The joy of family is a sensation born of instinct. Whenever Chen Ke held his daughter, his heart overflowed with an indescribable joy—a pure, simple delight and doting affection from the depths of his being. If it were within his power, Chen Ke would go to the ends of the earth and the depths of the sea to bring his daughter everything she desired.

The father and daughter talked, sang, and played games together. Chen Ke’s daughter even excitedly pulled his hand, leading her father to the wall she used for "painting." Pointing at her masterpieces, she attempted to explain her inspirations and creativity in the vague, fragmented language unique to children. Naturally, in the midst of her explanations, the little one did not hesitate to inform her father of her mother He Ying's past "cruel management." Chen Ke laughed until he was doubled over. He scooped up his daughter’s light little body and gave her several forceful kisses. In response, the little one immediately lodged a solemn protest against her father's annoying, prickly beard.

"You two stop being so wild and come back for dinner," He Ying said, caught between laughter and tears at her daughter’s "tattling."

"Carry... carry!" the little one held out her arms to Chen Ke. Although the straight-line distance to the dining table was no more than ten meters, Chen Ke's daughter clearly had no intention of walking.

Beaming with joy, Chen Ke picked up his daughter and walked toward the house.

"You should act a bit more like a father," He Ying said with a hint of jealousy.

"Aren't I acting like a father right now?" Chen Ke grinned foolishly.

"Then follow some rules. It’s a miracle you left such detailed instructions before you went away." He Ying took her daughter from Chen Ke's arms, led her to the washbasin to wash her hands, and wiped her palms and the front of her clothes dry. Only after He Ying and Chen Ke had each washed their own hands did the family of three sit down to eat.

Feeding, criticizing, threatening, and negotiating—the entire routine was well-practiced. The only change was that He Ying had added a new bargaining chip to the system: "If you don't eat quickly, you won't be allowed to play with Papa." After dinner, Chen Ke took the initiative to clear the table and wash the dishes. After finishing the housework, the family of three played games for a long while. Finally, Chen Ke and He Ying washed the little one's hands and feet and tucked her into her small bed.

"You've worked hard," Chen Ke said, wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulders and speaking with an apologetic tone once the couple was finally alone.

He Ying buried her head in her husband's chest and hugged him tightly. "Mhm!" came the muffled reply from beneath Chen Ke's cotton coat.

What should he do if He Ying started crying? Chen Ke thought guiltily. Just as the thought crossed his mind, He Ying began to sob in his arms.

"From now on, wherever I go, I’ll take you with me. We’ll never be apart again," Chen Ke said somewhat hesitantly. He wasn't entirely certain he could keep that promise, but he couldn't stop himself from saying it.

He Ying, however, shook her head violently.

"What’s wrong? You don't want to travel around?" Chen Ke asked.

He Ying let go of Chen Ke and sobbed quietly, "Wenqing, I heard that Aunt is gone."

No words could have shocked Chen Ke more. Although he knew there were truly no walls that didn't leak secrets, he hadn't expected He Ying to have found out. His father-in-law’s deep-seated hatred for the Sun family and his cold demand that Chen Ke not reveal He Qian's death to He Ying made it certain that He汝明 (He Ruming) was not the source.

The People's Party’s intelligence agencies had internal confidentiality regulations; no one would dare to be so reckless.

"Who told you?" Chen Ke asked. The moment the words left his mouth, he knew he had made a mistake. First, saying that was equivalent to confirming He Ying's question. Second, what He Ying needed now was comfort, not interrogation. Realizing this, Chen Ke pulled He Ying back into his arms without another word.

"Nalan told me." He Ying had already heard the answer in Chen Ke's words. She could no longer restrain herself and began to wail. Chen Ke could do nothing but gently stroke his wife's hair, unable to even speak.

He Qian was not someone who should have had such an end. That energetic, intelligent, and wise woman should have had a better, happier life. Chen Ke had always believed that. In the 21st century—no, even in the New China—He Qian would have had her own job and family; even if her domestic life were unhappy, she would have been able to survive. She shouldn't have died so silently. But the fact remained: He Qian was dead.

