Chapter 108 First, I'll crush all those bastards who caused trouble today.
Gu Dongguo stood to the side, watching Lu Zhanming's absent-minded, drooling behavior as he stared at his sister's bedroom door, combined with the two inexplicable "brother" calls he'd just heard, and his sister's unusually shy closure of the door...
A bolt of lightning shattered his chaotic mind!
"Lu Zhanming!"
Gu Dongguo spat out those three words through gritted teeth, each one seemingly sparking with rage. He whirled around, grabbed Lu Zhanming by the collar, his eyes wide with fury.
"You tell me straight! What did you just do to my sister?! Huh?! While I was away, did you steal my cabbage?!"
The alarm bells in his head had gone off to the level of an air raid!
Milk!
Father!
Fifth Uncle and Fifth Aunt!
The little cabbage he's protected for so many years seems, might, probably... really going to be eaten by a pig!
It's still that fiercest and wildest pig next door!
Lu Zhanming wasn't annoyed that Gu Dongguo was grabbing his collar; instead, he calmly patted Gu Dongguo's hand, signaling him to let go.
Then he straightened his wrinkled collar, his face regaining some seriousness, but the smile in his eyes was undeniable:
"Brother, don't get agitated. Watch your language, the baby doesn't like hearing this."
He paused, his tone carrying a frankness that implied "I'm very reasonable."
“I didn’t steal it. I pursued her openly and honestly. Baby has already agreed to give me a chance to pursue her. So, I’m just getting used to it in advance, calling you ‘brother’ like Baby does, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
He spoke with such confidence and self-righteousness.
Upon hearing this, Gu Dongguo felt a wave of dizziness and almost choked.
You agree?
Pursue?
And you're even calling me "brother" because it's local customary?!
Holy shit!
Gu Dongguo internally cursed wildly, imagining a stampede of ten thousand alpacas. He released Lu Zhanming, clutched his head, paced anxiously around the main room twice, then pointed at Lu Zhanming, his finger trembling.
"Lu Zhanming, you bastard! Get lost! You took advantage of my sister! You...you must have used sweet talk to bewitch her! My sister is still young! What does she know?! You old cow eating young grass! You're shameless!"
He was absolutely furious!
My own tender little cabbage hadn't even had a chance to warm up before the hungry wolf next door set its sights on it and had already snatched it up to its mouth!
This feeling is worse than being shot himself!
Lu Zhanming remained unfazed by Gu Dongguo's accusations.
"I'm 27, and she's 19—the age difference is just right. I'm serious; I'm pursuing her with marriage in mind. My relationship has been approved. I will treat her well for the rest of my life."
Gu Dongguo: "..."
He even submitted a dating report?!
Is that speed like riding a rocket?!
Why doesn't he just fly to the moon?!
Looking at Lu Zhanming's serious expression, as if he were a respectable person doing serious business, and considering his usual character, apart from his ulterior motives towards his sister, it seems... there really isn't anything else to criticize.
He holds a high position, is highly capable, and is also quite handsome. He is incredibly devoted to his younger sister, protecting her like the apple of his eye...
But!
That won't do!
That's his sister!
Gu Dong was torn between his inner turmoil, feeling both angry and frustrated, utterly powerless. In the end, he could only let out a wail, slump into a chair, cover his face with his hands, and the inner voice of his mind was already kneeling and weeping:
Grandma! Fifth Uncle! Dad! Mom! I'm so sorry! I didn't watch the house properly! Little Cabbage... Little Cabbage seems to be running into the pigsty!
I can't stop him! Waaaaah... This pig is quite the actor! He even knows how to file a report! What am I going to do?!
Looking at Gu Dongguo's devastated and lifeless state, Lu Zhanming felt a pang of sympathy, but more than that, he felt a firm resolve.
He walked over to Gu Dongguo, patted him on the shoulder, and his tone was unusually sincere:
"Brother, don't worry. I'll protect Bao Bao with my life. From now on, I'll protect her with you. If anyone dares to bully her again, you won't even need to lift a finger; I'll be the first to crush them."
