Chapter 159
A few days later, Gu Xi finally saw Shen Mingzheng, who was rarely home, when she came home from school that day.
The father and son sat in the house before it got dark, playing a spelling game. Chen Zhuzhu, with his chubby little hands, held a wooden piece marked with pinyin and radicals, and was carefully spelling words.
"Big brother!" Gu Xi rushed over happily when she saw him, completely disregarding the presence of her sister and child. She jumped onto his back, wrapped her arms affectionately around his shoulders, and breathed into his ear, "When did you get back?"
Chen Zhuzhu spelled out a word, looked up and said, "It's Dad who picks me up from school."
Shen Mingzheng's ear tips turned red.
He was a very traditional man, always very proper in public. Since his child became old enough to understand, he rarely did such intimate things with his wife in front of the child. But being held like this by her, he couldn't bear to push her away, so he could only pretend to be calm and continue sitting, keeping his back straight so that she could lean on him for support.
Although he is very traditional, he wouldn't refuse her if she took the initiative.
Xu Huaisheng, who was returning home with Gu Xi, felt a little embarrassed when he saw this scene. He put down his things and quickly went back to his room to study so as not to disturb them.
She knew her brother-in-law wouldn't be here for a few days, and her sister missed him. Knowing that her brother-in-law would be heading south next month, and that the couple would be separated, she was even more reluctant to disturb their precious time together.
"Really?" Gu Xi feigned jealousy. "So Dad only loves Zhuzhu now and doesn't love me anymore. He only picks up Zhuzhu from school and doesn't come to pick me up."
As she spoke, she buried her face in Shen Mingzheng's neck, looking extremely heartbroken.
Shen Zhuzhu: "..."
Shen Mingzheng: "..."
Both father and son were stunned by her. Chen Zhuzhu held the wooden piece in her little hand, her eyes wide open. Thinking that her mother was sad, she said anxiously, "Then, then next time, Dad and I will pick Mom up from school together."
Gu Xi's voice was muffled, "Really? You're not lying to me?"
"Really, we'll go pick Mom up from school together," Shen Zhuzhu promised.
Gu Xi then raised her head, revealing a bright smile, and praised, "I knew it, Zhuzhu is a good child."
Chen Zhuzhu straightened his chest, and seeing his mother smile, he grinned too, secretly relieved.
That's great, Mom didn't cry from sadness.
Shen Mingzheng could easily tell that his child had been fooled by his mother again.
Although the child is intelligent, he is still young and easily misled by his mother due to his concern. No matter how many times, he will always be fooled by his mother.
He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. When he noticed that she had actually reached out and pinched his ear, the tips of his ears were already burning red. He coughed lightly and seriously.
Gu Xi smiled and pulled up a small stool to sit next to him, practically rubbing against him.
I can't help it, I've missed him so much after not seeing him for so many days.
Commander Shen, who is usually serious and unsmiling in public, could only sit upright helplessly at this moment, letting her lean against him without any regard for his image, and even sitting more upright to make it easier for her to lean on him.
When Aunt Wang finished cooking and came to call them to eat, she couldn't help but find this scene amusing.
However, she wasn't the kind of old-fashioned elder who would criticize the young couple's intimacy. Instead, she smiled and said, "Dinner's ready, come and eat."
The couple then got up, took their child to wash their hands, and ate together.
After dinner, as dusk settled in, the couple took their child for a walk to digest their food, until the last glimmer of twilight disappeared from the horizon, at which point they returned home to wash up and rest.
Shen Mingzheng was home today, which was rare for him. Gu Xi didn't insist on studying. After taking a shower, she coaxed the child to sleep, went to bed early, and waited for him in the quilt.
When Shen Mingzheng returned to his room, he saw her with her hair disheveled, curled up in bed reading a book, completely lacking any semblance of elegance.
He said helplessly, "Xixi, don't read like that, it will damage your eyes."
As for her unladylike behavior, he saw it as leisurely and charming, and quite adorable.
Gu Xi obediently put down the book and said, "I don't usually read like this, but I was waiting for you."
Shen Mingzheng grunted in response, lifted the covers, and got into bed. "Where's Zhuzhu?"
"He's at Auntie's. Let her sleep with him tonight." Gu Xi snuggled into his arms, took his warm and broad hand, and asked earnestly, "Big brother, why did you suddenly pick Zhuzhu up from school today? Is something wrong with Zhuzhu?"
