Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Ma Qiqi didn’t expect He Zhichu to try his best to rescue Gu Nianzhi, since there were no nice professors who would care more about their students than their own families did. Ma Qiqi only wanted him to see the video and truly understand Gu Nianzhi’s predicament. Anyone who saw Gu Nianzhi with that swollen face would hate the people who had done that to her and want to avenge her. At least, that’s what Ma Qiqi believed. She only thought to maximize her chances of getting more help for Nianzhi under these circumstances. Gu Nianzhi begged Ma Qiqi to save her, so she must want her to seek help and not try to do it herself. Ma Qiqi was self-conscious about her own strength, and when it came to the matter of distance, He Zhichu would be the most convenient.
Of course, Ma Qiqi had no idea that He Zhichu didn’t even have to watch the video. Every single word about Gu Nianzhi was enough to wring his heart. He composed himself and appeared stoic as he immediately installed the instant messaging app Ma Qiqi was talking about and added her to his friends list. He then received the video of Nianzhi forwarded from Ma Qiqi.
He Zhichu’s vision blurred as soon as he started the video. Reaching out, he stroked Gu Nianzhi’s bruised, purple face over the screen. His lips twitched as he tried his best to hold back the relentless tears. It was really Nianzhi, so she was kidnapped and taken to Berlin… He had assumed that the enemy would hide her in a rural village, but somehow they went to the German capital of Berlin. He Zhichu stood up quickly and commanded his subordinates, “Prepare the jet. We will leave for Berlin immediately.”
Soon after, He Zhichu’s status dimmed on the app. Ma Qiqi sent two nudges to him but received no response. He should be offline, then? She sighed. Yes, all the students used to be jealous of Gu Nianzhi and felt that He Zhichu especially doted on her and included her in all the opportunities. But now it looked like Professor He was only an instructor in times of trouble. Could she rely on Professor He to try his best to help? Ma Qiqi thought about it over and over again, but didn’t know what He Zhichu would do. She couldn’t put all her eggs in one basket, so she needed to find more help for Nianzhi instead of completely relying on Professor He. Ma Qiqi was Nianzhi’s only hope, after all!
Suddenly, Ma Qiqi recalled that Gu Nianzhi used to be an orphan and had only recently reunited with her father. Her father was in a vegetative state at the hospital, and she also had an estranged older sister… Gu Nianzhi told her about these circumstances and specifically told her not to repeat them to anyone. Nianzhi said she wasn’t ready to treat them as her real family yet. With this intuition, Ma Qiqi didn’t want to let Nianzhi’s sister, whom she disliked, to know what was happening. Then who else could help?
Ma Qiqi finally couldn’t help remembering Gu Nianzhi’s extremely handsome boyfriend who made her feel breathless with one glance—Huo Shao. She also recalled the strapping and handsome “Brother Xiong” who made others with him feel secure. They seemed to have been Nianzhi’s guardians in the past. Gu Nianzhi hadn’t divulged much about her personal life. Ma Qiqi could vaguely remember this from when Gu Nianzhi’s first roommate, Miao Yunxiao, had a conflict with Gu Nianzhi’s boyfriend. He seemed to be powerful and influential, and had a pretty high rank in the military. She remembered the car with the impressive military license place frequently parking in front of their dorm building. Compared to Professor He, someone like that should have a better chance of rescuing his girlfriend if she got into trouble abroad, right?
Ma Qiqi closed her eyes and cradled her head in her hands as she leaned against the desk in deep thought. How would she ever find Gu Nianzhi’s boyfriend? The Imperial Capital was so huge, and there were many military departments. With so many military personnel, how could she find him if she didn’t even know his full name? Would she have to go to a certain military department with a big sign that read, “Get out here, Gu Nianzhi’s boyfriend! We need to talk!” What a joke…
Ma Qiqi sighed and spun around on her chair. One spin after another, and another… The room began to revolve at high speed, along with her head. Where would she find the contact information for those people? Right! Gu Nianzhi’s student profile! Ma Qiqi instantly stopped spinning her chair when she randomly thought of this. All students submitted their family’s contact information and family situation when they first enrolled. Gu Nianzhi was still an orphan back then, and if her information hadn’t been revised, then the family contact information should be for her guardians! In other words, it was likely to be Huo Shao or Brother Xiong’s contact information!
Excited, Ma Qiqi stood up from the still spinning chair and almost lost her balance. She quickly grabbed the desk to stabilize herself and began to think about how she would go to the faculty to look up Gu Nianzhi’s student profile. Last time, their tutor, Gui Suyao, had taken out Gu Nianzhi’s student profile and shared it with the faculty’s student council… Afterwards, Professor He was very angry, and Gui Suyao had to officially apologize to Gu Nianzhi.
