Chapter 1338: Mischief Again
Gu Nianzhi wasn’t sure, but Huo Shaoheng was well aware.
The three of them couldn’t wait any longer, so they came to visit Xie Shenxing together.
Huo Shaoheng put his arm around Gu Nianzhi’s waist and walked up the steps of the official residence together. He said softly, “They’re here to see my Granduncle.”
Gu Nianzhi had guessed it as well. She nodded without batting an eye. “Got it.”
The two of them walked into the living room together.
The center of the s.p.a.cious living room was slightly sunken, and there was a set of simple and low-key corner sofas.
Xie Shenxing sat alone with his front to the south and his back to the north. Across from him were the Huaxia Empire’s three most senior figures, all of whom were deferential and respectful.
General Ji, Speaker Long, and Prime Minister Bai sat in front of Xie Shenxing, and looked as upright as a primary school students in front of their teacher.
If Huo Shaoheng hadn’t warned Gu Nianzhi, Gu Nianzhi would have been so shocked that her jaw would have dropped.
It took a lot of effort for her to look away. She lowered her gaze and bowed to the four people in the living room with Huo Shaoheng.
“General Ji, Speaker Long, Prime Minister Bai, you three are such rare guests.” Huo Shaoheng said politely and waved at Xie Shenxing. “Granduncle.”
Xie Shenxing smiled and waved at them. “Nianzhi, come over here and sit beside Granduncle.”
He didn’t call Huo Shaoheng because Huo Shaoheng was General Ji’s subordinate, so it wasn’t appropriate for him to put on airs in front of his superior.
Gu Nianzhi was different. Although she was also in the upper house of the parliament, she hadn’t officially joined. Moreover, she was a woman, so she could have some privileges in front of men.
Besides, she was also Xie Shenxing’s junior, the kind that was related to him.
Gu Nianzhi walked over obediently. “Granduncle.”
Xie Shenxing patted Gu Nianzhi’s hand, then smiled at the three big shots in front of him and said, “You’re too kind. I came back this time because of this junior of mine. Her deceased aunt was the daughter-in-law of the Xie family. Since she became engaged to Shaoheng this time, I thought that I had to come back and hold an engagement banquet for her. I hope that the three of you will also show up.”
Xie Shenxing had personally organized the engagement party for Gu Nianzhi and Huo Shaoheng, so everyone could tell how important it was.
It seemed that the Xie family really approved of this marriage.
General Ji was the one who was most happy to see it happen. He immediately laughed and said, “That’s great! Old Mr. Xie really has good taste and courage! Shaoheng’s fiancée is so popular. Thank G.o.d you were able to help us decide everything! Hahaha!”
Everyone laughed in unison.
Speaker Long actually had a somewhat indirect in-law relations.h.i.+p with the Xie family. After Gu Nianzhi’s aunt, Gu Tian, pa.s.sed away, Gu Tian’s husband, Xie Dezhao, married Speaker Long’s cousin. Xie Dezhao was a member of the Xie family, and although he was a distant relative of Xie Shenxing, he was still a member of the Xie family.
However, this relations.h.i.+p was so far apart that Speaker Long didn’t dare treat Xie Shenxing as a relative. He didn’t expect Xie Shenxing to value Gu Nianzhi so much.
They were also in-laws that were far removed. Xie Shenxing treated Gu Nianzhi as a relative and a junior, but he was much more polite and distant to Speaker Long.
Speaker Long knew that Xie Shenxing was deliberately trying to raise Gu Nianzhi’s status. After all, Huo Shaoheng was too eye-catching. As an orphan girl without parents or family Gu Nianzhi needed to be able to establish herself in the Huaxia Empire’s upper cla.s.s, the Huo family’s support wasn’t enough.
However, if the Xie family stood up for Gu Nianzhi, no one in the Huaxia Empire’s upper cla.s.s would dare to look down on her.
On the contrary, he knew very well that after this engagement party, Gu Nianzhi would enter Huaxia Empire’s upper cla.s.s in a new light. Those who had looked down on her in the past would probably regret it to the core…
Speaker Long thought about it and laughed even more heartily, then said, “Nianzhi is a member of the upper house of the parliament. Whoever dares to go against her will be going against our parliament. Our parliament members have no other remarkable abilities, but they are sharp-tongued and good at writing. When the time comes, we’ll see who will be able to endure. Hahahaha!”
The Prime Minister Bai wasn’t as at ease as General Ji and Speaker Long were. He was even a little reserved and smiled on the side. He was very composed and didn’t speak.
Although Xie Shenxing had been joking, he didn’t stop observing and evaluating the three people in front of him.
The huge country had been handed over to them. He hoped that they were all people who had the ambition to achieve success and put national interests first.
General Ji had always been a good person. Although Speaker Long looked kind, Xie Shenxing knew that he was the person who could be silent but deadly.
As for Bai Jiancheng, Xie Shenxing approved of him inside. His decades of experience in the cabinet had made him very cautious.
However, with such caution, he was able to stand out in the general election and become the prime minister. He was also a person who had good prospects and was willing to endure hards.h.i.+ps.
Moreover, he was someone who wanted to make a career out of it and hoped to leave his name in the annals of history.
Xie Shenxing was at ease with such a person as prime minister.
He nodded and smiled. “You’re too polite. I originally said that I would be hosting everyone at my home. This is Shaoheng’s official residence, so I was borrowing something of his to give you guys. We’re having dinner here today. Tell Shaoheng what you want to eat and make him cook! ”
“Oh? We’re going to get to eat Major General Huo’s homemade food today?!” Speaker Long was surprised and delighted. He exchanged a look with Bai Jiancheng and was overjoyed.
