Poultry lovers

The new clue greatly boosted Zhang Chong's morale. He waved his hands to shoo away the buzzing flies and personally examined the body parts.

After tossing the severed foot back into the pile of corpses, Gao Junxiao glanced at the red particles stuck to his fingernails, pursed his lips in disgust, and casually scooped it up in the pool of water. The cool spring water instantly washed away the sticky, fishy bits of flesh.

The low temperature of the water preserved the freshness of the remaining body parts, which should allow Zhang Chong to gain something. Gao Junxiao, however, sat down in a distant corner with little interest, so as not to get the smell of blood on himself and be disliked by his wife when he got home.

At this moment, Shen Jian approached mysteriously, as if he had something to say. Gao Junxiao guessed that Shen Jian was about to cause trouble again, so he decided to take the initiative and tell Shen Jian to communicate directly with Section Chief Zhang if he made any new discoveries, and that he would not interfere with this case.

In an instant, Shen Jian froze like an ice sculpture. However, Gao Junxiao underestimated the shamelessness of the spy. With a snap of his fingers, Shen Jian tugged at Gao Junxiao's sleeve with a grin, calling him "Brother, brother" in a very affectionate manner.

However, Gao Junxiao was completely unmoved by this and threatened that if Shen Jian continued to nag, he would send him back to the ship to sit on the sidelines.

"No, brother, I really have made a major discovery, but I feel guilty if I make a fortune by myself. Since you saved my life, let's get rich together." Shen Jian looked at Gao Junxiao sincerely.

"Heh, conscience? Do beasts even deserve to talk about conscience?" Gao Junxiao rolled his eyes and walked out of the cave. The little thing was just forced by the situation to try to form a temporary alliance against CC. It would be better to wait until he finished speaking before denying it.

Perhaps sensing Gao Junxiao's attitude, Chen Jian followed closely behind, cautiously looking around before whispering, "I just found the words 'Wu Hao' on a piece of Secretary Yu's thigh."

His heart skipped a beat; this wasn't in the script. Gao Junxiao, however, remained calm and joked in a lighthearted tone, "What's this? Secretary Yu even tattooed his little lover's name on his leg. The Communist Party is quite romantic."

“What little lover? Wu Hao is Zhou (male god).” Chen Jian hurriedly explained, “There is a missing character ‘亲’ below Wu Hao, and the three vertical ink marks are all reversed. He must have a letter in his pocket. The original text should be ‘Wu Hao, please open’.”

"Not surprising. Secretary Yu is a high-ranking official. Someone asked him to pass on a message to Zhou Gong to say hello. What does that prove?" Gao Junxiao said calmly, picking a yellow flower and smelling it. It had no fragrance.

"This proves that there is very important intelligence being transmitted! As far as I know, only their intelligence system and a few veterans are used to calling Zhou (the male god) Wu Hao." Shen Jian replied confidently.

"Oh, then investigate thoroughly." Gao Junxiao struggled to suppress the raging magma in his chest, his palms suddenly clenching, crushed petals falling one by one from his hands.

Chen Jian, who was standing beside Gao Junxiao, did not notice Gao Junxiao's emotions. He was still lamenting that the original letter could no longer be verified due to being soaked in water and the explosion, but a trace of clues had not been erased.

He chuckled and opened his palm, on which was a small piece of charred, dark brown parchment. There was only half a small regular script character on the tattered paper, but the strokes of the character were too easy for someone who studied calligraphy and painting to recognize—the sun and moon were represented by the character "明" (bright).

"This Ming guy can actually write directly to Zhou Gong (the Duke of Zhou), he's really high-level!" Gao Junxiao raised an eyebrow, stomping his foot on the fallen petals. "You, He Qingcheng, you didn't even give me the complete script. I thought she was being kind to me, but it turns out this brat is using me as a pawn!"

“That makes sense. I would like to ask Councilor Gao to board the ship as soon as possible and send me back to Shanghai. Once Shen Jian has found the clues, I will definitely pay him a visit with gifts.” Shen Jian clasped his hands in a salute.

"Go!" Gao Junxiao coldly uttered a single word and strode towards Zhang Chong, his heart filled with resentment. He desperately wanted to sprout wings and fly back to Shanghai. He Qingcheng, you just wait. If you can't explain yourself clearly, don't blame him for being ruthless.

Shen Jian was surprised that Gao Junxiao was so easy to talk to, and happily went with him to find Zhang Chong to ask to return home.

The dock was brightly lit, and the weeping willows along the shore swayed in the wind. Some of the wooden planks even had grass growing out of the cracks, making it look very lively.

