Chapter 48: Engagement

Chapter 48: The Engagement

Lin Zhijin looked at her in shock. What was going on? How could a perfectly healthy baby just be gone?

"What happened?" She turned to ask Commander Chen.

Commander Chen's face was just as grim. He had crawled through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, finally married a wife, and was about to become a father—what a wonderful thing. And now the child that had been moving in her belly was suddenly gone. His heart ached just as much as Lin Shishu's.

"It was Lin Shiqi." Lin Shishu gritted her teeth as she said the name. She struggled to sit up, her face contorted with rage. "All those years I couldn't get pregnant while in the Wu family—it was all because of her. I trusted her so much, treated her like my own sister, and she was the one harming me all along."

Lin Zhijin quickly figured out why Lin Shiqi would do this. Lin Shiqi was only passably pretty, nowhere near as striking or charming as Lin Shishu. But Lin Shishu had already left the Wu family and married Commander Chen—there was no reason for her to target her anymore. Why would she still want to harm her?

She thought it, so she asked.

Lin Shishu closed her eyes. "She just can't stand seeing me happy. And it's my own fault—I always told her how well Chen treated me, so she became jealous."

"How do you know it was her this time?" She'd lived in the Wu family for years without suspecting a thing—how did she find out now?

"It was Chen who found out. And I even defended her. I treated my enemy like a sister. I let my enemy destroy my poor child—he never even got to be born. He was a boy, with dark hair." Lin Shishu grew more sorrowful as she spoke.

"Alright, alright. You're still recovering—you can't cry. You have to take care of your body. You're still young—you'll have another baby." Lin Zhijin could only comfort her this way.

"Even if I do, it won't be this one." Lin Shishu burst into sobs.

Lin Zhijin comforted her for a long while, then asked about the outcome. She learned that Lin Shiqi had been arrested, but without solid evidence, and given the Wu family's influence, she probably wouldn't be held for long.

Clearly, Lin Shishu knew this too, which was why she was so consumed with hatred.

"Weren't you going to visit your friend? Why do you look so upset?" Gu Yan came to find Lin Zhijin and saw her sighing heavily, so he asked curiously.

"Don't even ask. She lost the baby." Lin Zhijin told him about Lin Shishu's situation, then lamented the scheming and backstabbing in those big families. "You might not know this, but back when Master Chen was still around, someone once tried to set me up. Luckily I dodged it. Hu Xiaoniang fell into the trap instead—well, no, she turned it around. She slept with Master Chen and had his baby after he died. And guess what happened? Her pregnancy went fine, but she died in childbirth, taking the baby with her."

Gu Yan gripped Lin Zhijin's hand tightly. "I'm just glad you're okay."

That was because she knew the plot. The original Lin Zhijin hadn't been so lucky—Hu Xiaoniang's fate was supposed to be hers.

"That's all behind us now." Lin Zhijin smiled and squeezed Gu Yan's hand back. "I have Aunt Zhang, Sister Li, Sister Li Yue, and you. I'm doing great."

Gu Yan looked at her, then said very seriously: "Xiao Jin, let's get engaged. I know you don't want to get married too soon, but I want to make it official first. I want to take better care of you."

As just boyfriend and girlfriend, he couldn't do too much for her without crossing lines—always hesitating, always holding back. But if they were engaged, people would see them as family, and being close wouldn't be a problem.

Lin Zhijin looked at Gu Yan in surprise. "Engaged?"

"Yes, engaged first." Seeing her hesitate, Gu Yan immediately put on a heartbroken expression. "Xiao Jin, you're not going to deny me, are you? Lin Zhijin, are you trying to use me and dump me?"

He shouted it out, drawing the attention of quite a few people. An embarrassed Lin Zhijin quickly grabbed him and dragged him away.

"Don't talk nonsense. When did I ever use you and dump you? Pfft, don't you have that backwards? Since when does a man ask a woman for a commitment?" Lin Zhijin shot him an exasperated glare.

"Can't a man ask for a commitment? Lin Zhijin, you work with women's issues all day, always advocating for gender equality. So what, men can just be used and dumped?" Gu Yan looked like he wouldn't let it go until she gave him a real answer.