Shen Mingzheng paused, unsurprised by her keen observation.
He reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her back as if to comfort her. "It's alright, the people protecting Zhuzhu stopped them, and they didn't disturb the children."
During this period, several people were sent to protect the child, some arranged by him and others by his father.
Gu Xi asked earnestly, "Are you sure everything's alright?"
"It's alright," he assured him. He had been busy for a while and was now closing in; there would be results soon.
However, Gu Xi was somewhat distracted. Although he assured her that everything was alright, how could a mother truly feel at ease with her child? Just thinking about someone secretly eyeing her child with ill intentions made her uneasy, even if a division was sent to protect the child.
Gu Xi said, "Brother, why don't I go and lure those people out?"
"No way!" Shen Mingzheng said without hesitation, then added helplessly, "What do you know?"
Although I knew she was perceptive and had some suspicions, I never expected her to actually figure it out.
Gu Xi said, "When I went back on Saturday, I thought I saw Gu Yuanhui. I was going to tell you, but I slept too soundly that night, and when I woke up, you were gone. On the weekend, Gu Yuanzheng came to see me and said that Gu Yuanhui had run away from the farm and come back..."
Shen Mingzheng listened silently; he had already heard these things from his father.
"...Gu Yuanhui hates me and harbors deep hatred for me. In the two months before I married you, I beat him, scolded him, and tormented him a lot. He must hate me to death. Since he even dared to break out of prison and paid such a high price, he definitely won't give up on taking revenge on me."
"However, he's a useless piece of trash. The fact that he was able to escape from the farm so easily means that someone must have helped him. Although we don't know who helped him or what their purpose is, the fact that they chose such a useless person suggests that their target is related to Gu Yuanhui's family."
Gu Xi analyzed, "After thinking it over, I think I am very likely to be that target."
She just didn't know if it was purely related to her, or to the Shen family behind her; she felt either was possible.
The Shen family is not without enemies, and given their special circumstances, even enemy agents might be targeting them. It would be quite understandable if they used her as a target to threaten the Shen family.
After hearing this, Shen Mingzheng sighed. Although he couldn't tell her some details about the mission, he could reveal some things that concerned her: "This matter is indeed related to you."
Gu Xi was initially confused, but with his prompting, she quickly understood.
Over the years, if there's anything she did that could warrant revenge, it's definitely related to that medal that her leader personally awarded her that year, which she was told to treasure like a family heirloom.
This matter also involves Fang Suihe.
She has no regrets about rescuing Fang Suihe from human traffickers back then. In the past few years, she and Fang Suihe have kept in touch, writing letters and sending things to each other, and have become good pen pals.
Perhaps influenced by her, Fang Suihe never gave up her studies over the years, even after getting married and having children. When the college entrance examination was reinstated, Gu Xi sent her study materials, and Fang Suihe lived up to expectations, registering for the exam and being admitted to a university in the provincial capital.
Gu Xi was delighted to hear such news. Seeing that girls like Fang Suihe hadn't given up on their studies, kept improving, got into university, left the countryside, and took control of their own destinies made her very happy.
"...Back then, there were indeed some who slipped through the net, and it also involved some foreign forces, forming a smuggling chain. In recent years, the higher-ups have been secretly investigating it. Until last year, after the college entrance examination was reinstated, some things surfaced due to policy changes... Back then, I led people to wipe out the human trafficking gang. If they wanted to retaliate against me, targeting my wife and children would be the best option."
Gu Xi exclaimed, "So I haven't actually been exposed yet?"
The human traffickers who were lurking outside didn't know that it was because of her that their human trafficking gang was wiped out back then.
“Yes,” Shen Mingzheng said with a smile, “You really didn’t expose yourself.”
“That would be even better. Since they don’t know my situation, I might as well step forward to lure them out and resolve this matter quickly. I don’t want any dangerous people lurking around Zhuzhu; he’s still young.”
Ultimately, her biggest worry was her child. The child was so young, and she couldn't imagine the consequences if the child were targeted and retaliated against by those vicious human traffickers.
Shen Mingzheng still shook his head and did not agree to the matter.
Gu Xi pestered him for most of the night, until she was so tired that she fell asleep, but she still couldn't get him to agree. She was so angry that she almost had a heart attack.
