Chapter 135

If someone else said this, Qi Baozhu would think that person was mocking him, but when Qi Baoguo said this, Qi Baozhu knew that he had no other intentions, he really thought that there was something wrong with his brain.

Then Qi Baozhu became even angrier.

…

Qi Baozhu was secretly angry, but she didn't say anything. She just ignored the two people next to her. However, due to individual differences, Chu Jiujiu and Qi Baoguo didn't notice that she was angry at all.

This episode passed, and after returning to the capital, everyone's life gradually returned to normal.

The bus stopped near Chang'an Avenue, and people living there got off one by one. This was not a train, so there was no fixed stop. Chu Jiujiu thought no one would come to pick her up, but as soon as she got off, she saw Han Shengyi.

Han Shengyi still had a gentle smile on his face. When Chu Jiujiu saw him, she was slightly stunned, because they hadn't seen each other for more than ten days, almost half a month.

Ten days is a very short time, and people can hardly feel the changes in each other, but Chu Jiujiu has a good memory, so she noticed that Han Shengyi was not as refined as before.

...This adjective doesn't seem right.

But that's what Chu Jiujiu felt. There were wrinkles on Han Shengyi's clothes, and his originally straight pants were now shapeless. More importantly, she actually saw stubble on Han Shengyi's face!

Chu Jiujiu didn't even know when he started growing a beard, because as soon as it grew a little, Han Shengyi would shave it. Every morning, when he washed up, he would shave without fail, even if the beard grew slowly and it was not noticeable at all, he would still do it.

Looking back at Chu Shao, his chin was covered with a dense layer of dark blue hair before he picked up the razor and lazily shaved himself.

Chu Jiujiu looked at Han Shengyi and immediately felt a sense of sympathy.

It seems that even if he stayed in the capital, Han Shengyi was never idle for a moment.

Han Shengyi was indeed busy all the time, but it was not just the busyness of these days that made him forget to pay attention to his appearance.

The street was not a place to talk, so Han Shengyi pulled her to his side, then smiled at Wen Xiuwei behind her, "Sister Xiuwei, you've worked hard."

Wen Xiuwei was about to smile at him, but after seeing his subsequent actions, she stopped herself from doing so.

Han Shengyi pulled Chu Jiujiu to his side. To be more precise, this position was on his left, slightly behind him, while Wen Xiuwei and the other passengers who had just got off were on his right.

If you say this action is nothing, it really looks like nothing, but if you want to say there is something, Wen Xiuwei feels that there seems to be something.

It sounded like a tongue twister because Wen Xiuwei herself was unsure. Before, when Han Shengyi took over Chu Shao's shift, Wen Xiuwei had a vague feeling that his behavior was inappropriate. Today, when she saw him subconsciously circle Chu Jiujiu to his side and be on guard against everyone else, she felt even more strange.

It must be her illusion. Han Shengyi is so sensible and steady, how could it be possible?

Wen Xiuwei's filter for Han Shengyi is too high, even higher than Chu Shao. She always thinks that Han Shengyi is one of the best men she has ever met, and she praises him with all kinds of good words. But she forgets that being sensible and steady has nothing to do with whether one is possessive or defensive.

…

Back home, Grandma Han welcomed them with a feast, as usual. Chu Jiujiu replenished all the nutrients she had lost over the past few days. After eating, she half-lay on Han Shengyi's bed, which was covered with a bamboo mat and was very hard to sit on. Chu Jiujiu fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan and looked at Han Shengyi in surprise, "Ding Boyun?! He went to help with the disaster relief too?"

Without needing to recall, Chu Jiujiu immediately recalled a gentle and refined face. After being surprised, she became puzzled, "Why haven't I seen him, and I haven't heard of him either."

Han Shengyi was playing with the pen in his hand. After he came back, he changed his clothes and shaved his beard, returning to his previous handsome and fresh appearance. He said, "Ding Boyun is coordinating things in the rear and won't actually go to the front line, so you naturally won't see him. Chu Shao and Sister Xiuwei are similar to you, neither of them can see people in the rear. As for Political Commissar Chu, he has never met Ding Boyun, and he probably doesn't know that he has been to Qingzhu Village."

Chu Jiujiu nodded blankly, "Yeah, almost. It should be what you said."

