Lin Xiaoxiao had been walking for a while when she realized she needed a bag to carry the flour—how else would she bring it home?

She turned back and, on her return, overheard a conversation among some women. Without hesitation, she interjected, "So, wouldn't you say Zhou Huaian is a heartless man?"

The women were so deeply engaged in gossiping that they hadn't noticed Lin Xiaoxiao approaching.

Startled by her sudden remark, they turned around and saw her standing behind them, smiling. Instantly, the atmosphere turned awkward.

Lin Xiaoxiao eyed them for a moment before heading home to fetch her flour bag. Then she set out again.

Their gossiping skills, she had to admit, were eye-opening. No wonder women like these often became key sources of information at the entrance of every village and neighborhood.

It was about a thirty-minute walk from the residential compound to the town.

Along the way, Lin Xiaoxiao gazed at the half-melted ice and snow in the fields and the bleak hills in the distance. Aside from the chilly air, the scenery was desolate—and her mood grew somber as she walked toward town.

The town was livelier than she had expected. Under the warm afternoon sun, the streets were crowded, with even some vendors pushing carts along.

Lin Xiaoxiao looked around. It wasn't large—there was only one state-owned restaurant. A few stalls sold noodles and sesame cakes, but business seemed slow; one vendor was dozing off at his stand.

There were no dedicated snack shops, only carts selling sunflower seeds, candies, and pastries. The pastries looked like they'd been sitting there for who knows how long.

Next to the post office, buses departed for the city and the county. The county bus ran once daily, leaving in the morning and returning in the afternoon. The city bus ran only every three days.

After observing all this, Lin Xiaoxiao felt disheartened. How could she possibly change her current situation under such circumstances?

With a sigh, she carried her flour bag to the grain station. Worried she couldn't carry 25 kilograms, she settled for 10.

As she stepped out of the grain station, flour in hand, she was pondering how to get to the county seat when suddenly—someone bumped into her.

She frowned, took two steps, and then realized something was wrong. A quick check confirmed her fears: her grain booklet and five yuan were gone!

Furious—how dare someone steal from her when she had so little!—she grabbed her flour bag and sprinted after the person who had bumped into her.

She remembered a young man in a gray hat and dark blue clothes.

The thief, nervous and guilty, began to run as soon as he saw her chasing him.

Now sure she had the right person, Lin Xiaoxiao pushed forward with renewed strength—the thought of her five yuan filling her with determination.

"Captain, isn't that your sister-in-law?"

Zhou Huaian and Ge Dazhuang had just picked up some items from the post office when a figure dashed past them, flour bag in tow.

Even before anyone pointed her out, Zhou Huaian recognized Lin Xiaoxiao—but he could hardly believe his eyes.Was this woman, running like the wind with a bag of flour on her shoulder, really Lin Xiaoxiao?