Since Qin Xutao needed to continue his mission, he called over the duty soldier Li Ping to escort Su Su back to the military housing.
Su Su’s eyes were red, her voice filled with distress: “Can I wait for you here? I’m scared.”
Qin Xutao pressed his lips together, his gaze falling on Su Su’s face. Her fair skin was covered in dust, her palms stained with blood, looking so pitiful.
At that moment, a police officer patted Qin Xutao on the shoulder and smiled:
“Captain Qin, leave the cleanup work to us! Your A Team has already helped us a lot. Give us a chance to show what we can do, or else the higher-ups will scold us for being useless!”
Qin Xutao finally nodded. “Alright, we’ll leave it to you.”
“Dismiss!” He turned and made a hand signal. Many soldiers quickly assembled and jumped into the jeep.
A sharp-eyed soldier noticed a girl standing next to Qin Xutao, draped in his coat. Not only that, but the usually stern Captain Qin was actually carrying the girl into the vehicle.
Everyone in the jeep instantly got excited.
“Does anyone know who that girl is?!”
“Look at the way Captain Qin is being so gentle… is this the same grim-faced guy we know?!”
Li Ping smiled mysteriously. “I know!”
Several team members immediately crowded around him, anxious. “Don’t keep us in suspense, tell us!”
“Fine, but you have to let me wash your socks for a month!” Li Ping’s eyes lit up. “Deal!”
“That’s our captain’s wife. I saw her on her first day—she’s so beautiful!”
Everyone nearly dropped their jaws.
“What?! Captain Qin actually has a wife?”
They had heard the rumors but never believed them. Just look at how grumpy Captain Qin usually is—what girl could handle him?
One soldier threw his head back and howled in despair: “I’m much gentler than him, yet I’m still single!”
…
At this moment, Qin Xutao tapped on the glass. “Talk again, and it’s ten laps back at the base!”
The vehicle immediately fell silent. All the soldiers sat up straight, eyes fixed ahead.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Su Su’s ears burned slightly. She could vaguely hear the soldiers talking about her.
Qin Xutao spoke: “They mean no harm.”
Su Su nodded. “I know. They’re all very adorable soldiers.”
Inside the jeep, the soldiers couldn’t help but grin. Their heads lifted high—Captain’s wife called them adorable!
When they arrived at the base, Qin Xutao dropped Su Su off at the military housing entrance, his voice serious:
“You go back first. I’ll return to the dorm later.”
Su Su no longer felt scared. She also remembered how she had insisted on following Qin Xutao earlier and felt a little embarrassed. She nodded. “Go ahead, you go do your work.”
When she got out of the jeep, the soldiers of A Team smiled widely, waving frantically, shouting in unison:
“Goodbye, Sister-in-law!”
Su Su’s eyes curved into a smile. The feeling of being recognized was wonderful.
As she walked into the military housing, she saw a group of people gathered under the banyan tree.
When they saw Su Su coming in, still disheveled and covering herself with a coat, they whispered among themselves with expressions of disdain:
“See, she really is…”
“Ugh, she always dresses so flashy…”
“Do you think Captain Qin will break off the engagement with her? I bet no man could tolerate that.”
Meanwhile, Fang Yingqiu wore a satisfied smile. It seemed Fang Zhigang had succeeded!
Sister Fang’s face darkened. She scolded sharply: “All of you, shut up!”
She hurried forward, took Su Su’s hand, and cautiously said, “Su Su, I know you’re upset now, but listen to me. We’re women of the new era. This isn’t a big deal. Just think of it as being bitten by a dog.”
Su Su frowned, confused by Sister Fang’s strange words.
“Sister Fang, I’m fine. Qin Xutao rescued me.”
Sister Fang’s face fell. “Ah! Captain Qin knows too? How did he react?”
Su Su’s brows furrowed, a strong sense of unease washing over her. She asked directly: “Sister Fang, did you think something happened to me?”
Sister Fang saw Su Su’s serious expression and realized something was off. She hurriedly said, “I just came back from my parents’ house and heard that you were abducted by human traffickers. People were saying that someone as pretty as you would surely…”
Su Su’s face darkened with anger.
She had just barely escaped death, and now she was being slandered!
And besides Fang Yingqiu, no one else could have known she had been abducted!
Thinking this, Su Su stepped toward Fang Yingqiu, her gaze ice-cold.
Fang Yingqiu’s heart raced, but she put on a worried expression. “Su Su, this happened, don’t be sad. Brother Qin definitely won’t despise you.”
Slap—
Su Su raised her hand and struck her.
Ah! Fang Yingqiu was caught off guard, screaming as she clutched her face. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she said in distress, “Su Su, I was just trying to comfort you! Why did you hit me?”
“I’m hitting you!”
Su Su narrowed her eyes and asked slowly, word by word: “Fang Yingqiu, how did you know about my abduction?”
“Could it be—”
“This was your plan, wasn’t it?!”
Fang Yingqiu’s face turned pale. She forced herself to remain calm and said, “Su Su, don’t make false accusations! Do you have proof? Without proof, I’ll report you to the commander for slander!”
Fang’s mother, standing nearby, also looked angry. “I know you’re Captain Qin’s fiancée, but you can’t bully my Yingqiu like this!”
Other aunts around them echoed in agreement, scolding: “This is too much. You’re bullying her.”
Su Su remained unmoved, sneering. “Fang Yingqiu, those who act without others knowing will always be found out.”
“You claim to be innocent, but among the traffickers we caught, Fang Zhigang was involved.”
“What!?”
Fang Zhigang wasn’t Fang Yingqiu’s younger brother? Could this really have something to do with Fang Yingqiu?
Facing the suspicious gazes around her, Fang Yingqiu’s face turned ashen. “So what if Fang Zhigang is my brother? That doesn’t prove I’m involved!”
Su Su’s gaze was icy. “Fang Zhigang is now under interrogation. Whether you’re involved or not will be found out soon.”
At that moment, a squad of military police, stern-faced, entered the housing.
“Fang Yingqiu, you are suspected of involvement with the trafficking gang. Please come with us for investigation.”
Fang Yingqiu panicked completely. “No! No! I’m not involved! I won’t go!”
Seeing her uncooperative, the military police immediately put handcuffs on her and escorted her to a vehicle.
The officers then looked at Su Su.
“You’ll also need to come with us. The commander wants to see you. If needed, you can return to your dorm to quickly freshen up first.”
Su Su nodded. She did indeed look dirty and unsuitable to meet the commander in her current state.
She quickly returned to the dorm, changed into clean clothes, washed her face, and tidied her hair slightly.
Then she went downstairs and followed them to the commander’s office.
Taking a deep breath, Su Su knocked on the door.
Knock knock knock—