Spy wars start with lurking Secretary Hong

Chapter 495 Gao Bin is having an existential crisis
"Qingqing, are you alright?"

Liu Ping called out again, her voice slightly hoarse, like rusty iron scraping against each other.

Gu Qiuyan's body trembled violently, as if she had just seen the person on the chair clearly, and her eyes instantly welled up with an incredulous redness.

In terms of acting skills, she has a natural ability to immerse herself in the role.

"Xiaoping?"
"It really is you! You... how did you get here?"

She instinctively wanted to take a step forward, but as soon as she lifted her foot, Zhou Yi beside her stopped her with a look.

Gu Qiuyan recoiled as if she had been electrocuted, and stood there timidly, stunned.

As expected, they knew each other... Gao Bin smiled coldly to himself, took out his pipe, lit it slowly, and squinted as he exhaled a smoke ring towards Liu Ping.

That was a silent signal.

Liu Ping received it, and a smile, more like a grimace, appeared on her lips.

"Qingqing, it must have been several years since we last saw each other after university, right?"

Her gaze swept over Gu Qiuyan's gorgeous mink coat and pearl earrings, and her words were tinged with sourness.

"Oh, look at me."

"You're dressed so elegantly and beautifully, my question is completely unnecessary."

"By the way, how's your son Zhang doing? You're living such a lavish life now, so Zhang must be doing pretty well too."

Xiao Zhang?

Gu Qiuyan's heart skipped a beat. She subconsciously glanced at Zhou Yi beside the interrogation table, then lowered her head in embarrassment, looking as if she couldn't bear to recall the past.

She turned to look at Gao Bin, her voice barely audible: "Section Chief Gao, I...can I not say?"

"Mrs. Zhou, you're just chatting with your old classmate, there's no need to be so formal."

"Just say what you think."

He turned to look at Zhou Yi, his tone carrying an undeniable pressure: "Captain Zhou, don't you think so?"

This is no longer a discussion, but an order.

It is implying that this is an irresistible trial.

Zhou Yi's face was grim. He nodded and said, "Qiu Yan, just say what you have to say. Section Chief Gao will uphold justice for you."

Gu Qiuyan seemed to have been driven to a corner, and suddenly became petulant, raising her voice slightly:

"Alright! Since this is an interrogation, I'll tell you everything!"

She glared at Liu Ping and said, word by word, "Yes, I did have a boyfriend named Zhang Xiangfa when I was in college!"
"He's from Harbin, Liu Ping, you've met him before!"
“But we separated later. The Captain Zhou in front of you is my current husband.”

"My mink coat and earrings were all bought by him."

As she spoke, she secretly rejoiced that when Zhang Pingru visited her in Moscow years ago, he only said his surname was Zhang for safety reasons.

Liu Ping had no idea of ​​his full name.

"Yes."

Liu Ping laughed in a sarcastic tone.

"No matter how fast time passes, everything has already changed."

"I still remember that I even squeezed into another dorm room for one night so that you two could have a nice night together, so that it would be convenient for you to go on your date."

She glanced at Zhou Yi defiantly.

As the saying goes, it's not that I'm afraid my sisters will suffer, it's that I'm afraid they'll squander money like water.

Liu Ping looked at Gu Qiuyan, who was adorned with jewels, and the man she was with was a high-ranking official in the police department.

Thinking back to the hardships he endured in Beiping, how he finally betrayed his country and joined the Kuomintang, only to live like a rat, constantly on the run, and now his life was in the hands of others.

An uncontrollable fire of jealousy ignited in Liu Ping's heart.

She was determined to expose Gu Qiuyan's past in front of this man!

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Yi's face grew even more gloomy, and his eyes were so cold they could drop ice shards.

Gao Bin was very satisfied with the result. He took out the portrait from his pocket and showed it to Gu Qiuyan.

"Mrs. Zhou, look, is it him?"

Gu Qiuyan almost gasped when she saw it.

so similar.

Liu Ping's painting is so lifelike.

I wouldn't say 80%, but it's definitely at least 60%.

Zhang Pingru and his younger brother Zhang Pingjun look alike. The portrait of Pingru shows his youthful naiveté and stubbornness, which is exactly like that of Pingjun.

Gao Bin stared intently at her with icy eyes, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Why do I feel like this person looks familiar?"

Gu Qiuyan's heart pounded wildly.

Zhou Yi once said that Gao Bin had an exceptional memory and could remember everything he saw.

He remembers perfectly clearly who he ate with at which restaurant two years ago.