I used to like his principles so much, but now I hate them so much because he doesn't know how to be flexible when it matters.
The next day, seeing that Gu Xi was still angry, Shen Mingzheng felt somewhat helpless.
As he saw her off, before dawn, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her briefly, saying, "Xixi, this isn't a matter of principle; it's that I can't let you put yourself in danger."
"I won't be in any danger. You know how strong I am," Gu Xi said, dissatisfied. "I've even learned a few moves from you." Although not many, they were enough.
Shen Mingzheng lowered his head and kissed her forehead. Even though he knew, he couldn't afford to gamble.
All he ever wanted in his life was for his family to be safe and healthy, and for her to be happy and joyful. This was his motivation to work hard. Even if they were separated by thousands of miles in the future, he could rest easy as long as he knew she was doing well.
Xu Huaisheng tactfully waited outside the door.
After waiting for a while, I saw her sister come out with her bicycle, her face stern, as if she had been angered by someone, which was somewhat amusing.
She offered a word of advice: "Sister, your husband is just concerned about you. Don't be angry with him." Although she didn't know what conflict the couple had, based on her experience, this advice was sure to be right.
Sure enough, Gu Xi said angrily, "I know. If I didn't know he cared, I would have beaten him up long ago."
The stubborn man infuriated her so much that she wanted to punch him.
Xu Huaisheng laughed heartily, not worried at all; her sister wouldn't have the heart to beat her.
Knowing she was strong, her sister never abused her superhuman strength, but kept it hidden.
The two rode their bicycles towards school, bathed in the morning light.
**
Gu Xi knew that Shen Mingzheng didn't want her to take risks, but she couldn't let it drag on like this.
After thinking about it for a few days, she decided to take the initiative.
After school in the afternoon, Gu Xi, unusually, didn't stay at school long. Instead, she first took Xu Huaisheng home so she could take her books and materials home to study. Then she went out to stroll around the neighborhood and buy groceries.
Xu Huaisheng was very nervous, not knowing what she was going to do. "Big sister, can you manage by yourself?"
"Why not?" Gu Xi patted her shoulder. "I'm just going to buy some groceries nearby. Aunt Wang doesn't need to make an extra trip. I'm not doing anything."
"Really?" Xu Huaisheng looked at her suspiciously. After receiving an affirmative answer, he thought that there were many people in the nearby vegetable market. Even if a thug wanted to make a move in public, he wouldn't dare to go too far in such a place.
Near the alley is a small vegetable market, which is formed by vegetable vendors gathering together to make it convenient for nearby residents to buy vegetables. Every morning and evening after get off work, there are many people coming to buy vegetables.
For several days in a row, Gu Xi took the initiative to go grocery shopping and wandered around the vegetable market area.
Sometimes I would run into some neighbors, and I would also run into Wu Meiwen, who was out grocery shopping with her two children. We would exchange greetings.
That day, Gu Xi had just finished buying groceries and came out of the market. As usual, she looked around at the crowd and spotted a figure hidden in the crowd not far away.
Her eyes sharpened, and without thinking, she walked over there.
The other party reacted quickly, and upon noticing her coming this way, immediately ran away. Seeing this, Gu Xi also started running after her, shouting as she chased, "Gu Yuanhui, you just wait!"
Having finally waited for Gu Yuanhui to appear, Gu Xi was not about to let him off easily. In her desperation, she didn't care what she was holding and threw it directly at Gu Yuanhui.
She was strong and could throw things a long way. Plus, she had good aim. The vegetable basket in her hand hit Gu Yuanhui, making him stagger and fall to the ground.
Gu Xi burst forth with unprecedented speed, lunging towards Gu Yuanhui, her entire body striking him like an arrow released from a bow.
The people around were stunned and seemed unable to react for a moment.
Gu Xi pounced on Gu Yuanhui, pressing him down onto the ground as he tried to get up, causing him to groan in pain.
Just then, a nimble figure appeared, wielding a knife and swinging it at Gu Xi.
Before the other party could succeed, another agile person appeared and quickly captured the person who was about to attack Gu Xi, and the two started fighting on the spot.
Although the surrounding people did not know what was happening, they saw this scene and, fearing they would be affected, quickly dispersed.
Police officers patrolling nearby heard the commotion and rushed over, shouting to disperse the crowd while asking what had happened.
