Hello, Mr. Major General

Holding cup of coffee, Huo Shaoheng quietly contemplated for a while before asking about more details to see if Xie Dezhoa’s words matched up. “So…these past six years Gu Xiangwen didn’t send birthday gifts to your daughter, yet you weren’t curious enough to check up on him?” Huo Shaoheng gazed at the black coffee; he already planned to have Zhao Liangze search for “Kevin Ku” online. “Right, what type of research does he do? I’m curious how, by simply receiving royalties from patents, he turned into an inconspicuously wealthy person. Are you exaggerating?”

Xie Dezhao felt much better after cursing Gu Xiangwen. He drank his cappuccino and then said, “Major General Huo, then this where you can learn a bit more. Intellectual property is a very lucrative business abroad; you can earn money while doing almost nothing!” Xie Dezhao exclaimed. “Gu Xiangwen really was an incredibly capable person so I used to admire him alot. His parents died early in his life, so he led the family from a young age. He was so smart that he received scholarships all throughout his academic career. He started his MD-PhD program when he was 16 and completed it in three years, while it normally takes eight. He worked as a resident doctor for two years then became interested in physics and applied to the number one ranked PhD in Physics program at MIT. He graduated in only three years.”

Huo Shaoheng’s fingers trembled slightly. He knew only one other person who was so academically gifted—Gu Nianzhi. So this was something that could be genetic, he thought. “From medical doctor to PhD in Physics? That’s quite the jump.” Huo Shaoheng laughed in disbelief.

“Well, you have to believe it. Although I abhor his character and hate him as a person, I can’t say anything negative about his talents. He’s truly a genius. For example, have you heard of Pratt-Whitney?”

Huo Shaoheng froze. He was all too familiar with that company. “The US aircraft engine manufacturing company?”

“Right! Major General Huo is truly impressive!” Xie Dezhao complimented him with a smile. “This company mainly produces turbofan engines for the military. Believe it or not however, an important patented technology used in it was created by Gu Xiangwen.”

Huo Shaoheng gripped the coffee cup so tight his knuckles turned white. He recalled how complex the incredibly advanced aircraft engine blueprint found in Gu Nianzhi’s backpack had been! It could be said that it was several generations more advanced than the best Pratt and Whitney engine. Could the blueprints have something to do with Gu Xiangwen? Huo Shaoheng wondered.

He hadn’t even recovered from the shocking news when Xie Dezhao said, “Gu Xiangwen studied physics for three years, then after graduation he continued to complete his PhD in Biology. When I met his sister, Gu Tian, their family had already become unimaginably rich due to some countries financial support from the patents he had registered during his school years.”

“They’re really that wealthy? I’ve never heard of this family.” Huo Shaoheng discreetly tapped into his phone to connect to Zhao Liangze.

“People who don’t know of them can’t even begin to imagine their level of wealth.” Xie Dezhao wasn’t particularly impressed. Being a Xie, he came from an affluent family himself. “They’re very lowkey and never flaunt their wealth. Also, the Gu’s are a small family with few relatives. It was only Gu Xiangwen and his two sisters—they weren’t people who liked to show off.”

“Gu Xiangwen has another sister?” Huo Shaoheng’s voice raised slightly. “So there’s another one other than Gu Tian?”

“Yes. I think her name was Gu Jing.” Xie Dezhao thought about it carefully. “She was especially close to Gu Tian, but she also didn’t live for very long. I heard that she also passed away a few years after Gu Tian died.

“Didn’t you say that you haven’t contacted Gu Xiangwen in over 20 years? How did you know that his other sister died?” Huo Shaoheng found this point illogical.

Xie Dezhao gave him a strange look. “I’ve already explained this: he’s very famous so he often published academic articles in elite international journals. He was a brilliant, charming, and refined man who cared for his family. His only flaw is that he ended up being untrustworthy and his bad character was a nuisance. Even though I didn’t contact him and their family moved away from Europe, I could still see him publish articles in the journals from time to time—but that was it. I learned about the death of his other sister after Gu Tian passed. He wrote her a letter and mailed it to me so I could burn it at her grave.”

“You read the letter?”

“Of course.” Xie Dezhao shrugged, “He wrote on the letter that I could read it.”

“And what of the letter?”

“It was burnt in front of Gu Tian’s grave of course.” Xie Dezhao answered gravely. “I’m a man of my word, unlike Gu Xiangwen. I burned it because I had promised to. There’s no way I would have kept it.”

Huo Shaoheng looked at him with shock and then sipped from the cup again before standing up. “Mr. Xie, thank you for speaking with me. I’ll go back to investigate on Gu Xiangwen, but I may still need your help if I can’t find anything.”

Realization dawned on Xie Dezhao. “You asked me out to talk about Gu Xiangwen?!”

“Yes.”

Huo Shaoheng took his coat from the rack and while putting it on, said, “This is very important to us. We hope for your continued cooperation.”

“Of course.” Xie Dezhao looked at Huo Shaoheng in confusion. “What did this untrustworthy guy do? Was he arrested for breaking the law? You see, he stopped sending Qingying birthday presents six years so so he might have been arrested back then.”

Huo Shaoheng smiled faintly but his serious gaze was unfazed. “With his intelligence, I don’t think he would stoop down to breaking the law.” He looked at the clock. “Well, our time is up.” Huo Shaoheng bowed and opened the door to the private room.

