Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Unexpectedly, Huo Shaoheng was asking about her buying a house. Gu Nianzhi felt very conflicted. She really wanted to finalize the purchase right away so she could move all her things from Huo Shaoheng’s place, but did it require Huo Shaoheng to view the house with her? She was trying to break up with him. Was it a good idea to be together all the time?
Huo Shaoheng glanced at Gu Nianzhi and could read the hesitation on her face. “Didn’t you say it’s a second-hand house? I’ll help you check if it’s safe. You’re a young girl and don’t know the area. If you end up next to bad neighbors…” Huo Shaoheng stated seriously with his brows slightly curved, as if he was very concerned about the area’s security.
Gu Nianzhi was momentarily speechless, but upon careful thought, it didn’t seem like a bad idea to have Huo Shaoheng check if the surrounding area was safe. After all, Huo Shaoheng was an expert in this field, and Gu Nianzhi also didn’t want to live beside unfriendly neighbors. After some hesitation, she stared down at her phone and asked, “Will this interfere with your job? Aren’t you very busy?”
“I’m not busy.” Huo Shaoheng looked at the areas surrounding campus and replied casually as he drove, “Big Xiong and Little Ze got promoted, so I can pass many duties onto them now.” Otherwise, he couldn’t be assured. He had to finish dealing with all the things at the Special Operations Forces before he had free time to console Gu Nianzhi.
He then glanced at Gu Nianzhi, but she turned around to look out the window. “Fine, then turn there up ahead. There is the Hepingli Precinct. It looks pretty good.”
Huo Shaoheng turned the steering wheel as instructed. “You’ve been here before?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know it’s pretty good?”
Gu Nianzhi glared at him. “I saw it online. What’s not online in this day and age? There are so many ads for second-hand houses everywhere.”
Huo Shaoheng didn’t ask anything else but directly drove to a quiet road near the precinct and parked. They had to contact the realtor or homeowner before they could go in to view the home, and Gu Nianzhi wasn’t sure if she could reach them right then.
She got out of the car with Huo Shaoheng first and walked around the precinct. The buildings there were about ten years old, and there was even an enclosed wall around the entire precinct. The buildings weren’t too tall, and the tallest one was only 12 floors high. It had elevators, and each level had four units. The exterior appeared well maintained. Security was on duty at the entrance of the precinct, and cars coming and going had special permits, so anyone who wasn’t a resident had to register and leave a photocopy of their identification.
Huo Shaoheng nodded. “It looks pretty good. When I get back, I’ll check the backgrounds of all the residents here. If it’s ok, you can buy it.”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t know what to say. She was suddenly very nervous because she knew that Huo Shaoheng was going to investigate the backgrounds of all the residents there. He could probably scour for everything and investigate the complete history up to three generations, along with extended family relations. “I haven’t even looked at the house yet. How can I buy it, just like that?” This time it was Gu Nianzhi opposing it.
Huo Shaoheng glanced at her. “Do you have the contact for the homeowner or realtor?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Call them to ask and see if we can view it today.” Huo Shaoheng was a man of action. They were here anyway, so they might as well check the actual unit.
Gu Nianzhi thought it was a bit abrupt and too sudden. The homeowner couldn’t prepare on such short notice. But Huo Shaoheng kept staring at her, so she could only take out her phone and call the realtor.
The realtor picked up and quickly asked, “Miss Gu? I’ll ask the homeowner for you. I can take you to see the unit if they don’t mind.” He was very efficient and called her back in five minutes. “What a coincidence, the homeowner happens to be cleaning inside right now. You can go up to see it yourself. I already told them your name.”
“Great, thanks a lot.” Gu Nianzhi hung up with a smile and said to Huo Shaoheng, “The homeowner happens to be cleaning. We can go see it.” Huo Shaoheng nodded and followed her up. The security at the precinct entrance had already received a call from the homeowner, so he knew Gu Nianzhi was there to view the house. He let them in after copying her identification.
They arrived at Unit 602 of Building A in the Hepingli Precinct and rang the doorbell. A woman in her thirties opened the door and glanced at them before asking with a smile, “Are you Gu Nianzhi?”
Gu Nianzhi nodded. “Are you the homeowner? Mr. Zhao, our realtor, had us come here.”
The woman moved aside. “Come in. We’re packing right now and will be moving out right away.”
Gu Nianzhi and Huo Shaoheng casually looked around the house. This was a two-bedroom unit with elegant finishings, hardwood flooring, light-colored waterproof paint on the walls, two clean and ventilated bathrooms, and an open concept kitchen and dining room, as well as a large bay window directly facing the dining table. Gu Nianzhi walked around and liked the place a lot. Although it wasn’t as big as the place Huo Shaoheng had bought her, this was about to become the first home she had ever bought and carried a different meaning. She was much more proud to use something she bought with her own money. Although Gu Nianzhi liked the place, she didn’t express it. She asked Huo Shaoheng noncommittally, “Are you done looking?”
