Qiao Lanshu was almost scared to death just now.
She was trembling all over with fear, thinking that this was her fate. Even with a second chance at life, she thought she couldn't escape the destiny of being locked in a cave dwelling by a hooligan.
But Qin Yuanzheng came.
Qin Yuanzheng saved her once again.
Qiao Lanshu's clothes were covered in dirt. Her hair was disheveled, and she was shaking all over.
Qin Yuanzheng felt terrible. He really hadn't expected that in Longcheng City, where troops were stationed, there would still be such hooligans.
He was absolutely furious.
Qiao Lanshu's nose tingled, and she suddenly threw her arms around Qin Yuanzheng and burst into tears.
Qin Yuanzheng felt a bit awkward. He had always been single, had never been in a relationship, and hadn't even held a girl's hand.
Being in such close contact with a young woman all of a sudden, and being hugged by her to boot, his whole body instantly tensed up, and he became somewhat at a loss for what to do.
Oddly enough, he hadn't felt this way the first time he took the young woman to the hospital.
Qiao Lanshu didn't cry loudly. She just leaned against his chest, sobbing softly, her tears flowing endlessly, which made Qin Yuanzheng's heart ache for her.
He patted Qiao Lanshu's back soothingly and said in a low voice, "It's okay, everything is fine now. Don't cry."
As he spoke, he picked Qiao Lanshu up in his arms and strode towards the guest house.
The young company commander following behind him tied up the unconscious Niu Li with a rope and hauled him straight to the nearby police station.
Qin Yuanzheng brought Qiao Lanshu back to the guest house. Then, he prepared to get up, intending to fetch some hot water so she could wash her face and hands.
However, Qiao Lanshu sat on the bed, reached out, and tightly gripped his sleeve, looking at him with tearful eyes.
Qin Yuanzheng: "..."
Qin Yuanzheng's heart softened at the sight. It seemed the young woman was truly terrified this time, so he naturally sat down on the chair next to her.
He let Qiao Lanshu hold onto his sleeve.
Qiao Lanshu continued to shed silent tears. She didn't speak, just stared at him.
Qin Yuanzheng felt both heartache and a bit of embarrassment.
He despised himself inwardly. The young woman in front of him was about ten years younger than him. She was just an innocent girl, and her reliance on him was simply because he had been taking care of her recently.
For him to actually feel uncomfortable about this meant there was definitely something wrong with his mind.
Sitting there, he asked Qiao Lanshu, "Were you frightened just now?"
Qiao Lanshu nodded silently.
It was more than just being frightened. For a split second, she thought she had returned to her previous life.
She looked at her hand and quietly pulled it back, too embarrassed to keep clutching Qin Yuanzheng's sleeve.
Qin Yuanzheng actually felt a bit disappointed by this.
He asked in a low voice, "Do you know what's going on with that man?"
Qiao Lanshu shook her head silently. "I don't know. I don't know him."
Moreover, this hooligan who tailed her was not the same person as the one who locked her in the cave dwelling in her previous life.
Qin Yuanzheng comforted her gently, "It's alright, don't be afraid. Today, I'll arrange for people to take turns keeping you company at the guest house. If you need to go out for errands, I'll have someone accompany you."
Qiao Lanshu thought about how such a good man like Qin Yuanzheng was already married, which meant there was no point in her staying here.
After all, she had already reported Sun Mingyong. Even if the report was unsuccessful, she could just go back and tell her father, letting him deal with Sun Mingyong.
She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, what if she got kidnapped again?
Qiao Lanshu shook her head and said, "No need. I want to go home."
Qin Yuanzheng: "..."
This time, Qin Yuanzheng didn't dare to suggest she stay and find a military officer to marry or anything like that.
He remained silent for a long while before saying to her, "Alright, I'll have someone accompany you to buy a ticket tomorrow."
In his mind, he pondered over which company commander or battalion commander he should arrange to accompany the young woman to buy the ticket.
Who knows, maybe they would hit it off on the way?
This time, Qin Yuanzheng stayed in the room with Qiao Lanshu for quite a while. When the young company commander returned from the police station, he stood up and said to Qiao Lanshu, "I'll have Xiao Yang stay with you. I'm going to the police station to interrogate that bastard."
Qiao Lanshu nodded and watched Qin Yuanzheng walk out the door.
Outside the door, the young company commander instinctively tried to follow Qin Yuanzheng.
Qin Yuanzheng looked back at him and said, "You stay."
The company commander: "..."
The company commander asked in bewilderment, "Commander, didn't you say you wanted me to come on a blind date with a girl? If I stay here to guard sister-in-law, what about the girl over there?"
Qin Yuanzheng: "..."
Qin Yuanzheng was left speechless. He looked at the company commander and said, "What sister-in-law? What girl?"
He pointed to the closed door of room 203 and said, "This is the girl you're supposed to have a blind date with. You better guard her well."
With that, Qin Yuanzheng strode away.
He was still mulling over the term "sister-in-law," thinking that these subordinates of his really had no tact. Not to mention the fact that he wasn't planning on getting married, even if he were to marry, he wouldn't find a girl this young. She was over ten years younger than him; how could he possibly bring himself to do that?
The young company commander: "..."
He stood there bewildered for a long time, scratching his head and thinking: just now, he saw Commander Qin almost lose control and kick the man to death. The young woman had been trying hard to hold back her tears, but as soon as she saw Commander Qin, she hugged him and started crying.
How could they not be a couple?
Why did he find that so hard to believe?
...
Qin Yuanzheng arrived at the police station. There were only three police officers in total at the station. The deputy chief of the police station, Li Jianlin, had been idly warming himself by the fire and drinking tea.
But suddenly, there was work to do.
And the suspect was dragged in and delivered by military officers.
He stood at the door of the interrogation room, looking at the unconscious Niu Li, and frowned. "Why does this kid look a bit familiar?"
Longcheng City wasn't big, with only a few factories, so many people knew each other.
Before Li Jianlin could recognize the man, Qin Yuanzheng walked in.
As soon as Li Jianlin saw him, he was startled. He quickly went to greet him and asked, "Isn't this Chief Qin? How do you have the time to come here today?"
Could it be that the person in the interrogation room had committed some major crime?
The people in the police station were basically all transferred from the military.
Li Jianlin himself had transferred from a battalion-level position in the army. He knew Qin Yuanzheng, but the two were not very close.
As soon as Qin Yuanzheng entered, he took off his military overcoat, and then he also took off the military uniform underneath.
He might have to beat someone up later, and wearing a military uniform would make it inconvenient. After all, he had to maintain the image of a soldier.
Li Jianlin watched with trepidation and asked, "Chief, what exactly is going on?"
Qin Yuanzheng glanced at him and said, "Don't get involved in this. I will interrogate him personally. Is that bastard awake yet?"
Li Jianlin shook his head. "No, he's passed out cold."
He had just been wondering whether to send the man to the hospital for a check-up, because following the footprints on his clothes and pulling them open, he saw that the injuries underneath were not light. There was a large dark bruise on his chest.
Qin Yuanzheng sneered coldly, his voice dark and chilling, "Use cold water to splash him awake. I have questions to ask him."
Li Jianlin assumed this involved military secrets, wondering to himself: could that unconscious pockmarked guy be a spy?
That damned spy! Just what kind of heinous acts had he committed to actually warrant a personal interrogation by a full regimental commander from the military district?
