The Bravest

The assassination attempt was over, and it was October. One day, Li Shiqun suddenly remembered Lin Jie and called him to his office.

"Xiao Jie is here, please sit down." The tone was very friendly.

"Director, what do you want to talk to me about?" Lin Jie was respectful as always, which was a magic weapon for a subordinate to survive. Seeing that Lin Jie did not sit down, Li Shiqun was very satisfied.

"Sit down and talk. How come you feel strange after not seeing each other for a few days? The day before yesterday, my wife was talking about why you and Wulian didn't go to see her." Li Shiqun chatted casually. "You and Wulian have reached that stage."

Lin Jie scratched his head and replied uncomfortably: "Director, you know me. I am alone now and don't even have a house. Even though the Wulian family is a branch of the Madam's family, I dare not marry into their family."

"Hahaha, I'm not daring to marry someone above my station. Then why did you come to my house with Wu Lian during the Mid-Autumn Festival? Why are you so shy?" Li Shiqun was amused by Lin Jie's words. "Don't let Wu Lian hear this, or you'll suffer. Madam said that Wu Lian complained to her, saying that you never took the initiative to ask her out. You still want her to chase you."

Lin Jie could only say no. But Li Shiqun's words reminded him that Ye Wulian and his relationship had always been initiated by the other party.

"Let's get down to business. Since you saved me that day, I will give you the rank of captain and the position of deputy section chief. Do you want to return to the action team?" Li Shiqun looked at Lin Jie with a smile and gave him a big surprise.

"Deputy Section Chief, is that true? Ahem, director, I haven't done anything meritorious, will anyone gossip about me?" Lin Jie was obviously very happy, but he had to act as if he couldn't bear it. He really was like a rookie who had not experienced much of the world. Li Shiqun saw this in Lin Jie and wanted to take him under his wing now.

"Who would say it? Who dares to say it? Don't say that I brought you to No. 76. Just say that you saved me and I have to reward you. Otherwise, people will say that I, Li Shiqun, am stingy and don't care about my own people. Just say that you want to go to that department. Don't worry about the rest."

"Hey, thank you, Director. I still want to stay in the General Affairs Office. Wu Lian said she won't let me go to the Action Team. I'm afraid she'll worry." Lin Jie thanked him quickly. Who wouldn't like to be promoted? But he still worked in the logistics department.

"You kid, you say you're afraid of death, and you put the blame on Wu Lian. Forget it, just stay in the General Affairs Office and manage the material warehouse. There's a lot of money in it, and there are many jealous people. The account can't be wrong, understand?" Afraid that Lin Jie didn't understand the relationship, he added: "Hurry up and find a few trustworthy people to replace those old people. We must have our own talents to do everything. If you have any difficulties, find Secretary Sanpu, I will make arrangements. Go to see the lady with Wu Lian tomorrow. Go and get busy."

Lin Jie returned to his office and sat silently for half an hour before calling Ye Wulian: "Wulian, let's have dinner together tonight, and then go to the movies. Of course, there will be something good. Um, I'll pick you up at 5:30. Yes, I'll be at your company at 5:30. I have nothing to do if I leave work early, haha."

After Lin Jie finished the call, he looked at his watch. It was 4:10. There was still time so he could go buy a bunch of flowers. It seemed like he hadn't bought any for Ye Wulian yet. No wonder he was complained about.

At half past five, Lin Jie arrived at Ye Wulian's company on time. It was a medium-sized shipping company that mainly ran the Shanghai-Nanjing route. It was owned by Ye Jiqing's family, and Ye Wulian worked as an accountant here.

"Wow, it seems like there is really good news. Why did you think of sending me flowers today?" Ye Wulian took the flowers with a smile on her face. She was so beautiful that Lin Jie was stunned for a moment.

"Let's go. Didn't you say you would treat me to a meal? I want to eat Western food today. You've been receiving salary for several months anyway." Ye Wulian avoided Lin Jie's gaze and changed the subject.

"Oh, let's go, I've already booked a seat."

……

"Tell me what good news you had today," the two were chatting while waiting for their meal to be served in a western restaurant.

"Oh, I got promoted. Now I'm the deputy section chief of the General Affairs Office. My salary will also increase, so I'll treat you to a meal and then go to the movies later." Lin Jie was very happy.

"You are still guarding the warehouse. If you have something to say, just tell me. I don't know you. You get off work at five o'clock every day and disappear after work. I don't know what you are busy with. You took the initiative to ask me out today, so you must have something to ask me." Ye Wulian saw through Lin Jie at a glance.

"Ha, you've seen through it. It's nothing. The director just asked you and I to go see your cousin tomorrow. You decide what gift to buy." Lin Jie was also a little embarrassed.

"Forget it. With your salary, what kind of gift can you buy? Anyway, your director is probably not here. Just buy some fruit. You can pick me up tomorrow."

The western steak was served and the two chatted casually while enjoying the food.

