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

How could this happen?!

Little Stone, the younger brother who was filled with fear and wariness towards all strangers except herself, the younger brother she regarded as her life and protected with her life...

How could she smile so happily at Lei Ming, the most dangerous and unfathomable enemy in her heart? So... intimately?!

What exactly did Lei Ming do to Little Stone?!

An indescribable sense of panic and betrayal instantly gripped Su Nianci's heart!

She always thought that she was Little Stone's only support, his whole world.

Only now did she realize with horror that, without her knowledge, Lei Ming had silently and incomprehensibly torn a hole in her strongest fortress!

"elder sister!"

Little Stone also saw Su Nianci. He immediately ran towards her like a happy little bird, holding the still steaming roasted sweet potato.

"Sister...eat..." He held up the sweet potato, which he had already taken a small bite of, to Su Nianci's mouth like a treasure.

Looking at her younger brother's innocent face, covered in soot and sweet potato bits, Su Nianci felt her panic subside slightly.

But her gaze had already passed over the little stone's head and was fixed on the man who was still smiling not far away.

Lei Ming was also looking at her.

The scrutiny and oppression in his eyes were gone, replaced by a look that Su Nianci couldn't understand, a look of amusement, as if he had everything under control... the posture of a victor.

He's provoking her!

He was silently declaring to her in this way—

Su Nianci, you are not omnipotent.

You can protect his body, but you can't protect his heart.

"Uncle Lei," Su Nianci pulled Xiao Shitou behind her, "you really are... everywhere."

"Protecting the safety of passengers is my duty. Especially when this passenger, who is a key passenger, is just a five-year-old child who likes to go 'treasure hunting' in the junkyard by himself."

He saw it all!

Su Nianci's heart sank once again.

The two "treasures" she was dragging behind her seemed incredibly glaring at that moment.

"I just... wanted to find something to keep my brother warm," she explained coldly.

"I know." Lei Ming nodded, his gaze falling on Su Nianci's small hands, which were red from the cold and even a little chapped. "So, I looked after your little brother for you. And I also treated him to a roasted sweet potato to warm him up. You don't mind, do you?"

mind?

Can she say she minds?

What right does she have to say she minds?

They helped her take care of her younger brother and even bought him food. If she showed any hostility, everyone would see her as ungrateful and repaying kindness with enmity!

What a brilliant "open strategy"!

This man is absolutely terrifying!

Without any threats or interrogations, he simply used a small, well-intentioned gesture to put Su Nianci in a difficult and awkward situation!

"Of course I don't mind," Su Nianci squeezed out through gritted teeth. "I should also... thank you."

"You're welcome." Lei Ming smiled, a smile that Su Nianci found full of sarcasm.

He strode towards them.

He stopped looking at Su Nianci and squatted down to be at eye level with Xiao Shitou.

"Little Stone, tell Uncle, are sweet potatoes delicious?" His voice could become so gentle and magnetic.

Little Stone looked at him, nodded vigorously, then pointed at Su Nianci and mumbled, "Sister...eat..."

"Yes, you're sharing with your sister. You're such a good boy." Lei Ming reached out and naturally patted Xiao Shitou's head.

Little Stone didn't dodge!

Su Nianci's pupils contracted again!

She stared intently at Lei Ming's hand, wishing she could burn it through with her gaze!

"Uncle Lei," finally unable to hold back any longer, he interrupted this "harmonious" scene, "the train... is about to leave, we should go back."

"No rush." ​​Lei Ming stood up, glanced at the two "trash" items Su Nianci was dragging behind her, and frowned almost imperceptibly.

"Are these two things enough?" he asked.

"That's enough," Su Nianci replied curtly.

"Not enough." Lei Ming shook his head, his tone suddenly becoming unquestionable. "With just cotton, but no needles, thread, or fabric, how are you going to make clothes? Are you just going to drape them over your bodies like that?"

Su Nianci's expression instantly turned somewhat unpleasant.

