Chapter 223 Catching a Turtle in a Jar
These words caused Gu Yanzheng's expression to change drastically. He quickly walked to Shen Zhenzhu's side, looked down at the words she had written, and said thoughtfully, "This is of great importance. Does the National Security Bureau know about this?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "We haven't found any strong evidence yet; it's all just speculation."
Gu Yanzheng picked up his pen and circled "5458-611": "Is it a disconnected number?"
Shen Zhenzhu said, "This number has never existed."
Gu Yanzheng sat down next to Shen Zhenzhu and flipped through Chen Bufan's diary, saying, "Let's read it again. If, as you speculate, Gong Qi is a spy, then Chen Bufan is very likely to have left a coded message."
Shen Zhenzhu knew she couldn't panic at this moment. She calmly sat down, opened the "Confession of Guilt" and said, "He has not received professional training, so we cannot analyze his code from our perspective."
Gu Yanzheng said, "That's right, the key lies in his writing."
Chen Zhenzhu pursed her lips and said, "Let's try to translate the words into the opposite meaning first?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "If your speculation is correct, his initial affection for Gong Qi was genuine; he must have discovered clues during the pursuit or their time together."
Shen Zhenzhu continued tacitly, "But the leader didn't handle it in time and even criticized him, which aroused his suspicion. Chen Bufan felt that there were other spies lurking around, and he couldn't know who around him he could trust."
Shen Zhenzhu's mind raced. If all her guesses were true, Huang Dan's various explanations were merely buying time for Gong Qi.
If Gong Qi escapes this time, it will be difficult to catch her again.
“We have no reason to detain Gong Qi without sufficient evidence.” Gu Yanzheng understood Shen Zhenzhu’s anxiety: “She just held a press conference and has a lot of influence. If we don’t handle this well, she might take the opportunity to apply for ‘political asylum’ and leave in a swagger.”
“I’m afraid of that too,” Chen Zhenzhu said. “We must find evidence.”
......
Before they knew it, it was already dark outside. Shen Zhenzhu received several phone calls, all informing her of Gong Qi's itinerary. Gu Yanzheng kept calculating the password decryption, but unfortunately, he couldn't find a solution.
“I also have a question here, and I’ve thought about it carefully, using you and me as an example. I love you deeply, and I love every word you say. I will listen to your advice without question, so how could I dislike your ‘nagging’?”
Gu Yanzheng said truthfully, "If it were between you and me, I would love your 'incessant chatter'."
“So, this place isn’t right either.” Chen Zhenzhu had practically memorized the “Confession of Guilt” over and over again.
Suddenly, Chen Zhenzhu stood up abruptly, pointed at the "Confession of Guilt," and said, "Yes, Chen Bufan wouldn't say such a thing unless absolutely necessary. He hasn't received professional training; his codes are straightforward. Brother Zheng, we've been overthinking the phone number; look—"
Shen Zhenzhu pointed to the numbers 5458-611, which corresponded to the paragraph numbers in the "Confession of Guilt," and said, "The fifth line, the fourth and fifth characters are 'Gong Qi'."
Gu Yanzheng nodded: "8 represents 'firm'."
Shen Zhenzhu pointed to 611 and said, "The sixth row, the eleventh character is the '喋' in '喋喋不休' (chattering incessantly). Isn't '恭绮坚喋' just '恭绮谍' (Gong Qijianchao)?!"
"Brilliant! There couldn't be more direct information." Gu Yanzheng cracked his knuckles as he said, "This 'Confession of Guilt' isn't Chen Bufan's own; it's an accusation against Gong Qi!"
At that moment, an internal call came in from the Information Technology Department.
Zhou Chuanxi said, "Sister Pearl, it's quite difficult to find records of Gong Qi's filming. We can only find a portion from the last ten years. I'll have someone get them for you. I don't think there's any major problem."
Shen Zhenzhu said to Zhou Chuanxi, "Okay, thank you, Brother Xizi."
Five minutes later, as Shen Zhenzhu was anxiously waiting, someone from the Information Technology Department came to deliver the documents.
"Quick, help me take a look." Shen Zhenzhu found a map in the bookshelf and pulled Gu Yanzheng in front of it, saying, "Gong Qi specifically seeks out remote and obscure locations for filming, only using her own cameramen and team. She has remained relatively unknown for many years, without much publicity, partly due to deliberate concealment, so there is very little information available about her."
She marked the filming locations of Gong Qi over the past five years on the map.
