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Zheng Nanle strolled around the mall, casually bought a few gifts, and then circled back behind the young man.
Seeing that the young man had lost sight of her and looked around, and after searching the vicinity for a long time, he left dejectedly. She then followed behind him and tracked him down.
The young man arrived at a teahouse and entered the back courtyard. Zheng Nanle stood against the wall and extended his spiritual power.
Good heavens, Xie Jianhua and a middle-aged man with slightly graying temples, exuding a calm and reserved demeanor, were drinking tea.
The young man who had been tracking her stood in front of the two of them, his face full of shame.
"You mean, you lost them?" The middle-aged man asked in surprise, as if he had heard something out of the blue.
The young man nodded.
The middle-aged man frowned.
This young man is no rookie; he's a seasoned soldier with countless merits. Escaping his pursuit is something no untrained ordinary person could do.
"Jianhua, is your girl next door really not switched?"
"No, I asked the villagers, and it is indeed her original parents. The villagers have watched her grow up little by little, and now her appearance is quite similar to her parents."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Nanle got up and walked out.
Well, Xie Jianhua, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, outwardly trusted her completely, but secretly sent people to investigate and follow her. She really misjudged him.
Zheng Nanle only thought about it that way; she wouldn't do anything if asked to.
This is Xie Jianhua's duty.
Of course, she withdrew her mental energy and didn't hear the last two sentences of the conversation.
"Is it reliable?"
"Believable".
Now that Zheng Nanle knows the person is on Xie Jianhua's side, there's no need for him to waste his time here.
Halfway there, someone stepped forward and stopped her, clearly with a purpose, inviting her into the courtyard.
Zheng Nanle: "???"
She was confident in her mental abilities to track people, and she was very discreet. How did the other party find out?
She released her spiritual energy and observed carefully.
Good grief, they're playing espionage here.
The waiter, the cashier, the customer, and the old farmer resting outside the teahouse—everyone glanced around without making a sound.
This incident served as a reminder to her that although the world was not the apocalypse, danger was still everywhere, and even more dangerous than the apocalypse.
The dangers of the apocalypse are like a knife aimed straight at you, easily detected with a mental scan, requiring no thorough precautions; the dangers of this world are like a lingering wind, harmless wildflowers, roadside stones, the sun in the sky, and drifting clouds, where a moment's carelessness can lead to a trap.
In addition to keeping an eye on her target, she also needs to pay attention to the people around her.
Zheng Nanle didn't want to go against her superiors, so she obediently followed the waiter into the courtyard.
"Brother-in-law."
Zheng Nanle greeted Xie Jianhua, stared curiously at the middle-aged man, and tentatively called out, "Sir."
"Haha, you've observed carefully; you're a promising talent." The middle-aged man nodded approvingly.
Whether you join the army or work in the police force, you can make a name for yourself.
The middle-aged man's admiration was palpable, revealing no trace of his previous suspicion and murderous intent towards her. Zheng Nanle felt instantly uncomfortable.
Having grown accustomed to the grand, sweeping style of the apocalypse and having spent her life dealing with rural people, she truly had no interest in this kind of cunning, two-faced old fox.
All she wanted to do was scream for help.
She smiled shyly, "Thank you for the compliment, Commander. But I also think I'm a good candidate. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to go from an ordinary illiterate village girl to a police officer that makes the villagers proud."
The middle-aged man chuckled to himself.
But seeing Zheng Nanle's performance, he was relieved.
If Zheng Nanle had handled the situation with ease and exchanged witty remarks, even with Xie Jianhua's endorsement, he wouldn't have fully believed him. But Zheng Nanle's bold behavior at this moment, showing neither fear nor hidden impatience, made him feel that he was a true man.
He gestured to the table, indicating for Zheng Nanle to sit down, and then poured her a cup of tea.
"That proud Zheng Gong'an, now I have a task for you. Do you dare to accept it?"
"What mission?" Zheng Nanle asked.
"Follow him." The middle-aged man handed Zheng Nanle a list. "Follow him day and night until you find the human traffickers' hideout."
The paper contained an unfamiliar name and an address.
