Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“How long have I slept for?” Gu Nianzhi asked while covering herself with the blanket and sitting up, hugging her knees. Her eyes still looked rather clouded. “I hope I didn’t sleep for too long.”
Huo Shaoheng looked at his watch and said monotonously, “A day and a night; not too long, indeed.”
What she’d gone through in Barbados had been too much for her to take. Moreover, she had endured the shocks from the electrical arcs, which had caused a certain level of damage to her body. On top of that, a flight of over 10 hours was physically draining as well. Therefore, she would be yearning for sleep after returning. Sleep was considered a defense mechanism for healing.
Chen Lie had come over to check on Gu Nianzhi. He had said that she was fine, just asleep. Therefore, Huo Shaoheng had allowed her to rest peacefully.
Rubbing her eyes, Gu Nianzhi whined, “Only a day and a night…”
She was getting more daring—she even dared to rant in front of Huo Shaoheng.
The corners of Huo Shaoheng’s lips curled. Standing up, he told her, “Unpack your things first. I still have a meeting to attend today. Your father has already been admitted to the Military Hospital under Chen Lie’s care, along with a group of professional specialists. Just look for Chen Lie or Doctor Ye if you want to visit him.”
Gu Nianzhi was stunned for a moment. Putting down the hand she was using to rub her eyes, she looked at Huo Shaoheng. “You’re leaving already, Huo Shao?”
“Yes. I still have a meeting to attend.”
Huo Shaoheng was there solely because he was worried about her, so he had visited personally to wake her up.
Gu Nianzhi looked at Huo Shaoheng. She couldn’t bear for him to leave yet, but she remained quiet. She merely looked at him with her expressive eyes.
Huo Shaoheng smiled, bent forward, and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Good girl. Get up for breakfast. You’ve got school later, too.”
Then he left. Just like that. It seemed like he hadn’t even missed her at all.
Gu Nianzhi looked at Huo Shaoheng’s back, overwhelmed by emotions. He opened the door, and then there was a sound of the door closing. He disappeared behind it. He’d left, just like that…
Gu Nianzhi continued sitting on her bed. Looking at her watch, she realized that it was already seven o’clock in the morning. She crawled out of bed slowly and went for a shower in the bathroom. After she was done, she slowly dragged her feet back into her bedroom and began her skincare routine. She was delaying time on purpose.
By the time she went down, as expected, Huo Shaoheng wasn’t at the dining table. However, she only went down after almost an hour.
Zhao Liangze sat in the dining room, reading news off his iPad. Upon seeing Gu Nianzhi enter the dining room, he put down his iPad and said her cheerfully, “Nianzhi, sit down. We have porridge, beef buns, deep-fried dough sticks, and noodles for breakfast today. What would you like to have?”
Gu Nianzhi took a seat opposite him and reached out for a dough stick. Breaking it in two, she began pairing it with porridge. After a while, she asked, “Has Huo Shao left already?”
“Yes. He left a long time ago. The moment he came down from upstairs.” Zhao Liangze picked up his iPad and continued reading the news. Not even looking up at Gu Nianzhi, he asked, relaxed, “When do you intend to go to school, Nianzhi? I’ll give you a ride.”
“Why must you do it?” Gu Nianzhi couldn’t understand. “Wasn’t it supposed to be Brother Fan’s job?”
“Brother Fan has sent Mr. Huo to General Ji’s, and Big Xiong hasn’t returned, as he was caught up with some matters. So, it’s down to me!” Zhao Liangze raised his head to look at Gu Nianzhi and leaned forward. “What’s wrong? You don’t trust Brother Ze’s driving skills?”
“Nah!” Gu Nianzhi giggled and bit into the deep-fried dough sticks. She finally couldn’t hold it in any longer and asked, “Brother Ze, my passport and identity have all been changed. Do you know? So those that I had been using in the past were all fakes.”
Zhao Liangze noticed a tinge of displeasure from her tone and laughed guiltily. “Oh, well, no matter how we change it, the name still remains, doesn’t it? People won’t be confused…”
“It’s not as simple as that.” Gu Nianzhi furrowed her brow and looked at Zhao Liangze, hitting the table with her knuckles. “My identity and passport numbers are all different now. It feels like I’ve changed into a whole new person. It feels really bad. Do you understand?”
“Changed to a whole new person?” Zhao Liangze tried to sympathize with Gu Nianzhi. “You mean you’re unhappy with your new identity?”