How she died and what happened in her final moments became completely unknowable after the Sun family cremated her body. Even on that point alone, the Sun family was beyond suspicion. He Ruming was determined to deal with the Sun family. Although it was unclear how far he would go, this was definitely not something that could be settled by simply producing a scapegoat.

Chen Ke felt a lingering sense of guilt toward He Qian. If he had been able to suppress his personal emotions at the time and treat her with the warmth due to a comrade, perhaps the outcome would have been different. But now, Chen Ke had nothing left to say.

After crying for a while, He Ying looked up. "Wenqing, you must avenge my aunt."

"I will do my best," Chen Ke replied.

He Ying knew how the People's Party operated. Hearing the slight hesitation in Chen Ke's voice, she lowered her head. After a moment, she suddenly asked, "How did Nalan Neruo become your cousin?"

Chen Ke had heard a bit about this. Nalan Neruo had posed as Chen Ke's cousin and was brought to the Shandong base area by Pang Zi. The Shandong base's People's Internal Affairs Committee had exposed her ruse with a simple background check. Posing as a relative of Chairman Chen was no small offense. The People's Internal Affairs Committee immediately launched a deep investigation, as the comrades were worried she might be an assassin sent by the Manchu Qing. Although the investigation confirmed that Nalan Neruo had a "bad background" as a Manchu, she didn't seem to be an assassin. Out of responsibility for the revolution, the People's Internal Affairs Committee had seriously discussed whether to summarily execute her in private.

When Chen Ke saw the report, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His own background was truly impossible to explain. In his public records, his ethnicity was listed as Han. But in his current position, it was no surprise at all that he might be "misunderstood" as belonging to another ethnic group, such as being Manchu.

"Fortunately, the South Koreans aren't a factor yet. If they had their 21st-century standards, the Banner people would be no match for them," Chen Ke could only comfort himself this way.

Regarding the disposal of Nalan Neruo, Chen Ke’s final instruction was: "A person’s head isn't a leek; once it’s cut off, it won't grow back." He hadn't followed up on the situation after that.

Hearing Chen Ke describe the events, He Ying smiled bitterly. "It seems I made a mistake. The People's Internal Affairs Committee came to me for information, and I said Nalan was my friend. At the time, I also wanted to know what was happening in Beijing, so I asked to see her. As a result, the organization sent her here to Fengtai County."

"And then?" Chen Ke asked.

"Now Nalan is a teacher at the school. she often comes over to help me look after Yueyue. By the way, Wenqing, I asked you to give Yueyue a name last time. Have you thought of one?" He Ying asked.

"You've worked so hard taking care of Yueyue; the credit is all yours. You should be the one to name her," Chen Ke replied.

"How is the generation character ranked in the Chen family?" He Ying asked.

Chen Ke couldn't help but chuckle. "There is no character. Give her whatever name you like."

"How about Chen Qianru? What do you think?" Leaning in Chen Ke’s arms, He Ying answered slowly.

The name was clearly an expression of He Ying’s longing for her aunt, He Qian. Chen Ke nodded. "It’s a good name. I like it very much."

It was obvious that He Ying was in low spirits. Chen Ke had no choice but to push through and sleep for the night. Before five o'clock the next morning, He Ying got up to take care of the daughter now named Chen Qianru. Chen Ke also crawled out of bed, bleary-eyed, to help. After breakfast, Chen Qianru followed her routine and went back for a nap. Chen Ke finally had a chance to get things moving and then, feeling refreshed, headed off to work.

Chairman Chen is back! The news sent a wave of joy through the Anhui base area. Perhaps the most joyful of all was Nalan Neruo, who now went by the name Li Nana. She had gone to find He Ying yesterday as usual, only to find a double guard at the door. Li Nana had been directly "advised to leave." Although no one told her exactly what had happened in the Chen household, the happy shouts of Chen Ke’s daughter and the faint sound of a man’s laughter told her everything she needed to know.

