Thanks to Leng Fei’s unexpected dedication, Qin Zhen and Ni Hong were able to complete their monitoring earlier than everyone else for an entire week.
True to form, Leng Fei displayed great team spirit by waiting for both of them to finish their examinations every single time.
Qin Zhen simply assumed she was the type who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He viewed her as a teammate worth saving and did not give it a second thought. Ni Hong, however, began to notice something. Since accepting the fact that he could not undergo the gestation sac replacement surgery immediately, his naturally sensitive and observant nature had become more pronounced.
“Leng Fei,” Ni Hong asked tentatively, “why do you wait for Brother Qin to finish his monitoring every time?”
Leng Fei remained silent, her gaze fixed steadily on the direction of the examination room.
“I know that getting information on a comrade’s death at the first opportunity is just an excuse. Every time Brother Qin comes out, you watch him with a look of secret observation. Leng Fei, have you discovered something? Brother Qin’s exams always take much longer than ours. Is the cub’s condition not doing well?”
Leng Fei finally turned her head to glance at him.
“The fact that you noticed this proves that you did not pass your reconnaissance exam through personal connections. However, you are still a long way from a passing grade.”
“Uh.”
“Have you not noticed that every time Qin Zhen finishes his exam, his face is flushed and he is in an excellent mood? That alone rules out your theory.”
“Mmm, it seems so.”
“Furthermore, after every exam, there are water stains left on his garment. Have you ever wondered why?”
“Brother Qin said it was sweat from the cub exercising.”
“You actually believe that nonsense?”
“Uh.”
Ni Hong did not really believe it. Qin Zhen was not even showing yet. The cub in the gestation sac was at most the size of a bean and in a state of hibernation. How could it sweat? However, he had not pondered the specific reason. If Brother Qin did not say, he surely had his reasons.
Leng Fei sneered. “The exercise part is real, but the cub exercising? That is an obvious lie.”
Ni Hong asked, “What do you mean?”
Before Leng Fei could answer, Qin Zhen appeared. As usual, his face was glowing and his steps were light as he waved to them.
“Let us go, let us go. Another beautiful day.”
Leng Fei inconspicuously blocked his path. Qin Zhen, acting on instinct, brushed past her, completely unaware that she had reached out and pinched the fabric of the garment over his abdomen.
He marched ahead in the lead while Leng Fei and Ni Hong followed a few paces behind, intentionally creating some distance. Leng Fei raised her right hand. Her thumb and index finger rubbed together gently before slowly pulling apart. Between the pads of her two fingers, a strand of transparent, viscous liquid appeared.
“What is that? From Brother Qin’s clothes?” Ni Hong looked confused.
Leng Fei sneered again. “Personal lubricant.”
Ni Hong: “?”
Ni Hong: “!!!!”
His mouth had just opened to gasp when Leng Fei clamped her hand over it.
“The doctor in that examination room is the Supreme Commander’s most trusted adjutant, a member of the Ducal Qi family whose loyalty spans generations. Every time Qin Zhen is checked, it takes longer than us. Every time he comes out, he is flushed with joy, and every time, his clothes are stained with lubricant. With all these clues gathered together, you should understand what this means by now, right?”
Ni Hong made muffled noises, desperately trying to pry Leng Fei’s hand off. However, she had habitually used a combat grappling technique, and her hand felt as if it were welded to his face.
“Keep your mouth shut, and I will let go.”
Ni Hong nodded frantically. Once his body was free, he used his sleeve to scrub his mouth with all his might, unable to stop himself from dry heaving. The lubricant had touched his mouth, and it was lubricant used after the fact!
“Blegh!”
Unfortunately, Qin Zhen was so immersed in his pleasant mood that he did not notice the two of them at all and had already disappeared around the corner. He heard nothing.
However, behind them, someone else did hear.
The third floor was dedicated to medical facilities, and many rooms were connected with alternative exits from the examination areas. As soon as Adjutant Qi stepped out, he heard the sound of someone retching in the corridor so violently it sounded like they were turning their lungs inside out.
“Ni Hong?” He stepped forward quickly. “What happened? Morning sickness? That cannot be right. I just monitored your energy fluctuations, and they were very stable. The cub is not developing that quickly.”
Ni Hong looked up and saw him. He began to vomit even harder. Not only was he retching, but he was also backing away repeatedly. Had Leng Fei not caught him, he likely would have taken a nasty fall.
Ni Hong screamed internally in despair. He wondered if the lubricant he touched was something that Adjutant Qi got on Brother Qin’s clothes after pulling out.
Leng Fei kept a stony face and stared at Adjutant Qi. “Adjutant Qi, why are you here?”
Adjutant Qi, completely unaware that his cover had been blown, hesitated for a moment before saying, “Oh, Ni Hong has failed his pre operative stability check three times. The Commander was worried and told me to come check on things.”
He had already removed his white lab coat, cap, and mask. Standing there in his full military uniform, he did not think there were any flaws in his story.
Leng Fei, however, gave a deeply meaningful smile. “You just said you just monitored Ni Hong’s energy fluctuations.”
“Oh, that. Ni Hong just finished today’s monitoring, right? It is on the system. I just saw it as well.”
Before Adjutant Qi could even begin to break a cold sweat, Leng Fei’s expression changed again, becoming solemn and hard.
“Article 17, Chapter 12 of the Imperial Military Law states that any form of bribery within the military is strictly prohibited, including sexual bribery. Whether it is consensual or one party is induced, it constitutes a major disciplinary violation.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Qin Zhen is only a Private Third Class, while you are an officer. The military law’s punishment for you will only be heavier. It might even result in the stripping of your title.”
Adjutant Qi was dumbfounded and simultaneously filled with immense terror. “What? What are you talking about?”
Leng Fei asked, “Oh? Does Adjutant Qi have evidence to prove his innocence? Can you prove that absolutely nothing happened between you and Qin Zhen?”
The prenatal exams for Qin Zhen had to be kept strictly confidential, and all surveillance in the examination room had been removed. Where would Adjutant Qi get evidence? If he absolutely had to name a witness, it would be Cang Bai.
Or rather, not a witness, because the one performing the prenatal exams on Qin Zhen was the Supreme Commander himself!
He, Qi Zhifu, had not even touched a hair on Qin Zhen’s body! But if he said that, would he not be dragging the Commander into this mess? Even if the Commander was innocent, Adjutant Qi would never dare to do such a thing.
Seeing him speechless and struggling to find words for a long time, Leng Fei gave a cold snort. She then slowly and audaciously wiped her two fingers clean on Adjutant Qi’s military uniform.
“Adjutant Qi, I have said enough. Be careful.”
She then grabbed Ni Hong and left.
Once the sound of footsteps faded, the door Adjutant Qi had emerged from opened again. The Supreme Commander stepped into the corridor with his long legs. He glanced in the direction where Leng Fei had disappeared, and his calm gaze fell upon Qi Zhifu’s miserable face.
“Commander.” The adjutant was so aggrieved he was on the verge of tears.
“Mm.” Cang Bai remained unruffled. He glanced at the faint liquid stain on the uniform and added three words. “You worked hard.”