“I don’t mean that…” Gu Nianzhi sighed and used her hand to support her face, feeling all her appetite slip away. “I just feel… like… you guys should’ve sought my consent no matter what before you had it changed. Shouldn’t you?”
Zhao Liangze found that even funnier.
The little girl who grew up with us now has a mind of her own and wants her opinions to be considered!
He found it interesting just thinking about it.
“Fine, fine. It wasn’t something serious, anyway; it’s just a change of identity documents.” Zhao Liangze really couldn’t understand why Gu Nianzhi was making a fuss about it. “We still have many things to do today. Finish up with your food, and I’ll send you to school. How many days of absence did you apply for? Will your school make things difficult for you?”
Gu Nianzhi thought of her school and said, “There shouldn’t be any problems, should there? Professor He knew all about it.”
Zhao Liangze knew that He Zhichu had saved his life, in a way, and wanted to thank him personally as well.
“Yes. I’ll go with you so that I can thank Professor He, as well,” Zhao Liangze said as he showed Gu Nianzhi a basket of gifts he’d prepared for He Zhichu. It was a hamper bought from the stores, and it contained flowers, fruits, and a classy but extravagant gold pen.
Gu Nianzhi gasped as she touched the pen. “Brother Ze, you really spent a lot! This pen must’ve cost a bomb—”
Zhao Liangze knocked lightly on her head. “This is totally nothing compared to my life!”
“True that!” Gu Nianzhi nodded and said sincerely, “Brother Ze, it’s so nice to see you well and alive!”
Zhao Liangze had been teasing her for so long and intentionally avoiding the topic of being saved by her. He was hoping that she would whine to him and demand a gift for saving his life, but surprisingly, she did nothing of the sort.
Feeling embarrassed, Zhao Liangze took another paper bag from under the table and handed it to Gu Nianzhi. “There. Brother Ze’s life is really precious, so Nianzhi the savior will definitely have a huge gift of thanks as well.”
“What? I have one, too?!” Gu Nianzhi was shocked and surprised.
She had totally lost her composure. Her big, expressive eyes became pretty overturned crescents, and her long lashes accentuated the eyes beautifully. Her beautiful pink lips curled upward. She was smiling so brightly that she was definitely a sight to behold.
“Of course you have one!” Zhao Liangze shook his head and caressed Gu Nianzhi’s head. “Nianzhi, you silly girl! Did you forget that you were the one who truly saved me?”
“Me?” Gu Nianzhi shook her hands. “Please don’t be burdened by this, brother Ze. You went to Barbados and put yourself in danger because of my matters. Saving you was a must. Please don’t take me as your ‘savior.’ I’ll be so embarrassed…”
“Nianzhi…” Zhao Liangze wanted to say that they’d have gone to Barbados to bring Gu Xiangwen back to Hua Xia Empire whether or not Gu Nianzhi was his daughter, but would it make him seem too cruel to say so? Eventually, he found a different way to say it. “Nianzhi, going to Barbados—50 percent was because of you, and the other 50 percent was for our mission. You weren’t obliged to save me, but you did. So I can’t be complacent and accept it so righteously, either. Therefore, just accept this gift of thanks. If not, I’d be the one feeling bad.”
Hearing how Zhao Liangze put it, Gu Nianzhi finally accepted the little paper bag. She took out a small, red fluffy box from the bag.
“What’s this? This box is so adorable!” Gu Nianzhi looked at her present happily.
Girls truly weren’t able to resist cute, exquisite little things.
“Just open it!” Zhao Liangze folded his arms and looked at Gu Nianzhi’s happy expression contentedly. He was confident that Gu Nianzhi would love it, as it had been Bai Yueran’s suggestion. This gift was her suggestion when she’d visited Zhao Liangze and heard that he intended to get Gu Nianzhi a gift to thank her for saving his life.
A Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra greeted her the moment the box was opened. It was unlike the ones that Huo Shaoheng had gotten her in the past. Huo Shaoheng usually got her VCA necklaces decorated with different colored gemstones, but this was fully decorated with diamonds.
The diamonds weren’t huge, but every single one of them was full and clear, with amazing clarity. They decorated a total of five flowers. It didn’t look like much when you first laid your eyes on them, but when you looked at them a second time, you wouldn’t have been able to take your eyes off them anymore. This must have been what they called “low-key luxury.”
Gu Nianzhi gasped. “Brother Ze, did you hit the lottery? Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra necklaces like these don’t come cheap…”
Compared to the ones Huo Shaoheng had bought for her in the past, this was at least three times as expensive. She knew a lot about Van Cleef & Arpels necklaces. However, the ones that Huo Shaoheng bought for her were meant for young girls. This one from Zhao Liangze was more suitable for mature ladies.
