Chapter 23: Third Watch (Catching Bugs)

When Lin Xiang met the soldier introduced by the enthusiastic military wife, she found out that the other person was Song Wei, the battalion commander who was praised by He Hongyuan as a peacock with its tail spread out in the corridor of the single dormitory that day.

Lin Xiang was stunned, and Song Wei was also stunned.

Song Wei showed a simple and honest smile on his face, and shook his head and said, "Comrade Lin Xiang, it turns out to be you!"

Mrs. Li was the wife of the third platoon leader in his battalion. She was a few years older than Song Wei and was enthusiastic about arranging the marriage when she came to visit her relatives this time. She praised Comrade Na Lin to Song Wei for being so handsome. She also heard that he was a high school graduate and well-educated. Song Wei was willing to come and take a look.

It was nothing serious at first glance, but it turned out to be the same person I had seen last time!

He obviously remembered that Captain He had described him as a peacock with its tail spread out. He immediately put away the smile on his face and tried to look calm and capable.

The two met at a state-owned hotel, firstly to have a place to talk, and secondly to have lunch at the same time.

Song Wei wanted to develop, but he was also thinking about Captain He. He asked, "Comrade Lin Xiang, I heard that you are a relative of Captain He's hometown?"

After all, the last time he intended to get to know Lin Xiang, he was stopped by Captain He with a sullen face.

When he thought about it afterwards, he almost thought that Captain He also had feelings for someone, but he couldn't be sure. After all, in all these years, when had Captain He ever fallen in love with any female comrade?

If they are really relatives, it makes sense. Isn't it said that brothers and uncles can't bear to see their sisters or younger generations being seduced away by wolf cubs? He can understand it!

Lin Xiang thought about how He Hongyuan had mentioned several times that he wanted to cancel the engagement, and he was the man in the book that even the heroine couldn't conquer, so she gave up the idea and immediately confirmed this statement: "Yes, I am his relative."

After hearing Lin Xiang's words, Song Wei finally felt relieved. Looking at the girl in front of him with lively eyebrows and a beautiful smile, his heart was pounding.

Today the state-owned hotel has changed its menu, all of which are written on the blackboard. Song Wei was originally planning to treat Lin Xiang to a meal, but she insisted on each paying half of the money and food coupons.

In the end, the two ordered hot and sour pork skin soup, baked duck with ginger and scallions, and two bowls of sweet potato rice.

While waiting for the meal, Lin Xiang listened to Song Wei's enthusiastic words and responded one by one. She was also thinking seriously that it seemed nice to have a partner like him.

Although the original male protagonist Jiang Zhenghao and the important male supporting role He Hongyuan are the most outstanding in the story, others also have their own advantages, such as Song Wei in front of us, who is enthusiastic and simple, and speaks and acts with a straightforward spirit, which is also quite cute.

However, the result of the blind date will determine whether they can get along well in the future. At the moment, Lin Xiang is more concerned about the recruitment situation.

"Captain Song, I heard that the factory built by the troops behind and the Phnom Penh Municipal Government is recruiting workers?" Lin Xiang has heard a lot of such news recently, and many military dependents are eager to try.

Song Wei was appointed to assist in recruiting workers.

The recruitment process was supervised by military personnel and led by the director of the women's department of the family home.

"Yes, Comrade Lin Xiang, you want to find a job? You can definitely apply. Six years ago, our military region cooperated with the Phnom Penh Municipal Government to build a food factory. The factory recruits military dependents, but it is rare to find military dependents with a degree. Since you have a high school degree, there will be no problem."

After Lin Xiang got this accurate information, he asked some more precautions and felt more at ease.

Song Wei enthusiastically introduced the recent situation of the food factory to Lin Xiang. The 119 Municipal Food Factory is divided into Factory 1 and Factory 2. Because it is close to the sea, most of the products produced and processed are from the sea, mainly canned food. Factory 1 is large in scale and has many employees. Factory 2 is a new factory area built last year and has not yet developed.

