Gu Nianzhi nodded obediently. “I’ll go shower and sleep.”
Huo Shaoheng kissed her forehead and watched her go inside her bedroom. He sat in her living room for a while, then left. When he returned to the dining room downstairs, Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze were already both drunk. Although they weren’t knocked out like Chen Lie, their eyes were glazed and reacted very sluggishly when Huo Shaoheng came in. Huo Shaoheng glanced at them before pouring himself a glass of wine and sipping it slowly as he said to Zhao Liangze and Yin Shixiong, “Try to go to bed earlier tonight. I’m going back for a meeting on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar to get a head start on the new year.”
“Roger, Chief!” Yin Shixiong and Zhaoliangze answered in unison. After having a few more drinks with Huo Shaoheng, the pair finally stumbled out of the dining room.
Huo Shaoheng was sitting in the dining room alone. He took out a cigarette to light and inhaled deeply. Watching the white smoke waft up before him, he already had a rough plan of the tasks he had to complete during the holiday. Certain things had dragged on for too long already and he didn’t want them to continue past the fifteenth of the first month of the lunar calendar.
…
Gu Nianzhi emerged from the shower. She was exhausted and didn’t want to move once she collapsed onto the bed. Huo Shaoheng’s words echoed in her head; every word was clear to her. Although it would be difficult to achieve, she was going to try her best! Recalling the kiss earlier, Gu Nianzhi bit her fingers as she relished in the memory. She only returned to reality when her phone started ringing. He Zhichu was calling. She debated answering it and then picked up the call, her voice drowsy with sleep. “Professor He, Happy New Year.”
He Zhichu froze when he heard Gu Nianzhi’s voice on the other end of the line. “Nianzhi, are you sleeping?”
“Yeah.” Gu Nianzhi’s voice grew as soft as a feather caressing He Zhichu’s ear. He clutched the phone tightly and his voice became gentle. “You’re sleeping so early? Go to bed then. Happy New Year.”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t reply because she had already fallen asleep. After a good night’s rest, she woke up at eight in the morning the next day. She washed up first, then went to give Song Jinning her new year’s greetings. “Mrs. Song, Happy Lunar New Year!”
“Good girl!” Song Jinning was fond of her and had already prepared a generous red envelope. “Here, this is for you.”
Gu Nianzhi giggled happily. “Thank you Mrs. Song!”
Song Jinning waved at her, “You’re welcome. Now, you go play now. I’m going to start working.” She turned back to her computer to begin planning experiments.
“Mrs. Song is so dedicated.” Gu Nianzhi left Song Jinning’s room with a smile and went to find Huo Shaoheng, but he wasn’t at his room. She went downstairs and found Huo Shaoheng, Chen Lie, Yin Shixiong and Zhao Liangze in the dining room having breakfast.
“Huo Shao, Brother Chen, Brother Xiong and Brother Ze, Happy Lunar New Year!” Gu Nianzhi clasped her hands together in greetings to all four men the room. They were all accustomed to this as it had been done for the past few years.
Chen Lie was the first to take out a red envelope. “Come here, Nianzhi. Although you are now an adult, you are still in school so I have to give this to you.”
Gu Nianzhi hadn’t expected Chen Lie to continue giving her red envelopes and so walked over to him with a smile. “Brother Chen is the best!”
Yin Shixiong and Zho Liangze were also prepared and each took out a red envelope to put in her hands. Gu Nianzhi stowed away the three envelopes and sat down for breakfast.
Huo Shaoheng looked at her and took out a red envelope to place on the table. “Nianzhi, there’s one more right here.”
“Oh? Huo Shao is giving red envelopes too?” Gu Nianzhi was very happy. She had thought that the custom made watch was her gift and hadn’t expect to get a red envelope from Huo Shaoheng. She walked over to Huo Shaoheng to pick up the red envelope and gave it a squeeze—it was definitely a bank book. For the past six years, Huo Shaoheng had always gave a bank book with Gu Nianzhi’s name inside the red envelope. She had never seen how much money was saved in there, but perhaps it was time she did, since she wanted to buy a car. “Thank you, Huo Shao!” Gu Nianzhi almost bowed with gratitude.
After breakfast, Huo Shaoheng took Gu Nianzhi out to give new year greetings. The first stop was the Huo manor in the military housing community.
“Happy New Year, Uncle Huo.” Gu Nianzhi greeted Huo Guanchen respectfully.
