“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Gu Jianing asked as she watched him hang up his hat.
Sheng Zexi walked over, took Gu Jianing’s hand, and sat her down on the bed.
“Ningning, you and the kids need to be extra careful these days.”
“Hmm?”
Under Sheng Zexi’s explanation, Gu Jianing finally learned the reason.
It turned out that Sheng Zexi had received a notice from his superiors: a group of drug lords seemed to have fled to Huansha Island.
Gu Jianing’s heart tightened slightly at the news.
“Is it confirmed?”
“Not entirely. It’s just a possibility. Based on their escape route, fleeing to Huansha Island is one of the options—about a one-third chance.”
“So, there’s a two-thirds chance they went somewhere else?”
“Mm. But even a one-third possibility is still a possibility. These people are ruthless—they’ve committed countless crimes and even have blood on their hands.”
“According to reliable intel, they’re carrying firearms, along with a significant amount of explosives and drugs.”
Gu Jianing frowned as she listened.
“The higher-ups haven’t made this public to avoid causing panic, but they’ve advised everyone to warn their families to stay vigilant, especially to be extra cautious of strangers,” Sheng Zexi said.
“However…” Seeing the worry on Gu Jianing’s face, Sheng Zexi patted her head and reassured her, “As long as you stay within the military base, you’ll be safe.”
“No matter how bold they are, they wouldn’t dare come straight into the military zone—that would be suicide.”
“Mm, I understand.”
After their conversation, Gu Jianing called Xingxing and Yueyue over.
She didn’t mention the specifics about the group, only explaining that some bad people might have fled to Huansha Island recently.
She told them not to leave the military base without their parents and to avoid contact with strangers.
“Mom, we understand,” Xingxing and Yueyue nodded solemnly.
Over the following days, Gu Jianing could clearly sense a tense, oppressive atmosphere both inside and outside the military base.
Fortunately, after a week, the tension finally eased.
“Ningning, you don’t need to worry anymore. The superiors said they’ve received intel confirming the group likely fled to the neighboring province. There have been sightings of them there, and a covert operation is already underway.”
Hearing this, Gu Jianing let out a sigh of relief.
Though the criminals needed to be caught no matter where they fled, knowing they weren’t on Huansha Island lifted a weight off her heart.
Sure enough, the next day, the atmosphere around her noticeably lightened.
When Gu Jianing went to work at the hospital, she could see people chatting and laughing along the way, as if a collective burden had been lifted.
Another half-month passed in the blink of an eye.
Gu Jianing went to work with her seven-month baby bump.
Sheng Zexi went off for training.
Xingxing and Yueyue were sent to the kindergarten inside the military base.
At the kindergarten, the two siblings were whispering to each other.
“Brother, Mom’s birthday is in a week!” Yueyue leaned in and murmured into her brother’s ear.
Xingxing looked at her. “What are you getting at?”
“Have you prepared a gift for Mom?”
Xingxing shook his head. “No.”
“Do you want to give Mom a present?” Yueyue asked.
Without hesitation, Xingxing nodded.
Their parents always gave them gifts on their birthdays.
He remembered that last year, Dad had given Mom a gift for her birthday.
But they hadn’t.
Xingxing remembered that when they were just over a year old, they had seen Dad give Mom a gift, and Mom had been so happy.
But they hadn’t prepared anything for her, and the guilt made them cry.
In the end, Mom had them give her a kiss and told them that was their birthday gift to her.
As long as they were safe and healthy, that was the best present she could ask for.
But the siblings knew—Mom was just comforting them.
Though they had been soothed at the time, the memory had stayed with them.
And now, Mom’s birthday was approaching again.
Truthfully, Xingxing had been thinking about what gift to give Mom for the past week.
But…
“The gift I want to buy isn’t available at the supply and marketing co-op inside the military base,” Xingxing said.
“Same here. So, brother…” Yueyue’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “Should we sneak out?”
“No. Mom said there are bad people out there—we can’t leave the base.” Xingxing’s little face was stern.
“But brother, I heard those bad guys aren’t here anymore.”
Xingxing hesitated. That was true.
But…
“We can’t get out anyway. The uncles guarding the gate won’t let us leave.”
Not only would they stop them, but they’d also tell their parents.
“Then we won’t go through the gate!”
“Huh?”
Yueyue leaned in and whispered, “I know there’s a dog hole in the little woods—we can crawl through it.”
Xingxing pondered. That was a way.
But…
He still wavered.
In the end, though, the desire to get Mom a birthday gift won out.
“Fine, but we can’t go alone. We have to bring Hongying and Leiting (Thunder).”
Hongying and Leiting were two of Amber’s pups—energetic and lively.
As for why they weren’t asking Amber? Simple: if they did, Amber would never agree.
But they could sneak Hongying and Leiting out with them.
Xingxing was still cautious. At just over two years old, no matter how clever they were, if they ran into adult-sized bad guys, they’d be no match in strength.
But Hongying and Leiting were different.
Dad had trained them along with Lijian (Sharpe blade) and Shandian (Lightning). A single one of those dogs could easily handle two grown men.
So Xingxing insisted on bringing them.
“Sure! Hongying and Leiting will definitely come.”
“And we have to leave a note for Mom and Dad.”
Otherwise, their parents might think they’d gone missing.
“Mm!” Yueyue nodded emphatically.
Kindergarten let out early—by mid-afternoon, neither Sheng Zexi nor Gu Jianing would be home from work yet.
Picking up Xingxing and Yueyue fell to Amber’s four pups, taking turns in pairs.
Today, it was Hongying and Leiting’s turn.
After school, Xingxing and Yueyue walked out with their little backpacks and saw the two dogs waiting for them.
The moment they spotted the kids, Hongying and Leiting bounded over excitedly.
Soon, the four of them headed home together.
Once inside, the two little ones tore out a sheet of paper and grabbed a pen.
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