Pre-marital crisis
The deserted cardboard house was no longer as lively as yesterday. The extinguished fire emitted wisps of smoke, swaying in the wind. Two burly men stood on the bridge smoking, chatting idly, seemingly basking in the sun.
Just then, a woman in tattered clothes came down the slope. Her eyes were red and swollen as if she had been crying. She washed her face in the river, but when she turned around and saw the small clothes drying under the bridge, large tears streamed down her face again.
The earth won't stop spinning because of a woman's tears, and no one will care about a female beggar's hoarse cries for help.
The two burly men who were originally on the bridge had somehow appeared under the bridge. They carried a heavy sack up the bridge and then stuffed it into the black sedan that had come to meet them.
The engine roared and vibrated, making the surrounding air feel heavy and oppressive...
Beep—
The police whistle sounded suddenly. Qingcheng was still wondering how she was being watched when scattered footsteps came from all directions of the alley. She could only run forward by instinct, and the narrow alley became darker and darker as she walked.
It was daytime, yet not a single ray of light penetrated. Ahead lay a towering mountain of garbage, surrounded by countless beggars wrestling and fighting. Qingcheng tried to get around them, but her foot twisted, and she fell to the ground. Instantly, a splitting pain shot through her lower abdomen, as if countless horses' hooves had trampled over it.
A familiar figure pulled her up. The man's hand was warm. He was wearing a white suit, revealing eight white teeth, and he had a sly smile.
Where have you been, Comrade Wang Renyong?
The overwhelming joy overcame the pain in her lower abdomen. She had many questions for Wang Renyong, but was interrupted by the cries of the little beggars. There were many, many children crying, their shrill voices rising and falling. Qingcheng covered her ears and screamed, begging them to stop crying, to stop crying, it was so noisy!
Bang!
Wang Renyong had a hole in his leg, and blood was spreading on his white trousers. He struggled to raise his gun and fire back, waving for Qingcheng to leave quickly.
Let's go!
The buzzing sound spun and amplified inside the brain, followed by a gush of acidic fluid that surged from the bottom up. I vomited a clear, foul-smelling mess and leaned weakly against the wall.
But the wall, which should have been solid, was as soft as cream. Qingcheng, caught off guard, collapsed into it, and her body began to plummet. The strange feeling of weightlessness made her feel as if she were floating in mid-air, yet she had no wings, and her frail body trembled slightly…
The pain of falling hard to the ground didn't come. Qingcheng opened her eyes and touched her forehead, which was wet. She wasn't on the street; she was in her office, where she could faintly hear her colleagues talking and the phone ringing.
Sigh, it's true what they say, what you think about during the day, you dream about at night. Such an absurd dream, it's not materialistic at all.
With a self-deprecating laugh, Qingcheng picked up her water glass and drank it all in one gulp. Only after finishing did she remember that she couldn't drink cold water these days. Oh well, it's okay to do it once in a while. She's not that delicate.
Escaping the nightmare had taken a toll on her spirit. After resting for a while against the back of her chair, Qingcheng threw herself back into her work. There was still no news of Wang Renyong's arrest in the newspapers, and the contact advertisements she had sent to the organization had received no response.
When will we be able to reconnect with the organization? Qingcheng crumpled the newspaper, and with a final sigh, she told herself not to rush, there would always be a way.
Ding-ling-ling, ding-ling-ling—
"Hello, this is the editorial department of Shenbao." Kiyosumi answered the phone.
Xiangxiang's voice came through the microphone: "Sister, we've picked up Auntie. We've settled the whole family in the attic as you requested, so don't worry."
Hearing the good news, Qingcheng's mood finally brightened. She hoped that Sister Ying wouldn't blame her for her rough methods of hiring people. If Sister Ying hadn't shown up soon, the little crybaby from the Li family could have cried the Great Wall down.
After learning some basic information, Qingcheng also told Xiangxiang not to forget to leave some living expenses for her aunt, and to try her best to help her if her aunt had any other requests.
"Okay." As soon as Xiangxiang finished speaking, there was another knock on her office door.
"If you don't have enough money, ask me. I have to go now." Qingcheng hurriedly hung up the phone and invited the people outside into the house.