She was still a little confused. When they first met in the village, Chu Jiujiu felt that he was a little cold and always asked about her affairs, so she didn't want to talk to him much. Who knew that there would be a day in the future when she would hear his name.

Chu Jiujiu finally got up from lying down after thinking about something. She sat up and asked curiously, "He was the one who coordinated the disaster relief work. So, was he rewarded with a great achievement, or was he punished with a serious offense?"

It's hard to explain natural disasters. Although we are all busy, some people can achieve great things while others can be punished. It all depends on how the person performs from the beginning.

Han Shengyi smiled slightly and said, "Great achievement."

He wasn't an official from Hebei; he was there on a temporary business trip. However, because he knew local officials and immediately came up with a feasible solution, the people there didn't reject him and simply used his method. Some people would disappear after offering a solution, but Ding Boyun wasn't one of those people. Not only did he offer a solution, he also held onto it tightly, preventing others from taking credit for it.

Chu Jiujiu felt that Han Shengyi's smile was unusual. She frowned, stared at him for a long time, and finally gave up.

Unless Han Shengyi wants to reveal himself, his emotions are harder to guess than Qi Baozhu's expressionless emotions. But he has one good point. Qi Baozhu is a dead clam that cannot be pried open no matter what, while Han Shengyi is a living clam. If you make a fuss with him or act a little coquettishly, he will tell you everything.

"Just be frank. I've been so exhausted these past few days that even my brain can't function anymore."

Chu Jiujiu leaned back again, not even bothering to turn her head. She just turned her eyes to look at Han Shengyi, "What do you think is wrong with Ding Boyun's meritorious service?"

Chu Jiujiu is usually lazy, but not like today when she had difficulty even lifting a finger. She was clearly full of energy at the dinner table just now.

Han Shengyi smiled, but didn't hide his feelings. He said directly, "There's no doubt that he has made contributions. I've seen that the methods he provided were the most useful and efficient at the time."

Chu Jiujiu kept her posture unchanged and opened her mouth, "But?"

"But," Han Shengyi lowered his eyes, "it's a bit of a coincidence."

"What's the meaning?"

Han Shengyi himself couldn't explain it, so he frowned in distress. "He wrote the petition for flood control, and he also provided the current disaster relief plan. He seems to be very good at dealing with natural disasters. Moreover, natural disasters also want him to deal with them."

Therefore, every time he appears, it is just the right time for him to display his abilities.

Han Shengyi really couldn't figure it out. So far, he just felt that Ding Boyun was extremely lucky, but it was too good to be true. It made people wonder if he knew something in advance.

Han Shengyi was extremely smart, so he could grasp some of the inside tricks, but it was impossible for him to really guess the truth. He never imagined that there was a prophet by Ding Boyun's side. Even if he let his imagination run wild, all he could think of was that Ding Boyun had some means of identifying natural disasters, just like small animals, and he could detect them some time in advance.

Han Shengyi thought for a moment and found that Chu Jiujiu had been silent. He looked at the person lying on the bed.

"Why aren't you talking?"

Not only did he stop talking, but even his arms stopped fanning himself.

Chu Jiujiu was in a daze, but when Han Shengyi called her, she came to her senses again. "Ah? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about what you just said."

Han Shengyi asked her, "What did you think of?"

Chu Jiujiu was silent. That was too much.

For example, Ding Boyun is a contemporary of hers, or Ding Boyun is a person who traveled from a more distant future, or Ding Boyun is tasked with changing history and comes here to complete the task, etc.

Each one was a blind guess, but Chu Jiujiu couldn't help herself. Ever since Han Shengyi said the three words "a bit of a coincidence", her imagination couldn't be stopped.

They knew Ding Boyun. Even if Chu Jiujiu hadn't spoken to him for a few words, they knew his personality and what he usually did. If he really had traveled through time, he shouldn't have stayed in Qingzhu Village obediently for several years.

Moreover, he has a younger brother. Having a younger brother means he has more family members. When Chu Jiujiu first came, she was an illegal resident. If Ding Boyun was also a time traveler, it would be impossible for him to arrange this aspect so perfectly.

So, it's a coincidence?

Chu Jiujiu was inclined to this answer, but she touched the necklace in her pocket again.

This necklace, isn't it mass-produced?

…

Han Shengyi had grown suspicious of Ding Boyun, but he hadn't anticipated that his casual remark would spark Chu Jiujiu's suspicions as well. Chu Jiujiu wasn't as impeccable as Han Shengyi, and even though she never voiced her concern for Ding Boyun, Han Shengyi had noticed.