The corners of General Ji’s mouth twitched. “Shaoheng has an orderly in charge of cooking, so why are the two of you so happy?”
He was Huo Shaoheng’s immediate superior and had never received such treatment. What right did these two have to have a slice of his pie?!
Speaker Long looked at Gu Nianzhi, who was sitting next to Xie Shenxing, then smiled and said, “Shaoheng might not be able to cook on his own, so Nianzhi will go help too. The two of you can cook us a meal together. Old Ji, would that be okay? Your eyes are almost popping out of their sockets!”
General Ji laughed heartily when he heard this, then said, “That won’t do! If Nianzhi cooks, I’d rather not eat Shaoheng’s food. I’ll leave immediately! I’ll leave the danger zone immediately! Oh, right, Mr. Xie, I’ll have to take you with me. It’ll be a big deal if little Nianzhi cooks. The entire base’s bomb squad and firemen will have to be on high alert!”
He was making fun of her for almost burning down the kitchen when she cooked earlier…
Gu Nianzhi blushed and felt extremely uncomfortable sitting next to Xie Shenxing.
“Old Ji, what are you trying to say? What happened?” Speaker long looked at Huo Shaoheng in confusion. “Shaoheng, tell us, is there something that Old Ji knows that we don’t?”
Gu Nianzhi couldn’t take it anymore. She stood up and said, “I’m going to change. Please take a seat.” With that said, she ran upstairs in escape.
Everyone looked at each other and listened to General Ji laugh as he told them about how Gu Nianzhi had tried to cook in the past few days and had caused the entire garrison to go into a state of first-cla.s.s combat readiness.
Xie Shenxing, who was usually composed, laughed so hard that he almost burst into tears.
He took a tissue from the coffee table and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. He laughed so hard that he couldn’t close his mouth. “That little girl is too hilarious! This won’t do. I have to give her a top-notch chef. Otherwise, she won’t be able to cook when she gets married in the future. What if Shaoheng suffers because of her?”
“How is that possible? Shaoheng is going to cook for Nianzhi for the rest of his life! ” General Ji laughed. “We don’t have much time today. Let the kitchen prepare something for us to eat. We’ll save our appet.i.te and wait to eat Shaoheng and Nianzhi’s engagement dinner another day! ”
Xie Shenxing agreed. He had no intention of forcing Huo Shaoheng to cook for them personally. He immediately changed his mind when General Ji said, “Then let the kitchen prepare some of our favorite dishes. Let’s talk while we eat?”
It was everyone’s tradition to talk business when they were eating and drinking.
Many things were negotiated at the table.
Alcohol showed people’s true personalities.They would only be at ease when they saw each other drinking.
Huo Shaoheng smiled as he went to the kitchen to discuss the dishes with the head chef for the day. He only went upstairs to see Gu Nianzhi after everything had been arranged.
With her little face buried in the soft velvet pillow, Gu Nianzhi was laying on the bed alone. She was almost sunk in.
Huo Shaoheng picked her up. ” … Are you trying to suffocate yourself to death?”
Gu Nianzhi buried her head in his arms again and said in a low, m.u.f.fled voice, “This is so embarra.s.sing. How did they know?!”
Huo Shaoheng found it amusing. “With such a big battle going on in the headquarters of the Special Operations Forces, do you expect General Ji not to know? I’ve tried my best to cover it up for you. Look at Speaker long and Prime Minister Bai. They didn’t know.”
” … But they know now.” Gu Nianzhi was indignant. “I didn’t expect General Ji to be like this! —— such a big mouth! How shameful!”
“Major General Huo, you’re not allowed to cook for them! ” Gu Nianzhi didn’t know that Xie Shenxing had changed his mind.
“Yes, I’m not going to cook for them. I’m only going to cook for you.” Huo Shaoheng stroked her head, and his voice suddenly became gentle. “Be good, be good.”
Gu Nianzhi was soothed by his magnetic and melodious voice. No matter how mad she felt, she couldn’t help being appeased by him, and every pore on her body oozed with bliss.
She leaned against his chest and smelled his unique scent. Like the summer sun, it was dry and refres.h.i.+ng.
His heart was beating beside her ears.
This man was hers from head to toe, from the inside out.
Gu Nianzhi looked up at Huo Shaoheng’s exquisite and perfect jawline. She wished she could push him down…
Of course, she was only thinking about it.
There were four big shots sitting downstairs. How could Huo Shaoheng be “pushed down” by her upstairs and end up like this or that?
Gu Nianzhi pouted sulkily in Huo Shaoheng’s arms. Her slightly hoa.r.s.e and soft voice was like a little kitten meowing and whining. “You remember what you said. You said you’d only cook for me.”
Huo Shaoheng patted her back. “I’ll definitely only cook for you in private time. Don’t worry about it.”
But he still had work hours, and he couldn’t guarantee that.
Gu Nianzhi didn’t mince her words and nodded quickly. “I know. I meant in private. As for your work…”
Gu Nianzhi looked up and looked at Huo Shaoheng with a half-hearted smile. Her eyes were like coquettish “Major General Huo even pretended to be someone’s fiancé before, so what’s the big deal about cooking?”
Huo Shaoheng: ” … ”
This little kitten was becoming more and more flirtatious.
Huo Shaoheng’s heart warmed. If it weren’t for the four big shots sitting downstairs, he would have been able to deal with this little kitten by now.
He closed his eyes and restrained himself. He placed her on the sofa and stood up.
Gu Nianzhi laid on the sofa and looked at Huo Shaoheng lazily. She caressed her collarbone with one hand in a flirtatious manner.
She was going to be a devil again.
Huo Shaoheng leaned over and kissed her hard on the lips. He said in a hoa.r.s.e voice, “… You stay here and wait for me to catch the fairy tonight, okay?”