Chapter 432: Chapter 431: Indeed, It Was Arranged
Mr. Lin didn’t have a restful sleep that night; he kept dreaming that his precious daughter was snatched away by a wolf cub.
For so reason, he always felt that the wolf cub looked familiar, as if it lived right next door to him.
When he woke up from his dream, it was only five thirty.
He usually woke up at this ti anyway, so he didn’t find it uncomfortable.
The two guards by his side had also woken up and were already dressed. As for Minister Huang, he was a bit older and had drunk the most last night, and was still in a daze.
While dressing, Mr. Lin said to the guards, “The two of you help with the work for the team leader, I’m going to take a walk.”
“Minister, it’s still dark outside,” the guard reminded him.
“That’s alright.”
Mr. Lin put on his hat and walked out the door.
“Leader, why are you up so early?” Wang Xixi was preparing breakfast and went out to pour water when she saw Mr. Lin; she couldn’t help but worry, “Are you not used to sleeping on the kang?”
“It’s fine; I normally get up around this ti,” Mr. Lin waved at her, “You go on, I’ll take a stroll.”
“Leader, do you want to take a horse lantern?” Wang Xixi quickly fetched a lamp from the kitchen.
“No need, the moon is still out; I can see the road.”
Mr. Lin cheerfully went out and found his way to the Educated Youth Corps based on the route from last night.
The gates of the Educated Youth Corps were closed, and he wasn’t sure if the kids were awake. He wanted to jump up to take a look, but found that the walls of the Educated Youth Corps were exceptionally high, with broken glass embedded on top.
“Who are they guarding against?”
Mr. Lin was puzzled.
He loitered around outside for a while, and amid the north wind, he heard the sound of snowflakes breaking.
Comrade Old Lin had good hearing; back in the days when life and death hung in the balance, he relied on his ears to get through many dangers.
Mr. Lin quickly determined the direction of the footsteps—they were heading towards the gate.
To avoid startling the person on the other side, he hurried his pace to knock on the door.
But the door was pulled open a mont before he could knock.
Lin Nianhe had a smile on her face; there was neither surprise nor fear, as if she had guessed who would be at the door: “Dad, good morning.”
She had heard the footsteps through the door; they were louder than ordinary footsteps. Apart from Comrade Earthquake Feng, the only fat man in the village, the only ones who could make such footstep sounds were those wearing military boots.
And among those four, the only one who would co to the Educated Youth Corps early in the morning was Comrade Old Lin.
Mr. Lin was happy to see Lin Nianhe. He put his hands on her shoulders and rubbed her arms, urging her, “Why did you co out when it’s still dark? If there’s anything, tell Dad, and I’ll take care of it.”
Lin Nianhe, holding a lunch box, lifted it to show him: “I’m bringing breakfast for you and Uncle Huang.”
“Oh, your Uncle Huang never eats breakfast. Let’s go to your place to eat.”
Comrade Old Lin made up an excuse without any guilt.
Just kidding, the breakfast made by his own daughter, no one but he would get to eat it!
Mr. Lin knew that Lin Nianhe lived in a small room by herself, so he wasn’t worried about disturbing others.
He had fantasized countless tis about what Lin Nianhe’s little room would look like, but now seeing it for real, his tears fell at once.
The room was as big as a palm, not even half the size of the bedroom at ho, and even included a separate kitchen. That narrow bed was only about a ter wide. After placing the wardrobe, desk, and two chairs on the ground, there was only space left for three people to stand.
Hmm? Two chairs? Why are there two chairs?
Mr. Lin had just sensed sothing amiss when Lin Nianhe ca with porridge and stead buns: “Dad, have so breakfast first. You had alcohol last night, so it’d be good to have so millet porridge in the morning.”
“Ah, yes, okay!”
The breakfast Lin Nianhe prepared was simple: millet porridge, vegetarian buns, boiled eggs, and pickled mustard tuber shreds mixed with chili oil.