Gu Yanzheng's lowered gaze grew even sharper: "Destroy the map immediately and report to the National Security Bureau for immediate arrest."
Chen Zhenzhu glanced at her sideways.
Gu Yanzheng said in a low voice, "The filming locations involve information from multiple military units."
......
Liancheng Airport is located in the city center and is the only airport in China situated within a city. With the Chinese New Year approaching, the airport is bustling with people.
Gong Qi paced back and forth in the coffee shop, her patience wearing thin as time went by.
Wearing sunglasses, she glared at the reporters who had followed her into the VIP waiting room and complained, "Why is this run-down airport so slow?!"
The makeup artist and assistant were still squatting on the ground cleaning the suitcases. Upon hearing this, the makeup artist whispered, "I heard that it was put into use in 1924 and has always been quite popular."
The assistant shook the wine bottle in the suitcase, glanced back at "Avanti," and asked, "Throw it away?"
"Avanti" sighed and said, "Throw it away, it's my personal property."
Gong Qi sat down next to him, her affectionate gaze no longer hidden behind her sunglasses. She crossed her legs, her fingers tapping incessantly on the armrest: "Why are they suddenly so strict about leaving the country? Hurry up, it's almost dark."
"Avanti" said longingly, "I can't wait to go back for the victory celebration. Sigh..."
The assistant and makeup artist were dressed as usual. The two of them diligently carried the suitcase.
Having failed security checks twice, this time they threw away all their personal belongings. The group was on tenterhooks, their hearts pounding with anxiety.
The assistant called out to "Avanti" and said quickly, "Hurry up and help me with the box, be careful."
They returned to the immigration checkpoint and queued up again.
Red lanterns and red couplets were also hung in the airport, as it will be Lunar New Year's Eve in two days.
Many people rushed back to China on the 28th of the lunar calendar. People from Liancheng who went abroad to work were willing to spend more money on plane tickets in order to be with their families on time for the Lunar New Year.
Fortunately, not many people went abroad, and Gong Qi arrived quickly.
She handed over her passport again and took off her hat and sunglasses. This time, the staff quickly let her through: "You can go now."
Gong Qi's heart had already flown to the other side, fantasizing about her legendary experiences after returning home, being supported by the country and the people, being able to write books and be promoted. She couldn't help but smile.
If there's any regret, it's that Huang Dan perished here. As sisters who came together, if one of them could achieve success, they would both be proud of each other.
Gong Qi touched her cheek, smelled the perfume of the passenger in front of her, and sniffed uncomfortably.
The luggage was checked in at the side and slid into the passage.
Gong Qi's eyes narrowed with excitement; she could even see the plane she was going to take waiting right outside the floor-to-ceiling window.
The assistants and makeup artists in front of them, along with "Avanti," had already passed the inspection, and the departing plane was just around the corner.
Finally, I can leave!
The flashbulbs were still going off behind them as reporters and media were busy recording the story of Gong Qi's "disappointing trip abroad for recuperation," without considering any other possibilities.
"These idiots." Gong Qi picked up a handkerchief, elegantly raised her little finger, and pinched her nose to relieve the discomfort caused by the itching in her nasal cavity.
She tucked a handkerchief into her pocket with one hand, turned around, and waved to the reporters with a disappointed expression: "Thank you for your care, thank you to my fans for your concern. I will be back. I love you all."
The staff member pointed to a section of the passage and said, "Ms. Gong, please proceed to the VIP passage."
"Another VIP lane?" Gong Qi said, walking in her high heels and following the directions given by the staff without any doubt. As an actress, she was already used to "VIP" treatment.
As they walked, the passage became narrower and narrower, and the heating inside disappeared.
Gong Qi impatiently asked the staff, "How much further?"
The "staff member" was a chubby-faced girl who politely said, "We'll be there soon. Just go through the room in front."
Gong Qi saw that inside the door was a simple office, where the assistant, makeup artist, and "Avanti" were sitting side by side with their backs to her.
"Thank you for showing me the way," Gong Qi said with a cold smile. "Do you want my autograph?"
Xiao Bai paused for a moment, then thought for a second and said, "Yes, I want to keep it as a souvenir."
Gong Qi said playfully, "Sorry, I don't like signing autographs for others."
noob:"......"
Gong Qi walked arrogantly into the "VIP room," looking around at the people with dissatisfaction, when she suddenly heard the door close.
A clear voice came from behind me: "If you don't like autographs, you can leave your handprint. After all, I don't know your real name."
