Gu Xinmin was taken aback, immediately recalling how late Gu Ruoxi had brought breakfast that day, and how his wife had promised to make sweet and sour pork ribs and soup, but instead, she had brought steamed buns and soy milk. Gu Xinmin glared at Gu Ruoxi and asked,
"That day you said you bumped into someone at the elevator entrance and got into an argument with them, that was Xiao Fang, wasn't it?"
Gu Ruoxi lowered her head, not daring to speak, but her eyes darted around nervously. Chen Yang, observing this, smiled and said,
"Captain Gu, it's all a misunderstanding, let it go."
Gu Xinmin snorted and said,
"She's such a grown woman, yet still so reckless. I wonder when she'll ever grow up!"
Seeing Gu Xinmin scolding Gu Ruoxi like this, Chen Yang felt a little embarrassed and quickly said,
"Captain Gu, please don't talk about Ruoxi. She was in such a rush that day because she was worried you were hungry and wanted to bring you breakfast as soon as possible. Besides, we didn't do anything wrong, just a little argument. We became friends after the fight!"
*You're such a good guy!* Gu Ruoxi pouted, thinking to herself. Then she secretly glanced at Chen Yang, very curious about his experience of piloting the giant passenger plane to make an emergency landing, but since she had just argued with him, she was too embarrassed to ask, so her expression became very strange. At this moment, Yuan Fang also came up and said:
"Yes! Old Gu, stop putting on your parental airs! Ruoxi cares about you a lot!"
Gu Xinmin's expression softened slightly. Yuan Fang continued:
"Old Gu, my old company commander from my army days wants to see me at noon. I won't take you home; the company car is already downstairs, they'll take you back."
"Okay! Go ahead and do what you need to do! Don't worry about me," Gu Xinmin readily agreed.
Chen Yang took the initiative to pick up Gu Xinmin's luggage, smiling and saying:
"Let's go, Captain Gu! Congratulations on your discharge! Wishing you a speedy return to your flying post!"
"Haha! Little Fang, I appreciate your kind words!" Gu Xinmin laughed heartily. The group filed out of the ward. Suddenly, Gu Ruoxi leaned in anxiously and said,
"Dad! Don't turn around! I think I read somewhere that turning around is unlucky!"
"Pfft…" Chen Yang couldn't help but burst out laughing, while Gu Xinmin's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Seeing this, Gu Ruoxi knew she had said something wrong again, but she didn't know what she had said, looking completely bewildered.
Chen Yang couldn't help but laugh and explain,
"Ruoxi, what you meant by not turning around is when you're released from prison. When you're discharged from the hospital… I don't think there are so many rules!"
Gu Ruoxi stuck out her tongue, lowered her head to avoid Gu Xinmin's murderous glare, and followed Chen Yang at a distance. The four of them took the elevator directly to the underground parking garage, where a van sent by Luda Airlines was already waiting. Chen Yang saw Gu Xinmin and his daughter into the car and waved goodbye. Gu Xinmin rolled down the car window and said to Chen Yang,
"Xiao Fang! Come visit sometime! We all live in the same neighborhood, it's very close."
Chen Yang smiled and nodded,
"Definitely!"
…
Chen Yang's Audi Q7 SUV sped along the ring road. The headquarters of the A Group Army, where Liu Guoqiang served, was located in Zhangtai County, a suburban county under Rongcheng City. In his previous life, Chen Yang had participated in a core training program in the A Group Army while serving in the Air Force, so he was quite familiar with the roads and drove quickly.
Soon, the car arrived at the entrance of the A Group Army headquarters in Luyuan Town, on the southern outskirts of Zhangtai County. The headquarters gate was imposing, with a sentry standing tall and straight on either side, exuding a powerful and imposing presence. Five meters from the gate, there was a conspicuous yellow prohibition line, behind which was a row of barricades, immediately conveying the solemn atmosphere of a military camp. Chen Yang knew the rules and obediently parked his car behind the prohibition line. Army Group A was the only emergency mobile combat force in Southeast Province and an elite army group in the entire Southeast Military Region. The sentries were all heavily armed, and Chen Yang was absolutely certain that if his car dared to cross the prohibition line even a centimeter, the two stern-faced sentries would open fire without hesitation.
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As soon as the car came to a stop, a fully armed sergeant, dressed in woodland camouflage training uniform and high-top combat boots, with a walkie-talkie slung over his shoulder, emerged from the guard tower. He walked around the barricades to Chen Yang's car window, saluted, and said sternly:
"Comrade, this is a military restricted area. What can I do for you?"
Chen Yang handed over his ID card and said politely:
"Squad leader, I have an appointment with your Chief of Staff Liu. Could you please confirm it by phone?"
The sergeant took the ID card with both hands and said neither humbly nor arrogantly:
"Please wait a moment!"
After saying this, he returned to the guard tower, picked up the phone, and dialed Liu Guoqiang's home. After confirming the license plate number and Chen Yang's identity, he waved his hand, and two soldiers quickly moved the barricades. The sergeant then signaled that Chen Yang could enter. His ID card was left at the guard post and could only be retrieved when he came out; this was the rule, and even the chief of staff's guests were no exception.
