"Wanqiu, go to the brigade headquarters right away. Secretary Zhao wants to see you," the captain said with a somewhat complicated expression.
Lin Wanqiu's heart skipped a beat—Secretary Zhao is Zhao Jianjun's father. Zhao Jianjun suffered a loss yesterday, and he must have complained to his father today. Secretary Zhao's visit to her probably wasn't for anything good.
"Captain, what does Secretary Zhao want to see me about?" Lin Wanqiu asked.
"I don't know the specifics either, but it seems to be about Zhao Jianjun." The captain sighed. "Be careful when you go. Secretary Zhao is very protective of his own."
Lin Wanqiu nodded, closed the courtyard gate, and followed the team leader to the brigade headquarters. On the way, she thought to herself—if Secretary Zhao accused her without distinguishing right from wrong, she would tell everyone about Zhao Jianjun's forced marriage and deliberate provocation, and let the people in the team judge the matter.
When they arrived at the brigade headquarters, Secretary Zhao was sitting behind his desk smoking, while Zhao Jianjun stood to the side, his face still bearing injuries. When he saw Lin Wanqiu, his eyes were filled with resentment and malice.
"Lin Wanqiu, do you know your crime?" Secretary Zhao stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and said in a serious tone.
"Secretary Zhao, I don't know what crime I've committed," Lin Wanqiu said calmly. "But Comrade Zhao, yesterday when you tried to force me into marriage but failed, you deliberately threw dirty water and let chickens peck at my vegetables outside my yard. You even said you would report my hoarding of cured meat to the commune. I wonder if Secretary Zhao is aware of these things?"
Secretary Zhao frowned and looked at Zhao Jianjun: "Jianjun, is what she said true?"
Zhao Jianjun's face changed, and he quickly said, "Dad, she's talking nonsense! I was just passing by her house and wanted to have a good talk with her. She deliberately put stones outside the yard to trip me up and made the neighbors laugh at me!"
"Whether I'm lying or not, my neighbors in the team can all testify." Lin Wanqiu sneered. "Yesterday, Aunt Wang and Uncle Li saw Comrade Zhao bring people to my door, threatening me with the excuse that I was hiding supplies, and even saying he would send my son to an orphanage. Is Secretary Zhao going to cover up these things too?"
Secretary Zhao's face grew increasingly grim. He knew his son's character and also knew that what Lin Wanqiu said might be true. If things escalated and the commune found out, he wouldn't be able to keep his position as the brigade secretary.
"Alright, stop talking!" Secretary Zhao interrupted their argument. "Jianjun, you were wrong yesterday. Apologize to Lin Wanqiu right now!"
Zhao Jianjun looked at his father in disbelief: "Dad, why should I apologize to her? She started it..."
"Apologize when I tell you to!" Secretary Zhao glared at him. "If you dare to act recklessly again, I'll send you to the army for some training, so you'll learn what rules are!"
Zhao Jianjun was frightened by his father's words. He was most afraid of going to the army, so he could only reluctantly say to Lin Wanqiu, "I'm sorry."
Seeing his unwilling look, Lin Wanqiu knew that he wouldn't let it go so easily, but with Secretary Zhao's words, he probably wouldn't dare to cause trouble again in the short term.
“Secretary Zhao, there’s no need for an apology. I just hope that Comrade Zhao will stop bothering my son and me in the future,” Lin Wanqiu said. “As for the matter of hoarding supplies, I have nothing to hide. If Comrade Zhao has any evidence, feel free to report me to the commune. I’m ready to fight anytime.”
After saying that, she turned and left, leaving Secretary Zhao and Zhao Jianjun in the office with livid faces.
As Lin Wanqiu walked out of the brigade headquarters, she breathed a sigh of relief—the fact that the matter was resolved so smoothly this time must be related to the mysterious man from yesterday. If he hadn't taught Zhao Jianjun a lesson, Secretary Zhao wouldn't have been able to get Zhao Jianjun to apologize so easily.
Back home, Lin Wanqiu picked Nian'an up from Aunt Wang's house. As soon as they entered, they saw a cloth bag outside the gate. She opened it and found some fresh wild mushrooms, a pheasant, and a note that read: "Found in the mountains, just a small token of my appreciation. Take care of yourself."
The handwriting was strong and vigorous, and Lin Wanqiu recognized it at a glance. It was Shen Tingzhou's handwriting—he used to write letters to her often when he was at home, and she was very familiar with his handwriting.
"Mom, what's this?" Nian'an asked curiously, reaching out to touch the pheasant.
Lin Wanqiu put the cloth bag away, patted her son's head, and her eyes were a little moist: "It was given by a kind person. We'll have chicken to eat today."
She knew that Shen Tingzhou was nearby, secretly protecting her and her child. Although she knew he couldn't show himself, she believed that one day he would return, would come back to her and Nian'an's side.
In the following days, Lin Wanqiu's life became much calmer. Zhao Jianjun stopped causing trouble, and Old Lady Shen and Zhang Lan also behaved themselves. Occasionally, when they encountered her on the street, they would only glare at her from afar and dare not approach her to cause any more trouble.
That day, Lin Wanqiu took Nian'an to pick wild vegetables in the back mountain. When they reached the open space they had visited before, they found a small earthenware jar on the ground containing some honey. She opened the jar, and a sweet fragrance wafted out. Inside was a note that read: "Nian'an is weak; she can mix it with water to drink."
Lin Wanqiu felt a warmth in her heart, knowing it was a gift from Shen Tingzhou. She put the pottery jar into her spatial storage, took Nian'an's hand, and continued walking forward.
"Mom, look, there's a little rabbit over there!" Nian'an suddenly shouted, pointing to the woods in front of them.
Lin Wanqiu looked in the direction he pointed and saw a small white rabbit munching on grass. She was about to tell Nian'an to be quiet when the rabbit suddenly pricked up its ears, turned, and ran into the woods. Immediately afterward, a man in a black Zhongshan suit emerged from the woods—it was Shen Tingzhou!
Lin Wanqiu's heart was pounding. She held Nian'an's hand and stood there, watching him approach step by step.
Shen Tingzhou walked up to them, stopped, and looked at Lin Wanqiu and Nian An with a complicated expression. He wasn't wearing a mask, revealing his familiar face, only he looked thinner than before, and his eyes held a hint of weariness.
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