Chapter 91 He is a responsible and good man
Xie Jiang did not answer Huang Guilan's question.
This is not a question that can be discussed casually in front of everyone present.
Just then, a gust of wind suddenly rose outside the window, making the paper windows of the division headquarters rustle loudly. Each sound seemed to hit Huang Guilan's chest, making her chest tighten.
Seeing that Xie Jiang remained silent, Huang Guilan did not press him further. She knew that the military had its own rules, and if Xie Jiang did not say something directly, it meant that the topic could not be discussed in public. However, she believed that as long as her husband Xie was there, he could handle any matter, no matter how complicated it was.
Xie Jiang patted Huang Guilan's hand again, and when he looked at Huang Guilan, his gaze was filled with a kind of worldly wisdom and determination. "Don't worry, the young couple isn't really having an affair."
Huang Guilan thought of her son's upright character and honest nature, and Xingyue's kind and helpful nature. Moreover, they were a real couple and could withstand investigation. So she nodded firmly to Xie Jiang.
"Okay, quickly take the young couple's marriage certificate and Xingyue's identity certificate to the security department, don't delay."
"Go quickly." Jiang Degui, who was next to Zhang Hongmei, hurriedly replied, "I'll take Guilan and Hongmei back to the compound in a bit, don't worry."
Xie Jiang had just stepped out of the red brick bungalow of the division headquarters, mounted his old bicycle, and was heading to the security section.
"Old Xie!"
Chen Shenghua, who was returning from outside under the scorching sun, stopped him.
The security department and the division headquarters were both in the same camp, just a short walk apart, but Xie Jiang chose to ride a bicycle in order to save time.
Chen Shenghua blocked his way, forcing Xie Jiang to slam on the brakes.
"Perfect timing, Lao Chen, come with me to the security office."
Standing in front of the old-fashioned bicycle, Chen Shenghua's brows were furrowed with worry; he had just received news.
"Old Xie, you went to the security office? So you know that Zhongming and Xingyue were taken away by the security office?"
"Yes, Guilan just came to the division headquarters to inform me that I need to quickly send Zhongming and Xingyue's marriage certificate and Xingyue's identity certificate to the security department."
Whether or not to give them the marriage certificate and Xingyue's identity documents is a tricky issue.
Xie Jiang and Xie Zhongming discussed Xingyue's identity on her very first day at the Xie family.
Xie Zhongming initially suspected that Xingyue was an enemy agent who deliberately approached him, but Xie Jiang ruled out this suspicion after observing Xingyue from various aspects.
Even when Xingyue unexpectedly saved Chen Shenghua last time, Chen Shenghua and Xie Jiang specifically discussed Xingyue's identity.
Xie Jiang and Chen Shenghua both believed that Xingyue was definitely not a spy, but enemy agents had infiltrated the army, which was a big concern for the higher-ups. Xingyue was also beautiful, intelligent, talented, and skilled, so it was hard not to be suspected.
When Xie Jiang and Chen Shenghua discussed this issue, they were afraid that Xingyue would be mistaken for a spy by the organization.
Xie Jiang had intended to find some time to have a good chat with Xingyue about how she learned medicine and how she became so cultured.
But who would have thought that the day Xingyue would be taken away by the security department would come so soon.
The two stood outside the red brick bungalow of the division headquarters.
The midday sun was scorching hot.
The cement ground of the division headquarters compound was scorching hot, and the air was filled with dust and the smell of burnt poplar trees.
Xie Jiang, riding on his old-fashioned bicycle, had his uniform soaked with sweat, with large dark sweat stains on his back, but the top button of his collar was fastened tightly. "Old Chen, get on, let's talk as we walk."
Chen Shenghua jumped onto Xie Jiang's old-fashioned bicycle.
Xie Jiang pushed off with all his might.
The two rushed to the security department.
"Sending the marriage certificate and Xingyue's identity documents to the security department can clear the two of the suspicion of having an affair, but it will make Xingyue a suspect in the enemy's activities."
Sitting behind Chen Shenghua on the bicycle, he let out a deep sigh. "At that time, your Xie family will also be implicated."
“I’m not afraid of being implicated. Xingyue is innocent. I’m just afraid that if the security department investigates, this girl will suffer again.”
Xie Jiang wasn't concerned about whether the Xie family would be implicated.
Xingyue and her fourth son were finally reunited, but the young couple hadn't had a single good day yet.
Most importantly, Xingyue has been suffering all these years, moving from place to place with her two children, and has finally settled down.
"I should have talked to Xingyue sooner and found out the situation earlier."
He had wanted to ask Xingyue about how she became so skilled in medicine and how she transformed from an illiterate chubby girl into someone so cultured yesterday.
The security department investigates the conduct of military officers, and matters like extramarital affairs are handled through standard procedures.
The investigation is complete. If anything is found, a severe punishment will be given, and the matter will be publicly announced.
The investigation is complete. Nothing is wrong. The restrictions are lifted, and the person involved is restored to innocence and freedom.
