A lonely, unlucky military officer with a stubborn fate insisted on marrying me.

So this is what it feels like to be protected by someone.

She can truly rely on someone with such peace of mind.

Lin Yinyin looked at Li Jinye's profile, her eyes filled with warmth. She realized she liked Li Jinye a little more.

"Li Jinye, you've done everything, so what can I do?"

She was the one who wanted to stir up trouble on the mountain, but now it feels like Li Jinye has taken over everything.

"you?

"You just need to get some rest, have a hot meal when you get to town, and get a good night's sleep. That's all you need to do."

He paused, then added, "Of course, you can also pay."

With such a large operation, he can't come up with the money all at once. It seems he'll have to make time to go back to Beijing.

Lin Yinyin chuckled, "Okay, I'll give you the money!"

He then pulled out a bankbook, saying, "This is 5 yuan from Mom. That should be enough to buy wire, a gun, and a boat!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she chuckled to herself. Guns and ships—it sounded like war was about to break out.

Li Jinye laughed, "That's enough, that's enough. My wife is willing to take out her secret stash of money, I can't be outdone."

I also have a courtyard house in Beijing. I'll sell it when I go back to Beijing, and then I'll pay you back the 5 yuan.

"You still own a house?" Lin Yinyin asked, somewhat surprised.

"Mm." Li Jinye nodded.

"There are three of us brothers, and each of us has a set."

Grandpa is getting old, and we're all busy, so we decided not to move. We stayed in the old house with him after returning to Beijing.

When his grandfather was mentioned, Li Jinye was a little confused. His mother had left in a hurry and hadn't even met him.

Even if his sister-in-law is away on business, aren't his father, older brother, and second sister-in-law at home? Why is his mother in such a hurry to go back? Did something happen to his grandfather?

When he sees his older brother's people later, he'll have to ask them about it.

When the group finally arrived in Lianhua Town, the sun was already setting.

They hurriedly found a secluded courtyard to rent, but when they opened the door, they found it empty except for a pot.

It's winter now, and keeping warm is the most important thing. Zhang Jiande went to town to inquire about buying coal.

Wang Erhua took the initiative to do the cooking and cleaning.

Carrying some gifts from the compound, along with cured meat and salted duck eggs, she knocked on the doors of her neighbors.

Lin Dani then boiled water and began to clean the inside and outside of the room.

After Li Jinye finished unloading his things from the car, he was about to leave.

"When are you coming back?" Lin Yinyin asked.

"If it goes quickly, it'll be tomorrow night. If it goes slowly, it'll be the day after tomorrow."

He turned to Li Aiguo and said, "Brother Li, please take good care of my wife."

"Commander Li, rest assured! Everything will be foolproof!" Li Aiguo replied loudly.

"Wait a minute!"

Lin Yinyin suddenly called out to Li Jinye, holding a military water bottle in her hand.

That was given to her by Li Jinye when she left Linjia Village and spent the night in a tree.

The kettle wasn't filled with plain water, but with medicinal wine.

She had previously brewed a jar of "Ten-Ingredient Tonic Wine," giving one jar to her mother-in-law, keeping one for her sister, and then hurriedly chugging down this whole pot herself.

She handed the kettle to Li Jinye, saying, "This contains wine that I've infused with ginseng and other herbs. If you encounter danger, a sip will keep you alive."

Li Jinye responded softly, "Okay." He wasn't on a mission, so he didn't take it seriously.

Lin Yinyin watched Li Jinye's figure gradually disappear into the distance before turning her gaze away.

"Comrade Lin, I'm going to return the car to the military base. I'll be right back."

"Okay, go ahead."

Seeing everyone busy at work, Lin Yinyin wanted to lend a hand, but Lin Dani stopped her: "You're pregnant, go and rest! I can handle these heavy chores."

Lin Yinyin couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she had to give up.

She thought of going to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some rice and flour. If the cooperative was already closed, she would try her luck on the black market.

If the black market didn't have it, she would have to take some from her spatial storage. With that thought, Lin Yinyin slung an empty bamboo basket over her shoulder and went out the door.

As dusk settled, the number of pedestrians on the street gradually decreased.

She walked slowly along the street, her eyes scanning her surroundings.

Sure enough, at the alley entrance not far from the supply and marketing cooperative, she saw two figures whispering furtively to each other, which seemed unusual.

