Chapter 77 Chapter 77
"I'm used to carrying a notebook with me, and I draw down any special medicinal herbs I come across." Shen Zhaoyue said as he opened the notebook.
There were indeed several herbal sketches in it, with delicate and vivid brushstrokes.
Wen Yanxi's gaze lingered on the sketches for a moment. In the end, he just said "hmm" softly and didn't ask any further questions.
Chen Zhaoyue urged, "Uncle, now is not the time to discuss this, right? We need to tell the commander about this quickly."
Wen Yanxi looked at her deeply, then nodded and said, "Follow me."
The two men arrived at the commander's office in a short while.
Wen Qimin had just finished lunch and was drinking tea leisurely.
"Report!" Wen Yanxi stood at attention and saluted at the door, his voice sonorous and powerful.
Wen Qimin looked up and saw his nephew and niece-in-law standing at the door together. He immediately smiled and said, "Hey, why are you two here together?"
He put down his teacup and winked mischievously: "Could it be that you got the marriage certificate and came here specifically to thank your uncle?"
Even though I only remembered him as a matchmaker two days after getting the certificate, at least I remembered to come, right?
Wen Yanxi's expression was unusually serious: "Commander, there is an emergency to report."
Chen Zhaoyue stood aside, her slender fingers unconsciously twisted together, her fingertips slightly white due to the force.
This was the first time she had personally experienced an enemy spy incident, and her heart was beating wildly in her chest.
"What's going on?" Wen Qimin saw that the two of them looked extremely serious, and the smile on his face disappeared instantly.
He leaned forward unconsciously, and even his voice became a little deeper.
Wen Yanxi got straight to the point: "Zhaoyue discovered an enemy spy."
He took out the note and spread it flat on the table. "She discovered signs of enemy spy activity in the eastern forest. This is an intercepted telegram!"
The sunlight came through the window, casting a blinding spot on the note.
Wen Qimin's eyes instantly became sharp. He grabbed the note and scanned its contents like an eagle.
As he read further, his brows furrowed more and more, almost twisting into a knot.
"How dare you!" Wen Qimin slammed the table and stood up, making the teacup clang. "How dare you get right under our noses!"
The air in the office seemed to freeze.
Shen Zhaoyue held his breath and watched Wen Qimin quickly walk to the battle map on the wall.
"Zhaoyue, come and take a look!" Wen Qimin drew a heavy circle around the Beishan area, leaving a striking pencil mark on the map. "There are several villages in this area. Think carefully, which direction did that person go?"
Chen Zhaoyue took a few steps forward and stood in front of the map, examining it carefully.
She started by discovering the enemy spy's location, her fingertips gently moving across the map, and her mind kept replaying the suspicious person's route.
"Here!" After a moment, Chen Zhaoyue pointed confidently to the location of a village, leaving a shallow mark on the drawing with his fingernails.
"Kangzhuang Village!" Wen Qimin took a closer look and his face suddenly turned gloomy.
He tapped the place name twice with his fingers: "This is a big village, formed by the merger of five natural villages."
Wen Yanxi frowned when he heard this, and the muscles under his military uniform unconsciously tensed.
Kangzhuang Village has a complex population, with both honest villagers who have been farming for generations and many outsiders.
If enemy spies were hiding there, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Wen Qimin pondered for a moment and pressed the communicator on the table: "Notify all regimental-level cadres to hold an emergency meeting."
The operator on the other end of the communicator immediately responded: "Yes! Notify me immediately!"
Putting down the communicator, Wen Qimin turned to Wen Yanxi and said, "We must capture the enemy spies, but we must not act rashly, so as not to alert the enemy."
Wen Yanxi said in a deep voice: "I can take people there in disguise to find out the situation first."
"No rush." Wen Qimin waved his hand: "Let's have a meeting to discuss the plan first."
————
Before long, the conference room was filled with regimental-level cadres, as well as political commissars, chiefs, and other high-level leaders.
When everyone noticed Chen Zhaoyue standing next to Wen Qimin, the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became subtle.
This pretty young girl stood out among a group of officers in neat uniforms.
