Chapter 92 Could it be that something happened to Xie Zhongming?
"Yes, Comrade Qiao, where's Zhongming?"
"Comrade Qiao, why didn't Zhongming come out with you?"
The crimson sunset cast long shadows of the group onto the trampled, hardened earth.
The atmosphere instantly became heavy.
When everyone surrounded Qiao Xingyue after she was released, they were all wondering why Xie Zhongming hadn't come out with her. Only Xie Jiang looked Qiao Xingyue up and down.
Seeing that she was completely unharmed and had no obvious external injuries, Xie Jiang breathed a slight sigh of relief.
But he was still worried, so he strode over to her and asked with concern, "Xingyue, they didn't hurt you, did they? Are you injured?"
Xie Jiang had long treated Qiao Xingyue as his own daughter.
But his only identity is Qiao Xingyue's father-in-law.
She clearly wanted to go forward and check if Xingyue was injured, but she maintained the proper distance and boundaries. Her eyes showed not only concern but also anxiety.
Thin wisps of smoke drifted from the distant chimneys.
The wind, carrying the lingering warmth of the evening, brushed against Xie Jiang's wrinkled and weathered face.
Under the blood-red sunset, Xie Jiang's eyes were filled with genuine concern and worry for Qiao Xingyue.
When Qiao Xingyue met Xie Jiang's tearful eyes, her throat tightened and her eyes burned.
When she was led out of the security office, Xie Jiang almost staggered to meet her. He didn't stand up straight as usual; his back was slightly hunched. His eyes, which had seen bullets and made crucial decisions, were now filled with tender heartache.
That look in her eyes revealed two words to Qiao Xingyue: fatherly love.
Suddenly, she choked up.
Everyone was asking why Xie Zhongming hadn't been released yet, but only Xie Jiang asked her with concern if she was injured.
She was filled with overwhelming gratitude, but also with deep concern for Xie Zhongming. "Dad, after Zhongming and I were taken to the security office, we were interrogated separately. I don't know what's going on with him."
Upon hearing this, everyone present still wore a deep sorrow in their eyes.
Only Xie Jiang, after regaining his composure, relaxed his thick eyebrows slightly. "It's alright, Zhongming is tough and has seen plenty of these kinds of situations. As long as you're released, that's all that matters. Let's go home."
It's not that Xie Jiang isn't worried about his son.
It's better that Xingyue was released than that the fourth brother was released while Xingyue remained locked up.
After all, Xie Zhongming was a man of iron will.
A man should have the responsibilities of a man.
The Security Department was not originally under Zhao Guangliang's jurisdiction, but recently, due to personnel changes within the Security Department, Zhao Guangliang took on the supervisory role.
Xie Jiang knew that Zhao Guangliang's target this time was not Xingyue, but his son Xie Zhongming.
So he had just sent word in, telling Zhao Guangliang to interrogate his son Xie Zhongming, and when he saw Xingyue come out, he finally felt relieved.
He also believed in his son, who had never done such a thing or been a spy. Even if Zhao Guangliang was settling a personal score, he wouldn't dare to treat Zhongming as an enemy agent without solid evidence.
"Xingyue, An'an and Ningning are still waiting at home, hurry back."
Jiang Beiyang stepped forward and said, "Uncle Xie, Xingyue, I'll drive you there."
...
Outside the gate of the Xie family's courtyard.
It was completely dark by then.
Huang Guilan, the old lady Chen Suying, and An An and Ning Ning each carried a small stool and sat in the evening breeze in front of the courtyard gate, craning their necks and gazing at each other from afar.
Accompanying them were Zhang Hongmei and Wang Shufen.
Hearing footsteps in front of the courtyard was like a ray of light entering the hearts of An An, Ning Ning, Huang Guilan, and Chen Suying. When they realized that the people walking in the dark night were not Xie Zhongming and Qiao Xingyue, the light in their eyes immediately dimmed.
An'an's voice was trembling with suppressed sobs, "Grandma, when will my dad and mom come back?"
An'an couldn't tell whether the people who took her parents away were police officers or not. In any case, they were wearing military uniforms, looked very serious, and took her parents away like they were catching bad guys.
"Grandma, my dad and mom aren't bad people, why are they taking them away?"
As An'an spoke, her little mouth twitched, and tears streamed down her face.
Afraid of worrying her grandmother, she quickly wiped away her tears with her hands, while Ningning next to her also had teary eyes.
Zhang Hongmei, with her loud voice, saw that the family was all looking worried in front of the courtyard and hadn't even prepared dinner. She pulled Wang Shufen up, went to her own house, cooked a few bowls of noodles, and brought them over.
Wang Shufen coaxed An'an and Ningning to eat their noodles quickly, but Chen Suying and Huang Guilan, holding their bowls of noodles, couldn't swallow any of them.