She was looking for a name in the newspaper, and her ears pricked up when she heard the last name Ding. She had been looking up information for a while. When Han Shengyi asked her what she was looking for, she hesitated and said that she had suddenly become interested in botany.

Han Shengyi: “…”

He doesn't believe it.

In fact, it is better for him to believe it.

Because Chu Jiujiu has really been looking for botanical information.

She wondered if the necklace was actually some kind of plant. If it was, she'd have to be wary, because a tree couldn't have just one fruit, and who knew if someone else might have the same necklace. However, she searched through all the botany books in the city library and couldn't find anything like it. She didn't look at any pictures, only the text, and there wasn't a single mention of it.

Sitting in the library, Chu Jiujiu emptied her mind and stayed like that for half an hour. Suddenly, she jumped up and sat up again.

That's too narrow-minded. Necklaces are such a must-have in the home and also have a magical touch. How can we use only botany as a keyword? Mysticism must also be included!

Then, Qi Baozhu watched Chu Jiujiu rush to the bookshelf and start looking for books on mysticism.

This time she was going to be disappointed, because there were no books on mysticism in this library.

Qi Baozhu watched Chu Jiujiu's excitement and frustration fade away. She closed the book in her hand and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Chu Jiujiu sat back in her chair and said, "I didn't find the book I was looking for..."

"What book?"

Chu Jiujiu replied, "Mysticism, mythology, in short, non-scientific books."

Qi Baozhu looked at her silently.

Chu Jiujiu was a little nervous when she looked at her, "What, what are you doing?"

Qi Baozhu: “…”

"Do you think there might be such a book here? If there were, the curator here would have been arrested long ago."

Chu Jiujiu was stunned for a moment before she reacted.

Yes, while banning feudal superstitions, all things of this kind were also banned.

Chu Jiujiu felt that it was not easy for her to be alive.

She didn't feel at all that there was anything wrong with categorizing herself as "this type of person." There were more than just the two of them in the library. Chu Jiujiu suddenly had an idea and silently shut up. She had no books left in her hands and remained silent in her seat for only three minutes. Then, she came to Qi Baozhu and looked at the pile of professional terms above. Chu Jiujiu asked admiringly, "Baozhu, you understand all this."

Qi Baozhu replied quietly: "I don't understand."

Chu Jiujiu: “…”

As if not noticing the complex expression in her eyes, Qi Baozhu continued, "Even if I don't understand, I have to read it. I want to apply to medical school, so I have to familiarize myself with it in advance."

Yes, now Baozhu also has something she wants to do, which is to be a doctor who saves lives and heals the wounded.

Chu Jiujiu didn't know what she'd been through during her time at the sanatorium, but she could roughly imagine it. Many volunteers completed their missions and returned to their daily lives, their lives unchanged. But Qi Baozhu was different. She was deeply moved.

Being a doctor is a good thing, but Chu Jiujiu has some concerns. "Baozhu, are you sure you really want to do this?"

Qi Baozhu looked up and asked her with her eyes what this sentence meant.

"Well..." Chu Jiujiu asked dryly, "Doctors have to see patients. Traditional Chinese medicine uses observation, auscultation, listening, questioning, and palpation. Western medicine is slightly better, but it also requires communication with patients. You..."

She stretched out the word "you" for a long time. Qi Baozhu knew what she wanted to say. After a pause, she said, "I've thought about this too."

After another pause, she looked at Chu Jiujiu again and said, "I will try my best to overcome it."

Chu Jiujiu’s inner thoughts: Wow.

It is really not easy for a person with severe social anxiety to make up his mind to overcome his social anxiety problem.

Qi Baozhu was very firm when she said this. Chu Jiujiu couldn't help but think of another person with social anxiety that she knew. Fang Weiping was similar to Qi Baozhu. He also didn't like talking to people, but Fang Weiping liked to talk to his students about things related to literature. Once he talked about these things, his social anxiety was cured.

Passion can cover up fear. If Qi Baozhu really likes the job of a doctor, then maybe she doesn't have to overcome it and will get better naturally.

Chu Jiujiu smiled silently and said "come on" in her heart. Then she turned around and went to the bookshelf to find a book to read.

In Chu Jiujiu's words, now that we're here, we can't leave empty-handed...

