Tan Guiren was an innocent and naive person by nature. Naturally, she would believe whatever others said, and had a very dogged determination when it came to abiding by her own set of standards.
Due to her harsh experience in the United States, and because of Huo Shaoheng, she remembered that particular incident much more vividly than other things that had happened in her past.
However, it had been a long time since the incident had taken place, and therefore her memory of the event was naturally beginning to become fuzzy.
Because of that, Gu Nianzhi’s reconstruction of the truth had firmly imprinted itself in Tan Guiren’s mind and subconsciously made her perceive Gu Nianzhi’s questions and answers as her own line of reasoning, therefore reinforcing it all in her mind.
Not only Tan Guiren but even Speaker Long, who was merely watching, had unwittingly fallen victim to Gu Nianzhi’s episode of hypnosis. He had also subconsciously begun to regard Tan Guiren’s responses to Gu Nianzhi’s questions as the truth of what had happened during the hostage crisis in the US.
He was under the impression that when Huo Shaoheng rescued Tan Guiren in the United States, he really did hold his own against the US military and the CIA, and that he had remained hidden while protecting Tan Guiren from the shadows.
He believed that Tan Guiren hadn’t accidentally exposed anyone or anything because she hadn’t even known Huo Shaoheng’s true identity at the time.
As for the alleged captivity, he believed it was complete nonsense.
Speaker Long pondered over Tan Guiren’s answers for a while, then pulled Hong Kangquan’s documents from the United States out of his drawer. He seemed lost in thought.
The spacious office sunk into deep silence and sunlight shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the walls. You could see flying dust dancing in the light, and a sense of tranquility and peace took over the room.
Tan Guiren wiped the sweat from her forehead and said jokingly, “Miss Gu, you were so serious just now and really almost scared me into forgetting my words.”
“How could that be?” Gu Nianzhi frowned. “Miss Tan, you have such a clear line of reasoning, a silver tongue, and an excellent memory. No wonder you are a violin virtuoso.”
Tan Guiren grinned and finally relaxed.
She pulled a paper towel out of her small bag and wiped the sweat from her hands. She was about to continue chatting with Gu Nianzhi when she heard banging on the door of Speaker Long’s office.
Gu Nianzhi was also caught off guard. “Who is it? Why aren’t you using the intercom?” she called.
Who would punch the door with his fist?
Speaker Long looked up with displeasure and pressed the intercom speaker on his office desk. “What’s going on outside?” he asked.
Special Assistant Zhuang’s helpless voice rang through the intercom, saying, “Speaker Long, it’s Director Hong. He wants to ask if Miss Tan is still in your office. He said he came with Miss Tan and would like to meet with you along with her.”
Speaker Long frowned. “I invited Miss Tan. I have no appointment with Director Hong. If Director Hong wants to see me, you will have to schedule another appointment time slot for him.”
In other words, Special Assistant Zhuang was supposed to reschedule Director Hong according to Speaker Long’s schedule.
Generally speaking, Hong Kangquan would have to wait nearly half a month to see Speaker Long due to how busy he was.
Hong Kangquan became agitated upon hearing this. From the moment he discovered that Tan Guiren had suddenly disappeared, he had felt more and more anxious. His heart was pounding and he couldn’t restrain himself from screaming loudly into the intercom, saying, “Speaker Long! I really need to meet with you urgently! It is a matter concerning national interest, and must be addressed now without further ado!”
Hearing what he said, the corners of Gu Nianzhi’s mouth twitched. She thought disdainfully about how big of a spectacle he was making of himself. How could he still not give up…?
Alright then, let’s see who is really the one obstructing national interests!
Gu Nianzhi wrote a few words in her notebook and showed it to Speaker Long. It said that they should let him in and hear what he had to say.
Speaker Long’s eyes went back and forth from Gu Nianzhi to Tan Guiren, then he turned off the intercom and asked, “Miss Tan, why did Director Hong say he came with you? Did you ask him to come with you?”
Tai Guiren waved her hand quickly, saying, “No, no. When I arrived at the Parliament building in the morning, I encountered Director Hong at the door. When he heard that I was here to meet you, he said that he was too, and insisted that we come together.”
So that’s how it was.
Speaker Long glanced down again at the note Gu Nianzhi had written to him. After thinking it over for a while, he nodded and said, “Let him in.”
Gu Nianzhi hurriedly got up to open the door.
At that moment, Hong Kangquan was scowling at Special Assistant Zhuang in front of the door. “So you’re not going to open the door, huh? Are you willing to take responsibility if the nation suffers damage because of your obstinance?!” he said.
Although Special Assistant Zhuang was usually mild-tempered, Hong Kangquan’s attitude infuriated him. He angrily said, “This is the office of Speaker Long from the Senate! Every single thing here is of great national interest! Director Hong, if you continue to cause chaos, I will have to call the guards!”
Gu Nianzhi poked her head out and said quickly, “Calm yourself, Special Assistant Zhuang. There is no need to lose your temper over someone like him.”