Song Wei specifically reminded him: "Remember to apply for Factory 1. The production there is stable and the benefits are better. Factory 2 is pretty lame right now. It only has people on the verge of being recruited. Generally, people with some connections will say hello and go to Factory 1 instead of Factory 2."

This is quite useful information. Lin Xiang nodded to indicate that he would remember it.

The conversation was quite pleasant. Lin Xiang found that Song Wei was warm and considerate. He was indeed a good gay. Regardless of whether there could be any further development between them, at least they could be friends.

"Table 3, the dishes are ready." The waiter's voice came from the front desk of the state-owned hotel, and Song Wei immediately stood up to serve the dishes.

"You sit down, I'll go!"

Two hot dishes and two bowls of sweet potato rice were served. Song Wei put down his bowl and said, "It's hot this day. I'll go buy two bottles of soda. Wait, I'll be back soon."

Before Lin Xiang could respond to him, he left in a hurry.

......

He Hongyuan received a letter from Mrs. Yang at the front desk of the military district guesthouse. When he heard that Lin Xiang was seeing the person introduced by Mrs. Yang, he frowned, but in an instant he returned to his usual expressionless face and strode out of the military district.

There is a street of state-owned stores outside the military area. They are much larger than the ones in the family compound, and military families often come out to buy things.

There was only one state-owned hotel on the street, and that was He Hongyuan's destination.

But when he walked near the state-owned hotel, he saw Song Wei coming out of the store, looking as happy as a peacock, and quickly walked across the street to buy a soda. Through the glass door of the hotel, he could catch a glimpse of a familiar figure sitting at one of the tables.

He Hongyuan understood what was going on. He watched from afar as Song Wei's steps jumped with excitement and he almost ran away for joy. He Hongyuan stared at him deeply, and after a moment, he walked closer.

After paying the bill, Song Wei walked to the hotel entrance holding two bottles of soda. When he looked up, he saw Captain He. He was startled at first, then quickly put away his silly smile and raised his hand to salute He Hongyuan: "Captain He!"

"Come for dinner?" He Hongyuan glanced at his face which could not hide his joy, then lowered his eyes to glance at the two bottles of steaming soda. Arctic Ocean soda was a best-seller across the country, at 1.5 cents a bottle.

Song Wei pursed his lips, trying to raise them, and nodded: "Yes! I'll come..."

"Let's go together." He Hongyuan interrupted him and walked into the hotel first, "I'm hungry too."

Song Wei: "..."

He stared blankly at his leader's back, his mouth slightly open, his mind still a little confused, and then he saw Leader He turned around and looked at him: "What's wrong? What are you doing standing there?"

"Oh!" Song Wei quickly followed.

Song Wei went out to buy soda by himself, while Lin Xiang sat at the table waiting for him to come back. She also planned to apply for a job in the next few days under the name of He Hongyuan's hometown relative. She believed that Comrade He Hongyuan would be willing to let her use this name. At worst, Aunt He could help. In this way, she should be able to find a job and settle down in Phnom Penh smoothly.

Thinking of this, she felt very happy, but when she looked up, she saw He Hongyuan and Song Wei walking in together.

Lin Xiang:?

"Comrade He...Comrade He Hongyuan, why are you here?" Lin Xiang didn't quite understand why Song Wei went to buy a bottle of soda and brought back He Hongyuan.

"I haven't eaten yet, let's eat together." He Hongyuan went to the front desk again and paid RMB 1.60 for an additional dish of coconut chicken, then came back and sat opposite Lin Xiang.

Song Wei put the soda on the table and handed a bottle to Lin Xiang before sitting down. He rubbed his head and smiled happily: "It's just right, we are all acquaintances, let's eat together."

How could Lin Xiang have thought that a blind date would turn into a dinner for three people? As soon as He Hongyuan came, the originally enthusiastic and talkative Song Wei became obedient, just like a naughty student meeting the dean of studies, eating the meal in a proper manner, and even his sitting posture became obviously more correct.

At the dinner table, it was He Hongyuan who took the initiative to speak more. He casually asked Song Wei about the training situation in the camp. Song Wei answered seriously and solemnly, which made Lin Xiang stunned.

