Chapter 541-550

Chapter 541: You May Go Back First


"So the Chief Instructor was the one who took care of you?"


Gu Qingmo teased.


Gu Qingjiu looked towards her older brother and subtly threw him a wink to make him shut up!


Upon seeing Gu Qingmo's expression, Gu Qian and Chu Lian knew that this older brother was aware of their relationship.


But Qi Yuefeng clearly looked like she had no idea what was going on.


There was a wicked grin on everyone's faces, except for her mother, making Gu Qingjiu feel increasingly embarrassed.


She felt a little nervous. She wasn't so much resistant to the idea of others finding out about her and the Chief Instructor.


But for her mother to find out so quickly, she felt extremely embarrassed.


Mainly because she didn't know how her mother would think about this matter.


"Qingjiu?"


Qi Yuefeng wasn't an extremely daft person. Seeing that her daughter's expression looked a little off, add to that everyone else's teasing expressions...


Her brows furrowed as though she sensed something.


And just then, He Niancheng, who was outside the door, happened to come in with a thermos container.


At the sight of He Niancheng, everyone involuntarily straightened their bodies.


Gu Qian and Chu Lian felt their mouths subconsciously water due to nervousness.


When He Niancheng walked in, he had already changed into a fresh set of clothes.


He was now dressed in an impeccable black shirt, paired with a casual pair of pants of the same color.


Designs from a luxury brand always had an elegance one couldn't quite describe.


Such an effect was all the more strong especially when these clothes were on He Niancheng's body.


He Niancheng didn't at all appear shocked to see Qi Yuefeng and Gu Qingmo appear in the ward. He even revealed a rare smile as he greeted, "Auntie."


"Chief Instructor, why are you here?"


Surprisingly, although Qi Yuefeng sounded surprised when she greeted He Niancheng, there was also delight in her voice.


Seeing this situation, Gu Qian and Chu Lian were stunned. So they had already met each other's parents?


He Niancheng swept a calm gaze over Gu Qingjiu. Seeing that the little thing had her head lowered in embarrassment and dared not look at him straight in the eye...


He walked up to them with his countenance unchanged. "Qingjiu is sick, so I came to take care of her. Auntie, it's been a long time since we last met."


Once these words were out of his mouth, even if Qi Yuefeng wanted to pretend things were otherwise, she could no longer do so now.


She looked towards Gu Qingjiu in shock. The latter didn't dare to raise her head and look straight at her mother.


And then, Qi Yuefeng's vision turned towards He Niancheng.


There was a straightforwardness in the man's eyes, his cool aura seemingly announcing something indistinctly.


Qi Yuefeng was dazed.


No matter how dumb one was, for an instructor to take care of a female student for a night...


The situation was made rather clear.


Seeing that her mother realized what was going on, Gu Qingmo hurriedly placed his arms on her shoulders and spoke up to soothe the atmosphere. "Mom, let's sit down and chat. Why are we all standing? We don't even know how Sister caught her flu yet."


Qi Yuefeng was nudged towards the sofa to sit down in her dazed state.


He Niancheng swept a glance over at Gu Qian and Chu Lian. "If your checkup results came out fine, go back to the school first."


How could Gu Qian and Chu Lian not know what he meant? They quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, yes. Chief Instructor, we'll return right now."


The duo waved at Gu Qingjiu. "Qingjiu, bye. We're going back first."


Gu Qingjiu also responded to the two of them. She didn't dare to look at He Niancheng or Qi Yuefeng, and her smile was rather awkward. "Bye-bye. I'll return to school later as well."


Chapter 542: Interrogation From Her Mother


Once they left, Qi Yuefeng couldn't resist asking, "Instructor He, does this mean that you're still Qingjiu's Chief Instructor?"


He Niancheng responded with a calm "Mm."


Gu Qingjiu was speechless.


She knew it would be out of the bag sooner or later.


Qi Yuefeng understood completely now.


If she still didn't know about the relationship between her daughter and He Niancheng...


She would be a goon!


So it turned out that the aforementioned Chief Instructor who took care of Gu Qingjiu for an entire night was referring to He Niancheng!


He Niancheng wasn't worried about what Qi Yuefeng's thoughts about this were. Instead, he walked towards Gu Qingjiu with the thermos container.


"This is your breakfast. I asked them to buy it according to your requests. See if it's to your liking. If it isn't, I can get them to buy something else."