"High-level meeting, why is a girl here?" One of the group leaders frowned openly, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for everyone around to hear.
Chen Zhaoyue pursed her lips, and before she could speak, Wen Yanxi suddenly took a step forward, his tall body blocking her tightly and protecting her behind him.
Wen Yanxi's voice was as cold as ice, his eyes as sharp as knives: "This is Comrade Shen Zhaoyue, who discovered clues about the enemy spies."
He deliberately emphasized the words "discovered enemy spies": "If it weren't for her, we would still be kept in the dark."
The air in the conference room froze instantly. Wen Qimin knocked on the table at the right moment: "Everyone, sit down!"
He looked around, his gaze lingering on the face of the man who spoke for a second longer: "Today's meeting was caused by the important intelligence brought by Comrade Shen."
Chen Zhaoyue quietly poked her head out from behind Wen Yanxi and saw that the team leader's face turned pale and blue, and finally sat down in a sullen manner.
Wen Yanxi was still standing beside her, his straight shoulders in military uniform like a solid wall, shielding her from all questioning gazes.
Chen Zhaoyue curled the corners of his lips and straightened his back!
At Wen Qimin's suggestion, she recounted the story of discovering the enemy spies on the mountain in a clear and steady voice.
As she spoke, the atmosphere in the conference room became increasingly solemn.
Several group leaders sat up straighter unconsciously, their brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
No one expected that the enemy spies had already reached right under their noses.
"Wait!" One of the leaders suddenly interrupted, his sharp eyes shooting straight at Shen Zhaoyue: "I heard that you are a Miss Capital?"
He deliberately emphasized the word "capital" and said, "Are you sure you saw the other party sending the telegram with your own eyes? And not... did you mishear it?"
This sentence is like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.
Chen Zhaoyue could feel that the gazes cast towards her in the conference room suddenly became complicated—suspicion, vigilance, and even faint hostility.
Wen Qimin knocked his knuckles on the table twice and was about to speak, but Wen Yanxi slammed the Morse code note on the table first.
"The enemy spies are in Kangzhuang Village!" He said in a loud voice, leaving no room for doubt: "This is the content of the telegram that Comrade Shen wrote down at the risk of his life!"
The conference room was completely silent, with only the slight rustling of papers being passed around.
After reading the note, everyone's face became extremely solemn and their brows were furrowed.
"Comrade Xiao Shen's previous identity is not important," Wen Qimin said slowly, but his voice was resounding: "She is now a military doctor in our health center!"
… Wen Qimin glanced around, his eyes sweeping across everyone's face. "Furthermore, she remained fearless even after encountering the enemy spies. She even managed to memorize the entire contents of the telegram. This is enough to offset those fabricated identities! With her courage and reaction, most people can't do it."
He hoped that after this incident, Shen Zhaoyue's capitalist status in the army would become a thing of the past!
Wen Yanxi stood beside Shen Zhaoyue and said in a steady voice, "Chen Zhaoyue also assisted in the capture of enemy spies on the train and has experience."
His brief words shocked everyone present once again.
Although Bai Jiang didn't know the specific situation on the train, he immediately nodded in agreement: "She has superb medical skills. She is indeed not an ordinary capitalist lady."
He looked at Chen Zhaoyue with admiration in his eyes.
The atmosphere in the meeting room gradually relaxed.
The captain who initially questioned Shen Zhaoyue scratched his head and said awkwardly: “That…Comrade Shen, I was the one who offended you just now.”
He stood up and saluted Shen Zhaoyue solemnly: "Thank you for your contribution to the army!"
Chen Zhaoyue smiled slightly and returned the gift gracefully: "This is what I should do."
Wen Qimin nodded with satisfaction and knocked on the table: "Okay, now let's discuss the battle plan!"
His voice was loud and powerful: "The enemy spies are in Kangzhuang Village, we must act quickly!"
Wen Yanxi stepped forward and said, "I'd like to apply to lead a team to Kangzhuang Village to capture enemy spies."
Chen Zhaoyue pursed her lips and took a step forward: “I’ll go too.”
Her clear voice was particularly clear in the conference room: "I have seen that person. I can help identify him and narrow the search area."