Hong Kangquan turned back violently, and upon seeing that the person speaking was Gu Nianzhi, he instantly felt even more enraged. “What do you mean by someone like me? How dare you stop me from seeing Speaker Long! It seems as though standing in front of the King is easy enough, but it is you lackeys that cause the most trouble!”
Gu Nianzhi smiled and looked back at Speaker Long in the office. She said, “Speaker Long, Director Hong said that you are the King, while we are the lackeys. So, what is this place? The Palace?”
Tan Guiren giggled at this.
Special Assistant Zhuang and Speaker Long were highly amused as well, but both quickly looked away and coughed to suppress their laughter.
“Nianzhi, don’t be naughty. Ask Director Hong to come in,” Speaker Long said jokingly.
His gentle mentorlike tone towards Gu Nianzhi cowed Hong Kangquan into silence. He did not dare to yell at her again.
After giving Gu Nianzhi a brief look, Hong Kangquan took a couple of long strides into the office.
Gu Nianzhi thought for a while before saying to Special Assistant Zhuang, “Special Assistant Zhuang, come in and help record. I have been recording for Speaker Long for a while now, and my hands are getting sore. I don’t think I can handle the lord that just came in.”
She turned towards Hong Kangquan’s back and pursed her lips. She did not want to record anything to do with that man.
Special Assistant Zhuang nodded and followed them in.
When Speaker Long saw him enter, he pointed at the notes taken by Gu Nianzhi and said, “Little Zhuang, you record now.”
Special Assistant Zhuang hurried over and sat where Gu Nianzhi had just been sitting.
Seeing this, Tan Guiren stood up and said to Speaker Long, “Speaker Long, if there is nothing else for me anymore, I will get going.”
She originally had a good impression of Hong Kangquan. After all, he was the husband of her mom’s best friend and was considered a close family friend.
But today, Hong Kangquan’s discourtesy toward Speaker Long not once, but twice, made Tan Guiren a little unhappy.
She was especially upset because of how Gu Nianzhi had repeatedly stressed to her that Hong Kangquan had been using her name to cause trouble. This further deepened Tan Guiren’s displeasure with Hong Kangquan.
Therefore, all of her previous warmth toward him had vanished, and when she saw him again, all she did was nod courteously. “You get on with your business. I will be going,” she told him.
“Hold on.” Hong Kangquan stretched out his arm to stop Tan Guiren. “I haven’t even asked you anything yet, how can you leave?”
Tan Guiren was caught off guard. “You have things to ask me?” she asked.
“Yes, so you can’t leave yet,” he said.
In Hong Kangquan’s scheme, Tan Guiren was the key to framing Huo Shaoheng for the crime.
He thought that since she was so naive, it would be easy to set her up and coax information out of her about Huo Shaoheng’s circumstances during the crisis in the US.
Hong Kangquan did not believe for a second that Huo Shaoheng had really escaped from the United States without any outside help!
His field staff obtained evidence from the US that they had captured the Huaxia Empire soldier who had rescued Tan Guiren. He was confident that the soldier mentioned was Huo Shaoheng.
The only thing he needed now was Tan Guiren’s testimony. She, a truly objective third party, was the only one who could confirm that Huo Shaoheng had been captured by the enemy while trying to rescue her.
He did not expect Tan Guiren to be so uncooperative.
Although she was a naive and good-tempered girl, she wasn’t willing to take orders from just anyone.
She had been raised like a princess and showered with love by her parents. Although she could be deferential toward Speaker Long, it did not mean she would do the same for Director Hong. Did he deserve it?
That man was her father’s subordinate. How dare he treat her with such an attitude?
Tai Guiren raised her head haughtily and said, “I don’t want to talk to you. I want to go home!”
Hong Kangquan was shocked.
Gu Nianzhi suppressed her laughter and helped defend Tan Guiren, saying, “Have you heard her, Mr. Hong? Miss Tan said that she didn’t want to talk to you. You can’t force her! This is the Senate, not your Secret Service’s execution room. You cannot extort a confession from Miss Tan through torture!”
Miss Tan grabbed Gu Nianzhi’s hand in terror, asking, “Will he arrest me and torture me?!”
Gu Nianzhi turned to look at Director Hong and feigned terror as well. “Director Hong, will you torture Miss Tan because you didn’t get what you wanted? Please don’t do so. Miss Tan is a law-abiding citizen that has never done anything wrong. How could you do something so cruel? So ruthless? So heartless?!”
The series of parallel accusations made Speaker Long and Special Assistant Zhuang feel goosebumps rising.
The two of them exchanged glances and shrugged in unison.
Hong Kangquan felt so disgusted that he was on the verge of vomiting.
Only Tan Guiren innocently thought that Gu Nianzhi’s words made any sense.
She hurriedly moved closer, and said tearfully, “You can’t do this to me, Director Hong! You are the husband of my mom’s best friend. I have always thought of you as an uncle. If it weren’t for you, my mom wouldn’t have gone to General Huo to rescue me, and I might not have come back alive. I’m grateful to you, but you can’t blackmail me with this!”
Gu Nianzhi silently gave Tan Guiren two thumbs up in her head.
