Chapter 24: The Capture

Chapter 24: The Capture

Lu Hanchuan naturally stayed with the Ye family.

Ye Xiaoxiao wasn’t sure if military satellite positioning was available in this era, but these people should be able to contact their troops.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Who are you chasing?"

Lu Hanchuan smirked, "Fugitive terrorists. Be careful; they have a thing for targeting young girls like you."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "..."

She wasn’t a three-year-old child!

Ye Changsheng also recognized Lu Hanchuan but remained cautious.

Lu Hanchuan’s fellow soldier was in bad shape; even with painkillers, his pain couldn’t be alleviated.

Whether awake or unconscious, broken groans escaped his lips.

Before heading back to the Ye family, Ye Xiaoxiao grabbed a set of acupuncture needles from Song Guangjing.

"Maybe I’ll try acupuncture on him."

It wouldn’t heal the wound, but it might ease the pain.

Miao Cuifang stopped her, "Xiao Xiao, let’s not play around with needles."

She’d seen someone get paralyzed from acupuncture when she was younger.

Lu Hanchuan looked down, deep in thought, then said, "Give it a shot."

An unexpected sense of trust made Ye Xiaoxiao hesitate.

However, she had full confidence in her medical skills, and since it was just for pain relief, there was no chance of messing up.

Ye Xiaoxiao took out the silver needles and started finding the right points.

As the needles pierced the young soldier’s skin, he didn’t react strongly.

After a while... the groaning man closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Lu Hanchuan was baffled; he didn’t remember anyone in the compound with such skills.

Besides, the Ye Xiaoxiao he saw now was nothing like the one Xu Jianwen had described. Which version of her was real?

Ye Xiaoxiao stepped out of the room.

Lu Hanchuan: "Thank you."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "It’s no big deal, don’t mention it."

Lu Hanchuan suddenly asked, "Has Xu Jianwen been by to see you?"

Ye Xiaoxiao frowned, "Why would he show up?"

I’d rather he didn’t.

Lu Hanchuan: "Forget it."

There was no trace of the persistent harassment Xu Jianwen had mentioned.

Things were getting really interesting.

Ye Xiaoxiao glanced at Lu Hanchuan's handsome face; the guy had a weird way of talking.

...

Li Deshu arrived at the Ye family's house carrying some gifts.

"Uncle Jianguo, my parents sent these to thank you for rescuing me on the mountain."

Li Deshu spoke to Ye Jianguo, but his eyes kept darting around, like he was looking for someone.

Ye Jianguo said firmly, "Take these back. The village head led the rescue; no need to thank me personally."

Li Deshu smiled, "Uncle, isn’t that injured soldier staying here? These are to help him recover."

At that, Ye Jianguo finally took the items.

As Li Deshu left, he saw Ye Xiaoxiao in the yard and his eyes lit up.

"You’re Ye Xiaoxiao, right? Good to meet you."

Ye Xiaoxiao looked up, annoyed. She’d just gone out to use the bathroom and bumped into someone she didn’t like.

She didn’t want to talk and decided to be rude.

Ye Xiaoxiao wanted to avoid him, so she sidestepped and walked around.

Li Deshu didn’t expect her to brush him off after he made the first move.

She really didn’t appreciate his effort.

He forced a smile, "Did I do something wrong? No need to ignore me."

Ye Xiaoxiao walked inside without a backward glance.

Li Deshu: "..."

Once inside, Ye Xiaoxiao noticed the gifts Li Deshu had brought.

They were eggs and brown sugar—pretty rare stuff.

Ye Xiaoxiao asked, "Dad, why did Li Deshu come?"

Ye Jianguo sat up straight and set his pipe aside, "Oh... he came to thank the soldier we saved."

"Oh," Ye Xiaoxiao said with a nod.

Ye Jianguo still got nervous talking to his daughter, always worried he’d look the wrong way.

He only relaxed after Ye Xiaoxiao went into the inner room.

After the heavy snow, it got even colder outside.

Hardly anyone went outside anymore.

Ye Changsheng was doing his homework on the kang, frowning deeply when he came across tough questions.

Ye Xiaoxiao glanced over from the side: "This is how you solve it."

After reviewing high school material over the past few days, she was more than capable of tutoring Ye Changsheng.

Instead, Ye Changsheng looked up in surprise.

Because the method Ye Xiaoxiao had just shown was spot on.

He went through it once, and everything clicked.

Was she really that good at studying?

"The teacher explained it," Ye Xiaoxiao said, covering up.

Ye Changsheng didn't question it; the teachers in big cities must be way better than the ones around here.

This way, Ye Xiaoxiao really could get into college.

He was really happy for her.

Without any envy, Ye Changsheng started asking Ye Xiaoxiao for help whenever he got stuck.

The two of them studied together in perfect harmony.

Ye Changyuan, who was more of a slacker, felt out of place and decided to go hang out with Ye Changning instead.

Word about terrorists nearby hadn't gotten around the village, and Ye Xiaoxiao thought Lu Hanchuan was just kidding.

But on the third night after Lu Hanchuan moved in with the Ye family.

The family's big yellow dog up in the back hills was barking like crazy, and even the Ye family could hear the ruckus.

Ye Xiaoxiao, who had already gone to bed, was suddenly awakened.

Someone had already gone out into the yard, but in the dark, she couldn't make out who it was.

After a bit, she heard Miao Cuilan outside the window, "Xiao Xiao, you awake? Stay put and lock the door."

Ye Xiaoxiao replied, "Got it!"

After Miao Cuilan left, she couldn't get back to sleep.

By morning, she found out that the person who went out last night was Lu Hanchuan.

Ye Jianguo also headed out later with his hunting rifle.

Around seven in the morning, Ye Jianguo came back.

Miao Cuifang asked, "What went on last night?"

Ye Jianguo said, "Someone ran out from the hills, and we've already got him."

Miao Cuifang sighed in relief, "That's a relief, we won't have to be on edge all the time."

She then asked, "What about Comrade Lu? Why didn't he come back with you?"

"He's at the old production team courtyard. We need to keep a tight watch on that prisoner."

When Ye Jianguo got back, he couldn't stop singing Lu Hanchuan's praises.

"These young folks are really something else. Last night when I reached the back mountain, Lu Hanchuan had already pinned the guy down."

Miao Cuifang said, "I told you not to go out. You can't fight getting old. Now you're just causing trouble for others."

Ye Jianguo protested, "That's not fair. I still pitched in."

By the time breakfast rolled around, Lu Hanchuan still hadn't come back.

Miao Cuifang packed some food in a lunch pail and told Ye Changning, "Go over to the work unit and bring this to him."

Ye Changning said, "He's on official business. Won't the head of the village look after him?"

Miao Cuifang replied, "Just do as I say. Enough with the sass."

Ye Xiaoxiao volunteered, "Mom, I can take the food over."

Miao Cuifang said, "Honey, you don't know the way, and it's bitter cold outside. Let your third brother take care of it."

Ye Changning took the lunch pail, grumbling, "Fine... sons are just spare parts, huh."