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It's another bustling, sunny day! Thick green leaves sway gently in the breeze, dappled shadows fall on the cicadas, who sing fervently under the blazing sun, celebrating the beauty of midsummer. However, their voices still can't drown out the boisterous chatter of the people.
Today was market day, and villagers from all around crowded the city gates to have their identities checked. The south gate of Xuzhou, which is close to the market, was especially crowded.
Men and women, young and old, carrying wide shoulder poles, pulling old oxen, and pushing wheelbarrows, greeted each other with acquaintances and talked about the major events that had happened in the city that day.
The biggest event recently has to be the bandit suppression team's great victory over Fengshan, capturing the bandit leader Qiaojie alive, and killing the second-in-command Xiaoshenliu and two other gang leaders.
Upon entering the city, a bright red notice board next to the south gate displayed a victory announcement, and an old scholar in a gray long gown explained the notice to the illiterate villagers.
More and more people gathered around the old scholar, listening to him tell stories like a storyteller about how the bandit-suppression team leader broke through various gangs and how he cleverly used smoke to breach the fortress.
The old scholar's eloquent speech stirred the crowd's blood, making them feel as if they were right there in the scene. It wasn't until the policeman, Blackie, came to clear the blocked road that the buzzing, noisy crowd dispersed.
Compared to the bustling streets, the temporary command post at the old East Gate was unusually quiet. This temporary office was probably originally a study, with a mahogany desk and an upright official's hat chair, piled with messy documents. Gao Junxiao found a gap in the pile of documents and hurriedly wrote at his desk.
Lieutenant Lu carried documents in and out of the office. Gradually, the pile of documents on the table became lower and lower until only one battlefield manuscript remained. Gao Junxiao rubbed his sore eyes and picked up the manuscript. In his opinion, dealing with miscellaneous affairs was more tiring than fighting a war.
Previously, Xiao Li had presented all the battlefield manuscripts to Gao Junxiao for review, to see which parts involved classified information needed to be modified or deleted. This task could have been given to Lieutenant Lu, but he took it on for some personal reasons.
After a quick glance, the report mainly covered conventional tactics and used cautious language, making it a fairly fair war report overall. There wasn't much to change. However, another report describing the interrogation of the bandit leader needed major revisions.
That Qiao Jie was very stubborn, shamelessly claiming that her husband Wu Yulou would come to take revenge, but what she didn't know was that Wudong Mountain had already been breached by them.
Although Wu Yulou escaped capture because he ran fast, the remaining remnants of his army were no longer a threat.
Thinking of the towering peaks of Wudong Mountain, a chill ran down his spine. Could Uncle Hao of Fengshan be some kind of divine being who could predict the future? He had just been thinking of wiping out Wudong Mountain along the way, and the plan was still in his mind when the old man delivered the topographical map.
Things are probably not that simple! Uncle Hao has a mastermind behind him who always takes his thoughts into account.
He always felt like there was a pair of eyes watching him from behind. That person knew him very well, even better than he knew himself. When he wanted a hammer, that person would hand him a hammer; when he wanted nails, that person would have nails ready in advance.
For example, the expert knew that he was troubled by the bandits' excellent marksmanship and was hesitant to act rashly, so he instructed the child to deliberately set off a smoke bomb.
In order to find out who the expert was, he made a special trip to the village to visit Uncle Hao before going down the mountain.
But Uncle Hao vehemently denied it, and then promptly gave him several large bags of insect repellent and anti-itch powder. It was like he was trying to hide something obvious; why did he only think of giving it to him now? Someone must have warned Uncle Hao.
Gao Junxiao didn't know what kind of relationship he had with that person, that made that person go to such lengths to help him.
Humans are always instinctively afraid of the unknown. Compared to his current state of mind, it was hard to say whether the river water in the twelfth lunar month was colder.
His attention returned to the battlefield manuscript, and Gao Junxiao composed himself, turning on the telephone to dial the command post's internal line.
The call was quickly connected to Xiao Li. After Gao Junxiao shared his opinions, Xiao Li said he would rewrite the interrogation section immediately and send it to him later.
Gao Junxiao told Xiao Li to take her time writing, since Qingcheng's review would also take time, and not to put pressure on her.