When Qingcheng saw He Linshi and Gao Junxiao at the door, a gentle look appeared in her eyes. She got up to welcome her mother into the house and proudly invited her to visit her office.
However, Ms. He Lin did not intend to visit. She merely stood at the entrance and looked around before expressing her desire to meet Qingcheng's editor-in-chief to thank her for her care.
“The editor-in-chief is very busy and he’s not at the newspaper office. If you insist on seeing him, I can arrange another time for you.” Qingcheng turned to Gao Junxiao and said, “You take your mother to the coffee shop across the street first. I’ll come find you after get off work.”
Gao Junxiao nodded without objection, but to his surprise, Mother He's expression changed and she scolded him sharply: "Hua'er, how can you talk to your son-in-law like that? He is your future husband."
This attitude baffled both Gao and He, who looked at each other in bewilderment. They had always acted this way; otherwise, how should they have communicated? Madam He Lin reprimanded Qingcheng in a stern tone, reminding her to be respectful to her husband and asking him to use the word "please" when handling matters.
"Tch," Qingcheng thought to herself, rolling her eyes. She didn't know how to respond. She kept gesturing to Gao Junxiao to take her mother away. He was criticizing her at work before she even got off work. She thought Gao Junxiao was a terrible person.
"Oh, who is this lady?" Mr. Shi appeared at the top of the stairs with a smile, carrying his briefcase.
"Hello, boss. This is my mother. She'd like to see my office." Qingcheng forced a smile and made up an excuse.
"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Madam He." Boss Shi extended his hand, and upon seeing this, Madam He hurriedly took a step back and half-squatted to give a curtsy.
Having seen so many modern ladies in big cities, Mr. Shi probably hadn't seen a conservative lady in a long time. He withdrew his empty hand and instead patted his head, then cleared his throat and introduced himself as the owner of Shenbao, surnamed Shi, the Shi of history, and said that he was free to visit his office.
From a few steps away, Qingcheng saw the boss's embarrassment clearly. Fortunately, Boss Shi was a magnanimous person and wouldn't care about such a small matter.
“Mr. Shi, please wait. Since you are the owner here, I have something I would like to give you.” Mother He tiptoed forward and took out a letter from her sleeve.
What is this? Qingcheng glanced at it with difficulty, and in an instant, she was struck dumb. The envelope was written in two neat, small characters: "Resignation Letter".
“Mr. Shi, thank you for taking care of my daughter these past few days. Today, I am submitting my resignation on her behalf, hoping to fulfill your kindness.” Madam He bowed respectfully in thanks.
"Mom, let's talk about this when we get back. The boss is very busy," Qingcheng said gently, shielding her mother's petite figure with her body.
Meanwhile, Qingcheng repeatedly shook her head at her boss, telling him not to agree. Boss Shi was also generous, winking at Qingcheng and starting to laugh it off: "Yes, yes, Xiao He, you should leave work early. I'll give you two days off so you can take your mother on a trip. It's not easy for Mrs. He to come all the way to Shanghai."
Despite Mr. Shi's leniency, Madam He was not impressed at all and handed the envelope forward again: "My daughter is about to get married, and it is really inappropriate for her to show her face and mingle with men again."
"Mother, what are you saying! You look down on others, and you look down on your daughter too. Let's go back." Tears welled up in her eyes, and Qingcheng impatiently pushed her mother out. If she let her talk nonsense any longer, she would be too ashamed to face anyone.
"What book did you read that taught you to talk back to your parents? You have to quit this job today. Your mother-in-law has been mocking you openly and subtly several times. A woman should have the virtues of a woman. Running around outside every day, how can you ever bring your heart back? You've almost disgraced the He family. Why don't you just stay at home and enjoy your life? It's not like your husband can't afford to support you."
Almost all of her colleagues stopped what they were doing. Boss Shi frowned, his fingers gripping his purse tightly. Qingcheng was surrounded by sympathetic glances and wished she could disappear into a hole in the ground, but unfortunately, she didn't.
Hehe, great, with her future mother-in-law involved too. She thought her mother was gentle and had never had her own opinions, so why was she so resolute today?
