Chapter 52

Chapter 52

"General, there's an important matter to report."

The knock on the office door interrupted their conversation.

"Wait outside," Li Xiujin said coldly.

Seeing this, Lin Ze lowered his eyes, trying to keep his tone light. "Xiu Jin, I won't keep you from your work. I'll head home first."

"I'll tell you when I get home," Li Xiujin said, his gaze lingering on Lin Ze's still-slender back despite the pregnancy, his tone softening in the end.

Lin Ze replied, "Remember to eat on time."

Upon returning home, Lin Ze sat on the sofa, staring at the television.

He now understood; the television wasn't broken.

He called a servant over. "Turn on the television."

The servant said, "The repair technician has been quite busy lately."

"I already know," Lin Ze said with a faint smile.

The servant was stunned for a moment, then adjusted the settings. The black screen lit up, every channel broadcasting news—about the Regeneration Plan, and about him.

The invitation for him to command the Regeneration Plan 2 had been conducted secretly, not widely publicized. However, once the incident with the foreign gang's attack occurred, the fact that Lin Ze was the Chief Commander could no longer be hidden, sparking public indignation.

'Rescued safely one hour after being abducted by a foreign gang, suspected of colluding with foreign elements.'

Such headlines were plastered across every news outlet. They presented logical analyses claiming his collusion with the foreign gang began seven years ago, lying dormant before cooperating again now. Many people believed it, further cementing Lin Ze's image as malicious. Being universally condemned had become his norm over the years; he was numb to it...

The only thing that truly saddened him was that Li Xiujin was being implicated because of him.

"It's been so long since the incident, why is he still safely at home instead of detained for interrogation? It must be the doing of a certain general. This general protects him so fiercely, perhaps not just because they are married, but because he is also involved in this matter... truly, birds of a feather flock together."

Lin Ze turned off the TV and returned to his room.

When Li Xiujin came back, the servant reported worriedly, "He watched the news, didn't eat dinner, and went straight to his room."

Li Xiujin hummed and went upstairs. In the dim room, Lin Ze was lying with his back to the door. Li Xiujin hugged him from behind. In the past, Lin Ze would have immediately turned around, saying shyly and gently, "Xiu Jin, you're back..."

But now, he only trembled slightly, not moving.

"I executed the criminal. The Prime Minister was furious when he found out. I promised him I would find evidence of your innocence. If I can't find it, I'll go to prison with you."

"I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd overthink it."

After explaining, Li Xiujin firmly turned him around. As soon as they were face to face, Lin Ze tightly covered his eyes with his arm.

Li Xiujin frowned, moved his arm away, and saw wet, clumped eyelashes and thin, reddened eyelids.

Tear tracks, not fully wiped away, still marked his pale face.

Li Xiujin wiped his tears clean, pressed their foreheads together, and asked hoarsely, "Why are you crying?"

"Just... my eyes are a bit uncomfortable..." Lin Ze offered a clumsy lie.

"Tell me the truth."

Lin Ze was quiet for a moment, then said tremulously, "I'm sorry... for always dragging you down..."

Sometimes, compared to love, what Lin Ze felt for him was a deep sense of guilt.

After their marriage, he had brought him so much trouble.

"Don't say such things again," Li Xiujin said sternly.

"If you dare say that again..." Li Xiujin bit his ear, "...I'll fuck you until you can't speak."

Lin Ze's sorrow was partly replaced by shame.

Li Xiujin buried his face in Lin Ze's neck, his voice muffled. "I can't let them bully you like this. Seven years ago, the Regeneration Plan was far from perfect, yet you were the first to dare lead a team there. Seven years later, pregnant, you're still dutifully helping them with their work..."

Lin Ze's eyes grew hot again. "Then how do you plan to investigate?"

"I've already ordered the mining operation to resume. The public message is that you're still in command. Whoever is hiding behind this won't be able to sit still."

"Mm, that's a good method. Then I'll go with you."

"No," Li Xiujin refused coldly.

"Xiu Jin..."

"There's no room for discussion."

"Wait at home obediently for your husband." Li Xiujin cupped his face and kissed him.

His belly was getting bigger, and the due date was approaching. Even for the baby's sake, he couldn't be traveling anymore. Worried and heartbroken, he said, "Then you must be safe..."

"Mm."

Li Xiujin looked at his eyes, washed by tears, shining like glass beads, and couldn't resist licking them.