How could Gu Qingjiu possibly have any opinions about something like this now? She watched as He Niancheng open the thermos container and scooped out a bowl of piping hot millet porridge for her.


Ignoring her headache, she immediately propped up her body.


But because of her vigorous movement, she pulled a muscle in her head, making her shut her eyes in pain with a terrible countenance.


Qi Yuefeng instantly sat up. She took a look at He Niancheng, then with slightly trembling hands took the bowl of hot porridge from him and sat down by Gu Qingjiu's bedside. She glared at her daughter. "You're not feeling well. Mom will feed you."


Although her countenance wasn't too pleasant, there wasn't displeasure in her tone of voice.


Gu Qingjiu could only reveal a fawning smile at Qi Yuefeng.


Other than the millet porridge, the preserved carrots she requested was also there.


Apart from that, there were also several light-flavored dishes suitable for patients.


No idea where He Niancheng had asked his men to buy the food from, but it tasted extremely good.


While Qi Yuefeng fed her, Gu Qingmo started chatting with He Niancheng with a smile. "Brother He, you weren't held up because you had to take care of Gu Qingmo for an entire night, were you?"


Hearing this affectionate way of addressing He Niancheng, Qi Yuefeng instantly looked over.


Gu Qingjiu nearly spat out the porridge in her mouth. It was only with great restraint that she managed to swallow it down.


You don't feel embarrassed greeting him as 'Brother' huh!


He Niancheng didn't seem to mind Gu Qingmo's way of addressing him and merely nodded blandly. "I'm fine. Moreover, Qingjiu is the most important to me."


The moment these words came out of his mouth, the three of them quivered.


Gu Qingjiu's face turned red due to shyness.


Why didn't the Chief Instructor show some restraint in front of her mother!


No longer able to pretend to be a deaf-mute, Qi Yuefeng set down the half-filled bowl and looked towards He Niancheng. "So, the relationship between Instructor He and my daughter...?"


She asked in a rather polite manner.


After all, He Niancheng had saved Gu Hong previously and had done the Gu family a huge favor.


She always felt that it was up to her and her husband to repay the debt of kindness they owed him for helping them and had never thought of using Gu Qingjiu to repay him!


A benefactor, and a man who was going to abduct her daughter, were two different matters.


A deep glow flickered across He Niancheng's eyes that now had greater clarity. "Then what do you think is the relationship between me and Qingjiu, Auntie? Of course, I am Qingjiu's boyfriend now."


Gu Qingjiu's eyes were still greedily fixed upon that small bowl of porridge, for she hadn't eaten her fill yet.


But now that things were made so explicit, she had no choice but to clarify certain things. "Mom, I was the one who pursued the Chief Instructor. This has nothing to do with him!"


Gu Qingmo was speechless.


Qi Yuefeng was also speechless.


This useless daughter/younger sister!!


Qi Yuefeng glared at her, as though she expected better from her. If it weren't for the fact that she was a patient at the moment, Qi Yuefeng would have rapped her on her head.


"I was merely asking. Why are you so worked up?"


Chapter 543: As a Mother, It Was Only Natural That She Considers For Her Daughter


"Qingjiu's words aren't quite right."


He Niancheng suddenly spoke up. He looked towards Gu Qingjiu, his voice incredibly gentle. "If I hadn't agreed to it, Qingjiu wouldn't be my girlfriend. But since I agreed to it, of course, it also had something to do with me."


Gu Qingjiu's face exploded with redness once more.


Gu Qingmo shivered next to them.


They were bullying him for not bringing his girlfriend along!


Even at her age, Qi Yuefeng had to admit that any girl wouldn't be able to resist a man like He Niancheng after hearing these words.


But...


Qi Yuefeng frowned. Since it wasn't convenient for her to say certain things to He Niancheng, she looked towards Gu Qingjiu and said somewhat begrudgingly, "You're only 18 this year, not even 19. And you're only a first-year university student. Why are you so anxious to get into a relationship? What's more? Instructor He is an instructor. Wouldn't the two of you dating affect him?"


In the first part, she was talking about Gu Qingjiu, and in the subsequent part, she was speaking in consideration of He Niancheng.


He Niancheng didn't feel displeased hearing those words, only barely.


He Niancheng's brows creased slightly too, the dark glow in his eyes was now apparent, and he exuded a colder aura.