However, Xiao Li said that their editor He is currently recuperating at home and has a lot of free time, so he reviews the articles for the anti-bandit team and writes editorials.
"Why didn't she go to the newspaper office if she's at home?" Gao Junxiao asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Hmm, don't feel bad for her, after all... she was tortured, right? She started vomiting blood again after going back, and Boss Shi, out of consideration for her talent, let her take sick leave at home." Xiao Li quickly added, "But she asked to do some work, so the boss just symbolically assigned her some tasks."
"What? Vomiting blood again! She's at home, right? Okay, I got it." After hanging up the phone, Gao Junxiao felt like his internal organs were on fire. He Qingcheng, you're being stubborn again, and you didn't even tell him you were sick. But he really couldn't find her on the mountain.
After several transfers, the call finally went through to Qingcheng's house. Gao Junxiao was about to question her, but his heart softened when he heard the girl's voice. He asked, "Have you eaten?"
"I've eaten. What about you?" Her clear voice was like the warm sunshine of early spring, neither too hot nor too cold, just the right temperature.
"Not yet, have you finished reviewing your manuscript? Don't overwork yourself."
"There aren't many articles in total, they're all your battlefield reports, I finished them a long time ago. Go and eat, remember to treat yourself to something good after you just got back to the city." The caring words coming from Qingcheng's mouth were especially comforting.
"Don't just worry about me. Did you vomit blood again after you went back? What did the doctor say?" Gao Junxiao couldn't help but feel conflicted after all this time.
"I only vomited once. The doctor said my stomach needs time to recover. I'll be able to go back to work in a few days, so don't worry." The more nonchalant Qingcheng sounded, the more pity Gao Junxiao felt.
“Don’t rush back to work. I’ll have some free time these next few days and send you two boxes of apples. Which apples did you think were the best when you were hospitalized in Xuzhou?” After Gao Junxiao finished speaking, the other person fell silent.
After a long pause, Qingcheng stammered, "No need. There's plenty of fruit in the summer, and it's too much trouble to go back and forth. You go about your business and don't worry about me."
Thinking that Qingcheng was tired of eating apples, Gao Junxiao earnestly advised, "The doctor said that apples are good for the stomach, and you should eat one a day. Besides, the apples I bring you are from different places each time, such as Yantai, Linyi, and Zaozhuang. I have personally tasted them when I passed by the orchards. Just tell me which one you think is good."
"I can't tell the difference, they're all quite sweet. Since you've tried them, you can help me choose one. I like everything you give me." Qingcheng's final confession was somewhat overwhelming.
However, Gao Junxiao felt that her attitude was somewhat perfunctory. What was wrong with her today? Normally, she would emphasize whether the apple was crisp or soft, and whether it looked red and plump.
"Just think of it as taking medicine, okay? Even if it's just an apple, I'll make sure you eat the best apple in the whole country," Gao Junxiao proudly assured his girlfriend.
"Okay, one a day. Thank you, I'll eat it on time." After saying that, the smile gradually disappeared from Gao Junxiao's face. He instinctively felt that something was wrong. The person had been overly polite and even a little distant, but what she said was also impeccable.
What's going on? Could it be that I'm under too much pressure, making me suspicious of everything? To relieve his overthinking, Gao Junxiao couldn't help but try to be witty: "Actually, I'd like to make a small suggestion."
A clear, suspicious voice came from the other side. A hint of mockery flashed in Gao Junxiao's eyes as he said slowly, "Don't bind your chest so tightly. Don't you feel uncomfortable? Besides, the government has clearly stipulated that binding the chest and foot binding are feudal customs that must be changed."
beep--
Hey! She didn't even scold him, she was so ashamed and angry that she hung up on him directly. This isn't like He Qingcheng's style. Gao Junxiao raised his eyebrows and dialed Xiao Li's landline again: "Xiao Li, how long has it been since your editor He updated her serialized novel?"
"A novel? Now that you mention it, it seems like she hasn't written a novel in a while. Maybe she's experiencing writer's block, or she's preparing a long draft." Xiao Li kindly offered Qingcheng an excuse.
