One of the interrogators came out, saw this scene, and went back and whispered something.
After a rustling sound, the five rice dumplings were dragged even further away.
The leader stepped forward, his expression solemn, and quietly recounted the information the five zongzi had given him. Finally, he said, "This feels like it's targeting you. Is it from the capital? Or did we alert them?"
Gu Zhiyuan pondered for a moment, then said, "Go back and investigate! Investigate thoroughly, don't overlook any suspicious person or suspicious detail!"
The leading man nodded.
He glanced at Xu Ningyan, who was fast asleep leaning on Gu Zhiyuan's shoulder, hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Boss, this little girl—"
Gu Zhiyuan glanced at the leading man with a nonchalant look: "Although she is young, she is still your sister-in-law!"
The leader paused, then lowered his head: "I understand, boss! Is it about the capital?"
Gu Zhiyuan scoffed, a rare hint of mockery appearing on his usually composed face: "When did it become their business to decide my affairs? Besides, I'm afraid they'd be more than happy to accept it!"
A complex look flashed across the leader's eyes, and he remained silent.
In her dazed state, Xu Ningyan heard Gu Zhiyuan talking to someone.
Naturally, she heard Gu Zhiyuan say: "Although she is young, she is still your sister-in-law."
Her breathing caught in her throat, but fearing that Gu Zhiyuan would notice, she immediately tried to slow her breathing again.
My mind was in turmoil.
What does the big shot mean by that?
These are his subordinates, why would he keep it from them?
Is this what they call the caution of a big shot in life?
It's definitely not someone who's interested in me!
Judging from what the big shot said later, he probably wanted to make the people in the capital misunderstand that he really wanted to marry a country girl, so that they would lower their guard against him.
Thinking about it that way, it makes sense.
After all, the fewer people who know about this kind of thing, the better!
Once Xu Ningyan understood this, she immediately relaxed completely.
That's good! That's good! I almost thought the big shot was going to marry her! That was terrifying!
With such a powerful figure as a patron, whether you become a subordinate or a sister, as long as you remain loyal, the bond can last a lifetime.
But if it's a married couple, after too many emotional entanglements and a falling out, they'll basically never speak to each other again! Wouldn't all the good fortune she worked so hard to get onto just slip away? What a loss!
So, being a younger brother or sister is just fine!
With this thought in mind, Xu Ningyan fell into a deep reverie again.
Gu Zhiyuan, on the other hand, had already noticed that Xu Ningyan didn't seem to be sleeping very soundly, so that sentence was something he said specifically to the little girl.
The little girl was frightened, and people might gossip about her. He said this to put her mind at ease.
He expressed that he had already decided in his heart that Xu Ningyan was his wife and would not be influenced by the outside world.
After he said that, he clearly felt Xu Ningyan's breathing falter.
In that instant, his heart pounded wildly, and he held his breath, wanting to see how Xu Ningyan would react after hearing his words.
Unexpectedly, Xu Ningyan's breathing became erratic. She quickly adjusted her breathing, but her heartbeat and pulse became even faster, which he could feel.
However, no one knows what the little girl was thinking, but she quickly returned to normal and then actually fell asleep again.
Gu Zhiyuan was at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
I wanted to shake her awake and ask her what she was thinking.
He simply looked down and saw Xu Ningyan's hair whorl. Soft strands of hair gently brushed against his cheeks, carrying Xu Ningyan's unique, faint fragrance, which softened his gaze instantly.
Looking at the faint dark circles under Xu Ningyan's eyes, and the weariness that he couldn't hide even when he was asleep, what else could he say?
He reached out and added a few more pieces of firewood to the pile, making the fire burn brighter, and then pulled Xu Ningyan closer to him, making her more comfortable.
The man next to him stared wide-eyed at Gu Zhiyuan's fluid movements as if he had seen a ghost, opening his mouth but unable to utter a sound.
He never knew that his seemingly approachable but actually aloof boss, who especially avoided women like the plague, could be so gentle and caring one day.
Still, take care of a woman!
Was he seeing things? Or has the world gone awry?
Gu Zhiyuan disliked him for not knowing how to read people's expressions and for acting as a third wheel, almost illuminating the entire cave without realizing it.
He said coldly, "Hurry up and interrogate them; we need to go down the mountain at dawn!"
The man came to his senses and looked at the sky outside, which was already turning white. He knew he couldn't waste any more time. After all, once they came down the mountain, the person would be handed over to the Revolutionary Committee, and it would be difficult for them to ask him anything else.
He hurriedly got up and went inside.
Xu Ningyan slept very soundly for the next time, and seemed to have a dream in which she was sitting on a small boat, which was rocking back and forth.
When she woke up, they were almost on their way down the mountain to Yanchi Brigade, and Gu Zhiyuan was carrying her on his back.
Leading the way were Gu Zhiyuan and his group of burly men, each guarding one person to prevent Cao Yang and his companions from escaping.
The straw ropes binding their legs had been untied, but their arms were still bound behind their backs. In addition to the straw ropes tied by Xu Ningyan, there were also knots made of nylon rope, the other end of which was in the hands of the burly man guarding them. They definitely couldn't escape.
Gu Zhiyuan carried Xu Ningyan down the mountain for so long, from dawn until the sun was high in the sky. His breathing was still relatively even, but steam was rising from his head.
Large beads of sweat slid down her forehead. When Xu Ningyan woke up and moved, she accidentally smeared some on her face.
Both of them froze. Gu Zhiyuan's breathing became rapid, and he stopped in his tracks.
The hand gripping Xu Ningyan's thigh tightened involuntarily.
Like a startled bird, Xu Ningyan jumped off Gu Zhiyuan's back, her cheeks flushed, and stammered, "I... I can walk by myself! You... you rest for a while—"
Gu Zhiyuan clenched his fists in a dejected manner. The warmth from his back and palms dissipated in the wind, leaving them feeling somewhat cold.
However, he quickly recovered and nodded, "Then watch your step."
Seeing Gu Zhiyuan's calm demeanor, Xu Ningyan felt less embarrassed. She took a few steps and whispered, "Big brother, why didn't you wake me up? Carrying me down the mountain must have been exhausting—"
Upon hearing this, a burly man in front laughed and said, "Sister-in-law, uh, Comrade Xu, how much do you weigh? Comrade Gu may look thin, but he's just as strong as us! You know, we brothers can carry a wild boar and cross two mountains without even panting. You're not as heavy as a wild boar, so how could he possibly get tired?"
"Cough cough..."
A series of coughs came from the mouths of the men in front.
The one who spoke hadn't realized what was happening yet, but looked around warily: "What's going on? Is there an ambush?"
Gu Zhiyuan took two steps forward, grabbed Xu Ningyan's wrist, and dragged her forward a few steps before coldly snorting, "Since you're so good at talking, next time you carry a wild boar and climb two mountains, let me see!"
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