He was about to speak when he heard Gu Qingjiu speak up despite her embarrassment. "I was the one who liked the Chief Instructor. If I didn't pursue him, I might not have a chance in the future."


These words caused He Niancheng's tensed body to relax slightly.


Looking hopelessly at the in love Gu Qingjiu, Qi Yuefeng knew that whatever she said would be futile.


She was once Gu Qingjiu's age, so of course, she knew about their stubborn nature. Once girls at this age fall for someone, they do not heed anyone's words.


Mainly, it depended on one's temperament, and Qi Yuefeng knew about Gu Qingjiu's.


Once her daughter had made up her mind on something, she wouldn't heed their words, no matter how others tried to talk her out of it.


Just like her insistence on joining the military back then.


Honestly speaking, there wasn't any fault to find a boyfriend like He Niancheng.


But Qi Yuefeng still didn't feel very reassured. "I truly thank you on behalf of our family for your help before."


Qi Yuefeng got to her feet and looked towards He Niancheng. "But I still don't know, just what do you like about my daughter?"


Gu Qingjiu was speechless.


Why did it sound kind of funny?


Did she have no good traits that would cause the Chief Instructor to fall for her?


Next to them, Gu Qingmo laughed out loud, gloating over the situation. "Exactly. I also don't know how my younger sister got this lucky!"


If it weren't for the fact that she was ill, Gu Qingjiu would have rushed up to Gu Qingmo to bash him up.


Qi Yuefeng glared at her son for him to shut up.


"Auntie, what do you hope to hear from me? I can only say that I'm genuine with my feelings towards Qingjiu."


Genuine with his feelings.


This answer was different from what she had expected, making Gu Qingjiu freeze.


Qi Yuefeng and Gu Qingmo also felt a bit weird.


How to put it?


But looking at the resolute glow in his eyes, Qi Yuefeng didn't know what to reply to that.


She wasn't an old-fashioned mother, but then again, she wasn't so open-minded that she accepted everything her daughter did.


But regarding this matter of Gu Qingjiu dating, she wasn't very opposed to it.


It was just that the person whom she was dating surprised her way too much.


He Niancheng didn't at all look like someone a girl like Gu Qingjiu could handle.


Of course, she wasn't so stupid to ask him if he was going to marry her daughter in the future.


It was too naive. Moreover, Qingjiu was still young. As a mother, she didn't have to be so anxious about it.


Chapter 544: Of Course, She Knew What Her Mother Was Worried About


Though she didn't think their relationship would last, she wouldn't say it out loud to deal them with a blow.


Holding back these words in her heart, Qi Yuefeng glanced at Gu Qingjiu and quietly sighed.


"Alright, as a parent, there's not much I can say about your relationship. Just don't go over the line."


She held Gu Qingjiu's hand, a hint of sorrow in the depths of her eyes. "Now that you're an adult, you can decide for yourself in many matters. Mom has faith in you. I won't tell your father about this for the time being."


Gu Hong was different from her.


Gu Hong would be more agitated about this potential son-in-law than Qi Yuefeng.


Even if this person was He Niancheng.


Gu Qingjiu also felt kind of sad, but she had to speak her mind. "Mom, I'm not full yet!"


Qi Yuefeng was speechless.


Gu Qingmo burst out laughing. The displeased Qi Yuefeng picked up the bowl and continued feeding Gu Qingjiu.


Gu Qingjiu cast a glance at Gu Qingmo. Alright, go ahead and laugh. God knows how that matter between him and Sister Wange was going to end up.


When Qi Yuefeng came to know about that, she wouldn't be in the mood to bother about her and He Niancheng.


She could see certain things quite clearly.


The Chief Instructor was extremely good to her, so good that one couldn't find any fault with it.


The luckiest thing that could happen to a girl was to meet a person who was true to her and whom she also liked, wasn't it?


At the thought of this, Gu Qingjiu looked towards He Niancheng, who was standing by the side.


His eyes were extremely calm, as though the conversation earlier didn't have any effect on his mood.


But after he took a look at Gu Qingjiu, he left the room.


Gu Qingjiu paused.


Seeing the duo's interaction, Gu Qingmo seemed to sense something. He gestured an "ok" hand gesture at Gu Qingjiu, then followed He Niancheng out.


Once they left, Gu Qingjiu looked towards Qi Yuefeng. "Mom, were those words earlier meant for the Chief Instructor's ears?"


