Hello, Mr. Major General

Huo Shaoheng didn’t confirm nor deny as he looked around. “When do you plan to move in? It’s best this place is completely renovated again.”

Gu Nianzhi didn’t let him change the topic and waved at him. “Huo Shaoheng, did you hear me or not? You’re not allowed to install bugs or pinhole cameras in my house!”

Huo Shaoheng looked at Gu Nianzhi seriously and replied calmly, “I’m that indecent?”

Gu Nianzhi was temporarily speechless. Shifting her gaze, she mumbled, “I was just reminding you.”

“As if I need you to remind me. You are doubting my professional abilities.” Huo Shaoheng spread his palms at her. “Give me the key. I’ll renovate it for you, and then you can move in.”

“Then you have to remember that you can’t install bugs or pinhole cameras in my house. You promised,” Gu Nianzhi said as she waved the key at him. She valued her privacy greatly and was also very familiar with the Special Operations Forces’ pervasive methods, so she had no choice but to be blunt up front. Of course, it was very ideal for Huo Shaoheng to provide security measures for her, but it couldn’t cross her personal boundaries.

“Yeah, when do you plan to move in?”

Gu Nianzhi wasn’t in a rush. It’d be fine as long as she could get the house ready before graduation, but she didn’t tell Huo Shaoheng that. “The earlier the better. Otherwise, I’ll have no place to stay during the winter break.”

Huo Shaoheng glanced at her as he took the key. He turned around to call Yin Shixiong, “Big Xiong, come here for a second.”

Yin Shixiong quickly ran over, and the two men began to discuss installing security measures. “Chief, we’re really not installing anything?” Yin Shixiong’s eyes darted as he asked very quietly. However, he knew there was no way they wouldn’t be installing these things.

Huo Shaoheng looked up at Gu Nianzhi’s back and continued to speak calmly, “Of course we will. But it won’t be in the house—it’ll be at the door, hallway, elevator, precinct entrance, walls, and underground parking. All the windows here, exterior or interior, need to be connected to the police as well as our alarm systems.” He then glanced at the house. “This place needs to be completely renovated, and we need to find the best company to do it. Have someone keep an eye on it and dismantle everything from here, inside and out.” Otherwise, they wouldn’t be reassured, as this was a side effect of their occupation.

Yin Shixiong snickered and gave a thumbs up to Huo Shaoheng. “Genius! You’re a true genius!” That way, there would be absolutely no bugs or pinhole cameras inside the house, but the entire apartment would be seen under pervasive surveillance. Even if one bird landed outside the window, the Special Ops would know. If Gu Nianzhi discovered this in the future, it still wouldn’t make Huo Shaoheng appear “indecent.” He hadn’t violated his promise to Gu Nianzhi of not installing anything inside the house. They key word being, “inside.”

…

Gu Nianzhi watched Huo Shaoheng and Yin Shixiong talking at the door, and they both appeared very serious. Blinking, she went to take Ma Qiqi to see the balcony. The balcony in the apartment was sealed, and the previous homeowner had installed a small tatami there. It felt very nice to walk on with bare feet. A dark green bamboo curtain hung in front of the huge French window, and it could be rolled up to let down the primrose-yellow gauze curtains on the two sides. When the curtains melded with the gentle moonlight, it made for a beautiful mood.

Ma Qiqi pointed to the tatami with a smile. “I’ll get you a set of tatami furniture, a small cabinet, two cushions, a coffee table, and a lounge chair. You can put them right here, and on the weekends, we can have tea and watch TV. You can put a big LCD TV right here.”

Gu Nianzi crossed her arms and blissfully imagined her happy future with Ma Qiqi. She couldn’t help sighing at the mental image. “Ok, we can hang a pot of orchids here, the kind that’s already bloomed. A row of succulents can be on the window sill.”

Ma Qiqi nodded fiercely. “Succulents are great! I can only keep those alive, all other plants are doomed in my hands.”

Gu Nianzhi laughed. “What a coincidence, me too. We sure have a lot in common.”

…

It was already past 6pm by the time Huo Shaoheng and Yin Shixiong finished chatting. “Let’s have dinner, and we’ll drive them back afterwards.” Huo Shaoheng looked towards the apartment.

Yin Shixiong was very excited and walked inside to declare, “Ladies, please give us the pleasure of having dinner with you!”

Gu Nianzhi didn’t get a chance to refuse before Ma Qiqi started snickering and pointing at Yin Shixiong. “Ok! Brother Xiong better get prepared to pay the bill. Careful, or we’ll bankrupt you!”

Yin Shixiong waved at them. “Fine, not a problem! As long as you guys can eat, I’ll get a loan if I have to!”

“Brother Xiong, that’s ridiculous. You’d need to take out a loan for one dinner? You just want to split the bill, right?” Gu Nianzhi smirked and patted Ma Qiqi’s shoulder. “Today is my big day as a new homeowner, so it’s my treat. Tell me, where do you want to go?”

Ma Qiqi quickly said, “Awesome, Nianzhi is treating us! Our No. 1 cafeteria on campus is pretty good. I love their chili stir fry. How about we go there?”

Yin Shixiong knew Ma Qiqi was trying to help Gu Nianzhi save money and nodded absentmindedly. Although this girl looked loud and chatty, she was actually very considerate and cared about other people’s feelings. He couldn’t help feeling even more positively about her.

Huo Shaoheng stood at the doorway and checked on his phone before coming inside. “There is a Cantonese restaurant nearby. Let’s go check it out. I’ll treat.”

