Chapter 96
National Day holiday.
Yan Lei rode a 28-inch bicycle back from the Military Unit. On the day of the holiday, the family of three rode two bicycles to the county town.
In the county town, the constant attention they received often gave Qiao Wei the illusion that the couple wasn’t riding old-fashioned bicycles, but rather shiny, cool Lamborghinis or Maseratis.
There were quite a lot of people at the photo studio because of the holiday. They had to wait for an hour before it was their turn.
The family of three each took individual photos, then couple photos, and finally a family portrait.
Yan Lei was in his green military uniform, and as long as he was outside, he always kept his collar button fastened tightly, no matter what.
Qiao Wei and Xiangxiang were both wearing clean, long-sleeved white shirts.
The photographer praised them while taking the pictures: “A talented man and a beautiful woman, what a perfect match. I’m going to put these in the display window once they’re developed.”
Qiao Wei noticed that the corners of Yan Lei’s mouth never dropped; they kept curling upwards.
He even told the photographer: “My wife is a high school graduate; she works in the County Party Committee Office. She’s a talented writer.”
In this day and age, the term “talented writer” carried quite a lot of weight.
The photographer’s attitude became even more enthusiastic.
When Yan Lei took out his wallet, his movements were exceptionally smooth and fluid.
Qiao Wei was impressed by Yan Lei’s obsession with educated people.
She teased him, saying: “How about I go back to school and ask if I can get a graduation certificate?”
She was a dropout; she didn’t actually have a graduation certificate. If you really looked into it, she only had a junior high education.
She was actually half-joking. She already had a job, had the ability, was appreciated by her leaders, and even had the backing of the Military District.
A small high school diploma didn’t mean much.
But as soon as Yan Lei heard this, he immediately got excited.
“Right, that’s exactly what you should do!” he said. “How do we go about it? Do you need to take an exam?”
“…” Qiao Wei said, “I don’t know. Do you really want me to go get a graduation certificate?”
Yan Lei thought: “If it can be done, why not do it?”
He truly valued this kind of thing.
Fine then. Qiao Wei said: “I’ll call and ask tomorrow.”
As the two were talking, they both kicked up the kickstands of their bicycles, ready to ride off.
Suddenly, they realized something was wrong.
Yan Lei hurriedly put the kickstand back down, rushed into the photo studio, and quickly came back out, clutching Xiangxiang.
He scolded Xiangxiang: “Look at you, you were so busy looking at those things that you didn’t even notice your mom and dad were leaving. What would you do if you got lost?”
Although Xiangxiang had been momentarily mesmerized by the camera and the props in the studio and hadn’t realized her parents were about to leave her behind, she wasn’t foolish. She asked suspiciously: “But, when Mom and Dad leave, shouldn’t they take their child with them? Why would you leave your child behind and go off on your own?”
Yan Lei was momentarily speechless.
He placed the child on her mother’s back seat and exercised unreasonable patriarchal authority: “Stop talking nonsense, sit still.”
The family of three happily toured the county town, not only visiting the county central park but also watching a movie at the county cultural auditorium.
It was the latest movie, titled “Secret Blueprints,” an anti-espionage film.
Qiao Wei had thought such an old movie would be boring. Who knew it would actually be quite good.
The suspense was built up well, and the acting was on point. What Qiao Wei liked even more was being able to see the streetscape of a certain city during that time from the movie.
It was completely different from later generations. Qiao Wei had been to that city several times; it was a first-tier city with skyscrapers everywhere.
But at that time, the streets were still full of small houses.
Moreover, the characters inside weren’t stereotyped; the female spy was pure, beautiful, and graceful.
Unlike the ancient idol dramas of later generations, where a character would appear in black clothes, with black eyeshadow and black eyebrows that “slanted up into the temples,” almost stamping the words “I am a villain” on their face.
They also visited the Department Store.
This time they brought out four mesh bags, all filled to the brim, and hung them all on Yan Lei’s bicycle, returning home fully loaded.
Qiao Wei thought the National Day holiday had ended so happily.
In the evening, while mixing warm water to wash Xiangxiang’s feet, the child who had been quiet the whole way said: “Mom, that lady didn’t look like a bad person.”
