Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Major General Huo’s mother? Of course, I haven’t had the luck of meeting her.” Gu Yanran nodded with a smile. “Is she very beautiful?”
“Extraordinarily so.” Xue Jingjiang glanced at Gu Yanran. “There’s no doubt that you, Miss Gu, are a true beauty, but objectively speaking his mother far exceeds you.”
Appearing to be unsurprised, Gu Yanran replied, “I believe you; you just have to see Major General Huo to know that his mother must be breathtaking. Otherwise, how could she have had such a good looking son?”
“Haha, that’s true! Huo Shao has always been the best looking one in our group of friends.” Xue Jingjiang’s brow furrowed. “You’d better not repeat that to anyone else.”
His childish behavior amused Gu Yanran and made her giggle. “Jingjiang, I didn’t think you were such a funny person. It’s so nice talking to you.” The pair chatted as they left the restaurant and headed to the elevator. When the doors opened with a chime, a woman in a light blue, houndstooth wool suit darted past them and headed into the restaurant. Gu Yanran glanced at her and quietly entered the elevator with Xue Jingjiang without commenting on what they had just seen. They continued talking happily about their business partnership.
The woman rushed into the restaurant and spoke to the waiter before following him to Zhao Liangze’s table. “This is Mr. Zhao.” The waiter bowed and said to Zhao Liangze before leaving, “This is the Miss Bai you were waiting for.”
Zhao Liangze was shocked to see Bai Shuang standing there and couldn’t help staring behind her. “Bai Shuang, it’s you? Where’s your cousin?” He had a date with Bai Shuang’s cousin and his colleague from the Special Operations Forces, Bai Yueran. How could it change to Bai Shuang?
Bai Shuang was very apologetic, “My cousin had something urgent come up and went abroad. She couldn’t make it here and called me before leaving to have me come apologize to you.”
Zhao Liangze’s face fell. It was obvious Bai Yueran was rejecting him indirectly, but what day and age was it anyway? She could’ve called, texted, or just instant messaged to tell him she couldn’t make it. Yet, she’d chosen to have Bai Shuang personally deliver the message.
Bai Shuang noticed Zhao Liangze’s reaction and felt bad for him. “My cousin really had something happen and I wanted to call, but I thought it’d be hard to explain properly over the phone so I came in person. Looks like I should’ve called after all.”
Zhao Liangze quickly composed himself. He smiled. “That’s ok! Please, have a seat. We still have to eat even if your cousin isn’t here. Did you have dinner yet?”
Bai Shuang froze. “You’re treating me to dinner?”
“Yes, is that a problem?” Under the glittering chandeliers, Zhao Liangze’s fair complexion glowed.
Bai Shaung felt like she was rooted to the spot, unable to leave the restaurant. She sat down across from Zhao Liangze in a daze and whispered, “That’s inconveniencing you,” She paused. “This is your Valentine’s Day dinner though…”
“That’s ok, it’s just dinner. Who said people can’t eat with friends on Valentine’s Day, right?” Zhao Liangze called the waiter over. “The food may be served.” He had ordered the meal a while ago and had waited for half an hour for Bai Yueran to arrive.
Bai Shaung was embarrassed. Originally, she had planned on watching an old movie at home alone, but had received a call from her cousin ten minutes before. She’d told her that she was boarding a plane to Europe for an emergency mission, so she couldn’t have dinner with Zhao Liangze, asking Bai Shuang to help apologize for her. Bai Shuang had said to her cousin to call him herself, but, she figured, Bai Yueran must’ve boarded the plane or shut off her phone for another reason. Bai Shuang hadn’t been able to get through to her again and had no choice but to drive over and apologize in person.
Zhao Liangze’s mood had already recovered. He smiled at Bai Shuang. “Miss Bai looks so pretty today; did you not have plans?” She’d sat down as soon as he asked—it was obvious she had no place else to be.
Bai Shuang blushed but answered politely, “Yes, no one made plans with me so I was going to watch an old movie at home.”
“What old movie?” Zhao Liangze asked with great interest. “Let’s see if we have the same hobbies.”
“It’s a very old movie, almost 100 years old.” Bai Shuang set her bag aside. “Casablanca. Have you seen it?”
“Oh, I have. I really like the old song with the same name.” Zhao Liangze raised his brows in surprise. “It’s beautiful.”
“Really? I love that song too!” Bai Shuang was delighted and couldn’t help humming the tune. Her speaking voice was normal, but her singing voice was uniquely husky. When she reached the part of, ‘A kiss is not a kiss without your sigh…I love you more and more each day as time goes by,’ Zhao Liangze also joined in. The pair smiled at each other, not expecting to have something in common. With a shared interest, they began chatting happily. Zhao Liangze was not as well spoken as Yin Shixiong, but he wasn’t too shabby himself. He had always had a good impression of Bai Shuang and, although she wasn’t the one he liked, they could still be friends.
In that moment, Bai Shuang would ignore her love for him and be friends with him.
…
At the other side of the restaurant, Huo Shaoheng stepped away again for another call. Gu Nianzhi took the chance to look around and saw Zhao Liangze eating with a very prettt woman. Hmm? Isn’t that the former First Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bai Shuang? Gu Nianzhi frowned: many things flooded her memory when she finally recalled this woman. It had been months before, when Gu Nianzhi had secretly intervened with the Nandou System incident and enabled Bai Shuang’s fame. Later, when Gu Nianzhi had gone to the United States, she had seen Bai Shuang again at a reception with Huo Shaoheng through a video call with Zhao Liangze. Bai Shuang had only smiled at Huo Shaoheng and yet it had made Gu Nianzhi crazy with jealousy. So, this was Brother Ze’s girlfriend? She had blamed Huo Shao mistakenly. Gu Nianzhi thought about the fiery misunderstanding that had taken ahold of here then and couldn’t help giggling.
“What are you laughing about? Huo Shaoheng just returned to the seat and saw Gu Nianzhi’s playful look. He leaned over and kissed the corner of her mouth. Gu Nianzhi was so shocked she almost pushed him away, but he had already seated himself, “We still haven’t had dessert. What do you want?”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t want dessert. “Huo Shao, can we take a dessert home?” She pulled his arm and pouted at the other side of the restaurant. “Look, that’s Brother Ze and his girlfriend.”
Huo Shaoheng turned to the direction Gu Nianzhi was pointing at and saw a woman sitting with Zhao Liangze. It was Bai Shuang. Looking at them calmly, he said to Gu Nianzhi, “That’s probably not his girlfriend.”
“Oh? So Brother Ze is still pursuing her?” Gu Nianzhi grew more curious. “Bai Shuang is the First Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs right?She’s young and talented; Brother Ze has to keep working harder!”
Recalling Bai Shuang’s father, Huo Shaoheng shook his head. “I’m afraid that Bai Shuang isn’t suitable for Little Ze. I’ll talk to him later.”
Gu Nianzhi was confused. She asked carefully, “Huo Shao, you have to manage Brother Ze’s personal matters too?”
“It’s not that I’m managing it. I’m just reminding him,” Huo Shaoheng replied as he beckoned for dessert to be served. “His rank is not minor and Bai Shuang could never pass the background checks when he reports his marriage.”
It was the first time Gu Nianzhi had heard the words “background check” and she grew anxious. She stopped talking and quietly finished a whole serving of cheesecake herself.
Huo Shaoheng watched her digging into the cheesecake happily so he kept quiet too. After finishing the meal and leaving, the cold gust hit Gu Nianzhi. She looked at Huo Shaoheng’s strapping figure and asked quietly, “Huo Shao, will there also be a background check when you report your marriage?”