Lin Zhijin looked at him, at a loss for words. "Don't be unreasonable."

"Fine, so you're even sick of me now. Lin Zhijin, you owe me an answer today." Gu Yan looked at her with a pitiful expression.

Lin Zhijin was dumbfounded. What happened to her sweet, refined man?

But looking at Gu Yan, thinking about how relaxed and comfortable their time together had been, getting engaged first didn't seem like a bad idea.

Gu Yan could see Lin Zhijin softening and pushed his advantage. "Xiao Jin, let's get engaged first, okay? I want us to be closer."

"Alright." They had been dating for over two months now—by this era's standards, that was actually pretty slow for the times.

The moment Lin Zhijin agreed, Gu Yan was over the moon. He spun her around several times. "Xiao Jin, my future wife, I'll have someone prepare the engagement banquet right away."

"No, just a couple of tables at a restaurant. Invite the people closest to us for a nice meal, that's all." Lin Zhijin quickly stopped him.

Gu Yan felt a bit disappointed, but he also knew that a grand celebration wasn't the right move for them.

When she got home, Lin Zhijin told Li Yue about the engagement plans. Li Yue let out a shriek, then called over Wang Chunhua and Zhang Jinxiu to help plan.

"It's just an engagement, not a wedding. We're planning to have two tables at a restaurant and invite close friends from both families for a meal." Lin Zhijin thought they were even more excited than she was.

"That still can't be sloppy." Wang Chunhua disagreed. "An engagement is a big deal. Even if you're not having a grand banquet, the proper rituals can't be skipped."

Zhang Jinxiu nodded in agreement. "That's right, Zhi Jin. An engagement isn't a small matter. What do both sets of parents say? Gu Yan's family is in the capital, right? When are they coming? Have you picked a date?"

Li Yue grabbed Lin Zhijin's hand and asked, "And what are you wearing for the engagement? Have you prepared something?"

Lin Zhijin was dizzy from all their questions. "I didn't think that far ahead. I'm not planning to tell my family about the engagement. They already sold me off—since I've been sold, I owe them nothing anymore. As for Gu Yan's side, his father died long ago, and his mother remarried and has her own life. We'll just have Aunt Zhang sit with us. It's just a simple meal anyway—no need to make such a fuss."

Wang Chunhua nodded knowingly. "Fine then. What about the date? Have you set it?"

Lin Zhijin gave an embarrassed smile. "No, I just agreed to the engagement with Gu Yan."

Li Yue lightly patted her arm. "You're still young. Alright, I'll find someone to pick a good date tomorrow. Which restaurant did you decide on?"

"Just that one on South Street. Didn't you guys say the food there was good?" Lin Zhijin figured it was close, so it wouldn't be a long walk home after.

Li Yue shook her head. "It's fine for everyday meals, but not for an engagement. How about having it at home? Didn't you mention Gu Yan was thinking of buying a place? Did he?"

"I told him not to bother." Lin Zhijin planned to wait for the factory to assign housing later.

Gu Yan was the Deputy Factory Director. Even if he never got promoted, with his rank, it shouldn't be hard to get an apartment, right?

Li Yue's eyes lit up. If Gu Yan didn't buy a house, then after they got married they'd live here. That meant she could still live next door to Zhi Jin in the future!

"That works too. You have this house, so save the money for raising kids. No point in buying more property." Li Yue laughed.

Wang Chunhua nodded in agreement. That's right—Zhi Jin's house was so nicely fixed up, there was no need to move.

"I suggest either a slightly bigger restaurant, or we do it at home and cook ourselves. Two tables is nothing." Li Yue thought cooking at home would be cheaper.

"I'll talk it over with Gu Yan." Lin Zhijin preferred the restaurant. Cooking at home was a hassle, made a mess, and cleaning up was even more work.

The next day, Lin Zhijin saw Gu Yan standing at the gate grinning from ear to ear, waiting to walk her to work.

"You're here this early? I can go to work by myself." Lin Zhijin said with a helpless sigh.

"I couldn't sleep all night. Just thinking about you agreeing to marry me kept me too excited to sleep."

