The four walked out of the office building in silence.
The night outside was as dark as ink, and a cold wind howled past.
After a brief farewell, the four went their separate ways.
Xu Xinghe and Jiang Linchuan remained where they were, while Lian Xiao and Zhang Cishu returned to their residence together.
They remained silent the whole way until they were almost at the courtyard gate, when Zhang Cishu finally spoke, his tone cold, "I don't care how much you like Xu Xinghe, or how much you hate Jiang Linchuan, don't try anything funny or kick someone when they're down in this matter."
Lian Xiao suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned around to look at him, pressed his tongue against his cheek, and suppressed his anger. "What do you take me for? Yes, I like Xu Xinghe, I don't get along with Jiang Linchuan, and I don't like you either, but I, Lian Xiao, would never do such a despicable thing!"
He took a deep breath. "The Lian family's teachings taught me that if you want something, you have to fight for it openly and honestly. Zhang Cishu, if you dare say such things again, we're breaking off our friendship!"
Although they weren't friends, they were much closer than the others in the military; at least they had eaten together several times. Yet Zhang Cishu actually thought that way.
Lian Xiao laughed in anger. Was he really that much of a failure as a person?
Xu Xinghe didn't believe him, and even Zhang Cishu looked at him with that kind of gaze!
He added again, "I am now a soldier, a member of the military, and I would never do anything to betray this uniform! Xu Xinghe's matter is my private matter, and I know what is important."
After saying that, he strode into the yard, afraid that if he stayed even a second longer, he would lose his temper and take action.
Zhang Cishu watched his retreating figure, and a slight change finally appeared on her expressionless face.
Lian Xiao's vibrant, clear-cut passion for love and hate was like a flame.
He seemed tireless, his emotions always high.
Looking at myself, even when I see a dead person, I don't feel anything.
Zhang Cishu looked up at the dark night sky. Learning is a slow process. He would take it one step at a time. Sooner or later, he would become a qualified person.
Xu Xinghe and Jiang Linchuan were still standing under the tree behind the office building.
The darkness provided the best cover, allowing them to be even more intimate than during the day.
Jiang Linchuan gently embraced her soft body and whispered, "Let's go back, it's cold outside."
"Yes." Xu Xinghe looked up at him, her eyes firm. "Don't worry, I will find clues as soon as possible and clear your name."
Jiang Linchuan chuckled and ruffled her hair. "I'm not worried. The truth may be late, but it will never be absent. I have plenty of patience to wait."
He once went undercover for three months on a dangerous mission before finally finding an opportunity to act.
What he has no shortage of is patience.
But... he looked down at the girl in his arms, and the only exception was getting a marriage certificate with Xu Xinghe.
——
The night was deep.
Hongqi Village.
Under the cover of darkness, a dark figure darted into the village and stopped in front of the gate where three strings of red chili peppers were hanging.
Feng Qiushi was dozing on the kang (a heated brick bed) when he heard a rapid knocking on the door. He woke up instantly and tiptoed to the door. "Who is it?"
"It's me," came Xu Mingli's low voice from outside the door.
Feng Qiushi quickly unlatched the door, and seeing the travel-worn man, breathed a sigh of relief, "You're finally back!"
Xu Mingli darted into the room and got straight to the point, "Where is that person?"
"It's locked in the cabin."
"I'll go take a look." Xu Mingli didn't bother to rest, picked up the oil lamp and went to the side room, unlocking the door.
The man on the kang was startled awake by the noise, rubbed his eyes and sat up, saying, "You're back."
"Hmm." Xu Mingli placed the oil lamp on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), the light reflecting the weariness in his eyes. "I originally planned to let you leave today, but they will definitely come to investigate again, so you may need to hold out for a few more days. You will stay in this room for the time being, and you are not allowed to step out of the room without my permission."
He picked up an empty chamber pot from the corner and placed it beside the kang (a heated brick bed). "You can relieve yourself here tonight. I'll take care of it. Feng Qiushi will bring your meals over, so you won't go hungry."
The man nodded in agreement. The agreement was that he would cooperate at any time. Anyway, he didn't have to work and often went out to play for several days at a time, so his family wouldn't suspect anything.
Xu Mingli gave some other instructions before locking the door again and turning back to the main room.
He trusted no one, except for Feng Qiushi, whom he was somewhat at ease with.
“Except when delivering meals, keep the door locked the whole time, don’t let him wander out.” Xu Mingli sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), rubbing his frozen feet. “I might have to go out more often lately.”
"Where are you going?" Feng Qiushi felt a sudden panic, and after hesitating for a long time, he finally asked, "Did you kill Er Laizi's father...?"
She was still asleep when Erlaizi's father hanged himself, but when she woke up, Xu Mingli next to her was still in bed, but his body was ice cold, obviously because he had just come back from outside.
"Don't talk nonsense!" Xu Mingli suddenly raised his voice, then immediately lowered it again, "I didn't do it. I'm hungry, go make me a bowl of hot soup noodles."
After he arrived in town, in order to avoid being discovered by anyone, he not only covered himself up completely, but also dared not take a car. He walked all the way back from town at night, until his feet were numb with cold and his stomach was growling with hunger.
The reason he delayed until the day Xu Xinghe got her marriage certificate and had Er Laizi cause trouble was to lay the groundwork step by step, including finding this stand-in.
That old bastard Erlaizi's father knows nothing, yet he knows everything. Keeping him around will be a problem sooner or later; he must die!
Moreover, only if he dies can this matter escalate and truly drag Jiang Linchuan down with him!
But death also means trouble. Xu Xinghe and the others will definitely come to investigate, and he, as a new outsider, will inevitably be the prime suspect. That's why he needs a substitute.
Just like today, when Xu Xinghe was alone, he had his stand-in deal with the situation, and then, with the villagers calling him "Teacher Shen," he confirmed that Chen An was just a facade.
No matter how smart Xu Xinghe was, she would never have imagined that it was all a setup, and that everything she saw was fake!
I myself... am the one who truly sinks to the shore!
Xu Mingli curled his lips into a chilling smile, "Now let's see what you're going to do!"
Once Jiang Linchuan is no longer a threat, he can then make a move against Xu Xinghe!
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