Lin Xiaoxiao scrambled off Zhou Huai'an, so embarrassed she wished the ground would swallow her whole.

Li Yunlan was also startled, realizing she'd interrupted the young couple's intimate moment. She hesitated, searching for words. "Well... I'll just... go help your father tidy up the other room. You two carry on."

Before Lin Xiaoxiao could explain, Li Yunlan was gone. She turned to see Zhou Huaian sitting up slowly. "This is all your fault!" she grumbled. "You were standing just fine. How did you even fall?"

She buried her face in the bed covers with a groan. "It's over. How can I ever face anyone again?"

People were far more conservative in this era. The fact that she'd been on top of him—would Li Yunlan now think she was taking advantage of her son?

The more she thought about it, the more mortified she felt. She let out a frustrated whine.

Zhou Huai'an, rarely seeing Lin Xiaoxiao so flustered, couldn't help but smile. He cleared his throat, masking his amusement, and nudged her shoulder. "You should get going to class. You'll be late."

Snapping back to reality, Lin Xiaoxiao jumped up, smoothed her hair, called out a quick goodbye to Li Yunlan, and hurried off to school.

By noon when she returned, Li Yunlan and Zhou Zhennan had already made dumplings and had even stewed a pigeon specially for Zhou Huai'an.

Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but think the meals lately had been extravagantly good. At this rate, Zhou Huai'an would gain a significant amount of weight once his leg healed.

"Wash up, lunch is ready," Li Yunlan called out. "Your father needs to leave for the train station soon."

Lin Xiaoxiao thought for a moment. "Do you have food for the journey? I can go buy some baked flatbread and roasted chicken. The weather's cool, it won't spoil."

Zhou Zhennan shook his head. "No need. I'll just take a few steamed buns."

Li Yunlan agreed. "He's been through much worse. Steamed buns are fine. Don't worry about him. Come, eat quickly."

Lin Xiaoxiao understood—the older couple was determined to save every penny for their children, remaining frugal with themselves. Zhou Zhennan's wool sweater was patched at the cuffs and elbows, and Li Yunlan dressed very simply.

After quickly eating, Lin Xiaoxiao rushed out to buy a roasted chicken, ten pieces of flatbread, and a bag of egg cakes. She packed it all into a string bag and handed it to Zhou Zhennan.

"Take it for the journey," Zhou Huai'an said, his tone firm but caring. "Your health is important."

Zhou Zhennan's eyes glistened slightly. Though the words were blunt, he knew they came from a place of genuine concern. He took the bag, nodding. "Alright. You all take care here. I'll come back to see you as soon as I can."

Lin Xiaoxiao took the afternoon off to accompany Li Yunlan to see Zhou Zhennan off at the train station.

All the way there, Zhou Zhennan reminded Li Yunlan to keep her emotions in check and to rely on Lin Xiaoxiao if anything happened—as if she were a child needing instructions.

Watching Zhou Zhennan board the train, Lin Xiaoxiao looped her arm through Li Yunlan's as they left the station. "You and Dad have such a good relationship," she remarked.

Li Yunlan smiled warmly. "We were introduced by a matchmaker. Back then, I didn't think much of him at all. This was before class labels mattered much. I was a student at Yenching University, and he was just a soldier."

She chuckled at the memory. "But it turned out to be him. He's always been so good to me, all these years. Wherever he went, he took me with him."

Lin Xiaoxiao was surprised to learn Li Yunlan had been a university student. "That's impressive."

Li Yunlan waved it off. "It all feels like a dream now." She then paused, looking slightly embarrassed. "Oh, Anning, there's something... Don't be in a hurry."

Lin Xiaoxiao was confused. "About what?"

"Well..." Li Yunlan fumbled, "It's just... Huai'an's leg is still injured. It's not really a good time for... you know, marital relations."

Lin Xiaoxiao froze, her face flushing bright red. "It wasn't like that! We were just fooling around!"

Li Yunlan quickly patted her hand. "It's fine, forget I mentioned it."

Trying to hide her embarrassment, Lin Xiaoxiao looked around distractedly—and then she stopped. She caught a glimpse of a very familiar figure who looked strikingly like Luo Caixia.

But before she could get a clearer look, the person disappeared into the crowd. All she registered clearly was a flash of a green headscarf.

Lin Xiaoxiao was sure she hadn't mistaken her. But it made no sense—wasn't Luo Caixia running a tailor shop in the county town? What was she doing in Longbei City?

Could she still not be over Zhou Huai'an?

Even after what Zhou Huai'an had said to her, how could Luo Caixia have the nerve to follow him here? Her persistence was baffling.

More importantly, Luo Caixia had been assaulted by Zhou Chang'an. How could she act as if nothing had happened and come looking for Zhou Huai'an?

Even as a victim, it was a deeply shameful matter in this era where reputation was everything. Most women in her situation would have started over somewhere new or quietly married far away.

She certainly wouldn't have the courage to approach someone she'd once had feelings for.

How was Luo Caixia able to do it?

Noticing Lin Xiaoxiao staring intently, Li Yunlan asked, "Did you see something?"

Lin Xiaoxiao shook her head. "I thought I saw someone I know, but I'm not sure. They're gone now."

Li Yunlan didn't think much of it; it made sense for Lin Xiaoxiao to run into acquaintances in her hometown.

As Zhou Zhennan's train carried him back to Beijing, Zhou Xiaoming was also on a train—heading to Longbei City. For self-preservation, he had brought Zhou Xiaohong with him.

Zhou Xiaohong had asked for leave to accompany him. She believed his story about wanting to check on their parents in Longbei and then visit his biological parents in Zhou Village. No matter what, he claimed, he would fulfill his duty as a son to both sets of parents, supporting them in their old age.

Zhou Xiaohong was deeply moved. If everyone could be as broad-minded as her big brother, she thought, the family could be happy together.

But Zhou Xiaoming had darker intentions. If Zhou Zhennan and Li Yunlan refused to change their minds, and if his own actions came to light, they would never forgive him.

His plan was to use Zhou Xiaohong as a bargaining chip—or even more maliciously, he considered, if Zhou Xiaohong were to carry his child, would Zhou Zhennan still dare to destroy him?

Unaware that she was traveling with a demon, Zhou Xiaohong spent the journey comforting him. "Big Brother, Mom and Dad are just reacting in the heat of the moment. Given time, they won't be able to let go of you—not after thirty years."

Zhou Xiaoming adjusted his glasses and smiled. "It's fine, really. Maybe this is for the best. I'll reappear when they need me someday. I just want to see them one more time in Longbei."

Zhou Xiaohong was utterly convinced by his performance. "Big Brother, I'll talk to them properly too."

The moment Zhou Xiaoming and Zhou Xiaohong boarded the train, Zhou Huai'an's side received the information.

Lin Zihao calculated the timing and updated Zhou Huai'an. "Zhou Xiaoming will arrive in Longbei tomorrow. I'll have someone keep an eye on him."

Zhou Huai'an nodded. "Keep an eye on Zhou Xiaohong traveling with him too. Make sure Zhou Xiaoming doesn't use her."

Even without any personal bond, he didn't want to see Zhou Xiaoming harm another person—not even a stranger.