The two were locked in a fierce battle, and the unarmed patrolling police officers were unable to intervene.
Gu Xi had recovered and first punched the struggling Gu Yuanhui, knocking him unconscious. Then, she grabbed a vegetable basket next to her and used it as a weapon, jumping up to help fight.
She didn't know which of the two was friend or foe, but she knew that one of them must have been someone arranged by Shen Mingzheng. So she rushed over, used the basket to push them apart, punched each of them once, knocked them both to the ground, and then pinned them down.
Everyone: "..." This woman is really too fierce.
The two people who were knocked to the ground were also confused.
One was thin and plain-looking, the kind of person who would easily go unnoticed in a crowd; the other was also very thin, with an ordinary square face, but with a dignified and upright air between his brows, a feature that Gu Xi was very familiar with—the kind of uprightness that only people from the military possess.
Now that she could finally tell the two apart, she let go somewhat embarrassedly and said, "Sorry, comrade, I couldn't tell you two apart just now, so I had to attack you both at the same time."
The comrade who was released by Gu Xi was unusually silent for a moment, then said it was okay and took the man who was being held down by her.
He held the man on the ground, took out his identification, and said to the police, "We are handling a case."
The police officers, upon seeing the identification in his hand, immediately became serious and quickly helped to subdue the man, including Gu Yuanhui, who had been knocked unconscious by Gu Xi.
**
An hour later, Gu Xi saw Shen Mingzheng rushing over in a secret house.
Shen Mingzheng already knew what had happened on his way here, so he wasn't surprised to see her there, but he didn't know what to say for a moment.
His eyes were fixed on her, and he was relieved to see that her complexion was rosy and she was not injured.
Gu Xi stood up somewhat nervously and greeted him awkwardly, "Big brother, you're here..."
Although she felt she hadn't done anything wrong, she felt inexplicably guilty in front of him.
Shen Mingzheng took a deep breath. Although he wanted to say something, this was not the place to talk. He gave her a deep look and went into the inner room.
Gu Xi watched him go inside, touched her wildly beating heart, sat down again, and quickly thought about how to coax him later.
The two soldiers standing guard nearby exchanged a glance, pretending not to notice the quarrel between the couple.
At this moment, a female comrade in military uniform came over and brought Gu Xi a glass of warm water.
"Thanks."
Gu Xi quickly stood up and took it with both hands.
The woman in military uniform smiled at her and said gently, "Comrade Gu, there's no need to be so nervous, please sit down."
Gu Xi gave a stiff, tense smile, and inexplicably hesitated to sit down properly.
The woman in military uniform in front of me was not young, about fifty years old, with wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, but she was in good spirits. Standing there, her posture was as upright as a pine tree, and the powerful aura she exuded was comparable to the heavy and imposing presence of a mountain, making people inexplicably afraid to act rashly.
The woman in military uniform chatted casually with Gu Xi. Her gentle tone made Gu Xi feel relaxed without even realizing it.
She asked Gu Xi some basic questions, such as her family situation, her studies, her classmates and friends, etc. Gu Xi answered them honestly one by one. She felt that the authorities should investigate these matters thoroughly and there was nothing she couldn't say.
Just as Gu Xi relaxed, the woman in military uniform said, "Comrade Gu, you've done a great service again! Your reflexes are quick, and your strength... well... is also considerable. I heard you knocked them all to the ground with one punch just now. The doctor said Xiao Qin has a fracture and needs to rest for a while... Xiao Qin is the comrade who was in charge of capturing people earlier..."
Gu Xi felt a chill run down her spine and jumped to her feet, hurriedly saying, "I'm sorry, I... I couldn't tell friend from foe at the time. I was afraid of making a mistake, so I had to knock them all down to prevent the enemy from escaping..."
She kept apologizing, knowing she was very sorry to that comrade.
The two men acted too quickly and became entangled. Since both sides were lying in wait and had chosen people who were not particularly good-looking, she couldn't tell which ones were on her side and had no choice but to resort to this tactic.
Although the method was clumsy, the person didn't escape.
Seeing her sweating profusely in a panic, the woman in military uniform comforted her, "Don't be afraid, I don't mean to blame you. Luckily you were able to catch them successfully."
Gu Xi was still uneasy and said guiltily, "How is Comrade Qin's health? Has he been taken to the hospital? Just tell me about the medical expenses, I will compensate him..."