From afar, Gao Junxiao saw his adjutant Lu Xian waving incessantly at the merchant ships docking at the shore. Behind him were two brand-new convertible military trucks and a black sedan, with several soldiers wearing armbands leading military dogs around them.

Slowly scanning the crowd, Gao Junxiao steadily stepped off the boat, followed closely by Yan Chu, who was being supported by Zhang Chong.

The moment Yan Chu saw land, his entire dark flesh trembled. He excitedly broke free from Zhang Chong and ran off the boat, snot bubbles hanging from his nostrils, shouting in a tearful voice, "Waaah, I'm finally back! Hahaha, I'm back!"

The cheerful atmosphere attracted the attention of passersby. Gao Junxiao and Zhang Chong exchanged a helpless glance; neither of them wanted to admit that they knew this guy.

On the shore, Lu Xian was the first to greet them. After exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Chong tactfully went to make a phone call. Soldiers disembarked one after another. After confirming that none of his brothers were injured, Lu Xian loudly called on the disembarking men to line up for roll call. After roll call, they took a car back to headquarters. Commander Xiong granted the brothers who participated in the mission three days of rest.

Amid the cheers of his brothers, Gao Junxiao beckoned Lu Xian aside. Besides his brothers, there were also several secret agents on the ship. He would drop off the secret agents in the bustling city and then leave them there.

As for the car, let's take Director Yan home first. I can take a rickshaw home myself. After explaining everything, Gao Junxiao left the dock without stopping. He Qingcheng hadn't gotten off work yet at this hour. Humph, I'll go to her office and wait for her now.

People walked in twos and threes, and you could vaguely hear them discussing what to eat for dinner.

"What the hell? I'm so angry I'm full." Gao Junxiao stood at the intersection waiting for the streetlights, propping up his arms and cursing inwardly. At that moment, a dark figure quickly emerged from behind, and everything went dark in an instant.

"Guess who I am?" A warm breath came from beside my ear, its scent like boiling Biluochun tea, with a hint of sweetness.

That was close! He almost had a stress reaction. Silently withdrawing his tripping foot, Gao Junxiao replied irritably, "I'm not guessing anymore, I'm tired."

Oh my, she delivered herself right to my door! Gao Junxiao let Qingcheng hug his waist and rub against his back like a kitten before casually saying that she had wiped the mud and salt off his clothes, so how could he claim military merit?

The waist loosened, and the warmth on his back dissipated in the wind. This made Gao Junxiao, who had originally wanted to disgust her, feel not only disappointed but also extremely aggrieved. He had almost lost his life there, and she still dared to despise him.

Thinking of this, Gao Junxiao turned and left. He had trusted He Qingcheng too much; from now on, he would have to take everything she said with a grain of salt.

However, the next second, he was pulled back by a pair of strong, slender hands, and a clear, pretty face suddenly loomed in front of him: "Silly, it's the clothes that are dirty, not you. Come here and give me a hug."

His body was enveloped in a soft, dough-like embrace, a sensation akin to being covered by a warm towel, the comforting temperature bringing him immense peace. Reason, on the other hand, was like a small boat tossed about by a storm, drifting aimlessly on gentle waves…

"Hey, what happened to your neck? Let me see." Qingcheng rubbed his cheek. "No wonder my poor Xiao is so tired. Did he go hunting for beauties or fight a giant octopus?"

What's going on in Miss He's head?! Gao Junxiao was amused. He had only gone to a small island in the East China Sea, not to discover a new continent.

But her words ruined his composure, and he wouldn't let anyone bully him anymore. Gao Junxiao suppressed his smile, put his hands in his pockets, and went along with her words, talking nonsense: "It's nothing, I wanted to catch a mermaid to show you, but she slapped me in the face with her tail."

"Hehe, you couldn't resist touching my little tail, could you?" Kiyosumi's little hand suddenly slipped into his pocket.

As if pricked by a needle, Gao Junxiao grabbed Rouyi's hand and reminded her in an almost inaudible tone to be mindful of her behavior on the street. However, Miss He smiled and didn't care at all. She took his hand and walked into the alley, probably to get her car.

The cool river breeze tickled his ears, and the more Gao Junxiao tried to suppress his heartbeat, the more violently it pounded. Looking at Qingcheng's bouncing figure, he realized that his heart had long since stopped obeying his commands.

Bang--

Gao Junxiao instinctively hugged He Qingcheng. Gunshots rang out one after another from the direction of the dock, giving him a bad feeling. He wanted to go to the dock to check, but Qingcheng hugged him with red eyes, and he couldn't bear to do it.

