Selling cousin
Even though the strip of cloth had been burned to ashes, those with security backgrounds in the base still noticed something amiss and deduced that it was an act of arson. But what the motive was, they seemed to have no clue yet.
The base was busy dealing with the aftermath of the fire this morning, and no one noticed Lieutenant Colonel Wu's mysterious disappearance. He still has missions to complete, and his prolonged absence will definitely attract attention. As long as someone is determined to investigate thoroughly, it's only a matter of time before they trace it back to us.
Sitting in Xiao Qing's so-called propaganda office at the base, I listened with a look of astonishment as she recounted the fire incident from the previous night. "I was so drunk that I was fast asleep and had no idea what was going on. How could someone dare to set fire to the base? They're incredibly audacious!"
“That’s right,” Xiao Qing said with a worried look. “The free market has been burned down, and the people in the two northwestern districts are having trouble trading goods. If it goes back to the chaotic situation when the base was first built, with forced buying and selling, robbery and the like, the leaders will have a headache again.”
I clicked my tongue in agreement: "That's right, our base is well-organized and thriving. The leaders have put in so much effort, and they absolutely will not allow anyone to sabotage it."
Xiao Qing said proudly, "The base mode is the most suitable mode for survival in the apocalypse, and it can maximize the protection of survivors. You've only been here a few days and you've already noticed the benefits, haven't you? It's safe and stable, especially for us women. Isn't it much better than living in fear and having no one to care for us in the provinces and cities below?"
My smile was a little stiff: "Yeah, it's really scary when nobody cares. If my cousin hadn't brought me to the capital, I probably would have died back home."
Xiao Qing paused for a moment, then quickly came over and put her arm around my shoulder: "Don't think about unhappy things. You can live here in peace. Your cousin and I will take care of you."
I was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Okay, thank you, cousin-in-law. Can we visit the deputy base commander's office today?"
Xiao Qing apologized: "The base is on fire, and the liaison meetings are going on and on. I'm afraid I won't be able to go up for the next couple of days. Let's wait a little longer."
It's still not working. I'm a little disappointed and anxious. If I hadn't kidnapped Lieutenant Colonel Wu, I could have stayed in Red Star and wreaked havoc on their supplies for a few more days. But right now, the longer things drag on, the worse it is for us. A direct assault is no match, and we don't have enough time to maneuver. I haven't even seen Shan Keren yet, how can I make a move?
The base commander and deputy base commander's offices are both on the tenth floor. After the power is cut off at 10 PM, the elevators stop working, and the leaders won't come downstairs anymore. Gao Chen has been on daytime duty all week, working in groups of ten. Their main job is to protect the security of the tenth floor. The base commander occasionally goes out, either to inspect the situation in the west and north districts or to exchange work with other bases. He usually takes six guards with him, several of whom are said to be from the Central Security Bureau and are no less capable than Gao Chen.
No matter how skilled he is, he can't take on six people by himself. Even if all four of us went together, we probably wouldn't be enough. So, the plan to intercept and kidnap him while the base chief is out won't work. The only chance to make a move is inside the building. He's usually alone in his office, and the guards won't enter without a summons. So, the most crucial step in the whole operation is the first step—seeing him first.
I recalled what Gao Chen had said this morning and felt a surge of admiration. He had long anticipated that his role would be more than just hooking up with a guy who could use his looks to get around.
In an instant, I made up my mind and said, "By the way, sister-in-law, I also want to ask you for a favor. You know that my cousin was injured on the road and lost his memory. If it weren't for my older cousin and me taking care of him, he wouldn't even recognize us. But after he came here and saw you, he's been getting better and better. Yesterday he even said he remembered my aunt. I think if you spend more time with him and talk about your past relationship, and try to recapture that sweet feeling, it should be very helpful in helping him recover his memory."
God knows how turbulent my heart was when I said those words. It was as if a little soul in my mind was holding a big bone knife and roaring: "You can even say such things against your conscience for the sake of the mission, Qi Aifeng, you have defiled your pure feelings!"
To my surprise, Xiao Qing's reaction wasn't the happiness or shyness I expected. After hearing this, a troubled look appeared on her face, and she stammered, "Cousin, please don't be angry when I tell you this, don't you think Gao Chen... is doing quite well right now?"
"ah?"
Xiao Qing's expression darkened: "If he recovers and remembers everything from the past, then it will be impossible for us to be together."
"Why?"