"Xiao Jie, where have you been these two days? I haven't seen you since that day. My cousin also said that my brother-in-law hasn't been home for two or three days. She kept asking me to go over and talk to her. What are you busy with?"

"Nothing serious. It's worse than last time. If I hadn't reacted quickly, you'd have to go to the cemetery if you wanted to see me now."

"Ah, you are on a mission again? Weren't you transferred to logistics?" Ye Wulian was startled.

Lin Jie looked up and took a look at the surroundings. The seat he booked was good, near the corner, and he could see the staircase leading upstairs, which was quite suitable for making a connection (Lin Jie was already somewhat used to it). After he felt safe, he lowered his voice and said, "Don't tell anyone. The next day, we went to catch the assassin. Of the dozen people who went in that day, I was the only one who was fine. The others were all dead."

"Ah, was the assassin caught?"

"I caught him. Why don't you care about me? I almost died." Lin Jie lowered his head deliberately, not wanting to look at the changes in Ye Wulian's expression.

"Why were you sent there? How did you escape?"

"I didn't want to go there. That Gangcun said I was a witness and put me into the special task force. He also arranged for me to participate in the raid. It was actually a feint. Fortunately, I was smart and escaped. You don't know, the Military Control Commission agents are too fierce. I saw at a glance that the man wanted to die together with Zhao Yilong, the section chief of the Intelligence Department. He was going to die and couldn't be stopped. Later, I didn't see anything wrong, so I ignored him and turned around and lay behind Zhao Yilong. Then, with a bang, everyone was blown away. Fortunately, Zhao Yilong acted as my human shield, so I saved my life."

"Ah, why are you so bad and even act as a meat shield." Ye Wulian covered her mouth and cursed with her hands.

"What's so bad about him? I've already done enough. Besides, he's just a traitor. He can die if he wants." Lin Jie said nonchalantly.

"Heh, keep your voice down. Besides, you are a traitor yourself." Ye Wulian teased Lin Jie, "They were all blown to death. How can you say you caught the assassin?"

"I am a man who has not been stained by the mud. Don't call me a traitor in the future. I will be angry with you. Or was it you who introduced me? You said you were introducing me to be a police officer."

"I originally wanted my cousin to introduce you to the police station, but then something went wrong and you were put in Unit 76. I didn't want that. You haven't told me how you caught the assassin. I was scared to death by what happened that day."

"We just caught a few people before, found clues, and ambushed them in advance. It's too easy. The Military Control Commission is powerful, but in my opinion, it's just that." Lin Jie said proudly: "Or it was intentional. Ahem, I can't say it anymore." Lin Jie let it slip and changed the subject in time, "How can a woman like you be interested in this? By the way, I want to find a few trustworthy people who are smart and capable. Does your family have one or two suitable people to recommend to me?"

Seeing that Lin Jie didn't want to talk anymore, Ye Wulian didn't ask any more questions and continued the conversation: "What do you want someone for?"

"Nothing, just being a traitor and helping me with things, sometimes it's private."

"Then I'll ask for you."

The steak took the two of them more than an hour to eat. It was getting dark. Ye Wulian was afraid that it was not safe at night, so she wanted to go to the movies during the day next time. Lin Jie insisted on sending her to her doorstep. When he was about to say goodbye, Lin Jie couldn't help but say to Ye Wulian: "Well, Wulian, I want to ask you a question. I've been thinking about it for a long time. What do you think our relationship is now?"

Lin Jie suddenly asked this question because Li Shiqun said today that Lin Jie realized that his relationship with Ye Wulian was not what he thought. Thinking about it carefully, although Ye Wulian cared about him and often asked Lin Jie out for dinner and movies, she definitely did not like him. Although Lin Jie was a single dog before, he had been in a relationship, which Lin Jie could see. In addition, the two of them had never been closer than half a meter, which was the contact distance of ordinary friends from a psychological point of view. But ordinary friends could not interact so frequently, so what made Ye Wulian so close to him?

"Ah, what? We are friends." Ye Wulian didn't react for a moment.

"Oh, nothing. I'll pick you up at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. Don't forget. I'm leaving." After Lin Jie finished speaking, he left to call a rickshaw, leaving Ye Wulian, who was still in a daze, standing alone at the door in a mess.

Watching Lin Jie leave, Ye Wulian stood quietly for a while, did not enter the house, turned around and left, turned the corner and entered an alley, came out of the alley after a few minutes, and saw that there was no one around, so she entered the alley opposite and walked to the exit at the end. Then she came back and found no one following her. She knocked rhythmically on one of the doors.

The door creaked open a little, revealing the face of a middle-aged woman. "My cousin is here," she said, letting Ye Wulian in. After the door closed, the middle-aged woman said, "It's not the right time. Old Zhou is in the attic. You go up."

Ye Wulian walked through the garden, went up to the second floor, knocked on the door a few times, and a small ladder was lowered from the attic. A middle-aged man climbed down the ladder.

