Chapter 21.1

Guan Yue’s range of activities was small, and she hadn’t offended anyone. If you really had to count, there were only two or three people who might harbor ill will toward her.

Moreover, those who knew Guan Yue had come to Qingchuan City, knew exactly where she was staying, and had the ability to stir up trouble—well, that narrowed it down to just two people.

At this moment, Gu Sui no longer had his usual relaxed and gentle demeanor. He quickly deduced who had orchestrated this disgusting incident.

Gu Sui sighed. Although he didn’t want to admit it, it was obvious that Guan Yue’s unexpected misfortune had stemmed from him.

---

Deng Weijia escorted the two of them out of the military hospital through the back door. Instead of returning to the Deng family home, he took them to a small courtyard house on the edge of the city.

Deng Weijia said, “This place used to be where my two disciples lived. They’re not in Qingchuan City at the moment, so you two can stay here for a couple of days.”

He comforted Guan Yue, “The Revolutionary Committee people might be able to flaunt their authority elsewhere, but not here. With the military stationed nearby, they won’t dare act recklessly. Don’t worry. I’ll report this to my superiors and make sure to find out who’s behind this and bring them to justice.”

Guan Yue casually nodded. If they couldn’t give him a satisfactory answer, he’d handle it himself. Whatever consequences arose weren’t his concern.

After Deng Weijia left, Gu Sui confessed to Guan Yue, “This might be my fault.”

Guan Yue wasn’t foolish. She dragged over a chair, sat down, crossed her arms, and looked up at her. “Was it one of your admirers who didn’t like me?”

Gu Sui calmly distanced himself from any such notion. “I don’t have admirers, much less someone I’d call a soulmate. As for a girl worth me cooking for, there’s only one.”

Guan Yue laughed. “So, you really do like my medicine. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have so quickly decided to take my side.”

Gu Sui smiled faintly. “If that’s what you think, sure.”

---

By this time, it was almost noon, and they needed to prepare lunch.

This small courtyard was near the edge of the city, so it was quiet and safe. However, the kitchen had little to offer—just some rice and sweet potatoes.

Guan Yue waved her hand indifferently. “That’s simple. Just get a bucket of dirt.”

Gu Sui replied, “Don’t mess around. I’ll go out and buy some groceries.”

Guan Yue spread her hands to block him. “You can’t go out and buy groceries. What if someone recognizes you? Then there’s no point in us staying here.”

Gu Sui relented. “Fine, then go inside.”

Guan Yue scoffed. “If anyone approaches, I’ll know before you do.”

Gu Sui sighed helplessly. “Little ancestor, can you just go inside?”

Guan Yue laughed heartily, “What kind of title is ‘little ancestor’?”

---

In the end, Gu Sui managed to coax Guan Yue into going inside the house.

Once the door was closed, the two started discussing what to cook for lunch.

Guan Yue pulled a handful of seeds from his pocket and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

“Mushrooms? Don’t you like mushrooms?”

“Mushrooms don’t come from seeds. That requires mycelium.”

“Then what seeds do you have?”

“Radishes, cabbages, eggplants, green beans, tomatoes… oh, and chili peppers.”

“Then how about spicy cabbage, stir-fried green beans, and shredded radishes?”

“Sounds good. But I also want tomato and egg stir-fry and braised mixed mushrooms.”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t have mushrooms?”

“If I say I have them, I have them.”

Guan Yue quickly grew fresh vegetables, clapped the dirt off her hands, and headed outside.

Gu Sui gathered the produce and walked to the kitchen, calling out, “Don’t wander too far.”

“Got it,” she replied.

Before long, Guan Yue wandered into the nearby forest.

She climbed a tree to steal some bird eggs, then gathered a variety of fresh wild mushrooms before heading back.

When Guan Yue returned, she went straight to the kitchen and dumped her haul in front of Gu Sui. “Don’t forget my tomato and egg stir-fry and the braised mushrooms.”

Gu Sui examined the wild mushrooms, a bit uncertain. “Are all these edible?”

“They’re edible. I guarantee they won’t put you in a coffin.”

Smiling, Gu Sui said, “Alright. Go outside, and I’ll call you when the food is ready.”

“Fine.”

Using all his cooking skills, Gu Sui prepared a delicious meal. Guan Yue happily dug into her favorite dishes but soon began craving her cured meat.

As they finished eating, Gu Sui set down his chopsticks. “Trust me. I’ll take care of everything here as soon as possible.”

Guan Yue waved dismissively. “Alright. If you can’t handle it, I will.”

But there was no way Gu Sui would let her handle it. He wanted her to continue living cheerfully, untainted by the messiness of the world.

