The cold night was as dark as ink, shrouding the Hongqi Production Brigade in silence. Only the streetlamp under the old locust tree at the village entrance remained lit, its dim yellow light casting dappled shadows on the frozen dirt road. The cold wind swirled through the withered leaves, making a rustling sound, as if concealing countless secrets. Shen Tingzhou wrapped his old cotton-padded coat tighter around himself, his steps as light as a cat's, his eyes fixed on the dark figure not far ahead—it was the brigade secretary, Zhao's father, who was now standing furtively under the old locust tree, clutching a black cloth bag, glancing up every now and then, as if waiting for someone.
Hidden behind a haystack in the shadows, Shen Tingzhou unconsciously rubbed his fingertips against the old military knife at his waist—his old sword from his days in the army. Though worn, the blade remained sharp. Ever since he noticed Zhao's father's suspicious behavior, he had been secretly following him. He discovered that Zhao's father came here every Wednesday night, staying for less than ten minutes each time before hurriedly leaving—his behavior was strange. "Could he really be involved in that mission from back then?" Shen Tingzhou wondered to himself, his eyes growing sharper. Back then, during a classified mission, he had been in danger because of an intelligence leak, forcing him to fake his death to escape. Now, Zhao's father's unusual behavior made him suspect that Zhao's father was the mole who leaked the intelligence.
Not long after, soft footsteps sounded in the distance, and a man wearing a black overcoat and a mask approached. The man was tall and walked with a stiff gait, not appearing to be a local. Upon seeing the man, Zhao's father immediately went to greet him, whispered something, and then handed him a black cloth bag. The man took the bag, opened it, glanced at it, nodded in satisfaction, and then took an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Zhao's father. Shen Tingzhou held his breath, and in the dim light of the streetlamp, he could vaguely see strange symbols printed on the envelope, unlike domestic stamps.
Just as the man turned to leave, Shen Tingzhou suddenly noticed a silver bracelet peeking out from the man's cuff, with a small metal tag engraved with the letter "K". Shen Tingzhou's heart tightened—he recognized the symbol all too well; members of hostile foreign forces he encountered during missions years ago all wore similar bracelets! "It really is them!" Shen Tingzhou gripped the military knife at his waist, suppressing the urge to rush out—he was alone now, and rash action would not only alert them but could also endanger Lin Wanqiu and Nian'an's safety. He had to obtain evidence first before making any further plans.
After the man left, Zhao's father carefully tucked the envelope into his pocket, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then hurried home. Shen Tingzhou quietly followed behind, keeping a safe distance. Zhao's father's house was at the east end of the village, a spacious brick house, considered one of the wealthiest families in the village. Zhao's father entered the courtyard, closed the door, and even locked it. Shen Tingzhou went around to the back of the house, and using the shadow of the corner, climbed onto the roof, gently lifted a tile, and looked down.
The light was on in the room, and Zhao's father was sitting at the table, carefully opening an envelope. Inside was a stack of crisp new banknotes and a slip of paper. He picked up the slip and examined it closely, a smug smile spreading across his face. Shen Tingzhou squinted, trying to decipher the contents of the slip. Although it was difficult to read clearly, the words "weapons," "intelligence," and "delivery location" were still clearly visible. His heart sank—Zhao's father had not only leaked intelligence but had also colluded with foreign forces to traffic in arms—a capital offense!
Just then, Zhao Jianjun, Zhao's son, came out of the inner room. Seeing the banknotes on the table, his eyes lit up immediately: "Dad, who gave me this money? So much!" Zhao's father quickly put the banknotes away and glared at Zhao Jianjun: "Don't ask questions you shouldn't! This money is for you to buy a job in the county town. Just wait patiently." Zhao Jianjun pouted, unwillingly saying, "Dad, I don't want a job, I want Lin Wanqiu! That woman is becoming more and more successful. The workshop is making so much money. If we can marry her, our family will be even richer!" Zhao's father frowned: "Don't think about Lin Wanqiu all the time! That woman is not to be trifled with. Last time you harassed her, she almost reported you to the commune. If you dare to mess with her again, I won't let you off!"
Listening to the conversation between the father and son from the rooftop, Shen Tingzhou's anger grew stronger. Zhao Jianjun not only coveted Lin Wanqiu but also wanted to seize the workshop's property. And Zhao's father, to satisfy his son's selfish desires, had even colluded with foreign forces, betraying national interests. "I absolutely cannot let them harm Wanqiu and Nian'an!" Shen Tingzhou gently lowered a tile, silently climbed down from the roof, and quickly disappeared into the night.
When Lin Wanqiu returned home, she was still awake, sitting under the lamp mending Nian'an's clothes. Nian'an was already asleep, a sweet smile on her little face, a piece of candied fruit still clutched in her hand. Seeing Shen Tingzhou return, Lin Wanqiu quickly stood up: "Why are you so late? I thought something had happened to you." Shen Tingzhou went over and took Lin Wanqiu's hand. His hand was icy cold, making Lin Wanqiu's heart tighten: "Tingzhou, what's wrong? Did you encounter any danger?"
Looking at Lin Wanqiu's worried eyes, Shen Tingzhou felt a pang of guilt—he had kept his investigation a secret from her, not wanting her to worry, but now the evidence was irrefutable, and he had to tell her the truth. "Wanqiu, there's something I need to tell you," Shen Tingzhou took a deep breath and recounted everything he had seen that night, including Zhao's father's collusion with foreign forces. Upon hearing this, Lin Wanqiu's face turned deathly pale, and the needle and thread in her hand fell to the ground: "How could this be? Zhao's father is the brigade secretary, how could he dare to do such a thing?"
Shen Tingzhou picked up the needle and thread from the ground and handed it to Lin Wanqiu, saying firmly, "You can know a person's face but not their heart. On the surface, Zhao's father is a good secretary who cares about the villagers, but in reality, he's a traitor who sells out the country for personal gain. Back when I was on a mission, I almost lost my life because he leaked intelligence. Now he's colluding with foreign forces to sell arms. If we don't bring him to justice soon, not only will we be in danger, but the entire village, and even the entire county, will be threatened." Lin Wanqiu gripped Shen Tingzhou's hand tightly, her eyes filled with determination: "Tingzhou, don't worry, I'll face this with you. We can't let Zhao's father do any more evil. We must expose his crimes, protect Nian'an, and protect our fellow villagers."
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