Gu Dongguo raised his head, his eyes red as he glared at him:
"Then you should crush all those bastards who caused trouble today!"
"It's already being crushed."
Lu Zhanming's eyes turned cold.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the solitary confinement room and interrogation office on the other side of the island military region was not as lively as in the courtyard.
Sitting in the cramped solitary confinement cell, facing the cold walls, Liu Jianguo had long lost the eloquent and confident academic demeanor he displayed at the dinner table in the provincial capital.
His face was ashen, his glasses were askew, and his hair was disheveled.
The faint sounds of noise and crying from other detainees outside only added to his unease.
How could he be so bewitched as to believe Chen Yongkang's nonsense and think that exposing Gu Baobao, this fraudster, would be a great achievement?
How could he not have thought that someone like Mr. Qian would not easily endorse a fraudster?
Today in the auditorium, Gu Baobao's display of depth and breadth of knowledge was like a resounding slap in the face, shattering his pitiful sense of superiority and jealousy.
Now look what's happened! Instead of getting credit, he's become a prime example of false accusations, sabotage, and jealousy of talent!
His future and his reputation are completely ruined!
He's definitely out of a job as deputy director of the research lab, and it's hard to say whether he'll even be able to stay in the system.
What will happen to my wife and kids? If only I had known…
It's too late to regret it now.
The investigation team has already spoken with him, and the questions they asked were increasingly pointed, directly addressing his motives for the whistleblower letter, the source of his information, and his dealings with Chen Yongkang and others.
He stammered, trying to shift the blame to public feedback and academic discussions, but the other party clearly had more information.
In the next room, Zhao Dezhu's condition was even worse.
He was an impulsive and easily angered person. After being locked up, he first roared and shouted, claiming that he was a revolutionary with high vigilance, but was severely warned by the guards.
Later, I learned of the possible disciplinary action I might face:
Being discharged from the military would be the least of his worries; he and his cousin Zhao Jinfeng might even be held accountable for making false accusations.
Terrified, they began to cry and scream, recounting in detail how Chen Yongkang had hinted at and instigated them.
However, the key details were unclear, and it was just a repetition of Section Chief Chen saying there was a problem and that Section Chief Chen asked us to report it.
His confession, along with the clues unearthed from Liu Jianguo and the details of the dinner party in the provincial capital that Zhang Yunxiang quickly investigated, gradually pointed a clear line towards Chen Yongkang.
In the family compound, cries of grief were everywhere.
Those military dependents who had signed the joint letter with Zhao Jinfeng or spread rumors in private were now in a panic.
Most of them are not well-educated and are easily swayed. At first, they may have just been driven by jealousy, curiosity, or simply by the fact that everyone is saying the same thing, but now they have to bear the consequences.
When the men in the family are called in for a talk with their bosses, they come back looking increasingly grim. At best, they receive a warning or criticism, which can negatively impact their performance evaluations and promotions!
In severe cases, they may be disciplined or even transferred from key positions.
For a time, every household was in chaos.
Complaints, tears, accusations, physical fights... it was a complete mess.
"I told you not to join in the chorus! Now look what happened! If your work is affected, our family will starve!"
"It's all your fault! You believe everything you hear! What did that expert, Gu, do to you?"
"What's the use of saying all this now? Let's think of a way to fix this!"
"Make amends? How? Go and kowtow to Expert Gu to admit your mistake?"
But no one dared to actually go to Gu Baobao's little courtyard.
Commander Feng has already given the order that during this serious handling of the matter, no one is allowed to disturb Comrade Gu Baobao's rest.
Besides, they don't have the nerve to do that.
Some are happy, some are sad.
Those family members who originally admired Gu Baobao or held a neutral stance were now filled with sighs and also secretly warned:
People shouldn't be envious, nor should they believe everything they hear.
Look at that expert, Gu. He has real skills and a righteous heart. He suffered such a great injustice, yet he was still able to stay and continue working. That's a true character!
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