However, if it's an investigation into enemy agents, then extreme measures will be used, and the prisoners will be subjected to violence.
Xie Jiang and Chen Shenghua were very worried on their way to the security department.
In addition, Zhao Guangliang has a deep-seated blood feud with the Xie family.
This matter weighed heavily on Chen Shenghua and Xie Jiang's hearts, like a boulder.
The old bicycle quickly came to a stop in front of the red brick bungalow of the security department.
The entire security section was surrounded by barbed wire, and there were sentries with guns standing guard at the entrance.
The sign reads: Military restricted area, no unauthorized personnel allowed.
Upon seeing Xie Jiang and Chen Shenghua in military uniform, the two sentries stood at attention, saluted, and said, "Greetings, sir."
Despite being over fifty years old, Xie Jiang and Chen Shenghua, with somber expressions, still walked with vigor and energy.
Xie Jiang stepped firmly onto the solid ground, each step exuding a steady strength. His deep, weathered eyes, though filled with anxiety, still carried an undeniable authority. He nodded to the sentry and stepped into the security office.
After entering the gate, Chen Shenghua slowed down. "Old Xie, how about we don't hand over Zhongming and Xingyue's marriage certificate, or Xingyue's ID, to the security department yet?"
Xie Jiang stopped, his gaze unusually firm. "This matter can only be pursued, not retreated. They are husband and wife, their fates are intertwined. If Zhao Guangliang intends to treat Xingyue as an enemy agent, I will have Zhongming take full responsibility."
Zhao Guangliang's goal has never been the stars or the moon.
Instead, they used Xingyue to target Zhongming and the Xie family.
...
Security Department, Interrogation Room.
A heavy iron door was tightly shut.
The interrogation room had no windows.
On the old, whitewashed wall with peeling dust, several large characters were painted in red: "Confess and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be punished severely."
The entire space was cramped and small.
In the interrogation room, only Xie Zhongming was present; Qiao Xingyue was nowhere to be seen.
An incandescent light bulb hung above Xie Zhongming's head, its light so bright it hurt one's eyes.
Xie Zhongming sat on the nailed-down bench, his back ramrod straight. Facing a series of interrogations, his eyes remained clear and unwavering.
Zhao Guangliang sat down in front of Xie Zhongming.
Zhao Guangliang was about the same age as his father, but he lived up to his name. He was bald, had a belly as round as a watermelon, small eyes, and a big, ugly, bulbous nose. He was nothing like his father Xie Jiang, who was handsome and upright.
Especially when Zhao Guangliang squinted, a ruthless glint flashing in his narrow eyes, the words "using public office to settle private scores" were blatantly written in his eyes.
"Xie Zhongming, your wife, Fatty, whom you married in Chadian Village, has been missing for many years. Yet your Xie family hosted a banquet for the Jiang and Chen families at a state-run restaurant, announcing that Comrade Qiao is your long-lost wife. Confess honestly, is she the woman you had an affair with?"
This is a question that will trap Xie Zhongming no matter how he answers.
If Xie Zhongming answers yes, then Zhao Guangliang will question Qiao Xingyue's identity. If she really was a chubby girl from Chadian Village who couldn't read or write, how could she have become so talented and skilled if she hadn't defected to the enemy and received training?
If Xie Zhongming answers no, then it confirms the fact that he and Qiao Xingyue had an affair.
Xie Zhongming's back remained ramrod straight, like a gun that had never bent.
The top button of his collar was fastened tightly, and his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing his strong arms.
Although his hands were naturally placed flat on his knees, his fingers were clenched tightly in a moment of awkwardness.
No matter what he answers, it will put Xingyue in the spotlight.
At this moment, a tense undercurrent was brewing in the cramped interrogation room.
The fierce glint in Zhao Guangliang's narrow eyes was like a sharp knife, ready to cut his flesh and rip out his heart.
Over the years, Zhao Guangliang has been unable to touch Xie Jiang.
They were constantly looking for an opportunity to kill the Xie family.
Right now, he wants to pin the label of enemy spy not only on Qiao Xingyue's head, but also on Xie Zhongming's.
Zhao Guangliang narrowed his eyes, slapped the peeling paint on the interrogation table in the interrogation room, and pressed, "Tell me, what exactly is Qiao Xingyue's identity? Why is she suddenly literate, exceptionally intelligent, and skilled in medicine? When she approached you, did you reveal any military secrets to her?"
Xie Zhongming recalled all his communications and conversations with Qiao Xingyue during this period.
She would never tell Zhao Guangliang that Xingyue had traveled from the future.
This is not only absurd, but it also fails to prove Xingyue's innocence.
“Xingyue is indeed the missing Fatty, my wife, Xie Zhongming.”
“She was illiterate from a young age because her mother wouldn’t let her go to school. But she was very intelligent from a young age, with a photographic memory, and she also had a talent for medicine. After leaving Chadian Village, she met a couple who had been sent down from Kunming to Shantang Village for reform. One of them was a university professor, and the other came from a family of doctors. They saw that she was a good prospect, so they passed on all their skills to her.”