Captain He's intimidation is too great!

She had figured out that whoever married him in the future might be trained every day, and his wife would be treated in a militarized manner.

No, she almost forgot that He Hongyuan in the book remained single all his life and had no interest in dating or getting married.

The meal was eaten in a solemn atmosphere.

After dinner, Song Wei was thinking about how to get rid of Head He and whether he could ask Comrade Lin Xiang to go to the movies or walk and talk on the street. After all, he hadn't mentioned the serious matter of blind date yet. Before dinner, the two of them just chatted and discussed the recruitment in a few days.

However, before he could speak, Captain He spoke first, saying casually: "Song Wei, you should go back to the troops. Lin Xiang, I will take you back to the guesthouse."

Song Wei responded reflexively: "Yes, Captain!"

After saying that, I wanted to bite my tongue!

It’s my turn to deliver it!

Lin Xiang had no objection either. After all, she still had something to talk to He Hongyuan about, and the marriage certificate was still in He Hongyuan's hands.

Under the pressure of Head He, Song Wei glanced at Comrade Lin Xiang reluctantly and said softly, "Comrade Lin Xiang, goodbye."

"Captain Song, goodbye, thank you for today." Lin Xiang got the confirmation of the recruitment, so naturally he had to thank them.

After Song Wei walked away, looking back every few steps, Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan went towards the guesthouse.

Mrs. Yang was fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan at the front desk of the guesthouse. All the military dependents coming in and out were familiar with her and would greet them when they met each other. She was still thinking about handing over the red medicine to Comrade Lin Xiang on behalf of Captain He, but who knew that when she went to the toilet, she missed Lin Xiang and the other person who had just returned.

Going up to the second floor, Lin Xiang took out the key and opened the door. She thought that Comrade He Hongyuan would not be willing to have anything to do with her and would not even come in, so she prepared to talk to him about the marriage certificate at the door.

Unexpectedly, He Hongyuan went into the house this time as if to show his appreciation, and sat down in front of the reception table near the door. He then glanced at Lin Xiang, who was still standing at the door with a look of surprise, and his eyes showed that she was saying, "You, as the host, have no tact."

Lin Xiang didn't understand what this big man was thinking, so he casually said politely: "Would you like some tea?"

"Well, make a cup."

Lin Xiang: “…?”

Is it necessary if you can't say a few words?

She is just being polite. Don't you think you don't want to talk to her?

Although Lin Xiang had many complaints in her heart, she still went to make a cup of tea obediently, after all, she needed help from others.

The guesthouse provides tea foam, which is probably aged tea, and tastes neither good nor bad. I sprinkle a handful into an enamel cup, and then pour boiling hot water into the thermos. Waves of hot steam waft around, and the tea foam stretches out its body, floating around like duckweed on the lake.

Lin Xiang handed the teacup over and got straight to the point. "Captain He, I've also thought it through. Let's do as you say. Forget about our childhood engagement. Didn't I show you the marriage certificate when we first met? You didn't even give it back to me."

He Hongyuan seemed not to understand what she meant and said softly, "Hmm?"

"You can just burn and tear up the marriage certificate yourself. There is only one copy. My copy is long gone." Lin Xiangluo felt relieved. He Hongyuan wanted to cancel the engagement several times, and now the marriage certificate was in his hands, so he just had to deal with it.

He Hongyuan did not agree to this. He placed his bony fingers on the table and clicked them, making a sound that followed his voice and strangely followed the rhythm: "Do you really want to stay here?"

Lin Xiang did not hide anything: "Well, I don't want to go back to Xifeng City, and I don't want to see my biological father and stepmother's family."

"So you're in such a hurry to go on a blind date?" He Hongyuan's distinct black and white pupils seemed to have the power to penetrate people's hearts. When he looked straight at others, there was always a sense of oppression in people's hearts that made them want to behave properly in front of him.

Lin Xiang could understand more and more why Song Wei was like a mouse seeing a cat when he saw He Hongyuan. This person's aura was really strong.

