971 Putting Efforts to Waste
“Being good with words is the nature of my job, Mrs. Tan. Isn’t it the same for your husband as well? How did he manage to become prime minister if he is not good with words?”
Gu Nianzhi had never thought that being able to keep silent was a virtue. In her opinion, if there was something she was not happy about something someone said to her, she should retort immediately. If she was in a good mood that day, she would say more. No matter what, she would not be on the losing end.
Cai Songyin, however, saw red. She was about to say something along the lines of “how do you think you are comparable to Prime Minister Tan?!” However, Huo Shaoheng was already looking in their direction. Bowing slightly, with a slight hint of warning in his eyes, he said calmly, “Mrs. Tan, please do not think that everyone should be respectful towards you just because you are older.”
This was blatantly a tight slap in her face, returning every sarcastic remark she had made right back at her!
She was older?
She was older?!
How dare he say that she was old!
She was not even fifty years old!
Cai Songyin was so agitated by Huo Shaoheng’s words that her face flushed a deep crimson. Her arms were trembling with anger.
However, Huo Shaoheng had said it so politely that she could not catch a single mistake in his att.i.tude, tone, or words. She could not even lodge a complaint against him!
“Please do not be like that, mommy. Miss Gu is a really nice person. She would never bully me. You go back first, alright…” Tan Guiren was so embarra.s.sed that she blushed furiously as she came over to lighten the atmosphere, sending Cai Songyin outside.
Cai Songyin had only just calmed down by the time she boarded the car. She held onto Tan Guiren’s hand and wanted to say something to her, but decided not to eventually.
Tan Guiren smiled and a.s.sured her, “I know, mommy. Please do not be angry. I have no intentions but to stay for a while before going back.”
Cai Songyin sighed and mumbled, “When one’s child is grown up, she will not listen to her mother anymore. You just be careful on your own.” With that, she settled into the limousine from the prime minister’s living quarters and returned to the party at her own place.
After Tan Guiren managed to send Cai Songyin off and return to the living room, she realized that Huo Shaoheng and Gu Nianzhi were not there anymore.
She looked at Cai Shengnan quizzically and took a seat beside her. With a smile, Cai Shengnan said, “Major General Huo went upstairs to visit his grandfather. Miss Gu followed him up.”
Huo Guanchen nodded. “Thanks for your concern. Shaoheng’s grandfather has not been feeling his best since last night. Shaoheng was actually on duty today, but I called him back to visit.”
Tan Guiren and Cai Shengnan sat in the living area of the Huo’s mansion. Although Huo Shaoheng did not come back downstairs, they did not dare to go up to look for him.
Tan Guiren brought the medication she had brought along and handed it to Huo Guanchen. “General Huo, I heard that Major General Huo injured his arm. This is the best medicine for scalds in the world. Please give it to Major General Huo on my behalf.”
Huo Guanchen smiled as he shook his head. “Miss Tan can ask if Shaoheng needs it.”
However, he thought, “Shaoheng’s been injured? I could not tell by looking at him just now…”
“…My mother said harsh words today. I am worried that Major General Huo will be unhappy.” Then, Tan Guiren continued, “Actually I wish to explain it personally to Major General Huo. My mother is actually an extremely nice person. She just worries about me too much. She had no other ill intentions.”
…
Upstairs, in the study of Huo Shaoheng’s grandfather, Huo Xuenong, Huo Jialan was talking to Huo Shaoheng about Huo Xuenog’s condition. “…He could not talk all of a sudden last night. We called the doctor for an emergency. The doctor jabbed him and asked us to observe him for a while more. If he is still unable to get better, he might have to go under the knife.”
It seemed rather serious.
Gu Nianzhi left the room quietly and stood at the entrance of Huo Xuenong’s room. She did not have much of a relations.h.i.+p with Huo Xuenong, and therefore she did not wish to remain inside and pretend to be filial.
Had it not been Huo Shaoheng shooting hinting glances for her to follow him upstairs, Gu Nianzhi would have remained downstairs to watch how Tan Guiren and Cai Shengnan were acting…
Huo Shaoheng understood Huo Xuenong’s medical condition and called the doctor to confirm Huo Jialan and Huo Guanchen’s words. He had to check if they were telling the truth.
Gu Nianzhi felt extremely bored. She walked around the corridor and counted the window grills one by one.
After a while, Huo Guanchen brought Tan Guiren and Cai Shengnan upstairs.
Upon seeing Gu Nianzhi pacing around along the corridor, Cai Shengnan smiled. It seemed like the couple had indeed broken up, she thought. However, Gu Nianzhi still had not given up and was hara.s.sing Huo Shaoheng…
Tan Guiren, however, sympathized with Gu Nianzhi to a great extent. They were both girls who loved Huo Shaoheng but were neglected by such an amazing man. She must be feeling horrible on the inside, mustn’t she?
Only Huo Guanchen ignored Gu Nianzhi and pretended as though she did not exist. He only spoke kindly to Tan Guiren. “Miss Tan, Shaoheng’s grandfather is recuperating here. Shaoheng is here as well. Let us talk in the room.”