Xiao Qing pursed her lips, seemingly hesitating whether she should be honest with her ex-boyfriend's cousin. After a long while, she said, "The breakup message I sent him was a bit harsh, and I also told him that I have a new boyfriend. Knowing him as I do, if he doesn't reply, it means he has already seen it and accepted it."
"...So, do you have a new boyfriend or not?"
"Yes, but we broke up later."
"......"
So Gao Chen is already your ex-ex-girlfriend, and now that she's lost her memory and become gentle and cute, you want to go back to her? This kind of scumbag behavior is the worst!
Noticing the slight twitch at the corner of my mouth, Xiao Qing sighed in annoyance. "Actually, I fell in love with your cousin at first sight. The first time I saw him during military training, I liked him immediately. I pursued him for half a year before he finally agreed to give us a try, but then he was transferred to a grassroots unit. He's so busy all the time that he doesn't even have time to make a phone call during the day. I'm lucky if he replies to one out of five letters I write to him. He only sends two words in a text message and takes a minute to video chat! We've been dating for two years, and I'm the one who goes to Tongcheng to see him. How does he treat me? He leaves me in a guesthouse and goes off to do exercises with his troops. What's the point of this relationship? Later, I mentioned marriage, and he agreed. But you have to meet the parents before you can get married, right? He said his parents are in Yucheng and I can just go and meet them myself."
Xiao Qing was still full of grievances when she recalled the past, and she became angrier as she spoke: "Tell me, you be the judge, was it reasonable for me to break up with him?"
My lips were still twitching: "Sister-in-law, you already told this story a couple of days ago."
Xiao Qing slapped her forehead: "I feel so indignant whenever I think about it, and I can't help but say that men like Gao Chen have the ability to turn women into Xianglin's wives!"
"So you still want to be with him now?"
"Then he has amnesia!"
I looked at her helplessly: "You still like him."
Xiao Qing pouted and huffed, "Mmm."
I slammed my hand on the sofa and stood up: "Then what are we waiting for? Let's strike while the iron is hot... no, let's take him down!"
Xiao Qing blinked her big eyes and looked at me: "What do you mean?"
"Marry him!" I successfully startled Xiao Qing, and before she could object, I continued, "It's the apocalypse now. He has no army and no soldiers to lead. While he's obedient and obedient due to his amnesia, you can keep him by your side. Relationships develop over time. Even if he recovers and remembers everything later, the die is cast. What trouble can he cause? At most, he'll be angry for a couple of days. He won't divorce you, will he? My cousin isn't that kind of person!"
Xiao Qing went from wanting to refute to being thoughtful, opening her mouth but then closing it again, staring at the ceiling and pondering.
"Is it appropriate for you... to make decisions for your cousin like this?"
"Suitable? Why not?" I sat down again and put my arm around her shoulder, feigning sincerity: "Sister-in-law, our family is all gone. The three of us cousins depend on each other for survival, and we don't have any connections or anything. My cousins are men, and there are some things they can't even think of, so as their sister, I have to think things through and consider their needs. I heard that the capital is going to fight zombies in the west, and they're conscripting soldiers from the whole city. I really don't want my two cousins to go into danger, but if the order comes down, it's not like we can just refuse. Do you understand what I mean? You and my cousins have a bond, and I'm not afraid you'll think I'm selfish or mercenary. I'll just tell you the truth... Your sister has a high position and influence; she can protect her relatives to some extent, right?"
Xiao Qing was stunned: "Is this why you want me to be with your cousin?"
I laughed frankly: "Otherwise what? We've only known each other for a few days. Do you believe me if I said I liked you so much that I'd sell my cousin to become your family? Relationships are between the two of you. My only motivation for helping you two get back together is for the safety of my family."
There is a difference between shamelessness and being shameless. Selfishness at the expense of others is truly shameless, but shamelessness in pursuing one's own interests in the name of love, without harming others, is generally less offensive.
Xiao Qing was clearly taken aback by my shamelessness: "You're too blunt."
I shrugged: "Forced by life."
She shook her head with a smile: "What's the point of us having such a lively chat here? Your cousin isn't really willing to accept me yet."
“He just doesn’t know how to face you. Sometimes you have to push people a little,” I naturally steered the conversation back on track: “Have you met his parents? Has he met your family?”
"I've never met him formally, but my sister knows him and has asked me about him a few times. I didn't dare tell her that Gao Chen has amnesia and doesn't remember me."
"Then let's not talk about it. How about this, as your cousin's relative, I'll invite your sister to dinner and we'll settle things between the two families."
