The three of them stood under the mottled light and shadow for a long-lost meeting.
Familiar yet strange!
Looking at each other with deep meaning!
Song Shutang thought about how to face it. At this moment, he did not want to hide it. He showed his true self and glanced at Yan Qinghui and Nie Hong with suspicion in his eyes.
He knew he couldn't hide it, so he simply expressed it openly.
Yan Qinghui's eyes were also scrutinizing.
Nie Hong's expression was undisguised.
Doubt each other?
Who is acting again?
"I heard before that you had a mission, so I didn't bother you. Today I learned that you completed the mission well, which makes our team look good." Nie Hong's clean and refreshing voice was very satisfied with Song Shutang's performance.
"Not bad." Yan Qinghui seemed to cherish words like gold.
The two of them really didn't want to disturb Song Shutang's mission, just like taking care of his elder brother as usual. It seemed that there was no change but they felt there was something different.
Before Song Shutang could say anything, Nie Hong stepped forward and put his arm around his shoulders and said, "Find a place to get together."
The three of them walked to find a unique Maodu hotpot.
Before you even get close to it, the aroma is overwhelming. Chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, green onions, garlic, butter, beef, ribs, and tripe are all piled up on the table, tempting you to stop.
Nie Hong came up and took a seat and ordered dishes, including sashimi, crucian carp, duck offal, eel, tripe, various vegetarian dishes, etc.
The job of ordering food is usually Nie Hong's. Yan Qinghui never takes the initiative to order when other people are with him, and there is no need to ask his opinion. Everything is fine.
Song Shutang was always taken care of when he was young, and the food he ordered was indeed his favorite.
The food is served quickly and the fire is steaming.
The shabu-shabu dishes are indeed delicious, and your index fingers will whet your appetite.
But none of the three people during the meal mentioned the Sword Holding Group.
Song Shutang could tell that everyone was hesitant to speak, including him, but no one took the initiative to raise the topic.
Because you don't know what to say?
Insider?
Will the other party admit it after just a few words of conversation?
If that's the case, then let's not talk about it at all.
Nie Hong took the topic in another direction and said, "You have completed your mission well. What arrangements does the Intelligence Department have for you?"
"It's not clear yet."
"I guess there won't be any good arrangements."
"Yeah?"
"The headquarters is a carrot and a pit."
"I didn't think much about it when I first came here."
"It will be the same in the future." Yan Qinghui interjected.
Nie Hong nodded and said: "The directors of various divisions and section chiefs are all selected and appointed at the end. Everyone has inextricable personal connections. Either they will be transferred to other places for higher positions, or they will be dismissed for serious dereliction of duty.
Abolish the position, otherwise the position will be very stable and the people below will not even think about it.
You are also familiar with Zhu Yue, the team leader of the intelligence department. His position is that of team leader. It has nothing to do with ability but lack of position above him. If Shen Lushui does not rise, Zhu Yue will not be able to rise. How about Bao Yiwei if Shen Lushui does not move?
Move, the positions at the headquarters are very tight."
Nie Hong didn't shy away from talking about these things, and he didn't mind calling them by their names.
Song Shutang knew in his heart that Nie Hong was imparting experience to him, and was worried that he would not adapt to the work life in the government agency.
"If the position is not promoted, it will not affect the performance of one's abilities. No matter how strong one's abilities are, the superiors and leaders will still contribute. It is a pity that he can only be transferred to the field to improve his position, and he and the team leader..." Nie Hongyan paused at this point.
Yan Qinghui immediately caught the pause and said, "Nie Hong is telling you this to calm your mind."
"I know in my heart that I won't take advantage of others. How are your work arrangements now?" Song Shutang asked.
Song Shutang actually doesn't have much expectations for himself. As Nie Hong said, there are a number of positions. How can you get there if others don't leave?
Besides, he had just arrived and didn't think about this at all.
Moreover, Song Shutang did not have his eyes on power, he wanted to find the truth even more.
