Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Don’t worry. I’m already preparing for it.” Huo Shaoheng assures Gu Nianzhi.
He would talk it out with General Ji the moment he managed to clarify her family background. Regardless, the both of them understood the other party’s feelings towards them, but they did not make it official.
However, he did not want Gu Nianzhi to know how far apart they used to be.
“Well, I’ll just listen to you.” Gu Nianzhi nodded, and rubbed her head against Huo Shaoheng’s chest. “I have no one to depend on anyway, Huo Shao. Only you.”
Huo Shaoheng felt a tinge of sadness even before she finished speaking and kissed her on her lips. He wanted to make up for whatever he couldn’t say in that kiss. Gu Nianzhi felt the heat in Huo Shaoheng’s kiss. The heat ignited her passion. Her heart began throbbing again, aching for him.
She hugged Huo Shaoheng’s neck and kissed him back sweetly.
“You understand, right? I only have you. It’s only ever been you for me.”
Huo Shaoheng caressed her back, and coaxed her to calm down. His deep and steady voice lulled her.
“I know.”
Gu Nianzhi moved closer to him, like a small animal looking for protection.
Huo Shaoheng hugged her for a while before getting her out the car. They headed towards the lift while he sent a text to Yin Shixiong informing him of his absence today. Zhao Liangze and Yin Shixiong would have to be on standby for the weekend.
Upon entering the lift, Huo Shaoheng asked, “Where would you like to go today? I have the entire day for you.”
Gu Nianzhi’s eyes lit up. “You don’t have to go back to the headquarters anymore?”
“Nope, I’ll go back tomorrow.” Huo Shaoheng looked at Gu Nianzhi, who had just wiped her tears from her face.
“Aren’t you happy?”
This seemed to be Huo Shaoheng’s way of apologizing to her.
“Of course I’m happy!” Gu Nianzhi didn’t ask for much. She just wanted Huo Shaoheng to accompany her.
The unhappiness had by now disappeared into thin air as Gu Nianzhi became cheery again.
“Huo Shao, why don’t we stay home for today? Do we have anything in the refrigerator?”
“No, we have no groceries in the refrigerator. No worries, we can just go and get them.” Huo Shaoheng thought of the empty refrigerator and realized that the only reason this place felt habitable was because of how much time was spent in the bedroom.
“Let’s go now then since we’ve already changed.” Gu Nianzhi pressed the button to return to the garage. At the same time, she began searching up supermarkets to on her phone so that they could get the ingredients for their dinner.
Since Huo Shaoheng had already promised to accompany her for the day, he allowed her to plan their itinerary. Placing his hands in his pockets, he followed Gu Nianzhi back into the garage.
…
Gu Nianzhi pushed the shopping cart down the aisle. She was concerned about whether the greens sold at the supermarket were fresh, whether the cuts of beef at the butcher’s was fat enough, and whether the mutton was sliced thinly enough. There were also the fish pastes, prawn pastes, different kinds of fish balls, meat balls, and tripe. Gu Nianzhi adamantly believe that one had to have tripe when eating steamboat. There was the beer to buy as well.
Looking at how Gu Nianzhi was stuffing the cart, a smile crept over Huo shaoheng’s lips.
“Have you learnt how to cook?”
Gu Nianzhi blushed and replied shyly, “I’ve got you, haven’t I, Huo Shao? I can just be in charge of eating and washing the dishes.”
“In that case, let me go and pick some things then.” Huo Shaoheng left the aisle and walked to the other side of the supermarket.
Gu Nianzhi followed him curiously and saw that Huo Shaoheng had gone to the live seafood station. He selected some shellfish, and some salmon. Then, he went to select some coriander and celery.
“Huo Shao, do we need these for steamboat?” Gu Nianzhi was puzzled. “I’ve never heard of people using salmon for steamboat.”
Huo Shaoheng didn’t look at her, but billed the things he had just grabbed.
“Steamboat is for dinner. Let’s cook something fresh for lunch. You’ve always liked fish, haven’t you?”
“You’re going to cook?” Gu Nianzhi was on cloud nine. “I shouldn’t have eaten so much for breakfast. I should’ve saved more space for lunch!”
Huo Shaoheng ruffled her hair and took over the shopping cart.
There was nothing in the apartment’s kitchen. Pots, pans, cutlery, and seasoning had to be bought as well. Thankfully, the supermarket carried all the brands of the things they were used to using at home. So, it wasn’t an issue for them.
Gu Nianzhi never knew that appliances in the kitchen had so many varieties. Looking at the shopping cart that was filled to the brim, she exclaimed: “We bought so many things for the kitchen! It looks like we’re about to open up a restaurant now!”
“Yeah right, open up a restaurant.” Huo Shaoheng looked at her, a smile in his eyes. “With only one customer?”
Gu Nianzhi felt so much love for this man. She hugged Huo shaoheng’s arm and said adoringly, “You’re the best, Huo Shao. I’ll be the number one loyal customer in your restaurant!”
Huo Shaoheng pinched her nose and put her hand in his pocket. “Hold onto me. Don’t get lost.”
“Okay.” Gu Nianzhi followed obediently beside Huo Shaoheng. They looked at the queues and walked towards the counter with a shorter line.
Both of them looked extraordinarily perfect. It was difficult not to notice them amongst a sea of middle-aged men and women who were shopping for groceries as well. Two people walked into the supermarket. It was Xu Piaohong and her mother. Xu Piaohong saw Huo Shaoheng from afar.
“What a coincidence!” Mother Xu looked at her daughter meaningfully and looked back at Huo Shaoheng. “This is the man you’ve set your eyes on?”
