The old Chinese medicine doctor put away the pulse pillow and couldn't help but ask, "Where did you get such a good thing?"
Old Hei picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said calmly, "I had someone buy it from out of town."
Upon hearing that it was someone else's doing, he knew that he couldn't get this thing himself.
Old Hei has many connections and can pull strings in other places, something a doctor with a small clinic like him wouldn't have.
He wisely refrained from asking any further questions, packed up his medicine kit, and took his leave.
After the old Chinese medicine doctor left, Lao Hei took out a yellowed book from the bookshelf, picked up a pen and added a few words to the corner of the cover.
He then called over a bespectacled, scholarly-looking subordinate and said, "Send this to the military headquarters and give it to Xu Xinghe. Don't say a word."
"Yes, brother!"
An hour later.
Military gate entrance.
The subordinate handed the book, wrapped in cloth, to the gatekeeper, repeatedly confirming that the gatekeeper would go in to report, before turning and leaving.
"Knock knock knock—"
A knock came at the door.
"Comrade Xu, are you there?" A soldier's gentle voice came from outside the door.
She opened the door and saw a soldier smiling at her, holding a cloth bag in his hands. "There's a package for you. Please check it."
Xu Xinghe took the bag, opened it, and saw a thread-bound book of traditional Chinese medicine. The pages were decorated with simple illustrations of herbs, with their properties and uses noted next to them.
Looking at the cover again, there's a line of small print in the corner—"Author: Lao Hei".
This was obviously added later.
She couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips. This old black man really knew how to embellish himself, and even dared to put his author's name on it.
It seems that the military headquarters is heavily guarded, so he couldn't send a message by word of mouth. That's why he used this method to deliver the message, which is both discreet and won't arouse suspicion.
"What is that?" Jiang Linchuan's voice came from behind him. He had just taken off his apron and was still holding a dishcloth in his hand.
Xu Xinghe subconsciously wanted to put the book away, but then she let go and handed it to him. "I asked someone to buy this book on traditional Chinese medicine in town. I thought I'd study it on my own when I have free time. It's never a bad thing to know more."
Jiang Linchuan took the book, flipped through a few pages casually, and after confirming that it was just a record of ordinary herbs without anything unusual, he returned it to her, raised his hand and ruffled the top of her head, "Why did you suddenly want to learn this?"
“Isn’t it because… isn’t it because we have nothing to do? Before this incident, you always had things to do, and I would occasionally go out to help out. The rest of the time I would stay at home and read the books I brought. But I’ve finished reading all the books, and they’re not very interesting. I might as well use this time to learn something on my own so I can have another skill in the future.”
"Good idea." Jiang Linchuan's eyes were smiling. "Although I will support you even if you do nothing, and I will not force you, learning more knowledge will always benefit you. Come in and eat."
Xu Xinghe put the book in the drawer and locked it before following him into the living room.
The two ate and chatted, mostly about trivial matters in the village, without mentioning Erlaizi at all. The atmosphere was as peaceful as ever.
Jiang Linchuan didn't want to mention it, afraid that she would worry.
Xu Xinghe dared not mention it; she felt guilty.
After finishing the meal, Jiang Linchuan cleared away the dishes and then picked up a broom to clean up, showing no intention of leaving.
Xu Xinghe was a little anxious. She was still waiting to ask Lao Hei for information, but with Jiang Linchuan at home, she couldn't get away at all.
"Aren't you... going to training today?" she asked tentatively.
Jiang Linchuan paused in his sweeping, then said naturally, "I didn't have any training scheduled for this morning, so I can spend more time with you at home."
He has been suspended from his post and has no other duties except for occasionally leading the team in morning exercises.
On the contrary, Zhao Feng, who succeeded him, has been so busy lately that he's reportedly moved into his office.
Xu Xinghe secretly glanced at the wall clock.
If Jiang Linchuan doesn't go to training until 2 PM, and you have to wait until he leaves before going to town, it will be dark by the time you make the round trip.
She was a little anxious, so she coughed lightly and said, "Um... I'm a little sleepy, I want to go back to my room and sleep for a while."
"Tired?" Jiang Linchuan was taken aback. It wasn't even noon yet, how could he suddenly be sleepy?
He instinctively reached out and touched her forehead. His palm touched her delicate skin; her temperature was normal, and she didn't have a fever.
"I just suddenly felt lazy and wanted to sleep a little longer." Xu Xinghe took a half step back, turned around and ran towards the bedroom. Before entering, she reminded him, "Don't make any noise, or I definitely won't be able to sleep peacefully!"