If Gao Bin connects the person in the portrait with Zhang Pingjun, then his identity as "Sister Lan" may be exposed!
Don't panic.

Gu Qiuyan forced herself to calm down. She took a deep breath, raised her head, and her eyes held a perfect balance of sadness and resolve.
"That's right, it's him."

"He is my ex-boyfriend, Zhang Xiangfa."

"He used to be from Harbin, but later... later, because he offended the Japanese, his whole family was... killed at the end of 1937."

Gao Bin nodded, seemingly unsurprised by the answer.

Zhang Xiangfa.

He silently memorized the name.

He walked to the door of the interrogation room, opened the iron gate, and instructed Xiao Li outside the door: "Immediately have Section Chief Lu go to the military police headquarters to find Captain Murakami, check the files stored by the Japanese at the end of 37, and retrieve the file of a man named Zhang Xiangfa. I need it right away."

"Yes!"

The iron gate was closed again, isolating everything outside.

Gao Bin returned to the interrogation table. Too lazy to waste any more time with Gu Qiuyan, he cut straight to the point.

"Liu Ping said that when you were studying in Moscow, you took a long leave of absence and went to St. Petersburg with her to receive secret intelligence training."

"Your number is 0326."

"Mrs. Zhou, is that true?"

"no!"

Gu Qiuyan immediately retorted, her voice sharp.

"She's lying! She's deliberately trying to frame me!"

“Xu Qingqing, you…” Liu Ping became anxious and suddenly stood up from her chair.

"sit down!"

Gao Bin shouted sternly.

He tapped the table, looking at Liu Ping with a cold gaze: "Her name is now Gu Qiuyan. Also, you should call her Mrs. Zhou."

Liu Ping shuddered at his words and reluctantly sat back down, but she still wouldn't let it go.

"Yes!

"Mrs. Zhou did indeed receive training with me in St. Petersburg. We were in the same class, the sixteenth class of graduates!"
"Professor Mosilski, the school's vice dean, can testify for me; he was the one who approved our leave!"

"Liu Ping!"

Gu Qiuyan suddenly spoke, her voice filled with disappointment and heartache.

"Back when we were in school, I thought you had extreme views, but I never expected you to actually be a top vote-getter!"

Even if you have a red ticket, it doesn't matter.

"But we were classmates, there's no need for you to come all the way from Beiping to Harbin just to slander and ruin my reputation, is there?"

"Mrs. Zhou, you're still the same as before. You don't seem to talk much, but when you do, you're quick-witted and articulate."

Liu Ping sneered, her eyes filled with resentment.

"Yes, I'm staying all the way in Beiping, why would I come to Harbin?"

Am I sick?
"Isn't it because..."

Gu Qiuyan abruptly interrupted her, "Isn't it just because my man is an officer in the police department?"

"You want to survive, you want to live, so you deliberately dragged me and my man into this mess so you could get away with it and achieve your so-called 'meritorious service,' right?"

"You're talking nonsense! That's just sophistry!" Liu Ping shouted, her sore spot hit.

"Me, making excuses?"

Gu Qiuyan gave a cold laugh, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"never mind!
"I'm ashamed to talk to a woman like you who would abandon her conscience just to survive!" She took a deep breath and buried their friendship.

I also feel heartbroken and angry that Liu Ping betrayed her faith and organization.

"All right!"

Gao Bin raised his hand, stopping the argument from escalating.

He looked at Zhou Yi, who had remained silent, and asked, "Captain Zhou, what do you think?"

Zhou Yi closed the notebook on the table, his voice calm but firm:

"Section Chief, Qiu Yan is my wife, and I know her well."

"She is an honest and timid person; she can't even bear to watch a chicken being killed."

"I believe her; she won't be a red vote."

"If possible, I would like to have some more concrete evidence, rather than just listening to the one-sided statement of a person who has betrayed the Red Ticket and the Military Intelligence Bureau in succession."

"At least what she said lacks supporting evidence."

Liu Ping realized the situation was bad and panicked completely. She yelled at Gao Bin.

"Section Chief Gao!"

"Every word I said is true! Every single one is true!"

"You can ask Vice Dean Mosilski to testify!"
"Send someone to check the archives of the Soviet intelligence agency. Xu Qingqing's name and the number 0326 are definitely on the list of the sixteenth telecommunications trainees!"

"And her boyfriend! That guy named Zhang Xiangfa, he's probably a red ticket holder too!"
"Trust me, I can tell whether someone has a red ticket or not just by looking at them. That guy surnamed Zhang definitely has one too!"

Gao Bin nodded, his face expressionless.