Under the dual stimulation of intense jealousy and joy, Li Nana had hardly slept all night. Her experience in the base area had been both terrifying and miraculous. The grim interrogation room, the expressionless members of the People's Internal Affairs Committee, and the merciless questioning had all left a deep shadow in her mind. But with the help of her old friend He Ying, Li Nana had finally escaped it all. With the cultural foundation of the Nalan family, Li Nana had obtained a teaching position after nine months. Aside from having absolutely no interest in political education, she found that neither the simplified characters nor the new Chinese language posed any challenge for the woman now known as Li Nana.

Chen Ke’s daughter was very cute, and being with the little one allowed Nalan Neruo to experience the joy of free play. A significant portion of the "masterpieces" on the walls of Chen Ke's courtyard were thanks to the teenage teacher, Li Nana. If she could be with Chen Ke, with He Ying as her sister and Chen Ke’s daughter regarding her as a mother, Li Nana felt that would be a very good future.

But seeing Chen Ke was quite difficult. First, the cadre compound had implemented new access control regulations. All entry passes for outsiders were confiscated. Li Nana couldn't even see He Ying, let alone Chen Ke.

The school had also begun making adjustments. The principal was interviewing teachers one by one, seeking volunteers to work in Huaihai Province. Li Nana refused without hesitation. "Principal Li, I still want to stay and work in Fengtai County."

The principal, Li Qiming, was a former military political commissar. Every school principal in the People's Party was a professional commissar. This "transfer" was simply a matter of reassigning excellent commissars. This was also Chen Ke’s order; historically speaking, when literati became principals, few failed to cause trouble. In this era, the literati always considered themselves superior, and the only system Chen Ke could rely on was the commissar system.

"Comrade Li Nana, this is a requirement of the revolutionary work. If you are truly devoted to the cause of the revolution, you must have the awareness to obey the organization." Political Commissar Li Qiming was still trying to persuade Li Nana to step forward voluntarily.

"Principal Li, I truly lack the ability to take on the task; I hope for your understanding. But I will certainly do my current job well." Although Li Nana said this, she felt somewhat uncertain. Chen Ke could not come home often; that was an obvious fact. If she only waited in Fengtai County, she feared it would be a long time before she saw Chen Ke in person. It would be better if she could stay by his side.

However, if she wanted to get her wish, she absolutely could not offend the principal in front of her. Thinking of this, Li Nana continued, "Principal Li, can I think about it some more?"

Li Qiming felt his heart ease a bit. During this round of job adjustments, it wasn't just Li Nana; there were essentially no teachers willing to leave Fengtai County for other regions. On the other hand, there were plenty of female teachers who hoped to return to their hometowns to teach. Most of the People's Party's own teachers were not locals, and finding those who were obedient and followed orders was truly a difficult task. Regardless of how others viewed him, Li Qiming himself was truly not good at dealing with these young girls. They would get emotional at the drop of a hat, or simply burst into tears. Going into battle and shedding blood was easy for Li Qiming, but he also had his own methods for dealing with the delicate nature of girls—even if he found it quite troublesome.

Hearing that Li Nana’s stance showed signs of softening, Li Qiming breathed a sigh of relief. He knew a little bit about Li Nana’s background, but since the wife of Chairman Chen had served as her guarantor, things were as they were. According to Li Qiming’s observations, Li Nana showed no signs of counter-revolutionary tendencies, nor did she seem to be a spy. This misconception only went to show that Li Qiming, this unmarried "old revolutionary," truly did not understand the heart of a young girl. Precisely because Li Nana had no intention of harming anyone, he had completely misjudged the situation.

Manchu women did not bind their feet, and having undergone military training at the normal school, Li Nana walked with a certain briskness. Returning to the teachers' office at the school, the other female teachers immediately crowded around and asked, "What did Principal Li say? Does he still want us to go work in other regions?"

"Mhm. It seems he truly wants us to go to other provinces," Li Nana answered curtly.

