Hello, Mr. Major General

Gu Nianzhi’s tone improved Huo Shaoheng’s mood instantly. If Gu Nianzhi’s identity was confirmed as the same Gu Nianzhi who had disappeared from the Gu family in Barbados seven years ago, then she really had ample reason to ask Gu Yanran to tell her the whereabouts of her father, Gu Xiangwen. Gu Yanran obviously didn’t want to go to the Huaxia Empire, so she was doing all she could to delay the Huaxia military, but this wouldn’t work on Gu Nianzhi.

Of course, the condition to this solution was that Gu Nianzhi had to prove her identity. This was the data He Zhichu had obtained for her, as well as the identity confirmation from Dr. Doug—these could be used as identity confirmation evidence even if presented to the FBI.

The problem Huo Shaoheng faced in Barbados was easily resolved. Pressing the phone to his ear, he was quiet for some time and stared deeply at the tropical scenery outside the car. Greenery was everywhere, and he could see the brilliant sun upon raising his head. It melting his hardened and solemn heart as the swelling warmth spread out toward the rest of his body. It was like the day Gu Nianzhi had a sweet and cloying dessert that she had forced him to eat. He hadn’t liked it to begin with, but the sweetness had reached his heart when she’d stuffed it into his mouth…

Gu Nianzhi didn’t get a response from Huo Shaoheng for a long time, so she thought he didn’t agree and was worried that his pride had taken a hit because of what happened. She quickly said, “Huo Shao, do you not want me to help you? But this has to do with my past, so I’m not actually helping you. I’m more helping myself.”

Her considerate words warmed Huo Shaoheng even more, and he even pitied Gu Nianzhi’s careful consideration. He would never admit that he actually really liked Gu Nianzhi’s emboldened drive, but unfortunately, she rarely acted that way since she had matured.

Gripping the phone, Huo Shaoheng sighed deeply and replied in a steady voice, “I’m very happy that you’re taking the initiative to help me. I actually was going to get you to help anyway, so we basically thought of the same idea.”

This time, Gu Nianzhi was the one left speechless for a long time. A tingling, swelling sensation spread out from her body. It was like the year Huo Shaoheng had taken her to a hot springs resort to soak in the hot springs. The warmth of a lover’s embrace was absolutely addictive. Her gaze had secretly followed Huo Shaoheng ever since she had become a young girl, but he had always been too mature, too capable, and much too old for her. He had a lot more life experience and was always the figure she idolized. Even after they got together, Gu Nianzhi was trepidatious and ever fearful that she would lose him or wasn’t worthy of him. But this time, she could sense the happiness of reading another’s mind and having their hearts joined as one.

Gu Nianzhi felt her cheeks grow hot against the phone and probably would’ve lit up with the tiniest spark. People always said a hint of sunshine gave brilliance, but a mere spark would ignite her… Gu Nianzhi looked up instinctively to see a girl in the mirror smiling foolishly. She collapsed onto the table in a fit of giggles, shoulders shaking.

Huo Shaoheng heard her laughter and also smiled in return. He asked gently, “What are you laughing at?”

“I’m laughing at myself.” Gu Nianzhi stopped laughing, not daring to look in the mirror again. Thankfully, Huo Shaoheng wasn’t at her side to see her foolish appearance. Otherwise, that would have totally ruined her image with him. She hoped that in Huo Shaoheng’s mind, she would always be the whip-smart and flawless Gu Nianzhi.

However, Huo Shaoheng sensed it mentally and didn’t relent. He laughed quietly. “Start a video call.”

“Huh?” Gu Nianzhi’s smile froze on her face. “Why? I… I… I didn’t wash up or dress yet. Just came home all dusty. I don’t… don’t want to start the video call.”

“I want to see you.”

Huo Shaoheng’s voice had never been so low and gentle before. In the front seats, Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze felt the hairs raise on the backs of their necks. They desperately prevented themselves from looking back to see if their chief in the backseat had been switched with someone else…

Gu Nianzhi was completely helpless in the face of Huo Shaoheng’s tender tone. She thought he must have cast a spell on her as she mindlessly turned on the video camera to aim at herself and even forgot to put on a filter.

Resting an elbow against the window, Huo Shaoheng held the phone with his other hand to look down at the screen. It was the image of a beautiful girl who was trying hard to hold back a smile, but her two faint dimples appeared at the corners of her cute and luscious lips. This was Nianzhi. His Nianzhi.

Huo Shaoheng’s thumb lingered lovingly on the screen just as if he was stroking her cheek. “Pretty girl,” Huo Shaoheng texted Gu Nianzhi, and she began to giggle.

Her unbridled and musical laughter was extremely infectious. Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze in the front seat couldn’t help but smile as well and looked back at Huo Shaoheng.