Huo Guanchen was fairly kind to her and passed a thin red envelope with five 100 RMB bills to her.
“Thank you, Uncle Huo.” Gu Nianzhi glanced around the living room and saw that Grandfather Huo really wasn’t home. Of course, the Zhang’s were also not there.
Huo Jialan came downstairs and gave Huo Shaoheng a conflicted look before whispering, “Elder Cousin, Happy New Year.”
Huo Shaoheng nodded dispassionately and said to Huo Guanchen, “Dad, I’m going now. There are a few more families I must greet.”
Huo Guanchen understood the importance. “Go ahead,” He paused and then said, “I’ll be going to your official residence tomorrow.”
“You can come alone.” Huo Shaoheng drew the line—Huo Guanchen wouldn’t be allowed to see Song Jinning if he crossed it.
“Of course.” Huo Guanchen shook hands brusquely with him. “Where else are you going today?”
“General Ji’s and Speaker Long’s. I’m not going anywhere else except for those two.” Huo Shaoheng replied as he motioned for his orderly to come over help him put his coat on.
“Very well then. I won’t be going to their homes this year, we’ll alternate.” Huo Guanchen and Huo Shaoheng discussed which homes they’d be visiting because they also needed to move around.
…
General Ji’s home was located at the prime location in the military housing area. It was also the most heavily guarded place in the community. When Huo Shaoheng took Gu Nianzhi to General Ji’s home, just the security inspection itself took nearly half an hour; this was mainly because of Gu Nianzhi. She wasn’t a soldier and her history was unknown, so she had to be more thoroughly investigated than others. However, Huo Shaoheng wasn’t in a rush and waited by Gu Nianzhu’s side since she couldn’t enter yet. Lieutenant Colonel Wang— who was in charge of the security inspection— was embarrassed that it was taking so long, so he tried to speed up the process and all the procedures were finally complete.
Gu Nianzhi followed Huo Shaoheng to the General Ji’s building and whispered, “Did I take up too much of your time?”
“It’s fine. I’m just visiting two homes anyway.” Huo Shaoheng walked at a steady pace and brought Gu Nianzhi to the entrance of the Ji home. They could see the living room from where they stood. Although it was nine in the morning on Lunar New Year Day, the Ji home was already crowded with visitors giving new year greetings. General Ji was the leader of the Supreme Military Council and an amicable person, so many people wanted to come greet him. However, not everyone was allowed inside. Gu Nianzhi scanned her eyes throughout the living room and her attention was instantly commanded by a beautiful girl in a cream coloured alpaca coat. She appeared somewhat familiar.
“Well, Shaoheng is here!” General Ji cocked his head and waved Huo Shaoheng over.
The familiar looking girl was sitting on the couch across from General Ji. There was a middle aged man doting on her beside her. Gu Nianzhi finally recalled that this was the trainee police officer who had forced them to stop the day before!
Huo Shaoheng also observed the people inside the living room but remained composed. He walked up to General Ji, “General Ji, Happy Lunar New Year.”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t need Huo Shaoheng to introduce her before she greeted General Ji obediently. “General Ji, Happy Lunar New Year.”
“Oh, it’s Nianzhi! Happy New Year to you as well.” General Ji said as he took out a red envelope for Gu Nianzhi. “It’s been a few years since I last saw you. You’re all grown up now.”
General Ji had formally met Gu Nianzhi when she was rescued by Huo Shaoheng at the age of 12. Her sudden appearance and the blueprints in her backpack had piqued the military’s interest. General Ji had personally gone to meet her and had appointed Huo Shaoheng as her guardian—six years had passed since this all happened.
Gu Nianzhi smiled. “I remember you General Ji. You haven’t changed at all.”
“Oh,” he laughed, “Nianzhi is such a smooth talker!” General Ji beamed happily and nodded at Gu Nianzhi. “Go sit over there for a while. I have to introduce Shaoheng to a few people.”
Gu Nianzhi agreed but kept Huo Shaoheng within sight.
General Ji led Huo Shaoheng to Xu Guiji on the couch and made introductions. “This is Xu Guiqi. He is the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Tactical Operations Department, and this is his daughter, Xu Piaohong.”
Huo Shaoheng nodded casually. “Happy New Year.”
Xu Piaohong’s face was completely flushed as she mustered the courage to say, “Mr. Huo, I had wronged you yesterday. Would you please forgive me?” She bowed to Huo Shaoheng in front of all the guests.