Chapter 10: Who Is Being Slapped in the Face?

Hearing this, Zhang Xiao hurriedly pulled Gu Chonglin back. "Chonglin, maybe we should just forget it. Let's return the things to Xia Zhi and wait until Battalion Commander Lu leaves before we say anything."

Zhang Xiao felt a bit worried. This matter was originally the Hao family's greatest responsibility from the start; she didn't want things to escalate until it somehow became their fault.

Gu Chonglin's frown deepened. If this money and these items were given out, where would he hide his old face after all these years?

Liu Yanfang gave a cold snort. "Battalion Commander Lu, you're taking this too seriously. So what if the Chief comes? Even a Chief isn't someone who can't distinguish right from wrong."

She acted as if they were the ones in the right, but even with her arrogant attitude, the people around her had already cowed and didn't dare to make another sound.

"Right, so you knew all along? Then just wait and see!" Xia Zhi snorted coldly, standing to the side with her arms crossed.

The Yunfang troops were stationed at the border year-round, and their main daily work was patrolling to prevent enemy camouflage and sneak attacks.

Chief Li Jianguo originally had a better future ahead of him, but he had resolutely chosen to stay in Yunfang. Based on this alone, Xia Zhi could judge that this Chief was a good man.

If he really did come, she wasn't afraid; besides, she still had Lu Beiting as a bargaining chip!

Seeing her confident manner, Hao Liping's heart grew increasingly uneasy. Logically speaking, Xia Zhi should have been worried and afraid like everyone else, but she wasn't.

"Xia Zhi, come with me!"

Hao Liping stepped forward, grabbed her, and walked toward the trees in the distance.

Xia Zhi knew what she wanted to say; after all, her intentions were written all over her face.

As soon as they reached the spot, Hao Liping let go of her hand. "Xia Zhi, you keep telling me, are you also..."

She winked and nudged Xia Zhi.

Xia Zhi pretended not to understand, looking at her with a puzzled frown. "Hao Liping, are you sick? What are you even saying? I can't understand a word."

"How... how is that possible? Are you intentionally not telling me?" Hao Liping crossed her arms and looked down at her condescendingly. "Even if you are like me, so what? Gu Yunshen is mine now!"

"Right, right, right, he's yours. You two stay together happily." After Xia Zhi finished speaking, she glanced to the side and saw Zhang Yi leading Li Jianguo toward them.

Li Jianguo was dressed in military green, his stride steady. His face was serious yet kind, a square face that looked like the embodiment of national prosperity and peace.

Hao Liping was delighted to see Li Jianguo, then turned to Xia Zhi with a provocative cold snort. "Xia Zhi, you didn't know, did you? Uncle Chief dotes on me the most. Just wait until your face is bruised with shame."

Xia Zhi nodded noncommittally. "Right, right, right, you're right!"

Hao Liping instantly felt as if she had punched a ball of cotton. Fuming, she stomped her feet and walked back.

Xia Zhi looked at the man behind Li Jianguo. He was serious and unsmiling, bearing a resemblance to Lu Beiting. This man must be his father.

When Xia Zhi walked up to Lu Beiting's side, she saw his expression was tense, which made her suspicious.

The group hadn't expected the Chief to actually be invited. Their expressions changed instantly as they greeted him with utmost respect.

Li Jianguo nodded with a smile, then walked to Lu Beiting's side. "Beiting, are you alright?"

Lu Beiting shook his head. "I'm fine. Sorry to trouble you, Chief."

After saying that, Lu Beiting fell silent, which caused Lu Weifeng, standing beside Li Jianguo, to immediately change his expression.

Xia Zhi sensed something was wrong and quietly observed. It seemed Lu Beiting's relationship with his father was not good.

Li Jianguo looked at Hao Da Zhuang's family, his expression instantly turning stern. "Hao Da Zhuang! Are you not going to give me an explanation for this? What are you doing? When I brought Beiting to your house to discuss the marriage proposal, if you were dissatisfied, why didn't you refuse back then!

With the way your family is acting, how am I supposed to face people?

Should I suspect that you are dissatisfied with Lu Beiting, or are you dissatisfied with me!"

Anger surged in Li Jianguo's heart. This matter had been entrusted to him by Old Man Lu before his passing—to find a good wife for Lu Beiting. Now, look at this! The scheduled date was almost here, and it was falling through!

How was he supposed to face Old Man Lu in the future?

Hearing this, Hao Da Zhuang shuddered in fear. "Chief, you've misunderstood. We really didn't mean it that way. Liping is still young and doesn't understand. By the time we realized, it was already too late."

Chen Xiuping also chimed in, "Chief, this was our fault. The child is young and doesn't know better, she's just headstrong. Please calm your anger.

But we won't let Battalion Commander Lu go without a wife. In fact, Xia Zhi and Battalion Commander Lu have already discussed it."

Li Jianguo let out a cold laugh. "Truly shameless. A wife like that isn't worth having!"

The Hao family's faces instantly turned extremely unsightly. To be scolded as "shameless" by the Chief in front of so many people—how would the neighbors look at them in the future?

"Uncle Li, this was my mistake, but... but I did it for Battalion Commander Lu's own good." Hao Liping's eyes reddened as she stepped forward pitifully.

"For his own good? His parents aren't dead yet, and I am still here! Do you really need to do it for his own good? Pure nonsense!" Li Jianguo retorted without hesitation.

Hao Liping was stunned by the scolding. Previously, Li Jianguo used to call her "Liping" every other word and would even give her things. Why now...?

Li Jianguo snorted, then looked at the woman beside Lu Beiting. "You are Xia Zhi?"

"Yes, hello, Chief." Xia Zhi instinctively performed a military salute.

Li Jianguo looked at her, his expression shifting slightly. "Quite standard."

Lu Beiting also looked at her in confusion; this woman was somewhat different from the rumors.

Xia Zhi quickly lowered her hand. "Hahaha, I often see everyone training when I pass by, so I learned by watching."

In her previous life as a doctor, she had helped the military zone quite often, so she naturally understood a bit.

Li Jianguo nodded with satisfaction. "Alright. Are you truly willing to marry Beiting?"

Beiting's condition hadn't been made public, but Li Jianguo knew.

"Yes, Chief, please rest assured. It is my own choice!"

Li Jianguo narrowed his eyes at her, his voice turning serious. "Even if his legs cannot stand, you are still willing?"

A smile appeared on Xia Zhi's face. "I am willing!" These were "big thighs" (powerful connections)! Only a fool wouldn't cling to them.

This Li Jianguo seemed to treat her even better than Lu Beiting's father did. One could imagine how much he valued Lu Beiting. Once she married in, getting into the military hospital would likely be no difficult task.

"Good. Xiao Xia, don't worry. Beiting is a good boy, unlike certain people who are unclean." Li Jianguo cast a meaningful glance at Gu Yunshen.

Gu Yunshen pursed his lips tightly, clenching his fists in humiliation. A bunch of rough old men actually looked down on him? On what grounds?

"Alright, Chief, please rest assured. I will definitely take good care of Battalion Commander Lu." Then, Xia Zhi looked at him with a face full of grievance. "However, Chief, the Gu family lied to me. Not only that, they also withheld my parents' mementos from me. Chief, can you please help me?"

Zhang Xiao's expression changed abruptly. How did this turn back to their Gu family again?

(End of Chapter)