Mosilski? A drunkard.

They also checked the Soviet intelligence archives, but there was no information about Xu Qingqing at all.

The rubbish evidence Liu Ping presented was as good as nothing. He continued in a deep voice, guiding the conversation: "When you left Moscow, who picked you up? And who assigned you jobs? Perhaps this is very important."

This question calmed Liu Ping down.

She racked her brains trying to recall, her brow furrowed.

"We were all too young back then, and we don't remember many things clearly."

"There were many comrades in Moscow at that time, and they were a mixed bunch. The people who picked us up and gave us a brief overview of our work all used pseudonyms to keep it a secret."

She pondered for a long time, and suddenly her eyes lit up.

"But I remember one of the main people in charge!"
"He has a beard, and everyone calls him Old Wen."

Gao Bin raised an eyebrow: "Draw his likeness."

Liu Ping picked up her pen, frowning as she pondered and quickly sketched on the rough paper.

Before long, a middle-aged man with a stern face, a thick beard, and a scar on his eyebrow appeared on the paper.

“Yes, that’s what Lao Wen looks like,” Liu Ping answered with certainty.

Gao Bin was extremely satisfied with the woman's skill in quickly reproducing the original image. He handed the drawing to Zhou Yi and asked with a smile, "How is it? Not bad, right?"

Zhou Yi glanced at the man, silently memorizing his appearance, and nodded, saying, "Although it's not as good as Jin Xiaoyu's blind drawing, it's already better than most people in the police department."

Gao Bin asked Gu Qiuyan, "Is there anything you want to say?"

Gu Qiuyan felt a sense of humiliation and deception. Her eyes were red and tears welled up as she glared at Liu Ping with hatred.

"I have nothing to say."

"The most beautiful time I ever had turned out to be so sordid."

"Indeed, people's hearts have changed, and the world is treacherous."

Liu Ping raised her head and looked at her coldly: "Qingqing, my comrade, stop pretending."

"We've all received special training; who can't act?"
"Just keep acting."

"Yes, you're living a good life now, so you have the right to act pitiful, since you have men protecting and doting on you."

But I didn't.

"You want to live, but I don't want to die either."

"Every step you take leaves a trace. Once you've been there, you've been there; you can't erase it."

Pointing to the portrait, Liu Ping continued, "He is Lao Wen, the person who arranged our work in Northeast China."

"According to the organization's rules at the time, those responsible for receiving people returning from the Soviet Union in North China and Northeast China were mostly people from the Manchurian Workers' Committee."

"Therefore, I suspect that this old Wen is still an important member of the Manchurian General Committee."

Gao Bin nodded in satisfaction: "This information of yours is very important."

"But unless we catch this old Wen, he's just a piece of waste paper."

He placed the portrait on the table and continued, "Here's what we'll do: you can draw a few more."

“You can draw the people who assigned you during your training, including Soviet officers.”

Liu Ping shook her head: "Soviets all look pretty much the same, I can't remember them, so they're hard to draw."

"But I might give it a try to find the person who's responsible for picking us up."

Gao Bin waved his hand: "There's no rush, you can draw it slowly later."

"Let's talk about your time in Moscow and during your intelligence training first."

Liu Ping seemed to have opened a floodgate of words and immediately began to speak.

From Gu Qiuyan's special habit of keeping a codebook to the subtle movements of her fingers when she sent telegrams, the descriptions are vivid and full of detail.

Gu Qiuyan just stood there, silently shedding tears, her eyes filled with hatred.

"Qingqing, stop pretending."

Liu Ping looked at her, a hint of smugness in her voice: "Your telegrams are better than mine, faster, and more professional."

She turned to Gao Bin and suggested, "Section Chief Gao, why don't we bring a telegraph machine and let Mrs. Zhou try it out?"

Before Gao Bin could express his opinion, Zhou Yi spoke first.

"absurd."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable coldness.

"Qiu Yan is not a red ticket, nor does she send telegrams. This is a meaningless test."

He looked at Gao Bin and continued, "Section Chief Gao, it's like someone insisting that I'm a piano master and forcing me onto the piano stand."

"Not to mention that I don't know how to play at all, even if I did, I could choose to play randomly or not play at all."

Gao Bin smiled and said, "Captain Zhou is right."

"We can never wake up someone who is pretending to be asleep."

"If someone doesn't want to do something, you can force her at gunpoint and she still won't do it."

He turned to Liu Ping: "You should think of other evidence."

As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Qiuyan's expression suddenly changed, a look of pain appeared on her face, and she cried out "Ouch!"