The black market was actually hidden here.

Lin Yinyin paid the entrance fee and had only taken a couple of steps inside when someone lightly tapped her on the back of the shoulder.

She turned around and saw a dark-skinned, plump woman.

The dark-skinned, plump woman had a face full of fleshy muscles, and her slanted, narrow eyes made her look like a troublemaker.

"Young man, what do you want to buy? My shop is right next door." The plump, dark-skinned woman was very enthusiastic. "We also have fresh fish today, would you like some?"

"don't want."

"And the pork? Freshly slaughtered, very fatty!" The plump, dark-skinned woman took a half-step forward, lowering her voice, "I felt an instant connection with you, so I'll give you a discount!"

Lin Yinyin said calmly, "I don't need it."

The fat woman's face changed instantly as soon as she finished speaking.

She suddenly raised her voice, making it shrill and piercing: "Oh my! My dear sister-in-law! You stole my money and tried to run away? Come on, come home with me!"

Lin Yinyin was stunned for a moment.

Holy crap!

In broad daylight, she encountered a fraudster!

"I don't know you." Lin Yinyin said coldly, instinctively taking a step back.

Suddenly, a burly man jumped out from the side.

The man's name was Zhao Dagang.

His gaze toward Lin Yinyin grew increasingly satisfied.

She looked fair-skinned and was an unfamiliar person from out of town. Although she was pregnant, he was short of "people" and could only use her to make up the numbers.

The plump, dark-skinned woman winked at the man. "Da Gang, look at your wife! Why is she so disobedient! She stole the money and tried to run away!"

Zhao Dagang rubbed his hands together. "Hehe, wife, don't run away, come home with me!"

Lin Yinyin: Go back to your mother!

Just as she was about to kick her, she caught a glimpse of the fat woman pulling out a crumpled handkerchief and about to unfold it towards her.

Lin Yinyin instantly withdrew her foot, nimbly dodged to the side, and at the same time raised her hand to cover her mouth and nose.

That wasn't the end of it. Two more tall, thin men suddenly appeared out of nowhere and blocked her path and retreat without saying a word.

Lin Yinyin looked at the four people and her heart sank.

She was struggling to fight four opponents at once.

Lin Yinyin's eyes were cold as she warned, "I may be a new face, but I'm not someone you can mess with."

I advise you to let me go right now, or else—"

"What else can we do?"

"Little wife, what can you do to me?" Zhao Dagang scoffed, his face full of disdain.

An older woman in the distance whispered a reminder: "Girl, run!" Then she turned and ran.

Lin Yinyin: "......." She also wanted to run away, but unfortunately, she was blocked on all sides.

After the woman, a man shouted from afar, "No public disturbances allowed in the black market," and then quickly slipped away.

Lin Yinyin: "......" Fine! Anyway, nobody dares to step forward and help.

Lin Yinyin stared at Zhao Dagang's crotch.

Zhao Dagang instinctively squeezed his legs together. "What are you doing?"

Fuck your mother!

The moment she finished speaking, Lin Yinyin kicked him in the groin.

Zhao Dagang dodged backward, but Lin Yinyin had anticipated this move. She immediately withdrew her foot and changed her strategy, kicking his other calf with her foot.

"hiss--"

Zhao Dagang winced in pain and was about to retaliate when the tall, thin man next to him rolled up his sleeves and pounced on Lin Yinyin, punching her in the shoulder.

On the other side, there was another burly, dark-skinned man who also flanked from the rear, clearly intending to outnumber the enemy.

Lin Yinyin felt a chill run down her spine. She dodged the tall, thin man's fist by turning to the side, and at the same time, she slammed her elbow backward.

I don't want my arm to go numb; my arm hurts a lot.

Her eyes were deep, and just as she was about to take out a stick from her spatial storage, an old man's voice rang out.

"Make way!"

An old man appeared next to Zhao Dagang without anyone noticing.

The old man had gray hair, a straight back, and was leaning on a wooden cane. He stood silently behind him.

"Excuse me, let this old man pass by."

"You old fool, are you blind? Get out of my way!"

Zhao Dagang roared angrily and reached out to shove the old man.

The old man didn't even lift his eyelids, but his gaze lingered on Lin Yinyin's protruding belly.

(Can you guess who the old man is?)