Squad Leader Zhao let out a sharp, disdainful snort, his voice rising as he barked, "What nonsense are you spouting? Why would Li Guoqiang's children come here? And apples? From where? Our village has not a single apple tree, no one even grows such things."
The soldier who had spoken earlier did not retreat. Instead, he straightened slightly and replied with feigned humility, "Squad Leader, I do not know how he obtained them, but I saw it with my own eyes this morning. Squad Leader Li carried a large sack into the logistics department with Squad Leader Ma, and when they came out… he was holding a thick bundle of money. It must have been those apples."
A heavy silence fell over the group.
Several soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes instinctively drifting toward Zhao Depeng. His expression shifted visibly, first flushing red with anger, then paling with disbelief. The veins at his temple throbbed faintly, betraying the storm brewing beneath his rigid composure.
Everyone in the squad was well aware of the strained relationship between Zhao Depeng and Li Guoqiang. Though half-brothers, there was no trace of familial warmth between them, only hostility, sharpened over the years into something bitter and deeply personal. Zhao Depeng had never concealed his disdain, whether in word or deed, his contempt was plain for all to see.
The soldier who had spoken observed the change in Zhao's expression and felt a quiet satisfaction bloom within him. Just as expected, he thought.
He had long harbored resentment toward Zhao Depeng. In his eyes, this squad leader was not a comrade, but a tyrant in uniform. During training, Zhao drove his men mercilessly, often extending drills under the pretense of "tempering discipline," leaving them exhausted to the point of collapse. In private matters, he treated them as little more than personal attendants ordering them to fetch water, wash clothes, and even polish his boots. Any minor mistake was met with harsh reprimands, sometimes even public humiliation. As for Li Guoqiang, Zhao never missed an opportunity to belittle him, speaking of his own brother with thinly veiled scorn.
Such a man inspired no loyalty, only silent resentment.
And today, the soldier had chosen to fan the flames.
Zhao Depeng did not disappoint. With a sudden movement, he rose from his chair, his boots striking the ground with a sharp thud. "Training is dismissed!" he barked, his voice carrying an edge that made several soldiers flinch.
No one dared linger. Like birds startled from a tree, the men scattered at once, each eager to distance themselves from the impending storm.
Left alone beneath the shade of the tree, Zhao Depeng slowly sat back down, his jaw clenched tightly. His thoughts churned violently.
Li Guoqiang's children… in Baicheng? The very idea sounded absurd. Those wretched brats barely able to secure a full meal back in the village, how could they possibly afford such a journey? And apples… not just any apples, but the kind that had caused such a stir among the higher-ups?
The more he thought about it, the more a sense of unease crept into his chest, mingling with a rising tide of suspicion. Whatever the truth was, he could not afford to remain ignorant, not when it concerned Li Guoqiang.
With that thought, Zhao Depeng pushed himself to his feet once more and without another word, he strode away, to find out the truth.
Meanwhile, within his office, Gu Zhenhua found himself waiting.
Earlier that day, during his meeting with Regimental Commander He Guangsheng, a plan had already begun to take shape in his mind on sourcing the supplies from Li Shuying.
He had personally tasted the supplies she had brought. The quality was beyond reproach. In times such as these, when even the military struggled to secure consistent supplies, such resources were nothing short of extraordinary.
As for how she had obtained them, Gu Zhenhua did not concern himself with the question. For now, it was unnecessary. What mattered was whether those supplies could be secured for his unit.
He had gone to the guesthouse earlier in the day, intending to speak with her directly, only to learn that the three Li siblings had left in the morning with their father and had yet to return.
Since then, an uncharacteristic restlessness had followed him. Throughout the day, his thoughts returned to the same point again and again.
Would she agree? And even if she did what then?
Gu Zhenhua sat on his chair looking out of the window, his gaze fixed on the training grounds, though his mind was far away.
Even if Li Shuying agreed will her father agree? Li Guoqiang wasn't an ordinary civilian who could be swayed with little money, he was a soldier himself. If he sensed anything irregular, anything that strayed beyond acceptable boundaries he would not hesitate to intervene.
But for Gu Zhenhua, this was no longer a matter of convenience. It was necessity.
His unit in Taonan County had already been pushed to its limits. Supplies were dwindling. Meals had been reduced to coarse grains and thin porridge. Though the soldiers remained steadfast, morale could not be sustained indefinitely under such conditions.