Zhou Yi immediately stood up to help her up, and asked anxiously, "Wh-what's wrong?"

"I...I have a really bad stomachache."

Gu Qiuyan gripped Zhou Yi's arm tightly, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.

"Zhou Yi, I...I have a terrible stomachache."

Gao Bin was taken aback at first, then his expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "Could it be that the baby has been harmed? Quick, quick, get to the hospital!"

He rushed to the door of the interrogation room and shouted, "Xiao Li! Quick! Arrange a car! Go and call Section Chief Hong over!"

Zhou Yi helped Gu Qiuyan up and said in a deep voice, "Section Chief, no need, I'll take Qiuyan to the hospital."

"fine!"

Gao Bin waved his hand, his tone anxious.

"Zhiyou has connections with the hospital, so let him go with us. More people means more help."

Hong Zhi rushed over quickly. As soon as he entered, he saw Gu Qiuyan's pale face. His face was full of anxiety, and he immediately started complaining:
"Uncle! You and Captain Zhou are really something. If you're going to interrogate her, you should at least get her a chair. There's no reason to make her stand for so long!"

Gu Qiuyan seemed to have found her pillar of support, and she secretly glanced at Hong Zhiyou with affection, a look of reassurance in her eyes.

Gao Bin witnessed all of this.

Soon, Zhou Yi and Hong Zhi carefully helped Gu Qiuyan into the car, and the car engine roared as it headed straight for the hospital.

Gao Bin stood at the entrance of the police station, watching the car drive away, feeling quite guilty.

He muttered prayers under his breath, asking the ancestors of the Gao family to protect Gu Qiuyan's unborn child and ensure that nothing bad happened to them.

What if this child really is intelligent, and what if he is a boy who died during the interrogation... then Gao Bin would be the eternal sinner of the Gao family!
Thinking about this, he was in a state of utter confusion.

An unprecedented sense of unease welled up inside him, causing him to doubt and resist his determination to investigate the red ticket for the first time.

……

come back to the office.

Gao Bin took out a sketch of Gu Qiuyan's boyfriend from the drawer and looked at it over and over again.

I've definitely seen this person before; they look familiar.

But for some reason, I just can't remember it right away.

Perhaps it was because Zhiyou returned and was doing very well in Harbin that he instinctively relaxed and began to think about retiring.

Or perhaps it's due to chronic insomnia, high blood pressure, or other conditions that he's found his mind is becoming increasingly foggy lately.

Frequent short circuits.

You can forget about something you were thinking about doing the moment you turn your head away.

Many people and things that I used to be able to easily remember, I can't recall now no matter how hard I try.

And when writing, a familiar character suddenly becomes unfamiliar, as if something is written incorrectly.

As for the ridiculous things like leaving your keys behind or not being able to find the documents you casually left behind, let's not even go there.

Suddenly, a nameless sadness welled up in Gao Bin's heart.

old.

I'm really getting old, you can't deny it.

He leaned back on the sofa, praying that nothing would happen to his child, and closed his eyes to rest while waiting for news from the hospital.

Half an hour later, there was a knock on the office door.

Lu Ming walked in with his hands in his pockets and handed over a document: "Section Chief, this is Zhang Xiangfa's information, along with a photo."

Gao Bin opened the file bag and took out the files and photos inside.

Zhang Xiangfa is indeed from Harbin, and his face does indeed bear a striking resemblance to the portrait drawn by Liu Ping.

He hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously, "Go and ask around among the people around Zhang Xiangfa."

Lu Ming nodded: "Okay."

"However, section chief, don't get your hopes up too high."

Lu Ming was very clever; Gao Bin never let him participate in the interrogation of Liu Ping from beginning to end.

Therefore, he spoke very subtly, without directly mentioning the matter of identifying Gu Qiuyan.

"This Zhang Xiangfa used to fight with a Japanese officer over a woman. Later, his whole family was killed by the Japanese. His family members were all wiped out."

"Moreover, this person is a notorious playboy."

"Not to mention that many of his neighbors have already moved away, even if some remain, there's not much of a reference point to identify them."

Gao Bin nodded: "Thank you for your hard work."

"It's not hard."

Lu Ming smiled.

"I was trained by you, Section Chief. This is just my job, nothing special."

He seemed to suddenly remember something, staring at the photo on the table and said something.

"This Zhang Xiangfa looks familiar. Let me think... I'm sure I've seen him before."

Gao Bin looked up at him.

Lu Ming stared into his eyes, and said, seemingly casually, "He looks a bit like... Zhang Pingjun!"

……

(End of this chapter)