"Teacher Li, are you willing to go?" Everyone looked at Li Nana with expectant eyes. From Li Qiming’s demeanor, it was clear that someone had to go, and if Li Nana were willing, the chances of the other teachers being sent away would be much lower.

Girls were far more sensitive to such small schemes than boys. Or rather, if boys encountered such an issue, they might instead be very excited and willing to travel far. Li Nana turned her head slightly. "I still want to stay and work in Fengtai County. If anyone wants to go work elsewhere, just go tell Principal Li yourself."

The answer left the teachers feeling disappointed. But they couldn't exactly force Li Nana to volunteer. "Just how far has the base area expanded?" someone asked.

The People's Party had conquered vast territories in just a few years. Although the teachers had newspapers to read, neither the papers nor the maps could help them grasp just how large the four provinces truly were.

"My father wrote a letter a few days ago, urging me to get married quickly," one female teacher said with a blush. When these teachers arrived at the base area, they were between 13 and 16 years old; the oldest among them was not yet 20. But at this age, it was already time to marry.

This topic was far more capable of sparking interest among the girls than war or revolution. "Who is the other party?" the girls asked, their eyes sparkling.

"A merchant from Anqing. We were betrothed when we were children," the speaker answered shyly.

"Will the man come here to work?"

"Doesn't the *Marriage Law* in the base area refuse to recognize the legal validity of betrothals?"

"My father is also urging me to marry. But I can't get back to Anqing at all."

A flurry of chirping discussion immediately ensued. This was a hot topic among the girls recently. In this era, betrothals were made very early, and marriages occurred early as well. The powerful rise of the People's Party had significantly raised the status of the girls belonging to the Ministry of Education. Not only did those who were betrothed hope to maintain the match, but even those who weren't had become popular targets for marriage proposals. According to letters, some girls who had returned to work in Anqing were already preparing to marry.

Li Nana had no interest in this. She was about to sit back behind her desk when she heard someone ask her, "Teacher Li, you're from a big place like Beijing. Didn't your family arrange a marriage for you?"

"No," Li Nana said coldly. This was something she was unwilling to mention.

"Oh!" An exclamation of surprise rippled through the room.

Fortunately, the preparatory bell for class rang, finally bringing the discussion to a temporary halt.

While the female teachers discussed their own problems, the heads of the various schools were discussing the work assigned by the Ministry of Education with considerable dissatisfaction.

"The male teachers are willing to work in other regions. But as everyone knows, the male teachers are basically from our army." Although it was a meeting of the Ministry of Education, it carried the air of a military council.

The principals sat upright and still—not to put on airs, but because the army emphasized military bearing and appearance. No matter the level of their training, the commissars’ self-discipline was more than sufficient.

"In any case, we have signed work contracts with the teachers. If it really comes down to it, let's just forcibly assign them," someone suggested, adopting the firm "obey orders" attitude of the military.

"What are you going to do when the girls start crying and wailing to you? This isn't the army, after all, where you go when you're told to go and stay when you're told to stay." One commissar raised a different view. "Besides, we’re short-staffed ourselves. We have fifty students in a class now, and at least eight classes for every grade. These little girls are already being worked to death. If they go elsewhere, the results might not necessarily be good."

"Then what about the task? If we don't complete it, how are we supposed to answer to the Education Commission?"

"I think this arrangement is unreasonable. Other regions can't always expect to get people from us in Anhui; we don't even have enough staff ourselves. If teachers from elsewhere were transferred here, we would have no objection." One principal spoke his mind.

"Anhui has already reached its limit in maintaining the status quo. To place higher demands on us is clearly unrealistic. At least we should wait for a large-scale graduation of middle school students before we send male teachers to other regions."

"The key is that this is an organizational arrangement."

"An organizational arrangement cannot completely ignore local conditions. It's enough just to manage the teachers well for now. I don't believe that if they are forced to work elsewhere, they will truly be able to do their jobs well."

The discussion failed to reach a final conclusion. The former commissars eventually reached a consensus: "Go talk to Chairman Chen about this."