After dinner, Tian Jing took out a women's watch, a souvenir she had bought in the capital.
Although it was not very sincere, arriving empty-handed would have been even more improper.
Lin Duo'er was surprised that just two days later, Team Leader Tian contacted her again.
They still went to the nursery. Having experienced Li Min eavesdropping, Tian Jing was unwilling to discuss matters openly at Lin Guangde's house.
This matter, after all, was handled improperly by Hao Hao, and she had also helped to disperse the gossip. She could not let Lin Duo'er bear any more rumors.
Entering an empty greenhouse, Tian Jing took out the watch:
"Lin Duo'er, I'm sorry. I've considered your situation with Hao Hao for two days, and I don't agree."
Lin Duo'er stepped back, not taking the watch. "Why?"
Tian Jing stared into her eyes. "Why do *you* agree?"
Lin Duo'er's gaze did not waver. "Because I need a backer, a backer who can make that unwanted admirer retreat."
Tian Jing's gaze became sharp. "Without any other intentions?"
Lin Duo'er still met Tian Jing's eyes without fear. "Absolutely none?"
Tian Jing pressed further. "What about feelings?"
Lin Duo'er shook her head. "None."
Tian Jing was relieved. "I'll give you two options first. Based on your choice, I'll give you a reason."
Lin Duo'er was straightforward. "Please, say."
These few exchanges made Tian Jing understand why Hao Hao was willing to make a deal with Lin Duo'er.
She appeared delicate, yet she was also a decisive person.
"First, you work at the nursery. The nursery is under my management. I have another identity, and I can help you scare away that unwanted admirer."
"Second, leave Kusan Town. I'll send you to work in the capital. Someone will guide your internship, but you'll still need to study."
"This study can be considered company-funded, attending adult training school."
Lin Duo'er didn't even hesitate for a moment and chose directly:
"I want to work at the nursery. I won't abandon the Lin family entirely to my elder sister and go off to enjoy leisure. This is the fundamental reason I planned to use marriage as a transaction."
Tian Jing secretly nodded. A good girl, unfortunately, held back by her father.
"Look closely." Tian Jing took out a few seeds and scattered them on the ground.
Soon, green sprouts emerged, followed by leaves of four and six.
Then, several half-grown lettuce plants appeared before Lin Duo'er's eyes.
"Do you understand? Hao Hao has this too. This is why I don't agree. With such a disparity, you will have no way to communicate in the future."
"When he returns for his leave, he'll face a wife with whom he has no common language, and even the children will be raised in a very ordinary way."
"He dedicates his life to the country, and in the end, all he gets is a family like this. It breaks my heart."
Lin Duo'er turned around stunned. "You mean, he'll never retire from the military?"
"Yes! Until death!" Tian Jing nodded. "Because he's not an ordinary soldier, and he's a soldier whose identity cannot be revealed."
"Merits and honors can only be in the shadows, and glory cannot be displayed."
"If his wife and children are in trouble, and he cannot return, his wife and children can only bear it themselves."
"I understand." Lin Duo'er sighed. "It's my status that's not good enough."
"You can understand it that way." Tian Jing didn't mince words. "In the beginning, I let him make his own arrangements, after all, his life is almost devoid of freedom."
"However, after your conversation the day before yesterday, when he told me, I regretted it."
"Because you don't even have the youthful impulse of attraction between the opposite sex. How can you live together in the future?"
"To be honest, I was selfish. What I cared about was my son. I don't want his only holidays to be spent returning to a home with only responsibility and no affection."
"It's alright." Lin Duo'er shook her head. "Team Leader Tian, you don't need to feel guilty. Didn't you arrange a position for me?"
"You say you were selfish in terms of emotions. In terms of human decency and transactions, you did nothing wrong."
Saying this, she reached out and took the watch from Tian Jing's hand.
"I'll accept this. Don't feel guilty anymore. Not only did I receive a gift, but I also got a job with a powerful backer. In fact, I've profited."
This remark made Tian Jing feel even more guilty. She patted Lin Duo'er's shoulder.
"If you need anything, just say so. You're a member of our nursery now. Bullying you is equivalent to slapping my face, and I won't allow it."
"Mm!"
Lin Duo'er nodded vigorously. When she returned to her own bedroom, she sighed. In the future, she still had to work hard herself.
She had thought she had a strong backer, but it turned out the backer was just a backer, unable to face the future with her.
That's fine!
Otherwise, she didn't know if she could single-handedly guard the home and children until old age.
Having resolved the matter with Lin Duo'er, Tian Jing also sighed. She was starting to like Lin Duo'er's temperament.
However, she could see that Lin Duo'er had no idea that she would be facing a lifetime of waiting alone.
Hao Hao must not have explained it clearly.
She sent a text message to her elder son, telling him that the matter had been resolved.
She also mentioned that Lin Duo'er had no idea he would never be able to retire from the military.
While she could cover up her son's mistake in front of outsiders, she still had to criticize him afterward.
...
The next day, Tian Jing informed the village committee about Lin Duo'er being threatened by that unwanted admirer.
Lin Duo'er had brought the unwanted admirer's attention upon herself while working for the village, so the village had to intervene.
Zhou Chengbin immediately issued a notice to the security team, strictly forbidding the unwanted admirer from entering the village.
He also put the unwanted admirer and their family on the scenic area's blacklist.
And he asked Lin Duo'er to produce the letter as evidence.
Lin Duo'er couldn't find the letter and was so anxious she almost cried.
Le Xia saw her searching inside and outside the house and asked what she was looking for.
Lin Duo'er didn't look up, continuing to search. "I'm looking for a letter. I remember putting it in the drawer, but it's gone?"
Le Xia was taken aback. "When did it go missing?"
Lin Duo'er shook her head. "I don't know. I received the letter before the New Year. After reading it, I put it in the drawer. Now the village committee needs it as evidence, but I can't find it."
The village committee wanted the letter as evidence?
Le Xia became anxious. "Who wrote the letter?"
"It was the person who broke into the appointment room." Lin Duo'er stood up and told her fourth aunt the general content of the letter.
Le Xia patted her gently. "You child, why didn't you tell us about such a big matter?"
"You're not alone. You have us, and you have..."
At this point, Le Xia paused. "Huh? The day before yesterday, after Team Leader Tian called you away, Lin Wan came. I said you weren't home, but she didn't believe me and even went into your room to look."
"I'll go find her."
Lin Duo'er turned to leave, but Le Xia pulled her back.
"Without evidence, you can't confront her like this. She's better at using the law than anyone. It's better to inform the village committee first."
The letter was gone? It was possible Lin Wan took it?
This news made Zhou Chengbin frown.
He gathered the security team members to ask if anyone had seen Lin Wan leaving Lin Guangde's house with a letter in her hand.
However, the security team had no information about Lin Wan.
Lin Guangde's house and Lin Wan's house were neighbors, only about ten steps apart. In such a short distance and time, it would be difficult for any significant evidence to be discovered by others.
Especially a letter that could fit in a pocket.
Zhou Chengbin had the security team members inquire from house to house if anyone had had contact with Lin Wan in the past few days. Given Lin Wan's temperament, she wouldn't have taken the letter without doing something.
The security team members inquired meticulously because the village chief had said the letter was evidence.
Finally, they learned from a seven-year-old child that he had helped Lin Wan mail a letter in town.
Lin Wan had given him ten yuan.
Was this child's family lacking ten yuan that he was beaten by his parents?
Lin Wan was a universally disliked troublemaker, and their own child dared to help her?
The security team advised the parents to discipline their child properly, warning that hitting children would result in being blacklisted by Sister Guihua.