Gu Nianzhi wasn’t a judge. She wouldn’t know how the court would sentence Miao Yunxiao, so she did not give her a definite answer. Instead, she said, “You can bring this up with your lawyer. If she has a way to help, she’ll appeal for it in court.”
Gu Nianzhi knew that if Miao Yunxiao really managed to be of help to the Army, the court could shift her position to being a tainted witness. After the case, there would be a chance that they would allow her to leave no records under her name.
Miao Yunxiao nodded eagerly. She trusted Gu Nianzhi’s words completely now. “Sure, sure. I’ll go and have a talk with my lawyer immediately. Nianzhi, thank you. Thank you so much!” She bowed her thanks again and quickly ran out.
Gu Nianzhi and Ma Qiqi exchanged glances and did not mention anything regarding Miao Yunxiao again.
Upon packing her bag, Gu Nianzhi turned to Ma Qiqi. “It’s almost eight. I need to get to Professor He’s to submit my assignment. You have classes today, don’t you?”
“Yeah, an elective and two core modules.” Ma Qiqi stretched. “I have to go, too.”
After saying their goodbyes, Gu Nianzhi went down hastily towards He Zhichu’s Professors’ dormitory. She did not dare to call He Zhichu prior and just braced herself to go directly to his apartment. She pressed the doorbell.
Ding dong!
The door opened the moment the doorbell rang. He Zhichu stood at the door with a straight face. There were shadowy looking rings beneath his eyes, and he looked pale. It seemed quite clear that he had not had a good night’s rest.
Gu Nianzhi lowered her head in guilt and said timidly, “I’m here to deliver my assignment, Professor He.”
He Zhichu’s grip on the door handle tightened. His lips remained pursed as he looked at her coldly and did not say a thing. Taking a step aside, he made way for Gu Nianzhi to enter.
Gu Nianzhi squeezed herself in and took her laptop out of her bag. “Professor He, the PowerPoint slides you needed for your lecture today and my thesis – I sent them both to your mailbox this morning.”
He Zhichu acknowledged and entered the kitchen. “Have a seat. I haven’t had breakfast.” His usually clear voice had a strong nasal tone to it today. It seemed like he had caught a cold.
Gu Nianzhi felt extremely guilty. Putting down her bag, she followed He Zhichu into the kitchen and asked, full of concern, “Have you caught a cold, Professor He?”
He Zhichu remained silent. He took a pack of coffee out and poured it into the coffee machine.
Gu Nianzhi moved around him. “Professor He, is it a good idea having coffee early in the morning? You’re already not feeling well. Should you have some milk instead? Or some porridge?”
He Zhichu looked at her coldly. “Can you make them?”
“Nope, I can’t.” Gu Nianzhi shook her head honestly. “But I can try making ginger tea for you. After drinking a cup of ginger tea, you’ll definitely feel better.”
He Zhichu looked and pointed at an electric stove to the side. “Go make it.”
“Yes, Professor!” Gu Nianzhi walked over and opened the cabinets to look for ginger and brown sugar. Then, using her phone, she searched for instructions on how to make ginger tea.
Gu Nianzhi was still holding her phone in one hand in front of the tea pot, looking at the directions and adding water and brown sugar slowly even after He Zhichu was done making his coffee. It was an obvious case of learning on the fly.
He Zhichu’s bad mood he had been in since the night before disappeared. He brought his coffee, stood beside Gu Nianzhi, and asked, “Do you think I’ll be able to enjoy the ginger tea you made before sunset today, Nianzhi?”
Gu Nianzhi replied without thinking, “Will I need that long? The instructions say ten more minutes will suffice.” Only upon saying that did she realize He Zhichu was actually teasing her. She turned around, pouted, and glared at him. Her big eyes sparkled. It even looked seductive to He Zhichu when she glared at him sideways.
He Zhichu quickly lowered his head and drank a huge gulp of coffee. Then, he left the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, Gu Nianzhi was finally done making her ginger tea. She poured it into a cup and brought it out. Looking at its color, it honestly looked like coffee. He Zhichu did not protest. He finished the tea in one gulp.
No one could deny that Gu Nianzhi picked things up quickly. Of course, it could also be due to the foolproof recipe for ginger tea. Gu Nianzhi’s very first cup of ginger tea was a great success. He Zhichu felt himself perspiring almost immediately after he drank the tea. His headache also felt better.
He didn’t like wearing damp shirts, so he intended to have a quick shower. Before going in, he reminded Gu Nianzhi, “I sent you a couple of case studies yesterday. Look through them properly and arrange a set of points that you can use for debate in court. I’m going to wash up.”
