Chapter 115 This is outside! You're really bold.
But her words were vague, only saying "in the past," so there was no fault in them.
Minister Cui, as expected, didn't think much of it, assuming it was because of her good family background. He was even more pleased to hear this, and filled Jiang Wanqiu's small wine cup again, laughing loudly, "Good! Well said! Good wine should be given to those who understand it, to those who can appreciate its flavor, so as not to waste it!"
"Look at you, you've fallen into that drunken habit again!" Madam Cui, sitting to the side, glared at her husband reproachfully, then turned to Jiang Wanqiu, took her hand, and affectionately placed a large mouthful of braised pork into her bowl. "Wanqiu, don't mind him. This wine is for the men; we women should eat more vegetables."
The meal was a pleasant one for both the host and guests.
After several rounds of drinks, Minister Cui's spirits rose, and he wanted to pour Zhao Wenchang another full glass.
Zhao Wenchang raised his hand and gently blocked the mouth of the wine bottle. His face was already red, but his eyes were still clear. He spoke calmly, "Minister Cui, I appreciate your kind intentions. However, there are rules in the military, and it is not advisable to drink too much."
Seeing this, Madam Cui smiled and smoothed things over: "Old Cui, that's enough. Wenchang is right. Business is more important."
As she spoke, she changed the subject, her gaze falling on Jiang Wanqiu, her eyes overflowing with affection and gratitude.
Suddenly, as if she had made up her mind, she deftly took off a bracelet from her wrist.
The bracelet was entirely emerald green, and even under the dim lights of the state-run restaurant, it still shone with a warm and translucent luster, clearly not an ordinary item.
Before Jiang Wanqiu could react, Madam Cui had already grabbed her hand and, without saying a word, slipped the cool, smooth jade bracelet onto her slender, fair wrist.
"Aunt Cui, this...this is too precious! I can't accept it!" Jiang Wanqiu was startled and hurriedly tried to pick it off.
She knew the value of this thing; she was afraid that even selling herself wouldn't be enough to compensate for it.
Madam Cui pressed her hand firmly, her expression more solemn than ever before: "Child, you must accept this! This is not just a thank-you gift, but also a token of our Cui family's goodwill!"
She looked at Jiang Wanqiu meaningfully: "From now on, you are my goddaughter! As long as it's within the Cui family's territory, if anyone dares to bully you, they're going against the Cui family!"
These words were forceful, and Madam Cui further asserted that refusing the gift would be disrespectful. Jiang Wanqiu couldn't refuse and could only accept it, blushing. The emerald green on her wrist made her skin appear even whiter, making her look even more beautiful and charming.
After the dinner party ended, the jeep dropped the two of them off near the family compound, and they walked home.
Whether Zhao Wenchang was truly drunk or pretending, as soon as he stepped out of the restaurant, a biting wind blew, and his entire weight pressed down on Jiang Wanqiu.
He was tall and sturdy, and Jiang Wanqiu was so overwhelmed by his weight that she stumbled and struggled to put one of his arms on her slender shoulder.
"Zhao Wenchang, if you can't drink, then don't drink so much," she complained in his ear as she staggered forward carrying him. "He's so heavy!"
The man, reeking of alcohol, pressed his warm body against her neck, making her feel ticklish.
Zhao Wenchang gave a soft "hmm" and didn't say anything, but buried his head even deeper, almost touching her cheek.
Just then, as if deliberately slipping, Jiang Wanqiu cried out in surprise. Before she could regain her balance, the man pulled her down into the thick snowdrift by the roadside.
With a "plop," a splash of soft snow erupted.
Jiang Wanqiu was completely protected by his tall body, so she didn't fall and get hurt. She was just a little confused by this sudden change.
She looked up, about to ask him if he was alright, but met a pair of deep eyes with a mischievous smile.
Those eyes shone brightly in the cool moonlight, showing no sign of drunkenness whatsoever.
"You...you're not drunk?" Jiang Wanqiu realized instantly, feeling both angry and amused.
The man didn't answer, but his actions proved her guess right.
His large hand, which was wrapped around Jiang Wanqiu's waist, tightened suddenly. With a flip, he reversed their positions. Now, he was the one who had the petite woman completely beneath him, trapping her between himself and the icy snow.
He lowered his head, his hot breath turning into white mist in the cold air, spraying all over Jiang Wanqiu's charming face flushed red.
The next instant, those hot lips, carrying the scent of wine, kissed her forcefully.
Not far away, it seemed that patrolling soldiers were passing by with flashlights, the beams of light sweeping across the area.
Jiang Wanqiu's heart jumped into her throat, and she was so frightened that her hands and feet went weak. She subconsciously wanted to push him away.
But the man's kisses were fierce and urgent, as if he wanted to devour her whole. Her little strength felt like a cat scratching against his strong chest.
In this wilderness where she could be discovered at any moment, in this tense and exciting atmosphere, she felt her heart pounding so hard it was about to burst out of her chest, and all the blood in her body was boiling.
This man is absolutely awful!
"Um... Zhao Wenchang... what if someone sees us..." She finally managed to get a moment's respite, her face flushed and her breath coming in short gasps, her voice both shy and anxious.
Zhao Wenchang pressed his forehead against hers, his burning gaze fixed on her shimmering eyes. His voice was hoarse and carried an unreasonable domineering tone: "If they see it, they see it. Let them see it."