"Okay, I guarantee I'll complete the mission." Zheng Nanle stood up and saluted.
The middle-aged man smiled and nodded, praising, "Comrade Zheng is ambitious."
Afterwards, he began discussing matters with Xie Jianhua, without avoiding Zheng Nanle.
It was at this time that Zheng Nanle learned that the human trafficking case, which seemed to be closed, was actually not. The military personnel and Xie Jianhua had been investigating this human trafficking case all along, and the plan had been in the works since Xie Jianhua returned from his military service.
They suspected that this human trafficker was not simply selling people, but that there was something deeper behind it.
The comrade with a spiritual connection to the military was also involved in this case.
Before, they weren't sure if the human traffickers' hideout was in this area, but after finding the treasure chest in the valley, they were absolutely certain.
The hidden treasure was Xiao Rizi's reserve fund left in the country; their desire to destroy us has never died.
After listening, Zheng Nanle felt that the two were not so much reviewing the situation as they were using this method to instill some information that Zheng Nanle should know.
This is normal. It's impossible for a task to tell the executor all the information, let alone directly reveal the deeper considerations hidden within.
To avoid the other party betraying them, having spies, or being caught, which could lead to the complete loss of the operation.
Zheng Nanle became more and more energetic as she listened, and her eyes became brighter and brighter.
What she knew was just the tip of the iceberg, while the higher-ups had already uncovered much more inside information. Her previous discovery made them reconsider their actions, shifting their attention away from the powerful figures in the county and towards the ordinary people.
The truly wise live in seclusion in the city.
The other party used some clever tactics.
After saying goodbye to the middle-aged man, Xie Jianhua led Zheng Nanle towards the family compound, reminding him as they walked, "Besides the main task, any suspicious persons discovered during this time must be reported."
"You don't need to follow suspicious individuals; we'll investigate on our own. Your job is to keep a close eye on him."
Zheng Nan said with a smile, "I think Zhang the Butcher's older cousin is also a key figure. He can give orders to arrange for people to deliver goods. Someone who can give such orders must be a high-ranking member of that organization."
Xie Jianhua said, "The organization has adopted your suggestion, and someone is already following him. The reason we asked you to keep a close eye on Deng Zhishu is because our comrades have been watching him for years and haven't found anything wrong."
“He goes to get off work and comes home on time every day, and then eats and sleeps on time. His life is regular and normal.”
"But when a colleague peeked into his room while he was at work, he found a hair at his door. The furnishings inside seemed random, but they were all arranged from different angles. If they were moved, they could be discovered."
"Extremely strong counter-espionage awareness."
Several groups of people were changed, but none of them noticed. It was only because Zheng Nanle was able to track the profit-making scouts without being detected that they thought of having her tear open a gap.
As for having high expectations, that's not the case.
"Besides you, other comrades will carry out this mission, so don't feel too much pressure."
Zheng Nanle nodded with a smile.
She said that the reason she was suddenly entrusted with such an important task was that although this task was a breakthrough, it was also a matter of luck, and a test.
"I understand, Jianhua."
Zheng Nanle waved to Xie Jianhua and said, "Brother, I won't go to the family compound. I'll go back to the village."
I've been so busy with this that I haven't had a chance to meet or talk to Lu Guangbai these past few days, and I really miss him.
Knowing that the higher-ups had been paying attention to this matter, Zheng Nanle relaxed his tense nerves and wanted to give himself a short break.
Xie Jianhua understood. "Go see Dr. Lu? That makes sense. You two haven't seen each other in a long time, you should meet up."
He didn't understand before why Huachang and his wife had so much to talk about every day. Now that he has his own family and has experienced the feeling of longing, he realizes that time is short but feelings are long, and he wishes he could spend all his free time together and share everything.
He was happy to help the young couple express their love.
More than half a month had passed since Zheng Dahu was sent to the farm. When she returned to the village, the villagers saw Zheng Nanle and hesitated to speak.
Zheng Nanle was confused and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Er Ya, don't be sad," a villager said abruptly.
Zheng Nanle tilted her head and asked with a smile, "Auntie, what you're saying doesn't make sense to me. Why would I be sad?"
