He smiled and switched on the Bluetooth headset to call Speaker Long.
At that moment, Huo Shaoheng and Gu Nianzhi came out of the military compound and had just returned to his official residence at the headquarters of the Special Operations Forces.
His personal secretary, Yin Shixiong, booked him a ticket that would be taking off two hours later – a first-class Aeroflot seat destined for Moscow.
As usual, he would immediately board the plane after going back to the official residence to pack a suitcase.
But this time, his routine changed.
…
When Speaker Long received the phone call from Huo Shaoheng, he was still in his private vehicle on its way back to the Senate.
“Shaoheng? What’s the matter? Is Nianzhi with you?” Speaker Long answered the phone and immediately asked when Gu Nianzhi would be returning to work at the Senate.
Huo Shaoheng, “…”
He subconsciously glanced at Gu Nianzhi.
Gu Nianzhi’s pupils were like two top-grade flecks of obsidians, and the sunlight reflected in her eyes to resemble a prized rainbow reflecting in them.
She obviously wanted to go to Moscow with him.
Huo Shaoheng smiled and immediately changed his mind. Without mentioning the word vacation, he calmly replied, “Speaker Long, we are still working on the mission, and Nianzhi needs to complete some final tasks with us. She should be done in about two more weeks.”
Huo Shaoheng didn’t say anything with much certainty. After all, many things could be out of his control when they went abroad.
He actually had no specific agenda for this trip to Moscow. The most important task was to attend the opening ceremony with the military special forces delegation to prove that he had been there.
This was only used as a cover.
Outsiders did not know that he had not been in Moscow all this time.
The foreigners who knew that he was not in Moscow, such as the elites of the Japanese Tokko, as well as the Gestapo and their mercenaries led by Li Dexi, were all dead.
The rest were their own people, comrades-in-arms who faced life and death with him.
Speaker Long was slightly disappointed but still expressed his understanding, saying, “Well, you have to protect her at all costs. She is a girl, so it’s really not easy for her to run around with you guys. Don’t let her get into any danger.”
He was still unhappy after saying this, so he calmly warned Huo Shaoheng, “I’ll tell you now – it is not easy for me to find a successor. If anything happens to her, I won’t let you off easily!”
Huo Shaoheng, “…”
What a joke.
How could anything happen to Nianzhi when she was with him?
Huo Shaoheng declined to comment, but smiled perfunctorily, and said, “We are departing now. Take care, Speaker Long. I will invite you to dinner when I return.”
“Yeah,” Speaker Long agreed without making any real commitment and hung up the phone.
After listening to the call, Gu Nianzhi smiled and gave Huo Shaoheng a thumbs up, saying, “Huo Shao, you are so amazing. I’ve only discovered that you lie without batting an eye, so your lies are even more convincing than the truth.”
Huo Shaoheng glanced at her calmly and said, “I never lie.”
“…Where is your shame?” Gu Nianzhi asked.
“I just don’t tell the truth sometimes.” Huo Shaoheng curled his lips, reached out, and pinched Gu Nianzhi’s tiny face. “My face is right here. Go wash up. I’ll book a ticket for you.”
Gu Nianzhi looked up at the ceiling speechlessly.
Being able to lie through their teeth about was probably a special communication skill all Special Operations Forces personnel had to master.
…
Gu Nianzhi hurried back to the bedroom, grabbed a few facial masks from the dressing table, and put them in her small purse. She did not even open the suitcase before dragging it outside again.
This time, Huo Shaoheng’s orderly, Fan Jian, and personal secretary, Yin Shixiong, drove them to the airport.
Yin Shixiong was reluctant to see them go and grabbed Gu Nianzhi’s arm as he winked and said, “Nianzhi, Brother Xiong hasn’t seen you for a long time and misses you so badly. What do you think? Will you sit with Brother Xiong on the way to the airport? Brother Xiong has a lot of caring reminders to give you.”
Gu Nianzhi couldn’t help but get goosebumps when she saw the typically happy and handsome Yin Shixiong suddenly give her smoldering looks.
She couldn’t bear it anymore, so she shrunk to the side and said, “Brother Xiong, speak properly. Don’t you know that you’re scaring me right now?”
Just as Huo Shaoheng glanced at them, General Ji called. He still had some work to report, so he inclined his chin at Fan Jian and said, “You can drive the car behind here, and I will go with you. Nianzhi, you and Big Xiong take this one, and I will see you at the airport.”
“Okay, okay! The Chief is considerate and understands the sentiments of the people. You are truly the blessing of my generation!” Yin Shixiong hurriedly bowed to Huo Shaoheng and then pulled Gu Nianzhi into the car.
Gu Nianzhi glanced at Huo Shaoheng and nodded when she saw him wave to her casually. “Then I will go with Brother Xiong.”
She was going to spend two weeks with Huo Shaoheng this time anyway, so it didn’t matter if they were apart for the short drive.
With a smile, Gu Nianzhi sat in the front passenger seat of Yin Shixiong’s car.
After the car started, Gu Nianzhi cocked her head and asked Yin Shixiong, “Brother Xiong, what’s the matter with you? Why did you have to talk to me in such a hurry, and why can’t you tell Huo Shao about it?”
It appeared as though Yin Shixiong wanted to question her about something.
After Yin Shixiong got in the car, the silly smile on his face faded.