"Do you have her latest editorial? Bring it to me." The sound of rummaging through papers came from Xiao Li's end, indicating that he would bring it right away.
A short while later, Xiao Li brought over today's Shenbao newspaper. No sooner had he left than Commander Du arrived. Gao Junxiao had no choice but to put down the newspaper and accompany Commander Du to the victory celebration banquet.
But deep down he was extremely unwilling. What was there to celebrate? There was still Liu Shengqi to deal with.
Well, I still have to give Commander Du face. After all, he reminded me that Senior Brother Qin was stationed in Zaozhuang, so I was able to find the right person to help me in this emergency. I'll also suggest to him that he execute the bandit leader of Fengshan as soon as possible.
The banquet continued until the lights were dazzling, and colorful lanterns were hung in every shop, like glittering gold buttons adorning a black cloak.
Gao Junxiao had no time to pay attention to the bustling streets and alleys, and had the guards take him directly back to his office at the old East Gate.
He turned on the light and read the newspaper in one fluid motion. Gao Junxiao appeared calm on the surface, but his mind was in turmoil.
He was afraid of knowing the answer, afraid of missing the truth, and even more afraid of having to pretend he didn't know the truth to his lover.
After reading Jin Xiaoyin's editorial, Gao Junxiao fell into deep thought, unable to calm down for a long time. His hand unconsciously reached for the phone, the whooshing sound of the dial hitting his eardrums, but he endured the discomfort in his chest and switched the outside line in a stiff voice.
"It's me." Gao Junxiao directly identified himself. There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a screeching sound from the receiver. He wasn't in a hurry and just waited for the other party's response.
"I can smell the alcohol on you even through the phone line. Where are you calling me from?" The questioning female voice came through the receiver, but Gao Junxiao's eyes lit up and he instantly became alert.
Ah! This tastes just right, but I'm a little out of breath.
"Hmm? I don't know either. It seems to be the back room of Yifangxuan. We were just having drinks. How did you get here? Lieutenant Lin, where are you?" Gao Junxiao called out a few times, pretending to be serious.
"Your adjutant's surname is Lu!" Qingcheng roared through gritted teeth. As if calming herself down, she switched to a gentler voice, "Sir, how many songs have you listened to to get this drunk? Do you even remember your own surname?"
"I remember, my adjutant's surname is Lu, my surname is Gao, and my wife's surname is He. See, I remember it clearly," Gao Junxiao patted his chest and boasted to his girlfriend.
"Oh—you're already married? How come I didn't know? They didn't even send me a wedding invitation. It's a shame we're so close. I guess I was overthinking it." Qingcheng deliberately twisted the man's meaning and played word games with him.
"Don't worry about that. Wedding invitations are easy to come by. Just read me your birth date and time, and I'll find a fortune teller to match them up. Then I'll pick an auspicious day and time, and send them over with a bang. I guarantee it'll be impressive." It was unclear whether Gao Junxiao was referring to sending wedding invitations or betrothal gifts.
"Sir, you're a revolutionary. Why are you still indulging in feudal superstitions? People are striving for progress, and you're regressing," Kiyosumi teased.
"That's to keep up with my wife's pace; she's unwilling to improve. I can't do anything about it; what can I do when I like her?" Gao Junxiao started spouting nonsense again.
Nonsense! Has she really stopped improving? Who's his wife now? Humph! I just want to provoke her, but she won't.
Kiyosumi replied coquettishly, "You seem so ignorant. Haven't you heard the saying, 'There are plenty of fish in the sea, why be hung up on just one?'"
"Don't you know if I have a crush on someone, Hua Hua?" Gao Junxiao asked, suppressing a laugh.
"Why should I know?" Kiyosumi retorted, tilting her head.
“Listen to this, this is what backwardness looks like.” Gao Junxiao seized on one point and complained, “You keep shouting about gender equality, and that only men should say sweet words, but you won’t even say ‘I like you.’ It makes me feel really cold inside.”
His words, instead of eliciting sympathy, made the beauty giggle: "Shouldn't you feel hot after drinking too much wine? You're still cold, are you sick?"