“Like I said, Brother Ze is rich.” Zhao Liangze put his arms down and leaned toward Gu Nianzhi, formally thanking her again. “Nianzhi, thank you. Really. I was prepared for death when I was in the blue hole, but who doesn’t want to live? You’ve saved me and given me a second chance at life, so what’s money? I can even lay my life down for you!”
Gu Nianzhi laughed and shook her hands. “I’ll accept the necklace, all right? Brother Ze, you’re speaking as if it’s some serious matter. That’s scary…”
“Haha! You wouldn’t accept it if I didn’t put it like this.” Standing up, Zhao Liangze announced, “Let’s go. I’ll send you to school.”
As Gu Nianzhi had left school in a hurry that day and only brought her handbag. Her belongings were all in the dormitory. Therefore, all she had to bring back to school this time was her handbag. Both of them boarded Zhao Liangze’s car and drove toward the south gate of B University.
At the same time, a private jet was landing in Di Du’s airport.
Sitting in her private jet, Gu Yanran looked at the foggy morning of Di Du airport. She still looked rather helpless. She had remained in Barbados for another day, investigating the teeth models and blood samples from Gu Nianzhi and her family doctors from when they were still kids.
The doctors all told her the same information: The data from Huo Shaoheng was all authentic. They were identical to the ones they after doing DNA tests on their end. Therefore, this Gu Nianzhi from the Hua Xia Empire was really her little sister, Gu Nianzhi.
But she had gone out to sea seven years ago. How had she ended up in the Hua Xia Empire?
She looked repeatedly at a picture of Gu Nianzhi when she was a kid. She really did not look like she did now.
“Miss Gu, you can enter the country now.”
Her newly employed caretaker was a plump white British lady who was a bit over 50. She had attended the institute for caretakers all her life and had come from a family of caretakers for other families as well. Gu Yanran had to put in a good amount of effort and double the salary compared to the market rates before this woman had agreed to work for Gu Yanran.
Standing up, Gu Yanran smiled to the caretaker. “Thank you, Mrs. Thomas.”
Mrs. Thomas smiled as well. “You’re too kind, Miss Gu. This way, please.”
They alighted from the jet and did the necessary paperwork to enter the country. Then they boarded the car that came for Gu Yanran, heading toward the villa that she had bought in the Hua Xia Empire.
…
The moment Gu Nianzhi arrived at school, she went to look for He Zhichu with Zhao Liangze to halt her leave application.
“You’re back?” He Zhichu looked at Gu Nianzhi closely. “Are you tired? Do you still want to rest for a few more days?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine, really!” Gu Nianzhi shook her hands. “I’ve rested more than enough, to be honest.”
Zhao Liangze handed the hamper he’d bought to He Zhichu and said sincerely, “Professor He, thank you so much for saving my life in Barbados. It’s a little something from me. Please accept it.”
He Zhichu nodded in acknowledgment and turned to Gu Nianzhi. “Nianzhi, bring this into my study.”
Gu Nianzhi acknowledged and said, “Professor He, I have to do even this, now?”
“You’re my assistant—my only assistant. If you’re not going to do this, then who will?” He Zhichu looked at her and spoke matter-of-factly. His eyes had their usual look of complacency, and his tone spoke nothing but coldness.
Fine, thought Gu Nianzhi. You’re good…
Gu Nianzhi took Zhao Liangze’s huge hamper and took it into He Zhichu’s study.
Zhao Liangze spoke to He Zhichu for a little while more before calling out into the apartment, “Nianzhi! I’ll make a move first. Call me if you need anything!”
Gu Nianzhi ran out quickly, but Zhao Liangze had already left. Stomping her feet, she grumbled, “Leaving so quickly! I still have things to ask him.”
“What do you want to ask?” He Zhichu’s tone was much warmer now that no one else was around. His attitude had clearly changed. “You’re really feeling fine?”
“Yes, I really am!” Gu Nianzhi spun around in front of He Zhichu. “Everything’s normal. I slept for a day and a night, and I recovered completely. However…”
Looking at He Zhichu, she still felt that she had to inform him about this since he was her lecturer, and she’d had to change all her identity information from the school, so she continued.
“…My passport and identity card have all been changed. I’m now a naturalized citizen of the Hua Xia Empire. An immigrant. It’s different than my previous identity.”