Qingcheng glared sharply at Gao Junxiao, who had been feigning death, and said through gritted teeth, "I don't need him to support me! Did you have a daughter just to raise a high-class servant to serve others?"
“Still talking back? Let me tell you, since ancient times, a woman’s duty has been to stay at home, support her husband and raise her children. In the future, you should do a good job of producing offspring for the Gao family.” Madam He rubbed the corner of her eye with her handkerchief, her voice trembling. “Your husband really spoiled you when he was alive. He wouldn’t let me teach you the ‘Admonitions for Women’ and ‘Women’s Virtues,’ but he insisted on letting you read poems that only men could learn, making you really think you are a man.”
The familiar feudal terms that came out of her mother's mouth felt like sharp needles piercing her again and again, pushing her fragile nerves to the limit.
Bullshit about female virtues, I spit on it, more like slave virtues. Qingcheng feels nauseous just hearing those two words. Why didn't they teach men how to be husbands and male virtues?
"Qingcheng, there are so many people here, don't be willful. It's good to resign. You look very tired, take a rest." Gao Junxiao, who hadn't spoken until now, interjected softly.
The sudden betrayal made Qingcheng momentarily disoriented, as if she had misheard. Not only did he not offer her a single word of help, but he actually sided with the evil spirits represented by her mother, siding with feudalism.
A fire burned fiercely in her heart, and all the warmth and reason of the past were swallowed up in an instant. Qingcheng snatched the resignation letter, tore it to shreds, and loudly declared: "Whether I resign or not is my personal matter, and I don't need my mother to worry about it. As for those filthy feudal books such as 'Admonitions for Women' and 'Women's Virtues,' give me one and I'll burn it; give me two and I'll burn a pair."
In the office, Boss Shi was the first to breathe a sigh of relief, followed by approving glances from his colleagues. He Linshi was already in tears, while Gao Junxiao remained silent.
After calming her agitated emotions for a moment, Qingcheng changed to a steady tone and looked coldly at Gao Junxiao: "Mr. Gao, please excuse my predicament. Please take my mother back to the Fang Mansion. Thank you very much. If the gas money is not enough, I will pay for it in advance and make up the difference later. This will prevent others from misunderstanding and thinking that I have taken a lot of your money."
After Qingcheng finished speaking, she took out all the silver dollars she had and stuffed them into Gao Junxiao's pocket. Gao Junxiao froze on the spot, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn't, but his raised wrist still fell to his side.
Having drawn a clear line, Qingcheng didn't care when the two of them left. She went back to her office, grabbed her bag, and left the declaration building without looking back.
Dusk always fades quickly, and with the night sky overhead, it seemed as if she was the only one left in the world. Qingcheng pursed her lips, her body trembling slightly, her throat so dry it ached. She tried hard to swallow the rising grievances, preventing tears from spilling out.
Hmph, I'm not going to shed tears for a jerk like that. I'd rather find something worthwhile to do. Go to hell, you bastard.
The tide of the Huangpu River has risen at some point, and the green plants spreading out on the water's surface float high, forming a line that seems to divide the scene: on one side, neon lights are flashing, and on the other, the lights are dim.
In the small, cabinet-like room, there was a single bed. A young man with a sorrowful face lay on it, his eyes tightly closed and extremely weak. Compared to a corpse, he was only breathing a few more breaths.
Since the Kinmen Hotel incident, Qingcheng has been pondering the whole story of the leak. Wang Renyong would not doubt a comrade's innocence without reason; he is the last person who wants to see a traitor.
Yingqi's behavior that day was indeed intriguing; he seemed only interested in being with Wu Hao. He even dared to object to Wang Renyong's assignment of a new job, so saying he had no problems at all would be irresponsible.
Another point is that even if Yingqi and another traitor learned that Wu Hao might attend the meeting and used a trick to switch places, Wu Hao's identity was special, his schedule was almost unknown to anyone, and it was highly unpredictable.
We can only confirm this after Wu Hao actually shows up, but Zhang Chong's attitude that day was extremely certain, so the source of the leak is most likely still with Wu Hao.
How did the mole within Wu Hao's inner circle relay the news of the operation to the secret agents?
Suddenly, Yingqi, who had lost consciousness, twitched. Qingcheng's train of thought was interrupted, and she hurriedly called the German doctor from the clinic. Yingqi couldn't die, or her clues would be cut off.
