Lin Xiaoxiao found Luo Caixia highly suspicious—she even wondered if they'd met before.

For instance, that time she was kidnapped—maybe it had been arranged by Zhou Xiaoming.

Seeing Lin Xiaoxiao staring intently at her, Luo Caixia chose not to say another word. She turned and ran.

Standing at the post office entrance, Lin Xiaoxiao watched until Luo Caixia disappeared from sight. She did a quick mental calculation: Luo Caixia had already been in Longbei for quite some time. Zhou Xiaoming was in trouble, yet she remained unharmed.

So what was she really here for?

After withdrawing her money, Lin Xiaoxiao continued puzzling over Luo Caixia. Back home, she complained to Zhou Huai'an, "What a coincidence—I ran into your old flame as soon as I stepped out."

Zhou Huai'an sighed. "Can we talk properly?"

Lin Xiaoxiao shot him a look. "I saw Luo Caixia. I wasn't seeing things that day after all. What's she still doing in the city? She told me she came to Longbei to do business. How did she get a travel permit so easily?"

Zhou Huai'an hadn't uncovered whether Luo Caixia had someone backing her. He didn't know much about her, and the investigation into Zhou Xiaoming hadn't implicated her either.

Lin Xiaoxiao rested her chin on her hand, curious. "Do you think there's a powerful man behind Luo Caixia?"

Zhou Huai'an shook his head. "Not sure. Zhou Xiaoming will be sent to Beijing for trial in the next couple of days. It's unlikely he's the one behind her."

If he were, Luo Caixia would have probably fled already.

The next day, after Lin Xiaoxiao left for class, Luo Caixia showed up at their door.

Zhou Huai'an stood in the doorway leaning on his crutch, making no move to let her in. His expression was cold and detached.

Luo Caixia looked hurt. She bit her lower lip. "Huai'an... I heard you were injured. I couldn't help coming to see you. I've been in the city for a while, but I was afraid Xiaoxiao might misunderstand..."

Zhou Huai'an frowned. "I'm fine. You should go back. Your mother has had a hard enough life all these years."

Tears welled up in Luo Caixia's eyes as she gazed at him with infatuation. "I know I shouldn't have come, but I couldn't help it... Huai'an..."

Lin Xiaoxiao had forgotten to refill her pen and had come back for the ink. From a distance, she spotted Luo Caixia standing at their door—that green scarf was hard to miss.

Well, well, she thought, sprinting over. This Luo Caixia was something else—persistent as a cockroach. They'd just seen each other yesterday, and now she was showing up at their home.

Was this a challenge?

Seeing Lin Xiaoxiao charging over, Zhou Huai'an quickly took a step back, worried she might misunderstand.

Lin Xiaoxiao positioned herself squarely in front of Zhou Huai'an, shot him a glare, then turned to Luo Caixia with a smile. "Sister Caixia, are you crying? What's wrong? Did Zhou Changsuo upset you?"

Luo Caixia hurriedly wiped her tears. "Don't misunderstand. There's nothing between Huai'an and me. I was just... sad to see his leg injured. I couldn't help crying."

Lin Xiaoxiao almost laughed. "Tsk, tsk. How thoughtful of you. But you really ought to guard your own heart. Someone else's husband isn't yours to worry about. It's bad for your reputation—though I know you don't much care about that. But my man does."

"He's a married man. What will people think if he's constantly entangled with another woman?"

Zhou Huai'an frowned, eager to explain. "I'm not—"

Lin Xiaoxiao cut him off with a glare. "Quiet. Did I say you could speak?"

She turned back to Luo Caixia, her tone icy. "You may not care about your reputation, but others do! Not everyone is like you, shameless enough to cry and play the victim. You should take a good look in the mirror and wake up to what you really are!"

Like a wolf cub guarding its food, Lin Xiaoxiao tore into Luo Caixia without an ounce of mercy.

Even Luo Caixia's thick skin wasn't enough to keep her there. Blushing deeply, she turned and fled without another word.

Lin Xiaoxiao snorted at her retreating figure, then turned to glare at Zhou Huai'an. "You've only got one good leg, yet you still attract trouble. If I hadn't come back, would you have let her in?"

Zhou Huai'an quickly explained, "No, I wasn't going to let her in."

Lin Xiaoxiao poked him in the chest, forcing him back inside. After closing the door, she warned fiercely, "If you dare go soft on her, I won't let you off."

She knew many men fell for the "helpless woman" act—it triggered their protective instincts and fed their hero complexes.

Zhou Huai'an suddenly reached out and took her hand, the one that had been jabbing his chest. He stumbled through an explanation: "I didn't plan to let her in. I wasn't feeling soft or sorry for her. I was about to close the door when you showed up."

Lin Xiaoxiao stared at him, watching him struggle to explain. Suddenly, she burst out laughing.

The fact that he was trying to explain was progress. She squeezed his hand. "You have to keep this up, okay? You're mine, so you'd better behave."

Zhou Huai'an knew he was no match for her quick tongue, so he stayed silent.

Lin Xiaoxiao grinned, stood on her toes to steal a kiss, then asked curiously, "What did Luo Caixia want? You really should have questioned her properly. Who knows, she might have told you the truth."

Zhou Huai'an didn't respond. If he had really sat down for a "proper chat" with Luo Caixia, Lin Xiaoxiao probably would've pinched him black and blue.

After that incident, they didn't see Luo Caixia again.

Lin Xiaoxiao was enjoying her classes. As the weather grew warmer, the variety of fresh vegetables at the market increased.

Tender green shoots appeared everywhere—fresh, vibrant, and cheap.

Lin Xiaoxiao could now eat all sorts of greens every day instead of endless potatoes and cabbage. Life felt genuinely happier.

Her favorite time was after school, when she could go to the market. By then, greens like bok choy, spinach, and chives had wilted and yellowed after a day in the sun—and their prices had dropped by more than half.

She could buy a big bundle of bok choy for just a few cents.

One day, happily carrying a bundle of bok choy, Lin Xiaoxiao planned to make stuffed flatbreads with it—adding some dried shrimp and crispy pork bits. It was going to be delicious.

When she got home, Zhou Huai'an wasn't there. Puzzled, she wondered if he'd gone to the restroom.

She carried the bok choy to the tap in the yard to wash it. The female landlord was also there washing vegetables. Seeing how much greens Lin Xiaoxiao had bought, she remarked, "Can you two finish all that?"

Lin Xiaoxiao smiled. "Of course. We'll have some tonight and the rest tomorrow morning."

The landlord sighed. "Your family really doesn't hold back on food. You even stir-fry vegetables in the morning." Then she asked curiously, "What does your husband do?"

Lin Xiaoxiao avoided the truth. "He just works at a unit."

The landlord shook her head. "Doesn't look like it. He carries himself like a soldier."

Lin Xiaoxiao laughed. "You're not far off. He used to be, but not anymore."

The landlord was still curious. "Just earlier, a jeep came and picked him up. The people in it seemed to treat him with a lot of respect."