"Who?" Gong Qi turned around quickly, but she was still a step too late.
Shen Zhenzhu grabbed her wrist and quickly handcuffed her: "Teacher Gong, you're cunning enough."
"It's you? What are you doing?!" Gong Qi's face was ashen as Chen Zhenzhu pressed her against the wall. Xiao Bai, the "staff member" who had led her in, searched her clothes.
After searching around, Xiao Bai found a piece of paper in the lining of Gong Qi's high heels. He waved it at Gong Qi and said, "Back when we were carrying rifles with millet, we sewed messages into our shoes. Haven't you made any progress in all these years?"
Xiao Bai didn't dare look at the information inside and handed it over to Chen Zhenzhu.
Gong Qi vehemently denied it: "I don't know what you're talking about. Someone gave me the shoes; I had no idea about them."
"Are they the ones?" Shen Zhenzhu gestured. The assistant, makeup artist, and "Avanti," all wearing handcuffs and leg irons, were lifted up by Gu Yanzheng and the others.
"Ah!" Gong Qi kept her mouth tightly shut, then suddenly felt a daze and bumped into the door. She slid off the door and sat down on the floor, opening her mouth but unable to utter a single word.
A small plane outside the window moved nearby, and the control tower gave a signal.
Needless to say, the crew members were also there. Chen Zhenzhu glanced at them and said, "They came back specifically to pick you up. This private jet is quite impressive."
After sending them onto the small plane, Shen Zhenzhu greeted the comrades from the Ministry of State Security and handed over the discovered papers and the belongings of Gong Qi and the others.
"I'd like to wish Captain Shen a Happy New Year in advance, and thank you for giving Guoan such a great gift. I will give you an answer later, but please keep the details confidential."
"Understood." The middle-aged woman who was piloting the plane, whose name Shen Zhenzhu still didn't know how to address, stood on the small plane that had been converted from military to civilian use and said, "You're too kind, leader. It's all part of my duty."
The middle-aged woman nodded: "You're a promising young man... Really, have you considered joining the National Security Bureau? I can teach you how to fly a plane?"
Shen Zhenzhu chuckled: "Thank you for your appreciation. The criminal investigation team is quite suitable for me."
"Okay, that's a shame. I'll contact you again if there are any problems."
"Yes, have a safe journey. I'll keep my phone accessible." Chen Zhenzhu stood at attention and saluted.
Before returning to the cockpit, the middle-aged woman patted Chen Zhenzhu on the shoulder and pinched her cheek: "Good, you're such a treasure."
......
After disembarking from the small plane, all four teams returned to the Criminal Investigation Division.
After several days of traveling, Xiaobai collapsed on the sofa, looking weary, and said, "There's no place like home."
Chen Zhenzhu squeezed next to her, her mind a little fuzzy after the brainstorming session.
Gu Yanzheng poured her some hot water, and she lazily took a sip.
Wu Zhongguo returned from outside and waved to them: "You're back? The lunchboxes are ready. Come on, here's some hot sweet and sour pork."
Shen Zhenzhu quickly got up and sat around the sofa to eat heartily.
They accidentally caught a bunch of state spies.
The four teams looked at each other in silence, wanting to gossip but also wanting to keep it a secret; they were all itching to know what was going on.
Lu Ye coughed and said, "That 'Maimaiti' is quite handsome."
Gu Yanzheng slowly chewed on the sweet and sour pork: "'Avanti'."
After finishing the meal, the coffee table was cleaned up.
Everyone was still sitting together.
After a moment of silence, no one wanted to go home.
Xiao Bai couldn't help but speak up: "How about I tell you about the case of the family member we solved? But, wouldn't gossip be bad?"
Shen Zhenzhu said seriously, "What gossip? We are discussing the case, reporting and exchanging information in a serious and earnest manner, and summarizing our experiences."
Gu Yanzheng forced a smile, couldn't help but glance at Chen Zhenzhu, and said flatteringly, "Learning from the past is a guide for the future."
Zhao Qiqi had already started roasting sweet potatoes and potatoes, and squatted in front of the small stove, poking at them and saying, "Yes, let's discuss it."
"Now I'll begin my report on the case." Xiaobai swallowed a dried sweet potato and coughed. "At first, we all thought it was a routine case of intentional assault. But after arriving in the rural area of Heyi County and learning the truth, we discovered that this family consisted of the parents-in-law, their son, and their daughter-in-law. Earlier this year, the newlywed daughter-in-law had to go to work in a factory to supplement the family income—"
Zhao Qiqi interrupted: "So your daughter-in-law ran away?"
