The Life of a Son-in-Law in a Courtyard House

Border farms have made significant contributions to resisting Russian border incursions, maintaining border security and stability, and increasing food production.

This is a group of hardworking and resilient people who deserve to be remembered.

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It snowed heavily on the farm here too, but thankfully, the farm owners have their own guesthouse.

Otherwise, it would be difficult to find a place to stay in this freezing weather.

With the relevant letter of introduction and the fact that they were delivering supplies to the farm, the farm's guesthouse warmly welcomed them and notified the farm's logistics management staff that they would come to meet the convoy early the next morning.

Moreover, there are supply and marketing cooperatives, state-run restaurants, and the like near the guesthouse.

This place is more like a small town, even if it only has one short street.

However, it's also very convenient to buy things.

It was already evening when Yang Dalin and his group checked in.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Yang Dalin had planned to go with the truck and hand over the goods as soon as possible.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the street.

A bell rang out from a certain direction, sounding much like the bells that rural production teams ring to start work or the bells that rural primary schools break to signal students' arrival and departure.

It was urgent and loud.

As Yang Dalin walked out of the guesthouse, he saw many people heading towards the farm headquarters where the bell had been ringing.

Seeing this situation, Yang Dalin guessed that something must have happened.

The convoy had a mission and couldn't join in the fun, so Yang Dalin and his team, along with the liaison personnel who came from the farm headquarters early in the morning, transported the supplies to the farm headquarters warehouse.

After unloading the goods, they insisted on treating us to a meal.

Since they've been so hospitable, we won't stand on ceremony.

After the convoy finishes unloading, it can rest for a day or two before heading back.

However, during the meal, the person in charge seemed to want to say something several times but couldn't.

The team leader asked him if there was anything he could help with, saying that since they were both government agencies, he should just say so if he had any difficulties.

The person who contacted them said, "There is something I need help with."

There are three educated youths at the farm headquarters, one man and two women. They went out to play yesterday, but they haven't returned by last night.

This morning, the field management team gathered people to search everywhere.

As a result, someone inquired with a hunter in a mountain village dozens of miles away and got the information.

The old hunter found several footprints yesterday as he was about to leave the mountain.

Among the footprints, there were two female footprints and several male footprints, but he wasn't sure if they belonged to the lost educated youth.

Because he didn't see anyone and it was getting dark, he went home.

The farm headquarters needs to send someone into the mountains to investigate the specific situation.

The farm has a limited number of vehicles, and we've already sent out all the ones we can. Could you please help us get the security personnel from the farm down the mountain?

Then, once they find the person, they'll bring them back.

The team leader realized this was a big deal.

It's just a matter of using a vehicle. The farm is quite far from the mountains. If people were to travel by sled or horse-drawn carriage, it would be slow and time-consuming. Helping out is no big deal.

Anyway, no one is in a hurry to go back.

The team leader thought for a moment and readily agreed.

Then everyone quickly finished their meal and started the empty cars.

They pulled several dozen security personnel and some supplies and headed towards the foot of the mountain, dozens of miles away.

Soon the convoy arrived at the small mountain village at the foot of the mountain they had mentioned.

The village is small, with only about seventy or eighty households.

The old hunter was already waiting for them at the village entrance and with the village's production team leader.

The team leader, the security captain, inquired about the specifics with the old hunter.

Yang Dalin, who had nothing else to do, also listened in for a while.

The old hunter told him everything he knew: the footprints were found by chance near the edge of the deep mountains, and there were six footprints, but the footprints heading out of the mountains seemed to have been deliberately swept away.

However, being an experienced hunter, he still managed to discover some more clues.

There are two small and shallow footprints, which look like those of two girls.

However, it seems that the person was tied up, and there were several marks left by the snow from falling down.

Otherwise, if they weren't tied up, they wouldn't have fallen so many times, and I didn't see anyone fall down and use a cane or anything.

There were also four footprints, three of which were larger and deeper in the snow, so these three people were at least strong men. The third footprint was deeper and larger than the two girls' footprints, so it was probably the footprint of a man who wasn't very strong.

The old hunter found it strange from the start. Women usually don't go into the mountains in winter because it's dangerous and full of wild animals. So he followed the tracks they left into the mountains and found where they entered the mountains, about three miles west of their village.

It was almost dark when he came down from the mountain. He didn't dare to follow anyone, so he told the production team leader of their village when he got back.

The village leader told the farm people who came to inquire about the situation early this morning.

Upon hearing this, the captain of the security personnel realized that someone had likely kidnapped the three educated youths from the farm and taken them into the mountains.

It seems that the three educated youths have encountered danger.

The educated youth of today are not the same as those who were sent to the countryside for reform later on.

Many of today's educated youth came voluntarily to develop the frontier regions. They are educated, ambitious, willing to put in the hard work, and in good spirits.

It's not like those people who come here only to cheat and shirk their responsibilities.

Therefore, the captain of the farm's security personnel was very concerned about their safety.

He then instructed his men to prepare, intending for the old hunter to lead them into the mountains.

Upon hearing this news, Yang Dalin felt it was very similar to the situation that Uncle Huang had encountered.

Is it that the damn Russians are kidnapping people again?

Didn't you hear what the old hunter said? There were three large, deep footprints, indicating at least three strong men were involved.

Yang Dalin's love for excitement has resurfaced.

I was actually looking for an opportunity to go hunting in the mountains of Northeast China.

And then the opportunity came.

Yang Dalin followed Tian Xueyi and volunteered to go with the team leader. He pulled him aside and whispered, "Captain, I want to go and help out."

I suspect the three educated youths may have encountered enemy agents again.

Only a few key members of the farm's security personnel were veterans with combat experience; the majority of the rest were militiamen who had not been through combat.

If these people rush in, there is a great risk of danger and heavy casualties.

Moreover, a large group of people may not be able to move quickly; if we continue north into the mountains, we will cross the border in three days.

If you're too slow, you might not be able to catch up.

I asked for help; I can catch up with them quickly.

At the very least, we can stop them from crossing the border.

Seeing Yang Dalin's serious and earnest expression, the convoy leader glanced at the farm's security personnel who were organizing their equipment in preparation for departure.

He nodded heavily: "Okay, if we don't run into each other, that's fine. But if we do, I'll definitely lend a hand. I have faith in your fighting ability."

I'll go tell them right away.

Seeing that the team leader was about to leave, Tian Xueyi quickly grabbed him: "Old Wang, I'm here too. I'll go with you. It'll be safer that way."

I also served as an infantryman on the battlefield in Goryeo.

Team leader Wang Shengli gave Lao Tian a deep look: "Alright, then you two go together, I'll go and talk to him."