Dare to shirk responsibility? This adorable little one will tear down your military district!

The study was dark, and the cigarette butt in Gu Changfeng's hand glowed intermittently.

Meng Yaya pushed open the door and came in, carrying a big apple in her arms and crunching it loudly. Black Wind followed behind, its tail wagging rapidly.

"Dad, are you planning to take action right now?"

Gu Changfeng stubbed out his cigarette, picked up his daughter, and placed her on his lap: "They are guilty of provoking trouble, and the evidence is conclusive."

"That won't do." Meng Yaya shook her head and took a crunchy bite of the apple.

"If we act now, they'll only be locked up for a few days at most, it won't hurt them much. Since they like making up stories, let them make them up to their heart's content."

Gu Changfeng reached out and pinched his daughter's chubby cheeks. This time, he didn't treat her like a child, but asked, "How do you want to play?"

"Let them fall into the trap." Meng Yaya put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll treat them well, make them feel like they have you under their control, and they'll demand more and more. Then we'll write it all down in black and white—that's blackmail."

……

The wind outside was howling loudly.

In the dead-end alley behind the supply and marketing cooperative, Wang Guifen and her family huddled together, frozen like quails.

Meng Jianjun's pants, which weren't completely dry, had long since frozen into a hard, unyielding sheet, causing his inner thighs to rub painfully.

"Mom, I can't go on..." Meng Jianjun's teeth chattered. "Didn't Li Aihong say she was going to bring us blankets? Why hasn't she shown up yet?"

"Send my ass! City people talk a good game, but when it comes to real trouble, they run away faster than rabbits." Wang Guifen sniffled, her heart pounding.

If Gu Changfeng really doesn't care, they'll freeze to death here tonight.

Just then, a beam of flashlight shone straight at them, blinding them.

"Who?!" Meng Jingui grabbed the broken wooden stick beside him, trembling with fright.

"I am Commander Gu's bodyguard."

Xiao Zhang, wearing a military overcoat, stood at the alley entrance with a stern face. He looked at the family's miserable state with nothing but disgust.

"The commander said that no one is allowed to wander near the military region; it affects the city's appearance. Come with me."

Upon hearing this, Wang Guifen's previously cloudy old eyes instantly lit up like light bulbs.

She slapped Meng Jianjun on the back of the head: "Did you hear that! I told you Gu Changfeng is a coward! He's scared! He's afraid we'll cause trouble again tomorrow, so he's come to beg for peace!"

Meng Jianjun perked up, no longer feeling the cold, and got up from the ground. He shamelessly approached Xiao Zhang and asked, "Comrade, did my brother ask you to pick us up and take us to stay in an apartment building?"

Xiao Zhang took a step back, avoiding the man's foul smell, and replied curtly, "Go to the guesthouse. Are you staying there or not? If not, you'll just freeze here."

"Stay! Of course we'll stay!" Afraid that Xiao Zhang would change his mind, Wang Guifen shoved her two sons and ran outside. "Tell Gu Changfeng, he's smart to be sensible! Otherwise, I'd skin him alive tomorrow!"

The group followed behind Xiao Zhang, looking proud and imposing; anyone who didn't know better would think they were generals who had won a battle.

The military district guesthouse is just on the street next to the compound. Although it's not as nice as the family quarters inside, at least it has hot water and beds.

Xiao Zhang led the person to two rooms in the far corner on the first floor, threw down two keys and a few cold steamed buns, turned around and left, not wanting to stay a second longer.

"Hey! Don't go! We haven't eaten yet! Are you trying to appease us beggars with just a few steamed buns?" Meng Jianjun shouted.

"We should be grateful we have anything to eat." Wang Guifen snatched the steamed bun, took a big bite, and her face was full of smug wrinkles. "See? That's how we hit him where it hurts! Our rumor-mongering tactic went straight to his heart!"

Upon entering the house, a warm atmosphere greeted me.

Zhang Cuihua plopped down on the soft bed, slapping her thigh with delight. "Mom, city beds are so soft! Now that Gu Changfeng is willing to let us stay, that means he's given in. Can we ask for more tomorrow?"

"More?" Wang Guifen kicked off her shoes, sat cross-legged on the bed, her triangular eyes gleaming with greed. "We want all the losses we've suffered over the past few years back! Not just money, but we also want him to do things for us!"