Of course she knew about this problem. Her original plan was to wait until she got to Harbin and then figure out how to get needles, thread and fabric.

But now, being pointed out to her face by Lei Ming made her feel embarrassed, as if she had been seen through.

"Uncle Lei, you don't need to worry about that. We have our own way of handling it," she said stubbornly.

Lei Ming did not argue with her.

He simply turned around and walked towards an elderly scavenger not far away, who was also shivering in the wind and snow, pushing a dilapidated cart.

"Sir," Lei Ming stopped the old man, "are you selling the things in your car?"

The old man was startled by the sudden appearance of this imposing man. He glanced at the junk he had collected in his car, then at Lei Ming, and asked uncertainly, "Comrade... you want to buy these? These... are all worthless trinkets..."

Lei Ming's gaze swept quickly around the cart.

Then he pointed to a few of them.

"That old military overcoat, that dog-skin hat, and that... military water bottle. I'll take them all. Name your price."

Su Nianci looked in the direction he was pointing.

On the dilapidated cart, there was an old military overcoat with a sheepskin lining, which, although worn, still looked incredibly sturdy and had been discarded by the army!

There was also a dog fur hat with worn edges, but you could still tell it was made of genuine dog fur!

And an aluminum military water bottle that, although somewhat dented, is still usable!

These three things were like a godsend for Su Nianci at this moment!

Especially that military overcoat! With it, you could survive not only a winter in Harbin, but even in Siberia!

The old scavenger clearly hadn't expected that this man, who looked like a "high-ranking official," would actually take a liking to his junk.

He rubbed his hands together, a little embarrassed, and tentatively held up two fingers: "This... these two yuan?"

In his view, this was already an outrageous demand.

However, Lei Ming didn't even try to bargain.

He took a brand-new five-yuan note out of his pocket and stuffed it into the old man's hand.

"Keep the change, please."

After saying that, he took the three items off the cart.

The entire process was swift, decisive, and exuded an undeniable domineering presence.

The old scavenger was completely stunned, holding that five-yuan note, thinking he was dreaming.

Su Nianci was equally stunned.

She didn't understand what Lei Ming was doing.

Slap me, then give me a treat?

Or is he trying to bribe me in this way?

Just as she was filled with doubt and surprise, Lei Ming had already walked back to her with the three items in his hand.

He didn't say anything, but simply draped the heavy, old military overcoat, which still smelled of mutton, over Su Nianci's shoulders.

The military overcoat was too big, almost completely covering Su Nianci and dragging down to her ankles.

But an unparalleled, thick warmth instantly shut out the biting cold wind!

Su Nianci froze completely.

She looked up at Lei Ming's well-defined face, which was somewhat blurred by the wind and snow, and for a moment, she didn't know how to react.

Lei Ming remained expressionless.

Without saying a word, he shoved the dog-skin hat onto Little Stone's head.

Then, he hung the military water bottle around Su Nianci's neck.

Only after he had done all this did he slowly speak.

"Su Nianci, I don't care who you are or what you want to do."

"Now you are his older sister. And he is only three years old."

"Surviving the northern winter is more important than any calculation or pretense."

He paused, and a complex light, unlike anything Su Nianci had ever seen before, flashed in his hawk-like eyes.

"I'm helping you not because of you."

"It's because of him."

He pointed to the little stone in Su Nianci's arms, wearing a dog-skin hat and only revealing a pair of big, dark eyes.

"Because I once... also had a younger brother who was about his age."

"Later, he lost it."

After saying that, Lei Ming stopped looking at her, resolutely turned around, and his tall figure quickly disappeared into the wind and snow as he strode towards the train.

Only Su Nianci remained, wearing that ill-fitting yet incredibly warm military overcoat, standing there blankly.

A tidal wave of emotions surged within her!

He once... also had a younger brother?

Later... it was lost?

What... what does this mean?!

Is it...

An absurd yet terrifying thought uncontrollably popped into her mind!