Chapter 50

Chapter 50

For a long moment, neither of them stirred. Jiang Wang’s palm, still pressed against the back of her head, radiated a continuous warmth.

"Don’t worry, I’ve got this. Once the big-character poster is up, we’ll need someone to watch it anyway."

He reached out and gently pressed her shoulder. "Stay here, be good."

Only after Jiang Wang turned away did Su Linjin belatedly realize just how close, how intimate, they had been.

What did he mean, "be good"?

How could he… be like that…

The back of her head and her cheek, where he had touched her, burned as if on fire.

Su Linjin, helpless against the unfamiliar blush, watched as he deftly used thumbtacks to poke at the glass sliding door’s lock a few times, opened it, pinned the handkerchief in place, and then locked it again.

The entire sequence was executed flawlessly.

If she hadn’t known he was a high-ranking officer, she might have suspected he possessed some "special skill."

"Done. Now let’s go find someone to stand guard." He unwrapped the scarf from his neck and tied it snugly around hers. Whether intentional or not, his fingers brushed against her cheek again, leaving a trail of warmth.

Stand guard?

Su Linjin quickly understood what he meant.

Jiang Wang strode purposefully toward the alley behind them and knocked precisely on a window facing the passageway.

"I know you’re in there," he said firmly. "If you don’t come out, I’ll tell your parents about you sneaking cigarettes."

With a click, the wooden window opened, revealing the face of a teenage boy.

"What do you want?" The boy, in the midst of puberty, wore a defiant look.

"Let’s make a deal. Mind if I come in to talk?"

Before the boy could respond, Jiang Wang braced one hand on the windowsill and hopped right inside.

The window was about shoulder-height from the ground, part of a cramped rear room in a shared courtyard.

Su Linjin watched silently as he cornered the boy against the wall, saying something low that made the kid’s face light up excitedly. "Really?"

"Really." He pulled something from his pocket and stuffed it into the boy’s, then casually picked up a half-smoked cigarette from the table. "Minors shouldn’t smoke. Consider this your signed pledge to me."

With that, he propped himself on the windowsill and jumped back down just as easily.

"Bro, don’t forget your promise!"

In that short time, he’d already become "bro"?

Jiang Wang didn’t even glance back, merely waving a hand casually behind him.

Only after they were farther away did Su Linjin ask, "What did you promise him?"

"I promised him ten yuan to keep an eye on the big-character poster. If anyone takes it down, he’s to remember who did it. That’s all. I gave him one yuan upfront—the rest once things escalate."

"How do you know he’ll actually help?"

"He begged me to teach him how to jump that high."

"..."

Men are such strange creatures.

The next day, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, thick snowflakes fell once more.

Jiang Wang rose early, in full uniform, and stood in the courtyard, looking toward the east wing.

The old man’s door creaked open. "Now that you’re in a new post, mind how you speak, understand?"

"Understood."

"Mm."

The old man shut the door.

Ah, to be young. Best not to dampen their spirits.

Su Linjin woke early, as if something weighed on her mind. Only after hearing the main door close did she quietly push hers open.

Jiang Wang stood right outside, snow dusted his forehead and shoulders.

She pulled her collar tighter and stepped forward, looking up at him. "When will you get time off to come home?"

"Just Sundays off." He looked down at her, snowflakes catching on her lashes, fluttering like butterfly wings.

Unable to resist, he raised a hand and lightly brushed her bangs. "Focus on your studies. If anything comes up, wait till I’m back. If it’s urgent, come see me at the academy."

His hand was large and warm. Su Linjin felt the heat seep from her crown all the way to her toes—almost uncomfortably warm.

"I will."

"Then I’m off," Jiang Wang said.

She stared at the snow packed under her feet into a thin sheet, then suddenly unwound her scarf and wrapped it around his neck before bolting back to her room like she was being chased.

Her body warmth still lingered in the scarf. Jiang Wang gripped the scarf, following her hurried steps, and caught the door before it shut. His other hand caught hers. "When I come back, let’s go somewhere together."

As the courtyard gate clicked shut, Su Linjin stared at her own door, her face flushed crimson.

What did he just say? That he’d take her out when he returned?

And—and he held her hand!

What exactly did he mean?

Lost in thoughts that made her face turn shrimp-red, the door suddenly reopened.

Jiang Wang stood there, breathing slightly faster, having set down his suitcase. He stepped forward, taking both of her hands. "I wasn’t clear earlier. What I meant was—Jin Jin, let’s date."

Su Linjin’s mind went blank. Her face burned so fiercely her whole body tingled with nerves. Her hands, held against his cheeks, made her turn away. "Y-you’re going to be late."

"Even if I’m late, this is important." Jiang Wang gazed at her flushed face. "Comrade Su Linjin, will you?"

She didn't pull her hand away—isn't that answer enough?

Su Linjin had never experienced such a scene in both her lives. Her heart felt like an egg floating in a hot spring, bobbing and sinking, yet every part of her felt utterly soothed and comfortable.

Then let's do this!

She had watched plenty of Korean dramas—when it came to theoretical knowledge, this inexperienced man from two lifetimes was no match for her!

"Do you agree?" He cupped her hand, lowering his voice as he asked. His breath, warm and damp, brushed against her fingertips, sending shivers down her spine.

Su Linjin was certain she had goosebumps!

Was this really the skill of a virgin?

She was so pathetic!

"Yes! Yes, okay? Now go!" Blushing furiously, she pushed him out, but no matter how hard she tried, he wouldn't budge.

She didn’t see the expression on his face at that moment—the fire blazing in his dark eyes.

Steadying himself, he pulled her close again, stroking her hair and forehead. "Then wait for me to come back."

"Okay."

Just leave already.

But the next second, Jiang Wang lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it before reluctantly turning away. "I'm leaving."

