Chapter 159 Jiang Wanqiu is beautiful, and many people are drooling over her.

The sky had brightened sometime earlier. Jiang Wanqiu, who had been searching all night, leaned against the railing to rest, feeling somewhat exhausted.

The neighbors who had been searching all night were exhausted. Li Yanhong came over, patted her on the shoulder, and sighed, "Wanqiu, go home and rest first. Everyone should go back and take a nap, have breakfast, and then continue searching. As long as we haven't left this military region, we won't have trouble finding you."

Another military wife chimed in, "Yes, there are soldiers everywhere in and around this military compound, the child won't get lost! Let's wait a bit longer, but if... if he's still not found by tonight, we'll have to report this to our superiors and have them send people to search the entire military region from top to bottom, we have to find that kid Ping An!"

A child going missing in a military compound is no small matter.

Jiang Wanqiu nodded blankly and was helped home.

However, a whole day passed, and Ping An still hadn't returned.

The news quickly reached the relevant departments of the military region. The leaders attached great importance to it and immediately dispatched a platoon to conduct a carpet search of the family compound, training ground, back mountain, and even the riverbanks outside the military region.

While the search was in full swing outside, He Xiaoman was also diligently searching her own home.

She was currently holed up at home, having turned the house upside down. She searched every possible hiding place—cabinets, drawers, under the bed—but couldn't find even a scrap of paper.

Where exactly did this man hide the research funding that was allocated to Zhou Jianjun from above?

"Clang—"

She irritably threw an empty cookie box on the ground, making a loud noise.

Just then, the door was pushed open, and Zhou Jianjun walked in, bringing with him a chill. Seeing the mess in the room, he immediately frowned: "What's wrong with you now?"

As soon as He Xiaoman saw him return, she immediately went up to him with a fake smile and said, "Jianjun, you're back. Um... I have something I want to discuss with you."

As she spoke, she reached out to take Zhou Jianjun's military overcoat, adopting an extremely humble posture.

Zhou Jianjun glanced at her, said nothing, and went to the table to pour himself a glass of water.

He Xiaoman didn't mind his coldness and followed him, her face beaming with a smile: "It's like this, my brother... you know, he's never had a proper job. Last year, he even caused a scene at the military region because of him. Recently, the family found him a job at a supply and marketing cooperative, and they said they need to 'grease some palms,' so you see..."

"How much do you want?" Zhou Jianjun asked directly.

He Xiaoman's eyes lit up. She didn't know exactly how much the funding was, but after making a mental estimate, she asked for an exorbitant amount: "Not much, five hundred yuan will do!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jianjun frowned: "Five hundred? Where would I get that much money?"

"Why not?" He Xiaoman blurted out anxiously, "Didn't we allocate that sum of money for you? Take some from there first, and I'll pay you back once my brother starts working and gets his salary!"

"Use your brain!" Zhou Jianjun slammed the enamel mug down on the table with a loud "bang," splashing water everywhere. "That's the military region's research funding! It's public money! Every penny has to be accounted for! If you use it for personal purposes and it's discovered, you'll be court-martialed and imprisoned! Don't you understand?!"

He Xiaoman shrank back at his outburst, but the thought of those hard-earned bills made her resentful, and her voice became sharp: "What do you mean I don't understand? It's just a matter of borrowing some money first, it's not like I'm not going to pay it back! Zhou Jianjun, you just don't want to help my family! When you married me, what did you say in front of my parents? You said you would treat me and my family well for the rest of your life, but now it's all gone in the wind!"

“If you’re not satisfied, you can get a divorce,” Zhou Jianjun said coldly.

"Divorce?" He Xiaoman frowned. "Zhou Jianjun, you heartless bastard! You're already talking about divorce halfway through our marriage? How can you live like this!"

But seeing Zhou Jianjun's ashen face, with no room for negotiation, her arrogance immediately diminished. She changed the subject and began wiping away tears: "I... I was just saying that. Forget about the five hundred yuan, can you give me two hundred yuan instead? I haven't bought any new clothes in ages, I want to go to the county town to buy some fabric and make a new jacket."

“As a military family member, you must set an example by being frugal and thrifty, and not spend money extravagantly.” Zhou Jianjun reminded him again, “Two hundred yuan is not a small amount. I can only take out twenty yuan from my pocket at most to give you.”

"Twenty yuan?!" He Xiaoman could hardly believe her ears. "Zhou Jianjun, you're an official! How can you be so stingy! Back when I was pursuing someone, there was even the son of another factory director. He spent money on me, giving me a hundred yuan at a time without batting an eye!"

"Then you can go find him now." After saying that, Zhou Jianjun didn't look at her again, turned around, opened the door, slammed it shut, and left.

"Zhou Jianjun! You bastard!" He Xiaoman was so angry that she was trembling all over. She grabbed the enamel mug on the table and wanted to smash it against the door, but she thought that the man wouldn't see her if she vented her anger here. In the end, she could only stomp her foot hard.

She went out, seething with anger, and just then saw many soldiers in uniform on the main road, in groups of three or five, going from house to house asking about the safety of the soldiers.

"What are you doing?" she asked, stopping a passing military wife.