"It's nothing, it's nothing," the villager said with an awkward smile, then turned and left.
Sigh, although Er Ya will find out about this terrible news sooner or later, she must not say it out loud.
Zheng Nanle returned to the Zheng family home, completely bewildered.
The eldest son and his wife pretended not to see Zheng Nanle. Their faces looked ashen, as if they had aged ten years.
It seems that Zheng Dahu's arrest has been a big blow to the two of them.
Old Mrs. Zheng didn't look well. Zheng Nanle went out to work and didn't give the family any money. Every time she came back, she ate the family's food. It felt like cutting off her own flesh. Anyway, she wasn't feeling very comfortable.
She said to Zheng Laosi's wife, "Laosi's wife, make a bowl of noodles for the most promising person in our family."
As for Zheng's eldest son's wife, she has already separated from the family and is not easy to manage.
Zheng Lao Si's wife pretended not to notice Zheng Lao Tai's sarcastic tone and smiled ingratiatingly at Zheng Nan Le, "Haha, I'll go downstairs now. Er Ya has worked hard. Mother, I'll make Er Ya a poached egg."
Old Mrs. Zheng glared at Zheng Lao Si's wife, but ultimately said nothing.
Old Zheng rolled some tobacco in a calendar paper, lit it, and slowly smoked it. He said to Zheng Nanle, "Er Ya, those people in the cowshed have all left."
Zheng Nanle was surprised.
So fast?
She expected the people in the cowshed to leave, but she was surprised that they all left before she got married.
A hint of pity and a touch of anger flashed in Old Man Zheng's eyes. "Little Doctor Lu has also passed away with his grandfather."
Although he wasn't entirely satisfied with his granddaughter Er Ya, she was someone no one else could dislike.
Er Ya didn't look down on Lu Guangbai's identity before, but now that his identity has been restored, does he look down on his Er Ya for being a peasant girl?
"Dr. Lu, is he gone?" For a moment, Zheng Nanle's mind seemed to be filled with superglue, frozen and unable to move.
She stared blankly at Old Man Zheng, as if trying to discern whether his words were true or false.
"Yes, they're gone." Old Zheng took a deep breath. "They've been gone for three days."
“Er Ya, your house will be finished in a few days. When it is finished, find an honest and reliable man to marry into the family and carry on your father’s lineage. There are plenty of good men in our countryside. Don’t worry about those educated youth from other places. They are going back to their cities. They are not in our circle. Forcing them together is not a good thing.”
Men don't appreciate bad wives; they only see their wives, who stood by them through the worst times, as a stain on their reputation and a witness to their shameful past.
After achieving success and becoming glamorous, how many people can honestly accept their past, dirty and filthy self?
Zheng Nanle left the Zheng family and went to the cowshed. He found that all the daily necessities in the cowshed had disappeared. The cowshed had been turned into a place for storing miscellaneous items in the village. He fell silent.
Zheng Nanle returned to the Zheng family.
The Zheng family stared at Zheng Nanle, noticing that she seemed alright, without the oppressive tension of an impending storm or a strong anger. Her attitude was, to put it another way, a somewhat unpredictable calm, which puzzled them.
The wedding date had already been announced, and then I was just abandoned like this. Aren't you angry?
Zheng Nanle was naturally angry.
Getting angry won't solve anything.
She made herself a batch of chili sauce early in the morning. This chili sauce was made by Lu Guangbai, and the taste suited her very well. When she put it into her noodles, even the plain noodles became quite delicious.
While eating her noodles, she reflected on whether she was unsuitable for dating or marriage.
She finally found someone to be with, only to break up with them by disappearing without a trace. Is God telling her that she's better off single?
If I had known Lu Guangbai would run away, I should have eaten him beforehand, so that I wouldn't miss out on an experience before even having tasted meat.
Zheng Nanle felt a slight regret.
Thinking of Lu Guangbai's increasingly gentle and refined face, and his increasingly defined and beautiful physique, Zheng Nanle made a decision.
Once the human trafficking case is closed, she will take a long leave to go find Lu Guangbai, sleep with him, and then break up with him.
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