Gu Nianzhi carried her laptop into the study and sat down. Ever since she became He Zhichu’s assistant, he had turned the redecorated study into one that suited her usage better. He changed the desk into an off-white one and added a new bookshelf. It contained many journals and reference books. On the other end of the room, he placed a sofa bed and a couple of large cushions good enough to be pillows along with a large, fluffy sheet.
When Gu Nianzhi worked late there, she’d have a nap on the sofa. That way, she wouldn’t have to spend time traveling. Of course, she’d lock the door no matter if He Zhichu was there or not.
…
Upon entering his bedroom, He Zhichu went to the bathroom and got the water started for his bath. His phone rang even before he was done removing his clothes. The ringtone was slightly strange compared to the melody from the Hua Xia Empire. He Zhichu’s heart skipped a beat before swiping to answer the call.
“Zhichu, when will you be coming back?” An old but powerful voice came from the other end. His tone was firm and determined, like a person who was used to giving commands.
He Zhichu, however, did not seem to mind. He merely replied, “I’ll go back once I’m done with my things.” He paused before continuing, “Father, have you been well?”
“I will not be well as long as you’re not back.” Some coughing was heard after this was said. What followed was a bright and gentle voice from a female, speaking softly in the background. He Zhichu knew that voice. It belonged to Aunt Qin. His grip on the phone tightened.
“Zhichu, we heard that you’ve found Nianzhi. Why aren’t you bringing her back?” Old Mister He asked, “Is it that hard, based on your capabilities?”
He Zhichu frowned. He avoided the question. “Father, I heard that you and Aunt Qin want another child. Should I recommend some hospitals?”
This question successfully managed to divert Old Mister He’s attention. Or rather, it managed to attract Aunt Qin’s. Aunt Qin took the phone from Old Mister He and nagged He Zhichu. “Chu, why would you be teasing Aunt Qin as well? You know your father only has one son, and he only wants this son. Why are you still being like that? Come back soon, Chu. Don’t bother too much about the things there for the time being. Aunt Qin will find other ways.” Even though Aunt Qin was Old Mister He’s second wife after his first wife passed on, He Zhichu never called her mother nor missus. He continued calling her Aunt Qin.
He Zhichu shook his head. “I know what I’m doing. Let’s hang up. Someone will notice if we speak for too long.”
Aunt Qin hung up immediately, afraid to leave any trace.
He Zhichu looked at his phone and smiled, thinking how the Special Force’s Trojan Virus would have listened in on this phone call if he had not edited the program.
Putting away his phone, he went for his shower.
What he did not know was that even though he had edited Zhao Liangze’s Trojan virus, that particular phone call left some traces in the program, as his phone required the Nandou Satellite System to send and receive signals. Zhao Liangze’s Trojan Virus left a “back door” using the Nandou Satellite System. Therefore, that phone call from his home had left some disruption in the program.
Right now, Zhao Liangze was staring at the strange frequency on the screen and spacing out. It was his Trojan Virus. Why couldn’t he decode his own virus? He did not believe that there was someone out there who was better at decoding than himself or Nianzhi!
Yes, he’d made up his mind. He’d go and look for Gu Nianzhi if he could not solve this!
…
Prime Minister Dou had been extremely stressed out by the pressure from the Committee and Army lately.
“Prime Minister, the due date for the Committee is nearing. Are you prepared to be interrogated by them?” Prime Minister Dou’s senior secretary was extremely worried. “The Principal of B University has already been suspended. The moment the new acting principal steps in, many things won’t be able to be covered up anymore…”
Prime Minister Dou said stubbornly, “What do I have to hide? Even if Aiyan had really met up with Miao Yunxiao, they wouldn’t be able to prove that they were talking about the Japanese woman!”
“But what about the phone calls between the Prime Minister’s Office to the office of B University’s principal? And you ordering them to delete the footage? How would you explain that?” the secretary asked, worried.
This was because he had been the one to make that call. Of course, it was under Prime Minister Dou’s instructions, but they had no idea how the Army and Committee had found the voice recordings from that call. They were currently appealing for the approval from the court to use it as a piece of evidence.
“Don’t worry. I’ll think of something.” Prime Minister Dou was about to speak, when he saw a familiar figure pushing a cleaning cart, entering the room. He quickly told his secretary, “Prepare a speech. I’ll make some phone calls.”
His secretary left the room and closed the door behind him. Prime Minister Dou looked at the woman who was there to clean and sighed. “Yamaguchi san, why are you here again?!”
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