He drove the car intently and waited to get on the highway before asking Gu Nianzhi in a solemn voice, “Bai Shuang… and Little Ze, what happened between them?”
“What’s going on? Didn’t Huo Shao tell you everything?” Gu Nianzhi pretended to be confused as she replied to him with a smile.
“Don’t talk nonsense with me.” Yin Shixiong stretched out a hand and turned Gu Nianzhi’s face towards him. “Tell me honestly, what happened over there?”
Gu Nianzhi raised an eyebrow, saying, “It’s top secret. No comment.”
“Stop being so smug.” Yin Shixiong curled his lips in disdain. “Little Ze and Bai Shuang’s relationship cannot be considered at all. If you don’t tell me, I won’t tell you about what happened after the Bai family picked up Bai Shuang’s coffin.”
Bai Shuang’s coffin had arrived at the Imperial Capital International Airport with the highest honor, but neither Gu Nianzhi nor Huo Shaoheng had gotten off the plane when it happened.
The two of them discreetly left the airport after everyone was gone, then went to the military compound for a meeting.
Three or four hours had passed in the meantime, so Gu Nianzhi really didn’t know what happened.
She looked at Yin Shixiong suspiciously and asked, “…What can happen? Wasn’t it just a memorial service, then a funeral? Those kinds of things?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Yin Shixiong patted the steering wheel and nodded twice, saying, “And then Little Ze also followed the Bai family back there.”
Gu Nianzhi’s eyes widened, “Brother Ze went to the Bai’s house?! What… What… What did he do at the Bai’s house?!”
Could it be that he fell back in love with Bai Yueran when he saw her again?! Why did she think this would happen again?!
The corners of Gu Nianzhi’s lips twitched as she marveled at Zhao Liangze’s ability to sway undecided.
“What did you think he was going to do?” Yin Shixiong gave her a funny look. “Don’t think so badly of our Little Ze. He is a little confused about his emotions, but who would immediately know who they truly love when they fall in love for the first time? Do you know who you really like? I didn’t…”
Suddenly feeling bad, Yin Shixiong coughed and swallowed the words he hadn’t finished saying.
Gu Nianzhi narrowed her eyes menacingly and said, “Brother Xiong, what do you mean by that? Be careful, or I’ll tell Qiqi!”
“Okay, okay! Forgive me, Princess Nianzhi!” If it weren’t for the fact that he was driving, Yin Shixiong would have had to bow his head in apology. “Huo Shao finally agreed to approve my marriage application once he returns from Moscow. If you stir something up, I won’t be able to handle Qiqi, even if I can handle Huo Shao!”
“I will forgive you since you know enough to be afraid.” Gu Nianzhi patted Yin Shixiong on the shoulder very tolerantly and said, “Go on. What did Brother Ze do at the Bai’s house? I won’t tell Qiqi if you tell me.”
Yin Shixiong, who was very eloquent, found that he had been unwittingly defeated by Gu Nianzhi.
Not only had he failed to find out what he wanted to know from her, but he also ended up revealing all the information he had as well.
“…You are ruthless.” Yin Shixiong snorted and said, “Little Ze has really surprised me! He wore the family mourning shroud and thanked the funeral attendees as a family member when the Bai’s held a funeral for Bai Shuang!”
Gu Nianzhi, “!!!”
“You mean that Brother Ze presided over Bai Shuang’s funeral as her family?!” Gu Nianzhi’s eyes widened with surprise as she asked, “Who was he supposed to be to her?!”
Yin Shixiong glanced at her and wanted to pinch her huge eyes a little smaller. He sighed and said, “He acted as Bai Shuang’s fiancé. He told the Bai family that he was engaged to Bai Shuang when they were abroad and planned to submit his marriage report when they returned. But Bai Shuang sacrificed herself before they returned to the Huaxia Empire.”
Gu Nianzhi, “…”
“You know that Little Ze and Bai Yueran had just confirmed that they were dating right before he went abroad on his mission. How can he come back and suddenly be engaged to Bai Shuang again in a blink of an eye?!” Yin Shixiong kept clicking his tongue. “What kind of spell was he under?!”
Gu Nianzhi murmured, “Brother Ze not only went to Bai’s house but also thanked the guests at the funeral as Bai Shuang’s fiancé? This, this…”
“You have nothing to say, right?” Yin Shixiong nodded his head solemnly. “He ignored me when I grabbed him. Do you understand? Because he did such a thing, everyone in the Imperial capital will assume that they were actually married,” he said.
Although there was no legally recognized relationship, their factual relationship as husband and wife was firmly established.
By doing this, he completely cut off any possibilities with Bai Yueran…
Yin Shixiong sighed but didn’t find a chance to say another word to Zhao Liangze.
He originally thought about waiting for Gu Nianzhi’s return since it would be too late to ask her later.
However, Huo Shao had randomly booked a first-class Aeroflot ticket to Moscow for Gu Nianzhi.
Yin Shixiong had no other options, so he needed to forcibly borrow Gu Nianzhi during the drive to the airport.
He knew that Huo Shaoheng understood what he wanted to ask her, so he wouldn’t mind.
Gu Nianzhi grew up with them, so Yin Shixiong knew that she was not someone who liked to keep things from other people.
Gu Nianzhi didn’t speak for a long time.
After a while, she asked quietly, “What about Director Bai? Bai Yueran – how did she react?”