Meng Jingui rubbed his leg, his face vicious: "That's right! Make him hand over that bastard who broke my leg! And that Lin Wanrou, she has to serve me tea and water and kowtow to apologize!"

This family, living in their warm house, dreamt of instant success, completely unaware that they had actually jumped into a cage of their own making.

In courtyard number six.

Lin Wanrou placed the last bowl of noodles with soybean paste on the table, looking at Gu Changfeng as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

She heard the rumors circulating outside, and it would be a lie to say she wasn't upset. Especially since they involved Dr. Sun, her mentor, and she was afraid of implicating him.

"Changfeng..."

"Eat." Gu Changfeng put the chopsticks in her hand and mixed the toppings for her noodles. "Xiao Zhang just got back, and he's been put in the guesthouse as Ya Ya told him to."

Lin Wanrou was taken aback: "You brought them in?"

"That's called keeping things under your nose so you can control them." Gu Changfeng placed a piece of diced meat into Meng Yaya's bowl, his tone flat.

"Let them act however they want, and we'll respond accordingly. This is tantamount to extorting an active-duty military officer; if the amount is huge, it could be enough for a life sentence."

Lin Wanrou's hand trembled, and she almost dropped her chopsticks.

Looking at the man in front of her who was eating noodles with gusto, and then at the baby next to him who was trying to eat an apple, she realized for the first time that this father and daughter were the real "living devils".

"Mom, eat some meat." Meng Yaya put the diced meat back into Lin Wanrou's bowl, smiling innocently. "Eat more, we have to watch the monkey show tomorrow."

Gu Changfeng glanced at his daughter, and his lips twitched. This girl was even more composed than him.

"Dad," Meng Yaya finished eating the apple, threw the core into the trash can, and took out a piece of paper and a pencil from her yellow schoolbag. "I'll write down whatever they ask for tomorrow. It'll be in black and white, so they can't deny it."

Gu Changfeng nodded: "Okay."

That girl is more cunning than a sieve.

Meanwhile, at Li Aihong's home.

"Are you sure Gu Changfeng brought the person into the guesthouse?" Li Aihong was applying face cream when she heard her husband Zhang Debiao casually say this upon returning home, and she was so excited that she almost jumped up.

"Yeah, looks like Old Gu's really scared this time." Zhang Debiao unbuttoned his top button, his face full of disdain. "He usually acts all high and mighty, but when it comes to this kind of conduct issue, doesn't he have to meekly admit defeat? How can someone with such a tainted reputation be worthy of competing with me?"

Li Aihong looked at herself in the mirror and laughed until her face was contorted.

Now that Gu Changfeng has backed down, the next step is to kick that slut Lin Wanrou out of the compound. Once that's done, let's see who dares to give her a hard time!

Everyone was waiting for dawn.

Some people are waiting to get rich, some are waiting to get promoted, and some... are sharpening their knives, preparing to slaughter pigs.

The next morning, just as dawn broke.

Wang Guifen's family got up early. After a night's rest, they were full of energy, eager to rush to Gu Changfeng and take all their assets.

"I've memorized them all!" Before leaving, Wang Guifen went over the lines they had discussed the night before one last time.

"We've got nothing to lose! If Gu Changfeng doesn't agree, we'll just keep shouting at the gate! We're staying at the guesthouse now, eating and drinking his food, we can afford to wait!"

"Don't worry, Mom! I've thought it all through!" Meng Jianjun straightened his sour clothes, his face full of confidence.

The whole family marched in a large group towards the square in front of the military region's office building.

There, Gu Changfeng was leading the entire regiment of soldiers in morning exercises.

Several thousand people, in green formations, their battle cries deafening.

Seeing this scene, Wang Guifen's calves trembled slightly, but the thought of the warm guesthouse she had stayed in the previous night gave her courage again.

"Gu Changfeng! Get out here!"

Wang Guifen's shout sounded particularly jarring during the brief pause when the loudspeaker stopped broadcasting.

The playground fell silent instantly. Thousands of eyes turned to look at them.

Gu Changfeng stood on the high platform at the very front, hands behind his back, watching the group of clowns jumping around expressionlessly. He didn't move, only slightly raised his chin.

"You've come at the perfect time."

Meng Yaya, who was next to him, carefully arranged the small notebook and pencil in her hand, and even licked the pencil tip in a serious manner.

"Time to start bookkeeping."