Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Tan Dongbang rubbed his face. He felt like Cai Songyin’s temper was becoming worse and worse and that it was becoming more and more unreasonable. Before, he could still talk things through, but at the moment, she was very suspicious.
He walked back a bit and he just happened to lean against Gu Yanran’s chest. Gu Yanran draped chiffon on him from behind. Her hand massaged him just right. He felt very good. It was hard to tell if there was the smell of her just getting out of a bath. Tan Dongbang quickly fell asleep.
…
It was also that Friday afternoon that Ma Qiqi was getting things ready to spend the weekend at home.
“Nianzhi, do you want to go home with me? My dad and mom really like you,” Ma Qiqi warmly said.
Gu Nianzhi was a bit moved because she really liked the feeling Ma Qiqi’s mother gave. However, she thought about it carefully. It was not good to go to someone’s home too often, especially since she had been there not too long ago. When someone tells you not to be shy, you should, in fact, be a little shy.
Gu Nianzhi thought about it, but still said, “I also really like uncle and aunty, but I still have to finish some reports this week. Next time.”
Ma Qiqi also knew that Gu Nianzhi was anxious to graduate early. She picked a lot of classes and she also had to do her thesis. Therefore, to show that she understood, she put both of her hands on her shoulder and smiled as she said, “Fine. Will you be OK being here by yourself? Do you need someone to keep you company?”
“I really don’t need it. I don’t have the time. Keep what company? Keep me company while I study alone?” Gu Nianzhi smiled as she refused. “Hurry, leave. Isn’t your dad picking your up?”
Ma Qiqi nodded. “My dad’s car is already downstairs. Then, I’m going to go!”
“Go, go. Don’t stick around. I’m not your boyfriend. Do act like it’s so hard to leave me.” Gu Nianzhi teased Ma Qiqi as she pushed her out.
Gu Nianzhi didn’t want to go anywhere. She wanted to stay in school while she worked hard on her studies. Ma Qiqi went home for the weekend. It was just Gu Nianzhi herself that was left in the dormitory.
He Zhichu called and asked her, “Nianzhi, do you have plans on the weekend?”
“Yes, I have three reports that I have to write. I just started my graduate thesis. I would be grateful to God if I don’t have to stay up late on the weekends.” Gu Nianzhi laughed as she said that while she pushed open the door to her room. She wanted to turn the television in the living room off.
Ma Qiqi forgot to turn off the television when she left. As a result, the moment she picked up the remote, she saw Gu Yanran appear on the screen. She was wearing a set of white riding apparel gear. She was riding a purplish red horse and was talking to a reporter. Gu Nianzhi was shocked when she found out that after not seeing her for a few days, Gu Yanran had actually become the prime minister’s personal assistant.
“Nianzhi, why aren’t you speaking?” He Zhichu suddenly couldn’t hear anything from the other side of the phone. He quickly asked out of concern.
Gu Nianzhi was glued to the television and said, “Professor He, turn on your TV and watch the news channel.”
He Zhichu was standing in front of the window. When he heard that, he turned and walked over to the front of the tea table that had his remote control. He bent down and picked up the remote and turned on the television. Gu Yanran’s image was still on the screen of the news channel. The reporter was still on the line with the anchor.
“…Next week is the first trial of the prime minister’s wife, but it seems like Mr. Prime Minister is not the least bit worried. He is even leisurely and carefreely riding a horse in the East Mountain Racecourse with his personal assistant. Does this mean that Mr. Prime Minister has a well-thought-out plan for the case on Monday, or could it be that Mr. Prime Minister has already given up?”
“He probably won’t give up. Everybody knows that although the one that’s appearing in court is the prime minister’s wife, the Prime Minister couldn’t only think of himself,” another reporter added.
The anchors and the reporters brought it up and discussed it. However, the thing that Gu Nianzhi was interested in had already changed.
She looked at the screen coldly and said, “Professor He, say something. What is the connection between Gu Yanran and me?”
During that crucial moment when she was kidnapped in Germany, Gu Yanran unexpectedly revealed that she was not Gu Xiangwen’s biological daughter. She had been back for three or four weeks. Gu Yanran only called once. She knew she was OK. She even knew that she broke up with Huo Shaoheng. She hadn’t called since. Gu Yanran’s eager attitude was so different from before she went to Germany.
Gu Nianzhi didn’t know if other people that had sisters had the same circumstances she had. Even though she was not her biological child, they did grow up together. Usually, affection is cultivated by living together. However, by looking at Gu Yanran’s attitude, did Gu Yanran have amnesia?
