The village chief looked at the fifty yuan on the table, then at Jiang Linchuan.
Jiang Linchuan was standing close to Xu Xinghe, and the protectiveness and intimacy in his eyes were unmistakable.
When Xu Xinghe said he was her fiancé, he didn't refute it at all, which clearly shows that their relationship is real.
Moreover, fifty yuan is indeed not a small amount; it's enough for the family to use for quite some time.
Looking at it this way, Ah Cui's behavior today was indeed excessive.
She's already engaged, and she's still clinging to him relentlessly; it won't sound good if word gets out.
If things really escalate, and Xu Xinghe says something that damages the reputation of the village girls, then it would be a loss for her.
Thinking of this, the village chief's anger subsided considerably. He grabbed Ah Cui, who was still trying to argue, and said in a deep voice, "Alright! Stop making a scene!"
"Dad!" Ah Cui cried out in distress, "I love him! I really love him!"
"It's no use liking him!" The village chief lowered his voice, his tone serious. "He's clearly Su Xiao's fiancé, and they're mutually attracted. What are you doing going over there? You're just making a fool of yourself!"
Xu Xinghe ignored the father and daughter, and helped Jiang Linchuan walk out the door step by step.
Seeing this, the villagers in the courtyard made way for the two as they walked away hand in hand, and they discussed among themselves.
"I never expected it to actually be her fiancé!"
"No wonder this ugly girl said she wouldn't look for a man here. Turns out, she already has a man!"
Inside the house.
A Cui broke free from the village chief's hand, collapsed to the ground, and burst into tears.
On what grounds?
She liked Yi An Ge, but Yi An Ge sided with that ugly freak!
She kindly saved a man and fell in love at first sight, only to find out that he was that ugly man's fiancé!
Why is God treating her like this?
She couldn't understand what she lacked compared to Xu Xinghe!
Seeing her crying so bitterly, the village chief felt a pang of sympathy. "Don't cry. There are plenty of good men in the world. I'll find you one, I guarantee he'll be better than that Yi'an brat! Besides, this man's background is unknown, and he's been beaten up like this, who knows what kind of bad guy he might be..."
Xu Xinghe helped Jiang Linchuan slowly walk back to Uncle Li's house.
The courtyard was quiet; Uncle Li must have gone out to work, and it was good that no one was disturbing him.
She carefully helped Jiang Linchuan into the house, let him sit on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and quickly found a clean towel and warm water to wipe the dust and bloodstains off his body.
"Sit still and don't move. I'll clean your wound properly and reapply the medicine." Xu Xinghe's movements were exceptionally gentle, as if she was afraid of hurting him.
Jiang Linchuan nodded obediently, his gaze following her closely.
Having survived a life-or-death ordeal, seeing her again and being able to stay quietly by her side was an immense happiness for him.
Although the spiritual spring water restored some of his strength, the wounds all over his body were still shocking to behold.
Especially the whip marks, which were so deep that the bone was visible, and the edges were still red and swollen, clearly indicating that they were recent injuries.
"How did it get like this?" Xu Xinghe asked gently as she wiped the wound. "Did the people at that stronghold torture you?"
"Yes, it's their spy chief, a woman named Sister Hong." Jiang Linchuan said in a flat tone, as if he were talking about someone else. "But they're all superficial wounds, nothing serious, no bones or vital organs were broken."
"A mere scratch?" Xu Xinghe looked up, her eyes reddening. "You call this a mere scratch? Those people are too ruthless! Where are they now? I'll help you get revenge!"
The thought of the torture Jiang Linchuan had suffered made her tremble with rage, and she wished she could find those remaining people immediately and make them pay the price.
Jiang Linchuan couldn't help but smile when he saw her puffed-up face. He reached out and gently grasped her wrist. "No need, Xinghe. I've already taken care of them."
"Resolved?"
“Yes.” Jiang Linchuan nodded. “They were spies who were lurking in the shadows and endangering national interests. I have the right to act first and report later, and I also have the right to protect myself and retaliate by killing. None of the people in that stronghold escaped.”
He didn't go into details about what happened in the torture chamber, not wanting her to worry about him anymore, and even less wanting to frighten her.
Hearing this, Xu Xinghe finally breathed a sigh of relief, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
As long as those who hurt him are punished, that's fine.
She lowered her head and continued cleaning the wounds, her movements becoming increasingly gentle. She carefully applied the ointment to each wound and then gently bandaged it with a clean strip of cloth.
"By the way, how did you end up unconscious by the river?" Xu Xinghe asked, looking up after bandaging the last wound.
“I knew they had a boat hidden nearby to transport intelligence and supplies,” Jiang Linchuan explained. “After taking care of the people in the stronghold, I was afraid of wasting time, so I used my last breath to find the boat and rowed to the shore. I didn’t expect that as soon as I got ashore, I was completely exhausted and passed out. When I woke up, I saw you.”
He was very fortunate that he managed to hold on until he reached the vicinity of Lijia'ao before he lost consciousness.
Even more fortunately, he was rescued and brought to this village, allowing him to see Xu Xinghe again.
As Jiang Linchuan spoke, he reached into his waistband and pulled out something wrapped in layers of oilcloth.
He carefully opened the oilcloth, and inside was the small black notebook.
"Take this." Jiang Linchuan handed the notebook to Xu Xinghe, his tone serious. "This contains the spies' contact information, the list of undercover agents, and the follow-up action plan. You need to find a way to deliver it to Political Commissar Wang as soon as possible. We can't delay."
Xu Xinghe took the notebook; it felt heavy in her hand.
She knew how important the information on it was.
But she didn't accept it immediately. Instead, she looked up at Jiang Linchuan, her brows furrowed. "Why should I hand it over? Since you're alright and have completed your mission, why don't we go back together? You can hand it over to Political Commissar Wang in person and report back to him directly."
Jiang Linchuan shook his head. "No, I can't go back with you. There's another hidden stronghold that I have to check out."
"What?" Xu Xinghe's face darkened instantly. "You still want to go? Jiang Linchuan, look at yourself! You're covered in injuries, you just escaped death. If you go back to that stronghold, who knows if it will get even worse next time? Maybe... maybe you won't come back!"
The thought of the danger he might face made Xu Xinghe's heart clench instantly.
“Xinghe, I have to go. The location of that stronghold is well hidden, and only I know its approximate location. Moreover, time is of the essence, and sending anyone else will be too late. Those spies have further plans, and we must stop them as soon as possible.”
He reached out to hold Xu Xinghe's hand, but she suddenly dodged away.
"I don't care! I'm not allowing you to go!" Xu Xinghe bit her lip. "You've already completed your mission and obtained the intelligence. The rest can be left to others. Why do you have to risk your life? Isn't your life valuable too?"
“It is precisely because this matter is of utmost importance that only I can go.” Jiang Linchuan looked at her, unusually insistent. “I must depart in three days at the latest; I cannot wait any longer.”
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