Huo Guanchen brought Tan Guiren into Huo Xuenong’s room. When they entered, Huo Shaoheng had just gotten off the call. He had confirmed Huo Xuenong’s illness and instructed the doctor to send a copy of Huo Xuenong’s medical record to Chen Lie. He intended to discuss this with Chen Lie when they both returned to the headquarters.
When he raised his head, however, he saw that Huo Guanchen had brought Tan Guiren into the room. Before Huo Guanchen and Tan Guiren could say anything, Huo Shaoheng began speaking calmly. “General Huo, I have no objections whatsoever if you wish to remarry. You do not have to seek my opinion. As long as the army approves, that would be good enough for me. I still have a lot to do. Goodbye.”
Huo Guanchen blew his top. “What the h.e.l.l are you talking about?! When did I ever say I want to remarry?!”
“General Huo brought a woman home. Isn’t that clear enough?” Huo Shaoheng put both his hands into his pockets and strode out of the door.
Tan Guiren was so embarra.s.sed that she wanted to hide in a hole in the ground. Hastily, she tried to explain herself. “Please do not misunderstand, Major General Huo. Nothing is going on between your father and myself. I am here today for you. I heard that you got injured, so I brought the best medicine for scalds for you…” With that, she showed him the medication.
The corners of Huo Shaoheng’s lips twitched. He said bluntly, “…I have no idea what you are talking about. Please do not a.s.sume.”
“Stay right there! Shaoheng!” Huo Guanchen could not control himself any longer. He raised his low voice and called out sternly. “You are really treating guests who came to our home like this?”
Huo Shaoheng stopped in his tracks. However, he did not turn back. He replied calmly, “General Huo, this is your guest and your home. Not my guest nor my home.” With that, he strode out the door.
…
Cai Shengnan did not follow Tan Guiren into Huo Xuenong’s room when Huo Guanchen brought her in. She merely folded her arms in front of her chest and stood in the corridor, observing Gu Nianzhi with curiosity.
Did she wish to compete over whose eyes were bigger?
Gu Nianzhi was not fazed. With a smile, she looked Cai Shengnan up and down as well.
Although Cai Shengnan was about eight to nine years older than Gu Nianzhi, Gu Nianzhi had gone through much more than she had. Therefore, Gu Nianzhi was more mature compared to Cai Shengnan.
Finally, Cai Shengnan could not take it anymore. With her perfectly shaped eyebrows raised, she asked, “Miss Gu, I think it is not very polite to look at others like that, don’t you think?”
“I was merely doing what you were doing. If you can look at me, why can’t I look back at you?” Gu Nianzhi flipped her hair gently as she answered in an extremely relaxed tone.
“Miss Gu, people only build a wall around themselves if they do not feel confident. Whenever someone says a sentence, and the other person retorts back with ten, it really sounds childish and not graceful at all.” Cai Shengnan stood in front of Gu Nianzhi. “Do you agree with me, Miss Gu? Actually, you were born in a rather good family. As long as you do not think about what is not meant to be yours, you are rather well off. My cousin is prettier than you, is from a better family than you, and more talented than you. Also, don’t you realize that everyone in the Huo family has already accepted her but not you?”
Gu Nianzhi’s brows furrowed slightly. “Miss Cai, are you really a partner of the second-largest law firm in America? Did you get to that position based on your merit?”
Cai Shengnan was dumbfounded by Gu Nianzhi’s question.
Weren’t they talking about how Gu Nianzhi was fighting with Tan Guiren over Huo Shaoheng?
How did it relate to whether she was a partner of that law firm or not?
“Of course. Did you think that I had wasted all my years overseas?” Cai Shengnan raised her head proudly. Her short, curly hair made her look even more capable and sweet.
“I really feel that your position as a partner of that law firm is in name only. I suspect that they gave you that position because of your father.” Gu Nianzhi spoke blatantly about the issue that had bothered Cai Shengnan the most. “Because you give me the impression that you are too low of a person. It does not suit the ident.i.ty of a professional lawyer at all.”
“Shut up!” Cai Shengnan began speaking in English in a fit of anger. “You are humiliating and defaming me! I can sue you for that!”
“That’s more like it.” Gu Nianzhi clapped her hands with a bright smile. “Show your manners as a lawyer. Do not be like an uneducated woman who likes to spread rumors based on romantic relations.h.i.+ps. Who I am close with, or who your cousin is close with, has got absolutely nothing to do with you. Please get rid of your scheming efforts and fake att.i.tude. They make me want to puke.”
Cai Shengnan had finally had gotten a taste of how her aunt, Cai Songyin, had felt just now.
She took deep breaths repeatedly and told herself not to get angry and not to stoop to Gu Nianzhi’s level. She wanted to defeat Gu Nianzhi in the area that she felt the most confidence in. She believed that with her many years of experience in America, Gu Nianzhi would not be her match.
“I heard that Senior Speaker Long intends to get you to apply for the main legal consultant position in their secretary office.” Cai Shengnan finally calmed down enough to continue talking. There was a meaningful smile on her face. “Take my advice. Stop putting your efforts to waste. Someone already took that position a long time ago.”