Chapter 357: Slap in the Face

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

The expression on Tian Zao’s face was stiff. She had just scolded Jiang Chuan, and Shen Mo’s response immediately embarrassed her, leaving her at a loss.

Tian Zao scrutinized the young man in front of her, frowning, certain she had never seen him before. She suspected he might be a relative of Jiang Chuan’s eldest daughter and thus her demeanor became even stricter.

She thought to herself, considering that Jiang Chuan had been busy with the resettlement of his eldest daughter’s family in Pushan Village for the past few days, the young man’s visit must have something to do with that.

Speaking in a rather unkind tone, Tian Zao said, “If you wish to settle in Pushan Village, you must follow the procedures. 1 won’t sign anything without the proper documentation.”

Shen Mo was confused by her words, thinking she was asking for some documents. So, he took out a neatly folded paper from his chest pocket and spread it out in front of Tian Zao.

Jiang Chuan glanced at it, noting that it bore the red official stamp of the government.

Jiang Chuan, not one for idle chatter, greeted Shen Mo and quickly returned to his office, knowing they had important matters to discuss.

Upon seeing the official document, Tian Zao realized her mistake. Her expression was unnatural, and she forced an awkward smile, suggesting to Shen Mo, “Let’s discuss this in my office.”

Although Jiang Chuan claimed he wasn’t curious, he couldn’t help but wonder why Shen Mo had come to the village with an official government document.

Soon, Shen Mo provided the answer.

Jiang Chuan had been in his office for over half an hour and had just made some tea when Shen Mo knocked on the door.

Holding the box of tea leaves, Jiang Chuan looked at Shen Mo, thinking amusedly, “Did he come smelling the tea? What a coincidence.”

He then fetched another clean cup, pouring Shen Mo a cup of tea and gesturing him to sit across the desk.

Shen Mo expressed his gratitude, his manners impeccable.

However, for some reason, Jiang Chuan felt a sense of unease looking at the young man, suspecting that Shen Mo had some ulterior motive in getting close.

Feeling a bit uneasy under Jiang Chuan’s intense gaze, Shen Mo nervously placed his tea cup on the desk, shrinking back, “Uncle Jiang, why are you staring at me? I’m not a criminal. 1 feel like you’re interrogating me.”

Having interrogated many suspects during his time in the army, Shen Mo was reminded of those dark interrogation rooms, although they were currently in a bright office.

Jiang Chuan withdrew his piercing gaze, offering a somewhat kind smile, “You’re overthinking it. What brings you to the village today?”

Shen Mo had a genuine purpose for his visit: the army needed a training base in the area. For the past year, he had been scouting the surrounding regions to determine the best location for a military base.

He had previously claimed to be assessing the local situation when he encountered a wild wolf during a mountain trip, but he was also evaluating the suitability of the area for a military base.

After his assessment, Shen Mo was very satisfied with the deep forest. He had drawn up topographic maps and began discussing with his superiors in the military, as well as processing various documents. Now, he was back to establish the base.

Normally, such matters would be state secrets and not openly discussed. However, the arrival of an entire division of troops to the deep mountains would be hard to hide from the villagers. The document Shen Mo handed to Tian Zao was a notice informing villagers of the army’s arrival and a request to restrict the deeper parts of the mountain to military use only.

Shen Mo briefly explained this to Jiang Chuan. Jiang Chuan’s first thought was: won’t this mean more frequent encounters with this young man?

He finally understood the source of his inner hostility: he realized that Shen Mo’s intentions weren’t pure. From the moment he met him, Jiang Chuan noticed that Shen Mo’s gaze upon his daughter was not right. He was clearly interested in her!

There’s a saying that fathers-in-law tend to view their sons-in-law unfavorably. Jiang Chuan was experiencing precisely that.

His gaze sharpened, almost as if he was ready to stab Shen Mo.

Feeling the pressure, Shen Mo swallowed nervously, wondering why, after explaining everything, Jiang Chuan’s gaze seemed even more intense.