The Bad Girl's Quick Transmigration System: Traveling Back and Forth

The twelfth lunar month wind was like a knife, whimpering as it swept through the old alleys surrounding the Beehive. Liu Cuihua wrapped herself tightly in her patched cotton jacket, hunching her neck to gaze beneath the old locust tree at the street corner. There, every morning, a familiar wisp of smoke rose from the air, a large iron pot bubbling with hot porridge. Amidst the steaming white air, a few girls in camouflage uniforms always stood.

The leader was Lin Wei, with a smile like a thawed spring stream. She was the captain of the Falcon Squad and the most beloved "girl" to the people living near the Hive.

For fifteen days, heavy snow, driven by a northerly wind, lashed the streets around Fengchao like a wild horse unbridled. This once-in-a-century snowstorm felt like a merciless baptism of fire upon this land, burying the once bustling and vibrant life beneath a blanket of white snow.

In the fields, crops, once a nurturing symbol of hope, were now covered by a thick layer of snow, transformed into hard, cold lumps of ice, as if bespeaking the cruelty of this snowstorm. In the streets, the doors of several grain shops were already covered with red paper inscriptions reading "No more food today, please come back early tomorrow." The ink, glaring against the pale snow, seemed a mockery of people's hopes for survival.

Liu Cuihua's heart was colder than the frigid snowy night. Her little grandson, Mingming, was so hungry he couldn't even cry. His cries, feeble as a wounded kitten, pierced her heart. She hugged him tightly, as if that would offer him some warmth. However, reality was cruel. The family's last half bag of cornmeal was gone. She had to brave the bitter cold, trudging three miles through knee-deep snow, just to get a bite for her grandson.

When she finally arrived at the grain store, she saw the endless queue and the cold notice in front of the store. Her mood instantly plummeted to the bottom. The long wait and slim hope made her feel extremely desperate.

The flame of hope was completely extinguished. Liu Cuihua crouched in the corner of the grain shop, shivering, holding Mingming. She couldn't help but wipe away her tears. Despair enveloped her like the heavy snow, making it almost impossible to breathe. Was she really going to have to watch her child die... She didn't dare to think about it.

"Auntie, come here, we have hot porridge here!"

A clear female voice, like a ray of sunshine piercing through the thick clouds, suddenly rang out amidst the snowstorm. The voice, with its undeniable warmth and strength, dispelled the chill in Liu Cuihua's heart.

She jerked her head up, her eyes blurring with tears as she saw a striking green tent set up beneath the usually lush old locust tree at the street corner. In one corner, a faded red flag fluttered in the snow. Embroidered on it in golden thread were four powerful characters: "Falcon Squad."

Several young women in military coats were braving the wind and snow, using shovels to shovel away the snow around the tents, clearing a path. Their cheeks were red from the cold, and the white breath they exhaled instantly dissipated in the cold wind, but their movements were quick and determined.

At the entrance to the tent, a figure bustled about. It was a female soldier, perhaps in her early twenties, with neatly cropped hair, the strands on her forehead dampened by the steam rising from the pot. Holding a large wooden spoon, she stirred vigorously in a dark, marching pot. The rice porridge bubbled and simmered, emitting an alluring, warm vapor with a faint aroma of wheat. The steam blurred her features, but it couldn't obscure her eyes—they were bright and full of spirit, like the brightest stars on a snowy night, twinkling with determination, tenderness, and hope.

Liu Cuihua was a little stunned.

"Auntie, come here quickly, the porridge will be ready soon!" The female soldier, Lin Wei, saw Liu Cuihua and the child in the corner, and shouted again, her voice full of concern.

Liu Cuihua woke up as if from a dream. She quickly hugged Mingming tightly in her arms, took a deep breath, and moved towards the warm green tent. Every step she took felt like stepping on a bridge from despair to hope.

"Comrade, this...this porridge..." Liu Cuihua walked to the edge of the tent, a little hesitant, her voice trembling with excitement and cold.

"Auntie, you're welcome! This porridge is prepared for everyone. Drink a bowl while it's hot to warm yourself up." Lin Wei scooped up a spoonful of boiling hot rice porridge and carefully poured it into a coarse porcelain bowl. She also picked up a handful of pickles from a nearby thermos bucket and put them in. Then she handed the bowl to Liu Cuihua, "Be careful, it's hot."

The bowl was so hot that Liu Cuihua's fingers numbed slightly, but the warmth flowed from her fingertips all the way to her heart. She took the bowl with trembling hands, not caring about herself, and brought it to Mingming's mouth first.

"Mingming, be good. Drink some hot porridge and you won't be hungry anymore..."

Mingming seemed to smell the fragrance, and his cries gradually subsided. His little mouth instinctively moved closer to the edge of the bowl, taking small sips. The warm rice porridge slid down his throat, bringing long-lost warmth and comfort. A look of peace finally appeared on the child's face.

Liu Cuihua looked at her grandson, her eyes welling up, tears streaming down her face again. But this time, they were tears of emotion, tears of hope. She raised her head, looked at Lin Wei, and choked up, saying, "My daughter... Thank you... Thank you so much..."

Lin Wei smiled, a smile that shone like a plum blossom in the snowstorm, pure and resilient. "Auntie, don't say that. This is what we should do. The snowstorm was ruthless, but people are kind. We, the Falcon Squad, are here to help you weather this difficult time." She picked up another bowl and began serving porridge to the next person in line.

Outside the tent, more and more villagers, having heard the news, arrived, forming a long line. But this line lacked the anxiety and despair seen at the food store. Instead, everyone's face held a sense of peace and gratitude. The female soldiers busied themselves methodically, some serving porridge, others passing pickles, and others maintaining order, always reminding everyone, "Go slowly! Be careful not to burn yourself!"

The green tent, like a warm beacon, guided the hungry and cold people on a snowy night, bringing them the most tangible warmth. The faded red flag fluttered in the wind, as if silently proclaiming: No matter how great the difficulties, we will be together!

Liu Cuihua stood not far from the tent, holding Mingming and a bowl of still-warm porridge. Watching the busy figures of the female soldiers and the red flag standing tall in the snow, her heart gradually calmed. She knew that although this snowy night was cold, thanks to these lovely girls and this warm porridge tent, they would be able to survive any severe snowstorm.

The hot porridge warmed not only the stomach but also the heart. The snow was still falling, but this corner of the Beehive Market was filled with spring-like hope thanks to the arrival of the "Falcon Squad."