Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Looking at the Legal Power of Attorney, Gu Nianzhi was silent for a long while.
Holding her phone, she paced up and down her room. Finally, she leaned against her pillow and said tactfully, “Professor He, I don’t think it’s necessary for me to have a legal representative now. You know that I study law as well, even though you’re a reputable lawyer who is a consultant, and there are many out there who want you to be their legal representative but wouldn’t have the chance to—”
“But you’re not willing to let me?” He Zhichu interrupted Gu Nianzhi. He was becoming more and more pale. He looked at the cars driving past him and the clear blue sky. He could hear birds chirping, and a flock of pigeons flew as people walked through them. Everything was perfect, but she wasn’t with him.
Gu Nianzhi hesitated, thinking of ways to convince He Zhichu. She did not wish to sign an agreement like that, but she didn’t want to rudely reject him like she had in the past.
Perhaps this was the exact meaning of growing up— hiding one’s own true feelings. Gu Nianzhi felt that as a grown adult, she should not be behaving so petulantly, venting her emotions all the time.
After waiting a few moments, as Gu Nianzhi was remained silent, He Zhichu finally guessed what her answer would be.
He hung up and switched his phone off.
He sat alone in his car, expressionless, like a sculpture—beautiful, but lifeless.
He sat there for a long time, with cars on the expressway zooming past him. He just couldn’t bring himself to move. There was so much life passing around him, but none of it belonged to him. The one that did, had left him. No matter what he did, she always left him alone.
He leaned on his steering wheel, buried his face into his elbow, and stayed there. After a while, a police car stopped behind him. An officer came over to check on him, tapping on the window.
“Mister, are you okay?”
He Zhichu was his Maserati. The officer knew that the person driving the car could either be someone incredibly rich or an esteemed politician so he tread carefully in order to avoid unnecessary trouble.
He Zhichu straightened up slowly and looked at the cop. Shaking his head, he said, “I’m just resting because I’m a little tired. I’ll leave now.” He started his engine.
The police officer quickly said, “Book a hotel room to rest if you’re tired. Don’t drive in this state. It’s dangerous.”
He Zhichu’s eyes were dark and bloodshot On top of that, he was as pale as a sheet. One look and anyone could tell that the man wasn’t getting any sleep.
Concerned about his safety, the police officer trailed slowly behind him in his cruiser while He Zhichu drove. He only left when He Zhichu’s car entered the South gate of B University.
When He Zhichu returned to his office, the first thing he did was put up an announcement that the exams for the teaching assistant position would be delayed because he was flying back to America for a few weeks. He would be back after two weeks after which the exams for the 10 candidates would be conducted.
He Zhichu left almost immediately after this, only taking with him his passport and wallet—nothing else. He took the earliest flight to New York. He needed to be as far away from Gu Nianzhi as possible, otherwise he would go mad, He Zhichu felt.
The news of him leaving the country soon spread to Huo Shaoheng.
Huo Shaoheng sat thinking about it after receiving this piece of information from Zhao Liangze.
Leaning against the sofa’s backrest, Yin Shixiong crossed his legs and said slovenly, “This Professor He is quite smart isn’t he? Not only did he approve of Nianzhi’s medical leave, but he also found a reason to return to America. Now no one will realize Gu Nianzhi’s leave or absence!”
Chuckling, Zhao Liangze kicked Yin Shixiong playfully. “Not only was he smart, but also he put in so much effort too.”
“Honestly, looking at how Professor He treats Nianzhi, it’s actually quite comparable to Mr. Huo. It’s very obvious that he’s treating Nianzhi way better than he does his other students!” Yin Shixiong said happily.
“That makes sense actually. One of them is a professor, and the other is her guardian. Both are her elders, so of course they both care for her.”
Zhao Liangze was now hiding behind Yin Shixiong as he said. He didn’t want to face Huo Shaoheng’s gaze.
Huo Shaoheng did not respond to his two secretaries, though he waved his hand, signaling for them to leave the room. He looked at the computer, busy with work. No one else knew, however, that he wasn’t paying attention to the screen.
His thoughts were fully consumed by the weird feelings He Zhichu displayed towards Gu Nianzhi.
Why did He Zhichu show so much concern for Gu Nianzhi?
Was he already showing concern to her more than a professor?
When had it begun?
Was it during the six months they were on exchange in America, or maybe earlier than that?
Huo Shaoheng thought over of this silently with all the focus he had; a clue flashed in his mind, he couldn’t grasp what it was before it disappeared.