Lin Zhijin rolled her eyes at him. "Look at you. Anyway, Sister Li Yue said she'd help us find someone to pick a good date. And about the venue—she said that South Street restaurant isn't good enough. Do you have any suggestions?"

Gu Yan frowned. "The South Street one? No, that won't do. How about Rong Ji? You like their braised pork."

"Wouldn't Rong Ji be too fancy?" Lin Zhijin hesitated.

Gu Yan sighed softly and took her hand. "It's just two tables, inviting close friends for a meal. How is that fancy? Xiao Jin, why are you always so worried about everything? The government has class categories, but that's just for administration—it doesn't mean we have to live by them. As much as I can, I want to give you a better life."

Lin Zhijin froze for a second. She knew what would happen in the future, so she was always on edge. But thinking it over, there were still more than ten years until then—there was no need to be so jumpy.

"Then let's go with Rongji," Lin Zhijin nodded.

She needed a new outfit for the engagement. Lin Zhijin took Gu Yan to the fabric shop to pick out material for a custom-made dress. A rush order would take ten days, and that was only because Lin Zhijin chose a relatively simple design. If the embroidery were more intricate, the lead time could be half a year or even a full year.

"This is too plain. Why don't we just buy something off the rack?" Gu Yan wasn't satisfied and asked the shopkeeper to bring out ready-made dresses suitable for an engagement.

"This is a Suzhou-style cheongsam. Look at the peonies on it—so lifelike, as if they've come alive." The shopkeeper knew Lin Zhijin, who had bought many good things from her before, so she pulled out all her best stuff from the back.

Compared to the peonies, Lin Zhijin preferred the orange-red one with intertwined branches, which had the sweet meaning of "willing to be intertwined branches."

"I like this one," Lin Zhijin tugged at Gu Yan's sleeve. "Which one do you think looks better?"

"You look good in everything. Just go with the one you like—it's more youthful," Gu Yan said after comparing, choosing the intertwined branches one that Lin Zhijin liked.

The shopkeeper had Lin Zhijin's measurements on file, so it just needed a few tweaks. With the dress sorted, next came shoes, then the wedding candies. And that seemed to be about it.

"There's still the rings," Gu Yan said, pulling a box from his pocket and opening it. "Xiao Jin, I had an old master craftsman make these just for you. Do you like them?"

A pair of gold rings—hers had a little ruby in the middle, his was plain and simple. They were simple and elegant, and Lin Zhijin loved them.

"They're beautiful. I really like them," Lin Zhijin said, looking at Gu Yan with surprise. She hadn't expected him to get engagement rings.

"I know you like things small and dainty. I'll get you a bigger one when we get married. This one is pretty, but it's a bit small," Gu Yan said, taking out the ring and slipping it onto her finger.

Lin Zhijin was thrilled, holding up her hand to admire it from every angle before slipping it off and putting it back in the box.

"Why'd you take it off?" Gu Yan put it back on her. "Don't take it off anymore."

She'd decided not to be so jumpy anymore, but as a women's federation worker, a gold ring was still way too flashy, especially when going to the countryside.

"I can't wear this for work," Lin Zhijin said, seeing his disappointment. She thought for a moment. "Why don't you get another pair made in silver? Plain bands—nice but not flashy."

Silver wasn't as showy, and regular families could afford it, so it wouldn't draw any attention.

Gu Yan figured that made sense and planned to go see the old craftsman tomorrow. Actually, he could make them himself—it didn't look that hard.

The date was set for the seventh of next month, a little over two weeks away. Lin Zhijin was fine, but Gu Yan felt like the days were dragging.

Finally, the big day arrived. Gu Yan, all dressed up in a sharp suit and holding flowers, showed up early at Lin Zhijin's door.

"Oh, Factory Director Gu, here to pick up Zhijin, huh?" Aunt Bai teased him good-naturedly.

"All dressed up so handsome? Well, you better be—our Zhijin looks gorgeous today." Sister-in-law Ye didn't let him off either.

Gu Yan wasn't embarrassed at all, smiling as he had Liao Xiaobao hand out the wedding candies.