She had always known that her daughter had high expectations of a man for marriage. Her husband and herself had tried to introduce her to some candidates in the past but she had always insisted that they were merely rich playboys who didn’t have good character. She preferred a man with good values and strong character with a proper family background.
She hadn’t expected her daughter to set her eyes on someone whose family background was better than theirs. Mrs. Xu smiled and shook her head, feeling happy inside. This is my daughter, she thought proudly. She’d been so worried that her daughter would fall for a man with “good values and character”, but wouldn’t have a family background comparable to theirs. She would have sent her off to beto suffer at the hands of her in-laws for the rest of her life.
This Huo Shaoheng was already a Major General at such a young age. His father and grandfather were both Generals, and his grandmother was from the well known Xie family. His mother’s family background was only average, but his maternal grandfather had been the Director of the Institute of High Energy Physics, so she was also considered coming from an educated family.
Only a man like this was compatible with their clever daughter, who was different from the daughters from other government officials.
“Should we say hi?” Mrs. Xu cocked her to where Huo Shaoheng was. “Looks like he lives nearby too.”
People who came there for groceries mostly stayed around the area. The Xu’s had just bought a nice condominium apartment for Xu Piaohong in the neighbourhood recently. It was meant to be her dowry. What they liked about this area was its location, privacy, and security.
Xu Piaohong blushed furiously. No matter where I go, I meet Huo Shaoheng. We’re even living in the same neighbourhood now! This must be ‘fate,’ she thought.
“Sure, let’s say hi.” Xu Piaohong tried her best to be confident, pushing their cart and following her mother to Huo Shaoheng.
…
“Major General Huo.” Xu Piaohong walked up to him from behind and greeted him.
People turned around and started looking.
A Major General coming out to get groceries? The greeting was causing a stir among the shoppers nearby. Some even took out their phones, trying to record videos of the Major general who was personally shopping for his groceries.
Huo Shaoheng heard Xu Piaohong’s greeting and was very unhappy. Frowning, he thought of an idea. Turning to Gu Nianzhi, he whispered: “I need to handle her for a bit. Can you go to the cashier on your own?”
Gu Nianzhi had heard someone calling Huo Shaoheng. She was upset at blow the woman had called out to him. She could’ve just called him Mr. Huo. Calling him ‘Major General Huo’ in public like that was a serious matter. This person must be stupid, Gu Nianzhi fumed. The voice sounded strangely familiar too. Peering out from behind him, she saw that it was the reckless trainee policewoman Xu Piaohong, who had been recommended as the ideal marriage partner for Huo Shaoheng by the army.
She looked at Huo Shaoheng. She could see that Huo Shaoheng was unimpressed by her. Moreover, even though he was looked at her calmly, his eyes were glinting.
She understood: Huo Shaoheng had something up his sleeve.
Gu B said immediately, “I shall go to the cashier first then.” She left with the shopping cart.
Huo Shaoheng stopped in his tracks, put his hands into his pocket, and turned around. Seeing Xu Piaohong and her mother, he nodded slightly in acknowledgement.
“Major General Huo, it’s really you! I saw you from afar, but I thought I had called out to the wrong person!” Xu Piaohong was excited. “Are you here by yourself? Where’re your personal secretaries? What about your guards?”
A shopper who was looking on was fascinated at this news and thought, Wow! A true blue major general of the capital standing right in front of him! And he even has personal secretaries and guards!
Pictures!
I have to take pictures!
I’ll post them on to my Weibo account. My fanbases will definitely increase overnight!
The person took out his phone happily, and began recording.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Huo Shaoheng saw the surreptitious movement of the person who was recording him secretly. He did not stop the person, but used his bluetooth to send Zhao Liangze a text:
“Someone is secretly recording me. Sanhuan wholesale supermarket. Keep a lookout on all social media accounts.”
Zhao Liangze received the text and connected himself to all the security cameras in the Wholesale supermarket. Searching carefully, he finally saw Huo Shaoheng and what was going on behind him. He focused on the person standing diagonally behind Huo Shaoheng, holding on to their phone.
Why would he do it so openly if he wanted it to be secret? What a weirdo, Zhao Liangze thought in irritation. He took a snapshot of the person’s face.
On the other end, Xu Piaohong was still expressing her excitement and happiness.
“Major General Huo! I have already raised a request! I’ll be transferring to your department very soon!”
Her voice was getting loud. Huo Shaoheng couldn’t allow this to continue. Raising his brow, he said calmly, “I’m sorry, but you’ve got the wrong person.” He turned and walked away immediately, leaving Xu Piaohong and her mother standing there in shock.
“The wrong person? I didn’t, did I? He is Major General Huo, isn’t he?” Xu Piaohong couldn’t understand anything at all. “I’d have recognized him even if it were only his ashes!”
Xu Piaohong stood on tiptoe and looked in Huo Shaoheng’s direction. She saw him bending down slightly talking to a tall and beautiful woman him. There was a gentleness in his eyes, so unlike the cold and bored way he had looked at and treated her and her mother just now.
Xu Piaohong felt a thick heat rising in her. She balled her fists, raised her head, and cried out angrily, “Isn’t that Gu Nianzhi? He’s with her! How dare he say he isn’t Huo Shaoheng?!” With that, she dashed over to the both of them.
Huo Shaoheng was giving Gu Nianzhi a heads up at that point. “When that maniac comes over, no matter what she does or says, you keep your cool, and don’t say a thing. Lower your head and don’t let anyone manage to get any pictures of you. Got it?”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t ynderstand why she was being asked to do all these things, but seeing Xu Piaohong walking towards them angrily, she realized what was going on. Quickly, she hid behind Huo Shaoheng.
The moment Xu Piaohong makes a scene, she can forget about entering the Special Forces for life, Huo Shaoheng thought as he watched her approach them.
