Chapter 368
Su Hongchen quickly finished his phone call and returned, his expression complex as he looked at the little girl who was still on guard against him.
“Alright, the National Security Office will take over from here. Let’s go home,” he said heavily.
He Xingzhi carried He Hongni back to their courtyard, while Jiang Yexun drove Su Xiaoxiao back to the Su family home.
“I’ll pick you up at 7:30 tomorrow morning. I’ll have your room ready tonight, and if you’re tired, you can rest when we get there,” Jiang Yexun reminded her, clearly concerned.
Su Xiaoxiao nodded softly, looking at him with equal concern. “You all be careful, whether you’re at home or outside. We just took down a major player, and I’m afraid they might retaliate.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be cautious,” Jiang Yexun reassured her with a smile, feeling comforted.
As soon as the door closed, Mr. and Mrs. Su came out of their bedroom. They anxiously asked Su Xiaoxiao and Su Hongchen, “How did it go? Did they get any information from that spy?”
“Not much, but we uncovered some things,” Su Hongchen said, relaying Su Xiaoxiao’s deductions to them. Since they were directly involved, there was no need for secrecy within the family, only discretion about sharing it outside.
After Mr. and Mrs. Su assured them they would keep quiet, they nodded, but their faces were full of anger.
“If Xiaoxiao’s guess is correct, these spies are despicable,” Mr. Su said.
“Absolutely! They’re exploiting the love and loyalty of our people to further their own goals,” Su Xiaoxiao fumed.
“But it’s good that at least some things were stopped early. This situation sounds dangerous, though. Hongchen, this isn’t really your jurisdiction, is it?” Mrs. Su asked worriedly.
Initially, she had wanted her children to uncover evidence to clear Mr. Su’s name and expose the culprits behind their family’s troubles. But now that the National Security Office and the military were involved, and the situation was much more dangerous, she no longer wanted her son to get involved in such deep waters.
However, Su Hongchen’s eyes were resolute as he replied, “I’ve already applied to my superiors to take full responsibility for this investigation.”
“Why are you volunteering for something so dangerous? Your normal job is with the military, and we can’t say anything about that, but you’re on leave right now!” Mrs. Su was so angry that she smacked his arm.
She hit him hard enough that the sound startled both Su Xiaoxiao and Mr. Su.
Su Xiaoxiao quickly stepped in to calm the situation. “Mom, don’t be angry. I’m sure my brother just doesn’t feel comfortable leaving our family’s safety in the hands of others, so he applied to join the investigation to keep an eye on things.”
Mrs. Su sighed, torn between her frustration and the reality of the situation. She lowered her head in resignation.
Su Hongchen looked at them and explained further, “That’s one reason. The other reason is that capturing a spy is a major accomplishment. Xiaoxiao may have caught the man, but she’s not part of any government department, and since this is a personal matter, she probably won’t even get formal recognition for it. Plus, Xiaoxiao was the first to uncover the strange elements of this case. While the National Security Office might have eventually figured it out, we were the ones who got ahead of it. So, the credit goes to us.
“I’ve applied to join the investigation, not just to keep an eye on things but because if we successfully uncover the larger scheme, it will be a huge contribution. I’m currently a deputy battalion commander. If things go well, I could be promoted directly to deputy regiment commander, but at the very least, I’ll move up to full battalion commander. In a normal progression, I just became a deputy battalion commander recently, and without a major mission, it could take five or six years before I’d be eligible for another promotion.”
He glanced at Su Xiaoxiao, a bit embarrassed. “It’s really thanks to Xiaoxiao. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have made it to deputy battalion commander last time. Now, I’m hoping to use her sharp instincts to move up again.”
Su Xiaoxiao hadn’t even thought about this angle, but hearing her brother say it made her grin widely. “We’re family! This is nothing.”
Her brother was only 22 and had already made it to deputy battalion commander through his extraordinary talent and completing several near-impossible missions. If this opportunity could help him rise further, she thought it was a great thing.
However, Mr. and Mrs. Su looked at Su Hongchen with some disapproval.
“No matter what, your sister caught the spy, and she was the first to figure out their intentions. Isn’t it unfair to take her credit? Plus, your words just now sounded too self-serving,” Mr. Su remarked.
Before Su Hongchen could respond, Su Xiaoxiao jumped in to defend him. “How is that self-serving? A soldier who doesn’t aim to be a general isn’t a good soldier. Besides, I don’t plan to join any public office or military. The most I’d get for this is a commendation and maybe a few hundred yuan. It’s better for my brother to get a promotion. And even if he couldn’t get promoted, he would still be involved. He’s just being upfront about the possibilities.”
In China, catching spies was taken very seriously. Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to be part of such a major operation if given the opportunity? Her brother would be foolish not to seize it.
Seeing Su Xiaoxiao so adamant, Mr. and Mrs. Su could only shake their heads in resignation.
Looking at their children, Mr. Su sighed, “You truly raised your sister well, Hongchen. She thinks just like you and always stands by your side.”
“Of course! We’re the closest siblings in the world,” Su Hongchen said proudly, lifting his chin.
Their playful banter lightened the atmosphere, dissipating much of the earlier tension.
“Alright, since you’ve already thought this through, there’s nothing more for us to say. You two should get some rest. Tomorrow will be another busy day,” Mrs. Su said as she and Mr. Su headed back to their bedroom.
After washing up, Su Xiaoxiao was just about to go to bed when she heard a knock on her door. Seeing Su Hongchen standing there, her heart raced, and she felt a bit weak.
“Brother, it’s late. What’s the matter?” Su Xiaoxiao asked softly.
“There’s something I need to ask you. Is it convenient for me to come in?” Su Hongchen asked gently.
Knowing her brother well, Su Xiaoxiao was sure he meant what he said. If she refused, he would bury his questions and never bring them up again.
After a moment, she nodded and stepped aside to let him in.