Regardless of the reason, the other person was doing a mission and secretly protecting her, but she injured them. Even if there was a reason, she still felt very guilty.
The woman in military uniform couldn't help but laugh, comforting her and telling her not to feel guilty, that such an injury was nothing, and that Xiao Qin would recover after a few days of rest. She also praised her, saying that she acted decisively and was a heroine, and asked how strong she was.
"I'm not quite sure either." Gu Xi scratched her head, feeling awkward and shy in front of her dignified yet kind leader. She said bashfully, "I've always been this strong since I was little, probably from doing farm work..."
The woman in military uniform naturally knew everything about Gu Xi, down to the details of how, when she was three years old, she accidentally burned Xu Dagui's trouser leg while cooking for the first time because she wasn't familiar with starting a fire, and Xu Dagui slapped her so hard her ear bled. She knew that Gu Xi had been switched at birth, grew up in the countryside, and was indeed very strong, working in the fields like a man, easily carrying 100 jin (50 kg) of grain to the threshing ground…
Thinking of her childhood experiences and seeing her current embarrassed and guilty appearance, the woman in military uniform couldn't help but sigh: I heard that she has a strong learning ability, can write articles, can draw, loves her family and friends, and even got into a university in Beijing...
Fortunately, the Shen family brought her back to the city back then; otherwise, she would have wasted her whole life in the countryside, which would have been a real pity.
Shortly after, Shen Mingzheng came out from inside.
Upon seeing the woman in military uniform talking to Gu Xi, he paused, walked over, and saluted her.
The woman in military uniform stood up and returned the salute, smiling as she said, "Mingzheng, you've worked hard. Comrade Gu has made a great contribution again this time. It's all thanks to her that we were able to capture them."
Shen Mingzheng glanced at Gu Xi and saw her shrink back, looking guilty. He sighed inwardly and said, "Chief, it's nothing! We'll be going now if there's nothing else."
"Go ahead," the woman in military uniform said with a smile. "Let Comrade Gu go back and get some rest; she's had a hard day."
Gu Xi smiled gratefully at her, then, as if remembering something, asked softly, "Can I meet Gu Yuanhui?"
The woman in military uniform and Shen Mingzheng both looked at her.
Seeing this, Gu Xi quickly said, "If it's inconvenient, then forget it. I don't really want to see him anyway."
The woman in military uniform smiled kindly at her, then turned and went into the inner room.
Shen Mingzheng also left with Gu Xi.
-
By the time I got home, it was completely dark.
The family members were anxiously waiting, and finally breathed a sigh of relief when they found out that they had returned safely.
"Mom, Dad!" Shen Zhuzhu rushed towards them.
Shen Mingzheng picked up the child, and Gu Xi said to the worried Aunt Wang and Xu Huaisheng, "It's nothing, there was just a little accident earlier, but it's been resolved now, I'm fine."
Xu Huaisheng pulled her over to look her over from left to right, and after confirming that she was really alright, he said, "I heard there was an incident at the market. Someone saw you being taken away by the police. We were so worried, we thought something had happened to you..."
As she finished speaking, she choked up, regretting letting her sister take such a risk.
I should have gone with her. Even if she couldn't help much, she could at least keep an eye on things from behind.
Gu Xi had to offer some words of comfort and swear that she would never take such risks again—anyway, there shouldn't be any more of these things in the future—and finally managed to calm her sister and Aunt Wang down.
As for Shen Zhuzhu, she was still young and didn't know what had happened, but she sensed that her mother seemed to have done something big this time.
After bringing Gu Xi back, Shen Mingzheng didn't stay at home for long. He hugged his wife and children and left into the night.
Gu Xi watched him leave, knowing that the two people they caught today were just the beginning, and there would probably be other follow-up work. Shen Mingzheng would still have to keep busy.
She sighed, hoping to resolve the matter as soon as possible.
**
For the next week, Gu Xi didn't see Shen Mingzheng.
However, when she returned to the military compound, her family members, upon learning what she had done, were equally terrified.
Feng Min pulled her over and looked her over again, touching her to make sure she was alright. She said helplessly, "You child, you are too bold! I finally know who Zhuzhu takes after. She is clearly just like you! You said that Zhuzhu went with the traffickers on her own initiative. Didn't you deliberately go to those traffickers to hang out with them?"
