Chapter 119 Affection Awakens (Part 2)
Li Zhiguo's words, "We will do our best to snipe, but we must leave some alive," silenced Zhou Xiye and Li Zhuo.
The two didn't discuss the mission much, nor did they ask many questions; they simply followed orders.
However, they all clearly understood that the ultimate goal of this mission was not to take Bian Zhan's life, but to help him along the way.
Therefore, Bian Zhan was not committing treason, but rather carrying out a special mission. Three years had passed, yet he still hadn't fully gained the other side's trust. Now that the US is withdrawing its troops from Vietnam, Bian Zhan, wanting to gain the trust of the US military and go to the US with them, will have to undergo one last test.
Their mission this time was to cause a conflict between Bian Zhan and Zhou Xiye, two former close brothers.
If Bian Zhan was able to shoot and kill Zhou Xiye, it would mean that he was genuinely defecting.
All those elaborate schemes used to create the illusion of Bian Zhan's treason, and now sending Zhou Xiye to assassinate him, are all to help Bian Zhan gain the enemy's complete trust.
However, the danger of this mission lies in the fact that they both have to fire their guns and be prepared for the other to die.
If the border battle is successful, Zhou Xiye will be seriously injured, or even killed in one blow.
Li Zhiguo couldn't sleep for the past two nights. He didn't want this outcome, but if he didn't do it, his three years of undercover work would be in vain.
Victory is always achieved by stepping over mountains of corpses and seas of blood, but he couldn't bear to sacrifice Zhou Xiye.
Even now, as I say it, my heart still feels heavy with sorrow.
Zhou Xiye remained silent for a moment, then picked up his pen and began to write quickly on the envelope. He filled a sheet of paper, folded it, put it in the envelope, and handed it to Li Zhiguo: "Don't worry, I guarantee I'll complete the mission."
Li Zhiguo took the letter and patted Zhou Xiye on the shoulder: "Wait for our notification these next couple of days. You can go shopping with Xiao Jiang. Relax. Bian Zhan knows you well, so there shouldn't be any major problems."
These words were less meant to comfort Zhou Xiye and more meant to comfort himself.
Zhou Xiye didn't care: "Relax a bit. Try to smoke less lately. Your lungs aren't good, and you're still smoking so much. Aren't you afraid your wife will scold you?"
Li Zhuo smiled and handed the letter to Li Zhiguo: "Political Commissar, you probably didn't dare go home last night. I saw that the office lights were still on at three o'clock."
Li Zhiguo said with a straight face, "You don't know anything. Am I afraid of your sister-in-law? I'm respecting her. Alright, alright, you're unmarried and don't understand. Ask Zhou Xiye if he dares to offend Xiao Jiang now. If he does, Xiao Jiang won't let him sleep with her."
Zhou Xiye was too lazy to argue with him: "If there's nothing else, I'll go back first."
Li Zhiguo waved his hand: "Okay, you guys go back. Come to my house for dumplings tonight?"
Li Zhuo laughed: "I won't eat it. If I eat these 'get lost' dumplings, I'm afraid I won't be able to come back."
Enraged, Li Zhiguo raised his hand to slap him: "You brat, can't you say something auspicious? Hurry up and spit it out!"
Li Zhuo laughed heartily and ran out of the office.
Li Zhiguo chased after him, yelling, "You little brat, you're always talking nonsense. I'll teach you a lesson later!"
...
When Zhou Xiye returned home, Jiang Zhizhi had already washed up and was lying on the bed reading the book he had been reading during the day—a very thick military book with Zhou Xiye's notes in it.
She watched with great interest, but when she saw the weapons and equipment, she kept thinking to herself that these weapons were really too outdated.
Zhou Xiye wasn't worried at all that Jiang Zhizhi wouldn't understand. He took off his watch and placed it on the bedside table, casually asking, "Are you hungry?"
Jiang Zhizhi immediately closed her book, wrapped herself in the blanket, sat up, and nodded vigorously: "Hungry!"
Zhou Xiye thought for a moment: "Shall I go and cook you two poached eggs?"
Jiang Zhizhi stared at his chest with bright eyes, then looked down: "I'm not hungry, but I'm a little hungry in spirit."
Zhou Xiye: "..."
Ignoring Jiang Zhizhi, he went to collect the water that Jiang Zhizhi hadn't poured out after washing up. Seeing a pile of dirty clothes on the stool, he took them out without thinking much of it.
He needed to find some work to do, otherwise, he would always be left speechless by this outspoken young girl.
Jiang Zhizhi watched Zhou Xiye rush out, then laughed and collapsed onto the bed. Was it really necessary? Was she really going to eat him up?
She happily picked up the book and continued reading, but her mind was still wandering, thinking that she would tease Zhou Xiye when he came back later.
...
Zhou Xiye carried his dirty clothes to the front tap to wash them.
Not far in front of the residential compound, there is a row of cement platforms with more than a dozen water taps on both sides, providing drinking water for all the residents of the compound.