Qi Yuefeng glanced at her. "So what if it was?"


She was her daughter. Of course, she had to remind the guy about certain things.


"Chief Instructor is not the sort of person..."


Who was irresponsible.


However, since Qi Yuefeng didn't know about a lot of stuff, she definitely wouldn't believe Gu Qingjiu based on her words.


In Qi Yuefeng's heart, Gu Qingjiu was still too young.


What could she possibly know?


She was merely a kid who acted based on her whims and likes.


It was what Qi Yuefeng thought.


"Not what?"


It was rare for Qi Yuefeng to put up such a firm attitude. "Gu Qingjiu, how old are you?"


"Of course, I know he is not bad. Since you can tell, Mom can tell as well."


"But? Your life isn't simply over after you meet a guy who is not bad."


"You're only 18, not even halfway through your life. You haven't experienced many matters. How can you determine your life to go forward based on your whims and likes? There are far more accidents in this world than you can imagine. Do you know what Mom's biggest worry is? He's at least seven years older than you. Moreover, one look and I can tell this Instructor He doesn't belong to the same world as us."


"The scariest thing in this world is for two people from families of unequal statuses to be together!"


She said in a powerful voice.


Each word rapped upon Gu Qingjiu's heart.


She understood! How could she not understand this!


Of course, she knew what Qi Yuefeng was worried about.


Chapter 545: Conversation


But how could she tell Qi Yuefeng?


If it were the Gu Qingjiu of the past, of course, she would choose to heed her mother's advice.


But she was no longer that genuinely 18 years old, innocent Gu Qingjiu, who didn't know about the ways of the world.


Ever since she was reborn, many things have changed.


If it was her in the past, could she have fallen for the Chief Instructor so fearlessly?


It was a question that didn't require thinking. If it weren't for those accidents, she and the Chief Instructor might not even have had a chance to meet.


Much less fall in love.


"Mom, I understand everything that you said."


With her voice slightly trembling, she lowered her head and ate. "There are indeed many accidents in this world. It is why we should just let things take their natural course."


"The Chief Instructor and I are not at that stage yet. You're the one who's worrying too much."


No idea why, but she felt sorrowful when she said this.


Precisely because of how different she was from He Niancheng, she didn't even dare to think about such matters.


Seeing her daughter in this dejected manner, Qi Yuefeng's heart started aching. "Mom is just considering it on your behalf. I won't stop you whatever you wish to do. I only hope that you..."


She wasn't able to finish her sentence.


Although she said that for her daughter's sake, how would she know what had already happened in real life?


Just like the future, it was filled with many possibilities.


Who knew what would happen?


She set down the bowl and hugged Gu Qingjiu.


Her eyes were slightly moist.


After all, this was her daughter, the daughter she forever wanted to give everything to.


Even if she wasn't her biological daughter, what did it matter?


...


Gu Qingmo and He Niancheng went outside.


They sat down on the long bench in the hospital lobby.


He Niancheng's perfect and gorgeous face attracted the attention of many passersby.


Most people around were either soldiers or their kin. Some of them knew He Niancheng, but even those who didn't know him couldn't help but wonder how someone could be that handsome!


"Brother He, my mom is a bit rash at times. After all, she's my younger sister. I hope you can understand."


Gu Qingmo followed him out, and the two men sat down and started this rare chat.


When he heard this, He Niancheng slightly pursed his thin lips. "I won't mind Auntie for saying this."


If it was in the past, someone like Gu Qingmo wasn't even qualified to be near him.


But because he was the little thing's older brother, he didn't feel repulsed about that.


Such a conversation perhaps might enlighten him about certain things.


"Glad that you don't mind."


Gu Qingmo's thinking was different from his mother's.


Of course, his younger sister was more important to him.


But he could tell that He Niancheng truly treated his younger sister very well.


Since the two of them liked each other, what was the harm in them dating each other?


Of course, older people like Qi Yuefeng tend to have more qualms.


They would consider a relationship for a lifetime. As for the youngsters, they didn't think that far ahead.


"I haven't given such issues a thought regarding my relationship with my girlfriend. What I feel is that it's enough so long as the two of us are together. I was the one who pursued her, and I didn't think too much about it. Although my sister was the one who wooed you, I feel that when two people are mutually fond of each other, it's not important who chased after the other."


Gu Qingmo said it in a laid back manner. Although his values weren't very similar to He Niancheng, He Niancheng very much agreed with this point.