His gaze was exceptionally calm, his dark eyes like a bottomless, icy pool, undisturbed by any ripples.
When his eyes met Zhao Guangliang's, he neither flinched nor wavered, but displayed a confidence that came from weathering many storms.
While speaking, he remained upright, revealing not a single flaw.
He believed that he and Xingyue were in perfect sync.
...
In another interrogation room, Qiao Xingyue, who was also being interrogated, gave the same answers as Xie Zhongming.
She knew that this was the time to test whether she and Xie Zhongming had any tacit understanding.
Her eyes remained focused, her breathing even, and every word she uttered exuded composure and decisiveness: "Even if you're looking to capture an enemy agent, your target is only me, and has absolutely nothing to do with Xie Zhongming. Release him."
Even if Xie Zhongming wasn't her husband or An Anning's father, she couldn't involve him.
The Xie family had been kind to her.
During her difficult time, Huang Guilan and Xie Jiang did not mind that she had two children. They let her stay as a nanny in the Xie family, provided her and her two children with a place to live, and ensured that they had three meals a day. Before they knew that An An and Ning Ning were the Xie family's granddaughters, they treated An An and Ning Ning like their own granddaughters.
She was a nanny, and Huang Guilan paid her a monthly salary of forty-five yuan.
In those days, the average monthly salary for a nanny was at most twenty yuan.
She also worked as a nanny in Kunming, where she only earned fifteen yuan a month.
Huang Guilan gave her forty-five yuan, and also bought new clothes for her and her two children, and even made new shoes herself by sewing shoe soles.
How many cuts did Huang Guilan get on her hands while making new shoes for her and An'an Ningning?
At that time, she didn't know that An An and Ning Ning were her own granddaughters.
Such a good family should not be implicated by her.
“This has nothing to do with the Xie family; you should interrogate me.”
...
At the other end of the interrogation room, Xie Zhongming sat upright at the interrogation table, exuding a dignified and upright manly air. "If you want to continue the interrogation, leave me here. I will fully cooperate. Release my wife; she is not an enemy agent."
This is exactly what Zhao Guangliang was waiting for.
His narrow eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a triumphant smile. "You're a real man."
"You all go out first." Zhao Guangliang gestured to his men and then said, "Commander Xie holds an important position in the army and must stay to undergo more rigorous interrogation and training."
"Where is my wife?" Xie Zhongming's back tensed.
Thinking that Zhao Guangliang would use extraordinary means to deal with enemy agents, his palms were sweating.
Zhao Guangliang is a treacherous villain, and his methods of settling personal scores are extremely cruel.
He was afraid that Zhao Guangliang would become violent towards Qiao Xingyue.
He thought about how Qiao Xingyue, a top student from the future, would have to face Zhao Guangliang, a treacherous villain who would use any leverage against a special enemy to destroy them. He was afraid that she would be wronged, afraid that she would be afraid in such a cramped interrogation room. His heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by an invisible hand.
This worry surged in his heart like a tide, causing his usually steady breathing to falter slightly.
The hands resting on the knees were slightly clenched.
He was afraid that her sharp words would offend these people and that she would suffer.
His gaze remained calm, but upon closer inspection, a flicker of anxiety flashed across his deep, pool-like eyes, as fleeting as a shooting star across the night sky.
All that remained in his eyes was wisdom and determination. "Chief Zhao, the only people you've ever wanted to target are the Xie family. I'll stay and interrogate them however you like."
As he said this, his posture remained upright, but his eyes held a newfound determination, as if he wanted to use this composure to create an invisible barrier for Qiao Xingyue next door.
The incandescent light cast a soft shadow on his face, making his jawline even more defined and highlighting the deep concern for the stars and moon hidden beneath his calm demeanor, making it all the more genuine and moving.
"Don't worry, your father sent a message half an hour ago, telling me to keep you here for the interrogation if I want, and to release Comrade Qiao. Since the men of your Xie family are all so responsible, I will do everything I can to grant you and your son's request."
...
Outside the security office, the sentry stood ramrod straight, gun in hand, on guard duty.
The setting sun dyed the western sky a deep orange hue, like a sheet of iron heated by a furnace, slowly sinking towards the distant rooftops.
Several clumps of foxtail grass drooped at the base of the wall by the entrance, their shadows stretched long and pressed against the cracked dirt road, motionless.
Jiang Beiyang, Jiang Beisong, Xiao Songhua, Chen Jiahui, Xie Jiang, and Chen Shenghua waited here, some squatting and some standing, for news.
The dusty gate of the security office creaked open, suddenly breaking the stagnant stillness of the evening.
The person who was squatting on the ground quickly got up and went to greet them. They saw that the person brought out by the security department was Qiao Xingyue.
Upon seeing that the person who came out was Qiao Xingyue, Xie Jiang's tense forehead relaxed slightly: Fortunately, it was Xingyue who came out.
Jiang Beiyang looked behind Qiao Xingyue and saw no one there. He asked anxiously, "Xingyue, where's Zhongming? Why didn't he come out with you?"
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