeing that he had cheered up, Ling Huanwu breathed a sigh of relief.

She took Zhou Jiuzhen's hand, looked up at him, and said, "Okay, I'll go with you!"

The two began their operation that very day.

Zhou Jiuzhen went to the military base to ask Political Commissar Hao for permission to go to Gangcheng to care for his parents.

He submitted a telegram sent by Zhou Shuyao from Hong Kong, emphasizing the urgency and uniqueness of handling family affairs, which met the reason for leaving the country for family responsibilities, and requested to take his family members with him.

Political Commissar Hao stamped the application and looked at the newly issued marriage certificate of Zhou Jiuzhen and Ling Huanwu, and couldn't help but sigh, "I didn't expect you to do something so big without making a sound. You got the marriage certificate as soon as you got the marriage report. Don't worry, I will personally deliver this report for expedited approval."

"We can't let Aunt Wang rest in peace underground; we must find the child as soon as possible!"

With tears welling up in his eyes, Zhou Jiuzhen stood with his feet together and gave a solemn salute.

He had just turned and left the military office when his comrades from the communications room rushed over with another telegram and stuffed it into Zhou Jiuzhen's hand.

"Commander Zhou, your brother has sent another telegram to our unit, saying that your nephew has been kidnapped. Please do something about it!"

Ling Huanwu, who was waiting at the door, snatched the telegram and looked at its contents. She was so angry that her hands were trembling.

She knew Qin Jinshen was crazy, but she didn't expect him to be this crazy.

Even when she threatened him with his current career, he was not afraid at all and still chose to fight to the death.

Zhou Jiuzhen clenched his fists, feeling utterly powerless. "It will take at least a week for both sets of procedures to be approved. Besides, now that Zhao Jingxiang has been arrested, the application materials for going to Hong Kong will likely be blocked from approval by the higher authorities."

Ling Huanwu pondered for a moment, then spoke with absolute certainty, "I have a way to bypass Commander Zhao's approval. Not only can Jiu Zhen leave the country smoothly, but I can also leave the country legitimately!"

Zhou Jiuzhen and Political Commissar Hao were puzzled, but Ling Huanwu took out paper and pen and rewrote two exit application forms.

Political Commissar Hao's eyes lit up instantly as he looked at the contents of the two applications...

The two left the office, and Zhou Jiuzhen took Ling Huanwu's hand. Together they walked down the long staircase where his mother had the accident, and finally stepped into the sunlight and shadows cut into small pieces by the leaves, heading towards the unknown road.

*

Port City.

The two arrived at the port city pier, and Ling Huanwu led Zhou Jiuzhen straight to the district where Zhou Shuyao was currently living.

As soon as the car turned the corner, Zhou Jiuzhen instinctively straightened his back.

Previously, I only felt that there were many people at the dock, but now I feel like I have truly stumbled into this bizarre and wonderful place.

The buildings seemed to be stacked on top of each other, each one taller than the last. The glass curtain walls were so bright they made people dizzy, refracting the sunlight into fragments of gold that could be reflected in the asphalt road.

The signs on both sides of the street were crowded together, and the red and green light boxes blinked.

A person in a floral shirt rode by on a gleaming bicycle with a "ding-a-ling" sound.

The Cantonese songs blaring from the loudspeakers, mixed with car horns, buzzed into my ears.

Zhou Jiuzhen tightened his grip on the canvas bag, his Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't speak; his eyes just seemed a little vacant.

We're used to seeing mud-brick houses and Gobi deserts, where have we ever seen such a sight?

How can a building be so tall that you can't see the top?

How can a light be brighter than the stars?

Even the air was filled with an indescribable smell, unlike the coal smoke smell in the house. It was a little sweet and a little fragrant, which made people feel uneasy.

Even after the car stopped on the side of the road, he still stared at the tall building across the street with its windows. After a long while, he whispered to Lin Wanqiu, his voice a little muffled: "This building... doesn't it sway when there's a strong wind?"