When Wen Qimin heard that Chen Zhaoyue was going, his brows furrowed slightly - this was too dangerous.
Not to mention that Chen Zhaoyue is Wen Yanxi's newly married wife, not to mention that she has no training at all. If she rashly goes to find the enemy spies, she won't even be able to protect herself if she is discovered.
But when it comes to enemy spies, they would rather kill the wrong person than let him go. Since she has seen it with her own eyes, she is indeed the most suitable candidate.
Wen Yanxi saw his hesitation and was hesitating as well.
Out of selfish motives, he also didn't want to see Chen Zhaoyue in danger.
He glanced sideways at Chen Zhaoyue, only to see her tilting her little face upwards, a determined light flashing in her almond-shaped eyes.
Those talking eyes seemed to be saying "Let me go", which made his heart soften.
The leaders in the conference room couldn't help but look at Shen Zhaoyue with new eyes. This seemingly weak girl was so courageous and insightful.
"I'm sure I can recognize it." Chen Zhaoyue added softly.
Although she only saw a side profile, with Johnny's video record, she would definitely be able to recognize that person if she saw him again!
Being stared at like this by Chen Zhaoyue, Wen Yanxi couldn't help but soften his heart and decided to respect her decision.
He took a deep breath and turned to the still hesitant Wen Qimin: "I will send two elite soldiers to accompany you. They will provide intensive protection throughout the journey."
Together with himself, if he pays more attention, he should be able to protect Chen Zhaoyue.
Wen Qimin looked at the determined eyes of his nephew and niece-in-law, and finally nodded slowly: "Okay, but safety must be guaranteed first!"
Chen Zhaoyue's tense shoulders finally relaxed, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose, revealing a relieved smile.
The sunlight shone through the window onto her face, making her almond-shaped eyes look particularly bright.
"It's getting late." Wen Qimin glanced at his watch and sighed, his fatigue clearly visible between his brows. "You guys go back and rest first, and come back tomorrow morning to make a detailed plan."
He rubbed his brows. He still needed to integrate the information and think it over carefully.
Wen Yanxi stood at attention and saluted: "Yes!"
When he turned around, he calmly took Shen Zhaoyue's hand and led her out the door.
This natural and intimate action made the unsuspecting team leaders in the conference room open their eyes wide and open their mouths into an "O" shape.
When did Captain Wen, who has never been interested in women, become so close to this beautiful military doctor?
When I walked out of the meeting room, I realized that the meeting had lasted too long and the sunset had dyed half the sky red.
The soldiers on the training ground had even finished their training.
"Are you hungry?" Wen Yanxi suddenly spoke, his voice a little softer than usual.
Chen Zhaoyue had eaten in the space at noon, so she was fine now, but Wen Yanxi was pulled away from the cafeteria by her at noon and didn't even have time to eat.
"If we hurry to the cafeteria now, can we still get some food?" She raised her little face, her eyes filled with worry.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on her delicate facial features, outlining a soft halo.
Wen Yanxi felt warm in his heart when he saw her worried look.
He held her hand tightly, and his stern features softened a little: "Let's go home and eat!"
Chen Zhaoyue thought it was a good idea and was led by Wen Yanxi to the family compound.
The afterglow of the setting sun stretched the shadows of the two people very long.
Chen Zhaoyue felt the generosity and warmth of his palm. Although it had the roughness unique to soldiers, it made her feel extremely at ease.
After returning home, Wen Yanxi walked straight into the kitchen, skillfully tied an apron and started preparing dinner.
Chen Zhaoyue carefully put away the backpack filled with herbs, smelled the sweat and dirt on his body, and went into the bathroom without saying a word.
The warm water washed away the fatigue of the day. When Chen Zhaoyue came out, wiping her wet hair, she felt much more refreshed.
The aroma of food wafting from the kitchen made her take a deep breath.
"Uncle!" Seeing Wen Yanxi coming out of the kitchen with dishes, Chen Zhaoyue ran over excitedly to help.
She was extremely excited at the thought of participating in the operation to capture enemy spies tomorrow.
