Halfway through breakfast, Zou Zhanyang carefully spoke up:
“The situation with the Shen family… I mean your biological parents’ side, it’s complicated. From my investigation, Bai Yue did have some contact with enemy agents. Someone used that to expose Shen Hanyang’s mistakes—a single report brought him down.”
Shen Qingjun was surprised. Bai Yue had connections with enemy agents? That wasn’t mentioned in the book. Later, when the Shen family was rehabilitated and returned to the city, Bai Yue was probably innocent—but the question remained: Bai Yue was just a researcher; how could she have had contact with enemy agents?
Of course, Shen Hanyang himself was far from clean. Bai Yue’s involvement was likely just the spark.
“What was the enemy agent’s name?”
“Jia Peng.”
“Do you know him?” Zou Zhanyang asked.
Shen Qingjun’s eyes flickered. “It seems he was my mother’s first love.”
Of course, Bai Yue never mentioned this. She had kept the relationship a strict secret; even Shen Hanyang and the Bai family didn’t know.
Shen Qingjun had learned about it from the book.
Bai Yue had studied abroad, where she met Jia Peng, a government-sponsored student. They shared a romantic affair in a foreign land, only for Jia Peng to break contact when he returned home.
“Bai Yue and Jia Peng met in private a few times,” Zou Zhanyang said.
Shen Qingjun smirked inwardly. Not only had Shen Hanyang lost his position, but he might have also been cuckolded.
“As for the Shen family situation, I’ll leave it to the authorities to handle. I won’t interfere. I also don’t want you to worry about it, both Shen families included,” she said, her expression serious.
This clearly showed her stance: she didn’t want to be involved with either her biological or adoptive family.
Zou Zhanyang thought of the files he had seen yesterday, and his heart ached.
He didn’t know how much Shen Qingjun had suffered to build this façade of strength. He had originally planned to resume investigating the Shen family but changed his mind.
Then there was Shen Zhigao’s family. Shen Xinwei was a precious gem, while Shen Qingjun had been treated like a servant her whole life, drained of value, and then kicked back to her biological parents. Thinking of Ma Daqiang, who had caused trouble that day, a flash of coldness appeared in Zou Zhanyang’s eyes.
“There’s one more thing I think you should know.”
Zou Zhanyang slowly explained how Shen Xinwei, Shen Zhigao, and Sun Lanzhi had orchestrated the adoption, and Shen Qingjun listened quietly. Her expression betrayed little surprise. Only when his warm, dry fingers slipped into hers did she notice faint white crescent marks on her palm.
She knew these were remnants of her past emotions acting up. She pressed her lips together. “Can you help me investigate the adoption mistake back then?”
Zou Zhanyang’s eyes were full of concern. “Of course.”
…
They arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau as soon as it opened. When they came out again, Zou Zhanyang had a small red booklet in his hand.
“Put it here.”
He carefully tucked the marriage certificate into his chest pocket, afraid of creasing it.
Shen Qingjun nodded, unconcerned.
After getting the certificate, they quickly went to transfer the household registration. Seeing their names written in the new booklet, Zou Zhanyang’s heart felt as if it were soaking in sweetness.
He had been grinning non-stop since earlier, but then he said,
“I have some work to do. You should go home first.”
His mouth drooped instantly, and his dark eyes looked at Shen Qingjun with mock grievance, as if she were abandoning him.
It had to be an illusion. Why did it feel like, after getting the marriage certificate, his fiancée no longer had eyes for him—so different from the gentle, caring woman who had fed him eggs earlier?
“Although we’re married, we’re still individuals. I have work now. Go home and… play. I mean, prepare for the wedding. I hope we can have a beautiful, happy wedding.”
Shen Qingjun took his hand eagerly, her face full of anticipation.
Hearing this, Zou Zhanyang’s expression brightened. His drooping mouth lifted, and his eyes sparkled with joy.
He left happily, and Shen Qingjun quietly exhaled, finally having coaxed him away.
She didn’t rush home either. She went to the neighborhood office, pulled out the household register, and said, “Comrade, I want to register as a sent-down youth.”
The staff didn’t even look up.
“Name?”
