152: Chapter 152 Flowers before the moon

*Ding.* Chu Ge picked up his phone; the screen showed an unread text message from Dilireba Nazha.

Chu Ge looked at Dilireba Nazha. She was staring at him with burning eyes, a gaze that made Chu Ge feel a bit embarrassed.

"The moonlight is so gentle. Is Academician Chu interested in going out to admire the moon?" Chu Ge smiled and replied, "Just what I was thinking!"

He looked back at Dilireba Nazha, and a flush of red appeared once again on her crystal-clear cheeks.

"Um, Mom, Dad, Nazha and I are going out for some fresh air. It's too hot in this house." Chu Ge stood up and prepared to go over to take Dilireba Nazha's hand.

"Is it hot? Brother, the air conditioning is on. Where are you going? I want to go too!"

"Go away, go away. You're everywhere." Chu Ge glanced at this third wheel and rejected her without a second thought. Dilireba Nazha chuckled foolishly from the side.

Chu Xiaowu looked at her sister-in-law suspiciously, then at Chu Ge, and pouted her lips.

"This girl just has no tact at all. Should I say she's innocent or should I say she's stupid?" Chu Ge's mother whispered to his father.

"Go ahead, stay safe. You, stay right here, you're not allowed to go anywhere." Mother Chu nodded to Chu Ge, then turned and pointed at Chu Xiaowu, shouting.

"I know!" Chu Ge thought to himself, 'What's there to be careful about? This place is sealed tight like an iron bucket. For these two days, I doubt even a thief in this county would dare to commit a crime.'

The two of them walked out of the hall. Once they reached the courtyard, Chu Ge stood still and thought for a moment while Dilireba Nazha watched him from his side.

"I've got it. I'll take you somewhere."

"Okay."

Chu Ge opened the main gate. Outside, Captain Gong turned around and looked at Chu Ge with a face full of confusion.

"Captain Gong, how many meters did you say the security perimeter was today?"

"Two hundred meters for the overt ones, and the mobile hidden sentries probably extend out to one kilometer." Captain Gong answered promptly, then looked at Chu Ge with a puzzled expression.

"That works. I'm going to the moat on the south side. It's not far from here, just a few hundred meters. Any problem?"

"No problem, I'll follow you!"

"That won't be necessary. As long as I don't leave your line of sight, it'll be fine."

"That works too. I'll arrange for the teammates in that direction to pay special attention, and the guards in other directions will move to the vicinity."

"Fine, fine. You arrange it then. Captain Gong, have you all eaten dinner?" Having finished the serious talk, Chu Ge started chatting about other things. He was afraid Captain Gong would realize what was happening and insist on following him.

"We've eaten. The soldiers took turns. We even had braised pork."

"Oh, alright then." Chu Ge was about to leave when he remembered something. He looked up at the bright moon hanging high in the night sky, then at the soldiers on guard around them.

"How many overt sentries are there?"

"Fifty people. They all came along from Yanjing."

Chu Ge nodded, whispered a few words into Dilireba Nazha's ear, and turned back inside.

A moment later, Father Chu and Chu Xiaowu followed him out. Captain Gong watched Chu Ge, wondering what this boss was up to.

"Captain Gong, take two soldiers and follow my dad and the others to buy a batch of mooncakes. Bring them back to distribute to the soldiers. We might not be able to cover the hidden sentries, but every soldier here must get a mooncake. It's the Mid-Autumn Festival, and you're still on duty here. You've worked hard."

Captain Gong finally understood what Chu Ge was doing and shook his head repeatedly.

"No need, no need. Even in Yanjing, we would be on duty. The more it's a holiday, the more we need to be alert. We're used to it, and it's not tiring. We rotate."

"This is an order!"

"Yes, Academician Chu."

"Great, great! Brother, I love you so much! You actually knew to pity me for being bored at home alone." Chu Xiaowu clapped her hands and said excitedly from the side.

"You're overthinking it. You're just being brought along to do some manual labor. It's late, so listen to Uncle Gong and Dad. Go on."

Captain Gong gave a salute and went to arrange the guard movements first. Chu Ge waved to Father Chu and Xiaowu, then turned to take Dilireba Nazha's small hand and walked toward the southern street.

A few streets south of Chu Ge's house was the moat. There were many willow trees by the river, and a small riverside park surrounded it for local residents' leisure and entertainment. Chu Ge remembered there were a few pavilions by the water.

At this time, the night breeze brushed the willows, the moonlight shone on the water, and the ripples reflected the moon.

It was indeed a good place to enjoy the cool air and admire the moon.

The two of them talked as they walked. Passing a small supermarket, Chu Ge stopped.

"Wait a moment, I'll be right back." After Chu Ge spoke, he turned and entered the small supermarket while Dilireba Nazha waited obediently outside.

Chu Ge entered the supermarket, picked out a bottle of mosquito repellent and two bottles of mineral water, and then prepared to check out.

"Auntie, how much is this?"

There was no response for a long time. Chu Ge looked up; the supermarket owner's wife was staring at him with flickering eyes and an exaggerated expression.

"Chu Ge, from Old Factory Director Chu's family? I almost didn't recognize you. Everyone's been talking about you for half the day. Good child, tell me, are those soldiers outside here to protect you?"

"Ah? Haha, yes, they are my comrades-in-arms."

"I knew it! Xiaomei, her father, come out quickly and see who's here!"

Chu Ge felt a black line float across his forehead.

*Thud, thud, thud.* After a flurry of messy footsteps, a man ran out holding a broom, followed by a plump girl with a nervous expression.

Looking at this scene, Chu Ge felt a bit awkward.

"Um, Uncle Li, long time no see. This is Xiaomei, right? She's grown so much? I remember when she was just a little tot."

"You old man, what are you doing? Still holding that broken broom! I told you to come out and see; a distinguished guest has come to our house!"

"Chu... Chu Ge?" the middle-aged man stammered, hurriedly tossing the broom aside.

"It's me, haha. The Chu Ge who used to come here every day to buy things." Chu Ge said awkwardly as he looked at the familiar yet strange middle-aged man before him.

"Haha, right, right! The one who used to trick my Xiaomei into spending 1 yuan as if it were 10. Oh right, Xiaomei, call him Brother Chu. This is your real big brother; he even held you when you were little."

"Dad! It's not like I don't know Brother Chu. He's on TV every day," the plump girl replied seriously.

As they were talking, Dilireba Nazha walked in. Perhaps because Chu Ge had been delayed for too long, the girl couldn't wait any longer.

"Chu Ge?"

"Oh, right. Auntie, Uncle, this is my girlfriend, Dilireba Nazha."

Dilireba Nazha greeted the two very politely. Chu Ge prepared to pay, but the two of them adamantly refused to take the money. Chu Ge couldn't win them over, so he had to leave it at that. After saying goodbye to the supermarket owner's family, Chu Ge took Dilireba Nazha's hand and continued toward the river.

The owner's family saw them to the door, watching the beautiful couple as they walked further away.

"Chu Ge really is a big figure now. A true dragon has emerged from our alley," the middle-aged man remarked emotionally.

"Yes, that girl is so beautiful. She looks just like the person in the picture at our house," the owner's wife said with a face full of envy.

"Mom, your eyesight! I don't know whether to praise you or scold you. The star in that picture is Dilireba Nazha. What did Brother Chu just call her?"

"Dilireba Nazha!"

"..."