The two did not linger and got up to take their leave.
Xu Xinghe saw them to the door and was about to turn around when she saw Zhang Cishu walk out from the neighboring courtyard and block their way. He said in an icy tone, "I'm sorry, Director Li, you probably won't be able to leave for the time being."
Director Li frowned. "Comrade Zhang, what does this mean? The General Headquarters' departure time has been set, how come they suddenly can't leave?"
Lin Hui's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her blood seemed to freeze.
Her heart was pounding, and she instinctively thought of the worst-case scenario.
Has my identity been exposed?
Is there a result from the investigation?
Is that why they won't let her leave and want to arrest her?
She clenched her fists nervously, staring intently at Zhang Cishu, terrified he would say something that would condemn her to eternal damnation.
Zhang Cishu then changed the subject, saying, "An urgent order just came from above, requiring the General Staff to remain in Heilongjiang Province for the time being and to postpone their withdrawal."
Orders did indeed come from above.
Recently, the presence of the General Headquarters in this area has led to a surge in espionage activities in Heilongjiang Province.
Their presence here would not only assist the military in thoroughly investigating spies, but also prevent accidents during the evacuation and avoid causing further trouble for the capital.
Otherwise, if they leave, spies might follow them to the capital, which would be troublesome.
So staying in this remote place is actually better.
Moreover, Heilongjiang Province is far more experienced than the military in catching spies.
Lin Hui's heart, which had been in her throat, instantly returned to her stomach, and a layer of cold sweat appeared on her back without her realizing it.
Oh, I see. It wasn't that she was discovered.
She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, her expression softening slightly, but she still dared not let her guard down.
Director Li then realized what was happening and said somewhat helplessly, "Comrade Zhang, could you please speak more clearly next time? Don't stop halfway through, making it sound like you're arresting a criminal."
Zhang Cishu's gaze fell on Lin Hui's face, and he said calmly, "Perhaps one day, some people will really become criminals."
These words made Lin Hui's relaxed nerves tense up again, and her face turned pale once more.
Director Li didn't particularly like Zhang Cishu's aloof yet sharp personality, but given his background, he couldn't say much. He could only say with a cold face, "Comrade Zhang, try to make fewer jokes like this in the future. Since we have orders, we'll head back now."
He tugged at Lin Hui's arm, and the two left the family compound side by side.
After the two had walked away, Zhang Cishu spoke, "They can't leave for now, so the investigation can continue. You still need to be careful and not let your guard down."
"Does Lin Hui have a problem?"
Zhang Cishu withdrew his gaze from the distance. "I don't know."
Xu Xinghe was stunned for a moment, not expecting such an answer.
“All the investigation results are in the hands of Political Commissar Wang. He hasn’t revealed them, and nobody knows the specifics,” Zhang Cishu explained. “However, the fact that the higher-ups could postpone the General Corps’ withdrawal and specifically stay behind to assist in the investigation shows that Lin Hui is highly suspicious; otherwise, they wouldn’t have gone to such lengths.”
Xu Xinghe nodded, knowing that she wouldn't get an answer if she asked any further, so she could only suppress her curiosity for the time being.
Hopefully, the investigation results will be released soon.
Back in the courtyard, Xu Xinghe's restlessness lingered. Perhaps it was Lin Hui's unusual behavior, or perhaps it was her concern for Jiang Linchuan that kept her on edge.
Around noon, she decided to lie down on the bed for a nap, hoping to relax.
But shortly after closing my eyes, I was plunged into a nightmare.
In her dream, Jiang Linchuan stood before her, covered in blood, his military uniform stained crimson, his face etched with exhaustion and wounds, yet his gaze remained fixed on her.
He opened his mouth as if to say something to her.
No matter how hard Xu Xinghe listened, he couldn't hear any sound. He could only see his lips moving, his face full of anxiety and reluctance.
"Lin Chuan! What did you say?" Xu Xinghe shouted anxiously, trying to rush over and grab him, but his figure became more and more blurred and gradually disappeared into the air.
"Rinchuan!"
Xu Xinghe suddenly woke up from her dream, her chest heaving violently, her heart pounding, and her forehead covered in cold sweat.
The image of Jiang Linchuan covered in blood in her dream was deeply imprinted in her mind, making her feel cold all over and a strong sense of unease swept over her.
She sat up and took a while to calm her breathing, but the panic in her heart did not lessen at all.
She tried to distract herself by doing something, so she went to the herb garden to tend to the herbs, but she couldn't hold the shovel steady.
He went back inside to read, his eyes fixed on the pages, but his mind had already wandered far away, filled with scenes from his dream.
The more I think about it, the more agitated and worried I become.
Xu Xinghe could no longer sit still.
She suddenly stood up, threw on her clothes, and went outside.
She needed to find Political Commissar Wang; she had to know Jiang Linchuan's whereabouts, even just a simple "he's safe" would put her at ease.
Xu Xinghe walked quickly to Political Commissar Wang's office, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.
"Come in," came Political Commissar Wang's voice from inside the room.
Xu Xinghe pushed open the door and entered, seeing the other person working at their desk. "Political Commissar, I'm sorry to bother you."
Political Commissar Wang looked up and saw her pale face and anxious eyes. He immediately put down his pen. "Comrade Xu, what brings you here? Is something the matter?"
"I want to ask how Lin Chuan is doing now? I don't want to know about his mission details, nor do I want to know where he is. I just want to ask if he has sent any news back during this time? Is he safe now?"
She looked intently into Political Commissar Wang's eyes. "Commissar, please don't lie to me, considering how much I've contributed to the military."
The office fell into a deathly silence, with only the occasional sound of wind coming from outside the window.
Commissar Wang frowned deeply, his expression growing increasingly grave. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, as if carefully considering how to begin.
Time ticked by, each second feeling like torture. Xu Xinghe's heart sank lower and lower, her ominous premonition growing stronger.
After a long silence, Political Commissar Wang slowly lowered his eyes, his voice low and heavy with indescribable sorrow, "Lin Chuan... he's gone missing."
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