A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

"Comrade, we...we're not bad kids!"

Faced with the scrutinizing and suspicious gaze of the square-faced patrolman, Su Nianci immediately switched to "helpless and pitiful little white flower" mode. Her small hands tightly gripped the hem of Xiao Shitou's clothes, her body trembled slightly, and her once clear and calm eyes instantly filled with tears, hanging precariously in her eyes. Her voice also became tearful, making her sound both aggrieved and frightened.

Although Little Stone didn't understand what was happening, he could feel his sister's tension and became scared as well. He kept hiding behind Su Nianci with his small body, only revealing a pair of frightened big eyes as he timidly looked at the two tall men in front of him.

Anyone who sees the two children looking like this would feel a pang of sympathy.

Seeing this, another, younger patrolman couldn't help but say, "Old Wang, do you think we've made a mistake? These two kids don't look like they're up to no good. They've probably gotten separated from their families and are terrified."

The square-faced patrolman, known as Old Wang, remained vigilant. He'd worked at the train station for over a decade; what kind of people hadn't he seen? The more pitiful a child seemed, the bigger the problem often was. Some kidnappers liked to exploit children to gain sympathy and commit petty theft.

"Is there some mistake? We'll find out when we get back to the office." Old Wang remained unmoved, his tone still stern. "Come with me!"

Su Nianci's heart skipped a beat.

She knew that today would be a difficult day.

Going to the office for a one-on-one interrogation is far more difficult than dealing with it in public. She has to concoct a flawless lie in those few minutes on the way.

She was sobbing as her mind raced.

Identity? An orphan who lost both parents? No, that's too tragic. She'd easily be sent directly to an orphanage. How could she possibly go to the North then?

Get separated from your family? This is the most common excuse. But how did you get separated? Where did your family go? Where are they going? These details must stand up to scrutiny.

Got it!

A complete script quickly formed in Su Nianci's mind.

Soon, they were led to a simple office at the station. Old Wang slammed the door shut, shutting out the noise from outside and making the small space feel even more oppressive.

"Tell me, what's your name? Where are you from? Where are your parents?" Old Wang pulled up a chair, sat down opposite them, and asked bluntly.

Su Nianci timidly raised her head, wiped away non-existent tears with her sleeve, and choked out, "I...I'm Su Nianci, and this is my younger brother, his name is...Little Stone. Our family is...from Hongqi Village."

She deliberately gave the real name of the village because it was easy to verify, while lying would be easier to expose.

"From Hongqi Village?" Old Wang frowned. "Then what are you doing in the county town? Where are your parents? Why are there only two of you children?"

Su Nianci's tears instantly streamed down her face, this time genuinely filled with emotion. She thought of her parents, who had died unjustly, her voice brimming with sorrow: "My father... my father was a soldier, he sacrificed his life a few years ago. My mother... my mother was also sick recently, and... she's gone..."

As she spoke, she bit her lip tightly, her stubborn expression of wanting to cry but desperately holding it back was heartbreaking to see.

The atmosphere in the office froze instantly.

The young patrolman's face showed obvious reluctance and sympathy. Even Old Wang, who was always serious, softened his gaze.

Orphans of martyrs!

Those four words carried immense weight in that era!

"Then...then didn't your village take care of you? Where are your relatives?" Old Wang's voice unconsciously lowered considerably.

"Yes... there's my uncle's family." Su Nianci said, her face showing just the right amount of fear and grievance. She subconsciously hugged Xiao Shitou even tighter. "But... but my aunt doesn't like us. She says we're a money-losing burden, she doesn't give us food, and... she even wants to sell me to someone else for a dowry..."

She didn't go into too much detail, only touching on the surface. But the keywords "not giving them food" and "selling them for dowry" were enough for the two patrolmen to imagine a tragic scene of vicious relatives abusing the orphans of martyrs.

"Outrageous!" The young patrolman slammed his fist on the table in anger. "Is there no law anymore! Embezzling martyrs' pensions and mistreating the orphans of martyrs—this is a crime!"

Old Wang's face also turned extremely pale. He looked at Su Nianci and asked, "So you ran away from home?"

"Hmm." Su Nianci nodded, then carefully took out the yellowed letter from her inner pocket and handed it over. "This is a letter my father wrote to his comrades before he sacrificed his life. My father said that if anything happened to our family, we should go to the north to find an uncle named Lu Zhenhua. We...we came here to take the train to find Uncle Lu."

This lie is nine parts truth and one part falsehood.

Aside from concealing the fact that he actively fled and fought back, everything else makes sense. And this letter is the strongest evidence!

Old Wang took the letter, and as he looked at the strong, vigorous handwriting and the four large characters "Northern Military Region" on the envelope, his expression completely changed. From doubt, it turned into solemnity, and then into deep sympathy.

He opened the envelope and took out the letter (Su Nianci had already memorized the contents of the letter perfectly, so she wasn't afraid of him reading it). Although the letter contained only ordinary family matters and greetings to her comrades, the simplicity and sincerity of a soldier between the lines could not be faked.

"So that's how it is..." Old Wang sighed deeply, carefully folded the letter, and returned it to Su Nianci. "Children, your uncle misunderstood you. You've suffered."

The crisis has been averted.

Su Nianci breathed a sigh of relief, but her face still showed a timid expression: "Uncle, then... then can we go buy tickets? We're afraid... afraid that Uncle and the others will come after us."

"Buy tickets?" Old Wang looked troubled. "Train tickets to the north aren't cheap, and...do you have a letter of introduction?"

This is the most crucial issue.

Su Nianci shook her head, her little face full of helplessness.

"That's a problem." Old Wang frowned. "The regulations are strict now. Without a letter of introduction, you can't buy a long-distance train ticket."

Su Nianci's heart sank again. She had planned everything meticulously, but she hadn't anticipated this hurdle would be so difficult. She could earn the money, but where was she going to get this letter of introduction?

Just as the office fell silent and the atmosphere became heavy again, a clear and melodious female voice suddenly came from outside the door.

"Uncle Wang, I've come to retrieve a package I forgot here. Hmm? What's this...?"

The office door opened, and a young woman in her early twenties, wearing blue overalls and with two braids, walked in. She had fair skin, delicate features, and an air of scholarly refinement that seemed out of place in her surroundings.

When her gaze fell on Su Nianci and Xiao Shitou, she paused slightly, a hint of surprise and curiosity flashing in her eyes.

The moment Su Nianci saw her, one word immediately popped into her mind—educated youth!

Only educated youth who came from big cities to the countryside possessed such a unique temperament.

What shocked Su Nian-Ci even more was that the girl spoke Mandarin with perfect pronunciation and no regional accent!

In a county town where people speak a mix of accents from all over the country, this is like a breath of fresh air!

opportunity!

A golden opportunity appeared right before our eyes without any warning!

Looking at this sudden "savior," Su Nianci's tears finally welled up and slid down her cheeks at just the right moment. In her tearful, yet still perfectly standard Mandarin (an instinct from her past life), she cried out for help to the girl:

"Sister, can you... help us?"