Siheyuan (courtyard house): My father, Li Yunlong!

When the middle-aged man spoke to Da Feng, he bowed slightly, his eyes filled with awe.

Li Zhenhua became even more certain that Lin Taotao's best friend, Dafeng, probably had a frighteningly powerful background, and her family was definitely not ordinary people.

"Thanks, Uncle Wang. I'll tell my dad I've taken the things."

Da Feng waved her hand casually, her tone as natural as if she were saying, "I'll take a scallion."

The middle-aged man, addressed as Uncle Wang, responded repeatedly.

"Alright, alright! Have fun!"

Da Feng picked up a hunting rifle, skillfully inspected the bolt and barrel, then handed one to Lin Taotao, picked up another, and looked at Li Zhenhua.

"Comrade Li, do you know how to use this? Here, take this one."

Li Zhenhua took the heavy hunting rifle, finding it excellent to hold. He examined it carefully and nodded.

"No problem, I've played it before."

He wasn't bragging; he was familiar with all kinds of firearms from his time in the army, and this kind of hunting rifle was no problem for him.

Lin Taotao also skillfully inspected her gun, her movements practiced and adept, clearly indicating she had handled it extensively.

She excitedly told Dafeng.

"Let's have a competition today and see who gets the most!"

"Let's compete! Who's afraid of who!"

Da Feng doll's face was full of confidence.

The three men packed the bullets, wrapped the shotguns slightly in an old cloth, and put them back in the car to avoid them being too conspicuous.

Meanwhile, at the gates of Beijing, the cold wind swirled up dust and scraps of paper from the ground.

Qin Huairu wrapped her old cotton-padded coat, which was patched in several places, tightly around her neck, which was almost unrecognizable in color from its original color. Her feet were numb from the cold, and she kept stamping them lightly.

As dawn broke, she lied to Jia Zhangshi, saying she was going back to her parents' home to see if she could borrow some grain, and that's how she was allowed to leave.

Thinking of the thirty jin of grain that Li Zhenhua had promised, she felt uneasy, as if she had a rabbit in her heart.

She both hoped he would appear, yet feared he was just saying it casually, and even more feared that her only hope would be dashed.

She kept looking towards the outskirts of the city, silently praying: Please don't lie to me...

Just as she was about to freeze to death, a black Volga sedan drove out of the city, standing out conspicuously against the drab gray background.

Qin Huairu subconsciously shrank to the side of the road and lowered her head, afraid of bumping into the "important person" in the car.

However, the car slowly stopped a short distance in front of her.

The car window rolled down, revealing the face she most wanted to see at that moment.

"Sister Qin?"

Li Zhenhua's voice, carrying a perfectly timed surprise, came from inside the car.

"What are you doing here at the city gate all by yourself in this freezing weather?"

Qin Huairu looked up when she heard the voice and saw Li Zhenhua. She was stunned at first, and then a huge joy welled up in her heart. He really came!

But then, her gaze passed over Li Zhenhua and fell on two young women sitting in the back seat. One was spirited and beautiful, and the other... was frighteningly tall.

In an instant, she understood something, and a strange feeling of bitterness and shame welled up in her heart, suppressing her initial surprise.

She quickly lowered her head, tidied her wind-blown hair, and forced a somewhat unnatural smile.

"It's...it's Director Li."

Her voice was a little strained as she spoke according to her prepared words.

"I...I'm planning to go back to my parents' home for a visit, and I'm waiting for a horse-drawn carriage or donkey cart that's going the same way. What brings you here...?"

Li Zhenhua remained calm, as if it were truly a chance encounter.

"Oh, I made plans with two friends to go hunting in the mountains outside the city and relax."

He pointed to the back seat.

At this moment, Lin Taotao and Dafeng in the back seat also curiously looked at the young woman outside the car, who was poorly dressed but had a beautiful face.

Qin Huairu felt even more flustered when she sensed their gazes, unsure of what to do with her hands and feet.

"hunt?"

Qin Huairu repeated the sentence, as if she had suddenly remembered something, and a perfectly measured look of worry appeared on her face.

"Oh dear, Director Li, you're going hunting? What a coincidence! A few days ago, someone from our village sent word that things haven't been peaceful in the mountain valley near our village lately. Wild boars have come down from the mountains! They even injured a firewood gatherer from the neighboring village. They're quite fierce! You'd better be careful!"

"Wild boar?"

"Really?"

Before she finished speaking, Lin Taotao and Dafeng in the back seat exclaimed almost simultaneously, their eyes instantly lighting up with an alarming intensity, filled with the excitement and eagerness of hunters discovering large prey.

Ordinary pheasants and rabbits are nowhere near as exciting as wild boar!

Lin Taotao immediately clung to the front seat and pressed for more information.

"Sister Qin, right? You said that wild boar was near your village? Where exactly? How big was it? When did it happen?"

Da Feng was also eager to try, her baby face full of excitement.

"Wild boar, great! This thing's awesome! Perfect for testing my gun!"

Seeing the two female warriors' reactions, Li Zhenhua chuckled inwardly, thinking that Qin Huairu certainly knew how to seize an opportunity.

He then feigned a thoughtful expression and spoke to Qin Huairu.

"Sister Qin, look at this... How about this, since we need to find a place anyway, we might as well give you a ride back to your parents' home on the way. When we get to the village, could you give us directions, or find a local who knows the area well to show us the way? That way, you won't have to wait here in the cold for a ride."

Qin Huairu felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders, and even felt a surge of gratitude.

She didn't expect to get on the bus so easily, and to be able to legitimately give Li Zhenhua directions so that he could deliver the grain to her parents' home.

She nodded quickly, a grateful smile on her face.

"Well... I can't possibly trouble Director Li and your friend... If you could give me a ride, I would be so grateful!"

"It's okay, I'm going the same way, come on up."

Li Zhenhua opened the passenger door.

Qin Huairu carefully got into the car, feeling the warm air and soft seats inside, a stark contrast to the shivering she had just experienced in the cold wind.

She sat stiffly, not daring to look around, but out of the corner of her eye she could still catch a glimpse of the two elegant women in the back seat.

Lin Taotao's sassiness and Dafeng's fierceness made her feel a world she had never experienced before, and the complex emotions in her heart became even stronger.

The car restarted and headed out of the city. Li Zhenhua gripped the steering wheel skillfully and asked casually.

"Sister Qin, which direction exactly do we go?"

Qin Huairu quickly composed herself and pointed ahead.

"Okay, head west, then turn north after passing Laojuntun. Our village is called Qinjiawu, and it's located at the foot of the mountain."

"Okay."

Li Zhenhua responded, gently pressing the accelerator, and the Volga sedan accelerated smoothly, leaving the cold city behind.

The car bumped along the uneven dirt road for more than an hour before finally arriving at the entrance of Qinjiawu Village.

Throughout the journey, the atmosphere inside the carriage was clearly divided.

In the back seat, Lin Taotao and Dafeng were excitedly discussing hunting techniques and possible prey, occasionally bursting into clear laughter at Li Zhenhua's witty remark.

Qin Huairu, in the passenger seat, remained tense, like a frightened quail, huddled in her seat, her eyes fixed on the desolate scenery rushing past the window. She dared not speak easily, and even deliberately kept her breathing light.