"You've found out! The doctor said it's lovesickness, and you are the cure for me. He Mouhua, sweet in taste and cool in nature." Gao Junxiao said sweet words without forgetting to mock Qingcheng Liangbo.
"Since it's cooling in nature, don't take it. I'm afraid you won't be able to withstand the effects of the medicine," Qingcheng retorted without getting annoyed.
"No, it's rare to find a good medicine that tastes sweet. It's perfect for cooling down in this hot weather." Gao Junxiao came up with another unreliable reason.
Seemingly about to experiment with something, Kiyosumi asked the man in an ambiguous tone, "Are you sure it's to cool down, and not to start a fire?"
"Hoo~" Qingcheng breathed a sigh of relief, and she could almost hear the strong smell of alcohol on her face, and her ears felt tingly.
"Why do I feel all hot and bothered just listening to you talk?" Gao changed the subject abruptly. "Don't get me wrong, could it be... the aftereffects of the alcohol kicking in? I feel a little dizzy."
There was no sound from the other end. Gao Junxiao was a little worried that the joke had gone too far and that Miss He might be angry.
It felt like an eternity before a comfortable sigh came through the microphone. His mind went blank, and the microphone slipped from Gao Junxiao's hand. Luckily, he quickly caught it with his other hand and managed to find his voice: "Wh...what's wrong?"
"I realize you're right, the corset was too tight. I just took it off, and it feels so good! It's a feeling of freedom. Ah—" Another sigh came.
Listening to the girl on the microphone talking about freedom, Gao Junxiao unconsciously looked down at his chest, and the image of a clear, empty space popped into his mind. He felt his throat tighten and his fingers kept tapping on the mahogany table.
"I don't know how to describe it to you. It's like a pair of birds flying in the clouds, their beaks gently gliding over the soft clouds. It's a little itchy, probably because I applied some floral water, and it's also a little cool..." Qingcheng's voice became more and more seductive.
Gao Junxiao lost his balance and fell heavily onto the table. He picked up the microphone again, touched his burning cheeks, and pleaded, "Cough cough cough, I was wrong, please stop talking, the alcohol... the alcohol is taking effect, I'm dizzy."
Three seconds later, Qingcheng's breathless laughter came through the microphone: "I was just describing how I felt like a free bird. What are you thinking? I'm wearing clothes under my bra, and I got bitten by mosquitoes. Is it a problem to put some mosquito repellent on my hands?"
"Hmph, you're happy to see me suffer, aren't you? You heartless wretch." Gao Junxiao was really angry. He never expected that a female writer like her could spout such vulgar and offensive language so easily.
"Oh dear, what's wrong with you? Is it an ant biting your heart and making it itchy?" Qingcheng didn't hold back at all and continued to provoke him.
"It's not just ants biting me, there are also the fleas you released, and you won't even scratch them for me." Gao Junxiao complained unhappily. "Fine, I'm magnanimous, just send me two bottles of floral water, the ones you've used will do."
"Just buy a brand new one from a store. Is it really necessary to be so frugal?" Kiyosumi retorted dismissively.
"Yes, we still need to buy a small villa and pay the bride price, so we have to be frugal," Gao Junxiao replied matter-of-factly.
"What's the point of playing the poor card with me?" Qingcheng was too lazy to expose him. Last time, he, Gao, even accepted twenty small yellow croakers from Mr. Du as hush money. Did he really think she was just messing around with spreading rumors?
With just a few of her usual informants, she could have easily uncovered every penny of his illicit income; she just didn't bother.
“It’s not about being poor or not. I want your usual brand of cologne. I want to spray it on the back of your photo so you can smell it and sleep with it close to you,” Gao Junxiao said with a smile.
Haha, holding a photo is like sleeping with her in your arms, right? Gao Junxiao wouldn't do anything strange while looking at his own photo, would he?
Thinking about it made Qingcheng feel disgusted and itchy all over: "Don't ruin my photos, I won't go with you to take more pictures."
"Just kidding. The one you usually use probably isn't sold here anymore. I'm going to the mountains again soon, and there are so many mosquitoes there. I'm covered in mosquitoes now, so please be kind to me." Gao Junxiao's tone softened again.