Xie Qingying appeared and spoke to him as soon as they entered the main lobby of the cafe. “Major General Huo, have you seen my father?”

Huo Shaoheng looked behind him, “Your father is here.”

Xie Dezhao followed behind Huo Shaoheng and appeared slightly embarrassed when Xie Qingying came over. “Major General Huo, Qingying was only worried about me…”

Huo Shaoheng nodded. “That’s fine. It’s not as strict this time because it was only a private conversation and wasn’t recorded. We will still have to invite Mr. Xie to our premises if we require anything further.”

Xie Qingying walked up to her father’s side and grabbed his arm anxiously. “Major General Huo, my father has always abided by the law and has never done anything wrong.”

Huo Shaoheng’s smiled gently but then it disappeared from his handsome face in an instant. “Miss Xie, your father is fine. I was only asking him about some information.”

“Oh? Is that so. I’d been worried all night!” Xie Qingying wanted to thank the heavens. “That’s great that everything is fine!” She and her father smiled sincerely at Huo Shaoheng.

Miao Yunxiao and Xu Piaohong had just entered the same cafe. They saw Huo Shaoheng, Xie Qingying, and Xie Dezhao standing in the hallway. The perfect scene was impossible to miss. Miao Yunxiao looked at Huo Shaoheng and was shocked when she recognized him as the man who came to visit Gu Nianzhi on campus. Who was the beautiful girl he was standing with? They appeared to get along well and smiled at each other, she observed.

Xu Piaohong also witnessed it and her expression darkened. She thought against it but then walked up to Huo Shaoheng. “Mr. Huo. I didn’t think I’d meet you here.”

Huo Shaoheng turned and looked at her briefly before turning away. “Miss Xu.” He then said to Xie Qingying and Xie Dezhao, “I’ve taken up both of your time today, I’ll have to treat you to dinner the next time.” Although he desperately wanted to return to the headquarters base to investigate the go through the information from Xie Dezhao, he needed to appear relaxed in front of others so as to not give them reason to suspect his motives.

Miao Yunxiao widened her eyes at his formal attitude and was agitated. She pulled the corner of Xu Piaohong’s shirt and asked Xie Qingying, “Who is that?”

Xu Piaohong knew of Xie Qingying from Speaker Long and had also seen her photo before. Now that she was seeing her in person, she realized that the woman was even prettier in person…and also resembled Gu Nianzhi somewhat. Now that’s interesting, she thought. Xu Piaohong whispered, “That’s Speaker Long’s relative. Let’s say hello.”

“Oh?! Speaker Long from the Senate?!” Miao Yunxiao yelped, “Cousin, you actually know them so intimately!” This was far beyond the league for a family of Xu Piaohong’s social class. She was so nervous that she didn’t know where to place her hands or how to stand.

“So what? General Ji’s wife treats me like a daughter. She always takes me out. Speaker Long also invited me to his home before.” Xu Piaohong said nonchalantly as she approached Xie Qingying with a smile. “Miss Xie, what a coincidence!”

Xie Qingying glanced at Xu Piaohong and vaguely recalled her face but didn’t remember her name. She answered politely, “Yes. You’re here to have coffee too? Please do enjoy your time.”

“You were just… having coffee with Mr. Huo?” Xu Piaohong tried to stop herself from asking but failed in the end.

Xie Qingying smiled at her without answering then took Xie Dezhao’s arm. “Dad, it’s getting late so we should go home.”

“Ok, let’s go.” Xie Dezhao nodded to both girls and walked out with his daughter.

Miao Yunxiao and Xu Piaohong sat down in the cafe and ordered coffee and muffins to enjoy as they chat. Miao Yunxiao’s eyes flickered to her cousin’s face. “Who was the man that Miss Xie and her father were talking with? Is he also from the military?”

Xu Piaohong answered impatiently, “That’s the youngest Major General in our nation! How could you not know?”

“Major General?!” Miao Yunxiao exhaled sharply. “Then that means his rank is even higher than Uncle’s?! But he doesn’t look even 30?”

“That’s why he’s remarkable: he’s the youngest Major General!” Xu Piaohong rested her cheek in her hand as she placed her elbows on the coffee table, her expression dreamy.

“Cousin, you sound so smitten when you talk about him!” Miao Yunxiao smiled brightly and teased her. “Pursue him if you like him! I think Uncle would agree for sure.”

“He doesn’t only agree.” Xu Piaohong blushed, “General Ji and his wife said that the military are supporting the match between me and Mr. Huo.”

“Oh?! Really?! That’s great!” Miao Yunxiao was so happy that she almost fell out of her seat—this was more exciting than her finding a boyfriend for herself.

“Shush! Stop fretting over nothing; it’s just begun.” Xu Piaohong quickly muffled Miao Yunxiao’s mouth. “Don’t be a loudmouth about it. I won’t forgive you if he finds out!”

“Yeah, yeah, I promise I won’t say anything right now.” Miao Yunxiao giggled. “But, you’ll let me talk about it once you’re officially together right?”

“I can’t win an argument against you, my darling!” Xu Piaohong stuffed a muffin happily into her cousin’s mouth.

“Still,” Miao said to herself as she brushed the crumbs off her mouth, “why did that Miss Xie and her father meet Major General Huo earlier? It looked weird, like he was meeting the parent…” Miao Yunxiao decided to ignore that for now. At the moment, she felt very happy.