"You..." Jiang Wanqiu was so embarrassed by his explicit and vulgar words that her cheeks burned and she was completely speechless.
She glared at the man who was pressing down on her and doing whatever he wanted, and could only mutter annoyed remark in the end.
"I think you're really drunk; you're starting to talk nonsense!"
Zhao Wenchang chuckled softly, and the woman trembled with nervousness.
However, he wasn't really so depraved as to actually do it to someone in this freezing weather.
The man's rough fingertips caressed her swollen, red lips with a suggestive touch, satisfying his craving, before he propped himself up.
Just then, a clear sound of footsteps came from not far away, accompanied by the blinding beam of a flashlight that swept straight toward them.
"Who's there?" a loud and clear voice asked.
Jiang Wanqiu was so frightened that the hairs on her body stood on end, but Zhao Wenchang's movements were incredibly fast.
Almost at the same second the sound rang out, he pulled Jiang Wanqiu up from the snowdrift and brushed the snowflakes off her coat.
When the person approached, Jiang Wanqiu could see clearly that it was Zhao Wenchang's messenger.
Her delicate face was flushed crimson, her heart pounding wildly. She was secretly relieved that the man had stopped before the others arrived, otherwise she would have been too ashamed to face anyone today.
She instinctively lowered her head, her ears burning hot.
Xiao Li clearly noticed the unusual atmosphere between the two, especially Jiang Wanqiu's slightly disheveled clothes and flushed cheeks, which aroused much speculation.
But he was quick-witted; he gave a military salute without looking to the side, as if he hadn't seen anything.
"Battalion Commander, what are you doing here?"
Zhao Wenchang had regained his usual composure; his expression was normal, and his voice was completely calm: "Just got back from Minister Cui's. Is something the matter?"
"Reporting, Battalion Commander! I just went to your house, but you weren't home, so I was about to leave." The communications officer said, quickly pulling a letter from the thick pocket of his overcoat and handing it over with both hands. "It was delivered by the post office this afternoon. It's a letter from Comrade Jiang Wanqiu."
"My letter?" Jiang Wanqiu looked up in surprise, her watery eyes full of doubt.
In this day and age, communication relies mainly on shouting, and transportation relies mainly on walking. Who would go to such lengths to write her a letter?
She reached out and took the letter. It was a thin sheet of paper. The words "Jiang Wanqiu Harvest" on the envelope were delicate but had a touch of pettiness. She recognized it at a glance.
The two returned home, where the heating was on full blast, making the house warm and cozy.
As soon as Jiang Wanqiu closed the door, she gave the tall man next to her a disdainful shove, wrinkled her small nose, and said, "You reek of alcohol. Go wash up, it's suffocating."
Zhao Wenchang looked down at her, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. He deliberately leaned closer: "Why didn't you mention Xun when we were outside?"
Jiang Wanqiu's face flushed red again. She glared at him, both embarrassed and annoyed, and pushed him into the bathroom.
After banishing this walking hormone, she sat down at the table under the dim light and opened the letter.
The letter was sent from Shanghai.
Unfolding the letter and looking at the familiar handwriting, Jiang Wanqiu's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
It was her good younger sister, Jiang Wanxia.
In her past life, this younger sister loved writing letters. She would complain and tattle on every little thing in her letters, as if Jiang Wanqiu was the villain who stole her happiness.
In this life, she got what she wanted and snatched away the cadre she had always longed for. Why does she still haunt me with her love of writing letters?
Jiang Wanqiu patiently read on, and the contents of the letter were beyond her expectations.
Perhaps it was out of pride, but Jiang Wanxia didn't mention a word about her life in the Wang family. The whole conversation was about sisterly affection, and only at the end did she reveal her purpose—she said she missed her sister and wanted to come to the Northeast to spend the New Year with her only relative.
Are you coming to spend the New Year with her?
Jiang Wanqiu raised her delicate eyebrows, a cold smile flashing in her eyes.
She knew Jiang Wanxia too well; this woman wouldn't do anything without a reason, and she certainly wouldn't have such good intentions.
I'm afraid it's like a weasel paying New Year's respects to a chicken; the visitor is up to no good.
A few days later, the north wind howled, and the weather grew increasingly cold.
Cui Hua's health was severely compromised; she couldn't withstand the arduous journey.
Chief Le specially approved a private plane to send Minister Cui and his family of three directly back to Beijing.
Before leaving, on the military's helipad, Madam Cui held Jiang Wanqiu's hand tightly, her eyes reddening again.
"Late Autumn, from now on, treat this place as your own home."
As she spoke, she pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from her pocket, stuffed it into Jiang Wanqiu's palm, and solemnly instructed, "This is our home phone number in Beijing, not our work phone number. If anyone ever makes you feel bad, or if you encounter any insurmountable difficulties, don't bear it alone. Just call this number to find me, understand?"
Jiang Wanqiu glanced at the note in her hand and nodded: "I understand, Aunt Cui."
Amidst the deafening roar of the propellers, Mrs. Cui gave her one last hug before boarding the plane, turning back to look at her repeatedly.
Jiang Wanqiu and Zhao Wenchang stood side by side, watching the military green plane take off, soar into the sky, and finally disappear into the gray horizon.
As soon as Cui Hua left, Le Yunyun rushed into Jiang Wanqiu's house.
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