Gu Nianzhi and Brother Huang both nodded at Wen Shouyi, “Teaching Assistant Wen, thank you.”
“Teaching Assistant Wen, this is my guardian.” Gu Nianzhi introduced as she pointed at Yin Shixiong, who was standing beside her. Yin Shixiong was in disguise, appearing like a tanned, bushy browed, middle-aged man–just like when he met He Zhichu at C University. Wen Shouyi had some memory of him. She recalled that Yin Shixiong had come in to excuse Gu Nianzhi when she missed her interview.
She nodded politely, “A pleasure to meet you.” She turned to lead them to a van and opened the door, “Come in, Professor He has made living arrangements for you.” Wen Shouyi took the wheel and drove them to an apartment near Harvard. She rented two units here–a one bedroom, one living room for Brother Huang and a two bedroom, one living room for Gu Nianzhi and Yin Shixiong. It was very well thought out.
“Professor He asked you come over earlier, because your F1 student visa has academic credit requirements. You are actually attending the Harvard Law School as exchange students. Professor He will be teaching classes in July and August, so you’ll be attending those summer classes to get six credits.” Wen Shouyi handed them the class schedules.
Brother Huang furrowed his brows in bewilderment, “We still have to take classes for two months? Aren’t we interning at the Congress?”
Gu Nianzhi gave him a nudge and spoke in a low voice, “The Congress is in recess from July and won’t resume session until September…”
Wen Shouyi patted Gu Nianzhi’s shoulder with approval, “You’re truly the top of the class, you’ve prepared well and even knew about the recess. This meticulousness is rare.” She continued as she pursed her lips into a smile, “Professor He doesn’t need to worry about you getting bullied because of your young age. Just looking at how clever you are, you’d the be the bully, how could anyone take advantage of you?”
Although it sounded like a compliment, her tone was twisted with sarcasm. Gu Nianzhi already had prejudice against Wen Shouyi since the incident before her interview. Now she was extremely cautious when it came to anything Wen Shouyi said. However, she didn’t have to defend herself this time. With the protective and articulate Yin Shi Xiong at her side, Wen Shouyi could be taught a lesson at anytime.
“Teaching Assistant Wen was it?” Yin Shixiong rolled his eyes, “This is how you speak, as a law teaching assistant? Though I didn’t study law, I can tell you were slandering Nianzhi. Know that I can sue you so badly you’d lose your job.”
Wen Shouyi was dumbfounded, unable to believe someone would speak to her like that. She believed that aside from He Zhichu, no one in the world could disrespect her like that.
“Is that right? Then go on sue me? I’ll wait for the court notice.” Wen Shouyi never backed down.
Gu Nianzhi interjected with a smile, “Brother Xiong, you don’t need the court to make her lose her job. Just directly tell her employer that she’s purposely beating down on students. Professor He is a very fair person, I believe he’ll find justice.” She hit it where it hurt.
Wen Shouwi was fearless about everything, except for He Zhichu. Gu Nianzhi caught her expression change and despised her even more.
“…Miss Gu, I was just making a joke, I hope you weren’t taking it seriously?” Wen Shouyi’s palms were clammy as she endured the humiliation of indirectly apologizing to Gu Nianzhi.
Brother Huang was watching the drama unfold from the side. When he saw Wen Shouyi acquiesce, he gently tapped Gu Nianzhi to dispel the situation, “Ok, ok, all jokes here, let’s not get too serious.” He changed the subject, “Today’s our first day in the States, where should we have dinner to celebrate?”
Wen Shouyi smiled and nodded at him in gratitude, “We’ve taken care of dinner and will have a car pick you up tonight.” She nodded at Gu Nianzhi and returned to the car.
Gu Nianzhi spun the key in her hand and pouted at the disappearing car.
Brother Huang hastily discouraged her, “Nianzhi, don’t be so rash. She’s Professor He’s teaching assistant, you’re the one to get the short end of the stick if you make things tense with her. We have to go with the flow…”
Gu Nianzhi thought, so will Wen Shouyi let her off she sucked it up? –Of course not. So why did she have to suck it up? It didn’t matter what she did, Wen Shouyi couldn’t stand if she didn’t take a jab or two at her. It was like she couldn’t speak otherwise, what a shame.
“Brother Huang, don’t be scared. I never bow down in face of force, wealth or poverty. I’m not afraid of any evil powers. If she gives you a hard time, tell me and I’ll stand up for you!” She said with heroic righteousness. Brother Huang’s lips twitched and could only lament that Gu Nianzhi was a newborn calf not yet afraid of a tiger. What bravery…
Yin Shixiong chewed gum as he nodded at Brother Huang with a smile, “Brother Huang, please take care of Nianzhi from now on. She’s young and doesn’t know any better, if she wrongs you, tell me and I’ll teach her a lesson.” He said as he jokingly glared at Gu Nianzhi.
Gu Nianzhi looked down with a smile, not afraid at the slightest. The three of them joked as they entered the apartment elevator. Wen Shouyi rented apartments for them on the fifth floor, one on each end of the hallway. Although it was only two bedrooms and one living room, there was 150 square meters of living space and was very spacious.
After setting down their luggage, Yin Shixiong immediately took out his anti-infrared detector and walked through the entire the place without missing an inch. He combed through the wall closets, bathrooms, cupboards and all the corners under the bed. He didn’t expect to find to at least five hidden cameras.
“We can’t live here.” Yin Shixiong took a hammer to smash the cameras, “Go find the building manager and ask them to find us a different place.”
Gu Nianzhi promptly answered and went downstairs to speak with the property manager about a different unit.
The American property manager was unwilling at first, but then Gu Nianzhi put two of the smashed cameras on her desk, and spoke in English, “We just found these in the apartments. This is enough evidence for me to sue the apartment to bankruptcy.”
The property manager’s face immediately changed and stood up immediately, “I can guarantee that we absolutely don’t install this kind of thing here. I’m afraid this was planted.”
“I don’t know if this was planted or not, but if you want to fix this, fine, get me a new apartment first. I’ll choose it myself.” Gu Nianzhi refused to back down.
Americans were all like that, you had to argue the point to death. They assume you are afraid of them and ignore you if you’re cordial. It would be alright as long as you didn’t raise a ruckus.
Gu Nianzhi’s voice was even, but her demeanor and tone were firm. The property manager immediately transformed into a good Samaritan and personally took Gu Nianzhi to look for a new place. Because the building was close to Harvard, it was always fully rented. There were vacant units during the summer break because a bunch of students graduated. The new students hadn’t started school yet, so there were a few empty apartments for Gu Nianzhi to pick. Gu Nianzhi called Yin Shixiong in. They covertly brought a detector to slowly sweep through the empty apartment, and finally close a south facing two bedroom unit on the sixth floor. There were no hidden cameras inside. Aside from the unit Wen Shouyi rented for them, the other ones had nothing fishy about them.
Gu Nianzhi didn’t bother to mince her words, “We’ll take this one, you can charge the same account that was paying for the other unit.”
“No problem, the rent is the same so we can easily exchange.” The property manager smiled like a blooming flower and was extremely helpful.
After fussing for the entire afternoon, Gu Nianzhi and Yin Shixiong finally settled in the furnished apartment on the sixth floor.