——

Because Chu Jiujiu cared too much about Ding Boyun, Han Shengyi had been observing Ding Boyun's actions intentionally or unintentionally these days.

They are not from the same unit and rarely see each other, but their circle is so small and Ding Boyun is a rising star. It is not easy for Han Shengyi to find out about him.

The first bird to stick its head out gets shot. Ding Boyun is the most popular now, and there are more people watching him than just Han Shengyi, so Han Shengyi's actions did not attract anyone else's attention.

That day, Han Shengyi just learned a piece of insignificant news.

It turned out that Ding Boyun knew Chu Lidi's family, and he had a good relationship with their eldest daughter Chu Yue.

Han Shengyi fell into deep thought. Chu Yue was the same age as Chu Jiujiu, also sixteen or seventeen. Ding Boyun... was he such a beast?

The more he inquired, the more Han Shengyi couldn't connect him with the educated youth squad leader in his impression. The educated youth Ding who went to the countryside and the current Ding Boyun were like two separate people. Although the former was not a good person, at least he would not harm young girls.

They both have the surname Chu, and even though the relationship between the two families is as hostile as fire, Han Shengyi couldn't help but frown. There was no other way, because Chu Yue and Chu Jiujiu were too similar in age. Looking at her, Han Shengyi couldn't help but think of Chu Jiujiu.

Han Shengyi walked home silently. It was time to get off work. Today he went home alone again. Fortunately, the temperature was not that high today and there was wind in the evening to blow away the heat from his body.

As he was walking, suddenly, a man and a woman appeared in front of him and grabbed his hands without saying a word.

The man said anxiously, "Shengyi! Please save your grandpa!"

The woman wasn't as excited as him, but her expression was similar to the man's. She also begged Han Shengyi: "I'm your third aunt, Shengyi. Your grandfather, eldest uncle, and second uncle have all been arrested. We are now desperate. Please, for the sake of our family, save them!"

Passersby saw the hustle and bustle here and stopped, stretching their necks to look over here. Han Shengyi looked at the man and woman, and his originally unfamiliar faces gradually became familiar.

——

He actually didn't say anything, not even his expression changed, and the couple told him everything.

It seemed that a week ago, just when the disaster relief work had just ended, someone suddenly reported their family for corruption and bribery. First, the old man of the Ruan family was arrested, followed by the eldest and second sons of the Ruan family. The third son escaped, not because he did not participate, but because he was a hopeless case and his followers were too small to be arrested.

But the third brother's family had always been subsidized by those families, so after this group of people were arrested, the third brother's life became difficult.

The third aunt was more talkative than the third uncle. She kept talking about how anxious she was these days, even to the point of blisters on her lips. Her main idea was to ask Han Shengyi to ask his grandfather, Minister Han, to find a way to get those three people out.

She didn't mention Ruan Mengru, but after listening for a while, Han Shengyi asked her, they were all arrested, so what about Ruan Mengru?

Third aunt avoided his gaze. Han Shengyi looked at her for a few seconds, pried open his hand, and left.

The expression of the third aunt said it all. Ruan Mengru was also unlucky. She had not appeared for a while. Han Shengyi thought it was because of the earthquake over there, but he didn't expect that it was because she could no longer come.

After thinking about it for a while, Han Shengyi almost knew what was going on. In the final analysis, it was still those three words - a bit of a coincidence.

In the evening, Han Shengyi sat in the living room, not watching TV, but looking at Grandpa Han. Grandpa Han seemed calm at first, but later he became very uneasy.

He actually wanted to resist stubbornly, but he couldn't stand Han Shengyi's great patience. With a sigh, Grandpa Han chose to admit defeat. He coughed, stood up and walked towards the bedroom.

The TV was playing fine, and the show wasn't even halfway through. Chu Jiujiu was sitting there eating fruit when she saw Grandpa Han leave. Then, she saw Han Shengyi leave. Chu Jiujiu looked up and said, "Hey, you guys—"

Before she could finish her words, a washed peach fell from Chu Jiujiu's fruit plate with a bang. Without even looking up, Grandma Han said, "Eat yours."

Chu Jiujiu: “…”

Talking about little secrets again, Chu Jiujiu snorted reluctantly. She didn't go over to disturb them, but she made up her mind to ask Han Shengyi what they had talked about.