Jiang Linchuan watched her retreating figure and smiled helplessly. "Then I'll go back first. You get some sleep, and remember to lock the door."
"Okay!" Xu Xinghe, who was inside the door, heard the footsteps fading away. She immediately threw off the covers, put on her shoes, grabbed her coat, and rushed out the door.
Seeing no cars or oxcarts or horse-drawn carriages near the military headquarters, she decided to walk towards the town.
Thanks to my good health, I didn't feel tired at all.
The entrance to the bathhouse.
Xu Xinghe lifted the curtain, and the noise in the room stopped abruptly once again, as more than a dozen pairs of eyes fell on her.
Having experienced yesterday, she wasn't so uncomfortable anymore and remained standing at the door.
"Oh, the beauty is here again?"
"So you're here to talk business with our boss again? Why don't you talk to me instead, let's chat about things that happen in bed?"
Despite the constant stream of vulgarities, Xu Xinghe ignored them and simply asked, "Is the person who made me drink yesterday here?"
"Looking for Second Brother? Do you think Second Brother is manly enough...?"
Before the skinny, monkey-like thug could finish speaking, he was suddenly hit on the back of the head, making him wince in pain.
Turning around, he saw the scarred man who had just come out of the backyard, glaring at him with annoyance. "What nonsense are you spouting!"
After cursing the scoundrel, he turned to look at Xu Xinghe, his face instantly breaking into a warm smile.
This is the kind person who gets him to work for an hour at night!
Now his wife will never give him the cold shoulder again!
"Miss Xu, you've finally arrived! Your elder brother has been waiting for you inside for quite some time!"
Xu Xinghe nodded, head held high, and followed him into the backyard.
As soon as she stepped into the large brick house, she saw Old Hei stand up from the rattan chair and stride over to greet her. His tone was much warmer than yesterday, "Miss Xu, please have a seat."
This time, Xu Xinghe didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly in the chair opposite him.
Old Hei waved for the scarred man to leave, then personally picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of tea, his eyes brimming with barely concealed amusement. "Miss Xu, I tried the stuff you brought yesterday myself, and it's really good! Before, my knees would flare up with rheumatism and hurt so much that I couldn't sleep at night, but now they don't hurt at all."
He paused, then started talking about everyday things, trying to build rapport.
Building a good relationship with someone like Xu Xinghe can only bring benefits, not harm.
Who knows if she has any other good stuff in her possession?
“My daughter is about your age. I’ll have her come and meet you later. I’ve spoiled her. She’s naive and hasn’t seen much of the world.”
The implication is clear: his daughter is a respectable girl, not a scoundrel.
Xu Xinghe took the teacup but didn't drink it. She placed it on the table and got straight to the point, "Then I'll get straight to the point. I want you to investigate two things. First, have any of Jiang Linchuan's enemies been behaving strangely lately? Second, has anyone been to Hongqi Village, and who is most likely to use such underhanded tactics to frame him?"
"I knew you were here for this." Old Hei wasn't surprised at all and readily agreed. "Don't worry, I'll have my men investigate thoroughly and guarantee you a satisfactory result. If there's any further news, I'll still send it to you by book, it's safe."
"Okay." Xu Xinghe got up to leave, but then remembered something, "Oh right, could you please have those two bodyguards from yesterday escort me again?"
"no problem!"
Not only would I see her out the door, I'd even take her back to the military headquarters!
In just ten minutes, Xu Xinghe returned to the front room with her bodyguard.
As she passed through the crowd, her gaze suddenly stopped on a thug.
It was the same guy who tried to touch her arm yesterday and made lewd remarks today; he was staring at her with a lewd look in his eyes.
Without hesitation, Xu Xinghe stepped forward and slapped him hard across the face.
With a loud slap, the thug was stunned. It took him a while to react. He suddenly stood up, rolled up his sleeves, and was about to fight back. "Damn it! You bitch, you dare hit me!"
"So what if I hit you?" Xu Xinghe retorted without backing down, her gaze sweeping across the room. "I'm your boss's business partner now. He personally sent bodyguards to escort me. Don't you understand what that means? If anyone looks at me with those disgusting eyes again, don't blame me for telling your boss!"
The scarred man immediately stepped forward, pointing at the thug and shouting angrily, "Did you hear that? Miss Xu is now my boss's honored guest and also my friend! Anyone who dares to disrespect her again, I'll be the first to deal with him!"
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