"Mom, I know I was wrong." Gu Xi said with a bitter face. She had been nagged a lot lately. Even Xu Yuansheng came all the way from school to nag her all night after hearing about it.
"You know you're wrong, but you won't change next time." Feng Min rolled her eyes at her. She was her own child; how could she not know what kind of person she was?
This is just like her; when faced with a problem, she acts impulsively first and thinks later.
After Feng Min finished her nagging, it was Shen Mingrong's turn. The little chatterbox was so good that Gu Xi was completely absorbed in her nagging and didn't move for a long time, which amused everyone.
But Shen Zhuzhu still said, "If Mom does something wrong, she should also face the wall and reflect on her mistakes."
Gu Xi: "..." You've really grown up, little bean sprout, you actually dare to lecture your mother!
Regardless, everyone cared about her, and Gu Xi could only accept this sweet burden.
Fortunately, Shen Mingzheng finally returned a week later.
He returned in the middle of the night. Gu Xi was startled awake and, forcing herself to stay awake, first took a close look at him. She noticed that he had lost a lot of weight and was unshaven, which made her feel sorry for him.
After Shen Mingzheng took a shower, shaved his beard, and returned to his room, he was greeted by a warm and enthusiastic wife.
"Why aren't you asleep so late?" he asked, carrying the person to bed and tucking them under the covers.
"I've been waiting for you." Gu Xi moved closer restlessly, slipping her hands inside his shirt and wrapping them around his lean waist. "Big brother, I missed you..."
Shen Mingzheng's heart softened, and he held her tightly in his arms, inhaling her familiar scent, which made him feel at ease.
Wherever she is, it's like having a home in my heart; I feel safe and secure no matter where I am.
The couple embraced quietly in the night, enjoying the tranquility of the moment.
After a long pause, Gu Xi asked, "Big brother, about this matter..."
"It's been resolved," Shen Mingzheng said. "Zhuzhu will be safe from now on, and you can focus on your studies."
This time, not only were the remaining fugitives from the original human trafficking gang dealt with, but also some underground personnel hiding in Beijing were caught in one fell swoop.
Shen Mingzheng has once again distinguished himself, but the safety of the person in his arms is more important than anything else.
He wanted her to live freely in the sunlight.
Gu Xi was naturally happy, and she didn't ask any more questions, only asking Gu Yuanhui, "How did he escape back?"
“When we wiped out the human trafficking gang, there were actually some who had fled overseas. They had ties with foreign forces, harbored resentment towards me, and had been investigating me ever since…”
As a key figure in the initial crackdown on human trafficking gangs, Shen Mingzheng became the primary target of the traffickers' hatred and revenge. When they traced his family members, they couldn't retaliate against the Shen family in the military compound, so they targeted Shen Mingzheng's wife and children.
After discovering the past grievances between Gu Yuanhui and Shen Mingzheng's wife, they decided to use Gu Yuanhui to deal with Gu Xi and help him escape from the farm.
"...Gu Yuanhui knew you were not easy to deal with, so he refused to make a move, but those people were pressuring him. During his time back in Beijing, he was actually looking for an opportunity."
Gu Yuanhui is looking for an opportunity to kidnap Gu Xi and her child without having to face Gu Xi in person.
He just didn't expect that Gu Xi and the child were protected by someone, so he didn't have a chance to make a move.
Not only did he not get a chance to make a move, but while he was observing Gu Xi, Gu Xi discovered him and caught him on the spot. To make matters worse, the other members of the organization who were working with Gu Yuanhui were also taken care of by Gu Xi.
Gu Yuanhui knew that Gu Xi possessed superhuman strength, but perhaps because he was too afraid, he didn't tell those people how terrifying Gu Xi's strength was. Otherwise, those people wouldn't have rashly approached Gu Xi, resulting in their accident.
After Shen Mingzheng finished explaining Gu Yuanhui's situation, he asked, "Do you want to see him? The higher-ups are planning to transfer him to another prison. If you want to see him, I can arrange it."
"never mind."
Gu Xi shook her head. She had wanted to ask Gu Yuanhui what he was planning to do, but now she thought it didn't matter whether she knew or not. Gu Yuanhui had chosen this path, so he would have to pay the price. Getting involved with a human trafficking gang meant he would probably never be able to leave that place again, and might even be executed.