"Speaking of which, I seem to have heard Qingjiu say before that you're not from China, Brother He?"


Chapter 546: Relationship Totally Exposed


"Mm?"


He Niancheng didn't deny it when asked. "Mm, I'm from Penalan."


"Penalan?"


It shocked Gu Qingmo. "That's a great place."


Most importantly, citizens of Penalan received extremely good benefits.


It was also one of China's biggest trading partners.


"The company where I'm at has business with several companies in Penalan. Perhaps because there are quite a lot of Chinese in Penalan, it seems rather easy getting along with them."


"I heard from Qingjiu that you're interning at a company right now. Which brands in Penalan with whom your company does business?"


He Niancheng suddenly asked this, and Gu Qingmo gave him the names of those companies with little thought.


Following that, he changed the topic. "Back then, I also considered entering the military. But after I thought about it, I wouldn't be able to experience a rich and vibrant life if I serve in the military. I thought that with my sister's personality, she would prefer the city. Who knew she insisted on entering the military?"


Upon hearing this, a dark glow flickered in He Niancheng's eyes. "I'm very interested in hearing about Qingjiu's life in the past. Do you have the time to tell me more about it?"


Of course, he had already checked Gu Qingjiu's detailed information, but there was some stuff left out of his findings.


Surely, there couldn't have been a camera installed in Gu Qingjiu's home over the last ten years?


Subsequent information deviated too greatly from her past. Hence, He Niancheng was very keen to hear more about Gu Qingjiu's past.


Now that he had this chance, of course, he seized it and asked.


"Sure. I can tell you about it now."


Gu Qingmo didn't at all hesitate in betraying his younger sister, spilling out all the stuff that might make Gu Qingjiu want to fall out with him should she be present. "When my younger sister was little, she was an exquisite little fairy. But I have no idea why, as she entered junior high, she became more and more ugly..."


...


After spending a morning in the hospital, Gu Qingjiu more or less recovered from her flu after the IV drip.


Her head no longer ached as badly.


Qi Yuefeng took care of her in the hospital for an entire morning. Nearing noon, a nurse came by to change the medicine for her. She said that Gu Qingjiu was done with the IV drip for the day.


But she had to continue tomorrow, for this viral flu required at least three days' IV drip in the hospital.


Lest it might relapse subsequently.


So, even though Gu Qingjiu felt fine, she couldn't leave the hospital.


As for school, naturally, she applied for leave.


By noon, the students in her specialization and the shooting department more or less also found out about her falling ill.


However, some news also spread in school...


And that was the Chief Instructor of the first-year students heading to the hospital to accompany Gu Qingjiu.


The military hospital was the subsidiary hospital of the National Military University of China (NMUC).


Because of the many kin and soldiers that would visit the hospital, including students from NMUC, they started spreading this news when they saw this situation.


Hence, when Lu Yimei and the rest learned of Gu Qingjiu falling sick, they also learned of another shocking piece of news at the same time.


"You're saying Qingjiu's boyfriend is the first-year students' Chief Instructor? That mixed-blood instructor He Niancheng?"


When Lu Yixin and Zhu Yuan came back with this information, she looked so shocked it was like her eyeballs were going to pop out.


"Yeah. My friend interning at the hospital saw with his own eyes. The Chief Instructor accompanied Qingjiu in her ward. Because the Chief Instructor is so handsome, he had an especially deep impression of the incident. He just texted me about it..."


Chapter 547: Do You Like Gu Qingjiu


Zhu Yuan patted his chest and assured the authenticity of the news he brought back.


In the lobby of the Shooting Department, even Lu Yimei was shocked to hear this. "Is the Chief Instructor mad? If it's so obvious, this is going to affect him!"


Surely, the school wouldn't sit by and do nothing when they learn of this?


If two students dated each other, the school could turn a blind eye. But if an instructor was to date a student, it was a different matter entirely!


"No idea what their instructor was thinking. Not only will this be bad for him, but it will also implicate Qingjiu."


Zhu Yuan was perplexed as well.


"Not necessarily." Lu Yixin shook her head. "Qingjiu is our Shooting Department's ace, and she is about to meet with Yin Ruoyi's teacher even. The school will at most give Qingjiu a verbal warning. But it's hard to say for that Chief Instructor. If they verified this matter as factual, if I remembered correctly, they would fire him according to the military rules, right? Brother?"