He Zhichu was also watching the news program. To him, Gu Yanran was a very adaptable woman and it amazed him. She was like some kind of weed — even if one put it under a rock, it would still be able to sprout through a crack. What that kind of seize-every-opportunity spirit, He Zhichu had to admire it. But the thing was, one shouldn’t sacrifice other people’s interests and use it to pay the price in order to reach one’s destination.
He Zhichu thought about it for a bit and said, “Same as you. Gu Yanran is Gu Xiangwen’s daughter. But if you don’t like her, then don’t pay attention to her. What meaning is there if you were to contend with this kind of person?”
“I’m not contending with her. I find her irritating. Hang up. I still have to write my reports.” Gu Nianzhi hung up after she finished talking and ignored He Zhichu.
He Zhichu put the phone down slowly. He clenched his fist. He had a sinister and ruthless look on his face.
Gu Yanran is jumping about so fiercely. I can only hope that she still has some reasoning in her.
If she thought that by hanging on to the Prime Minister, she could trample on Gu Nianzhi, then she could not blame him for not beating around the bush anymore…
…
That day, on Monday, Gu Nianzhi was supposed to have classes in the morning. However, because there was going to be a live broadcast of the hearing, she asked for leave and didn’t go to class. She stayed in her dormitory alone while swiping her phone.
That time, the prime minister’s wife was involved, and the live broadcast of the hearing could not be recorded. There was no video, and only the words were broadcast. Gu Nianzhi read them line by line. When she saw Jin Wanyi’s defense for the prime minister’s wife, Cai Songyin, shesuddenly squinted her eyes.
…What that kind of defense, what is Jin Wanyi planning?
The defense that was on display went like this: “Honorable and excellent judge, I, the defense lawyer, will speak in the defense of the accused, Cai Songyin, in accordance with the law. Together with the public prosecutor’s investigation, the collegial panel will take her defense and the prosecutor’s investigation into consideration.
“According to our country’s election law’s 250th law, the crime of embezzling campaign funds means the campaign staff took advantage of the job’s benefits. If someone reallocated the campaign funds for their own personal use, they would be carrying out an illegal activity. To embezzle a large portion of the campaign fund in order to make a profit by carrying out that action, or to embezzle a big amount of the campaign fund and not return it within three months would also be illegal. That’s what the crime of embezzling campaign funds is.
“We can see that the first condition to be charged of embezzling campaign funds is when a person reallocates the campaign fund for one’s personal use. On the ground of the evidence that has been shown, although the defendant, Cai Songyin, had reallocated campaign funds, she had returned them to the campaign account. The bank’s day-to-day account can prove it here.
“Besides, the defendant, the person from the campaign staff that was in charge of the financial affairs, was Cai Songyin. Moreover, she’s the prime minister’s wife. It was not for personal use when she reallocated the campaign fund. It was all for the campaign. Furthermore, she had never carried out activities to help her make a profit.”
The public prosecutor disagreed and said, “Cai Songyin’s statement said the evening gown that was worth $260,000 was out of her own pockets, but it was actually from the campaign fund. Would this not be considered personal use?”
Jin Wanyi’s argument was this: “As everyone knows, all statements are unconfirmed truth. After the statement had been released, the defendant had never publicly admitted any of it on any occasion. Furthermore, she later proved that, actually, the words on the statement were added by one of the temporary workers on the campaign staff. He had already been let go by the campaign team.”
When Gu Nianzhi read that part, she was already speechless.
A “temporary worker” can dismiss the prosecution’s doubts? How could Jin Wanyi be that negligent?
As expected, the prosecutor immediately demanded to summon that temporary worker to court, and Jin Wanyi was not willing to tell them the way to contact him at all. For that reason, the prosecutors attacked her fiercely. For a while, they were in strait circumstances. Cai Songyin’s party ignored it.
At first Cai Songyin was still able to maintain her smile. Later, it was more and more difficult to smile. Jin Wanyi was also unwilling to be outdone and had a battle of words with the prosecutors. She was downright angry.
In the end, when the prosecutors questioned Cai Sonyin, she completely lost control of her emotions. She pointed at the prosecutor in the court and yelled, “It’s clear that someone is out to get me! Out to get the prime minister! You think I don’t know who’s pulling the strings behind you? Let me tell you, even if you pull our prime minister down, it still wouldn’t be your master that’s in the shadow’s turn! What a joke! To compete with us!”
The court was suddenly in chaos. Even the broadcasting of the words discontinued at one point. Later, when it reappeared again, the judge reprimanding Jin Wanyi and Cai Songyin and was choosing and using words that favored the prosecutors. The situation at that moment was very disadvantageous toward Cai Songyin.