And now, with supply routes compromised and the growing boldness of bandit interference, the situation had become even more precarious. There was no margin for error.
Yet the risks were equally undeniable and he understood that very well.
To involve a civilian or worse, a child in a matter that bordered on military logistics was a dangerous line to cross. If mishandled, it could attract unwanted scrutiny. If exposed, it could place not only Li Shuying but her entire family in grave danger.
The threat did not lie on one side alone.
If the operation failed, the enemy might trace her. And if it came under official investigation, questions would inevitably arise, questions about the origin of goods that clearly did not pass through sanctioned channels. Either path carried risk.
Gu Zhenhua closed his eyes briefly, his fingers resting against the edge of the desk.
He weighed the matter as he would any battlefield decision. But this time there was no clear answer.
A knock on the door broke the silence.
Gu Zhenhua opened his eyes at once. "Enter."
The door opened, and He Jianci stepped inside, a thick file held firmly in his hands. He halted two steps from the desk and delivered a crisp salute, "Deputy Company Commander Gu."
Gu Zhenhua inclined his head slightly.
He Jianci stepped forward and placed the file carefully on the table. "I have gathered all available information on Comrade Li Guoqiang. This is the compiled report."
Gu Zhenhua's gaze briefly swept over the thick folder, but instead of opening it, he looked up at He Jianci. "Summarize," he said calmly.
He Jianci straightened immediately. "Comrade Li Guoqiang, is from Shitou Brigade, Taonan County. He was born into a poor rural household. His mother passed away during childbirth, and his father later remarried. Records indicate that his stepmother treated him harshly. In his early youth, influenced by patriotic speakers and revolutionary movements during the Liberation War, he enlisted in the army."
"During the War of Resistance, he participated in multiple engagements against Japanese forces. Notably, he was commended for leading an operation that resulted in the destruction of a significant enemy supply depot, contributing to the strategic recovery of the Nanjing region."
At this, a faint flicker of surprise passed through Gu Zhenhua's eyes but he did not interrupt.
"He was later deployed during the Korean War," He Jianci went on. "At one point, he led a unit of fifty volunteer soldiers in a direct ground engagement. All fifty men returned without major casualties a rare outcome under such conditions."
Gu Zhenhua's expression shifted subtly because this was no longer mere competence. This was… exceptional.
"He also took part in several bandit suppression campaigns," He Jianci added. "In rural operations, he demonstrated strong ideological influence, successfully reforming and stabilizing more than fifteen villages. His ability to engage with civilians and shift local sentiment has been noted as particularly effective. Subsequently, he was promoted to Squad Leader and stationed here. Over the past three years, he has participated in multiple missions, with a consistently high success rate."
Gu Zhenhua remained silent for a long while after hearing the report, his expression unreadable. At last, he lifted his gaze and looked directly at He Jianci, his voice low yet edged with unmistakable sharpness. "Are you certain there is no mistake?"
He Jianci straightened at once. "There is no error, Deputy Company Commander Gu. The file was retrieved directly from the archives. In addition, I spoke personally with several of his former comrades and conducted cross-verification. The information is consistent."
Gu Zhenhua said nothing further. He reached out, picked up the thick dossier, and began to read.
As he progressed through the file, the stillness around him seemed to deepen. By the time he reached the final page, his brows had drawn together, and a cold glint flickered in his eyes.
He closed the file slowly and looked up. "What exactly is going on here?" he asked, his tone quiet but carrying a piercing weight that made the air in the room feel taut.
He Jianci hesitated for the briefest moment before replying, "I cannot say for certain, Deputy Company Commander Gu. But one thing is clear, the situation is far from simple. The waters run deep, and they are not clear."
Gu Zhenhua understood the implication immediately. And it did not sit well with him. Li Guoqiang, a veteran of the War of Resistance, a soldier who had fought in Korea, a man who had completed numerous missions with distinction yet remained nothing more than a squad leader?
It was unreasonable. No, more than that, it was unjust. Men who had received commendations during the War of Resistance were, by now, at the very least serving as company commanders. Yet Li Guoqiang, whose record surpassed many of them, remained buried at the lowest level of command.
Such a discrepancy could not be explained by coincidence alone. Gu Zhenhua was not a man who concerned himself with internal politics. He preferred clarity, efficiency, and results. But this...
This was excessive.
