The ride back was quiet.
The only sounds were the roar of the engine and the crunch of the tires rolling over loose gravel.
Gu Ci drove fast but steadily, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, his sharply defined profile as cold and hard as a blade.
“Division Commander Liu isn’t that easy to fool.”
After a long silence, Gu Ci suddenly spoke.
Jiang Ning had her eyes closed, mentally calculating how to improve the gastric lavage machine once they returned. Hearing him, she didn’t even bother opening her eyes.
“I know. He’s an old fox.”
“He values you because you’re useful.”
His fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel.
“In this line of work, being useful is a life-saving charm. But if one day you’re no longer useful, or you learn too much…”
He left the sentence unfinished, but his meaning was clear.
It was both a warning and a reminder.
Jiang Ning opened her eyes and turned to look at him.
“Is that concern I hear from Commander Gu?”
“I’m worried my supply of medicine will be cut off,” Gu Ci replied coldly. “If you die, who am I supposed to find to treat my headaches?”
“Relax.”
Jiang Ning closed her eyes again.
“I value my life more than anyone. I’m not about to die before I’ve finished studying you, my little lab rat. As for Division Commander Liu…”
A faint smile curved her lips.
“As long as people are afraid of dying, I’ll always be useful. Who in this world doesn’t want to live a couple of years longer?”
Gu Ci said nothing more.
This woman understood the world better than anyone, and she was colder than most.
She treated every relationship as a transaction.
With him, and with Division Commander Liu, it was all the same.
That absolute rationality made her seem dependable, yet somehow… it also irritated him.
The jeep drove into the military family compound.
The moment it stopped, they spotted Wang Juhua crouching by her doorway, sorting vegetables. As soon as she saw the jeep returning, she sprang to her feet as if she’d been electrocuted, grabbed her vegetable basket, and hurried inside. She even bolted the door.
The other military wives in the courtyard kept their distance, their eyes darting nervously.
Jiang Ning got out of the jeep and raised an eyebrow at the sight.
“Looks like my terrible reputation has reached a whole new level.”
“Being feared isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
Gu Ci locked the jeep.
“In this compound, it’s better to have people fear you than bully you.”
The two entered the house one after the other.
Black Panther was already able to stand. It was wandering around the room on unsteady legs, and the moment it saw them return, it rushed over excitedly.
It didn’t charge at Gu Ci.
Instead, it went straight for Jiang Ning.
Gu Ci: “…”
Was this dog even worth keeping?
Jiang Ning caught Black Panther and rubbed its head.
“Hungry, are you?”
She tossed it the apple she’d brought back from division headquarters.
“Here. Your reward.”
Black Panther caught the apple in its mouth and happily trotted off to a corner to chew on it.
“I’m hungry too.”
Gu Ci hung his cap on the wall and unbuttoned his collar.
“Make dinner.”
Jiang Ning stood perfectly still.
“Commander Gu, I’m a consultant, not a housekeeper.”
“Consultants have to eat too.”
Gu Ci pointed at the bag of ingredients on the table. He’d bought them on the way back.
“If you don’t cook, go hungry. I don’t mind eating at the mess hall.”
Jiang Ning took a deep breath.
This man always knew exactly where to step on her last nerve.
“Fine.”
She rolled up her sleeves.
“I’ll cook. You wash the dishes. And ten yuan will be deducted from my consultation fee for this meal.”
“Deal.”
Gu Ci agreed readily. After all, the money was in his pocket. Whether he actually paid her was entirely up to him.
Half an hour later, the delicious aroma of stir-fried pork with chili peppers filled the house.
The two sat facing each other, with a large plate of bright red chili-fried pork between them and a bowl of cabbage and tofu soup on the side.
Jiang Ning liked her food spicy.
She enjoyed the fiery sensation. It made her sweat and reminded her what it felt like to be alive.
Gu Ci wasn’t particularly good with spicy food, but he didn’t complain. He silently drank two extra bowls of soup, tiny beads of sweat forming across his forehead.
The meal was unusually quiet.
No arguments. No probing questions.
For once, there was an almost bizarre sense of harmony between them.
After dinner, Gu Ci dutifully gathered the dishes and took them to the kitchen to wash.
Jiang Ning sat at the table, idly playing with her box of silver acupuncture needles.
“Any leads on the person who poisoned the food?” she suddenly asked.
The sound of running water came from the kitchen.
“We have a few clues.”