"I'm not that anxious. In fact, I plan to take part in the job recruitment in a few days. As long as I get the job, I can stay here safely and transfer my household registration and food and oil relations here." When she said this, Lin Xiang's eyes sparkled, full of expectations and longings for the future.

Hearing this, He Hongyuan's eyebrows gradually relaxed, but after a moment, he heard Lin Xiang say: "Now that my job is stable and my household registration has been transferred, I can slowly consider dating and falling in love later. By then, I will definitely choose a partner who satisfies me in all aspects."

The knocking sound on the table suddenly stopped. He Hongyuan frowned, as if puzzled: "What's the good of dating and getting married?"

Lin Xiang was curious. Logically speaking, the obsession with marriage in this era was much stronger than in later generations, and people's thoughts were more traditional and conservative. He Hongyuan seemed like an "outlier" of the era, but he still asked her what was good about getting married with a clear conscience.

"It should be nice to fall in love and marry someone you love." To be honest, Lin Xiang herself has never experienced it.

She must experience this at least once in her life.

After hearing this, He Hongyuan remained silent and left soon after.

——

Lin Xiang felt relieved after receiving the job recruitment information. She also told He Hongyuan that the child marriage arrangement he hated should be cancelled. Now she felt relieved.

The next day, Lin Xiang counted all her property in the guesthouse. She had only 683.52 yuan left of the original 700 yuan. She had to return the 20 yuan that Aunt He had given her. She had to say something to her about not becoming someone else's daughter-in-law.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiang was thinking about writing a letter to Aunt He to explain everything clearly. Just as she was about to go out to the post office to buy paper and pen, Aunt Yang from the front desk downstairs hurriedly knocked on her door.

"Mrs. Yang, what's the matter?" Lin Xiang asked.

"Comrade Lin Xiang, there's a call from your home."

Lin Xiang was startled. A call came from her own family? From the Lin family?

There is a telephone at the front desk on the first floor of the guesthouse. It is not easy to use, and it costs money to make and receive calls. This thing is expensive, and the military families are reluctant to spend the money, so it is usually just a decoration.

Lin Xiang picked up the rocker phone and just as she put it to her ear she heard a burst of curses - "Lin Xiang, you little bastard, this is your fault! You changed the place where Jianxin went to work, how could you have such a vicious heart!"

The voice on the other end of the phone was clearly that of stepmother Qiu Aiying. The sharp and piercing curses penetrated into Lin Xiang's ears. She automatically blocked out some useless information and keenly grasped the key point: Lin Jianxin's location in the countryside had been changed?

From what Qiu Aiying said, she must have been transferred to a place with very harsh conditions, otherwise she wouldn't be so angry and upset.

Wow, there is such a good thing!

Before she could say anything, another person came on the other end of the phone. Lin Guangming was emitting anger and scolded Lin Xiang loudly: "Lin Xiang, I really regret giving birth to a scoundrel like you! You signed up for your brother to go to the countryside voluntarily, and we didn't hold you accountable. Now you have even changed the place where we gave gifts and used our connections to get a more affluent place. How did your brother let you down? How did we let you down? You insisted on sending your brother to the most difficult and harshest countryside to suffer. Do you want to kill him...you!"

Lin Guangming was so angry that his breathing became rapid. He almost choked himself. But Lin Xiang was happy to hear that Lin Jianxin had been sent to the most difficult place in the countryside. She couldn't help but chuckle. What was she afraid of over the phone?

"Dad, Jianxin is going to build the most difficult rural areas. You should support him. This is in response to the call of the country. If your words get out, wouldn't it be against the national policy? Don't say it in the future, or you will be reported to the Revolutionary Committee."

Lin Guangming was angry again, and Lin Xiang decisively hung up the phone.

The phone call was expensive, costing her several cents each time she answered it, but it was enough to just listen to the key points.

Putting the receiver back on the rocker phone, Lin Xiang smiled and said to the gossipy Sister Yang, "Sister Yang, that's because my family has no ideological awareness and despises the countryside. They say going to the countryside to build the countryside is hardship, look down on the countryside, and are unwilling to go. They even called me from thousands of miles away to scold me."