“Shen Xinwei, Shen Qinghe, and Shen Qingwei.”
“Do you have the household registers?”
Seeing the two booklets in front of her, He Yan frowned. “What’s your relationship with these three? For sent-down youth registration, they need to come in person. Go get them and register them yourself.”
He Yan was about to push the registers back when a pair of short, slightly chubby hands pressed them down, and she looked up into a smiling round face.
Wu Lan first said to Shen Qingjun: “Comrade Shen, sit, have some tea, and fill out the forms.”
Then she turned to He Yan, who looked confused. “Wu Director, why are you calling me?”
Wu Lan, seeing He Yan’s blank expression, frowned. She lowered her voice. “Little He, rules are strict, but people are alive. We’re halfway through the year and our targets aren’t met. If we keep going like this, neither of us will work here—we might as well pack up and go farm.”
He Yan was startled. “What should we do?”
Wu Lan said nothing, just looked at her quietly.
He Yan understood and hesitated. “You can make exceptions for relatives, but these three aren’t related.” She had just seen that the two registers didn’t have Shen Qingjun’s name.
Wu Lan clicked her tongue. “You didn’t know? Let me explain…”
After hearing the chain of outrageous events, He Yan felt dizzy. Wu Lan patted her shoulder. “Anyway, that’s the situation. Shen Qingjun has ties to both families, so she can register for her family! Now, go finish the forms.”
Three spots—enough to solve the urgent problem and ensure the targets for the first half of the year. Wu Lan’s gaze on Shen Qingjun grew warmer.
He Yan looked blank but worked quickly, filling out the forms, stamping them, and issuing the approval for sent-down youth registration.
“Subsidy for sent-down youth: sixty per person, 180 for three. Plus three sets of material vouchers. Keep them safe—no replacements if lost.”
“Got it,” Shen Qingjun said.
She put away the money and vouchers, then suddenly straightened. “Comrade, my two younger siblings have always aspired to go to the countryside, to support rural development, to answer the call of our country. They are brave and unafraid of hardship. The tougher the conditions, the stronger their determination. They will contribute to building a new socialist countryside.”
“Good!” Wu Lan clapped her hands, visibly excited. “Shen Qinghe and Shen Qingwei, right? Excellent mindset, excellent awareness! We cannot let these young comrades down.”
Then she turned to He Yan. “Assign them to the border areas. By the way, does Shen Xinwei have any preferences?”
Shen Qingjun shook her head. “No, you decide.” After all, no matter the assignment, she would be sent down with the Shen family anyway.
As for Shen Qinghe and Shen Qingwei—well, Shen Zhigao and Sun Lanzhi were their parents. Besides, the siblings had bullied Shen Qingjun since childhood. She felt no burden at all.
When the task was done, Shen Qingjun didn’t rush home. She strolled slowly through the compound, stopping at a courtyard to slip a letter she had written while filling out the registration form.
The letter was simple, detailing Bai Yue and Jia Peng’s relationship, highlighting their love abroad.
Shen Qingjun waited nearby. When the courtyard door opened and the letter was taken, she left satisfied.
The courtyard’s owner? None other than Shen Hanyang’s nemesis, Deputy Chief of Staff Zhao Chengping.
Only in his hands could the letter have the greatest impact. It wouldn’t overthrow Shen Hanyang, but it could stir trouble—ensuring Shen Hanyang and Bai Yue’s days in the countryside would not be as comfortable as in the book. This was a gift from the daughter, and Shen Hanyang would do well to keep it.
…
“Stop! Come here.” Zou Zhanyang had just arrived home and was called by Zou Liyie.
Zou Zhanyang walked over reluctantly. “Grandfather, what do you want? I’m busy, very busy.”
“Busy? What could a single man be busy with? Go upstairs and change. Commander Xu will bring his granddaughter over for dinner. After dinner, take her out to play. She hasn’t been back to the capital for a long time and there are many fun places she hasn’t seen. Show her around.”
Zou Zhanyang refused impatiently. “I don’t have time.”
“Can’t she go alone? Are her legs just for decoration? She’s in her twenties, and she still acts like a child. Should I buy her a whistle to hang around her neck, so she can blow it if she gets lost?”