Chapter Eighty-Five: The Situation

Given Su Ruoran’s intelligence, she naturally heard the subtext in her mother’s earlier words, which filled her with excitement. She had thought that, by going back on her original promise, her mother might harbor some resentment toward her, but that remark just now was enough to prove that her mother had largely come to accept Zhang Wenhao—and even held high hopes for him. Throughout the meal, Su Ruoran couldn’t help but wear a smile, leaving Nie Minhui with a sense of helplessness as she watched her daughter. Her little girl had truly grown up—she had her own thoughts and feelings now, and nothing could suit her better than someone she genuinely liked. If her relationship with Zhang Wenhao did have a future, as a mother, she would be happy for her.

Nie Minhui never voiced her deepest question: just how had Zhang Wenhao mastered those astonishing skills? Yet in her heart, she attributed them to his exceptional ability to learn. Perhaps it was precisely this extraordinary aptitude for learning that allowed him to acquire such talents.

The dinner passed without the pressure Zhang Wenhao had anticipated, leaving him somewhat relieved. Su Ruoran’s mother hadn’t put him on the spot at all, a stark contrast to those television plots where a poor boy falls for a rich girl and faces all sorts of obstacles.

After the meal, Nie Minhui invited Zhang Wenhao to have a few cups of her hand-brewed pre-rain Longjing tea. During their idle conversation, Zhang Wenhao maintained a calm demeanor, which in Nie Minhui’s eyes made him appear steady and mature—a quality she found very satisfying.

After all, it was his first visit, so Zhang Wenhao didn’t linger too long. As nine o’clock approached, he got up to take his leave. Nie Minhui checked the time and agreed it was getting late, so she asked Aunt Chen to tell the driver to prepare the car.

Zhang Wenhao tried to decline, not wanting to trouble anyone, but Nie Minhui insisted, and he had no choice but to follow her arrangement. Five minutes later, Aunt Chen returned and announced, “Madam, the driver is ready and waiting in the underground garage.”

Hearing this, Zhang Wenhao stood to bid farewell. “Auntie, thank you for your hospitality tonight. I’ll be heading back now.”

Before Nie Minhui could reply, Su Ruoran got up and said, “Mom, I’ll walk Wenhao out.”

Nie Minhui gave a resigned smile. “Go on, go on.” Then, turning to Zhang Wenhao, she added, “Wenhao, send my regards to your parents. I’m off to Yanjing tomorrow, so I won’t be able to visit in person.”

Zhang Wenhao nodded his thanks, then left with Su Ruoran. Nie Minhui accompanied them to the elevator, and as the doors closed, she let out a soft sigh and walked back to the living room with Aunt Chen.

Back in the living room, Nie Minhui turned to Aunt Chen and asked, “Sister Chen, you’ve been looking after Ruoran since she was born—you know her well, her character and her likes. What do you think of Zhang Wenhao? Is he suitable for her?”

Aunt Chen smiled knowingly. “Madam, the young lady is very smart and has excellent judgment. I don’t think she would choose the wrong person.”

Nie Minhui nodded slightly and sighed. “It just leaves me with a bittersweet feeling. My daughter’s in love—it’s as if one foot has already stepped out the door. When she eventually marries, both feet will have left, and she’ll be someone else’s wife.”

Aunt Chen chuckled and comforted her, “Madam, that day will come for everyone. What matters is the kind of man who takes the young lady away.”

Nie Minhui smiled and said, “I don’t expect him to achieve greatness—if he can just treat Ruoran well and make her happy, I’ll be content.”

Aunt Chen nodded. “I trust the young lady’s judgment—she won’t be wrong.”

Nie Minhui replied, “Let’s hope so.”

…

After descending in the elevator with Su Ruoran, Zhang Wenhao finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although Nie Minhui had been warm and welcoming, he had felt tense the entire time. Now, at last, he could relax.

Su Ruoran naturally slipped her arm through his, smiling as she said, “I think my mom’s quite pleased with you.”