It wasn't until the two got into the car that Gao Junxiao gradually regained his senses. When did He Qingcheng become so timid? Was this still the same fiancée who, upon encountering gossip, would want to rush to the scene with a submachine gun and start shooting with both hands?

Something unusual must be going on. The seeds of doubt sprouted again. Gao Junxiao said in a deep voice, "Turn left ahead and stop at Chengkang Lane. I have something to ask you."

Qingcheng tilted her head and timidly glanced at him, only to meet Gao Junxiao's probing gaze. She turned her head away as if she had been electrocuted and obediently parked the car as instructed.

The carriage was completely silent. Gao Junxiao took a deep breath and went straight to the point, asking Qingcheng what had happened with the gunshots at the dock earlier.

Qingcheng shook her head vigorously like a rattle-drum, insisting that she didn't know.

"Did you notify Lu Xian?" Gao Junxiao didn't even know what time they would arrive at the shore while he was on the ship, but they received the news in advance and prepared transportation. There must be someone monitoring them at the dock.

As if struck by lightning, Qingcheng was filled with shock: "Lieutenant Lu is your man. You shouldn't suspect him, no matter who you suspect. Besides, there are locators on merchant ships. You can just call the dispatch office to find out what time we arrive at port."

Nonsense! It felt like a stone was weighing on his heart, making him sink straight down. They had set out on a secret mission early in the morning, and Lu Xian was still asleep when they gathered the team.

Okay, even if Lu Xian was notified by Commander Xiong to make the rendezvous, Lu Xian wouldn't dare to reveal it. How would He Qingcheng know the time? The dispatch room is full of damn spies. They would give themselves away if they made a phone call. Gao Junxiao's neck stiffened: "I didn't suspect him. What were you doing at the dock? Don't tell me it was to wait for me."

"I was waiting for you. I was drinking tea and waiting for you at the tea shop. My hands were bitten by mosquitoes several times." Qingcheng's face turned ashen, and she hurriedly rolled up her arms, revealing several small red spots. "You don't trust me. You don't even trust me."

Seeing that Qingcheng was still being stubborn, Gao Junxiao tried hard to control his anger, "Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. Do you trust me? Why are there scenes that are not in the script? What, are you afraid that I will mess up my performance and ruin the reputation of you, the great screenwriter He!"

Qingcheng's lips trembled a few times, her gaze shifting to the tip of her nose, and she calmly replied, "I don't want you to be suspected by spies. No matter how good your acting is, there will still be traces of performance. Only genuine emotions will not reveal any flaws. Zhang Chong and Shen Jian are more troublesome than you think."

Did she really need to tell him that spies were difficult to deal with? This was no excuse for deceiving him or adding unnecessary drama. Gao Junxiao found himself increasingly unable to understand the woman in front of him. One second she was being coquettish, the next she was cold-hearted. Was callousness her true nature?

The helplessness of the plan going off track filled Gao Junxiao with unprecedented fear. What exactly was she trying to do? Gao Junxiao excitedly pointed out that the plan already included Secretary Yu, a high-ranking official of the Communist Party, so why drag Wu Hao into it? The dog spy's eyes lit up with greed at the mention of Wu Hao's name.

And what's with this so-called "Ming"? Who is this "deity"? Playing such a big game, does she have the ability to clean up the mess? Does she have to drag herself down with her before she's satisfied?

Faced with a barrage of sharp questions, Qingcheng's face turned bright red. Her mouth opened slightly but she couldn't utter a single word. She turned her head and quickly wiped her eyes, suppressing countless grievances within them.

His throat was dry, and Gao Junxiao regretted that his tone had been a bit harsh. He reached out to her back, but forcibly resisted the urge to touch her. He lowered his head in embarrassment, knowing that she definitely didn't want to talk to him anymore.

After an unknown amount of time, a gentle voice called out in my ear: "Ah Xiao, are you hungry?"

Frozen in place, Gao Junxiao looked up in disbelief, only to see Qingcheng pouting her dimples and introducing, as usual, that she had ordered a steaming hot pot of mutton to replenish his energy, along with a special sesame sauce made by a master chef from Beijing...

Qingcheng's warm words were like bright sunshine shining into his soul. Gao Junxiao felt a pang of heartache and could hardly breathe. He pulled Qingcheng into his arms and held her tightly, his knuckles brushing against her hair. Only in this way could he feel real.

Optimistic people often smile and treat others gently. It's not that they don't suffer, but that their inner strength allows them to dilute their suffering on their own. Qingcheng carries a heavy burden on his shoulders, which he dares not even think about. Just thinking about it makes him feel upset and increasingly disgusted with his own incompetence.