Sister Yang was born in the countryside. When she heard this, her face immediately darkened. She became even more angry when she heard the last sentence: "Your parents have no ideological awareness either!"

"If they call again later..." Lin Xiang said hesitantly.

"Don't worry, I'll scold them when I pick them up!"

"Okay, thank you~" Lin Xiang was about to leave in small steps, but was stopped by Mrs. Yang.

"I almost forgot about this. Captain He came over and said he wanted to give it to you. Since you were out on a blind date and not at home, he asked me to keep it." Mrs. Yang pushed a brand new bottle of red medicine forward.

"Did Captain He give it to you?" Lin Xiang took the red medicine and thanked him. She felt a little strange in her heart. She raised her hand and touched the scratch on her left arm. She didn't expect that this man was so considerate.

Back in room 201, Lin Xiang squeezed out the red medicine and wiped the wound. The slightly cool medicine brought a slight irritation, but Lin Xiang didn't care. She was in a good mood at the moment. The misfortune of the Lin family was the best fun. I just don't know who changed Lin Jianxin's place of going to the countryside.

He is truly an unsung hero!

The reason why Lin Jianxin was arranged to work in the place with the best conditions was definitely because Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying used their connections and gave him gifts, but now all their money has gone to waste!

Very satisfying!

The whole family must be furious now!

====

The Lin family in Xifeng City were really furious, but they were thousands of miles away from Lin Xiangyuan, so it was useless to be angry. They couldn't vent their anger at all.

After the call was hung up, Lin Guangming no longer felt bad about the expensive call and called back immediately. This time, the waiter at the guesthouse did not help to call Lin Xiang. Instead, he scolded him on the phone and finally said that if he dared to call again, he would report to the army for handling and then hung up.

Lin Guangming was getting more and more angry, and he was bullied everywhere. He almost threw the post office's rocker phone to the ground. Fortunately, Qiu Aiying, who was standing by and felt sorry for the money, persuaded him to stop it.

"Boss, let's go home first!" Qiu Aiying felt bitter.

He only had this one son, and originally thought that if Lin Xiang gave up her job to Jianxin, his son wouldn't have to go to the countryside. However, who knew that the little bitch didn't give him the job at all, but instead secretly sold him for money and ran away on the train.

Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying were so angry that they couldn't sleep for several nights after hearing the news, but they were helpless. After all, the distance was too far, where could they catch someone? Not to mention that the family she sold her job to was very tough, one person could beat three people, and they had complete procedures, so all their ways were blocked.

Since they had lost their jobs and their son was going to work in the countryside, Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying immediately set their sights on Lin Chuchu.

Lin Chuchu had a temporary job anyway, which was found by Qiu Aiying with the money she had taken out from the Lin family. She didn't want to take away the job of the lady, but Lin Xiang's mess really caught them off guard. For the sake of her son, they had to sacrifice Chuchu.

But this time, Chuchu, who used to be sensible and obedient, refused to agree and refused to give up the job. Finally, she was slapped twice by Lin Guangming before she calmed down and agreed to give the job to Jianxin.

Qiu Aiying thought the matter was resolved, but she never expected that this damn girl would take advantage of their letdown to secretly visit the factory director's son Sun Yaozu who was imprisoned, saying that it was Lin Xiang who reported him, and that she wanted to marry him and wait for him to come out.

Just like that, Sun Yaozu, who was sentenced to six months in prison for stealing steel rolling mill equipment and embezzling employees' high temperature subsidies, got a wife. Lin Chuchu moved to the factory director's house by herself, and refused to give up her job.

After being pissed off by two girls, Lin Guangming and Lin Chuchu dared not to confront the factory director. Although the factory director was not popular after the incident involving Sun Yaozu, the deputy factory director gained power and was almost as powerful as him. The employees in particular felt that the factory director must have been behind the scenes to get Sun Yaozu a light sentence, but his position was still there, and Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying dared not offend him no matter how brave they were.