Chen Yang stepped on the gas, and the SUV passed through the military headquarters gate and drove straight in. The army group headquarters compound was exceptionally clean, practically spotless; not a single fallen leaf could be seen on the road. Every now and then, pairs of soldiers marched in neat formation past the roadside, and on both sides of the road were orderly rows of barracks—the garrisons of the various directly subordinate units and guard units of the military headquarters.
Although Chen Yang didn't know Liu Guoqiang's address, he knew the location of the military headquarters' family compound, so he drove towards it. Rounding a low-lying area, a wide training ground came into view, where a company of soldiers was conducting tactical drills.
The Type 95 automatic rifle, light machine gun, 60mm rocket launcher, and other individual soldier equipment were displayed one after another, captivating Yuan Fang, who sat in the passenger seat. Having been away from the military for so many years, he suddenly felt the familiar, intense atmosphere of the training camp, and the prospect of seeing his old company commander, who had shown him great kindness, filled him with overwhelming excitement.
After passing the training ground, they arrived at the entrance to the military family compound. The sharp-eyed Chen Yang immediately spotted Liu Xinyao waiting at the gate. After parking the car, Chen Yang leaned out and called out:
"Xinyao!"
Liu Xinyao looked up at the sound of his voice, a fleeting hint of joy flashing across her face before her expression quickly returned to calm. She walked straight over, opened the car door, and got in. After greeting Yuan Fang, Liu Xinyao said casually:
"Chen Yang, turn left at the next intersection and keep going straight!"
"Okay!" Chen Yang was already used to Liu Xinyao's attitude. Although the relationship between Sanya and Chen Yang had improved considerably, after a few days back in Rongcheng, it seemed Liu Xinyao had reverted to her old ways. However, Chen Yang was used to this and didn't think much of it, driving onward.
After turning a corner, Chen Yang saw a villa standing not far ahead. He knew this was Liu Guoqiang's residence in the army group; he knew that leaders at the deputy army rank and above enjoyed villa housing.
Without waiting for Liu Xinyao to give directions, Chen Yang drove straight to the villa. Liu Xinyao got out of the car and led the way. Pushing open the iron gate, she turned and said,
"Please come in!"
Chen Yang and Yuan Fang followed Liu Xinyao into the villa's courtyard. It was an old-style villa from around the 1990s, without a split-level design, and the courtyard was much smaller than Chen Yang's villa in the Luhang residential area, resembling more of a farmhouse.
A cobblestone path ran through the center of the courtyard, its sides transformed into vegetable gardens. On the left, rows of vegetables grew vigorously, their green leaves vibrant and thriving. On the right, a trellis for loofahs stretched out, its dense foliage carpeting the surface, laden with loofahs of all sizes, a tempting sight.
Under the trellis sat a recliner, where a middle-aged man of about fifty, wearing the rank of major general and a Type 07 army summer uniform, sat leisurely. He had a square face, a dark complexion, and piercing eyes that exuded an air of quiet authority.
Chen Yang recognized him immediately: this general was Liu Xinyao's father, Major General Liu Guoqiang, Chief of Staff of the A Group Army. He was a prominent figure in the second generation of the Liu family within the military, a true "red second generation."
Upon seeing the two enter, Liu Guoqiang slowly stood up. Chen Yang and Yuan Fang walked up to him. Liu Guoqiang's sharp eyes were fixed on Yuan Fang's face. Yuan Fang nervously called out, "Old Company Commander!"
"Hmph! Little Fatty! You've really grown some guts now!" Liu Guoqiang sneered, staring at his former communications officer, and angrily said, "After all these years in Rongcheng, you haven't contacted me at all. Do you even respect your old company commander anymore?"
Upon hearing Liu Guoqiang's words, Chen Yang almost burst out laughing. He secretly glanced at Yuan Fang; the current Yuan Fang was well-proportioned and strong, making it hard to reconcile with the nickname "Little Fatty." Yuan Fang's expression became unnatural. In front of his old leader, he completely lost his composure as a captain, stammering, "Hehe... I didn't make a name for myself in the army, how could I have the face to see you! Besides, you're a high-ranking officer now, very busy with military affairs! I wouldn't dare trouble you, would I?"
"Nonsense! I think you're just being distant! You've forgotten your roots!" Liu Guoqiang rebuked mercilessly, "Back when you stole our cucumbers, why didn't you say you were causing me trouble?"
Seeing Liu Guoqiang bring up his embarrassing past, Yuan Fang became even more embarrassed, his face flushing red. Knowing he was in the wrong, he dared not explain further. A man in his forties, he bowed his head and repeatedly apologized like a young soldier in front of Liu Guoqiang.
Liu Xinyao seemed used to her father's behavior, standing calmly to the side, while Chen Yang held back his laughter, his expression becoming very strange. Liu Guoqiang, who had immediately launched into a tirade against Yuan Fang upon their first meeting, finally turned to Chen Yang and said with a friendly smile, "Little Fang is here too! Welcome to our home!"