What exactly can he do?

Suddenly, Li Sheng's reminder rang in his ears: "You need to rein in your selfish desires. If you do, you'll discover an even more fascinating Miss He."

Though my body may not be among the ranks of men, my heart is fiercer than any man's. This realization had long been clear in my heart!

In the instant he understood, the world seemed to open up for him. Since he couldn't share her burdens, he absolutely couldn't hold her back. Gao Junxiao's voice was hoarse, and he mumbled, "Huahua, thank you for your hard work."

"Thank you." Qingcheng hugged him back tightly, her shoulders trembling slightly. It wasn't until her neck was wet with tears that Gao Junxiao belatedly realized she was crying, and his heart melted.

Before he knew it, Gao Junxiao's anger dissipated. Oh well, if she wanted to talk, she could; if she didn't want to, she wouldn't. Everyone has their little secrets.

Patting her on the back, Gao Junxiao decided to change the subject: "You just said there was mutton hot pot, is that true?"

"Really?" Kiyosumi twisted her body in dissatisfaction.

"Okay, okay, I'll trust you one more time. Can you still drive? Or should I drive?" Gao Junxiao raised his hand and gently wiped away her tears with his fingertips.

"No, I'll drive my own car." Qingcheng brushed a stray hair aside; her eyes were swollen like a little goldfish's.

"No problem, please go ahead!" Gao Junxiao helped her fasten her seatbelt and gestured for her to proceed. Under Qingcheng's gaze, he realized that he hadn't fastened his own seatbelt yet.

After Gao Junxiao buttoned up his clothes, the car suddenly sped out of the alley. Touching his sore lower back, Gao Junxiao glared at Qingcheng. Good heavens, she still has a temper. What kind of world is this?

The car drove along the busy road and finally stopped in front of the familiar apartment building. Gao Junxiao couldn't help but ask, "Weren't we going to a mutton restaurant? Why are we going home?"

"Oh, why go to a restaurant? This is a welcoming banquet for our most distinguished guest, and the owner of He's Lamb Restaurant must personally host him." Qingcheng patted his chest and guaranteed.

Full of questions, Gao Junxiao was led back to Qingcheng's home. As soon as he opened the door, he was dazzled by the dazzling array of meat slices and vegetables on the table. Not bad, the plating was quite elaborate.

Hehe, actually it's more cozy to eat at home. Gao Junxiao wiped his mouth and deliberately asked his wife why she was holding a Taoist ceremony in his room. Was it because she didn't want to wash the dishes that she set up the feast downstairs?

"You stingy little thing! If I didn't want to wash the dishes, I would have just taken you out to eat. It's all so you can eat as much as you want," Kiyosumi said reproachfully, glancing sideways at him.

"I was just kidding. Manager He, please enjoy your meal and leave. I'll clean up after you." Gao Junxiao suppressed a laugh, pinching Qingcheng's small face. It still felt so smooth and bouncy; he wished it could stay that way.

"That's right, go take a shower, don't let the smell get mixed up." Qingcheng tossed a bag of clothes over, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"What do you mean? Are you disgusted with me?" Gao Junxiao frowned and sniffed himself. He seemed to smell like seafood. But while he could be disgusted with himself, He Qingcheng could not be disgusted with him.

"Hurry up and wash it, or I won't take out the best plate." Kiyosumi said proudly, raising her chin.

"Tch, you're hiding the good stuff." Gao Junxiao took a few steps toward the bathroom and suddenly stopped, turning around to say, "The floral water is on my bedside table, the kind you usually use, don't be shy."

"Who's being polite with you? Let's go, let's go." Kiyosumi rubbed her rosy cheeks, looking quite adorable as she tried to control her expression.

Steam rose from the copper pot, and the plates on the table were almost empty. Hot pot was the ultimate delicacy, encompassing all kinds of delicacies. Gao Junxiao rubbed his stomach and felt he could eat some more.

His gaze unconsciously drifted to Qingcheng's bowl. The meat wouldn't taste good if it got cold, so... No, no, he knew Qingcheng wouldn't be able to eat much, and he'd have to clear out the last of the new dishes anyway, hehehehehehe...

Ouch! A sharp pain shot through the back of his head. Gao Junxiao turned around abruptly and saw Qingcheng holding a large soup ladle in one hand and a plate of dumplings in the other. His eyes lit up, and he took the plate, intending to finish it all. But the ladle shoved him away, and Qingcheng said sarcastically, "Are you a reincarnated starving ghost? So many dumplings will stick together. Move aside!"