Feeling tired, Guan Yue turned and went inside to rest. After tidying up the kitchen and putting away the clean dishes, Gu Sui stepped out.

---

Gu Ci, on the other side, received a call from Gu Sui just as he was leaving the hospital after changing his medication.

Gu Ci: “What did you say? You’re saying Guan Yue is a spy? Is there a spy as unmotivated as her? Even when given opportunities, she doesn’t know how to seize them.”

Hearing Guan Yue’s name, the other leaders in the temporary office quietly gathered around.

Gu Ci nodded a couple of times over the phone. “Don’t worry, leave this to me. Just take care of Guan Yue.”

After hanging up, Gu Ci cursed under his breath. “Someone, go get Zhang Yu.”

Zhang Yu, who was working at the hospital, was abruptly summoned. When she arrived, she found herself surrounded by a group of colonels and captains, with Gu Ci’s particularly sharp gaze making her uncomfortable.

Zhang Yu instinctively took a step back and turned to run.

Gu Ci stood up. “Why are you running? Did something wrong, and now you’re running? Go ahead and try—I’ll take this straight to your father.”

Zhang Yu puffed up in anger. “When did I run? You, a grown man, yelling at me like this. Am I not allowed to be scared? Is that even fair?”

“Heh, fine. Let’s be fair, then. Tell me, have you been in contact with Wang Lu recently?”

Zhang Yu denied it. “Why would I contact Wang Lu? We’ve been at odds since we were kids. Contact her? So she can see how poorly I’m doing now and laugh at me? Do I look stupid to you?”

Gu Ci sneered. “Oh, you know yourself pretty well! Alright, we get it—you’re as dumb as you say. Now spill it—what did you contact Wang Lu for?”

Zhang Yu was at her wit’s end. “Are you even listening? I didn’t contact Wang Lu!”

A colonel who had a good relationship with Zhang Yu’s father tried to calm her down. “Speak honestly. If you made the call, admit it and tell us what happened.”

Another leader kindly reminded her, “Every phone call made here, including those in Qingchuan City, is logged. Our location is sensitive, so any outbound call is monitored. Even if you don’t say anything, it’s just a matter of time before we figure it out.”

Zhang Yu, still young and inexperienced, finally broke under the combination of pressure and persuasion. She admitted to calling Wang Lu.

Gu Ci glared at her sharply. “What did you say?”

Zhang Yu avoided his gaze. “I told her Guan Yue came here to find Gu Sui, and that they’re in a relationship.”

“I didn’t even know they were in a relationship—how did you?”

“Guan Yue admitted it.”

“What?!”

Gu Ci was stunned. He decided he’d have to ask Gu Sui about this later. If the girl had already confessed, why would the guy still be shy?

Once Zhang Yu admitted the call, the pieces quickly fell into place: who had smeared Guan Yue as a spy, how they did it, and why. The whole plot unraveled swiftly.

Zhang Yu knew Wang Lu appeared generous and gentle on the surface but was actually extremely petty. After suffering a loss at Guan Yue’s hands, she was bound to find a way to retaliate. 

---

Back in Qingxi Village, even though Guan Yue rarely left the mountain, the entire commune protected her because of her miraculous medicine. Wang Lu had no way to touch her. 

But in Qingchuan City, Wang Lu saw her chance. She leveraged her family’s connections and contacted their old allies in Qingchuan. By exaggerating and twisting the facts about Guan Yue, she ensured that someone would take action against her. 

Wang Lu had done her homework. Guan Yue’s background was obscure, and it wasn’t unreasonable to suspect her as a spy. If an investigation revealed anything, it would be a bonus for Wang Lu. 

What Wang Lu hadn’t anticipated was that Guan Yue, through the Deng family, would establish connections with the military hospital. Nor had she foreseen the incredible efficacy of Guan Yue’s divine medicine powder, which earned her the strong backing of influential military leaders. 

Most shocking of all was Gu Sui’s unwavering support for Guan Yue.

The typically indifferent man took ruthless action against Wang Lu’s family without hesitation. 

One morning, Wang Lu, in a cheerful mood, opened her front door to find several military vehicles parked outside. Soldiers escorted her entire family away, saying they needed to cooperate with an investigation. 

As the reality hit her, Wang Lu’s mind cleared, and she couldn’t help but smile bitterly. That man truly had no mercy for her. 

Gu Sui had long held leverage over the Wang family. Wang Lu’s father and brother were well aware of this and had warned her not to provoke him. 

But Wang Lu didn’t believe in bad luck.

She thought if Gu Sui were truly capable, he wouldn’t have been sent to the countryside in the first place. 

Now, as the military vehicles drove toward an unknown destination, Wang Lu watched the rising sun behind her.

Yet, her path led her away from the light and into darkness.