He turned his gaze back to He Jianci. "Does the regimental commander know of this?"
He Jianci shook his head. "I do not believe so. In fact, I doubt even the battalion commander of the Second Battalion is aware. When I requested Comrade Li Guoqiang's file, he did not even recognize the name."
For a moment, Gu Zhenhua had no words. He dismissed He Jianci with a brief nod, and once the latter had left, the office fell into silence once more.
Earlier, he had intended to conduct a routine background check nothing more than a precaution before involving Li Guoqiang in his mission. Yet what he had uncovered was far from routine.
When he finally looked up, the light outside had dimmed. It was already six. Gu Zhenhua rose at once. Without further delay, he stepped out of his office and made his way toward the guesthouse.
However, before he could reach it, his steps slowed. From a distance, he saw a small group approaching along the path.
Li Guoqiang walked at the front, his posture relaxed in a way rarely seen within the rigid confines of the military compound. Beside him were his children, their faces animated, still brimming with excitement. Walking alongside them was another soldier, his laughter echoing faintly through the evening air.
As they drew closer, their conversation became clearer.
"I still can't believe it," Li Jianmin was saying excitedly, his eyes shining. "To watch a play like that… it felt so real, as if everything was happening right before my eyes. Even the battle scenes so vivid, so lifelike!"
Li Jianguo nodded in agreement. "Zhang Zhongfa was truly brave and resolute," he added with admiration.
Li Jianmin immediately chimed in, his voice filled with youthful determination, "Yes! I want to become someone like Zhang Zhongfa in the future."
Ma Zhiyong let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head. "That Zhang Zhongfa is only a character on the screen," he said, his tone teasing yet warm. "An actor playing a role. But your father..." he gestured toward Li Guoqiang, "...your father is a real-life Zhang Zhongfa. If you wish to admire someone, then you should become like him."
Li Jianmin blinked, then turned to look at his father with renewed awe.
Li Guoqiang, however, only smiled faintly and waved his hand dismissively. "Do not listen to your Uncle Ma's idle talk," he said. "A soldier simply does his duty. There is nothing extraordinary about it."
Than he suddenly turned his attention to his daughter. Noticing that she had fallen unusually silent. "Little Shuying," he called, "what troubles you? Are you not happy? Was the film not to your liking?"
Li Shuying seemed to come back to herself at his voice. She quickly shook her head, offering a small, reassuring smile. "No, Father. The film was excellent," she said softly. "I was only thinking about the special study materials we could not find for Elder Brother."
At her words, Ma Zhiyong let out a long sigh, scratching the back of his head. "Ah, little Shuying, what can we do about that?" he said helplessly. "There are only three state-run bookstores in Baicheng, and we have already searched all of them. If none of them have it. But tell me, what is so special about these materials?"
Before Li Shuying could answer, Li Jianguo spoke up, his tone earnest. "Uncle Ma, those materials are said to be compiled by teachers from the affiliated high schools of Peking University. They are not openly sold to the public, only distributed among their own students. However, copies sometimes circulate in major cities. We thought that if we could obtain one, it might help Elder Brother prepare for the college entrance examination. I have heard that the question patterns are very similar."
Ma Zhiyong raised his brows in surprise. "So that is the case… then it must indeed be quite rare," he said thoughtfully.
Li Shuying lowered her gaze slightly.
She had thought that coming to the city would make such things easier to obtain. Yet reality had proven otherwise. As she recalled her elder brother's increasingly dispirited demeanor in recent days an inexplicable ache stirred in her chest. Though she did not fully understand the cause of his distress, she knew one thing with certainty she wanted to help him.
Not far from them Gu Zhenhua had heard every word. His sharp gaze lingered on the group for a moment, before a faint glimmer of realization passed through his eyes.
A thought had taken shape.
In matters of negotiation, especially those involving uncertain ground, the best approach was often not to demand, but to offer.
To extend a favor before requesting one.
And what greater leverage could there be than something the other party earnestly desired?
A subtle curve touched the corner of his lips.
Without drawing attention to himself, he turned on his heel and began walking back toward his quarters.
Unaware of all this, Li Shuying continued walking alongside her father, her thoughts still tangled around her elder brother's troubles.
Just then a slow, thick and slightly unpleasant voice sounded from behind them.
"Guoqiang," it called, "you did not tell me that my nephews and niece had come to visit."