Chapter 98: Late Night Visitor, You Little Brat!

The leadership study session wouldn't end until tomorrow afternoon, which meant they wouldn't be able to return home until then.

Mingdai planned to use this day to stroll around the county town, see if she could stumble upon any hidden bargains, and incidentally take a photograph of Zhou Sinian. This had been her intention even before coming to the county town.

Zhou Sinian's current getup was far too ahead of its time—she absolutely had to preserve it as a memento, lest he later recover and refuse to acknowledge it.

The innocent Zhou Sinian was duped by the quietly mischievous Mingdai into a photography studio. Despite the photographer's hesitant, almost speechless expression, they took three photos showcasing his unique fashion sense from every angle. Throughout the whole process, aside from the photographer seriously questioning the meaning of life, Mingdai and Zhou Sinian had a wonderful time posing.

Finally, Mingdai also had three photos taken of herself, capturing who she was during this special period. It was quite meaningful.

Unfortunately, color photography hadn't become popular yet—only black and white was available. Otherwise, it would have been even more memorable!

Mingdai paid extra, and the photographer rushed the development.

Zhou Sinian looked at his photos with immense satisfaction. He even bought frames for them, planning to display them on his bedside table.

Mingdai gazed at the image of the radiantly smiling young woman in her own photo and was equally pleased. She was as fresh as a spring scallion right now—exceptionally dewy and vibrant!

The two of them strode out of the photography studio, leaving the photographer in a dazed, bewildered state, and headed to the county's scrap collection station.

Meanwhile, just as she was bringing Zhou Sinian to the scrap station, Liu Dazhu and Liu Qingmin were being pulled into a conversation by someone.

The person chatting with them was Yao Yuliang, the secretary beside Mayor Wei. He started with small talk to build rapport, then gradually steered the conversation toward Zhou Sinian.

"That comrade who came in with Young Educated Youth Ming today—he wore his headscarf quite well. He seems pretty handy too, huh?"

Liu Dazhu, feeling a bit embarrassed, explained Zhou Sinian's special circumstances to him and assured him that Zhou Sinian wouldn't cause any trouble in the county town—Young Educated Youth Ming would keep an eye on him.

Yao Yuliang's eyes flickered. "Why is Young Educated Youth Ming the one watching him? Didn't you also have a younger male comrade tagging along?"

Liu Dazhu helplessly gestured toward the left side of his face. "We simply can't control him. We got beaten up last night. Only Young Educated Youth Ming can keep him in line. Thank goodness she was sent down to our village—otherwise, who knows how many times we'd have been beaten by that madman?"

"Young Educated Youth Ming is quite something. How did she manage it? The madman listens to her so well."

Liu Dazhu sighed. "It's all thanks to good food. Young Educated Youth Ming has no idea how many things she's fed him just to get him to obey. She also knows medicine and is treating the madman right now. If she actually cures him, everyone in our commune will owe her a debt of gratitude."

Yao Yuliang asked in surprise, "Young Educated Youth Ming practices medicine too?"

Liu Dazhu nodded happily and heaped more praise on Mingdai.

Liu Qingmin, standing to the side, sensed something odd. "Why is Secretary Yao so interested in the madman's business?"

Yao Yuliang pretended to be helpless, adjusting his glasses. "My wife's family has a distant relative with the same condition. When he goes mad, he hits people everywhere. So I wanted to ask a few more questions."

Liu Qingmin felt reassured, and the three of them continued chatting.

At the same time, someone from the commune had also gone to Liujiawan for a stroll and asked the children out ice-skating about the village's madman and the educated youths.

That evening, in Mayor Wei's room, Yao Yuliang reported what he had learned that day.

Mayor Wei had been in meetings all day. He rubbed his brow. "It seems this Young Educated Youth Ming treats Sinian quite well."

Yao Yuliang poured him some hot water. "Indeed, she does. Not only did Team Leader Liu and Secretary Liu praise her repeatedly, but the village children also said they often see her giving Zhou Sinian candy."

Mayor Wei nodded. "Let's leave it as is for now. Don't disturb them. Send someone to Beijing to look into Mingdai's medical skills and see whether there's any possibility she could cure Sinian."

Yao Yuliang nodded and, seeing the mayor's furrowed brow, offered some words of comfort. "Don't worry. Zhou Sinian looks to be in good condition right now. He should be fine."

Mayor Wei sighed. "How could he possibly be fine? I was the one who personally escorted him here back then. I know better than anyone what kind of state he was in."

At that very moment, Zhou Sinian was sitting on his bed, happily knitting a sweater with Mingdai, completely unaware that someone was investigating him and worrying over him.

Mingdai watched as the heart-shaped jacquard pattern quickly took shape beneath Zhou Sinian's hands. She loosened the yarn ball while marveling inwardly—Zhou Sinian was simply the perfect companion for home and travel. His knitting was better than that of old hands who'd been knitting for years, and he hadn't missed a single stitch. Truly impressive.

That night, Team Leader Liu and the others returned, bringing dry rations for the four of them—cornmeal cakes paired with pickled vegetables.