This kind of scene that she had only seen in TV dramas before, she was able to experience it in person, which made her heart beat faster.
"Will I be armed with a gun tomorrow?" she asked with sparkling eyes, her fingers unconsciously making a shooting gesture.
Wen Yanxi was stunned when he heard this and almost dropped the plate of food in his hand.
His gaze lingered on Shen Zhaoyue's slender wrist for a moment.
This wrist is so thin that it is not even as thick as the gun handle. Can it hold the gun steadily?
The recoil alone would probably make her take three steps back.
The suspicion in his eyes was so obvious that it was difficult for Shen Zhaoyue to pretend not to see it.
"I can shoot a gun!" She puffed up her cheeks in defiance, like a kitten with its fur standing on end.
In her previous life, she had also shot a gun during military training, and she ranked first in the class. The instructors all praised her for her good aim!
Wen Yanxi raised an eyebrow, put the dish on the table, slowly took off his apron, and handed the bowl to Shen Zhaoyue: "Eat!"
Naturally, he didn't believe what Chen Zhaoyue had just said.
With her delicate appearance, Wen Yanxi even felt that she would be scared to tears if she fired a shot.
Chen Zhaoyue: “…”
Who are you looking down on?
Sooner or later she will be able to prove herself. She didn't shoot those air rifle dolls in vain in her previous life!
…
At dawn the next day, when the sky was just beginning to turn pale, Chen Zhaoyue and Wen Yanxi had already finished their breakfast and hurried to the commander's office.
When I pushed open the door, Wen Qimin was working at his desk, and the ashtray on the table was full of cigarette butts.
When he looked up, the dark circles under his eyes were particularly noticeable, clearly he hadn't slept all night.
"You two came early." Seeing the two people looking energetic, Wen Qimin showed a relieved smile on his tired face.
He rubbed his temples and pulled out a stack of documents from a drawer. "This is the detailed information on Kangzhuang Village, including the villagers' registration information. This time, you can focus on checking those unregistered migrant workers!"
Wen Yanxi took the information and read it carefully, and Chen Zhaoyue also stood on tiptoe to take a closer look.
Using this posture, she quietly let Johnny scan and record all the information.
"Although Kangzhuang Village was formed by the merger of several natural villages, it's located on the border and the conditions are difficult," Wen Qimin said in a hoarse and tired voice. "There's not even a barefoot doctor in the village. Villagers have to go to neighboring villages or trek into the city to see a doctor."
Having said that, he suddenly looked at Shen Zhaoyue: “This is a great opportunity!”
Wen Qimin tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "You can pretend to be an educated youth who went to the countryside to provide free medical treatment. I've contacted the Educated Youth Office, and they'll issue you a certificate."
Chen Zhaoyue's eyes lit up. This identity was indeed the most suitable.
The identity of a free clinician not only allows her to move freely in the village, but also allows her to approach suspicious people through the opportunity of seeing patients.
Plus, she was a doctor, so even if the enemy spies were cautious, they would never have thought that the free clinic was a cover.
"Okay!" Chen Zhaoyue agreed without hesitation.
Wen Yanxi stood aside, his eyes never leaving Chen Zhaoyue.
Looking at her high spirits, he frowned calmly.
His fingers unconsciously rubbed the seam of his trousers, and he was already thinking about the defense plan in his mind.
Seeing Chen Zhaoyue eager to try, Wen Qimin warned: "Remember, be careful. There may be more than one enemy spy, so don't alert them."
Chen Zhaoyue raised his head, the excitement in his eyes gradually settled and turned into a determined light.
Just as she was about to speak, she heard Wen Yanxi's deep and powerful voice ringing in her ears: "I will protect her!"
She glanced sideways, and the morning light outlined Wen Yanxi's tense profile, with his jawline as sharp as a knife.
The corners of Chen Zhaoyue's lips curled up slightly. She has really good taste!
The two men came out of the commander's office. Shen Zhaoyue hadn't taken two steps when he suddenly remembered something and stopped: "Uncle, I have to ask Dean Gao for leave before I go on the mission."
She looked up at Wen Yanxi: "Can I tell her about this?"