Lu Yixin suddenly asked Lu Yibin, who was seated beside her.


Lu Yibin, who had been quiet before this, spoke with a rather dry throat at her question. "Yes, not only military rules, but school rules as well. Their Chief Instructor is an active-duty soldier. According to the rules, if an active duty soldier were to take up a position in a military school, they were absolutely forbidden from dating a student. Once discovered, consider their futures ruined."


Everyone fell silent instantly.


"So, this Chief Instructor had gone mad?"


Lu Yimei raised a brow and said.


"Surely not?"


Another Shooting Department member spoke up. "My younger sister is in her specialization and is also a first-year student. I heard from them that this Chief Instructor was suddenly transferred over. Rumor has it, he came from an influential background. I heard he even has some ties with the Qin family. Have you heard about what happened to Qin Huai? After getting into a conflict with Gu Qingjiu, Qin Huai was suddenly sent overseas. Gu Qingjiu doesn't have any background, so everyone said he had a trifle with an influential bigshot instead. But if it were this Chief Instructor, perhaps the rumors are real."


"They sent him away just like that?"


Lu Yimei was also shocked. "From the looks of it, this Chief Instructor has a powerful background."


"So what if he has an influential background?"


Lu Yibin frowned. "This matter is so apparent. No matter how influential he is, surely he can't disregard the sacred military rules? I don't think a soldier has yet to dare do that, right? By doing this, it is as good as implicating Qingjiu!"


Everyone: "..."


When they heard Lu Yibin's words, for some reason, everyone fell silent.


Only after a while did Lu Yixin cautiously ask, "Brother, you seem a little overly agitated. Didn't Sister say they would at most give Qingjiu a verbal warning? As for their Chief Instructor, did he upset you or something?"


"This is not a matter of upsetting me or not. I mean, he is an adult. If word gets out, how will Qingjiu face everyone?"


When Lu Yibin heard Lu Yixin's words, he seemed even angrier. He got to his feet after saying those last words, and then he simply left!


Seeing Lu Yibin leave, the rest exchanged looks with each other.


Lu Yixin looked towards her older sister with a speculative look. "Could Brother... be fond of Qingjiu?"


Once these words left her mouth, Zhu Yuan and the other shooting department members had a deep and unfathomable expression on their faces.


Lu Yimei rolled her eyes. "You only realized now?"


Lu Yixin said, "I never expected this."


"When Qingjiu just joined us, I already felt that Yibin treated her differently. But too bad Qingjiu didn't feel the same way about him."


Chapter 548: No Idea If It Would Affect Gu Qingjiu


Lu Yimei waved a hand in dismission. "If that weren't the case, I would have matchmade the two of them. Too bad Qingjiu only cared about training and viewed everyone else equally. But finding out now that she has a boyfriend, I definitely can't bring them together anymore."


"Back then, I thought Qingjiu's boyfriend was Yin Ruoyi..."


Zhu Yuan said with an emotional sigh.


Lu Yixin was speechless. "They're worlds apart, okay? Just think about it, and you'll know it's impossible. Qingjiu never even interacted with Yin Ruoyi one-on-one before. But then, my brother said something wrong. Why would she worry about reputation? If I had a boyfriend as handsome as their Chief Instructor, I would wake up from my dream laughing...."


Everyone went speechless.


Lu Yimei patted Lu Yixin on her shoulder. "Don't let your brother hear this. Else, if he wants to bash you up, I won't stop him from doing so!"


Lu Yixin said, "Hmph. When this afternoon's training ends, I'll head to the hospital to visit Qingjiu. Who else wants to come along?"


"Me, me."


"I... Feifei and the rest said they wanted to come along too. They asked us to wait, so we all could go together in the afternoon."


Zhu Yuan and several members raised their hands. Lu Yixin nodded her head.


Lu Yimei clapped. "Alright, let's all go together in the afternoon. For now, you can go about your respective businesses. Stay out of this matter, and we'll see how things go. Stop discussing it in private."


"Yes, Commander!"


"Alright, Commander!"


While this brief discussion was taking place in the shooting department, things weren't peaceful with the school's higher-ups.


When Nian Chusheng heard this news from Xiong Xuejian, he froze on the spot. "This piece of news is spreading?"


"Yes!"


Xiong Xuejian was baffled as well. "Although we could tell early on, this Chief Instructor He shouldn't have acted so rashly. It doesn't seem like his style of doing things!"