The old locust tree outside the courtyard gate cast shadows in the moonlight. The cicadas had mostly stopped chirping, leaving only a few long, drawn-out sounds, which mingled with the croaking of frogs outside the wall, making Huang Guilan extremely annoyed.
She couldn't eat the noodles, but the children were still hungry.
Then he took the lead, picked up a bowl of noodles, and slurped them up. "An'an, Ningning, be good, the noodles are getting soggy, eat them while they're hot. Your dad and mom might be back soon."
A long time ago, Qiao Xingyue taught An An and Ning Ning that no matter what happened, they should eat well and sleep well.
Because only when you're full can you have the energy.
Only with strength can problems be solved.
The two kids were slurping up noodles.
The egg noodles that Zhang Hongmei and Wang Shufen made were delicious, but today the two kids ate them without any taste, wiping away tears as they ate.
Just then, a beam of headlights appeared in the distance and approached the gate of the courtyard.
The dim light, carrying the smell of diesel fuel, swept through, illuminating Huang Guilan's wrinkled face and An Anning's tear-streaked little face.
An An Ning Ning quickly covered her eyes with her hands.
They immediately put the noodles on the small stools and ran quickly to the jeep parked in front of the courtyard gate.
Even Chen Suying, an elderly woman whose legs were not very nimble, put down the noodles in her hand on the threshold stone and quickly got up. Zhang Hongmei, the mother of Jiang Beiyang, quickly helped the old woman up, saying, "Aunt Chen, let me help you."
The roar of the engine gradually subsided, leaving only the headlights on, like two rather frightening eyes staring straight at the yard.
The car door was pushed open with a loud bang.
Qiao Xingyue was the first to get out of the jeep.
"Mommy! Mommy!"
Qiao Xingyue went to meet An An and Ning Ning who were running towards her, squatted down and hugged the two children in her arms. When she saw that the two children had tears in their eyes, she couldn't help but choke up when she raised her hand to wipe their tears.
It must have terrified those two kids.
Seeing that she was safe and sound, An An Ning Ning looked behind her and saw that her grandfather Xie Jiang and the neighbor's Grandpa Jiang and Uncle Jiang had gotten out of the car, but Xie Zhongming was nowhere to be seen. The little eyes that had just lit up were now dull and lifeless again.
Before An'an and Ningning could speak, Qiao Xingyue took the two children's hands and said gently, "Daddy is alright now, An'an and Ningning, don't worry."
"Then why didn't he come back with you?" An'an spoke first, her clear, childlike voice full of worry.
This question left Qiao Xingyue speechless.
These two kids just recognized their father yesterday.
For the past four years, the two children have followed her all over the country. Wherever they go, people always spread rumors that the two children are fatherless bastards.
They finally had a biological father, who was their favorite Uncle Zhongming, but they witnessed Xie Zhongming being taken away by the security department.
How could Qiao Xingyue not understand why the two children felt when they saw her return but not Xie Zhongming?
The two children had tears streaming down their faces, sobbing and choking.
This time, it was Ningning who spoke in a soft, sweet voice, "Mommy, are my sister and I going to become fatherless wild children again?"
Huang Guilan choked up a little.
It wasn't because her son was still in the security department, but because she was thinking about how her two children had survived the past few years without a father. She quickly glanced at Xie Jiang and saw his worried expression in the night, knowing that Zhongming's situation was more than just being reported for having an affair.
Xie Jiang quickly squatted down, patted An An Ning Ning's little head, and patiently and gently comforted her, "My dear granddaughter, how could you become wild children without a father? You still have your grandpa, grandma, and great-grandma who love you. Your father has received a new mission and will not be back for a few days."
"Grandpa, you're not lying to us, are you?" An'an asked, tilting her little head.
Xie Jiang had never lied. Even though he was facing a little child, he still felt a little uncomfortable. But he said in a deep voice, "Grandpa is a leader. How could I lie? Your father is on official business and will be staying out of town for a few more days."
An'an quickly asked again, "How many more days is a good number of days?"
"..." Xie Jiang's back tensed up. "That depends on whether he has completed the mission. If he has, he may come back early."
He picked up the two babies, one in his left hand and one in his right. Seeing that there were still noodles on the small stool, which had obviously clumped together, he said, "Come back to the room with Grandpa for dinner."
Holding his two children, Xie Jiang saw the old lady who came to greet him and patiently reminded her, "Mom, walk slowly and watch your step."
The old lady wanted to ask her son when her grandson would be coming back, but the military has its rules, and some things cannot be asked casually, so she refrained from asking.
at night.
Xie Jiang sat in the main room, holding an enamel cup in his hands.
The pull-cord light bulb in the main room hangs in the center of the roof beam. In the dim yellow light, dust motes float slowly in the beam.
The light bulb was 15 watts, just enough to illuminate a small area around the octagonal table, but it couldn't penetrate the wrinkles between Xie Jiang's brows, nor could it dispel the gloom that filled the room.
Xie Jiang sat in a grand chair next to the octagonal table, his back ramrod straight. Even though he was filled with anxiety, his military spirit remained unwavering.