Xiao Bai clicked his tongue: "The daughter-in-law didn't run away. The mother-in-law went to work in the factory to keep an eye on her daughter-in-law. But... the mother-in-law ran away, and it's said she ran away while heavily pregnant."
Chen Zhenzhu: "......"
Gu Yanzheng tried to say, "Would this cause father and son to become enemies?"
Wu Zhongguo continued, "It's not that simple. The father-in-law felt ashamed and couldn't bear the thought of his wife being cuckolded. He lied and claimed that his daughter-in-law had sold her mother-in-law, and then went to his daughter-in-law's house to make a scene."
Shen Zhenzhu closed her eyes briefly: "He's really something."
“This isn’t the end,” Xiaobai continued. “My daughter-in-law’s family couldn’t stand the harassment anymore and called the police station. When the police came to mediate, they found that my daughter-in-law was underage and declared the marriage invalid. My daughter-in-law’s family then took her back. When my son found out that his wife was gone, he stabbed his father in a fit of rage. It was only after someone from the same village reported the incident that we went there.”
Gu Yanzheng: "......"
"This is so melodramatic," Shen Zhenzhu complained.
After Xiaobai finished explaining the case, it was almost time for everyone to go home and find their mothers.
Before leaving, Lu Ye asked Gu Yanzheng, "Boss, how long does it usually take to get results for cases like Gong Qi's?"
He has no experience in this area and wants to inquire about it.
Gu Yanzheng said, "It could take a month, or three to five years. Don't worry about it, let's talk about it after the New Year."
"Too."
Gu Yanzheng added, "However, it will be much faster for them to take over the case, and they will also provide some answers to the doubts in the case."
Hearing this, Shen Zhenzhu was delighted.
She also wanted to know about Chen Bufan's situation at that time, as well as the details in his diary and "Confession of Guilt".
Everyone walked downstairs together, with Chen Zhenzhu and Gu Yanzheng tacitly following behind. They rubbed the backs of their hands together, sharing a silent, unspoken joy.
"Xiao Bai, what time is your train? Do you need me to give you a ride?" Chen Zhenzhu suddenly remembered and asked.
Xiao Bai said from below, "I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I've arranged to travel with someone, so you don't need to see me off. I'll be back on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year."
"Okay, be careful," Shen Zhenzhu said.
After leaving the office building and getting into the Cherokee, Gu Yanzheng asked Chen Zhenzhu, "What about you? Which day of the month are you on duty?"
Shen Zhenzhu closed the passenger door, said goodbye to the others, fastened her seatbelt, and said, "It's the third day of the Lunar New Year. What about you?"
Gu Yanzheng said, "Also in the third year of junior high."
Shen Zhenzhu laughed: "What a coincidence! We can roast sweet potatoes together."
The two drove away in a Cherokee. As they reached the door, Wu Zhongguo thought for a moment and asked Lu Ye, who was about to ride his motorcycle, "Are they dating?"
Before Lu Ye could speak, Xiao Bai, carrying a plastic bag, was about to buy some fruit to eat on the train. Reaching the door, she said, "They're definitely together. Didn't you guys notice them exchanging glances?"
Wearing a helmet, Zhao Qiqi nearly fell. She grabbed Lu Ye's clothes and exclaimed incredulously, "Who?! Who's dating whom?"
Lu Ye twisted the accelerator and said, "I'll tell you later, just hold on tight."
After the motorcycle left, Wu Zhongguo, wearing gloves, slowly said to Xiaobai, "Happy New Year in advance, see you during the Spring Festival."
Xiao Bai said with a smile, "See you at the New Year. Send your regards to Auntie and Xiao Chuan."
1994.
A pivotal year for reform and opening up, bridging the past and the future.
On New Year's Eve, Shen Zhenzhu sat in front of the TV, watching the lively Spring Festival Gala attentively, and even ate large dumplings with sauerkraut and pork made by Shen Liuhe.
As usual, Yuan Jiangxue, Yuan Juan, Uncle Lu, Brother Leng, and others came over to celebrate the New Year together, and the three-bedroom, one-living-room house was filled with lively laughter.
Dongbao, who came with them, dragged Shen Yuyuan and the others to the yard to set off fireworks, shouting and yelling wildly, they were incredibly happy.
In the warm living room, Grandma Tong held Shen Liuhe's hand, unsure how to express her gratitude.