“Right! Senpai is the leader for the faculty student association…” Ma Qiqi murmured to herself and quickly picked up her phone from the desk to call Senpai, who had been pursuing her all this time. “Senpai, are you asleep yet?” Ma Qiqi glanced at the time on the computer. It was already past 11pm.
Senpai just climbed into bed and was reading a book as he hugged the blankets. The corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile on his handsome and elegant face when he saw Ma Qiqi calling. He slid the phone to unlock it and asked, “Qiqi, what is it?”
“Senpai, the thing is, I… I need to contact Nianzhi’s family about something. Can you help me go to the faculty to look up her student profile and find her family’s contact information?? I just need one phone number!” Ma Qiqi spoke hurriedly, and her voice was so crisp and urgent in the dark night it sounded like a tinkling melody.
“Nianzhi? Gu Nianzhi?” Senpai considered it. “Student information is tightly monitored now. It’s not easy to check.”
“Senpai! My dear Senpai! Please! Just help me this once!” Ma Qiqi played coy over the phone, but unfortunately, Senpai couldn’t see it. However, he seemed to be able to imagine her cute face from her tone and couldn’t help laughing. His tone softened. “Ok, I’ll try tomorrow.”
“Great! Thank you, Senpai! You’re the best!” Ma Qiqi broke into a bright smile and grabbed her phone as she twirled. She was in a much better mood now. Nianzhi, you have to hang on! I’ll find someone to save you! Ma Qiqi didn’t really sleep all night and even had a nightmare in which she saw Nianzhi being beaten cruelly. Ma Qiqi lunged over to save her, but then someone kicked her in the butt… Ouch! That felt real! Ma Qiqi woke up from the pain and discovered she had fallen off the bed.
Checking her phone, it was already past 6am. Although she was accustomed to not waking up until after 7am, she was worried today and couldn’t sleep. She crawled out of bed with dark circles under her eyes and washed up before going to the cafeteria to buy two luxurious breakfasts to deliver to Senpai. It was only 7am when she went, so most of the students in the male graduate student dormitory were still deep asleep. Ma Qiqi waited downstairs for half an hour before Senpai woke up. She called him, then took the food upstairs.
“Oh? You are one lucky rascal! Your girlfriend is delivering a special breakfast!” All the boys in the dorm began to hoot.
Ma Qiq smiled sheepishly. “This is breakfast I got for Senpai. Don’t go running your mouth!”
“Senpai? We’re Senpais, too! Why didn’t Qiqi deliver breakfast for us?” All the other boys in the dorm began to tease her.
Ma Qiq was very embarrassed, but because she had to ask Senpai to help her get Gu Nianzhi’s family contact information from her student profile, she could only let them tease her as she blushed scarlet.
Senpai thoroughly enjoyed the typically brisk Ma Qiqi appearing so helpless and finally accepted the two trays of breakfast. “Let’s go. We can eat outside, then we’ll go to the faculty.”
Ma Qiqi’s eyes gleamed. “Thank you, Senpai!”
She followed on his heels, and they went downstairs together to enjoy breakfast in the student association office. Afterwards, she read in the office as Senpai went to look for the instructor in charge of the faculty student profiles to borrow Gu Niazhi’s information. The instructor initially refused, but relented in the end because he was close to Senpai and had been helped by him many times before. Senpai was saying he was helping his girlfriend and only needed the contact information for Gu Nianzhi’s parents. Also, his girlfriend, Ma Qiqi, was indeed Gu Nianzhi’s roommate. The instructor considered it and whispered to Ma Qiqi’s Senpai, “Then just have a glance and memorize the phone number only. Don’t make a copy or take any photos.”
“Ok, I’ll just glance at the contact information.” Senpai wasn’t planning on looking at anything else. The truth was, he had already read all this but didn’t remember much from it. The teacher secretly took out Gu Nianzhi’s student profile for Senpai to read.
Senpai found her family’s cell phone number right way and read it twice to memorize it. He then saw the number listed as Gu Nianzhi’s “distant uncle.” Senpai was speechless. He smiled as he left the faculty student association office archives and said to Ma Qiqi, who was still reading inside, “Getting anxious? I saw you poking your head out the door every minute.”
“Senpai, did you get the contact information?” Ma Qiqi threw down the book and quickly ran out. She nearly grabbed Senpai’s arm to swing it coyly.
Senpai nodded. “I got it.” He then read Gu Nianzhi’s family member’s contact information to Ma Qiqi.
Ma Qiqi quickly saved it on her phone, then pressed the call button. It rang a few times then was redirected to a man’s voicemail. It was a standard voicemail message saying he was unable to take the call at this time and asked the caller to leave their phone number and a detailed message so he could return the call when possible. Ma Qiqi instantly knew it was “Brother Xiong’s” voice. She didn’t know how she remembered it. Although she only heard him speak a few times, she was very familiar with his tone and accent.