"The mosquitoes on the mountain are one thing, but even if you pour all the mosquito repellent on yourself, it won't keep you away," Kiyosumi said, seemingly expressing her feelings.
Gao Junxiao's mind skipped a beat. He asked casually, "How do you know the mosquitoes on the mountain are fierce? Have you ever been there?"
"Isn't this common sense? Do I look like someone who can't tell the difference between beans and wheat?" Kiyosumi calmly smoothed things over.
"That's true, I just found out. You know so much. I underestimated you before. I'll have to ask you for your advice when I get back." Gao Junxiao said meaningfully. She was the worst one. She clearly knew everything, but she pretended to be ignorant.
"What do I know?" Qingcheng vehemently denied it. "Our ancestors said that when people are well-fed and warm, they think of lust. You're just too full and have too much free time."
"I'm not full. I barely ate any food. People kept urging me to drink, and I'm still dizzy." Gao Junxiao started playing the victim again.
A clear and gentle voice came through the microphone: "Then you should get some rest. If I bother you again, I'll be the one being rude."
"Who gave you permission to hang up first? You hung up on me this morning. Try hanging up on me again!" Gao Junxiao threatened loudly, glaring at him.
"What do you want to do? I'm so scared." Kiyosumi said this without any fear in her tone. "It's because you said some inappropriate things in broad daylight. I can't be bothered to talk to you."
"Then you are different this morning than you are now. You sound cuter now," Gao Junxiao asked cautiously.
"Heh, you just want to hear some indecent things, what excuse do you have?" Qingcheng bluntly exposed the man's true colors.
"That hits the nail on the head. You know what I like to hear, so say more of that in the future." Gao Junxiao suddenly asked, "Now that I've taken Fengshan, guess what I'm going to do next?"
She paused for a moment, then replied weakly, "How would I know? I'm not a tapeworm in your stomach."
"That's really strange. I'm telling you, there's someone who can accurately predict my thoughts. They can guess what I'm going to do, which is really annoying!" Gao Junxiao complained directly.
"Could it be someone sent by your rivals or bandits?" Kiyosumi analyzed for him.
"No, the only thing I'm sure of is that the person wasn't a bandit, but an ally who had been helping me the whole time. I have a feeling that I'm being stalked by a pervert." Gao Junxiao gave a somewhat inappropriate example.
"Hahaha, what does she see in you? Power or looks?" Qingcheng joked in a great mood. "Ah, sorry, wrong channel, let's start again. Why would she help you? Is it to do a good deed anonymously?"
"What do you see in me? That's what others see in me. Actually, I still don't understand this. Why is that? Can you analyze it for me?" Gao Junxiao expressed his genuine doubts, even questioning the meaning of life.
"Who's analyzing this for you? You're comparing me to a pervert! I'm ignoring you!" Qingcheng said angrily.
“Hua Hua, that’s not what I meant. You’re so smart, I’d like to hear your opinion,” Gao Junxiao asked again.
"I don't know anything about fighting, but just remember to lock the doors and windows before you go to bed, so that stalkers don't have a chance. I won't be by your side, so you must protect yourself." Qingcheng stole all the cool lines her boyfriend was supposed to say.
"What you said gives me the creeps. I'm so scared." Gao Junxiao obediently picked up his girlfriend's script.
The effect was so intense that, out of Gao Junxiao's sight, Qingcheng rolled her eyes and gagged a few times, but unfortunately, he couldn't see the whites of her eyes.
Shamelessness is truly invincible. Considering that the two of them were thousands of miles apart, Qingcheng could only put on a stern face and reprimand them: "You're getting more and more outrageous. There are bandits lurking behind you. Try being afraid of one again. I'll record this right now and send a copy to Commander Du and Commander Xiong."
"Huahua, how come your thoughts are so similar to those of a spy?" Gao Junxiao asked jokingly.
"Heh, do I look like a spy?" Qingcheng laughed in exasperation. "I think you look more like a bandit. Tell me, how many officers would dare to lead their troops to storm the quartermaster and steal equipment?"
"It must have been Xiao Li who leaked the information to you. You didn't put Xiao Li by my side just to spy on me, did you?" Gao Junxiao made a reasonable analysis.
