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

Su Nianci wrapped her ill-fitting cotton vest tighter around herself and walked briskly through the unfamiliar streets, braving the wind and snow.

Her goal was clear—a scrap metal recycling station.

In later generations, this was called a "recycling center." But in the 1970s, it was a dirty and chaotic junkyard filled with scrap metal, old books and newspapers.

However, in Su Nianci's eyes, this place was an undiscovered treasure trove.

She asked several passersby and finally found the courtyard with a sign that read "Serving the People Waste Recycling Station" at the end of a secluded alley filled with black ice.

There were several "garbage mountains" piled up in the yard, resembling small hills.

On the left are waste paper and old books, soaked in rain and snow, blackened and swollen, emitting a musty smell.

In the middle are all sorts of rusted ironware and aluminum products, from broken pots and pans to bicycle frames, you name it.

On the right is a mountain of glass bottles of various colors.

A middle-aged man wearing a greasy blue cotton overcoat and a dog-skin hat was sitting on a small stool by the door, smoking a pipe and watching boredly as several ragged workers sorted through garbage in the yard.

Su Nianci's appearance immediately caught his attention.

"Hey! Where did this little kid come from? This isn't a place for you to play! Get out of here!" The middle-aged man waved his hand impatiently.

Su Nianci didn't leave. She rubbed her small, red hands together, exhaled a puff of white breath, and then took out a crumpled fifty-cent coin from her pocket.

"Uncle," she looked up, a fawning, innocent smile on her face, "I...I want to buy something."

The middle-aged man's eyes lit up when he saw the money.

In those days, 50 cents could buy five pounds of cornmeal or half a pound of pork.

His attitude immediately softened: "Oh? Buy something? What do you want to buy? I only have junk here."

"I just want to buy some... some old books and newspapers." Su Nianci pointed to the mountain of waste paper. "My younger brother... he wants to learn to read, but I... I don't have money to buy him new books."

This reason is both reasonable and heartbreaking.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man lowered his guard. He exhaled a smoke ring, waved his hand dismissively, and said magnanimously, "Buy what! It's just a few old books, right? Go rummage through that pile yourself! Take whatever you like! Consider it a gift from your uncle!"

It was clear that he was a father, and Su Nianci's words stirred a sense of sympathy in him.

"Well...how could I possibly accept that?" Su Nianci feigned reluctance.

"What's there to be embarrassed about! Hurry up! With your small frame, you can't possibly move a mountain, can you?" the man urged impatiently.

"Thank you, Uncle! You're such a kind person!" Su Nianci immediately thanked him sweetly, and then, like a cheerful little sparrow, plunged headfirst into the mountain of musty-smelling waste paper.

Of course, her real target wasn't any old books or newspapers at all.

She was looking for two things.

First is cotton!

In those days, resources were scarce. When factories or families disposed of old cotton-padded clothes, quilts, and mattresses, they wouldn't bother to remove the cotton inside; instead, they would sell them as waste.

Although this cotton is old and dirty, it can still be excellent for keeping warm if it is fluffed and dried again!

She could get enough cotton for herself and her brother to get through the winter with very little money, or even without spending any money at all!

Secondly, and more importantly, what she was looking for was... copper!

Especially those copper coils from various wires, motors, and transformers that are treated as scrap metal!

As someone who has been reborn, she knows all too well.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, with the gradual liberalization of national policies and the rise of township and village enterprises, the demand for copper, a basic industrial raw material, will experience an explosive growth!

The price of copper is going to skyrocket!

The scrap copper that is now considered garbage and worth only a few cents per kilogram will be worth dozens or even hundreds of times more in a few years!

This was the first real "start-up capital" she prepared for herself and her brother, a capital that could change their destiny!

Of course, she couldn't start reselling scrap copper right now. She didn't have the capital or the connections.

But she could use this opportunity to explore the industry first, to understand how scrap metal collection stations operate in this era and... the "rules" hidden within them.

Su Nianci frantically searched through that huge mountain of waste paper.

She acted quickly and with a clear goal.

Unlike other scavengers who rummage aimlessly, she was like an experienced geologist searching for mineral veins.

She specifically seeks out old packages that look bulging and are tied with rope.

She made a discovery very quickly!

In a tattered burlap sack, she pulled out an old, greasy cotton coat with countless holes!

She squeezed it with her hand, and the cotton inside was thick and soft! Although it was a bit clumpy, it was definitely good stuff!

She casually dragged the cotton coat aside.

Then, in another corner, she found an old cotton quilt that had been gnawed by rats and was riddled with holes!

Get rich!

Su Nianci was overjoyed!

The cotton inside these two items would be enough to make a thick cotton-padded coat and trousers for each of her and her brother, plus a small cotton quilt!

Just as she was about to expand her gains, her hand suddenly touched something hard and square in an inconspicuous corner.

The object was buried under a pile of yellowed old newspapers, with only a corner showing.