“Which one?” Qiao Wei was confused.
Upon asking, it turned out Xiangxiang was talking about the female spy in the movie.
Qiao Wei laughed: “Of course. If she looked like a bad person, would you be fooled by her? Spies need to disguise themselves. The more capable the spy, the less they look like a bad person. Sometimes, when it’s revealed that this person is actually a spy, you might not even want to believe it.”
Xiangxiang was silent for a moment.
Qiao Wei only then noticed that something was wrong with Xiangxiang.
“Xiangxiang, what’s wrong?” she asked curiously, gently rubbing Xiangxiang’s little feet.
Thinking about it carefully, Xiangxiang had indeed been unusually quiet today. Xiangxiang was usually a very quiet child, and today was a holiday, so Yan Lei was happy, and the couple had been talking endlessly, so they hadn’t noticed that Xiangxiang had been exceptionally silent today.
Xiangxiang said: “I know a person who is a spy.”
Qiao Wei blinked.
To be honest, her first reaction was amusement. This reaction was normal; Xiangxiang was only a few years old, and to speak up and say she knew someone was a spy, especially right after watching an anti-espionage movie.
But Qiao Wei immediately remembered that there really were spies in this era. Not to mention this era, even in later generations, when she was lying on a hospital bed unable to take care of herself, she still heard the patient in the next bed scrolling through mobile news and sighing: “What era is this, and there are still so many spies.”
She even told Qiao Wei: “Everyone online is talking about this counter-espionage law.”
Qiao Wei became serious and treated what Xiangxiang said earnestly: “Oh, then who is it? Can you tell Mom?”
Xiangxiang’s mood was a bit low. It seemed like she had made a great determination, and finally said: “It’s the Old Tailor at the tailor shop.”
Qiao Wei never would have thought that the spy Xiangxiang was talking about would be this person.
Her mouth fell open, she was stunned for a moment, and asked: “Why? What makes you think the Old Tailor is a spy?”
Xiangxiang’s little face was tense, serious and earnest: “Last time at the tailor shop, I fell under the table and bumped my head. That thing was hard, like a square box.”
“Today, I saw it in the movie. It’s the radio station that the female spy used to send messages.”
“It’s exactly the same.”
Qiao Wei told herself to stay calm.
She had encountered many situations: office sabotage, office politics, the warmth and coldness of human relationships in hospital wards, but a spy… the matter of a spy was truly the first time.
It took her two seconds to calm down.
She looked at Xiangxiang carefully. Xiangxiang’s attitude was very serious, without the slightest bit of playfulness. It was clear that the child who had just finished watching an anti-espionage movie understood the meaning of “spy” very well. Especially since she was such a high-IQ child.
Qiao Wei chose to believe Xiangxiang.
Because she also thought about it: why would there be a spy in such a small town as Xiahekou?
Yes, although Xiahekou Town was not a big town. However, from the time it was chosen by the Military District as a place to settle military dependents years ago, it was no longer an ordinary town.
In ancient times, it could be called a military town.
The tailor dealt with the wives and family members of various households. Even if they were tailoring clothes for the men, it was the family members who arranged it; the men would at most tag along to get measured.
The existence of a spy in Xiahekou was logically possible.
But she stared at Xiangxiang: “Xiangxiang, why are you telling Mom only now?”
Xiangxiang had clearly realized it while watching the movie. But she had remained silent and dragged it out until now, until it was time to sleep, before finally telling her parents.
What was she hesitating about?
Xiangxiang felt a bit ashamed: “Every time I go, Grandpa gives me candy. So…”
So she hesitated. Rationally, she knew she had discovered a spy, but emotionally, she didn’t want to believe this, and even hoped it wasn’t true.
That kind old man who always touched her head, that funny old man who always made Mom burst into laughter.
Qiao Wei completely understood Xiangxiang.
She sank down and said: “I understand.”
“But, this country is protected by Dad and his comrades with their lives. If a spy steals information, it might cause many of Dad’s comrades to die on the battlefield. Therefore, no matter how upset we are, once we discover a spy, we cannot stay silent just because it’s someone we know and like. Xiangxiang, you did the right thing.”
Xiangxiang was encouraged, nodded heavily, said “Mhm,” and then asked: “Mom, what should we do now?”