"Thank you, Factory Director Gu. Wishing you and Zhijin a long and happy marriage, and lots of kids soon!"

Before they'd even tasted the candies, people were already showering them with sweet wishes, making Lin Zhijin inside the house blush all the way to her ears.

"Aunt Bai and the others... I'm just getting engaged."

"Engagement and marriage are just one piece of paper apart. What, you planning to call it off?" Li Yue wanted to glare at her but remembered it was her big day. "Zhijin, Xiao Gu is a good man. Don't you dare bully him."

Gu Yan had been running himself ragged over this engagement, doing everything according to Lin Zhijin's wishes. A guy like that was hard to come by.

Lin Zhijin stared at Li Yue in shock. Had she fallen for Gu Yan's act too?

Why "also"? Because Wang Chunhua had already been won over by Gu Yan, believing he was an honest, innocent guy with no romantic history at all.

Whatever. Once they spent more time with him, they'd figure out that Gu Yan was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

When Lin Zhijin walked out the door, Gu Yan's eyes were instantly on her. His eyes full of love, he said, "Xiao Jin, I'm here to pick you up."

Lin Zhijin blushed a little, taking the flowers from him. "Mm, let's go. Aunt Zhang and the others should already be there."

The two walked hand in hand into Rongji, drawing plenty of teasing looks. Lin Zhijin tried to pull her hand away, but Gu Yan held on tight.

The people at the engagement banquet were all close to them: Secretary Zhang, Sister Li, Li Yue, Wang Chunhua, Zhang Jinxiu, and a few of Gu Yan's good colleagues from the machinery factory.

They'd originally wanted to invite Lin Shishu, but she was still recovering from childbirth. They also sent an invitation to Xiaohong, since she was the first person to show Lin Zhijin any kindness after she landed in this world.

Sadly, she had to work that day, and since news of Lin Zhijin's remarriage had reached the Chen family, Old Lady Chen and the rest of them were furious. As a servant in the Chen household, Xiaohong didn't dare show up to the wedding, afraid it would anger the Chens and get her fired.

Lin Zhijin understood her situation and sent her a bag of wedding candies, telling her to come by and visit another time.

After a few rounds of drinks and food, Secretary Zhang stood up with a smile, raising his glass. "Today is the happy occasion of Zhijin and Xiao Gu's engagement. Zhijin is a smart and hardworking girl, and Xiao Gu is a steady and ambitious young man. I hope you two will support each other, live in harmony, and make your life prosperous!"

"Hear, hear!" Everyone raised their glasses in celebration, blessings ringing out one after another.

"Zhijin, Factory Director Gu, congratulations on your engagement! May you have children soon!"

"Yes, you two are absolutely a match made in heaven. Wishing you happiness and fulfillment in the future."

Then Li Yue stood up too. "Zhijin, Gu Yan, you two better take good care of each other. Gu Yan, if you ever dare to bully our Xiao Jin, we, her family, won't let you off."

Gu Yan quickly replied, "Sister Li Yue, rest assured. I'd spoil Xiao Jin if anything—how could I ever bully her? If I ever do anything wrong, please point it out, and I'll correct it."

As the banquet wound down, Lin Zhijin and Gu Yan walked slowly together. She looked at him with some concern. "You drank so much. Are you really okay?"

"Wife, my tolerance is better than you think," Gu Yan said with amusement.

Before they knew it, they had walked to a small lake, full of blooming lotus flowers. The breeze gently rustled the lotus blossoms and leaves, pink and white petals swaying softly, carrying a faint sweet fragrance.

Gu Yan turned to face Lin Zhijin and pulled a box from his pocket. Inside were a pair of plain silver rings. "I made these myself. My craftsmanship isn't as good as the old master's, so don't think they're ugly."

Lin Zhijin held out her hand for him to put the ring on, then raised her hand to admire it, beaming. "It's the thought that counts. How could I possibly dislike them? I love them."

Gu Yan was naturally delighted that his carefully prepared gift was appreciated. He handed the man's ring to Lin Zhijin, letting her put it on him. "Xiao Jin, we're engaged now. From today on, you're my fiancée."

