What happened in the past six months that could change a person so much?
Only after the kerosene lamp in the window went out did Shen Tingzhou quietly get up. He took out a small rag doll from his pocket—it was sewn from an old towel issued by the army, and although the stitches were crooked, it was still vaguely recognizable as a little rabbit, a gift for Nian'an. He placed the doll at the gate of the courtyard, hesitated for a moment, then took out a few crumpled grain coupons from his pocket, placed them under the doll, and then turned and disappeared into the night.
He hadn't walked far when he stopped again, glancing back at the tightly closed courtyard gate. A bizarre thought suddenly popped into his head—could Lin Wanqiu's change be related to the jade pendant she wore around her neck?
He remembered the jade pendant. It was an heirloom from Lin Wanqiu's family, which she wore around her neck at her wedding, tied with a red string, so subtle that it was barely noticeable. He had seen it once after the memorial service; at that time, the pendant looked dull and lacked luster. But tonight, he caught a glimpse of it, and the pendant seemed brighter, faintly glowing with a warm light under the moonlight.
Of course, this might just be his imagination. How could an ordinary jade pendant change a person? He shook his head, dismissing the absurd thought, and quickened his pace towards the depths of the back mountain—where his makeshift hut was located, serving as his temporary base for investigating suspicious points in his mission.
Back in the shack, Shen Tingzhou, by the dim moonlight, opened the notebook he carried with him. The notebook was filled with dense handwriting, mostly about questions surrounding the mission. Only the last page contained a small, crookedly drawn rabbit, with the words "Nian An" written beside it. He stared at those two words for a long time, then, remembering Lin Wanqiu's appearance that evening, he couldn't help but sigh.
Whatever happened to Lin Wanqiu, one thing he was certain of—she was no longer the weak woman who needed to depend on others to survive. She now had the ability to protect herself and Nian'an, and could even plan for the future, which made him both gratified and somewhat lost.
The comforting thing is that even if he can't show his face for the time being, the mother and daughter can still live well; the disappointing thing is that he seems to have missed Lin Wanqiu's most important change, and missed Nian'an's process of gradually becoming more cheerful and stronger.
He closed his laptop and leaned against the cold stone wall, but sleep was elusive. The scenes from tonight replayed in his mind—Lin Wanqiu's shocked gaze, her angry accusations, her gentle smile, and Nian An's contented expression as she sucked on her candy. These images, like pebbles, stirred ripples in his heart, even seeming to lessen the pressure and anxiety of the mission.
He suddenly remembered what Lin Wanqiu had said when she pushed him to hide: "If she sees you, you'll be in big trouble!" She didn't ask him why he was there, where he had been for the past six months, or even question his "resurrection." Her first reaction was to protect him, afraid that Zhang Lan would find out.
This detail, like a tiny needle, gently pricked his heart, causing a bittersweet ache. He had always thought that Lin Wanqiu's marriage to him was more of an arranged marriage, and not necessarily based on genuine feelings. But tonight he realized that this seemingly delicate woman harbored a deeper affection than anyone else.
"Wait a little longer, Wanqiu," he murmured, his fingers gently stroking the small rabbit pattern on the notebook. "Once I've found out what happened, I'll definitely come back and never leave you two again."
Unbeknownst to him, Lin Wanqiu was sitting on the bed in the courtyard, holding the copper whistle he had left behind. Moonlight streamed through the window, reflecting a faint glow onto the whistle. She touched the jade pendant around her neck, silently calculating—she needed to go to the back mountain early tomorrow to gather up the overturned seeds and fertilizer, and perhaps see if she could cultivate a small plot of land. Also, she had to hide the doll and grain coupons left by Shen Tingzhou well, so that Old Lady Shen and Zhang Lan wouldn't find them.
Just then, she heard a slight noise coming from the courtyard gate. Her heart tightened, and she quietly walked to the window and looked out through the crack—she saw a small figure dart around in the doorway and then quickly disappear. She recognized it as Little Tiger from next door; he had probably smelled the aroma of steamed buns and wanted to beg for some food.
Lin Wanqiu couldn't help but smile, turned around and took out two white steamed buns from the wooden box, wrapped them in oil paper, and planned to give them to Xiaohu the next morning. She now had supplies from her spatial storage, and although she couldn't use them openly, it wouldn't be a problem to occasionally help her neighbors.
But then she thought again and stopped. Old Mrs. Shen and Zhang Lan already disliked her; if they knew she had extra steamed buns to share, who knows what trouble they'd cause. And then there was Lin Moli, who hadn't shown up yet—Old Mrs. Shen had mentioned that Lin Moli was Lin Wanqiu's distant cousin, and she was coming to visit them soon. Judging from Old Mrs. Shen's tone, she knew this cousin wasn't someone to be trifled with; she might also be there to take advantage.
Thinking of this, Lin Wanqiu put the steamed bun back into the wooden box, her eyes filled with vigilance. She knew that the fact that Shen Tingzhou was still alive couldn't be known to anyone for the time being, including Nian'an—not that she didn't believe in Nian'an, but she was afraid that the child was too young and might accidentally let something slip, putting Shen Tingzhou in danger. The secret of the space was even more crucial and couldn't be revealed, otherwise it would not only attract the covetousness of Old Madam Shen and Zhang Lan, but might also bring even greater trouble.
"When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it." She whispered to herself, her fingers gripping the brass whistle tightly. "Whether it's Old Lady Shen, Zhang Lan, or that Lin Moli, if they want to bully me and Nian'an, they'll have to ask the hoe in my hand if it's allowed!"
The moonlight outside the window grew brighter, and Lin Wanqiu lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. She thought of Shen Tingzhou's appearance tonight—though his face showed more weariness and his eyes more melancholy, the undisguised tenderness he showed when looking at her and Nian'an was exactly the same as before. She knew that Shen Tingzhou's appearance had brought some changes to her life, but also some hope.
What she needs to do now is take good care of Nian'an, cultivate the land on the back hillside, and save more money for Shen Tingzhou's return. Then, their family can be reunited, no longer afraid of Old Lady Shen and Zhang Lan's刁难 (difficulties/challenges), and no longer have to live a life of secrecy.
As she thought about it, a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips—when Shen Tingzhou returned, she would definitely give him a thorough "interrogation," asking him where he had been for the past six months, why he had kept it a secret from her and Nian'an, and how many secrets about the space he had discovered. However, before that, she had to make sure things were going well at home, so that when Shen Tingzhou returned, he would see an increasingly powerful Lin Wanqiu and an increasingly happy little family.
Night deepened, and the courtyard was quiet, save for the occasional chirping of insects. Shen Tingzhou tossed and turned in his shack, his mind filled with thoughts of Lin Wanqiu's changes; Lin Wanqiu, on the kang (heated brick bed), was lost in thought, her heart brimming with anticipation for the future. Neither of them knew that a new storm was quietly brewing with the impending arrival of Lin Moli. This storm would not only deepen Shen Tingzhou's observations but also force Lin Wanqiu to reveal more of her "trump cards" ahead of time, taking more determined steps in protecting her family.
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