"This is a New Year's gift from Dang Lei to you." Yuan Juan handed Chen Zhenzhu a bottle of origami cranes: "That child is quite good."
After washing the dishes in the kitchen, wearing an apron, Uncle Lu washed some fruit and brought it out, asking, "Who is Dang Lei?"
Yuan Jiangxue picked up a grape, gracefully peeled its skin, and said, "Hu Xiaolei, that fake family member who was on the news."
"Oh, it's him." Uncle Lu suddenly realized, "He's the only healthy one in the family, it's like a genetic mutation."
Chen Zhenzhu looked at the delicate and neat origami cranes in the bottle, wondering how much time Dang Lei had spent folding them.
Seeing that she liked it, Yuan Juan smiled and said, "My daughter Niu Niu became friends with him through your introduction. They are both in bad situations, so they can encourage each other and always have so much to talk about."
Shen Zhenzhu smiled and said, "That's great. Xiao Lei keeps saying that Niu Niu sent him gifts and that she's been a great help to him. It's a good thing to have someone to help you through tough times."
Ring ring,
Ring ring.
The landline rang again. With red envelopes from her elders tucked into her pocket, Chen Zhenzhu ran over to answer the calls from relatives and friends, beaming with joy as she said, "Happy New Year! Wishing you prosperity!"
......
Starting from the first day of the Lunar New Year, many men and women were seen on the streets and alleys, playing with hula hoops.
On Tiesi Commercial Street, there were also many people holding hula hoops, ready to challenge themselves.
Yuan Jiangxue wove little capes for the kittens that Dongbao carved, tying them together in a row in various colors, creating a lovely sight.
Occasionally, a lazy stray cat would pass by, weaving around the wooden carving of a little Maori in an S-shape, leaving a string of plum blossom-shaped footprints on the snow, which would then attract a group of people to admire it.
Seeing a young man walking by swinging a hula hoop, Yuan Juan stood at the store entrance and said with a smile, "Someone challenged the Guinness World Record for hula hooping during the Spring Festival Gala, which made everyone feel that they have unlimited potential."
As they were talking, Chen Zhenzhu came out of the shop, not wearing a cotton-padded coat, just a snow-white sweater, and was swaying her body with a yellow hula hoop: "Come on, challenge yourself."
Yuan Jiangxue chuckled and said to Yuan Juan, "Look at her, where does she get so much energy every day?"
Yuan Juan came out with a broom to sweep the snow, saying, "A person's life is all about 'spirit, energy, and vitality.' It would be terrible if they lost that. By the way, don't we ever rest on the streets?"
Yuan Jiangxue looked around and said, "I can't stand being cooped up at home, so I might as well go out and meet up with my old friends."
The third day of the Lunar New Year.
Shen Zhenzhu, carrying a bag of peanuts and humming her new song "One Two Three Four," arrived at the Criminal Investigation Brigade for her shift.
First, I gave Mantou No. 2 a bath, cleaned the small stove, and then wiped down the office inside and out.
The windows are bright, a sign of prosperity and good fortune.
There were sticky rice cakes made by Grandma Tong in the lunchbox. Chen Zhenzhu took them to another office and shared them with everyone. When she returned to her office, she saw someone feeding fish by the window.
"Brother Zheng! I saved some for you." Shen Zhenzhu presented Gu Yanzheng with a sticky rice cake.
Gu Yanzheng opened his hand, revealing a handful of fish food in his palm.
Shen Zhenzhu glanced furtively at the door, then quickly grabbed a sticky rice cake and stuffed it into Gu Yanzheng's mouth: "Eat slowly, don't underestimate the value of this rice cake."
"You always have such a repertoire of little words, where did you learn them from?" Gu Yanzheng said, swallowing a sticky rice cake.
"It comes from life." After the New Year, Shen Zhenzhu saw Gu Yanzheng again, and her whole face was beaming with joy.
Hearing footsteps in the corridor outside, Chen Zhenzhu immediately separated herself from Gu Yanzheng by a distance.
She took off her cotton-padded coat without a second thought, and replaced her red vest with a pink vest hand-knitted by Yuan Jiangxue, which was twisted into "big braid" patterns. Her face was enveloped in love.
On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, a spy case was solved. A spy organization that had been operating in China for more than 20 years was discovered and wiped out. Director Tu said she was "very capable" and even received a big red envelope, making him very happy.
But Gu Yanzheng was going to settle accounts with her.
-----------------------
Author's note: See you tomorrow, there's a red envelope coming! [Let me see]
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