In the end, the two of them could only go to the Youth Educated Office to use their connections and give gifts. After two days of hard work, they finally found a good place for their son to go to, a rural area with the richest and most relaxed conditions among all the places to go to the countryside. Since going to the countryside was a foregone conclusion, at least life would be a little better.

Just yesterday, when they went to the Youth Corps to apply for the certificate for going to the countryside, they learned that their son had been assigned to a place with no people and the most difficult conditions. The couple almost fainted on the spot. The official severely criticized them for their fear of difficulties, low ideological awareness, and lack of enthusiasm to accept the re-education of poor and middle peasants.

The officials were given a lot of hats, and they even disowned the gifts they had given them before. It was useless to beg the grandfather for help, as the matter had reached a point where there was no way back. They could only watch as the officials filled in the most difficult conditions on Lin Jianxin's certificate page for going to the countryside.

Finally, they paid some more money and learned from the clerk that the director of the Youth League Office had received a call from Phnom Penh and had kindly requested Lin Jianxin's location in the countryside.

Phnom Penh, isn't that where that little bitch Lin Xiang went?

Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying were immediately furious. They took some effort to find a veteran who had a comrade-in-arms in the factory on Langhua Island. They asked him to inquire about the contact information and found out where Lin Xiang lived. They went to the post office, called the guesthouse and cursed at her.

As a result, instead of venting his anger, he ended up feeling so angry that he almost fainted!

The Youth League Office of Xifeng City organized another group of youth leagues to go to the countryside. Their families saw their children off on the train and said goodbye at the platform.

Lin Jianxin was sitting by the window in the carriage. He was filled with fear at this moment. Tears and snot flowed from his eyes. He cried and shouted that he did not want to go to the countryside. He wanted to climb out of the window and escape. But Lin Guangming held him down. Who dared to escape to the countryside? He would be dragged away for criticism!

Qiu Aiying, who was handing a bundle to her son through the window, also started crying, her heart aching.

The green train rumbled forward again. Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying watched their son leave with tears in their eyes, feeling sad and upset.

When they returned home, they both seemed to have lost their energy and spirit, staring blankly at the empty house. It was a good family, but Lin Chuchu went to marry a labor reform prisoner in the factory director's house, and Lin Xiang went to an island thousands of miles away.

The only son with a penis was sent to the countryside by train. Lin Guangming seemed to have aged ten years. He didn't know when his son would be able to come back. His son, who was to carry on the family line and support the Lin family in the future, was sent to the countryside like this...

It was all Lin Xiang's fault! He was so angry that he wanted to beat her up, but he was thousands of miles away and had no idea what to do.

====

Lin Xiang didn't know the exact time when Lin Jianxin would go to the countryside, but she could roughly guess that it would be someday in the near future. Thinking about the helpless rage of Lin Guangming and Qiu Aiying on the phone, she just felt happy!

The Lin family's fun is exciting, and the army's recruitment makes Lin Xiang even more excited.

On a sunny day in August, an inconspicuous notice was posted on the gate wall of a food factory on an island founded by Division 119 and co-organized by the Phnom Penh City Government.

The job posting simply listed the positions and required conditions. The only hard condition was that the candidate had to be a military relative who was qualified to accompany the army, in other words, there had to be a military member at the rank of deputy battalion commander or above in the family. As for the positions, the first food factory, for example, recruited highly educated military relatives who could work in offices and female workers in the workshop. The second food factory, which was built later, was more chaotic. At first glance, many people had multiple jobs and did the work of many people.

Thinking of Song Wei's words that day, Lin Xiang decisively took the application form and wrote down Food Factory 1 in the application form. The specific position was naturally an easier office worker.

Fill in all the information, preferably only leaving the signature confirmation of the relevant relatives, before submitting the application form.

For this matter, Lin Xiang originally wanted Yuezhu to accompany her to the single dormitory where He Hongyuan was. She would need his signature to register, after all, she was using his relative's name.

Yuezhu instead invited her to her house for dinner, and said that her cousin would also come over.