Overjoyed, Gu Yan hugged Lin Zhijin and, unable to resist, planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Xiao Jin, thank you. I'm so happy, so blessed."

Lin Zhijin looked at the silver ring on her hand, feeling a bit dazed. In her previous life, she hadn't found the right person by thirty. In this life, at just eighteen, she was already engaged.

Meanwhile, Old Lady Chen angrily smashed the cup beside her. "Lin Pandi, that wretch! She wouldn't marry my brother and become a wealthy mistress, but she'll marry some deputy factory director? Hmph, she'll regret it."

Chen Waner beside her stayed silent. She worked at the machinery factory and had come into contact with more people and things, knowing the difference between state-owned and private factories. The administrative rank of a deputy factory director was equivalent to a deputy bureau chief. And Gu Yan was so young and handsome—she had thought about seducing him before, but he wouldn't even look at her.

A flicker of jealousy passed through her eyes. What did Lin Zhijin have? Besides a pretty face, how was she better than her?

Second Mistress Chen and Third Mistress Chen exchanged a glance but also stayed quiet. They moved in wider circles and knew more than the old lady. Besides, the Second Master and others had investigated Gu Yan's background—he was no less impressive than Yang Su, and not someone the Chen family could afford to offend.

Anyway, the old lady usually stayed home reciting Buddhist scriptures, and even when she went out, it was to visit temples. She'd never run into Lin Zhijin, so there was no risk of offending anyone. Let her vent a few curses at home.

Old Lady Chen was still fuming, endlessly listing Lin Zhijin's faults, while Chen Waner and the two mistresses occasionally chimed in with harmless remarks.

"Hmph, a concubine we bought! The Master doted on her so much, and instead of remaining a widow for him, she goes and remarries. A shameless slut who doesn't know her place." Old Lady Chen's curses grew uglier.

Chen Waner frowned slightly. "Grandma, that Gu Yan is indeed a fine-looking man, a university graduate, and a Deputy Factory Director at such a young age. He seems to have a powerful background. You... perhaps should hold back a bit. Our family may not be able to afford to offend him."

Old Madam Chen grew even angrier upon hearing this. "What kind of family does he come from? He's an outsider to these parts—how could he be more powerful than the Chen family? And Lin Pandi—if I hadn't bought her, she would have been married off by her parents to a blind man, a cripple, or a widower long ago. She wouldn't have the life she has now."

Second Mistress Chen quickly tried to smooth things over. "Old Madam, please don't upset yourself over this. Lin Zhijin is no longer connected to our family. Why bother getting angry over her? It's not worth harming your health."

Third Mistress Chen nodded in agreement. "Yes, Old Madam. You usually recite Buddhist scriptures and are the most generous and kind-hearted. Just don't lower yourself to her level."

Old Madam Chen snorted, calming down slightly. "She's the one without good fortune. Have you found a match for your little maternal grand-uncle yet?"

Second Mistress Chen and Third Mistress Chen exchanged a glance, both looking troubled. It wasn't that they hadn't tried—they genuinely had searched for a suitable bride for the old man. But which decent girl would willingly marry a man past fifty, one who indulged in drinking, gambling, and whoring?

On South City Street, the news of Lin Zhijin and Gu Yan's engagement was a topic of lively discussion. Most people were happy for Lin Zhijin, praising her for finding a good match.

"Zhijin has finally seen better days after all her hardships. Factory Director Gu is a fine man and treats her well. Her future is sure to be bright," Aunt Wang said with a smile.

"Yes, Factory Director Gu seems steady and reliable. Standing next to Zhijin, they make a perfect couple," others chimed in.

There were also those who resented her good fortune, like Sister Wu, though she didn't dare speak ill of her openly. She could only sneer quietly to herself.

In her view, Lin Zhijin was aiming too high, rejecting the match she had introduced and choosing someone like Factory Director Gu, a golden boy. She didn't even consider whether she deserved him. She was only young and pretty now—once her beauty faded, she'd surely be abandoned sooner or later.

After the engagement, nothing much changed except that Gu Yan occasionally came over for meals.