Standing up, he crossed his arms and paced around the study. He couldn’t figure it out at all.
Using the intercom, he called for Zhao Liangze.
“Is anything the matter, Mr. Huo?”
“Little Ze, I had asked you to run a check on He Zhichu and Wen Shouyi a while back. Did you do it?” Huo Shaoheng stood by the window, distracted by his thoughts.
Nodding, Zhao Liangze went to his desk and then returned, handed Huo Shaoheng a set of documents. “I’ve checked again, but it was similar to what I had found last time. But if you were to look at the timeline of this document from the start, you’d realize that it’s quite interesting.”
Opening the document, Huo Shaoheng flipped through it while listening to Zhao Liangze’s explanation.
“These documents indicate that the He’s are one of the wealthy families in North America. Their assets span across a good portion of the region. He Zhichu and Wen Shouyi have citizenships in Argentina, Brazil, England, and America. He Zhichu himself has great influence in the political and military areas in America as well.”
Huo Shaoheng flicked his fingers at the document: “This final point wasn’t here the last time.”
“Yes, that’s correct. I recently added the influence He Zhichu had in the political and military worlds.” Zhao Liangze coughed and then said, “If it had not been for Nianzhi, we would not have seen this side of He Zhichu.”
He was referring to the dispute Gu Nianzhi had with Xin Xinggao in America and the incident she’d met with at the Caribbean Sea.
He Zhichu had been in the commanding position for both of these incidents and it showed the vast amount of power and influence he possessed to have been able to help Gu Nianzhi get through those tough times.
Huo Shaoheng looked at the documents, and said, “The He’s have been keeping low profile all these years. However, 7 years ago, He Zhichu became the largest shareholder of the biggest law firm in America. That brought the financial power of the He’s into the limelight.”
“Yes, and then, 3 years ago, He Zhichu entered the Law faculty in Harvard University as a lecturer. He started off as an assistant Professor. In merely two years, he became their long term professor and received the rights to conduct consultations for PhD students. Last year, he accepted the invitation of B University as an adjunct professor in their law faculty.”
Walking to the front of Huo Shaoheng’s work desk, Zhao Liangze leaned forward on it, lowering his voice.
“Mr. Huo, look at the time line: the year that He Zhichu entered Harvard as a professor is the same year that Nianzhi began studying in C University.”
Huo Shaoheng nodded slowly with a gaze so deep and dark that no one could have guessed his thoughts.
“If I’m understanding this part here correctly,” Huo Shaoheng pointed, “when Nianzhi graduated last year, He Zhichu decided to accept master’s student for understudy all of a sudden. The law faculty at B University was way stronger than C University’s, but instead of accepting the students there, he decided to come to C University and interview Nianzhi specially.”
“Yes!” Zhao Liangze clenched his fists and hit them on the table with a loud thud. He continued agitatedly with bright eyes, “Nianzhi was sick that time I think, and had missed the interview. I remember Big Xiong going to the school to apply for medical leave for her, and he came back full of criticisms about He Zhichu’s attitude! He grumbled for a long time after, wondering what was so good about a professor like that, and that it’d be better if Nianzhi wasn’t selected.”
Speaking of Gu Nianzhi falling ‘ill’ that time, Huo Shaoheng lowered his head uneasily and avoided Zhao Liangze’s eyes. Covering his mouth with one hand, he coughed lightly and then said, “Basically, we can conclude that the things He Zhichu did…he was doing them specifically for Nianzhi.”
Zhao Liangze nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes! That’s it!” He leaned in again and asked, “Mr. Huo, do you think that He Zhichu knows Nianzhi from before?!”
The mystery of Nianzhi’s family background would finally be solved if it was really the case.
The truth, which they had been investigating for six to seven years, would be coming to light; Zhao Liangze was beyond excited.
Huo Shaoheng fell silent for a long while. Zhao Liangze worried that he disagreed with him. Then he heard Huo Shaoheng say, “It’s possible, but there’s also another thing.”
“What?”
“He was intentionally getting close to Nianzhi, but in fact, he had a background reminiscent of an individuals from the CIA, the British Military Intelligence, or Israel’s Mossad, for example.”
“You mean, there might be a chance that He Zhichu is a Special agent from these countries?!” Zhao Liangze was stunned.
However, he had tracked this for a long time. “No, he could never be a special agent for one of those countries. They could never afford him. He’s like the underground pastor of North America. Even the Presidential election candidates must be approved by the He’s before they can apply for it. So, the intelligence from the countries would have been controlled by He Zhichu. Not the other way around.”