Finally, the door closed properly.

Su Linjin’s heart wouldn't stop racing. After sitting at her desk in a daze for a long while, she huffed and pushed her book aside.

What fresh hell was this?

No wonder Emperor Tang Ming neglected his duties for his beloved—she had only had her fingertip kissed, and she couldn’t even focus on her studies anymore!

Men are dangerous, men are dangerous!

This state lasted until Jiang Lin came over to help her copy questions.

"Big sis, are you sick?" Jiang Lin pressed a small hand to her forehead.

"...Huh?"

"Why do you keep blushing?"

"These problems are impossible."

Su Linjin wore a serious expression, but inside she was screaming: It’s all your brother’s fault, all your brother’s fault!

"But... Big sis, you haven’t written a single word..."

"I wrote them in my heart."

Don’t pick up his bad habits!

Jiang Lin’s face was full of confusion.

Su Linjin closed her book. "Wanna see something exciting?"

"Yes." Jiang Lin nodded obediently.

"Come on, let’s go somewhere."

Grabbing a box of butterfly pastries from the kitchen—studying was over for today!

Meanwhile, the entrance of the Electronic Factory was packed. Workers crowding the gate were gathered around the bulletin board.

This was truly unprecedented in the factory’s history—someone had written a dazibao in blood!

And the content of the poster? A scandal shocking enough to rock history—a signed accusation against Deputy Director Jiang Yue!

When Jiang Yue and Jiang Yongyao arrived at the factory gate one after the other, they were stunned by the scene before them.

As the Deputy Director in charge of external relations, Jiang Yue assumed responsibility to enforce discipline. "Disperse! Don’t you have work to do? Latecomers will have their work points deducted—don’t come crying to me later!"

At the sound of his voice, those who recognized him began whispering among themselves.

As they whispered, they instantly cleared a path.

Jiang Yue puffed up with pride. See? One word from him, and order was restored. This was prestige, this was his reputation!

He turned and bowed slightly to his father. "Secretary, after you."

At work, he always addressed Jiang Yongyao respectfully as "Secretary."

Jiang Yongyao was also pleased. With such strong popular support for his son, it was time to assign him more tasks that the leadership would notice.

New year, new opportunities.

Jiang Yongyao smiled faintly.

Father and son walked toward the factory gate one after the other. Just as Jiang Yongyao was about to gesture for everyone to disperse, Jiang Yue spotted the bulletin board ahead.

The bulletin board was usually reserved for factory documents and newspapers. But now, where the *People's Daily* should have been posted, there was instead a large cloth.

And the words on that cloth—Jiang Yue’s pupils shrank, and he nearly coughed up blood. Was this... was this posted by Ye Xiaomo?!

His vision darkened, and he staggered backward, barely caught by Jiang Yongyao.

The crowd erupted in whispers:

"Did Deputy Director Jiang really do this? That poor girl’s virtue!"

"This is no different from the tyrants of the old society—taking liberties with a decent girl!"

"She wrote it in blood—how heartbreaking!"

"Didn’t they arrest that hooligan in Xianghua Alley before the New Year? Seems Deputy Director Jiang topped that!"

"Say what you will, if anyone dared do this to my daughter, I’d kill him!"

Jiang Yongyao also read the poster’s contents. Pulling his son inside, he finally barked an order to the gate guard: "Disperse them now. Anyone still gathered will be fined!"

The guard nodded, then grinned at the crowd. "You heard the man. Linger here any longer, and you’ll pay."

"Fine us? Let him try enforcing the rules. This is a government workplace—since when do we obey him?"

"Damn right!"

Across the alley from the electronic factory gate, Li Guoqing cracked sunflower seeds while watching the commotion, then meticulously recorded the scene in his essay notebook.

"Writing what? Can't do anything right, just good at slacking off!" Li's mother grumbled as she tidied her son's bed.

"Doing my homework," Li Guoqing replied, quite pleased with his carefully polished words. "Just wait, Mom. I'll win you ten yuan with this essay!"

Wasn't this exactly "crowds gathering," "everybody hitting a man who is down," and "scampering off like frightened rats"?

All the phrases he'd learned last semester were put to good use!

"What nonsense? Writing essays for money now?"

"Huh? Big bro's girlfriend is here too? I'll write that down."

"Big bro's girlfriend," Su Linjin, stood quietly with Jiang Lin, observing the letter written in blood on the bulletin board at the electronic factory gate.

She listened with satisfaction as the observant crowd dragged Jiang Yue's name through the mud, then snapped her fingers and whispered to Jiang Lin, "Come on, let's go pull off something big."

Jiang Lin didn't know what "pulling off something big" meant, but the look in Su Linjin's eyes was just like her brother's.

She followed Su Linjin to the wall of a quiet building.

"Hello, I'm looking for Aunt Ren."

"Comrade Ren has gone to work."

Damn, she'd forgotten. Not everyone was as free as her, and didn't have to work.

"Then her workplace address—"

As Su Linjin was reaching into her pocket for her notebook, an exclamation interrupted her: "Comrade Su?"

Turning, she saw a jeep parked nearby. The driver stepped out, took off his cap in greeting. "We met at Comrade Ren's home."

She remembered now—he was Ren Dashan's guard.

"Are you looking for Comrade Ren's daughter? I'll take you there."

With a press of the accelerator, the guard saved Su Linjin the trouble of taking the tram.

"The Women's Federation headquarters is upstairs. I won't escort you further," the guard said without fanfare before driving off.

"Sis, why are we here?" Jiang Lin asked nervously, clutching at Su Linjin's sleeve as she eyed the serious-looking officials passing by.

"Just here to pull off something big. Just you wait and see!"

Head held high, Su Linjin strode up the stairs and swung open the door to the Women's Federation headquarters.