Chapter 859: Notification of Demotion

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The train was equipped with hot water facilities. Jin Long, aware of Su Le’s need for milk, had brought along a thermos. He filled it with hot water, making it convenient for Gu Zi to prepare milk for Su Le.

Whenever Gu Zi needed to use the restroom, or when the children needed to go, a guard would accompany them. The towering presence of the guards ensured that those who had purchased standing-room tickets and were sleeping in the aisle would promptly make way, preventing any unpleasant incidents.

As the night fell, the train grew chilly. Gu Zi took out their warm clothes, dressing both herself and the children.

Su Li, tireless in his explorations, had followed Jin Long to the connecting area between the carriages. Gu Zi was at ease, knowing Jin Long was watching over him. The most worry-free of them all was Su Bing, who was either engrossed in a book or busy solving problems, flashlight in hand.

Gu Zi spent the afternoon gazing at the scenery outside the window. She found that without the distractions of a phone or internet, immersing herself in the beauty of nature was a pleasant pastime.

As darkness enveloped the train, obscuring the view outside, Gu Zi decided to retire early with Su Le.

When she awoke, it was already morning. Jin Long had purchased a chess set on the train and was engaged in a game with Su Bing. Gu Zi left them to their game, preparing milk for Su Le. By the time she was done, Jin Long was visibly stumped by the chess position Su Bing had set up, his brow furrowed in concentration, yet unwilling to concede defeat.

After watching them for a while, Gu Zi turned her attention back to the scenery outside. Her mind occasionally drifted back to the older man who had taken her on bicycle rides, a smile unconsciously playing on her lips.

Meanwhile, at the Guangcheng Hospital, Mrs. Chen had just regained consciousness. Clutching her husband’s hand, she pleaded, “You make the arrangements. I must go to the capital this time. I don’t know how badly he’s hurt. How could such a thing happen…”

As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. That morning, she had heard the news of her son leading a team into a drug dealer’s camp and had fainted. Her family had rushed her to the hospital, but the uncertainty of her son’s fate made it impossible for her to sit still.

Commander Gong was worried about his wife traveling alone, but he was unable to accompany her. He reassured her, “As soon as Elder Gao heard about this, he sent people over to check on the situation. Besides, you’ve never traveled this far before.”

Gong Xin, who had also shed tears, albeit in private, was present. Her eyes were still red and swollen. Regardless of her differences with her brother, they were siblings. She was naturally worried about him. She said to Mrs. Chen, “How can you go alone? I’ll go with you. Dad, assign two guards to us. They can escort us there.”

Upon reflection, Commander Gong realized that his daughter’s suggestion was indeed a viable solution. He had been so frantic that he hadn’t even considered it. However, as the head of the military region and the patriarch of the family, he couldn’t afford to show his desperation. If he were to lose his composure, the stability of their household would crumble.

Upon hearing of Gong Zhan’s misfortune, the Gu family was thrown into chaos. Zhang Mei was inconsolable, her face washed with tears as she lamented, “My poor Miaomiao, your life is so fraught with hardship. You’re imprisoned, and now your husband has met with such a disaster. How will you survive the days to come…”

Gu Shan’s brow furrowed in frustration. He was already vexed, and her wailing only served to suffocate him further. He had no patience to deal with Gong Zhan’s predicament. He couldn’t fathom why Elder Gao, who had initially accepted his gifts, had suddenly changed his stance.

Gu Shan had thought his promotion was imminent. He had put in so much effort and expended so many resources for this promotion, and Elder Gao was the final hurdle.

However, recently, Elder Gao’s guards had returned all the gifts he had sent. They had even sent a letter to the Military Commission. Upon receiving the letter, the Commission had immediately contacted his superiors. Not only was he not promoted, but Gu Shan had also received a demotion notice that day. It stated that he had poor conduct and was unable to manage his family members properly. This meant that all his efforts for the promotion had been in vain. Gu Shan was on the verge of passing out from rage.

Gu Shan had initially not wanted to discuss this with Zhang Mei, knowing that it would be futile. However, seeing her create a scene again, he snapped, “Before you worry about how Lin Miao will survive in the future, you should think about whether you’ve done something foolish behind my back again.”

Upon hearing her husband’s harsh words, Zhang Mei was furious. She retorted, “I saved you from a major trouble, and you call it a foolish act? Gu Zi’s adopted son went missing a while ago. If I hadn’t made our stance clear early on, stating that we wouldn’t help Gu Zi find the child, Gu Zi would have probably come knocking on our door, expecting you, her foster father, to help. You’re not even aware that Mrs. Chen also took people to help find the child. I told you, the Gong family hasn’t given up on Gu Zi yet!”

Hearing this, Gu Shan sensed a glimmer of hope. He then remembered that when he had recently visited Commander Gong, he was directly turned away by the guards at the door.