——

The last time Han Shengyi walked in with Grandma Han, he was slapped in the face and had to kneel for more than ten minutes. Today, Han Shengyi was treated better and only had to stand.

Grandpa Han sat on a chair nearby, rubbing a black spot on the corner of his clothes. He said, "If you have anything you want to ask, just ask."

Han Shengyi didn't ask. Seeing Grandpa Han refusing to look up, he laughed and said, "Don't be nervous."

Grandpa Han: “…”

"Nonsense, when have I ever been nervous?"

Grandpa Han raised his head and glared at Han Shengyi.

Han Shengyi ignored his outward appearance of strength and looked around. Finding no other stool, he sat on the neatly swept bed.

With his eyes lowered, he said, "The Ruan family has been keeping a low profile these years. They have a good relationship with the Guo family, so no one dares to touch them easily. Even if they have enemies behind the scenes, at this critical juncture, no one is willing to take the initiative unless they have no other choice."

At this point, he laughed and said, "Of course, being coerced doesn't count."

Grandpa Han: “…”

I'm afraid his grandson is about to become a spirit.

Han Shengyi was right. Now was a critical moment, a time when a storm was about to come. Even someone as powerful as Chief Qi did not dare to act in a high-profile manner. The remaining soldiers and pawns were even more timid and did not dare to cause any trouble.

Before its demise, something will inevitably fight back desperately, even emitting an unbearable howl. Grandpa Han was taking too much of a risk. They weren't Chu Yue, and they didn't know what the future would hold. If they didn't handle it properly, Grandpa Han would likely be affected. Fortunately, the future was in their favor, and Grandpa Han was still sharp, so after all this, it didn't affect him at all.

He felt a little frustrated that Han Shengyi guessed it so quickly.

Besides feeling frustrated, I also felt a kind of inexplicable sense of relief.

Thinking of this, he also laughed, this smile was relaxed, but also helpless, "Don't blame your grandma, she is afraid that you will get into big trouble."

Standing up with his hands behind his back, Grandpa Han's back was a little bent. This was an injury he got from doing farm work in Qingzhu Village. Even though Chu Jiujiu gave him necklace water to drink, some injuries could not be cured after all.

"If I were the only one in our family, the Ruan family would have been finished the day I came back. But, only a young man can keep charging forward. People of your grandfather's age tend to become less courageous as they grow older. There are some things I dare not do. I can't afford to take the risk of a one in ten thousand chance."

Turning around, he looked at Han Shengyi with a smile: "You see, your grandma is more amazing. If I hadn't met your grandma, maybe she would have washed dishes for another year and then joined the army. Oh, that would be amazing. Our country would have a female general."

Han Shengyi: “…”

Even at this time, he never forgets to praise his wife. Sometimes, Han Shengyi also admires Grandpa Han very much.

Noticing the slight disdain in Han Shengyi's eyes, Grandpa Han touched his nose and said, "Ahem, I've strayed from the topic. Anyway, no one from the Ruan family will be released again in this lifetime. As for your mother... she's protected by the Guo family. Guo Deshu is really kind to her and dares to challenge me for her. However, his here doesn't work very well."

Pointing to his head, Grandpa Han smiled and said, "It's okay if he doesn't know the current situation. The more he doesn't know the current situation, the more I like him."

An old fox and a young fox, two foxes sitting together, there is no need to say too much, just a little hint, the other party will understand what you mean. Han Shengyi looked at Grandpa Han, and after a long while, he slowly raised the corners of his lips, "If it wasn't you who took this thing away, I would be very distressed."

He was distressed when he spoke and angry when he thought about it. Grandpa Han understood his subtext. A year ago, Grandpa Han was worried about Han Shengyi. A year later, he was still worried because Han Shengyi had gone further than he had imagined.

"Shengyi."

The smile on Grandpa Han's face faded a little, and the corners of his eyes drooped, revealing the deep light in Grandpa Han's eyes. "Do you like doing this?"

Han Shengyi: “Yes, there are some.”

"There are some, but not all of them. What are the parts you don't like?"

Grandpa Han waited for Han Shengyi's answer, but the latter was silent for a few seconds. He was thinking about whether to tell the truth to Grandpa Han.

After a moment, he responded: "The part I don't like... is that you all don't like me doing these things."

Grandpa Han was stunned for a moment, "You guys?"

Han Shengyi nodded, "You and Jiujiu."