Under the pressure of the soup spoon, Gao Junxiao humbly grabbed a piece of lettuce, dipped it in the sauce, and ate it. To be honest, the sesame sauce was quite authentic. He then asked Qingcheng which chef made it, as he wanted to buy some.

Qingcheng hummed a song as she dropped dumplings into the pot one by one: "No need to buy them, they're made by a master chef from Beijing."

"I know, that's why I asked which family, haha, it can't be you, can it? You call yourself a member of the Beijing school, are you in a hurry to marry me?" Gao Junxiao grinned and put his arm around Qingcheng's waist.

"You're overthinking it." Qingcheng poked his forehead with her finger to reveal the secret, "The sesame sauce was made by your father-in-law, and the dumplings were made by your mother-in-law. Remember to call them tonight to say hello."

"Great! I never expected the old man to have this skill. I've never tasted a single dish cooked by him before," Gao Junxiao said, leaning against Qingcheng's waist with admiration.

Qingcheng patted his head: "We got to eat it today, and the old man can not only cook Beijing-style dishes, but also Cantonese dishes. His steamed chicken feet in soy sauce are better than mine."

"How could he be like this? He's become a culinary master in his old age. My mother used to have to go with him whenever he went on a business trip, leaving the three of us sisters at our maternal grandparents' house. My grandfather got annoyed with me after that." Gao Junxiao swallowed hard, staring at the chubby little white cat rolling around in the pot, his mouth practically overflowing with saliva.

"Pah, why does Grandpa only bother you? Don't you know your own limitations? You've turned a perfectly good gyrfalcon into a vulture. The old man has already been very restrained by not hanging you up and beating you." Qingcheng looked both amused and exasperated.

"How did you know about this? No, I didn't pluck it. I just shaved it with clippers. Feathers grow back just like hair. I have a lot of experience raising poultry. Besides, I fed it two earthworms before. Taking a few feathers is just a way of repaying the kindness of feeding it." Gao Junxiao showed no remorse whatsoever.

Qingcheng suddenly leaned down and pressed down on him, turning his face around: "Using clippers is even more despicable, okay? Stop making excuses for your evil deeds. You're just taking advantage of the gyrfalcon because it can't speak human language and relies on your family for survival. What you think is an equal exchange is actually a typical case of class oppression. Don't be so subjective."

"Don't make a big deal out of it. I know I was wrong, I just couldn't resist. Give me one first, I want to see if it's cooked." Gao Junxiao stared at the copper pot, rubbing his hands expectantly under the table, imagining the hot little dumpling bursting in his mouth, the aroma of the juice... Mmm! Hot!

Spitting out the dumpling, Gao Junxiao yelped at his burned tongue, then turned his resentful gaze to Qingcheng, complaining that she didn't blow on it before feeding him.

"Okay, I'll blow on it for you. I thought you weren't afraid of getting burned. Remember to tell me in advance next time, I can't guess what you're thinking." Qingcheng gave a meaningful smile. The light shone on her head, making her face even more mysterious.

Gao Junxiao nodded with a smile. A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle, and there was no point in arguing. It's just that something seemed to be missing from her head.

Moonlight spilled onto the majestic cloud-capped peaks. The mountains of Jiangxi are often shrouded in mist, giving them a more ethereal and otherworldly air compared to other places. On the rugged mountain path, two people were saying goodbye, their shadows stretched long.

"Comrade Qian, the border of the Soviet area is just ahead. Let's part ways here." The thin man extended his hand to the other person.

The man immediately shook his hand: "Secretary Yu, have a safe journey. Let's meet again on the day the revolution succeeds."

“Okay, it’s a deal. Once I pass the review, I’ll submit the materials.” Secretary Yu held the man’s hand tightly.

"Please, the incriminating materials prepared by Mr. Ming can only be given to Wu Hao. No one else is allowed to open them. This concerns the survival of our entire task force," the man said solemnly.

“Understood. I only trust Wu Hao now.” Secretary Yu’s eyes reddened. “You must be careful when you work in the White Area. I will definitely catch the parasites in the Soviet Area. I can’t let you comrades working in the White Area be attacked from both sides.”

"You must also be careful. 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' If you carry incriminating materials, you will become a thorn in the side of all the lurking spies," the man warned worriedly.

"What is there to fear in a revolution? As long as my sacrifice is worthwhile, I am not afraid." Secretary Yu's frail body seemed to burst forth with tremendous energy, illuminating the sky.

Only after Secretary Yu stepped into the checkpoint did the man silently light a cigarette, take a deep drag, and exhale, hoping that this pest control plan would be successful.