In the past few days, she has completely recovered from the shadow of being drugged, so she told her mother about it. Zhou Yuezhu's parents were terrified, but when they learned that it was Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan who saved their daughter and that the subsequent incident had been resolved quickly and decisively, they invited the two to come to their home for dinner again.

The Zhou family took care of Lin Xiang from time to time during these days, and invited her to their home for dinner a few times, but this time it was to thank someone for saving their daughter, and the food they prepared was comparable to that for the Chinese New Year.

Lin Xiang took the registration form to Zhou's house and was warmly welcomed by Feng Li as soon as she entered the door. She held her hand and talked to her for a long time, and her words were full of gratitude.

"Fortunately, you and Hongyuan are here, otherwise..." Thinking of the possible consequences, Feng Li almost shuddered.

If something happened to her daughter, she would not want to live anymore.

Lin Xiang vaguely recalled that in the original book, after Yuezhu committed suicide by jumping into the river, her mother almost followed suit. She was stopped by Zhou Lu and given some persuasion, and she lived in constant fear from then on.

"Aunt Feng, these things are in the past. Don't worry. Yuezhu is fine."

"Yes." Feng Li pursed her lips, feeling relieved that she had survived the disaster.

This time, in order to thank Lin Xiang and He Hongyuan, the Zhou couple specially prepared delicious dishes. Brigade Zhou asked the quartermaster of the kitchen squad to use the brigade commander's monthly food quota and asked for two large yellow croakers and brought back three pounds of pork belly. Feng Li went to the non-staple food station and the seafood station and bought two pounds of shrimps, two pounds of crabs, one pound of clams, and one pound of conchs.

Lin Xiang had not seen so much seafood for a long time. Although Zhou Shenghuai was in a high position and had extra food supplies and subsidies on weekdays, he was not too extravagant.

Today was really a grand occasion prepared by the Zhou family to express their gratitude.

In her previous life, Lin Xiang was a food blogger, so she was naturally an excellent cook. Unfortunately, she had no chance to display her cooking skills in this era. When she saw that people in the 1970s handled seafood in a rather simple way, her hands immediately itched.

"Aunt Feng, let me help you." She couldn't just sit there and do nothing, so she simply brought her companions with her, "Yuezhu and I will go together."

As the two young men were cleaning the crabs, Feng Li looked up at the clock in the living room and pondered, "Your father should be back soon, but I don't know about your cousin. I heard from your father that Hongyuan has been training his soldiers very hard recently and he didn't intend to agree to come for dinner, saying that he didn't have the time or the time."

Zhou Yuezhu also nodded: "I went to see my cousin yesterday and saw that he was busy and looked unhappy. Is it because my second uncle's birthday is coming soon?"

"Don't worry about adults' affairs." Feng Li glanced at the lady and signaled her not to talk nonsense.

Lin Xiang listened and thought it seemed to be about He Hongyuan and his father?

However, after hearing that He Hongyuan has been busy these days, she suddenly thought of Song Wei, with whom she had a blind date. Since the blind date and dinner that day, Song Wei has not come to see her again. Perhaps Song Wei also felt that the two of them were not suitable. It was nothing, as blind dates are supposed to be consensual, so it was better for it to end in silence to avoid embarrassment.

At this moment, Song Wei was still floating on the sea, performing tasks on the boat. It was not that he did not want to find Lin Xiang. He was sent to perform the mission in the afternoon of the blind date, and he could not fly back.

......

Towards evening, Zhou Shenghuai left the office. It was really frightening that his young lady had such an experience. His nephew had already solved the matter quickly and decisively, and the person who had drugged her was also thrown into the Public Security Bureau. Zhou Shenghuai would naturally not show mercy to him, and at noon he contacted his old comrade-in-arms who was the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau to take care of the matter.

In order to express their gratitude today, the family specially invited Lin Xiang and Hongyuan to dinner. He made a detour to the regiment headquarters where He Hongyuan was, and found out that he had been there again in the communications room.

But when he approached, before he could say a word, he heard his nephew sarcastically speaking into the phone: "How dare you ask me to come over? What does it have to do with me whether you are 44 years old? How do I talk? This is how I talk!"