That wasn't entirely true—their relationship had grown closer. Before, they only held hands, but now Gu Yan was always kissing her. However, he always restrained himself and never went further.

"Can't you... stop thinking about that all the time?" Lin Zhijin pursed her slightly red lips and shot him an annoyed glare.

Gu Yan looked innocent. "I'm a normal man. If I had no thoughts when facing the woman I love, that would be the real problem."

"You always have a comeback." Lin Zhijin glared at him again.

One day, Lin Zhijin went out to the countryside again with Chen Qiuqiu, this time to a village as remote as Baiyue Township. The women here were dead set against the Women's Federation's propaganda.

"You city women, quit your yapping here. We women should stay home, serve our husbands, and raise the kids. What rights are we supposed to have?" a middle-aged woman shouted loudly.

Lin Zhijin took a deep breath, forcing a smile. "Sister, times are different now. Now women and men have equal rights—the right to education, the right to work, and the right to call their own shots. Think about it: if your daughter could read and write, she'd have more choices in the future, could marry better, and could better support her own family too."

The middle-aged woman frowned. "Horse crap! Don't think we don't know—in the places you've been preaching, young wives have run off with other fellas."

"And there are those demanding divorces. Is this new society and new thinking teaching folks to ditch their husbands and kids and get divorced?" another older woman challenged loudly.

"No, those are all lies and rumors. The woman who ran away—her husband beat her half to death. She'd have been killed if she hadn't run. And the one getting divorced—it wasn't her choice. Her husband had another woman outside and was trying to force her into a divorce," Lin Zhijin quickly explained.

"Enough! A man giving his wife a few licks ain't nothing. There's no way he'd actually beat her to death. They've just been led astray by you city folk," the older women refused to believe a word Lin Zhijin said.

Lin Zhijin continued to patiently persuade them, citing plenty of examples from her own life, urging the villagers to treat women and baby girls right. But hardly anyone was willing to listen.

Just then, a ruckus broke out. Several villagers from other townships came around spreading rumors to sabotage the Women's Federation's work.

"Don't listen to these city gals! They're just trying to lead you down the wrong path. Women ought to know their place and mind their men!" those people shouted through the village.

"That's right! My wife ran off with some fella after listening to them!"

"Yes, and me too! My wife used to be obedient, but now after hearing them, she won't take care of the kids, won't lift a finger around the house, and threatens to divorce me if I so much as open my mouth!"

"Exactly, it's all their fault! My sister refuses to get married now, and a perfectly good match went down the drain!"

Lin Zhijin's stomach dropped. Where the hell did this bunch suddenly come from?

She looked at Chen Qiuqiu, who stayed cool as a cucumber. Lin Zhijin slowly steadied herself and watched them with a blank face as they kept shouting.

After a moment, Chen Qiuqiu raised her voice. "You done? If you're done, listen up. You know how many years you'll do for slandering state officials and obstructing government work?"

However, the troublemakers weren't scared of her one bit. They kept on riling up the villagers. "Don't believe her! These city women mean no good—they just want to turn our countryside into a mess!"

Hearing this, the villagers got even more worked up, and their resistance toward Lin Zhijin, Chen Qiuqiu, and the others intensified.

Lin Zhijin frowned. Who the hell was behind this? She needed to find a solution, or not only would this propaganda work fail, but future efforts would become even more difficult.

Wang Xiaoyao stood beside Lin Zhijin and whispered, "Zhijin, these folks are up to no good—they came ready for a fight. We need to figure out how to calm these villagers down first."

Chen Qiuqiu shook her head. "That won't do a damn bit of good."

The villagers here already held prejudice against them, and now with these instigators stirring things up, they were even less willing to listen.

The scene was getting chaotic when an old man with a lot of standing in the village stepped forward.

He coughed twice and said loudly, "Everyone, stop arguing. They are officials from the city. Let's hear what they have to say first."

The old man's words carried a lot of weight in the village. The villagers nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, the troublemakers' faces went sour, but they dared not say anything more.

Lin Zhijin looked at the old man gratefully. "Thank you, Uncle."

