Zhang Cishu paused for two seconds, then looked away and continued walking forward, as if that glance had been unintentional.
Only he knew that the usually peaceful place in his heart had been gently bumped by something, causing a ripple that was hard to describe.
He had never considered any intimate relationship before, or even finding a wife.
But now I suddenly feel that having another person around isn't such an unbearable thing.
Once a task is undertaken by two people, with discussion and compromise, it seems like there's nothing to worry about.
The next day, just as dawn broke, Xu Xinghe got ready and boarded the bus to Hongqi Village with Zhang Cishu.
As soon as the car reached the intersection of Hongxing Village, she suddenly shouted, "I'm getting off here."
Zhang Cishu turned to look at her. "Aren't you going to Hongqi Village?"
"I suddenly remembered something I need to take care of. I'll come see you this afternoon." Xu Xinghe opened the car door, waved to him, and said, "You go ahead and do your thing!"
After saying that, she quickly ran into Hongxing Village.
Zhang Cishu watched her retreating figure, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Let's go, let's go to Hongqi Village first."
This is the closest village to the military headquarters, so there's no danger.
As soon as Xu Xinghe entered the village, he was indeed warmly welcomed.
During the snow disaster, she spent most of her time helping out in Hongxing Village and got along very well with everyone there, young and old.
"Hey, lucky star's here!"
"Miss Xinghe, what brings you here today?"
"Good morning, Comrade Xu."
Xu Xinghe smiled and responded to each question, "I'm here to ask someone to do something for me."
"Who are you looking for? Do you want me to help you find out?" a kind-hearted auntie immediately asked.
Xu Xinghe quickly waved his hand to refuse, "No need to trouble everyone, I just want to ask the village chief something."
She said this on purpose because if she asked the villagers for help, it would be bad if she accidentally let Jiang Linchuan and Political Commissar Wang find out.
Sure enough, upon hearing that she was there to talk to the village chief, everyone assumed she was there on behalf of the military to deliver a message, so they stopped asking questions and smiled as they made way for her.
Xu Xinghe first went to the village chief's house and chatted casually about the village's recent situation. "Have any unfamiliar faces passed through our village recently? Or have any outsiders stayed at someone's house for a short time?"
The village chief thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, it's so cold. Nobody likes to go out except to the town market, and nobody comes here."
After receiving a negative answer, Xu Xinghe didn't linger. Following the address she had previously inquired about, she quietly headed towards the center of the village.
The scoundrel she was looking for lived there.
Fortunately, the weather hadn't warmed up yet, and most of the villagers were staying at home to hibernate, so we didn't encounter many people on the road.
She successfully made her way to the hoodlum's door and knocked three times.
A moment later, the sound of dragging footsteps came from inside the door.
Then, with a creak, it opened.
A sallow, gaunt face was revealed.
The one who opened the door was that scoundrel named Sun Huzi.
He was about thirty years old, with hair that looked like a messy chicken coop, covered in grime that was hard to tell if it was oil or ash, and a few strands of hair drooped down his forehead, covering half of one eye.
He was wearing an old cotton-padded coat that was washed to a pale white color and patched in several places. The collar was worn shiny and the cuffs had suspicious black stains on them. It was obvious that it hadn't been washed in a long time.
His pants were also too short, revealing his dirty socks, and he was wearing a pair of rubber shoes with holes in the front, the uppers of which were still covered with old mud.
He had an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. When he saw Xu Xinghe standing at the door, he froze, his eyes widening in shock, and the cigarette almost fell from his lips.
This is the lucky star who saved the whole village during the snow disaster. He looks like someone from a magazine. How could he have chosen someone as reckless as me?
"Comrade Xu...?" Sun Huzi was stunned for a while before stammering, unconsciously scratching the back of his head, looking somewhat at a loss. "Why are you here?"
"Brother Tiger, can I come in and talk?" Xu Xinghe asked calmly, without the slightest hint of disgust.
Sun Huzi then came to his senses, hurriedly moved to the side, and smiled apologetically, "Yes, of course I can, it's just... don't mind, my room is a mess, I haven't had time to tidy it up."
Xu Xinghe nodded and went inside. Sure enough, the room was a complete mess.
Wrinkled, dirty clothes were piled on the kang (a heated brick bed), and several unwashed bowls with leftover food were on the table. A tall pile of firewood stood in the corner, and the air was filled with the smell of smoke, mildew, and an indescribable odor.
She didn't look at him for long, lest it be impolite, and went straight to the point, "Brother Tiger, I came to see you because I wanted to ask if you know any influential people with good connections? I want to investigate something that ordinary people can't find out."
Sun Huzi was a scoundrel, so he naturally knew some things that others didn't. He had also heard about Commander Jiang's killing of someone, and Xu Xinghe was Commander Jiang's mistress. The matter she was investigating was most likely related to this.
He touched the stubble on his chin and remembered that winter when his and his mother's hands and feet were frostbitten and oozing pus. It was Xu Xinghe who gave them frostbite cream, and they recovered in just a few days.
Later, my mother couldn't sleep because of her cough, and it was Xu Xinghe who had someone bring her medicine, which helped her recover.
He will always remember this kindness.
“If you really want to investigate, I actually know someone.” Sun Huzi said, nibbling on a cigarette. “There’s a guy here called Lao Hei who lives in the city. He’s got connections everywhere, from city people to people in our village. He can dig up all sorts of inside information.”
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