The tea in the enamel cup had long since cooled down, and a few tea leaves had sunk to the bottom, wilting from steeping.
Calloused hands unconsciously stroked the lid of the enamel mug.
He slammed the lid on, then flipped it off again within two seconds, repeating this process over and over.
Huang Guilan came out of the old lady's room and saw him sitting in the armchair looking at a loss. She then sat down on the stool opposite him with a worried expression. "Old Xie, what's going on?"
Since An Anning was there just now, Huang Guilan didn't dare to ask.
This matter concerning enemy agents involves military secrets. Xie Jiang said in a deep voice, "Guilan, don't ask about this. In short, trust our son. He is upright and innocent, and nothing will happen to him."
It's that Zhao Guangliang; I wonder if he'll resort to any underhanded tactics.
Previously, Zhao Guangliang used his position to settle personal scores and coerce a former comrade with whom he had a grudge into confessing in the interrogation room.
The old man went into the interrogation room alive, but came out dead.
The elderly man happened to have a heart condition, and the news coming from the interrogation room was that he had died suddenly from a heart attack, and it was unrelated to the interrogation.
Although the incident was investigated by higher authorities, it ultimately came to nothing.
Xie Jiang was afraid that Zhao Guangliang would use this despicable method on his fourth son. Fortunately, Xingyue was released safely today, otherwise he would be even more worried.
"Guilan, go upstairs and see if Xingyue and the two children are asleep. If they aren't, have Xingyue come downstairs so I can talk to her."
Huang Guilan stood up. "Luckily, the security department only detained Zhongming today, and didn't detain Xingyue..."
"Tap tap tap..."
As they were talking, Qiao Xingyue came down from the second floor.
Seeing that the elderly couple were still awake, she quickly went over to them. "Dad, Mom. Today, the security guards suspected me of being an enemy agent, and this has implicated Zhongming. I feel really bad about it. Dad, there's something I need to talk to you about."
She stood in front of Xie Jiang.
Xie Jiang said kindly, "This is not your fault. Sit down and let's talk."
After Qiao Xingyue sat down, she briefly explained, "Dad, I learned these skills from an elderly couple who were sent down from the city to Shantang Village. One of them is a teacher, and the other is a doctor. They can testify to my innocence. Send someone to Shantang Village to investigate, and the truth will be clear. I am not an enemy agent, and it is impossible for me to have obtained any secrets from Anning and Ningning."
The story of learning to read, write medicine, and acquire skills from others was fabricated by Qiao Xingyue.
But in fact, there was indeed an elderly couple in Shantang Village who had been sent down to the countryside. When she was desperate with her two children, they gave her food and let her stay, saving the mother and her two children.
The three thatched huts she later lived in were left behind by this elderly couple.
Unfortunately, the elderly couple passed away one after the other within just half a month.
If you ask around in Shantang Village, you'll find out about this elderly couple. Everyone knows that one of them is a teacher and the other is a doctor.
"Dad believes you."
Xie Jiang's gaze was resolute.
That resolute gaze contained not only approval of his daughter-in-law, but also a veteran leader's correct judgment of right and wrong: "How could you possibly be some kind of enemy agent?"
Xie Jiang added, "Dad was just about to ask you that, and what you said comes in handy."
With that, he stood up. "I'm going to find your Uncle Chen."
As they reached the entrance to the main room, Xie Jiang turned back, his kind gaze falling on Qiao Xingyue. "Xingyue, in short, with your father here, if anyone doubts your identity, I will definitely protect you and won't let anyone pin any labels on you."
As he spoke, his gaze fell on Huang Guilan, and he gently instructed, "Guilan, I'm going to see Old Chen. Don't wait for me."
Huang Guilan nodded, and together with Qiao Xingyue watched Xie Jiang's tall and imposing figure disappear into the doorway of the main room.
Qiao Xingyue felt gratified that she was able to marry into such a reasonable, well-mannered, emotionally stable, morally upright, and family-oriented family.
At this moment, Huang Guilan took her hand and gently comforted her, "Xingyue, your good days with Zhongming are yet to come, don't worry too much, your dad will take care of everything."
"Mom, it's my fault for dragging Zhongming down with me." Qiao Xingyue's eyes were filled with tears.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the main room, tap tap tap... it sounded like more than one person.
Outside the main room, the cicadas were chirping loudly in the summer night. The cicadas on the treetops were screeching and croaking, mixed with the croaking of frogs in the corner of the courtyard, all wrapped in the heat unique to this midsummer night.
The footsteps outside were heavy and hurried, carrying a sense of panic and rush. They clattered on the stones in the courtyard, like raindrops hitting sheet metal.
The footsteps grew louder and more frequent.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Xingyue and Huang Guilan felt a sudden tightness in their chests. Could it be that something had happened to Xie Zhongming in the security department?
The mother and daughter-in-law quickly went outside...
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