The 1960s: The Story of a Country Girl's Journey to the City

Fang Mingda walked along, pondering what Bao Ya had said.

In those chaotic times, those with guns weren't necessarily soldiers, nor were they likely her father's men.

That was a horrific case of wiping out an entire family. The military has always maintained strict discipline, so it's impossible for them to do something so heinous.

Who do you think is a suspect?

"I don't know, but I just feel that Gao Lanzhi has been having an affair with an actress. She must have come into contact with all sorts of people. Maybe we can find out something."

Two days later, Bao Ya was once again taken to the division commander's office by Wang Xiao.

"So soon someone from the General Military Region has come to question you?"

On the way, Bao Ya looked at Wang Xiao's face and asked, "What's wrong with this guy? He seems a little different from the day before yesterday. He has an uncontrollable excitement about him, as if he's encountered something good."

"They're not here to investigate; Chief of Staff Gao wants to see you. But don't worry, it's no big deal."

Bao Ya raised an eyebrow, her confident demeanor suggesting she didn't take that person seriously.

However, these people related to the male and female leads come to see her every day, like a triple tap, which is really annoying.

"What? Is that guy surnamed Gao some kind of despicable person? You don't take him seriously at all."

"Tsk, how can you talk like that? I'm just saying you don't need to worry, but you can't make things worse."

Wang Xiao's head started to ache again. This girl was too much of a troublemaker; her emotions were like balloons. You say one, she can make it ten.

"Then what are you so happy about? Humph!"

Bao Ya said irritably, "We haven't even taken them down yet, and you're already so happy. You're so impatient. You've lived to be this old for nothing."

"Oh, it's not because of that."

Wang Xiao quickly followed to explain, afraid that she would treat the other two people in the room the same way. Before speaking, she glanced around and lowered her voice, saying:

"We caught that guy in the back hill the other day. Guess who it was?"

Hearing him say that, Bao Ya's eyes lit up instantly, and she looked at Wang Xiao with a mischievous grin.

He has a sharp eye; he can even spot someone who isn't wearing clothes. He claims he didn't see clearly, but he probably saw it the most clearly.

"Is it that opera singer Meng Xiaolou?"

How did you know?

Now it was Wang Xiao's turn to be surprised; hadn't her guess been a little too accurate?

"I'm just guessing, but someone at this age who still can't forget someone is probably an old flame."

How did she guess? She read it in a book, but the book didn't mention that they, at their age, still had such high needs.

The book was vague and unclear, so she was guessing as she walked. Everyone else was a supporting character, with limited screen time.

However, finding Meng Xiaolou also indirectly confirmed the truthfulness of what he said.

There were four people waiting in the division commander's office. She knew the army commander, Division Commander Qin, and Political Commissar Gu.

There was also a lean old man with little flesh on his face, high cheekbones, and deep-set eyes, but his eyes were very bright, and he looked at people with a shrewd and indifferent light.

"You're Lin Baoya?"

The old man looked Bao Ya up and down before slowly speaking.

"Yes, it's me. And who are you, sir?"

Bao Ya didn't wait for anyone to greet her and pulled up a chair to sit down. Gao Dongliang frowned at her actions.

"I am Gao Lanzhi's father, Gao Dongliang. I heard that you tried to interfere in someone else's marriage, but failed. Instead, you slandered the couple, and now you're even going after my daughter."

Hearing his words, Bao Ya laughed. This old man immediately tried to pin a label on her; he was really cunning.

"You're so old, don't you ever think before you speak?"

"So, according to you, they just let me do whatever I wanted. Were they blind, or were they deliberately covering for me?"

As she spoke, Bao Ya glanced at the three people beside her and noticed that their expressions were not pleasant.

Gao Dongliang realized he had misspoke, cleared his throat, and continued speaking to Bao Ya:

"Girl, I'm not going to beat around the bush with you. I want to ask, what grudge does the Gao family have that you would slander my daughter like that?"

As Gao Dongliang spoke, he also glanced at the three people next to him.

"Old man, what are you saying? I don't even know your family, how could I possibly have a grudge against you?"

Bao Ya answered earnestly, but a smile remained on her face. The old man kept talking about the Gao family, never addressing Gao Lanzhi's question directly.

"Hmph, you're smart to know what's good for you."

Gao Dongliang said something irritatingly, and then Bao Ya continued:

"Although I have no grudge against your Xu family, your Gao family is a sharp blade hanging over my head, ready to take my head at any moment!"

"Stop talking nonsense. Why would my Xu family bother arguing with a little girl like you? Did someone make you do this?"

As he spoke, he glanced around at the people in his surroundings.

Judging from his attitude, Bao Ya was certain that none of the three people in this room were on his side. Hmm, that's great.

"You're overthinking it. No one is directing me. Your Gao family won't do anything to me, but Staff Officer Li Changsheng might."

You know about my encounter with human traffickers in the city, right?

Qi Jianjun's wife, Lin Chuxue, was also involved. Why wasn't she investigated? Not only was she not investigated, but people kept coming to smooth things over for her.

"What does this have to do with the Gao family?"

Gao Dongliang frowned and said rather impatiently:

"Of course there is. It has nothing to do with you. Why did Gao Lanzhi come to me? Don't you know what their relationship is?"

At this point, the old man looked puzzled, as if he didn't know, but these old foxes are masters of acting.

Now we can't say he doesn't know; we should accuse him of feigning ignorance, and drag everyone down with him.

"Hehe, your acting skills are really good. No wonder you survived a hail of bullets. You have a whole set of survival skills."

Before he could refute, she continued:

"Lin Chuxue is Li Changsheng's biological daughter! She managed to get away unscathed after colluding with human traffickers to harm me."

Moreover, people have repeatedly asked me to intercede for her case, hoping I could help her get it dropped—all thanks to Li Changsheng!

Gao Dongliang frowned upon hearing Bao Ya's words, a bad feeling creeping into his heart.

His current wife and his daughter from his previous marriage don't get along, and they rarely see each other.

When others told him that Gao Lanzhi had been detained here, they thought it was because that stupid daughter had caused trouble again, but they didn't expect it to involve these other things.

Before he could think further, Bao Ya continued:

"Moreover, this guy surnamed Li isn't exactly a person who can distinguish right from wrong. You know Li Changsheng's hometown, right? It's Beishan Brigade, formerly known as Lizhuang."

That place has two specialties: scoundrels and live-in sons-in-law.

Two-thirds of the households in Lijiazhuang are surnamed Li, and all the village officials are also members of the Li family.

The remaining third of the non-family members lived in dire straits. Those with daughters were sent to other families as child brides at a young age, and those with sons were given away to become sons-in-law.

They used every possible method to leave Lizhuang.

Do you know why? Because in other brigades, as long as you work hard, you can earn enough work points to fill your stomach.

In Lijiazhuang, people worked themselves to the bone, and the grain had to be used to feed the Li family first before any leftovers could be distributed to them.

It all started with Li Changsheng, an official from Lizhuang, who then married the daughter of a military commander.

Li Changsheng's parents said more than once that their son had married a second-hand woman from the chief's family and suffered great injustice. So even if the Li family caused a huge mess, the chief would make up for it. What did it matter if a few people starved to death?

"Old man, although you've never shown your face, you've been a menace in this village for over a decade. In Hexi Commune, you're a well-known figure."