Rebirth in 1972: Redemption in Changbai Mountain

Lin Qiuyue carried the enamel teapot and filled a cup of hot tea for Zhou Rui and Gao Daya. Warm steam rose from the rim of the cups.

She paused, not daring to offer any more snacks, afraid that being too enthusiastic might scare the shy girl.

"Zhou Rui, has Da Ya's job been finalized?" She looked up at Zhou Rui, her voice softening.

"I just finished filling out the forms at Xiangyang Forest Farm." Zhou Rui picked up his teacup, took a sip, and felt a wave of comfort wash over him as the hot tea slid down his throat.

He reached out and patted Xiao Niangao on the back; the little girl was sleeping soundly on the pillow.

"Uncle Zhang said the store is working hard to get staff, and at most, Da Ya will be able to go and report for duty in a week."

Lin Qiuyue nodded, her gaze gently falling on Gao Daya.

The faded, patched blue blouse the girl was wearing was clearly the best garment she kept at the bottom of her family's trunk.

She turned to look at Zhou Rui, her fingertip lightly tapping the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed): "I think we need to make two new outfits for Daya, otherwise she'll be looked down upon when she goes to the forest farm."

"No, no, no, I have clothes to wear!" Gao Daya suddenly straightened up, waving her hands frantically, her face instantly turning red to her ears.

"The forest farm provides work uniforms, so there's no need to spend this money."

Before she left, her mother repeatedly told her that it was already a great favor for her cousin to hand her this secure job, and she must not take advantage of it or cause him any trouble.

Zhou Rui's gaze swept over the blue cotton shirt she was wearing. The stitches were soaked with the old marks of countless washes. He nodded to himself, thinking that Lin Qiuyue was indeed more thoughtful. He, a grown man, had never thought of this at all.

"Listen to your second sister-in-law, make two sets." Zhou Rui tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, deciding the matter directly for her.

Seeing that Gao Daya was about to refuse, he quickly softened his tone and explained things to her.

This young girl has never ventured out on her own before. If she were to wander off to an unfamiliar forest without knowing what was going on, how could her brother possibly feel at ease?

"There's an old saying, 'Respect the clothes before the person,' which is crude but true. Let's not discuss whether it's right or wrong, but most people in the world are just ordinary and only care about appearances at first glance."

"It's not that everyone in the forest farm is a bad person, but there might be a few short-sighted people who will dare to bully or harass you if they see you dressed poorly."

"If you're wronged in the village, you can just go home and ask your parents for help. But in the forest farm, everyone is a stranger. If you're really bullied, there's no one to back you up."

"Look at you, you scared the child." Lin Qiuyue smiled and gently patted his arm, then turned and pulled Gao Daya closer to her, patting her back lightly with her fingertips.

"Don't listen to your brother's nonsense. If anyone dares to give you a hard time, just tell your brother that our family's daughter shouldn't be treated like this by outsiders."

Gao Daya leaned gently against Lin Qiuyue's shoulder, inhaling the fresh scent of soap on her body, her heart filled with warmth.

Second sister-in-law is so considerate, unlike cousin Rui, who says scary things as soon as he opens his mouth.

"Okay, I'll bike you there on your first day next week." Zhou Rui couldn't help but laugh as he looked at the two of them huddled together.

"When we get to the forest farm, I'll introduce you to a few people I know. I still have some influence there."

This is no exaggeration. After dealing with the forest farm for more than a year, Zhou Rui has managed to establish a certain level of success.

After giving some instructions and sending some dried goods from the mountains, those acquaintances will likely give Gao Daya some consideration out of respect for him.

An'an, her feet covered in mud, rushed into the yard, but the moment she stepped across the threshold, she froze on the spot.

In the open space in the center of the courtyard, Mao Mao was facing off against a strange big yellow dog, its tail taut and straight.

The big yellow dog looked half a head shorter than Mao Mao, but its calm and fierce spirit was in no way inferior to the tall and mighty Mao Mao.

Neither dog barked or barked; they just stared intently at each other, their bright black eyes seemingly engaged in a silent battle of wills. You could hear the wind rustling through their fur clearly.

Woof woof woof... Suddenly, a burst of barking erupted behind us, and three dogs, Maotuan, Maoqiu, and Maodou, leaped and bounded in after us.

Afterwards, they all blocked Mao Mao's back, barking wildly in Da Huang's direction, their neck fur standing on end.

Big Yellow didn't even lift its eyelids. Its gaze slowly swept over the three dogs' faces, its eyes casual and indifferent, as if it were sweeping over three weightless cotton balls. It clearly showed its contempt for them, without even making a sound.

The air in the courtyard was almost frozen; even the flies in mid-air dared not fall.

Zhou Rui lifted the curtain and walked out of the house. He glanced at the two dogs facing off and said in a low but authoritative voice, "Dahuang, Mao Mao, what are you doing? Go squat against the wall."

"Second Brother."

The two dogs relaxed almost simultaneously, and An'an instantly broke free from the oppressive atmosphere.

With her short legs moving swiftly, she darted through the gap between the two dogs and plunged headfirst into Zhou Rui's arms, her muddy feet leaving two crooked black imprints on his shirt.

"Second brother, where did this dog come from? It was standing there motionless for a moment, and it looked really fierce!"

Although An'an said she was scared, she buried her face in Zhou Rui's neck and rubbed against him, showing no fear whatsoever.

In her mind, her second brother could even tame the black bears in the mountains, so even the fiercest dog was no problem for him.

"It's our own." Zhou Rui smiled and ruffled her hair. "It looks cold and fierce to strangers, but when it comes to protecting its own family, it's more reliable than Mao Mao."

He waved to Da Huang, who walked over with steady steps, its wet nose gently brushing against An An's little hand and muddy ankle.

His sharp gaze softened instantly, all traces of ferocity gone.

This dog must have had a mischievous little girl at home before. It never showed the slightest impatience with children. When its nose brushed against the back of her hand, it deliberately used a light touch, even its breathing was soft.

Zhou Rui patted Da Huang on the back and, without delay, led An An into the house.

There's plenty of time in the future for it to get used to its family.

As soon as she stepped across the threshold, An'an's eyes lit up. She broke free from his arms and skipped towards the person at the table.

"Big Sister Daya, you've finally arrived! I was just telling Third Brother the other day that I missed you!"

In the afternoon, while Lin Qiuyue was cooking, Zhou Rui used wooden planks to rebuild a doghouse. Thinking that Da Huang and Mao Mao's family were not yet familiar with each other, he placed the doghouse at the other end of the yard.

As night deepened, even the oil lamps inside the house were blown out, plunging the courtyard into complete darkness.

At this moment, two dark figures emerged from the doghouse on either side of the courtyard and stood in the center of the courtyard again.