Chapter 369
Su Hongchen entered Su Xiaoxiao’s room, pulled out a chair, and sat by her bed. Su Xiaoxiao secretly took a deep breath and sat down obediently.
Seeing her cautious demeanor, Su Hongchen sighed in exasperation. “Don’t be so nervous. I just wanted to ask how you knew so much. And how were you able to take down a spy who was armed?”
“I overheard someone on the train talking about how a once-strict leader softened after marrying his niece. Pillow talk is powerful, so when I saw so many pretty girls involved, that’s what came to mind. As for catching that man, he really didn’t take me seriously. I had a knife hidden for protection and seized the moment to act. Ever since Dong Jiaxuan pushed me into the river, I’ve been wary of being set up again, so I’ve been practicing some martial arts. Plenty of people in the production team have seen me train.”
Su Xiaoxiao’s explanation was perfectly reasonable, especially since many in the production team had indeed witnessed her gradually improving skills. If anyone were to investigate, she would pass scrutiny.
“I posed that question assuming the National Security Office might ask it. Your answer is fine. Now, for my own curiosity—since you went to the countryside, your awareness of your surroundings seems heightened?”
Su Hongchen’s question was tinged with confusion. He knew his sister well—she used to be easily startled. But now, her reflexes seemed unusually sharp, which struck him as odd.
“I’m not sure why, but ever since I was pulled out of the river, I’ve been able to sense when people are looking at me, even if I can’t see them. I can even guess whether their intentions are good or bad. But I don’t know why, and it’s not like I can go to the hospital for this, right?” Su Xiaoxiao’s mix of truth and half-truths left no room for suspicion, though it didn’t fully clear up Su Hongchen’s doubts.
In fact, he had seen similar cases before. Sometimes, comrades emerged from near-death experiences with heightened abilities or senses. It was strange, but there was some precedent for it.
Su Xiaoxiao glanced at her brother, who remained silent for a long while, and her heart raced. She could practically hear her own heartbeat, fearing he might notice her anxiety.
After a while, with no response from him, Su Xiaoxiao bit her lip and met his gaze. “Brother, do you think I’ve betrayed China?”
“Of course not!” Su Hongchen immediately retorted.
“Then… do you think I’m not really your sister?” she ventured cautiously.
This time, Su Hongchen couldn’t help but laugh. He reached out and lightly tapped her forehead. “What nonsense are you spouting? I’ve raised you since you were little. Of course, I know you’re my sister. I just think that the river incident unlocked some hidden potential in you. Didn’t mom take you for a full check-up recently? The doctor said you were perfectly healthy. Stop overthinking it. And when I get promoted, I’ll buy you a gift. Start thinking about what you want.”
“Brother, what about saving up for a wife?” Su Xiaoxiao teased, surprised by his sudden generosity.
“I’m lucky to have you, my little good luck charm. Without you, I might not have survived to become deputy battalion commander. Now, thanks to you catching that spy, I have another chance at a promotion. If I don’t repay you, how could I face you?” Su Hongchen chuckled and shook his head.
“We’re family; there’s no need for that,” Su Xiaoxiao said nonchalantly, swinging her legs.
Seeing her carefree attitude, Su Hongchen finally relaxed. He stood up and ruffled her hair. “I can tell you have secrets, but I know you’d never betray our country. And you’re definitely my sister. If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t ask again. Just know, no matter what happens, I’ll always stand by your side.”
“Brother…” Su Xiaoxiao’s eyes welled up at his sudden emotional confession, her chest tightening.
“Alright, get some rest,” Su Hongchen said before leaving the room.
Once the door was shut, Su Xiaoxiao let out a long breath and collapsed onto her bed. In truth, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to share her experiences with her family, but after keeping her secrets for so long, the courage to speak up had faded. She also couldn’t bring herself to tell them about the tragic fate they had suffered in her past life.
Consumed by thoughts of her previous life, Su Xiaoxiao tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She finally dozed off for just four or five hours when, early the next morning, Mrs. Su knocked on her door.
Seeing the time, Su Xiaoxiao shot out of bed, her sleepiness vanishing in an instant. She rushed to open the door and ushered Mrs. Su inside.
“Mom, why are you up so early? Is something wrong?” Su Xiaoxiao asked, confused.
Mrs. Su quickly locked the door behind her and sat down next to Su Xiaoxiao on the bed. In a hushed tone, she asked, “Xiaoxiao, I originally thought this had something to do with the Zhang family, but now that spies are involved, it seems even more serious than we thought. Do you think we should ask the Zhang family for help? Maybe they could offer some protection.”
“No need. The National Security Office is already involved, so it wouldn’t make a difference whether the Zhang family steps in or not. Plus, brother wants to use this to get a promotion. If the Zhangs get involved now, even if we manage to uncover the hidden dangers, people might question the fairness of it all. It could end up costing brother his chance to rise through the ranks.”
Su Xiaoxiao quickly dismissed Mrs. Su’s suggestion. Since her brother was determined to climb up in the military, he needed to maintain a clean reputation without any blemishes. Besides, they were already making progress, so there was no need to complicate things by involving the Zhangs.