It was getting late, and there was no one at the tap except for a five-watt light bulb in the middle, emitting a dim light.
Zhou Xiye filled a basin with water, put the dirty clothes in, and started soaking them, but then he froze!
He knew he had taken Jiang Zhizhi's coat, but he didn't realize that she was wearing underwear and panties underneath.
The milky white fabric, a palm-sized ball, was silky and smooth; he didn't know whether to throw it away or hold it.
My cheeks weren't burning hot, but my hands felt like I was holding a landmine.
"Captain Zhou, why are you doing laundry so late?"
Suddenly someone spoke, and Zhou Xiye quickly buried what he was holding in a basin of clothes. He turned around with a normal expression and saw it was an officer from the military region's maintenance department. He nodded slightly and said, "Hmm, here to fetch water?"
The officer carried a bucket to get water and chatted with Zhou Xiye: "When will you be back after this rotation?"
Zhou Xiye said in a deep voice: "It is usually three years, but it can be adjusted at any time depending on the actual situation."
The clerk nodded: "Thank you for your hard work. We office workers can't really understand how hard you work. If you need any help, you can come to me."
As she spoke, she glanced curiously at the basin in front of Zhou Xiye. The tap was running and the water in the basin was about to overflow. Why wasn't Zhou Xiye washing it?
Zhou Xiye nodded: "It's what we should do."
He also kept an eye on the water in the officer's bucket, waiting for it to be full so he could leave quickly before he felt comfortable washing his clothes.
The water flow seems a bit weak tonight; after all this time, the bucket isn't even half full.
The staff member seemed to have a lot to say: "I accompanied the art troupe to perform on the front lines before, and I visited your unit. I saw you back then, but you may not remember me. At that time, I was in the publicity department, responsible for taking photos."
Zhou Xiye really didn't remember. Every time the cultural troupe came, it was Zhang Zhao and a few other lively people who were in charge of receiving them. He would just politely go over to watch the show for a while during the performance.
Seeing that Zhou Xiye remained silent, the staff member knew he didn't remember her, so she said enthusiastically, "Teacher Qin Lina, do you remember her? The one who sang soprano, she's been transferred to the Beijing Municipal Cultural Troupe now."
Zhou Xiye had no recollection: "I don't remember."
The clerk scratched his head. Wasn't Zhou Xiye supposed to have an exceptional memory? How could he have forgotten such a beautiful woman? He then kindly reminded her, "She's the one who sprained her ankle once and you asked her to be carried down the mountain on a stretcher."
Zhou Xiye frowned: "I don't remember."
The man was a little embarrassed and didn't know how to continue the conversation. He was thinking that men all like to talk about beautiful women, and Qin Lina was a recognized beauty at the time. They had been gossiping about her behind her back for a long time, both for her face and her figure.
So, I thought I'd use this topic as a starting point to quickly start a conversation with Zhou Xiye.
The conversation fell silent.
Zhou Xiye glanced at him and reminded him, "The bucket is full."
The officer quickly agreed, greeted Zhou Xiye, and hurriedly left with the water bucket.
Zhou Xiye then turned off the tap and started washing clothes. In that short time, he had mentally prepared himself, picked up the small piece of fabric, and began washing it calmly.
After washing the clothes, I hung them on the clothesline by the door, carefully tucking my underwear under my coat to prevent them from being blown away by the wind or getting covered in dust and insects.
Jiang Zhizhi finally waited for Zhou Xiye to return. Seeing him carrying an empty basin, she belatedly realized that the dirty clothes she had placed on the stool were gone!
So, Zhou Xiye took her dirty clothes to wash just now?
She started to scream inwardly. Her underwear was still inside her clothes! And those panties were something she had seen when she and Yang Fengmei came to the city. It was a small piece of silk fabric that looked nice, so she bought it and tried to make panties herself. They were very comfortable to wear, but her handiwork was terrible.
Jiang Zhizhi, wrapped in a blanket, lay on the bed like a silkworm pupa, making gurgling noises.
Zhou Xiye kindly reminded him, "Keep your voice down, the house isn't soundproof."
Jiang Zhizhi quickly fell silent again, looked up at Zhou Xiye with her face flushed, and asked, "Did you do my laundry?"
Zhou Xiye hummed in agreement. Jiang Zhizhi banged her head against the bed a few more times, then looked up with a resentful expression: "If I had known, I would have dressed up a bit more. Did you laugh at me when you were washing me, saying I wasn't good at needlework?"
Zhou Xiye hadn't expected that Jiang Zhizhi's focus was on this: "No, I didn't notice."
Jiang Zhizhi snorted, puffing out her cheeks: "You talk about it so casually, have you ever washed other girls' underwear before?"
Zhou Xiye sat helplessly on the edge of the bed and poked Jiang Zhizhi's forehead: "What nonsense are you talking about? Go to sleep quickly. If you keep moving around, your wound will reopen."
Jiang Zhizhi raised her chin, opened her small mouth, and quickly bit Zhou Xiye's finger, even deliberately licking it with her tongue.