Gu Ci’s voice carried over the noise.
“The security office checked the canteen’s delivery records. The sack containing the sodium nitrite was mixed in with the sacks of salt. The delivery was made by a temporary worker who disappeared the night of the incident.”
“Disappeared?”
“Mm. And he disappeared quickly. There’s more…”
Gu Ci turned off the tap, shook the water from his hands, and walked out.
“The temporary worker’s employment records were fake. As far as anyone can tell, he doesn’t even exist.”
Jiang Ning narrowed her eyes.
A professional job.
“This was aimed at you.”
Her tone was certain.
“Or at the entire infrastructure project. It’s a key project. If the deadline is delayed, you, as the regiment commander, will have a hard time avoiding responsibility.”
“I know.”
Gu Ci pulled out a chair, sat down, and lit a cigarette.
“That’s why this matter isn’t over. Whoever did this is still watching us from the shadows.”
He exhaled a ring of smoke and looked at Jiang Ning through the haze.
“Are you afraid?”
“Afraid of what?”
Jiang Ning picked up a silver needle and examined it under the light.
“If he dares to come after me, I’ll happily stick him full of needles. As it happens, I’m still short one living specimen for testing my medicine.”
A flicker of amusement passed through Gu Ci’s eyes as he watched her practically itching for a fight.
“Jiang Ning.”
“Hmm?”
“With that personality of yours, you’d make an excellent special forces soldier.”
“That wouldn’t work.”
Jiang Ning shook her head.
“Special forces soldiers have to follow orders. I’m naturally rebellious. I only listen to myself.”
“Fair enough.”
Gu Ci stubbed out his cigarette.
“Come here. Acupuncture.”
He stood and walked into the inner room, skillfully removing his shirt before lying face down on the bed.
By now, the routine had become familiar to him.
Jiang Ning entered with her needles.
This time, she didn’t immediately begin treatment. Instead, she first examined the back of Gu Ci’s neck.
The swelling and redness had subsided considerably, and his muscles weren’t nearly as stiff as before.
“You’re recovering nicely.”
She pressed her fingers against his back.
“Tonight, we’ll use different acupoints. It might hurt a little.”
“Get on with it.”
Gu Ci closed his eyes.
The needle pierced his skin.
This time, she targeted the Jianjing and Gaohuang acupoints.
A wave of soreness and pressure instantly spread through his body.
Gu Ci let out a muffled groan but didn’t move.
The room was quiet, save for the steady ticking of the wall clock.
Twenty minutes later, Jiang Ning removed the needles.
Gu Ci turned over and sat up, rolling his neck to loosen it.
“Where’s the medicine?” he asked.
“No medicine today.”
Jiang Ning put the needles away.
“That stuff is potent. You can’t take it every day. Too much of it will make you stupid. Once every three days is enough.”
Gu Ci looked at her.
Under the lamplight, her profile seemed softer than it had during the day, no longer quite so sharp and intimidating.
“Jiang Ning.”
He suddenly reached out and caught her wrist.
Jiang Ning instinctively prepared to strike back, and the needle in her hand was already pressed against his pulse point.
“Don’t move.”
Gu Ci neither released her nor dodged the needle. He simply stared at her.
“There’s something I want to remind you of.”
“What?”
“Don’t be too good to me.”
His voice was low and slightly hoarse.
“And don’t try to understand me too well. I’m not someone with a heart. Anyone who gets close to me will only end up suffering.”
Jiang Ning froze for a moment.
Then she burst out laughing.
She forcefully pulled her hand free and slipped the silver needle back into its case.
“Commander Gu, you’re overthinking things.”
She stood up and looked down at him.
“I treat you well because you pay me. I study you because I want to fix your brain and protect my meal ticket.”
She leaned forward, bringing her face close to his. Her eyes were filled with clear-headed indifference.
“As for falling in love with you?”
Jiang Ning gave a soft laugh and tapped a finger against his chest.
“Relax. I have a thing about cleanliness. Crazy men like you are fine for a little fun, but falling for one? Who do you think you are?”
With that, she turned and walked out of the inner room, switching off the light as she left.
“Good night, you lunatic.”
In the darkness, Gu Ci sat on the bed and touched the spot where her finger had rested against his chest.
His heartbeat seemed to have quickened by one beat.
He curled his lips into a self-mocking smile.
A little fun?
Fine.
Let’s see who ends up being the one who can’t afford to lose this game.