Chapter 73: The Follower

o for what the superiors expect." 。He Jian Guo pointed to the sky. Seeing the serious expressions on everyone's faces, only Jiang Yan's eyes sparkled with amusement as he continued to guide them 。At f...However, as soon as she stepped out of the guesthouse, she noticed that someone was following her. 。Although she had no fear of tracking down Lan Junhui or the forces behind him, after all they couldn't reach the secrets in space, she knew the matter of the ancestral home could not be missed, for the wave of revolution still had eight years of time. 。For eight years, even after the victory of the war of resistance, unpredictable events can happen. The wealth built by three generations of the Jiang family, she would never be willing to let it fall into the hands of others easily. 。Therefore, she decided to act at night, keeping everything safe in the space. 。Jiang Yan's deep trust in her safety strategy stemmed from her unique connection with space. 。Unlike the mysterious Empress, her space was bound to both spirit and body, which meant that even if she were on the brink of death, as long as her soul remained, her space would remain with her. 。This realization came to her gradually as she observed the identity shifts between Jiang Ran and Jiang Yan. 。Facing the possible crisis, Jiang Yan remained calm because the other party did not immediately take strong measures, indicating that the other party's actions were not entirely reckless. 。She believed that as long as she wasn't caught off guard, she had a chance to escape. 。However, her plan soon faced challenges. Before she had gone far, a group of men in uniform and red armbands approached her angrily. 。"Get out of my way! Those are the descendants of capitalists! All of you, stay away!" 。A deafening roar came from behind, clearly someone who had seen what was happening and wanted to disperse the crowd. 。Jiang Yan didn't hesitate, quickening her pace and turning into a concealed alleyway, beginning her life-or-death race. 。Crossing an unapproved courtyard, this was once her secret path when she disguised herself. 。She remembered, turning left twice, at the end was a dead end, hiding the children's secret exit. 。Jiangyan planned to take advantage of this opportunity, avoiding the crowd in front of him, to reach the nearby bus stop and then head straight to the long-distance bus station. 。I thought the plan was flawless, but unexpectedly, there was someone in the dead end. A man was relieving himself in a corner. 。Hearing Jiang Yan's movement, he turned his head, and the two pairs of eyes met, both startled. 。"Come with me" 。The man, embarrassed and flustered, hurriedly gathered his belongings and pulled Jiang Yan into a slightly ajar wooden door. 。Before she could take in the interior furnishings, she was pushed before an open wooden cabinet. 。Jiang Yan just wanted to refuse, but the man had already opened the cabinet's inner compartment, revealing a black hole. 。After a brief hesitation, Jiang Yan remembered her bravery on the train, the way she defended the young people. She made up her mind, bowed her head, and slipped into that unknown passage. 。On the swaying long-distance bus, Jiang Yan gazed at the street scenes flashing past his window, feeling a sense of emotion: "The saying 'good is rewarded with good' is indeed true." 。Although she didn't understand why the man had such a hidden passage in his home, she knew that the small iron door was the key to her escape. 。Jiang Yan clenched his fists, vowing to make Lan Junsheng and Cao Mingyu, that pair of despicable villains, pay the price. 。She firmly believed that both surprise attacks today stemmed from Lan Junsheng's betrayal. He must be in a difficult situation, either wanting to drag her down or using her connection to gain some benefits. 。The person who colluded with the Revolutionary Committee and knew everything about the Jiang family, besides Cao Mingyu, was no one else. 。This old score, she kept in mind, will surely be settled one day in the future! The long-distance bus traversed the Lu region, heading towards Jiaoao, taking nearly seven hours. The inside was packed with authentic Shandong people and seven or eight young intellectuals. 。They chatted amiably with the locals, creating a lively atmosphere. Two vivacious young women were particularly eye-catching. They led the educated youth in singing enthusiastically: "The highest directive is engraved in our hearts: We are determined to resist and conquer the imperialists' ambitions, we have enough power to transform heaven and earth, we are invincible, victorious in all our endeavors, stepping onto the revolutionary road, marching forward with heads held high. " 。