Zhou Xiye was stunned. He didn't expect Jiang Zhizhi to be so fast, and he was even more surprised that she could stick out her tongue.
His fingers were enveloped in warmth and softness, causing his eyes to darken, and for a moment he forgot to pull his fingers away.
Jiang Zhizhi chuckled and gently bit him with her teeth.
Zhou Xiye suddenly withdrew his fingers, his large hand went around the back of her head, his long fingers passed through her short hair, supporting the back of her head, and he leaned down to kiss her.
He didn't have any special skills; his kisses were fierce and intense.
Jiang Zhizhi was completely stunned. Zhou Xiye's fingers passed through her hair and touched her scalp, as if carrying a scorching temperature that burned all the way to her heart, making her heart beat faster involuntarily.
She lay half-lying on the pillow, forced to tilt her head back. This position was a little uncomfortable, and her tongue was also a little sore, but Zhou Xiye wouldn't allow her to back up even a little.
She has some theoretical knowledge, but absolutely no practical experience.
Jiang Zhizhi sobbed in protest, but her voice was completely swallowed by Zhou Xiye. Her already thin cheeks were deeply sunken due to the force, and her sharp Adam's apple bobbed as she swallowed, shamelessly seizing the sweetness.
Jiang Zhizhi felt dizzy and disoriented. When Zhou Xiye released her, she felt like she was walking on cotton, and her whole body felt weak and she wanted to collapse.
Fortunately, Zhou Xiye still had some conscience. He scooped her up, blanket and all, and let her lean against his chest.
Jiang Zhizhi took a few deep breaths, quietly touched her slightly stinging lips, and punched Zhou Xiye in the chest: "You ambushed me! My neck almost broke."
Zhou Xiye didn't say a word, his chin resting on Jiang Zhizhi's head, letting her throw a tantrum, but his eyes were burning with desire.
Jiang Zhizhi suddenly sat up straight, staring at Zhou Xiye: "Zhou Xiye, something's wrong with you. Why did you suddenly kiss me? Did you do something wrong outside, so you're making it up to me?"
Zhou Xiye sighed helplessly, lowered his eyes and pinched her soft cheek: "What nonsense are you talking about? Who's been flirting with me all day long? Zhizhi, I'm a man."
Jiang Zhizhi pouted: "Don't we have to try to find out?"
Zhou Xiye had no way to deal with the stubborn Jiang Zhizhi, so he helped her wrap the blanket around herself: "Zhizhi, I'll give you time to regret it, but being a military wife isn't easy, especially for special forces."
Jiang Zhizhi was not happy: "Your thinking is wrong. Does that mean that members of the special forces are not worthy of getting married?"
Zhou Xiye reached out and brushed a stray hair from her face: "I'm nine years older than you, so I'll think further ahead than you do. I don't want your life to be confined by an identity."
Jiang Zhizhi twitched the corner of her mouth: "That's not a sign of maturity, that's just old-fashioned thinking. I'm nine years younger than you, so I know that if you like something, you should go for it. Why speculate about things that haven't happened yet?"
"Furthermore, why do you think I'll be trapped by an identity? Just because I'm your wife doesn't mean I can't study or work. I can still do what I love and pursue my dreams. Do you intend to restrict me, making me stay at home doing laundry, cooking, and having children?"
"Don't think you're more mature than me just because you're nine years older. Your thoughts are just your thoughts, and I have mine too, you old fogey!"
Zhou Xiye was slightly taken aback; Jiang Zhizhi had actually called him an old stubborn man!
Jiang Zhizhi snorted: "I don't want to continue this topic with you. You should think about it carefully."
Zhou Xiye looked at Jiang Zhizhi, who was holding her chin up and looking a little arrogant. Her lips were slightly swollen and she looked a little embarrassed. He sighed and patted the top of her head: "You go to sleep first. I'm going to take a shower."
Jiang Zhizhi turned around and watched Zhou Xiye leave with bright eyes. He must have gone to the team's bathhouse, where family members couldn't use it, but they could.
Thinking of the ferocity Zhou Xiye showed when he kissed her just now, she couldn't help but shrink back. If he was that fierce just from a kiss, what would happen if things went any further? Wouldn't he devour her alive?
But she couldn't help but laugh, covering her face with her hands on the pillow and giggling.
She didn't take Zhou Xiye's words to heart at all. She was very confident that she could change this stubborn old man after tonight.
When Zhou Xiye returned from outside, shivering with cold, Jiang Zhizhi was already asleep, wrapped in a blanket.
Zhou Xiye glanced at his watch on the bedside table. It was almost midnight. He had actually been taking a shower for over an hour?
...
The next morning, Jiang Zhizhi got up feeling refreshed. She went out to wash up and found Zhou Xiye there, cooking porridge on the stove outside.
Jiang Zhizhi exclaimed, and seeing that there were still people next door, she leaned over and whispered, "I thought you would get up and run away, denying everything."
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