Su Nianci curiously peeled back the newspaper.

When she saw the thing in its entirety, her breath caught in her throat!

That...that was actually a military green, canvas briefcase!

The briefcase looked old; the edges were frayed, and there were several dried, dark red stains on the canvas surface.

It looks like...blood.

Why would a military briefcase end up in a scrap metal yard?

She subconsciously glanced back at the doorway. The middle-aged man guarding the door was still puffing on his cigarette, completely oblivious to her presence.

She mustered her courage and dragged the briefcase to a more secluded corner.

The briefcase's clasp was made of brass and was rusted, making it difficult to open.

It took Su Nianci a great deal of effort to finally open it with a "click".

There was no money or documents in the bag.

There was only one book and a small, red plastic-covered notebook.

The book was a German-language atlas of human anatomy; the pages were yellowed, but it was still in relatively good condition.

The red plastic-covered notebook caused Su Nianci's pupils to suddenly contract!

That...that was actually a...military officer's ID!

With trembling hands, she opened the officer's ID.

The first page is a black and white, one-inch ID photo.

The man in the photo is young, probably around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He is wearing a crisp military uniform with an insignia on his collar indicating he is a technical officer.

He wasn't exactly handsome, but his brows carried an inescapable, strong scholarly air, and a kind of compassion and fortitude that Su Nianci was intimately familiar with—the kind that belonged to a doctor.

Below the photo, his information was written in pen.

Name: Zhou Wenxuan.

Position: Military doctor.

Unit code name: Unit 0731 (North).

Zhou...Wenxuan?

The name made Su Nianci's heart sink!

Zhou Wenqian! Zhou Wenxuan!

These two names are so similar!

Could it be... could it be that they are brothers?!

A detail that sent chills down her spine came to mind!

Zhou Wenqian is a professor of surgery at the First Military Medical University in Harbin!

And this Zhou Wenxuan, his certificate clearly states the words "military doctor"!

A professor from a military medical university, and a military doctor who went to the front lines!

They... are very likely brothers!

Su Nianci felt that even breathing had become difficult.

She forced herself to calm down and continued reading.

The last page of the officer's certificate contains the issuing unit and the date.

The issuing authority was a red, round seal that she couldn't understand.

The date of issuance was... three years ago!

A military officer's certificate issued three years ago has now appeared at a scrap metal recycling station in Shanhaiguan, along with a German-language anatomical atlas!

The briefcase containing them had what appeared to be bloodstains on it!

A terrifying thought swirled wildly in Su Nianci's mind!

This military doctor named Zhou Wenxuan is very likely...in trouble!

They've even...sacrificed themselves!

His family, including his brother Zhou Wenqian, may still be unaware of all this!

Holding the small yet incredibly heavy military officer's ID card, Su Nianci felt a sudden chill in her hands and feet.

What should she do?

Should we tell Zhou Wenqian about this discovery?

Do not!no!

That's too reckless!

This is tantamount to telling him directly that he went to the junkyard and found his "brother's" belongings! How do you explain this?

Moreover, there are many suspicious points behind this matter!

Why did the belongings of a fallen military doctor end up in a civilian scrap yard? These items should have been collected by the military and returned to the family!

What secret is hidden behind this?

Su Nianci's brain was working at lightning speed.

She made a bold decision!

She wanted to take the officer's ID card and the German-language anatomical atlas with her!

This is not just a secret, but also... an immense favor!

A lifeline that would allow her to build an unbreakable relationship with Zhou Wenqian, a professor at the military medical university, that would go far beyond that of an ordinary teacher and student!

She quickly stuffed the two items from her briefcase into the inside pocket of her cotton coat and hid them close to her body.

Then, she stuffed the empty, bloodstained briefcase back deep into the pile of waste paper and covered it completely with lots of old newspapers.

After doing all this, she dragged her tattered cotton coat and tattered quilt out of the mountain of waste paper.

"Uncle! I've found them!" She ran up to the middle-aged man guarding the gate, panting as she pointed to her two "trophies."

The middle-aged man glanced at it, then waved his hand dismissively: "Alright, take it, take it! Hurry back, look how cold you are!"

"Thank you, Uncle!" Su Nianci thanked him again, then dragged the two "treasures" that were taller than her and walked with difficulty toward the station.

She walked in a hurry, with only one thought in her mind—to get back to the train as soon as possible!

However, just as she stepped out of the alley and onto the main road, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

There, not far ahead, was a stall selling roasted sweet potatoes.

Little Stone, the "mute" younger brother who was supposed to be waiting for her on the train, was standing there.

Beside him stood a tall man in a black coat, the last person she wanted to see.

—Thunder!

Lei Ming was holding a steaming hot roasted sweet potato and smiling as he handed it to Xiao Shitou.

Little Stone showed no fear or resistance whatsoever. He reached out his little hand and took the sweet potato, then tilted his head back and gave Lei Ming a... radiant smile that Su Nianci had never seen before!