Liu Dazhu explained that Mayor Wei had specifically asked the cafeteria to set them aside, worried that their trip had run longer than expected and they might not have brought enough food.

Mingdai remarked with feeling that Mayor Wei was truly a good official.

Zhou Sinian paused mid-bite on his corn cake, his ears twitching slightly. He said nothing.

After dinner, they chatted for a while before everyone returned to their rooms to sleep.

Liu Dazhu and his three companions shared one room. They bolted the door tightly, then each took turns pushing against it to make absolutely sure it couldn't be opened before flopping onto the beds with relief and falling asleep instantly, snoring louder than one another.

Mingdai sorted through the antiques and books she'd scavenged at the scrap station that afternoon, then went to bed as well.

In the deep winter night of Hei Province, all was silent.

At two in the morning, the hour when the human body is at its most fatigued, a dark figure slipped over the back wall of the guesthouse and raced through the streets until he reached the county government compound.

He searched from door to door, finally stopping before one particular room. He waited five minutes, and after confirming that the breathing inside was long and even, he pulled out a military knife, carefully picked the lock, opened the door, and slipped inside. Silently, he approached the figure on the bed.

Gazing at the unfamiliar middle-aged man's face, fragments of chaotic memories began to flash through his mind, and a headache followed.

A few breaths later, the sleeping figure seemed to sense the gaze. His breathing grew heavier, on the verge of waking.

The dark figure acted decisively, pressing a spot on the sleeping man's neck. The man drifted back into a "deep sleep."

Zhou Sinian leaned in, examining the man's face carefully in the faint moonlight. Half a minute later, he straightened up and frowned.

In the end, he did nothing. He wiped away his own footprints and retreated the same way he'd come.

The next morning, Mayor Wei was roused by his biological clock. As he started to get up, he felt a sharp soreness in his neck.

"Hiss!"

He sucked in a cold breath and rubbed his aching neck, puzzled. Had he slept wrong?

He twisted his neck this way and that. Everything seemed normal.

His eyes turned cold. Someone had entered his room last night—and knocked him out!

Who would dare?!

He rubbed his neck while scanning the room warily, but the more he rubbed, the more something felt off.

Why did this feel so familiar?

Lost in thought, he suddenly broke into a smile.

"You little rascal!!!"

With a sigh, he put on his clothes, picked up his washbasin, and headed out to the washroom.

In the washroom, Secretary Yao was drawing water. Seeing Mayor Wei enter with a smile on his face, he was taken aback. "You're in a good mood today?"

Mayor Wei chuckled. "Mm. Caught myself a little rascal."

At that moment, the little rascal in question was pestering Mingdai to go eat sauerkraut dumplings.

Mingdai didn't really want to go. From yesterday, there were still plenty of corn cakes left over from what Liu Dazhu had brought—enough to cover breakfast and lunch for everyone today.

If she and Zhou Sinian went out to eat at a restaurant now, wouldn't that just be showing off that they had money?

But Zhou Sinian wasn't being unreasonable or throwing a tantrum. Instead, he fixed his large, liquid phoenix eyes on Mingdai, full of pleading.

Mingdai was utterly defenseless against that expression!

In the end, it was Liu Guoqiang who spoke up. "How about you take him, Young Educated Youth Ming? The village can reimburse you for the dumplings. After all, it's because of village business that you're staying an extra day. The team leader and the secretary should agree."

Mingdai waved her hand. "No need for that. There was ten yuan in the package he received. I'll use his money to take him."

Liu Guoqiang smiled. "Well, that works out nicely. You two go ahead. Otherwise, who knows what'll happen if he gets angry."

The madman might not beat you... but there was no guarantee he wouldn't beat him!

Mingdai went along with it. Zhou Sinian instantly retracted his aggrieved expression, replaced by a proud little look of having gotten his way. He even shot Liu Guoqiang a glance that said, "You know what's good for you," which scared Liu Guoqiang so much he hid behind Third Grandpa Liu.

Zhou Sinian couldn't wait to strap on his woven basket and head out the door.

Mingdai hurried after him. As she was stepping out, Third Grandpa Liu came over and pressed some money and ration tickets into her hand. "Young Educated Youth Ming, help me bring back two buns! Meat ones!"

Mingdai stifled a laugh and nodded, then hurried to catch up with Zhou Sinian ahead.

Liu Guoqiang watched Third Grandpa Liu with envy. "Third Grandpa, you sure live the good life. You want buns, you get buns—and meat ones at that!"

Third Grandpa Liu sat back down on the bed, picked up his rock-hard corn cake, and took a bite. Didn't even leave a mark. "Silly boy, you could do the same if you didn't get married."

Liu Guoqiang smirked at the two tooth-shaped dents in the corn cake. "I still want to get married. I want a wife who can make soft flatbreads."

"Whack!"

The corn cake smacked Liu Guoqiang right on the forehead. He caught it with a laugh and handed it back to Third Grandpa Liu.

"Third Grandpa, let me get you some hot water. You can soak it to soften it up!"

With that, he bolted out of the room, the sound of Third Grandpa Liu cursing him a "little brat" chasing after him.

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