After a series of examinations including light and auscultation, Yingqi slowly woke up. He opened his eyes and tried to get up, but was held down by the nurses and doctors. The wound on his abdomen was a gunshot wound, and he had a fever all night after being given penicillin. They hoped that his brain was still functioning even though it wasn't fully developed.
It's better not to upset him yet. As soon as Qingcheng stepped outside the door, she bumped into Li Sheng, who had rushed over. He was happier than if he had won the lottery when he heard on the phone that Yingqi had woken up.
Through a small door with a window, Qingcheng quickly pulled Li Sheng aside. He'd gone to see a traitor without even disguising himself—he must have a death wish. Li Sheng happily remarked that the kid had pulled through, but whether Yingqi was truly a traitor needed to be discussed with Qingcheng; he had new evidence.
Just then, Qingcheng had the same idea, and the two walked into the medicine dispensing room at the end of the corridor. Li Sheng announced bluntly that he had also captured another traitor, Luo Xiong.
After escaping the Kinmen Hotel, Luo Xiong took advantage of the chaos to shoot and wound Ying Qi. However, Ying Qi was terrified and dared not show his face. Perhaps because the situation had relaxed recently, he wanted to make contact with CC's agents, but was intercepted on the spot by Li Sheng's subordinate.
Oh, is it infighting among the traitors, or is he unaware that Yingqi also has problems? Qingcheng turned to Li Sheng with a questioning look, and he immediately explained that, according to Luo Xiong's confession, he was fighting alone and had no accomplices.
"Luo Xiong has a terrible temper. He only asked me a few questions before falling silent. If I hadn't received the phone call and Ying Qi hadn't woken up, I would have beaten him to death," Li Sheng said bitterly.
"Luo Xiong is in jail. He'll take me to interrogate him later. What about Ying Qi now? Should we treat him as a good comrade and release him?" Qingcheng asked, propping her arm up with her hand.
“We can’t let him go either. Actually, Yingqi still has some problems.” Li Sheng hesitated for a moment before saying, “There’s not a single good spot on Yingqi’s body. He must have been tortured.”
Pointing to his side waist, Li Sheng explained his argument to Qingcheng: Yingqi had several parallel jagged scars on his side waist, wounds caused by a special torture device. The CC people liked to wear that device on their hands and then strike the liver, causing the victim to suffer extreme pain.
"You mean he was caught by the CC? Don't you use those kinds of torture devices?" Kiyosumi asked, turning her head.
Li Sheng shook his head: "There's a trick to using that thing. If you use too much force, it can rupture the spleen. You've seen the people in the military law department; they're all strong and powerful. If the prisoner bleeds to death, what's the point of asking them any questions? Only those perverts from the CC Clique would enjoy such troublesome torture."
There is no fundamental difference between the military law department and the reactionary group in the CC. The smell of disinfectant in the dispensing room grew stronger and stronger. Qingcheng's eyes felt a little sore: "Then let's check whether he was ever rescued from prison by the organization."
Li Sheng had also thought of this. He specifically called Xiao Tang from the police commission. Usually, the police commission's connections are used for rescues. However, Xiao Tang could not find any rescue records for Ying Qi and Luo Xiong. Either they were manually erased, or there was no rescue at all and they escaped on their own.
With Yingqi's skills, it's not impossible for him to escape on his own. However, every returning person will undergo strict screening, and there will be a screening report. If only he could contact Rui Rui again.
Having come full circle and returned to where they started, Qingcheng sighed deeply, realizing that without the support of an organization, they would be virtually unable to move forward.
"Brother Li, how should we investigate a suspected traitor?" Qingcheng tilted her head, completely clueless.
"How would I know!" Li Sheng spread his hands. "The procedures are definitely different for internal and external parties. When I interrogated someone as a secret agent, I would first give them a beating as soon as they entered the room, and then whip them with a leather whip dipped in salt water. If I couldn't get any information out of them, I would use all sorts of weapons. If you agree, I will interrogate them in this way."
"No, no, no, wouldn't that really make me a spy? Our Party always persuades people with reason. Why don't we try to get on their good side first and do some ideological work?" Qingcheng rubbed her temples with a troubled expression.