Huo Shaoheng nodded. “Let’s go.” They said goodbye, and the homeowner was very nervous. She called the realtor and wasn’t sure if she could sell the house to them.
After Gu Nianzhi and Huo Shaoheng left the house, they had practically decided on buying it. They got in the car, and Huo Shaoheng drove her directly back to campus. On the way, they stopped off so he could take her to the supermarket and buy some toiletries and food for her dorm.
It was already past 3pm when Gu Nianzhi arrived at her dorm. Gu Nianzi carried several bags out of the car and said to Huo Shaoheng, “Thank you for shopping with me today. It’s getting late, so you’d better go.”
Huo Shaoheng glanced at the many bags she carried and took them from her hands once he parked. “I’ll walk you upstairs.”
Gu Nianzhi wanted to refuse, but Huo Shaoheng had already strode over to the elevator. Gu Nianzhi could only follow him. They returned to Gu Nianzhi’s dorm, and the first thing they saw was that Ma Qiqi had already returned. She was holding a thermos and watching TV. As soon as Gu Nianzhi came in, Ma Qiqi stood and said, “Nianzhi, you’re back? Where did you go?”
Gu Nianzhi smiled as she set a bag of snacks on the dining table. “Here, Qiqi. This is my treat.”
Ma Qiqi cheered and took a bag of shrimp crackers out of the plastic bag to eat. Huo Shaoheng took all the rest of Gu Nianzhi’s things to her room. Ma Qiqi winked at her, but Gu Nianzhi only hit her playfully and followed inside. “Huo Shaoheng, you don’t need to do that. I can clean up myself.” Gu Nianzhi firmly and stubbornly took the bags from Huo Shaoheng and was much more adamant than before. He let go as he watched Gu Nianzhi smoothly separate the things she bought and put them in the proper places. He stood there for a while longer, and because Gu Nianzhi ignored him, he took a cigarette from his trouser pocket and tapped it on his palm twice before saying to her, “I’d better go back now. You can go sign the contract and pay the deposit once I finish the background checks.”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t even turn around as she replied, “Thanks for helping.” Soon after, she heard Ma Qiqi say goodbye, and the door slammed shut. Gu Nianzhi relaxed instantly. Jumping out of her room, she waved at Ma Qiqi. “Qiqi, come tell me about all the gossip around campus and the faculty recently!” Ma Qiqi carried her snacks into Gu Nianzhi’s room. Gu Nianzhi took out two cups of iced milk tea she bought, and they ate and drank as they happily spent the afternoon chatting.
…
It was already past 6pm when He Zhichu noticed Gu Nianzhi’s voicemail. He had spent the last few days investigating Gu Nianzhi’s disappearance in Germany. Much of the evidence had long since been destroyed, so his investigation wasn’t going well. However, this also pointed his investigation in the correct direction. The longer he spent looking into it, the more it seemed to point to the least likely results. In the afternoon, He Zhichu compiled all the evidence and called back home.
The person picking up was none other than Wen Shouyi. He Zhichu’s voice was cold. “Wen Shouyi, do you have nothing better to do? You’re at my house all the time.”
Wen Shouyi’s voice shook with obvious fear. “Mr. He, Auntie Qin… Auntie Qin… had a miscarriage.”
He Zhichu was momentarily speechless. He rose and appeared very solemn. “What did you say?!”
“Auntie Qin… had a miscarriage.” Wen Shouyi repeated it, and this time, she spoke slowly and enunciated each word as if she were afraid He Zhichu hadn’t heard her properly.
“Auntie Qin had a miscarriage? When did she get pregnant?” He Zhichu’s voice was tempered with ice water. Each word induced shivers like ice shards.
“It was only two months ago.” Wen Shouyi replied very quietly, like she was pressed against the phone. “Auntie Qin is very sad, and Senior Mr. He has been staying with her in her room for the past two days.”
He Zhichu wanted to sneer. “You’re sure? My father knows she had a miscarriage?!”
“Of course he knows.” Wen Shouyi stiffened. “Is there something wrong with that?”
“Have my father come to the phone.” He Zhichu kicked irritably, and the coffee table in front of him tilted to spill a few drops of coffee from the cup on it. He Zhichu took a tissue to wipe it clean. Soon after, Senior Mr. He picked up. He Zhichu immediately asked, “Father, Auntie Qin had a miscarriage? How did she get pregnant?!” He Zhichu knew his father once had a very serious prostate disease, so he was no longer fertile. But he also knew that Auntie Qin had been obsessively in love with his father for decades, so it didn’t seem like she would cheat!
Senior Mr. He rubbed his forehead and said quietly, “Don’t overthink it. Your Auntie Qin used my previously frozen sperm for in vitro fertilization.”