Although Jiang Yan felt envious, at this moment she could only memorize a few popular songs, such as "East is Red" and "The Ocean Goes Where the Helmsman Leads," the rest were only vaguely remembered in terms of their titles, and she dared not open her mouth. 。The woman sitting next to me, though dressed plainly, had a sharp tongue. When she spoke about the Treasure Island conflict and Sino-Soviet relations, she sounded like she was right in the heart of the news. 。Jiang Yan was full of interest in her words, and upon closer inspection, he found that although the woman was dressed plainly, her gestures and demeanor bore a striking resemblance to the elegance and dignity taught by her mother. It was the mark of "dignified bearing and graceful comportment". 。The bus drove until noon, and the driver stopped at a rest area in the woods. This place clearly appeared to be a fixed stopover for long-distance vehicles. 。Behind the sparse woods, there was a simple men's and women's restroom on an open field. 。When Jiang Yan followed the crowd off the bus and stretched her limbs, she understood the driver's intentions - deep in the forest, children were carefully exchanging food with people for essential necessities, carrying small baskets. 。In this seemingly ordinary transaction, people cleverly exploit legal loopholes, using their own food to cook delicacies and letting their children act as traders. 。These children, aged seven to ten or so, are nimble despite their youth. Even if caught, they only receive a light reprimand. Years of experience have taught them to quickly discern what is practical, and sometimes they even manage to outsmart you without you realizing it. 。Jiang Yan was amazed by human ingenuity. She quietly peeked into each basket, her eyes falling on a basket of figs with leaves. Her delight was beyond words, for it was a treat she had not found in that mysterious space. 。She softly asked, "How do you change this" 。for fear of disturbing those little sages of life. 。That spirited child gave Jiang Yan a sly glance, and as she looked at her, a pure smile appeared: "Food vouchers can be used instead. My tree happens to be right next to the chimney, and the fruit ripens earliest, so I need at least half a jin of food vouchers." 。His eyes sparkled with youthful shrewdness. 。Faced with the child's naive request, Jiang Yan was silent for a moment, looking at the basket of bright figs and a few branches, the corner of his mouth slightly raised: "Half catty of national coupons, give me the whole basket." 。Her words carried a hint of wry humor. 。The child pondered for a moment, as if calculating in his mind, and finally cheerfully handed over the basket. 。Here you go, I got this for you. You're really smart. 。Jiang Yan took out half a jin of food coupons, casually picked up a few candies, and smiled as he handed them to him. 。That expression was half admiration, half teasing. 。"Hehehe, the little boy gratefully took the ticket and candy, ran away quickly, leaving Jiang Yan alone smiling on the spot. " 。When no one was looking, she tucked a few fig branches from the basket into her own space. Then, she sat on the grass nearby, watching her companions share their dry rations. From her backpack, she took out some scallion pancakes and pickled vegetables, as well as a pot of homemade pumpkin paste - the only noodle dish she could make in her spare time. 。In the carriage, most people were drowsy, with only a few remaining alert to prevent theft. 。Jiang Yan wasn't worried about losing anything, he fell asleep peacefully. When he woke up, the journey was halfway over and the destination was right in front of him. 。Her memories of Qingdao only amounted to childhood ancestral rites and the time she sent her grandparents' ashes there. And their grave in Jinan was just an empty inscription; in reality, they had already returned secretly to their hometown under Jiang Yan's arrangements. 。As dusk fell, the bus slowly drove into Qingdao. Unlike the ancient and elegant Jinan, here, the atmosphere showed a more distinct blend of modernity and tradition. 。da Chinese, she had never touched them. 。While there are many high-quality cigarettes in the city, they are expensive and far surpass what she carries. 。Jiang Xia's move was actually intentional, show...