"What else can we do but look for that kid from Jiang Wanqiu's family! I heard they've already mobilized a whole platoon!"

Jiang Wanqiu...

Upon hearing this name, He Xiaoman's hatred flared up like a fire fueled by oil.

She gritted her teeth, turned around, and walked towards the logistics warehouse. She found Du Wenxiu smoking against the wall.

"Have you gotten the money yet?" Du Wenxiu asked, quickly putting out her cigarette when she saw her pale face.

"What a load of crap!" He Xiaoman spat. "Zhou Jianjun is treating me like a thief now, he won't give me a single penny! I've been thinking about it, and it's all because of that bitch Jiang Wanqiu's instigation! If she hadn't been meddling, Zhou Jianjun wouldn't be acting like this!"

Du Wenxiu's eyes darted around: "Anyway, we're leaving soon. If you're not feeling well, we can teach her a lesson before we go, and that will be a way for you to vent your anger."

"How should I give it to you?" He Xiaoman's eyes lit up.

"Don't worry about that, watch me." Du Wenxiu already had a plan in mind. After whispering a few words in He Xiaoman's ear, he smiled sinisterly, "I'll make sure she can never hold her head up high again!"

Hearing his plan, He Xiaoman felt not fear, but rather a surge of pleasure. She added viciously, "I still have some good stuff! Powder for arousing sows. I'll find a way to make her drink it!"

Upon hearing this, Du Wenxiu immediately pictured Jiang Wanqiu's beautiful and refined face, as well as her curvaceous figure, and felt a burning sensation in her heart.

His Adam's apple bobbed, a lewd glint flashed in his eyes, but he feigned righteous indignation: "Fine! That's how it'll be! I'll get a few more brothers to 'serve' her properly! Let her know what happens when she offends us!"

As darkness approached, Jiang Wanqiu's heart pounded again.

Ping An had promised herself that she wouldn't run away from home without a reason, so something must have happened if she didn't see her this time.

Late autumn!

A gentle voice called out to her.

Jiang Wanqiu turned around and saw that the person who came was Gu Feiyan.

Seeing Jiang Wanqiu's anxious expression, the other person gently comforted her, "I heard about Ping An's situation. Don't worry too much. The child is naughty; maybe he's asleep somewhere. I'm not busy today; I'll help you look for him."

Jiang Wanqiu nodded, and was about to say "thank you" when a young guard jogged over, stopped in front of Gu Feiyan, and saluted: "Staff Officer Gu, there's something going on in the regiment. It concerns Comrade Zhao Wenchang's mission outside. Could you please speak to me privately?"

Gu Feiyan frowned slightly and smiled apologetically at Jiang Wanqiu: "Wanqiu, wait for me a moment." After saying that, she followed the guard to a large tree not far away and they talked in hushed tones.

Just then, a voice with a hint of schadenfreude rang out behind her.

"Oh, isn't this Jiang Wanqiu? Still looking for your family's peace?"

Jiang Wanqiu turned her head and saw He Xiaoman walking over with her arms crossed and a look of amusement on her face.

Jiang Wanqiu ignored her, but He Xiaoman was like a piece of chewing gum, continuing to say to herself, "If you ask me, you can't spoil a child! Look at Ping An, he's such a worry. I saw him playing with some mischievous kids over at the logistics warehouse, setting the haystacks on fire, and the logistics department arrested him! Afraid you'd beat him up, he refused to say who he was from, and he's still locked up in the warehouse!"

As she spoke, she curled her lip and glanced sideways at Jiang Wanqiu, her words brimming with a sense of superiority: "This is only because of your family. If my child were to do something like this in the future, it would be a disgrace to the family! In the end, it's because the family has a problem with their upbringing and hasn't taught them well!"

"What did you say?" Upon hearing this, Jiang Wanqiu hurriedly grabbed He Xiaoman's arm and asked, "You've seen him? Where is he? Take me there quickly!"

In her anxiety, He Xiaoman lost her grip and hissed in pain as she pulled her hand away in disgust. "You're hurting me! What's the rush? Would I lie to you?"

She rubbed her wrist, her face full of reluctance, but seeing Jiang Wanqiu's anxious look, a twisted pleasure rose in her heart.

"Alright, alright, seeing how anxious you are, I'll take you there."

He Xiaoman led the way, making several turns, until she brought Jiang Wanqiu to the front of an abandoned warehouse in the most remote part of the logistics department.

No one ever comes here. The area is overgrown with weeds, and there's only a lonely warehouse standing there with half of the paint peeling off the door panels.

“The person is locked up inside. Go get him yourself. I don’t have time to waste here with you.” After saying that, He Xiaoman turned around and left quickly without waiting for Jiang Wanqiu’s reaction.

Jiang Wanqiu was extremely anxious and, disregarding everything else, called out into the warehouse, "Ping An? Ping An! Are you in there?!"

The warehouse was quiet; there was no response.

Jiang Wanqiu frowned, then realized what she meant.

I was so anxious. Thinking about it carefully, this place is too remote. Why would the logistics department keep a child here?

She suspected He Xiaoman was playing a trick on her, and just as she was about to turn around and leave—

A rough, powerful hand suddenly reached out from the side and covered her mouth and nose tightly!