Chapter 891: Give Them Face
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
When Huo Shaoheng said that, Gu Nianzhi retorted immediately. “Since when? I am more than happy that you want to let me off!”
“Oh really?” Huo Shaoheng smiled. However, that smile was so superficial that it made his face look like a perfect mask.
Usually, people were not able to see what was wrong, but Gu Nianzhi could see the hidden intention behind that smile of his.
She leaned away from him and averted her gaze, pursing her luscious lips until only a thin line was left. It had initially been intended to look stubborn, but when she pursed her lips that tightly, two dimples appeared on her cheeks. That made her look adorable and irresistible.
Huo Shaoheng’s eyes turned dark. He leaned towards her and pressured her, like a jaguar that had seen its prey. He definitely wanted something from her.
Gu Nianzhi’s heart began beating faster. However, she continued to pretend to be strong, not wanting to look weak. Therefore, she did not hide. She could feel Huo Shaoheng’s smell coming closer to her. He was like a wolf trying to mark its territory, full of a strong sense of protection.
Gu Nianzhi pursed her lips even tighter, looking even more stubborn. However, Huo Shaoheng merely kissed Gu Nianzhi lightly and quickly on her dimple. The kiss was so light, almost akin to a dragonfly touching the surface of the water before taking off, as he left his unique mark on her little dimple.
Before Gu Nianzhi could react, Huo Shaoheng had already moved away. His lips were so soft and warm, the exact opposite of his character. Gu Nianzhi only felt that the side of her face where his lips had kissed her had been shocked by electricity. She was numb and felt ripples of nervousness coursing within her for a very long while.
She covered her face instinctively. When she raised her head, she only saw Huo Shaoheng’s back as he strode away towards the main door. This person was too quick, wasn’t he?! Did he intend to get away after flirting?!
Gu Nianzhi stood up and glared at the door of Chen Lie’s office, wanting to call out to Huo Shaoheng.
Chen Lie came out from his office slowly. He saw that Gu Nianzhi was glaring. He turned towards that direction and asked her, “What happened? Where is Mr. Huo?”
Gu Nianzhi did not know what to say.
She took a deep breath and warned herself to not stoop to that person’s level. Picking up her bag, she said, “Brother Chen, I will make a move first. See you next week?”
Chen Lie smiled happily and looked flirtatiously at her. “Just come if you are willing to. Taking height and weight measurements will not cause any side effects, will they?”
Gu Nianzhi was speechless.
Forget it! She would not stoop to the levels of these people!
Gu Nianzhi turned and left.
Upon exiting the medical building, Gu Nianzhi was surprised to see Huo Shaoheng’s car parked in front of the building.
Huo Shaoheng was sitting in the car with the windows down. He rested an arm on the window, holding a cigarette. There was little smoke issuing from it. It seemed like the cigarette had not been lit for long.
Seeing that Gu Nianzhi had come out, Huo Shaoheng flicked the cigarette into a nearby bin and pressed the car horn. Looking at Gu Nianzhi, he said, “Hop in.”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t respond.
“I thought you wanted to go back to school.” Huo Shaoheng looked at her from the car, looking as normal as ever. It was like what had happened in Chen Lie’s office had come from her imagination…
Gu Nianzhi walked over and smiled at Huo Shaoheng. “Yes of course. However, how could I make Huo Shao be my chauffeur?”
Huo Shaoheng stuck his head out the window and whispered to Gu Nianzhi, “…You’ve ridden on me like a horse. What is a chauffeur compared to that?”
1Gu Nianzhi was taken aback. “Horse? When did I…”
“Didn’t you ride on top of me last night?” Huo Shaoheng lowered his voice until it sounded like it was coming from underground. Somehow, his facial expression remained the same.
Extending a hand to caress her face gently, Huo Shaoheng said, “It’s cold. Quick, hop in.”
Gu Nianzhi finally understood what Huo Shaoheng was talking about. Sudden heat crept up her face as she made her way to the pa.s.senger seat. She turned and glared at Huo Shaoheng. “You dare to mention that?! It was you who made me…”
Be on top…
Huo Shaoheng controlled his smile as he looked at her. Rolling up the windows, he started the engine and drove away from the Special Forces Headquarters.
As they exited the headquarters, all the soldiers on duty saluted them as they pa.s.sed. Huo Shaoheng waved at them, taking it as an acknowledgment.
The car drove on. They reached the expressway in no time. Gu Nianzhi had been looking at the scenery outside all this time, not talking to Huo Shaoheng.
Huo Shaoheng turned on the radio in his car to get rid of the awkward silence between them. Of course, his car radio was set to the military channel which was reporting on the performing team in the army again…
They had no idea if Tan Guiren was the best candidate they had gotten in many years, but they had been doing a lot to promote her as such. The publicity she had gotten was similar to what a celebrity would have gotten. Moreover, since it was a military channel, she was placed much higher as compared to lesser-known celebrities.
Gu Nianzhi was not angry this time around. She listened to the beautiful music coming from the radio and felt her mood improving.
Seeing that she was getting engrossed with the music, Huo Shaoheng asked Gu Nianzhi, “…Did this ever cross your mind: What were the meanings on different levels when Tan Guiren was accepted into the performing team of the army?”
“Meanings on different levels?” Gu Nianzhi furrowed her brows. Were there supposed to be other meanings… Different levels at that?