The old man waved his hand. "Don't thank me yet. Go ahead and speak—we're listening."

Lin Zhijin took a deep breath, steadied herself, and said, "Folks, we came here today with honest intentions to help everyone. The situations you mentioned do exist, but they are by no means caused by new thinking. As I said earlier, that young wife who ran away—she ran because her husband beat her within an inch of her life, and her life was in danger. If she had stayed in that environment, she might have lost her life. Do you all really think that's normal? That she should just sit there and let him beat her to death?"

The villagers began murmuring among themselves. Someone muttered quietly, "A few hits is one thing, but going that far is really wrong..."

Lin Zhijin pressed on. "And the one getting divorced—it's because her husband had another woman outside and wanted to send her back to her parents' home to make room for the new one. Is that the woman's fault? The new thinking advocates equality between men and women, mutual respect, and hopes for every family to be happy—not to tear families apart."

At this point, the brother of the woman who had refused to marry spoke up. "Then what you call new thinking—what good does it actually bring us? My sister was about to get married, but after hearing your propaganda, she refuses now. What do you have to say about that?"

Lin Zhijin glanced at him and signaled to the soldier nearby. He would be arrested later too.

"This precisely shows that the new thinking has helped your sister make progress. Marriage is a lifelong matter. If your sister hasn't made up her mind, or isn't satisfied with the man, forcing the marriage would only lead to unhappiness—that would truly ruin her life. The new thinking gives women the right to choose the life they want. Isn't that good? Moreover, when women receive education and go out to work, they not only improve themselves but also increase family income, making life better and better."

The old man nodded slightly. "This young comrade speaks well. It's just that our village is poor. Not just the girls—even the boys don't have the chance to go to school."

Hearing this, Lin Zhijin's mind stirred. Although the previous village had its dissenters, they weren't as resistant as this one. Could this be deliberate? Were they trying to get them to send teachers?

Just then, the troublemakers started shouting again. "Don't be fooled by her! This young man's sister had a good marriage arranged, but now because of them, the engagement was called off and her reputation is ruined. What decent family will want her now?"

The old man frowned at the troublemakers. "You few—you've been stirring things up from the very start. What's going on? Which village are you from?"

The men exchanged glances. After a moment, one of them gritted his teeth and said, "We... we just can't stand them coming to the countryside and making a mess of things."

Wang Xiaoyao snorted coldly. "We're here to help everyone. How is that making a mess? You know very well—did someone send you here?"

The men's faces changed dramatically, but they still refused to admit it.

At that moment, a soldier stepped forward and said sternly, "You'd better tell the truth. What you've done today is a serious obstruction of government work—it's a crime, and you'll go to prison. If you confess who's behind this, you'll receive lenient treatment."

Under the soldier's intimidation, the troublemakers finally panicked. One of them hesitated, then said quietly, "It was... a man from the neighboring village who paid us to come here and cause trouble. He said all we had to do was sabotage your propaganda."

Realizing the situation was turning against them, several troublemakers tried to flee, only to find themselves surrounded by seven or eight soldiers.

"What are you doing? We just don't want other villagers to be deceived by you. We've done nothing wrong." One of them was still digging in his heels.

Just then, the deputy squad leader hurried back and reported the investigation results to Chen Qiuqiu and the others.

These guys were deadbeats from the neighboring Shiniu Township, bumming around all day and getting by on scams. This time, someone had paid them good money to stir up trouble.

Lin Zhijin shot them a look and waited for Chen Qiuqiu to call the shots.

She approached the troublemakers, "Who sent you? Spill it, and I can make sure you get off easy. Otherwise, when we dig it up ourselves, hmph..."

The deadbeats looked at each other nervously, but nobody said a word. Seeing this, Lin Zhijin said to the soldiers nearby, "Hold them for now, and we'll turn them over to the police later."

The soldiers quickly got the deadbeats under control. Watching that, the villagers looked at Lin Zhijin and her crew with even more awe.

The troublemakers were taken away, but some of what they said had already stuck in people's heads. The ones who were already hostile got even more hostile, and the ones who were on the fence pulled right back. Lin Zhijin was so pissed she wanted to cuss someone out.