What should they do?
Should they go and verify whether the thing under the table that bumped Xiangxiang’s little head was really a radio station? Or did the child see it wrong?
But Qiao Wei immediately dismissed this thought.
How to verify? It couldn’t be her and Xiangxiang going, right? That would be putting themselves in danger. She couldn’t commit such a stupid act.
While quickly drying Xiangxiang’s feet, she called out: “Yan Lei, Yan Lei! Come here for a second!”
Yan Lei came over upon hearing her: “What’s wrong? Are you done washing? I’ll go pour the water.”
“No.” Qiao Wei said to Yan Lei, “Xiangxiang discovered a spy in town.”
Yan Lei: “…”
At this moment, you could see how a professional soldier was ultimately different from the general public. Qiao Wei was still hesitating, doubting, and worried about making a mistake. Yan Lei was only stunned for a moment before becoming serious: “What’s going on?”
He didn’t think his wife or child were talking nonsense; he immediately took it seriously.
Qiao Wei explained the situation to him.
She recalled: “That day I had just taken a step, wanting to go and hug Xiangxiang out, when he suddenly rushed over. I even thought at the time that the old man was quite old, but his movements were quite agile…”
The fragments of memory supported it and became evidence.
“I was just wondering if I should find a time to confirm it, but then I felt it was dangerous, so I should tell you instead.” Qiao Wei said, “Leave professional matters to professionals. I won’t interfere.”
Yan Lei let out a sigh of relief and immediately praised her: “You are right to think that way. The enemies are all vicious; if there is such a matter, you must never rush in yourself. Leave it to me.”
Yan Lei turned and went out. Qiao Wei put Xiangxiang on the kang and followed him out.
In the main room, Yan Lei was already putting on his clothes.
“Are you going now?” Qiao Wei knew he was definitely going to report to his superiors.
“Mhm.” Yan Lei said, “That movie was released for the first time today. If we are too slow to act, and he knows that the country has made such a movie for publicity, he will definitely be more careful to cover his tracks. In such matters, we cannot drag it out; we must make a prompt decision.”
“Then what if we have wronged him?” Qiao Wei asked. She still had this worry.
Yan Lei said: “Then the three of us will go to him to make amends, apologize, and offer compensation.”
Qiao Wei nodded: “Go ahead.”
“Don’t wait for me, go to sleep first.”
Qiao Wei was woken up at dawn.
Yan Lei had returned.
He hadn’t slept all night, and there were bloodshot eyes.
“We caught him.” He said, “After Xiangxiang saw that radio, he moved it, but we still searched it out.”
So it was all true.
In the handicraft alley, the humorous Old Tailor, whose glasses were always sliding down to the tip of his nose and who was so knowledgeable and experienced, was really a spy.
This matter was too dramatic.
There was a feeling of unreality.
Qiao Wei fetched water for Yan Lei to wash his face.
Yan Lei told her while washing his face: “We interrogated him all night, and asked everything.”
The Old Tailor had an only son on the other side of the strait.
Before they retreated, his son’s superior gave him a mission and trained him to be a spy.
In order to let his son have a day to return, the Old Tailor chose to lurk in the town after the Military District was established.
Regarding leaking secrets, many people think that it must be like in Mission Impossible, using awesome means to get awesome documents to leak awesome secrets.
Actually, it’s not.
It has been popularized online that leaking secrets is often like this: Professor Wang and Professor Li meet at a snack bar outside the university and exchange pleasantries.
Professor Wang asks Professor Li when he is going on vacation.
Professor Li says, in another month and a half.
The spy disguised as the snack bar owner feeds this news back to his superiors.
Based on Professor Li’s professional field and the project he is leading, the enemy knows that our country is close to a breakthrough in a certain field, or that a certain project will be completed in another month and a half.
They might then launch sabotage against this.
Qiao Wei understood all of this.
Qiao Wei sat on the cool bed under the eaves, staring blankly at the pebble path.
She asked: “What will happen to him?”
Yan Lei knew, but seeing the expression on her face, he didn’t say it directly, only patted her head: “It depends on the intentions of the higher-ups.”
Qiao Wei sighed and nodded.