After licking, Li Xiujin's breathing grew hot and heavy, his scorching body pressing against the pregnant belly. Lin Ze felt slightly ashamed, but he was close to giving birth and couldn't help Li Xiujin relieve his needs in the usual way. He thought for a moment, then unbuttoned his clothes, revealing his increasingly full chest, his cheeks flushing. "Xiu Jin... is it okay to use here for now?"

Li Xiujin's eyes darkened.

After it was over, Lin Ze watched him fall asleep and stayed by his side until dawn, when he opened his eyes.

Lin Ze packed a few clothes for him. "Are these enough for you to wear?"

Li Xiujin glanced at them. "Not enough."

"What else should I bring?"

"Your clothes."

His clothes...

"Do you want to take my military uniform?"

Li Xiujin didn't answer. Instead, he pressed Lin Ze against the wardrobe, kissing him while removing his underwear and stuffing it into a pocket.

Lin Ze's ears turned bright red instantly.

The car to pick him up had arrived downstairs. Lin Ze followed behind to see him off. As Li Xiujin was about to get in the car, he cupped Lin Ze's face. "I didn't take Yang Yu with me. If anything happens, find him, understand?"

"Mm."

"Wait for me."

Lin Ze's heart twinged slightly. "Mm."

Li Xiujin let go of him and turned to get into the car.

As the car started, Lin Ze chased after it, repeating the words he had said countless times: "Xiu Jin, stay safe."

Li Xiujin watched in the rearview mirror as the figure standing motionless in place gradually shrank into the distance. He closed his eyes. He had no grand ambitions; all he wanted was a warm home with his wife and child. Yet there were always people trying to stand in his way.

When he opened his eyes again, his expression had turned sinister.

Five hours later, he arrived at the snow-capped mountains.

Lu Mo approached to report: "Everyone connected to Su Wang has been taken care of. The mountains are now secured."

"What about the mining site?" Li Xiujin asked, taking off his coat.

"It's been fixed as well. Operations can resume by tomorrow at the latest."

"Pull up the map."

Lu Mo complied.

Li Xiujin studied the entire map and quickly chose an ambush location. He sent the others away, giving instructions only to Lu Mo.

Lu Mo: "Alright, I understand."

"Then, General, won't you be staying with us to guard the area?"

Li Xiujin sneered: "I want him to experience the taste of having his home raided too."

Lu Mo instantly understood what he intended to do.

Afterward, they publicly announced that both Lin Ze and Li Xiujin were continuing mining operations in the snow-capped mountains.

They waited for nearly five days. Finally, on a pitch-black night, the alarm sounded.

When a plane began circling near the mining site, Li Xiujin ordered the heavy weapons concealed in the snow to fire directly at it, shooting the plane down. After the crash, Lu Mo swiftly led a team to the scene, capturing over a dozen people, including the leader of a foreign group.

After having them detained, Lu Mo immediately contacted Li Xiujin.

Meanwhile, Li Xiujin, stationed overseas, received the news while lying in wait outside a villa. Shortly after he acknowledged it, a car drove out from the villa. The driver was a blonde, blue-eyed woman, with a young girl sitting in the back seat.

The car was quickly stopped. The mother and daughter, clearly well-protected or perhaps unaware of what the husband was involved in, were terrified at the sight of the heavily armed men and clung tightly to each other.

At this moment, Li Xiujin had no pity. He coldly ordered, "Take them away."

In the interrogation room, a handsome man with blond hair sat slouched arrogantly, making claims.

"Our plane was just passing by when you shot it down."

Lu Mo played a recording for him, silencing him, then asked, "How did you know the location discovered seven years ago?"

"Didn't I already confess? It was your Colonel Lin who told me."

"That's a lie! Our Colonel Lin doesn't even know you." Lu Mo said angrily.

A soldier examined the man's phone and came over to report to Lu Mo: "His phone has a photo with Colonel Lin."

"Is it doctored?"

"Checked. It's not."

"Bring it to me."

It was a photo from seven years ago. Lin Ze was in military uniform, while the other man wore casual clothes. Both were smiling at the camera, appearing to be on good terms.

"Convinced now?" Lei Wen said with a smug smile.

Lu Mo was absolutely certain of Lin Ze's character; he would never do such a thing. But not everyone shared his trust in Lin Ze. If this photo were made public, the charge of Lin Ze colluding with foreign groups would be firmly established.

"If you don't release me within ten minutes, this photo will be sent to all the major social media platforms in your country." Lei Wen's smile faded. "You know what the consequences will be."

Lu Mo glared at him, locked in a stalemate.

"Five minutes left."

Lu Mo tried to contact Li Xiujin, but for some reason, he couldn't get through.

"Three minutes."

"One minute."