On the drive back to the city, everyone was feeling pretty low. Chen Qiuqiu clapped her hands, "Come on, snap out of it, all of you."

"Sister Chen, do we know who was behind the troublemakers?" Wang Xiaoyao asked curiously.

Chen Qiuqiu glanced at her, "Don't ask about things you shouldn't."

Judging by that answer, the person pulling the strings was no small fry.

Actually, it wasn't just Lin Zhijin's team—over the past few days, a lot of grassroots officials had reported people causing trouble too. It looked like the same person was probably behind all of it.

Lin Zhijin didn't think too much about it. She still had to write up her report, then clock out early, head home, take a shower, and get a good night's sleep.

After finally getting the report done, Lin Zhijin stretched and checked the clock. It was almost time to clock out. She quickly tidied her desk and rushed home.

The second she walked in, she saw Gu Yan cooking. She blinked, "What are you doing here?"

"I went by the Women's Federation to find you, but you were so deep in work I didn't want to bother you, so I came back and started dinner." Gu Yan ladled her a bowl of soup, "Have some to warm you up first."

It was actually pretty good. Lin Zhijin gave him a look and slowly drank the whole bowl.

"I've got hot water ready. Go shower and change, then we can eat." Gu Yan took her hand, kissed her knuckles, and said, "Go on."

Lin Zhijin's heart was pounding from his smooth moves.

After her shower, Lin Zhijin slipped into comfy pajamas and just wanted to crash in bed. Gu Yan, worried she'd go to bed hungry, insisted she eat something first.

"I'm so sleepy." Lin Zhijin whined.

"Just eat a little." Gu Yan served her rice, "Want me to spoon-feed you?"

"No, no." Lin Zhijin was wide awake now. She gave him a side-eye and quickly grabbed her bowl to eat herself. "I'm done. I'm going to sleep. When you're done eating, just toss the dishes in the sink. I'll wash them tomorrow."

After Gu Yan finished eating and cleaned up, he quietly pushed the door open and found Lin Zhijin already asleep, hugging a body pillow. He tiptoed over, pulled the blanket up over her, gave her cheek a soft kiss, and quietly closed the door behind him.

The next morning, sunlight slipped through the curtains onto Lin Zhijin's face. She slowly woke up, feeling refreshed and in a great mood after a full night's sleep.

Stretching as she got up, Lin Zhijin noticed the kitchen was spotless. She'd been so wiped out yesterday that she'd barely paid Gu Yan any attention. He wasn't mad, was he?

She checked the time—it was almost noon anyway. Might as well just have lunch and skip breakfast.

"Xiao Jin, just woke up?" Gu Yan had brought food back from the cafeteria. He glanced at the kitchen, clearly untouched, "You must be starving. Come eat."

"You're a living bodhisattva sent to save me." Lin Zhijin happily pounced on him.

Gu Yan laughed and tapped her forehead, "Don't say that. We're Party members—we don't believe in gods or spirits."

Lin Zhijin opened the lunchbox and looked at him in delight, "Braised pork with preserved vegetables."

The cafeteria chef at the machinery factory was highly skilled, having once worked for a wealthy household. He excelled at meat dishes, and this braised pork with preserved vegetables was especially delicious.

"Knew you'd like it. I brought it over as soon as it came out of the pot." Gu Yan grabbed a pair of chopsticks and ate with her.

"Thank you, fiancé." Lin Zhijin mumbled through a mouthful of meat.

"Just 'thank you'?" Gu Yan suddenly leaned in close.

Lin Zhijin's eyes twinkled, and she quickly pecked his cheek. Since she'd just eaten meat, her lips were glossy with oil, leaving a greasy lip print on his cheek.

Just as she was feeling smug, Gu Yan cupped the back of her head with one hand and gave her lips several quick pecks like a pecking chick. "I'll accept this thank-you gift."

Author's note:

Thanks to Lan Yue for throwing 1 landmine, and thanks to Ni Jiang Mei Yang Yang for throwing 3 landmines. Thank you both for your support, mwah (づ￣3￣)づ╭❤～