Xiao Qing stammered, "What do you mean 'definitely'? Don't do anything reckless, okay? Your cousin will scold you if he finds out."
“He won’t scold me, and he likes you too.” I said frankly and shamelessly again, “Okay, I won’t use my cousin as an excuse anymore. Actually, I just want to meet Deputy Base Chief Xiao, flatter him first, and then talk about the marriage between the Gao family and the Xiao family.”
Xiao Qing forced a smile to stay on her lips. "You're younger than me, why are you pretending to be an elder!"
“These kinds of things require the help of female relatives in the family.” I held her hand affectionately and said, “Speaking of elders, I really think of a suitable candidate. The base commander is my cousin’s direct superior. If we could invite him to be a witness, my cousin would be so proud. He might even get so excited that he proposes to you.”
She gave me a reproachful look: "You're really going to talk nonsense. Meeting my sister is fine, but please don't say anything about marriage."
Women love to say the opposite of what they mean. When she says "no," she actually means "yes." Just now, she was saying she couldn't go upstairs because of a meeting. I had just said goodbye and reached the stairwell when I heard her at the elevator saying to someone, "Open the door, I need to go upstairs to see my sister."
Deputy Base Commander Xiao was extremely busy, and with the sudden fire, he was running around like a headless chicken, having no time to have a meal with his prospective in-laws. When I heard Xiao Qing deliver this news in the staff dormitory, my smile faltered, and I felt a fleeting impulse to pull out a small melon and throw it out the window, causing an earthquake, and then use a knife to kidnap Xiao Qing and force her sister to come out and discuss the marriage with me!
My hand was already inside my pocket, touching that round little thing, when I heard Xiao Qing say again, "So she wants you and Gao Chen to come to her office for a meeting at eight o'clock tonight."
I quickly took out my hand, overjoyed: "Great! What does your sister like? As the groom's family member, I can't meet her empty-handed for the first time. I'll go to the North District to find some gifts."
Xiao Qing rolled her eyes at me: "I don't want anything. Don't make things so strange. It's just a normal meeting."
Despite saying that, I still went to the North District with Zhang Yanhuang that afternoon. On the way down the mountain, I brought two hundred kilograms of pre-packaged rice. Just carrying a few dozen kilograms at the survivor settlement allowed me to exchange it for quite a few things. For example, two kilograms of tea, a set of unopened skincare products, and a large, old 30-inch suitcase. The people who traded with us all had a "we've got an idiot" look on their faces.
They think I'm an idiot, and I think they are too.
After Gao Chen got off work, Da Gan and I had dinner together, and at 8:50, we leisurely walked to the headquarters building. Xiao Qing was already waiting for us downstairs.
I said to Da Gan, "You wait here. After my cousin and I meet with the base commander, we'll take you to the North District to exchange some things."
Seeing Xiao Qing, the sentry paid little attention to us and ignored Da Gan as he wandered around in a corner of the steps.
In the elevator, Xiao Qing looked at Gao Chen cautiously, repeatedly emphasizing that this was just an ordinary meeting, a friendly exchange between a leader and a survivor, and that he should not feel guilty.
Gao Chen glanced at her: "I see Deputy Base Chief Xiao every day, why would I feel burdened?"
Xiao Qing looked at me with a slightly embarrassed expression. I patted her hand reassuringly and said, "Don't mind him, he's just nervous."
The tenth floor was indeed heavily guarded, with guards every three steps and sentries every five steps from the stairwell to the corridor, making the area as secure as an iron barrel. Fortunately, when they saw someone they knew, they didn't exude an overly aggressive aura. One of the guards even greeted Gao Chen: "Just got off work, why are you back already?"
Gao Chen said, "The deputy base commander wanted to talk to me."
The guards all heard it, but most remained expressionless, rooted to their posts like pillars, unmoving. A few glanced at us a few more times, especially at Gao Chen, their gazes carrying an indescribable complexity.
I thought to myself, this circle of guards seems pretty chaotic, huh? Just standing guard here every day can lead to love, hate, and grudges?
Xiao Lu is more than ten years older than Xiao Qing. In her forties, she still retains her charm. Her hair is neatly trimmed, and she is dressed in a decent and elegant casual outfit. When she smiles, she has the air of an official spokesperson on television.
Despite having had a busy day, she still warmly welcomed us. After we introduced ourselves, she personally offered us seats and poured us water, and kindly inquired about my hometown and how life was at the base. She assured us that we could report any difficulties to her, making it seem like a meeting between a base leader and a survivor.