Huo Shaoheng’s smile disappeared, and he ended the video to call her again. “Go fax me the information right now. I need to receive it as soon as I get to the hotel. Can you get this done?”

“Yes.” Gu Nianzhi knew when the video suddenly ended and Huo Shaoheng resumed his normally aloof tone that there were outsiders present. She also curbed her smile and promised him seriously.

“Ok, then make it quick.” Huo Shaoheng ended the call and put away the phone nonchalantly before saying to the driver, “Please hurry up, I’m in a rush.”

Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze in the front seats also sat up straight and began to work.

When they returned to the hotel, Zhao Liangze set up the machine to receive encrypted faxes and received the data Gu Nianzhi had sent over. Zhao Liangze quickly uploaded it to the cloud drive and had Huo Shaoheng log in to see it. Huo Shaoheng took a whole two hours to finish reading all the information and data. He perused it in detail and specifically looked up the jargon and terms he didn’t understand in order to learn all the professional language in a short period of time.

“Mr. Huo, can Nianzhi really belong to the Gu family from Barbados?!” Yin Shixiong braced himself on his arms against Huo Shaoheng’s desk and asked with shock, “But we checked last time. Nianzhi and Gu Yanran’s DNA are not biologically related…”

“Who said only biologically-related family are legally considered sisters?” Huo Shaoheng smiled faintly as he repeated Gu Nianzhi’s words. “We don’t need to prove that she’s related to Gu Yanran. We just need to prove that she’s the Gu Nianzhi from the Gu family in Barbados.”

Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze thought about it and finally understood the convoluted point. They nodded furiously and said in unison, “Mr. Huo is a genius! How did you think of that?! We really backed ourselves into a corner with that!”

“It wasn’t my idea.” Huo Shaoheng ignored his subordinates’ flattery. “Nianzhi thought of it, and, of course, that was due to Professor He’s hint.”

“Oh? Professor He again?! He clearly knew everything! Why didn’t he tell us directly!” Yin Shixiong got irate and slapped the desk. “Look at all the time we wasted! We did so much work for nothing!”

“How was this time wasted? Investigating the truth should be a complex process to begin with.” Huo Shaoheng was unperturbed. “Also, how could we totally believe He Zhichu’s words without reservations? We must prove it step by step, so the necessary work must be done, and the time required must be taken in order to find the best solution.”

“Roger, Chief!” Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze answered loudly in acceptance of their scolding. “But Mr. Huo, even though this evidence is enough for us, is it enough for the government of Barbados to reinstate Gu Nianzhi’s identity?” Zhao Liangze printed the data out and passed it to Huo Shaoheng. “What else do we need to do?”

Huo Shaoheng leaned in the high-backed leather chair with a hand under his chin. After considering it for a while, he finally said, “I’m afraid we need Nianzhi to come here personally.”

“Have Nianzhi come to Barbados? Great idea!” Yin Shixiong clapped his hands loudly. “We need to launch a surprise attack against Gu Yantan! This woman won’t come to our nation and only wants to go to the United States. We can’t give her another chance to delay things!”

“Right. Once we prove Nianzhi’s identity, Gu Yanran will no longer be the only person to make decisions for Gu Xiangwen.” Zhao Liangze also chimed in, “Nianzhi is already 18 and is completely capable of assuming responsibility. She’s also Gu Xiangwen’s daughter, so she can also make half the decisions for Gu Xiangwen.”

“Not just half.” Yin Shixiong snickered with his arms crossed as his eyes darted. “Don’t forget, although Nianzhi isn’t related to Gu Yanran, we still don’t know who’s really Gu Xiangwen’s biological daughter!”

Zhao Liangze thought about it. “We don’t have to be suspicious about that. Even though Gu Yanran isn’t related to Nianzhi, they must be legally recognized as family. I’ll be the first to say it, not only biologically-related sisters are legally considered sisters.”

“That’s not the same,” Yin Shixiong objected. “Let me ask—if there are two daughters, one biological and the other not, whether from adoption or certain marriage relations, who do you think has the greater right over Gu Xiangwen?”

Huo Shaoheng cast his eyes downward for a long moment and began to make commands. “Little Ze, immediately contact our nation and have them expedite travel arrangements of Nianzhi to Barbados. Remember, we need the quickest speed. It’s now…” Huo Shaoheng looked at his watch. “9:30 p.m. in the Huaxia Empire right now. I need to see Gu Nianzhi at the Barbados airport by 9:00 p.m. local time, which is 9:00 a.m. tomorrow in the Huaxia Empire. Repeat my words exactly to them and tell them that this is a military order. They will be subject to military punishment if it’s delayed even by a moment!”