Ma Qiqi immediately clasped her hands together and replied, “Huo Shao’s treat! Then I must take advantage of it!”

Gu Nianzhi was dumbfounded. Huo Shaoheng and Yin Shixiong went downstairs while the two girls followed. Gu Nianzhi glared at Ma Qiqi. “You’re looking down on me?”

“As if I dare to look down on you!” Ma Qiqi nearly shouted indignantly. “But isn’t it true I was never treated by Huo Shao before? Just let me be satisfied this once… I can brag about this for a year, being treated by a national high-ranking official!”

Gu Nianzhi giggled and gently patted her shoulder. “Just look at you go on and on… I’m warning you, don’t go around blabbing. Trouble comes from the mouth.”

“I know, I won’t say the name of who it was. But you have to satisfy the vanity of a mere commoner like me!” Ma Qiqi grabbed Gu Nianzhi’s arm and whispered in her ear, “I angered him before, so now I’m trying my best to appease him. Hopefully, he forgets what happened before and doesn’t set me up in the future.”

Gu Nianzhi thought to herself how unlikely it was that someone like Huo Shaoheng would hold a grudge about something like that. However, she could also understand Ma Qiqi’s worries. If she hadn’t been lucky enough as a child to meet Huo Shaoheng, then her current psyche would be even more like a commoner’s than Ma Qiqi’s. She’d probably avoid someone at Huo Shaoheng’s level at all costs.

…

They got into Huo Shaoheng’s car to go to the nearby Cantonese restaurant for dinner. Cantonese food was focused on, “fragrance, softness, tenderness, richness, and lightness.” Their soups were especially considered the best. Ma Qiqi also loved Cantonese food, so she took the menu and didn’t hesitate to order black bean sauce steamed spareribs, crab butter braised snake stew, and crab balls in broth. Yin Shixiong followed suit and ordered steamed chicken, and a seafood and marinated meat platter. Gu Nianzhi took a glance, and it was obvious there would be more than enough food, so she only ordered a basket of shrimp dumplings as an appetizer. Lastly, Huo Shaoheng looked at the menu and ordered the restaurant’s signature winter melon, rice, and duck stew. It was getting colder out, so Gu Nianzhi needed more nourishment. They thoroughly enjoyed dinner, and Ma Qiqi even had a bit of wine, so her tiny face was rosy and especially alluring paired with her huge, sparkling eyes.

It was past 8pm when they finished dinner, so Huo Shaoheng and Yin Shixiong took Gu Nianzhi and Ma Qiqi back to the dorm. They watched to make sure the girls were settled in the room before getting back in the car to leave B University.

Yin Shixiong drove onto the highway, and Huo Shaoheng was silent for a while before telling him, “Go to the military housing complex and return to Huo Manor.” There was only one major military housing complex in the Imperial Capital, and that was where the military elite resided. Huo Shaoheng’s home was also there, but he hadn’t been back in a long time. Yin Shixiong turned onto the highway leading to military housing complex. The road wasn’t busy at all, so they arrived in only half an hour. Huo Shaoheng got out of the car and looked at the single family house with its own yard before calmly walking inside. There were two guards on duty on the two sides of the iron gates. They saluted Huo Shaoheng when they saw him. “Chief!”

Huo Shaoheng raised his hand but didn’t stop walking. When he arrived at the main door, the orderly on guard duty at the front door greeted him loudly. “Chief!” Huo Shaoheng nodded. “You’ve worked hard.”

Huo Shaoheng’s father, Huo Guanchen, was reading an internal military memo in the living room when he heard the orderlies give their greetings. He set down the internal memo and looked at the door. A smile appeared on Huo Guanchen’s face when Huo Shaoheng’s figure appeared in the foyer, but it quickly faded away. He appeared somber and picked up the internal memo to read once again.

Huo Shaheng walked into the living room and stood before Huo Guanchen to state calmly, “General Huo, I have something to ask you about.”

Huo Guanchen was momentarily speechless. He wasn’t even calling him “Father.” What the hell was this?! Huo Guanchen was feeling unhappy as he inclined his head to look at Huo Shaoheng and replied coldly, “We can talk here.”

“This matter is confidential. You’ll be making an error speaking about it here.” Huo Shaoheng put his hands in his pockets and stared steadily at his father.

“I’ll be making an error? Are you serious!?” Huo Guanchen was enraged and flung the internal memo down as he stood up. “What kind of attitude is that!?”

“Isn’t violation of confidentiality laws consider an error?” Huo Shaoheng’s voice also turned frigid.

“You’d better really have something confidential to talk about! Otherwise… Hmph!” Huo Guanchen walked upstairs to his study.

Huo Shaoheng looked around to see that Huo Guanchen was the only one in the cavernous living room. In the past, this house was always bustling and full of people. Grandfather Huo and his partner, Head Nurse Zhang, her son’s family, and grandchildren were enough to fill the house. At the time, Huo Shaoheng’s mother, Song Jinning, was still seriously ill and had a specialized nurse taking care of her 24/7. Also, Bai Jinyi from the Bai family would stay overnight a few times every week. Huo Shaoheng’s eyes dimmed as he followed Huo Guanchen to his study.

Huo Guanchen sat behind the desk and rested his arms on the chair’s armrests. He appeared very annoyed and asked Huo Shaoheng with a frown, “What do you have to ask me?”

Huo Shaoheng crossed his arms and looked down haughtily at Huo Guanchen as he asked solemnly, “General Huo, I want to ask why you didn’t execute General’s Ji’s orders of using the highest specifications to rescue Gu Nianzhi when she disappeared in Germany.”