"Yeah, remember to keep your skin on your sleeve. I'll settle the score with you later." Qingcheng sneered with a hint of sarcasm. "I also know you made a fortune, all very secretive, to the point that Xiao Li is too ashamed to even write it down. You yourself are too afraid to register everyone's household registrations. Oh~ you didn't use some shady means to cheat them, did you?"
Gao Junxiao immediately hissed: "Shh, stop asking. Don't pry into things that aren't your business. I gave you the right to report, but I didn't make you my chief of staff."
"Hmph, men's words are deceitful. Just now you were praising me for being smart and wanting me to give you advice, but now you're complaining about me. I'd better learn from Inspector Gao's two-faced skills." Qingcheng had already let loose and continued to use words to stab people.
"No! There's absolutely no need for that! The moment I hear you're going to copy me, I get goosebumps all over. I beg you, please take care of yourself, okay? Really, stop binding your chest. It's bad for your internal organs. If you cough up blood, it will break my heart," Gao Junxiao earnestly advised.
"Thank you. I unbound my breasts when I was fifteen. I was worried that the people of Xuzhou were too honest and wouldn't accept me wearing Western-style prosthetics, so I temporarily bound them. Which eye of yours saw me binding my breasts in Shanghai?" Qingcheng's voice kept rising.
"Oh, you lied to me just now. You weren't binding your chest at all, you were just pretending to be real." Gao Junxiao seized on a loophole and threw it back at him.
"Why should I actually do it just to satisfy your fantasies? Can't I lie to you?" Kiyosumi asked arrogantly.
"Fine, I won't argue with you. I'll compare them carefully when we get back. The size you wore on the first day in the hospital gown should be the most accurate, right? Don't try to fool me." Gao Junxiao's words were suggestive.
"Get lost." Qingcheng glanced at her chest, suppressing her inner rage.
"I can't come back even if I want to." Gao Junxiao changed the subject at the right time: "So don't miss me too much. Be a good boy and wait for my triumphant return. Then we'll go straight to the municipal government office. Remember to bring the seal."
"Ugh, who wants to get a marriage certificate with him?" Qingcheng glanced at her watch and said disdainfully, "Go to sleep early, you can dream about anything."
“Then come to my dream. I’d like to have a soul-level conversation with you.” Gao Junxiao said with a smile.
Kiyosumi flatly refused: "I'm busy! But I still wish you sweet dreams."
"A dream with you is a good dream. Good night." Perhaps sensing Qingcheng's exhaustion, Gao Junxiao finally agreed to hang up.
"Goodnight." Qingcheng hung up the phone, collapsing onto the sofa, too exhausted to even move a finger. The lights were off, but the moonlight streaming through the window revealed scattered luggage on the floor. Long-distance travel can be summed up in one word—tiring.
As soon as she reached the door, she heard the phone ringing incessantly inside. Sure enough, it was that nagging ghost calling. Qingcheng reflected to herself: other people date to be happy, but I date to suffer? What's the point of having a boyfriend then? Before her brainstorming could finish, the phone rang again.
With her last breath, Kiyosumi reached for the phone with trembling hands.
"Your phone is really hard to get through to, it's been busy for so long and you didn't even let us know you're safe." Wang Renyong's loud voice from the receiver made Qingcheng's head buzz.
"I'm fine. If you have something to say, please do so. If not, the court is adjourned." Qingcheng blurted out the second half of the sentence in a moment of madness. As soon as she finished speaking, she regretted it so much that she wanted to bite her tongue off. She silently chanted "anti-imperialism, anti-feudalism" in her heart.
To everyone's surprise, Wang Renyong played along, saying in a high-pitched voice, "Yes, Your Highness, our Lady Rui said, 'From now on, avoid associating with people who haven't transcended vulgar tastes; it's not good for your progress.'"
"Steward Wang, I understand Her Majesty's intentions. I am too tired to choose a consort tonight, I will come to see you again tomorrow. Good night." After saying her last words, Qingcheng didn't even have the strength to hang up the receiver.
"Okay, good night." Wang Renyong finally hung up the phone.
The sky was filled with stars shining above the treetops, and the city gradually fell into tranquility.
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