"Okay, please go ahead." Li Sheng smiled and gestured.
As if possessed, Kiyosumi walked towards the door, but immediately turned back: "I don't know how. I've only ever seen court hearings in plays, where the prisoner is beheaded in the end."
"Practice makes perfect. If you master dialectics, you'll be the modern-day He Qingtian (a legendary upright official)." Li Sheng gave him a thumbs-up in praise.
"Don't give me that. I'm not Commander Xiong. Flattery won't work. Come with me." Qingcheng grabbed a white coat from the wall and threw it to Li Sheng.
“Okay, okay, just remember what you want to know, and use your words to guide him.” Li Sheng put on his white coat and got into the zone in a second.
After changing clothes, the two entered the examination room and dismissed the nurse on duty. Yingqi's eyes showed a hint of doubt, but he quickly recovered and finally spoke in a hoarse voice: "You're here to investigate, aren't you?"
"Yes, please cooperate with the organization. My surname is Gao, you can call me Lao Gao." Before Li Sheng could reach out to Ying Qi, Qing Cheng firmly stepped on his instep. Li Sheng bit his lower lip, his face full of question marks, and shakily squeezed out a few words, "Please go first, leader."
Kiyosumi was trying to control her murderous thoughts. Why did she have to choose such a ridiculous alias? It was like she was deliberately bringing up a sore spot.
However, the most urgent task was to understand the situation. She suppressed her anger, looked Yingqi seriously, and introduced herself in a businesslike tone: "Hello Yingqi, I am the person in charge of this review. My surname is Wang. Don't be nervous. The doctors and nurses here are all comrades from the Third International. You can speak freely."
“We won’t ask any questions today. We want to hear your story first. You were lucky to escape. We lost a lot of comrades at the Kinmen Hotel that day, so your situation is very important for our overall assessment.” Li Sheng dragged over two stools and opened his notebook with an air of importance.
On the hospital bed, Yingqi's head hung low, guilt showing on his pale face, and his frail body trembled. It seemed that Yingqi did not feel so justified in his survival.
The moonlight poured down, falling on the fountain's water jets, making them appear even whiter and more like jade. All the servants and maids in the garden stood in a row in front of the fountain, while the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gao family walked back and forth with a feather duster in her hand.
He always trusted his mother to manage the household. Gao Junxiao stood by the window for a while, then turned around and went back into the room to make a phone call: "Mu Qiu, I will make sure you wear the general's star before the end of the year."
"Why are you calling me so formally so late at night... What's wrong with you?" Chen Yao belatedly realized the problem.
"Brother, I've been tricked." Gao Junxiao gripped the sofa seat tightly. He blamed himself for being blinded by the joyous occasion and letting his guard down. He was so careless that he didn't even notice when the enemy's hand reached into his house to pick flowers and cut down trees.
"Who? I'll lead my troops to wipe him out right now!" Chen Yao's tone suddenly rose.
"Who else could it be?" Gao Junxiao retorted irritably.
"Ha, that damn spy, what did he do to you?" Chen Yao's tone also became serious.
It took Gao Junxiao almost all his strength to say those few words: "He wants to ruin my wedding."
"I... damn it... ... I cursed his mother and his ancestors for eighteen generations, then after a while he said, "Brother, we need to get serious."
"Would he have reacted so strongly if I hadn't gone all out? I was originally thinking of leaving him some room to maneuver, but now it seems unnecessary." Gao Junxiao stared out the window again.
“There was no need to keep him here in the first place, brother. Remember, he started this war. War is a matter of life and death,” Chen Yao said through gritted teeth.
That makes sense. Gao Junxiao switched hands and held the microphone: "Here's what you do: spread ten more false rumors. Not only should your division spread them, but your surrounding units should too."
"Alright, you have to keep a close eye on your own backyard, don't let anyone raid it again. I'm still waiting for you to have children and recognize me as your godfather," Chen Yao reminded him earnestly.
"Okay, be careful too." Gao Junxiao hung up the phone and lay on the sofa like a flattened piece of paper, as if the conversation had drained the last bit of his soul. How was he supposed to explain this to Hua Hua?
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