Yet, Mr. Lin found his al exceptionally delicious, eating while tears fell from his eyes.
Lin Nianhe felt helpless: “Dad, why are you crying? Wait till you open my cupboard and see, I’m not lacking anything here.”
She had just ntioned it, and Mr. Lin indeed set down his chopsticks and opened the cabinet.
There was rice and flour, more than twenty eggs, several cans of malted milk and milk powder, as well as various canned goods… Mmm, truly nothing was missing.
But he still felt out of sorts, feeling that his daughter was suffering.
Not to ntion anything else, at least she wouldn’t have to cook for herself at ho! Even if there was nobody ho, she could go to the canteen or to the State-Owned Restaurant… she wouldn’t need to cook herself!
Lin Nianhe followed him and said: “There are also lots of vegetables in the cellar. Aunt Wang gave many of her sticky bean buns before, I’ll steam so for you at noon.”
Mr. Lin wiped away his tears, went back to finish the last sip of his porridge, took a deep breath and said to Lin Nianhe: “Hehe, my visit this ti is not just to accompany Uncle Huang or to see how you’re doing.”
Lin Nianhe looked at him, puzzled: “Do you have other matters? It’s not that they sent you to catch spies, is it?”
“No, no, no, of course not. Yuncheng is handling that area very well, it’s been very stable in the Northeast recently…” Mr. Lin looked at Lin Nianhe, his mouth curving into a smile, “Next March, the Cultural Troupe will be recruiting. I ca here this ti planning to arrange a dical discharge for you and bring you ho… Once you’re ho, rest for a bit, and then go rehearse violin with Aunt Wen in the troupe. When March arrives, you can join the Cultural Troupe.”
Lin Nianhe: “…!”
The chilling feeling she had a few nights ago returned!
She was indeed being arranged for!
Seeing Lin Nianhe silent, Mr. Lin thought she was worried about sothing, and comforted her: “Hehe, you don’t have to worry. The Cultural Troupe is going to recruit more than a dozen people, there’s no need for any arrangents, and there won’t be any bad influence. Just go with confidence.”
For families like theirs, in situations like these, there was absolutely no need to say or do anything; there would naturally be people aware of who should be retained.
Lin Nianhe snapped back to reality, shook her head, and said earnestly: “Dad, I don’t want to join the Cultural Troupe.”
“Huh?”
Mr. Lin looked at her in astonishnt: “Hehe, what did you say?”
“I don’t want to go to the Cultural Troupe,” Lin Nianhe repeated, “Perhaps before I might have been happy playing violin and singing at the Cultural Troupe, but now, I don’t want to do those things. They are aningless to .”
Join the Cultural Troupe?
And then play the violin every day, rehearse programs, perform… Indeed, it would be very stable, and with the Lin Family’s abilities, getting a clerical military rank of 5 or 6 wouldn’t be a problem.
And what then? Get married, have children, raise them, and then send them into the military… Seventeen-year-old Lin Nianhe could already see what her life would be like at seventy.
Mr. Lin furrowed his brows and beca serious: “Hehe, you should know that for families like ours, joining the military is the best choice. Even if you can’t ascend rapidly, you would at least have a stable life with no worries about food and clothing.”
“I know,” Lin Nianhe nodded lightly, “but Dad, I don’t want to.”
Seeing her resolute, Mr. Lin beca sowhat anxious.
He couldn’t understand why his daughter had changed her mind after just half a year in the countryside. She used to be so eager to join the Cultural Troupe, so why did she suddenly not want to anymore?
“Then what do you want to do?” Mr. Lin asked.
Lin Nianhe blinked her eyes and tentatively said: “Establish one’s heart for the universe, establish one’s life for the people, continue the lost teachings for the sake of the sages, and create peace for all eternity.”
Mr. Lin: “…!”
That’s it, his daughter seed addicted to playing the role of a spy catcher!
Reviews
All reviews (0)