"What style is his? He's only been here for a short while, and you already understand him?"


Nian Chusheng put his hand behind his back and stared at Xiong Xuejian with fierce round eyes. "I said before, don't guess other people's intentions randomly!"


"Yes, yes, yes. You're right, Commander!"


Xiong Xuejian couldn't help but add, "I'm afraid the principal will have a hard time dealing with this matter, huh? One is an outstanding student, and the other is an instructor..."


"Gu Qingjiu can't be blamed for this. Look at that super attractive face of your Chief Instructor He. The school shouldn't have transferred such a person over!"


Nian Chusheng condemned with righteous words.


Xiong Xuejian was speechless.


He couldn't help reminding, "Gu Qingjiu and Chief Instructor He were both transferred from the Dayi military zone. Perhaps they might have had something going on even back then. Or else, why would he suddenly go from a Chief Instructor in a military zone to a Chief Instructor in a school? This is not how transfers are done."


Back then, Nian Chusheng even reminded Xiong Xuejian about this.


"You're right. Things are troublesome now."


Nian Chusheng sighed. "Now that the news has already spread, it must have reached the principal by now. How this matter gets dealt with will depend on those higher-ups. Let's wait and see what happens. Regardless, we have to at least make sure Gu Qingjiu stays with us. This incident mustn't affect her. Or else, our school, and even China, can't possibly sit by and do nothing while a genius sharpshooter like her is being suppressed."


"I'm afraid it won't work. Yin Ruoyi's teacher has already approved for Gu Qingjiu to go over to take part in the training. I wonder if this matter would affect her training."


Xiong Xuejian couldn't help but worry for Gu Qingjiu.


Chapter 549: Here to Visit Gu Qingjiu


Nian Chusheng waved a hand. "I don't think so. I'm clear about how they do things over there. The primary focus of this matter is on Chief Instructor He, and not on Gu Qingjiu. Now, we'll just have to see how the school deals with it. Just like I said, let's wait and see what happens. We mustn't interfere!"


Towards the end, he even rapped against the table to emphasize the severity of this matter.


Xiong Xuejian hurriedly promised, "Yes, yes, Commander. I'm clear on this. I'll assure the Shooting Department members right away."


Gu Qingjiu and the members of the Shooting Department got along pretty well. If this incident affected her, it might stir up some internal changes in the Shooting Department. As the direct instructor of the Shooting Department, Xiong Xuejian had to take up the responsibility of reassuring them.


After taking a shower, Gu Qingjiu ate her lunch but still didn't see the Chief Instructor anywhere.


Her phone was in the dormitory, and since Gu Qian and the rest left in a hurry yesterday, none of them brought it along for her.


But for some reason, she felt uneasy.


Her heart kept thumping, kept leaping to her throat.


Qi Yuefeng, who was seated next to her, saw Gu Qingjiu's expression and immediately knew who she was thinking of. But she deliberately chose not to talk about that. "Why, you're bored from staying here? Do you want Mom to go out for a walk with you?"


When Gu Qingjiu heard this, it occurred to her that if she went out for a walk, she might see if the Chief Instructor was still around.


Hence, she nodded. "Sure."


Qi Yuefeng supported her as she walked out in her hospital uniform, but still, she didn't see the Chief Instructor.


No longer able to hold it in, she directly asked, "Mom, where's the Chief Instructor and my older brother?"


It was rare for her to ask about her older brother.


Qi Yuefeng said helplessly, "You merely wish to ask about Instructor He, right? I don't think you care about where your older brother is. But I don't know either. I just called your brother. He said he finished speaking with Instructor He long ago, and Instructor He was called to go back to the school."


"Called to go back to the school?"


Gu Qingjiu paused. That mere sentence brought about a sudden sense of uneasiness in her for some reason.


As though something was about to happen.


But she couldn't return to school yet, so she had no means of finding out what had happened.


Could it play out like her worries—that once her relationship with the Chief Instructor got exposed, he would face severe consequences?


But she had no idea what would happen.


Previously, the Chief Instructor told her it didn't matter even if they exposed their relationship for he could handle it.


But what if he couldn't handle it?


Gu Qingjiu suddenly felt afraid.


"Qingjiu, Qingjiu..."


Qi Yuefeng reached out a hand and held Gu Qingjiu's shoulder. "What's the matter? If you're worried, then just call him and ask?"