As for whether he will be promoted and sent out in the future, that will have to wait until the matter of the Sword Holding Team is settled.
Seeing that Song Shutang didn't care about this, Nie Hong felt relieved and replied: "I'm in the Transportation Section of the General Affairs Office. If you want to use the car in the future, come to me."
"Aren't you afraid of being caught by the section chief?" Song Shutang asked with a smile.
"Catch my brother and take it upon his shoulders."
"Where's Brother Qinghui?"
"In the Operations Branch of the Telecommunications Department."
"Let's get together more often when we have time in the future."
"There are only three of us. We should get together more often." Neither Song Shutang nor Yan Qinghui accepted Nie Hong's words.
Eating hot pot in silence.
After finishing the hot pot, Nie Hong paid the bill. Before leaving, Yan Qinghui said, "If you encounter any trouble, you can come to us."
The words are small but the meaning is clear.
It was just like what Yan Qinghui said to him when he first joined the Sword Holding Group.
The familiar feeling disappeared in a flash.
We parted ways in front of the hot pot restaurant.
After watching Song Shutang go away, Nie Hong took out a cigarette and handed one to Yan Qinghui. He lit a match for Yan Qinghui first, then brought it to his mouth to light a cigarette for himself.
Nie Hong blew out a puff of smoke and said with a smile on his face: "'Ember' has grown up, and he can hide things in his heart."
"Hidden better than you." Yan Qinghui was naturally referring to Nie Hong's subconscious mention of the word team leader.
Nie Hong held the cigarette between his fingers and said with a smile, "You can't help it."
"If the lighter doesn't work, how about using matches instead?"
"You know in your heart that the lighter was a birthday gift from Sister Ao to me. I won't use it again until the matter comes to light."
"Pretending."
"You doubt me?"
"Why don't you." Yan Qinghui held a cigarette between his slender fingers like an actor in a film company, but sparks flew from his words.
Nie Hong admitted without any cover-up: "Between Shutang and you, I was more suspicious of you. Now that Shutang has proven his innocence, your suspicion has skyrocketed."
"This sentence is also for you."
"The library won't let it go, so be careful." Nie Hong smiled.
"You should be careful about the person in the study hall." Yan Qinghui did not give in and the two of them were tit for tat.
In an instant, the two of them looked at each other, smiled, and walked towards their residence together.
There is no use in gaining the upper hand with words, the truth is the most important thing.
"I'm actually more curious about why the book hall was evacuated. You and I both know his temper, and I just can't believe it." Nie Hong looked curious as he walked on the road.
"Then why didn't you ask just now?"
"You are obviously curious, why don't you ask."
"I can bear it." Yan Qinghui choked Nie Hong with one sentence.
"I can bear it too."
"You mentioned it."
"I just mentioned it to you, but I didn't mention it to the library."
"If you mention it, you'll mention it."
"Just keep your mouth shut and I won't tell you until I figure it out. I'll choke you to death." Nie Hong gritted his teeth.
"I'll be faster than you."
"Aren't you not interested?"
"Ah."
…
…
Song Shutang ate a full stomach of hot pot tripe and walked back to the "Anti-War Room" to eat, but the churning in his stomach was obviously not as violent as the churning in his heart, and it caught people off guard.
The two brothers cared about him as always. They did not want him to be distracted during the mission and did not disturb him. After the mission, they took the initiative to see him and taught him about the problems at work.
During the meal, he deliberately did not mention the group's affairs, because he was faced with the scene of the sacrifice of his comrades, and he couldn't bear to recall it, so he tacitly agreed not to ask.
Both of them could see the suspicion in his heart, but no one was angry. Instead, there was a faint look of relief in their eyes.
Before leaving, let him speak without being polite and care as if he had not changed yesterday.
But this made Song Shutang feel confused.
Returning to the room and lying on the bed, Song Shutang cleared his mind and warned himself to remain skeptical and not to mess up until he got the truth.