After exchanging pleasantries, I took out a cosmetic box from the transparent plastic bag I was carrying: "Thank you, Deputy Base Commander Xiao, for taking care of my cousin. This is just a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."
Xiao Lu glanced at her sister, her smile becoming more sincere, and accepted the medal without hesitation: "Come to think of it, I met your cousin even earlier than Qingqing did. Five years ago, he returned from the International Hunter School with honors for the country, and I was the one who pinned the medal on him at the commendation ceremony. Later, Qingqing told me that she had a boyfriend named Gao Chen, and I was wondering if it was that special forces soldier Gao Chen? I didn't expect it to be true."
"Oh my, what a coincidence, it's truly amazing." I sighed. They were all high and mighty people. How could we ordinary folks have ever been worthy of sitting and drinking tea with her before? "Uh, Deputy Base Commander Xiao, the reason I'm here today is because my cousin asked me to. He's not good with words." I looked at Gao Chen, and he immediately lowered his eyes to cooperate, putting on a taciturn and wooden appearance.
"As his only remaining relative, I have a few words I'd like to say to you privately, is that alright?"
“Sure.” Knowing Gao Chen’s character, she readily agreed and turned to the much more shy Xiao Qing with a smile, “Go for a walk with Gao Chen, and I’ll chat with Miss Qi.”
Gao Chen let Xiao Qing leave first, then naturally closed the door behind him. Ten minutes later, I opened the door a crack, backed out, and said as I did so, "Okay, okay, don't worry, Deputy Base Commander, I'll be right back."
I closed the door again, turned around, and holding two cans of tea, I pretended to be weak and nervous, and moved slowly toward the office diagonally opposite: "Big brother, the deputy base commander asked me to deliver something to the base commander."
The two guards at the door glanced at my clothes out of the corner of their eyes, and I quickly showed them the tea canister: "It's just a little bit of tea."
One of them shook his head slightly, so I went up and knocked on the door.
A cough came from inside, and Guard A shouted, "Report, Deputy Base Commander Xiao has sent someone to deliver something."
"Come in."
The door wasn't locked; I just turned the handle and opened it. I wasn't afraid of being surrounded by wolves; I was only afraid that there might be a vicious tiger lurking in his room.
"Good morning, Base Commander." He peeked in and looked around. The huge office was lit by only one desk lamp. The middle-aged man was wearing glasses and a hand-knitted cable sweater. He was sitting behind the large desk, writing. He could hear the noise, but he didn't look up. He was the only one in the room.
I hesitated for a second between closing the door and not closing it, but decided to risk closing it anyway. I opened it just wide enough for one person, squeezed in sideways, and said, "Base Commander, this is from a relative of Deputy Base Commander Xiao. She asked me to bring it to you..." while quietly rubbing the door shut with my heel.
"Put it on the table." He still didn't look up, concentrating on writing something.
He didn't look at me, so I didn't need to try to hide anything. I walked straight to the side of his desk, where I could even see his legs, which were covered by plaid pajama bottoms. I placed the tea canister on the table and said, "I'll put it here for you."
"oh."
Don't you instinctively observe a strange woman's voice?
I was dissatisfied with his carelessness. All the thorough preparations he made before coming seemed to have been useless. Was he a little too confident in those guys at the door? They didn't even stop me from closing the door!
"Base commander, base commander."
He finally raised his head, pushed up his glasses, and a slight look of confusion appeared on his otherwise scholarly face: "Is there anything else?"
Do you recognize me?
"I don't know him."
"It's right that you don't know them."
I darted forward, my left hand flashing to grab his head and clamp it tightly over his mouth, while my right hand swiftly plunged the small dagger into his carotid artery. I whispered quickly in his ear, "I don't want to use those cheesy lines. You know what I mean. If you listen to me, you won't die. If you don't, this is what will happen."
As he spoke, he flicked the small dagger upwards, making a cut from his chin to his cheek, then continued down the cut, pressing it against his carotid artery. Blood gushed out in large spurts, and he shuddered, the veins on his hand gripping the pen bulging.
"Will you listen to me?"
He nodded slowly and with difficulty.
"Okay, I'll take my hand away. You say, 'Baby, don't leave tonight!' The voice should be neither too loud nor too soft, and the tone should be full of emotion. If it doesn't meet the requirements, then we'll keep each other company on the road to the underworld."
He nodded again, and I removed my hand. He whispered, "Miss, if I do as you say, the guards will rush in immediately."
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