"Xiao Ye, you shouldn't come at this time. Is there something urgent?"

"Old Zhou, Lin Jie may suspect me, but I can't figure out where the problem lies." Ye Wulian was a little anxious. This contact point can only be used in emergency situations. Usually, a contact signal is sent out first and then contact is made at an irregular point.

"You can still come here safely, which means the situation is not too bad. Take your time." Lao Zhou was quite calm. He poured a glass of water for Ye Wulian and signaled her not to be anxious and to drink the water first.

After drinking a glass of water, she calmed down. She was impatient and didn't keep her composure. Ye Wulian told herself that she must keep calm next time: "Lao Zhou, I was impatient. I reflected on it, but I still can't figure it out. Please help me analyze what's wrong. This is what happened. Lin Jie was promoted today. He is the deputy section chief of the General Affairs Department, in charge of all materials in the logistics warehouse, and has the rank of captain. He said that he invited me to dinner to celebrate, but in fact, Li Shiqun asked me and him to visit Ye Jiqing tomorrow. During the conversation, it was revealed that someone was captured first, and then he gave out clues and set an ambush. Later, Zhang Wu was captured. It is estimated that he made his own judgment, which is suspicious. I think what he meant was that Zhang Wu might have pretended to surrender. The original words were (Although the Military Control Commission is fierce, it is just like that. Or it is intentional, which cannot be said.)"

"What's Lin Jie's attitude today? Has there been any changes?" Lao Zhou needs to have a comprehensive understanding before he can make a judgment.

"His attitude is the same as before. There is no change. He is very disdainful of traitors. He used Zhao Yilong as a human shield to avoid the explosion during the operation. He said that the traitor died. This is his own statement. It should be the truth. Twelve people died on the 76th that day, including Zhao Yilong, the head of the Intelligence Department. I know that."

"What else did you say!"

"He also needed a few people to handle some personal matters, and arranged them to be in Room 76. He asked if there was anyone suitable in my family, and I replied that I would ask for help."

"Well, there's no problem. Then what do you base your judgment on that Lin Jie is suspicious of you?"

"When Lin Jie sent me home, he was still very normal. He just asked me a question when we said goodbye. The original words were: (Um, Wu Lian, I want to ask you a question. I have been thinking about it for a long time. What do you think our relationship is now?) I didn't react at the time, so I exclaimed, and then said (What? We are friends.) His tone was still normal, and then he said ("Oh, nothing, I will pick you up at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, don't forget. I'm leaving.") His voice and expression were normal. That was the situation at the time. I just felt that he shouldn't ask me this question. Thinking back, he should have deliberately mentioned the previous topic to test me."

Lao Zhou, after a moment of silence, suddenly asked, "Xiao Ye, do you like Lin Jie?"

"Ah, Lao Zhou, why are you talking nonsense? My superiors arranged for me to get close to him. This is my job." Ye Wulian hurriedly denied it. Besides, the special nature of her job did not allow for any emotional entanglements.

"Well, that's the problem. I told you a long time ago that you should either really fall in love with him or don't contact him too deliberately. If you contact him too frequently, and you are not in love with him, he will suspect that you are approaching him with a purpose." Lao Zhou frowned.

"Why? He and I were classmates in middle school, and we had a pretty good relationship before. If we interacted more, it wouldn't arouse suspicion."

"He's just a classmate and friend. You can introduce a job to him. At most, you can bump into him occasionally and slowly increase your contact. Not to mention that you are a girl who is better than him in all aspects. If you approach him too actively, it means you either like him or have an ulterior motive." Lao Zhou explained.

"Why couldn't Lin Jie understand that I was pursuing him when I took the initiative to contact him? Why would he be suspicious? I haven't figured this out."

"Haha, you can guess that he suspects you with just a weird question. Don't forget that Lin Jie is trained as a professional agent. You don't understand because you underestimate him. Maybe everyone ignores his professionalism and just remembers that he is a joke number 76. This impression may be left on purpose for others. Zhang Wu is a lesson."

"If it was intentional, Lin Jie hid it too well. I underestimated him. Old Zhou, I accept your criticism." Ye Wulian said sincerely: "Old Zhou, you haven't told me why Lin Jie suspected that I approached him for a purpose? Could it be that I really like him?"

"There can only be one reason. Lin Jie likes you. You have been in frequent contact with him but have kept your distance. How can you, a girl who has never been in a relationship, think you can deceive him? He may still have some illusions about you, so he asked that question to further confirm it."

"So what should I do next?"

"Don't do anything. Just interact with him as usual. Don't be too deliberate. Observe slowly and then judge the possibility of developing Lin Jie. You can decide who he wants. Don't assign our people. It's easy to make things worse. And I will report Zhang Wu's matter. Don't worry about it."

"Okay, Lao Zhou, I understand. It's getting late. I have to leave."

"be careful"