Chapter 50 Report

Nan Zhiyi was so embarrassed she almost fainted: "You... what nonsense are you talking about!"

She was furious and reached out to push him away, but was afraid of touching the wound under his ribs. Her fingers froze in mid-air, caught in a dilemma.

"The wound hurts."

Gu Xiao suddenly frowned, his voice aggrieved, and grabbed her wrist, which was hanging in mid-air, pressing it against the edge of the wound gauze.

"Feel it, is it still a little swollen? If you don't move, I'll be unhappy, and this injury... will heal even slower."

He's being a scoundrel!

Nan Zhiyi was both angry and ashamed.

He's a nagging scoundrel!

She tried to pull her hand away, but he held it even tighter.

Ultimately, under his focused, piercing gaze and the excuse that her "wound hurts," Nan Zhiyi's defenses gradually crumbled.

She bit her lower lip and nodded slightly.

So, day after day, Nan Zhiyi felt like she was being roasted over a fire. The fatigue from doing housework and learning to cook during the day had not yet dissipated, and at night she had to deal with his demands.

He always found a way to soften her heart, a way to make her nod in shame and indignation.

She began to fear the coming of night.

An indescribable tension and palpitations became her normal state at night.

That morning, Nan Zhiyi was picking vegetables in the yard when Sister Wang brought in a bowl of fermented bean curd.

“Zhiyi,” Sister Wang, with her sharp eyes, paused for a moment on the dark circles under her eyes, her face mischievous, “Commander Gu is just different at home, huh?”

He wasn't here the other day, and you seemed so listless. Your sister-in-law thought you were missing him so much that you couldn't eat!

Hey, now that you're back, your face looks even more tired...?

"Tsk tsk, Commander Gu's energy is really something, he doesn't show any mercy to women at all! He must have worn them out!"

"Sister-in-law!" Nan Zhiyi stomped her foot in annoyance.

Sister-in-law Wang knew when to stop, knowing that her daughter was easily embarrassed and couldn't stand being teased.

She chuckled and pushed the bowl of glistening fermented bean curd forward, successfully changing the subject: "Here, homemade fermented bean curd, have a taste! The salt is just right this time, it's delicious with rice!"

Nan Zhiyi breathed a sigh of relief, took the rough porcelain bowl, and the aroma of soy sauce mixed with a faint smell of yeast wafted up.

Thank you, sister-in-law!

She turned and hurried back into the house, poured the fermented bean curd into her own empty bowl, and then quickly filled a large bowl with the golden and crispy peanuts she had fried herself, and brought it over to Sister Wang.

The exchange of gifts and the handing over of each other required no words; it was the unspoken understanding between them.

After Sister-in-law Wang left, Nan Zhiyi continued picking vegetables.

The midday sun was scorching, and the cicadas were chirping incessantly.

Nan Zhiyi was busy in the kitchen, sweat dripping down her forehead.

She followed Sister Wang's method and stewed a small pot of pork belly with fermented bean curd. The sauce was rich, and the pieces of meat glistened as they trembled.

The pot was still bubbling with pork bone broth, the soup was clear and bright.

While keeping the food warm on the stove, Nan Zhiyi sat on a small stool by the living room door, flipping through a magazine, but her eyes kept glancing towards the courtyard gate.

As the sun moved from noon to the west, the shadow cast by the courtyard wall grew longer and longer, but Gu Xiao still did not return home.

Her heart began to race.

No matter how busy you are with training, you should come back.

Could it be... that they've gone on a mission?

But I never heard him mention it.

Could it be the wound...? A barrage of unpleasant thoughts began to surface uncontrollably...

It wasn't until late at night that the sound of the courtyard gate being pushed open could be heard.

Nan Zhiyi rushed out quickly.

"Gu Xiao!" She rushed to him, looking him up and down. "Why are you only just getting back? What happened? Are you alright?"

Gu Xiao looked at his wife's pale face, which was filled with panic, and her eyes were brimming with tears.

His heart tightened, and he reached out to wipe away the coolness from the corner of her eye.

"It's nothing. The training was wrapping up, that's why I was delayed." He put his arm around her waist and led her inside. "I'm sorry you worried. Next time I'll have Xiao Chen come and let you know in advance."

Nan Zhiyi relaxed, let out a long sigh of relief, and regained some strength in her hands and feet.

"Go wash up first, I'll bring the food over."

She pushed him to wash up, then turned and went to the kitchen to prepare things.

The braised pork with fermented bean curd is savory, tender, and the bone broth is warm and soothing.

Gu Xiao ate quickly, but his movements were not rude.

He chuckled softly, praising her repeatedly, "Your cooking skills are getting better and better..."

Seeing that he looked normal, Nan Zhi's heart, which had been hanging in suspense all day, finally settled down.

At night, the two lay side by side in bed.

Nan Zhiyi snuggled into his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest.

"Gu Xiao, you must tell me in advance next time. I'm very worried about you."

Gu Xiao patted her back lightly with his palm, "Hmm, this time it was my oversight."

Nan Zhiyi quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Gu Xiao, however, was wide awake.

In the darkness, he lay awake, his mind in turmoil.

In the afternoon, he was invited directly by the security officer of the headquarters.

In an office with its doors and windows tightly closed, besides the security personnel, there were two unfamiliar men dressed in gray Zhongshan suits.

The atmosphere was heavy.

"Comrade Gu Xiao," one of the men in a Zhongshan suit spoke up, "We've invited you here because of the family background of your spouse, Comrade Nan Zhiyi; we need to conduct further verification."

Their questions were sharp and direct:

"What were the operational conditions of the Nanjia Cotton Mill before liberation? Did it engage in exploitative practices? Specific examples are available?"

Did Mr. and Mrs. Nan Mingyuan leave behind any inappropriate remarks or a suicide note before their deaths? What were the specific contents?

What were Comrade Nan Zhiyi's specific behaviors before and after her parents' deaths? Were there any unusual actions or statements?

"When you got married, was her family background rigorously investigated? Were the investigation materials accurate?"

Gu Xiao answered with exceptional calmness, clarity, and certainty.

The investigation lasted for an entire afternoon.

At the end, the old leader called him aside, his face grave: "Someone wrote a letter of complaint, which went directly to the higher-ups. The letter said... very harsh things. It mainly questioned Comrade Nan Zhiyi's class background and her motives for marrying you. You... need to be aware of this."

...

It was already late at night when Gu Xiao walked out of that oppressive little building.

His first reaction wasn't anger, but fear. How would she bear it if she knew about this?

As for the whistleblower…

To avoid causing him trouble, Nan Zhiyi always stayed at home and rarely showed her face.

In this military region, only a few leaders who had seen her file knew Nan Zhiyi's true identity.

The whistleblower can only be someone who knows her identity...

Gu Xiao almost immediately thought of Lu Linlang's face, which was filled with resentment and coldness.

The jealousy in her eyes that day was genuine.

Is it her?

Gu Xiao's eyes were icy cold.

But he has no evidence and cannot make a judgment.

He is not worried that the political vetting process itself will be exposed.

The document was extremely well-prepared, with each part, from the street to the workplace, linked together seamlessly and without any loopholes.

More importantly, Commander Gu tacitly approved of and even secretly supported him in this matter.