"Thirty seconds."

Lu Mo had been a loner since childhood, with almost no friends. The first person to ever initiate a conversation with him was Lin Ze. Back then, Lu Mo was lost, and Lin Ze gently asked him where he lived and his parents' names. Even when Lu Mo remained silent, Lin Ze didn't lose patience. Instead, he held his hand, bought him lots of food, and took him to the police station.

Later, when Lu Mo showed talent in hacking, it was Lin Ze who encouraged him and eventually brought the young boy to the military academy, allowing him to study freely.

Lu Mo was utterly loyal to Lin Ze. That's why, upon hearing Li Xiujin's plan to investigate the matter thoroughly, he had, for the first time, kept it from Lin Ze and come to the mountains.

Proving collusion with foreign groups would also mean proving the murder of comrades and their mentor.

Lu Mo couldn't stand by and watch Lin Ze be framed like this.

"Three seconds left."

Lu Mo closed his eyes and ordered, "Release—"

Before he could finish, a cold voice came from the doorway: "I also have a photo for you to see, Mr. Lei Wen."

Li Xiujin walked in with two soldiers, his handsome face exceptionally grim.

Li Xiujin threw the photo in front of him.

Upon seeing his wife and daughter, the man's face turned pale.

"What have you done to them?!"

"That depends on whether you tell the truth." Li Xiujin smiled slightly.

"I'll talk. I'll tell you everything."

"The specific location of the flammable ice was told to us by someone who didn't want to show their face. Then we started stealing it. After realizing how valuable it was, that person asked if we wanted more. He said that as long as we followed his instructions, he could continuously supply us with flammable ice..."

"We captured Colonel Lin also on his orders, to solidify the claim that he was colluding with us."

Li Xiujin's expression turned icy. "What about the photo?"

"Seven years ago, I was still a colonel sent by my country for talks on methane hydrate extraction. I didn't just take a photo with Lin Ze; other colonels were also present."

"What did the voice of the person who gave you orders sound like?"

"We only communicated by phone. His voice was disguised, so I couldn’t tell."

"Where was the phone number registered?"

"Every time he called, it was from a strange string of numbers that gave no information."

Li Xiujin coldly scrutinized him for a moment before ordering, "Escort him back to HQ."

Upon returning to headquarters, Li Xiujin sent the full interrogation video to the Prime Minister.

He asked if this was sufficient to prove Colonel Lin’s innocence.

The Prime Minister did not reply, but shortly afterward, a promotion order for Lin Ze came down.

Li Xiujin sneered at the promotion order.

With the prisoner's wife and daughter still in his custody, it was clear the man genuinely didn’t know who had instructed him. Further questioning would be futile for now—it was best to wait and observe.

Li Xiujin had been away from home for over ten days. Now that things had settled slightly, he began to crave Lin Ze's scent…

He grabbed his coat, ready to rush home, but was waylaid by duties.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Lin Ze received news of his reinstatement and promotion, realizing that Xiu Jin had already cleared things up.

Afraid of disturbing Xiu Jin’s work these past few days, he hadn’t wanted to bother him with a call. Now, he quickly dialed, but no one answered. He then called Yang Yu and learned that Li Xiujin had returned and was currently at the military headquarters.

Lin Ze hurried over…

A knock sounded at the office door. Thinking it was another soldier with a report, Li Xiujin didn’t look up. "Come in."

After entering, the person remained silent.

"If you have something to say, speak up," Li Xiujin said coldly, lifting his head. Then he saw Lin Ze standing not far away, gazing at him with a gentle, longing expression.

"Xiu Jin…"

Li Xiujin's Adam's apple bobbed. As soon as he stood up, Lin Ze flung himself into his arms.

Li Xiujin cupped his face. "Did you miss me this much?"

"Yes."

"So very much," Lin Ze said, trembling.

"Xiu Jin, did you encounter any danger? Were you hurt?"

Li Xiujin didn’t answer. Instead, he drew Lin Ze onto his lap and said hoarsely, "Don’t you trust your husband?"

"I trust you…"

Seeing his worried expression, Li Xiujin tensed. He kissed Lin Ze’s cheek before taking his lips. Lin Ze was incredibly pliant, parting his lips and sliding his tongue forward.

After the kiss, feeling something pressing against him, Lin Ze whispered, "Xiu Jin, when we get home, I’ll help you…"

Li Xiujin’s eyes darkened. "How will you help?"

"However you like," Lin Ze murmured, nuzzling his cheek against Li Xiujin’s, a hint of shyness in his voice. "Anything is fine…"