Thinking that he had been asking for leave frequently just a few days after entering the health center, Shen Zhaoyue touched his nose a little embarrassedly.
"Okay, but only she can know about it." Wen Yanxi nodded in a steady voice.
As the director of the health center, Gao Wen has a clean political background and is completely trustworthy.
"Okay!" Chen Zhaoyue's eyes lit up: "Then we'll meet at the army gate later!"
She waved to Wen Yanxi, and when she turned around, her ponytail drew a cheerful arc in the air, and she ran towards the health center excitedly.
Wen Yanxi stood there, watching her figure walk away, then turned and walked towards the training ground.
For this mission, he needs to personally select two of the most elite soldiers to accompany him.
On the training ground, the soldiers who had gotten up early for training had already lined up.
Wen Yanxi's sharp eyes swept across every resolute face like a hawk, and finally stopped on two people.
"Jia Zheng, step out!"
As soon as the voice fell, Jia Zheng in the queue trembled suddenly and his heart was pounding.
Has he done anything wrong recently?
Why was I named by this living devil again?
But military orders were as firm as a mountain, so he quickly stepped out of the line and stood straight.
Wen Yanxi looked at Jia Zheng's tense expression and knew what he was thinking.
Jia Zheng was chosen not only because he was an elite member of the regiment, but also because Shen Zhaoyue had met him once on the train to the northern border.
She should feel more at ease with a familiar face around.
Before Jia Zheng could stand firm, Wen Yanxi called out another name: "Sun Xingxing, step out!"
At the end of the queue, a young soldier with a childish face widened his eyes in surprise, then trotted out.
Sun Xingxing is a new recruit who has just joined the regiment. He is about the same age as Shen Zhaoyue. This is one of the reasons why Wen Yanxi chose him.
More importantly, he was a soldier recruited from a nearby village. He was familiar with the local dialect and customs, and had a natural advantage in carrying out covert missions.
"You two, follow me." Wen Yanxi gave a brief order.
Jia Zheng and Sun Xingxing immediately followed, and the three of them quickly left the training ground.
Wen Yanxi led them around in circles and finally stopped in front of a secluded warehouse.
Wen Yanxi pushed open the door and saw several sets of coarse cloth clothes commonly worn by villagers already prepared inside.
He briefly explained the mission requirements and said, "Change clothes!"
The three of them quickly changed into their clothes. Wen Yanxi even smeared some dust on his face to make himself look more like a weathered farmer.
Jia Zheng tugged at his slightly tight coarse cloth jacket and muttered quietly, "Captain, is this jacket a little too small?"
Wen Yanxi glanced at him and said, "It just happens. It makes you look like a hard laborer."
As he spoke, he also put on a tattered straw hat to cover his iconic military buzz cut.
Sun Xingxing was very comfortable with this outfit. He spoke a few words skillfully in dialect, looking like a country boy.
Wen Yanxi nodded with satisfaction, and the three of them walked towards the military gate.
On the other side, after arriving at the health center, Shen Zhaoyue went straight to the director's office.
Her footsteps were particularly clear in the corridor, attracting the attention of several nurses.
"This Chen Zhaoyue is really acting like a capitalist lady." Lin Xiaomei curled her lips, her voice just loud enough for those around her to hear: "Every day she's either taking leave or being late. Does she really think the clinic is owned by her family?"
Liu Siyu raised her head when she heard this and said softly, "Maybe something happened to her."
"What could be wrong with her? She's just busy playing!" Lin Xiaomei said disdainfully.
After she said this, the other nurses began to have some doubts about the matter.
At the end of the corridor, Shen Zhaoyue didn't hear any of the discussions. She knocked gently on the door of the dean's office, and after hearing the voice of "Come in" from inside, she pushed the door open and walked in.
Gao Wen was sorting documents. When she looked up and saw Chen Zhaoyue, she frowned slightly, "Another leave?"
Chen Zhaoyue stood in the halo with an apologetic smile on his face: "President Gao, this time there is really an important mission..."
Gao Wen put down the pen in her hand and motioned her to close the door.
After listening to Shen Zhaoyue's explanation in a low voice, her expression gradually became serious: "I understand."
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