"I fear the Chief Instructor might meet with the higher-ups right now. What if I call and he doesn't pick up?"


Gu Qingjiu sounded abnormally aggrieved when she said this.


When Qi Yuefeng heard this, her heart clenched as well.


"It's okay."


Qi Yuefeng stroked Gu Qingjiu's head. "You're not feeling well right now. You ought to focus on recuperating first. Surely he will tell you if anything happens?"


That was true.


Despite that, she couldn't help feeling uneasy.


And it even lasted until the afternoon, when the Shooting Department members came to visit Gu Qingjiu together.


Upon seeing them, Gu Qingjiu felt better.


"Qingjiu, Qingjiu, are you feeling better?"


Lu Yixin came to visit her with the other members of the Shooting Department and also brought along fruits and flowers.


Gu Qingjiu thought the scene looked a little exaggerated.


Chapter 550: Repatriated


"Bit better. If not because the doctor hasn't approved my discharge, I would have gone back now."


Gu Qingjiu said with a smile.


"Aye, that's good."


"When I heard you got sick last night, we were pretty shocked because you are so healthy. But then again, we heard it was viral. How unlucky."


Lu Yimei smiled and patted her on her shoulder.


"Yeah, I hadn't expected I would be so unlucky."


Gu Qingjiu let out a bitter chuckle. Just then, Lu Yixin suddenly spoke, "Qingjiu, we found out about you and the Chief Instructor."


"..."


Lu Yimei reached out a hand to pinch Lu Yixin. The latter pouted and broke free of her older sister.


Gu Qingjiu merely pursed her lips and revealed a faint smile. "It's nothing. It's not like I have anything to hide. It's just dating someone."


"But..."


Lu Yixin seemed somewhat sympathetic. "Qingjiu, the school sent out a notification in the afternoon. As punishment, the Chief Instructor might be repatriated..."


"Lu Yixin!"


Lu Yimei hadn't expected Lu Yixin to blurt it out.


Gu Qingjiu's face turned pale instantly.


"Repatriated? Penalan?"


Her voice was trembling.


She felt like a palm had gripped her heart...


And that made breathing an excruciating task for her.


Why was he suddenly forced to go back to his country?


"Qingjiu, are you alright?"


When Lu Yimei saw that Gu Qingjiu's expression was not quite right, she got frantic. "Yixin..."


She had wanted to say that Yixin was bluffing. But at the thought of how Gu Qingjiu would see the same notice the moment she returned to school...


She couldn't even say it out loud.


"Never mind."


Gu Qingjiu held back the pain in her heart and asked Lu Yimei directly, "Is the notice out? Did the Chief Instructor receive punishment already?"


Lu Yimei could see that Gu Qingjiu's face was deathly pale.


And her watery eyes held some despair.


Lu Yixin couldn't bear to look at her.


Despite that, she turned her head sideways and said, "Yes, but it's not a punishment from the school. I heard it's an undefiable order from the military. He violated the military rules in this matter, so he's not allowed to continue staying in China anymore."


Those from the school who saw the notice that circulated, only just found out that...


He Niancheng was actually from Penalan.


No wonder he could directly transfer from the Dayi military zone to the school in the capital.


The China higher-ups had something to do with this.


But the fact that he got into a relationship with a student directly violated China's military rules.


Naturally, he wouldn't be allowed to continue to stay in China.


Lu Yixin didn't want to tell Gu Qingjiu about it. But she knew that Gu Qingjiu would find out eventually, so she might as well tell her about it as soon as she could.


"I heard they would forcibly send him back tonight..."


Gu Qingjiu painfully closed her eyes when she heard this.


This countenance, paired with her actions, made Lu Yimei and the rest feel startled.


Suddenly, Gu Qingjiu opened her eyes once more.


However, the sorrow and despair in the depths of her eyes had vanished this time—only a distant glint remained.


But when she opened her mouth, the trembling of her voice revealed her fragility. "Can I see him before he leaves?"


"I don't think so. With the military people keeping a watch over him, you probably wouldn't be allowed to see him."


Lu Yimei held Gu Qingjiu's shoulder, looking sorry for her. "Qingjiu, nobody saw this coming."


Most importantly, they didn't understand why He Niancheng came to the hospital directly and let so many people see him when he clearly could have concealed his identity.


He didn't even attempt to hide this.


Such an outcome was somewhat expected.

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