She had not given much thought to it. However, after Huo Shaoheng brought it up like that, she realized the strange aspects of this incident.
“According to what I know, Prime Minister Tan is currently going through an impeachment. The case has not been officially settled yet in the cabinet. So how did Tan Guiren manage to get accepted into the performing team in the army then?” Gu Nianzhi now saw that something was amiss. “When she got accepted into the military performing team, it also meant that she joined the army, didn’t it?”
For anyone to join the military performing team, of course, they had to join the army. If they do not join the army, they would never be able to join the military performing team.
Gu Nianzhi had grown up with Huo Shaoheng in the army, so she knew these basic rules.
Huo Shaoheng nodded encouragingly and asked further, “Good job, and then?”
“If Tan Guiren was able to join the army, either the procedures were a mistake, or it means that she pa.s.sed the checks, including the background check…”
Gu Nianzhi began a.n.a.lyzing. “But Prime Minister Tan’s impeachment case is not over yet. How did she manage to pa.s.s her checks?”
Usually, if a direct family member had a criminal record, an applicant would never be able to become a civil servant, much less be able to enter the army, and especially not the performing team in the army. Yet due to Tan Guiren’s academic achievements, the moment she had managed to enter the army, she would rank as a lieutenant at the very least…
“…Has Tan Guiren officially been accepted into the military performing team?” Gu Nianzhi made bold a.s.sumptions but confirmed details carefully.
“Seeing that the military radio channel and the nation’s channel have been promoting her so much, it means that she has officially been accepted in.” Huo Shaoheng looked at Gu Nianzhi. “What do you think?”
Gu Nianzhi was taken aback. She put together the information about Tan Guiren’s acceptance and Prime Minister Tan’s impeachment and realized something with a pang in her chest.
“…It seems like Prime Minister Tan’s impeachment case will be settled soon…”
Huo Shaoheng nodded and explained this on a deeper level to Gu Nianzhi. “That is correct. It means that the Prime Minister’s maternal family, the Cais, have helped again to ensure that their son-in-law is safe. Prime Minister Tan’s impeachment case has already been agreed upon in private. He will not be kicked out of his position.”
“That is the reason why Tan Guiren was able to join the military performing group so easily!” Gu Nianzhi thoroughly understood. “And by fiercely promoting Tan Guiren’s entrance into the military performing team on the military radio channel and national television stations, it serves as a hint to all the other opposing forces out there that this incident has already been solved in private. It’s asking them to stop harboring ill intentions.”
“Smart girl.” Huo Shaoheng caressed her head. “If something similar happens in the future, do not just get jealous. Think about the true meaning behind everything that’s happening.”
“But…” Gu Nianzhi still did not understand something. Ignoring Huo Shaoheng’s subtle hints, she asked curiously, “Is Cai Songyin’s maternal family really that powerful? Moreover, why does Madam Cai’s family still want to protect a son-in-law who had an extramarital affair behind Madam Cai’s back?”
“As for that, you can give Mrs. Prime Minister, Madam Cai’s family a background check when you’re free. From there, you should be able to tell why her family wishes to protect Prime Minister Tan. Also, you will be able to see what power and influences they have to make the negotiating party accept their request.”
Huo Shaoheng smiled and looked at Gu Nianzhi. Gu Nianzhi should not be focusing so much on Tan Guiren entering the military performing team like this.
Truth to be told, if Gu Nianzhi could not get over this, there would be trouble for Huo Shaoheng.
It would be better if she could figure out all the twists and turns on her own. Then, she would be able to see a bigger picture. This way, she would not restrict herself to the problems of romance solely.
If one was in the position Huo Shaoheng was in, anything they did would have a ripple effect on everyone around them. Therefore, each time the opponent attacked, it would never be for just one reason.
They would be using powers to oppose powers, using distractors to get to what they wanted, and so on. They were all tricks that could be used. She was his wife and should be like him, looking at things as a bigger picture.
Tan Guiren successfully entering the military performing team, aside from signaling to everyone that Prime Minister Tan had stopped the impeachment, meant that the family was trying to discover things from within the army.
However, Huo Shaoheng did not explain this to Gu Nianzhi. If she could manage to arrive at this point on her own, it would be perfect. If she did not, however, it would be alright.
Gu Nianzhi was not from the army. Huo Shaoheng did not want her to get involved in its workings.
Gu Nianzhi was indeed interested in what Huo Shaoheng had just said. She whipped out her phone and began searching for information related to the maternal family of Mrs. Prime Minister, Madam Cai Songyin. The information online were mostly news articles. Occasionally, she found unimportant threads on forums.
However, most of them were positive reports. There were hardly any negative stories or comments.
This was extremely strange to Gu Nianzhi, who was used to debating online. She knew that if you were a celebrity online, you would have some bad press somewhere.
She showed her phone to Huo Shaoheng. “This Cai family is indeed powerful. However, after so many years, their children all had a good track record. Negative stories about them are hard to find.”
Gu Nianzhi knew that powerful families like the Bais, Lees, Longs, and Huos would always have negative histories online. However, it was different for the Cais.
This was not normal.
Huo Shaoheng drove the car to Gu Nianzhi’s dormitory and turned to look at her. “Then you will have to search for the answer on your own. It is much easier to beat your opponent if you know who they are and what they are capable of.”
Gu Nianzhi pushed open the car door disapprovingly. “What have the Cais got to do with me? Must I give them that much face to know about them? I was merely curious…”