Shen Mingzheng was not surprised to hear this. She was a person who clearly distinguished between love and hate, but she was also easily soft-hearted most of the time.
He actually didn't want her to have any contact with Gu Yuanhui. She had already moved on from the hardships of the past, and whether Gu Yuanhui was good or bad was none of her business. She didn't need to pay attention to these insignificant people.
**
After everything settled down, Shen Mingzheng had much more free time.
Gu Xi was pleasantly surprised to find that he had been home for several days in a row. He took her to school every day and picked her up in the afternoon, which made her very happy.
While she was overjoyed, she also knew that he was about to leave.
Gu Xi felt very reluctant, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything to persuade him to stay, just as she had things to do and he had things to do.
They all have their own dreams and strive for them.
Separation is inevitable, but it is temporary; they have a lifetime to stay together.
In the afternoon, Gu Xi said goodbye to her classmates, packed her things, and hurriedly left the classroom.
When she arrived at the tree-lined path near the teaching building, she saw a man waiting there with his bicycle. She happily ran over to him.
Passersby glanced at it briefly before turning their attention away and hurrying on to the next learning location.
"Big brother, have you been waiting long? Let's go." Gu Xi's voice was cheerful. "get out of class ended early today, so let's go pick up Zhuzhu together later. Zhuzhu will be very happy to see his parents picking him up together."
Shen Mingzheng hummed in agreement, his gaze lingering on her smiling face before he restrained himself from looking away and gesturing for her to get into the car.
Just outside the school gate, Gu Yuanzheng was seen loitering nearby.
He was looking towards the school gate when he saw a man and a woman riding out on bicycles. His face lit up with surprise and he hurried over.
Shen Mingzheng stopped the car, and Gu Xi peeked over and saw Gu Yuanzheng coming over. She jumped off the back of the bicycle.
"Xi Xi," Gu Yuanzheng called out, then hesitated for a moment before turning to Shen Mingzheng and saying, "Commander Shen."
He didn't call her brother-in-law. Gu Xi didn't acknowledge him as her brother, and if he did, neither of them would be too happy.
Gu Xi was too lazy to correct him. Shen Mingzheng was no longer the regimental commander; he had been promoted and would officially join the unit once he went to the south.
But there's no need to tell him all that. Let's get straight to the point: "You've come to ask about Gu Yuanhui?"
Gu Yuanzheng hummed in agreement, then frowned and asked, "Yuanhui... he didn't do anything to you, did he?"
He had been very uneasy lately, worried that Gu Yuanhui would hurt Gu Xi and the child. Because he was really worried, and dared not tell his family about it, he could only come over to check on them during his rest time.
Gu Xi said, "No, on the contrary, I beat him up."
Gu Yuanzheng: "..." Not surprising at all.
“He colluded with human traffickers. Now that he’s been caught, he won’t be able to get out again,” Gu Xi said calmly. “He might be executed.”
Regardless of Gu Yuanhui's thoughts or why he foolishly chose to cooperate with human traffickers, his fate was sealed the moment he chose to escape the farm.
Gu Yuanzheng's face turned pale instantly, and he stood there dejectedly.
Unlike Gu Xi, in his heart, even if Gu Yuanhui had taken the wrong path, he was still the brother he had grown up with.
Gu Xi glanced at him, then quickly turned her head away and said, "If there's nothing else, we'll be going now. We still need to pick up the child."
Gu Yuanzheng stood there, staring blankly as they left.
After a long while, his straight back slumped slightly, and he left with weak steps.
Gu Xi sat on the bicycle, glanced back at the figure leaving in the opposite direction from them, pressed her forehead against Shen Mingzheng's back, and said nothing.
-
After kindergarten, the couple, like other parents, stood at the kindergarten gate to pick up their child.
Seeing his parents come to pick him up today, Chen Zhuzhu was overjoyed. The usually calm and quiet child was like a little cannonball, rushing towards them.
The little baby called out loudly, "Daddy, Mommy!"
The teachers smiled knowingly at the sight.
Shen Mingzheng picked up the child who rushed over and let the child plant a wet kiss on his cheek. Then he leaned down and kissed Gu Xi on the cheek as well.
The couple smiled as they walked home with their child, bathed in the setting sun.
Life goes on peacefully.
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