“Really?” Zhang Wenhao chuckled. “If I can win my future mother-in-law’s approval, breaking out in a cold sweat was worth it.”

Su Ruoran blushed, happiness welling up inside her, but she replied, “Don’t be so pleased with yourself. It’s not enough to win over my mom—you have to win me over, too.”

“Of course,” Zhang Wenhao teased. “How about next week I have my parents host a dinner, and you can come to my place for a meal?”

“No way…” Su Ruoran blurted out. “I don’t have nerves of steel like you do—I’d be so nervous I’d hardly be able to speak. Let’s wait until I’m ready. Besides, my mom had other reasons to invite you for dinner. Even if her real purpose was to learn more about you, she still had the excuse of wanting to thank you. If I went to your house for dinner, I wouldn’t even have an excuse.”

Wenhao laughed. “When the time comes, you’ll just go as my future daughter-in-law.”

As they spoke, they walked out of the elevator toward the garage. Su Ruoran spotted the car waiting by the exit and whispered, “Once we get in the car, don’t say anything silly—don’t let Uncle Luo hear.”

Zhang Wenhao replied, “You should get in now—no need to see me all the way home.”

Su Ruoran pouted. “No, I’ll take you all the way to your building.”

Zhang Wenhao could only nod in agreement.

The car drove straight to Zhang Wenhao’s building and stopped. He said to Su Ruoran, “I’ll head up now—let’s talk on the phone later.”

Su Ruoran nodded. “Message me when you get home.”

Zhang Wenhao agreed, “You too.”

Once home, Zhang Wenhao sent Su Ruoran a text, and his parents immediately crowded around, eager to hear about his visit to her house. Song Huafang was the most direct, asking, “Wenhao, what did Ruoran’s mother think of you?”

Zhang Wenhao felt a bit awkward and deflected, “Mom, it wasn’t as complicated as you think. It was just a meal and some words of thanks—nothing more.”

Song Huafang sounded disappointed. “I thought she was going to size you up, that’s why she invited you to dinner.”

Zhang Wenhao laughed. “Mom, you’re overthinking it. Ruoran and I are only eighteen—it’s nowhere near as serious as you imagine. She just invited me for dinner to say thank you, nothing more.”

Zhang Xingping chimed in, “That’s for the best. It’s too early to discuss these things now. The most important thing for both of you is your studies. Everything else can wait.”

Zhang Wenhao excused himself to review his lessons and returned to his room. Out of habit, he turned on his computer and logged into QQ. Almost immediately, he saw new messages in the alumni group. Glancing through them, he was surprised to find that a few classmates were discussing a rumor: “The notorious drug lord Gu Haiming from East China was assassinated in Jiangcheng a few days ago.”

Zhang Wenhao usually paid little attention to such rumors and had never even heard of Gu Haiming. But as he read the discussion, he instinctively connected it to Qian Ning. He quickly opened Baidu and searched for Gu Haiming.

There weren’t many results, and none were from mainstream media—only a few posts on forums and message boards. Zhang Wenhao found the most commented thread and skimmed through it. According to the post, Gu Haiming, forty-five, was from Changnan City in a neighboring province. He’d achieved nothing before the age of thirty, but after that, he led a few fellow villagers to Zhonghai, where his boldness and ruthlessness earned him a reputation. Over the years, his power grew, and he got involved in the drug trade. By now, he was one of the biggest drug lords in East China—his rise so dramatic it could be made into a film.

Gu Haiming was known for his cunning, weaving a web of protection and influence around himself. He directed his underlings to handle drug deals, keeping himself behind the scenes. Despite his infamous reputation, the police had never managed to find direct evidence linking him to drug trafficking, which had left law enforcement agencies across several provinces at their wits’ end.

The thread also claimed Gu Haiming owned multiple properties throughout East China, with drug distribution points in almost every provincial capital. A few days ago, he arrived in Jiangcheng, officially to meet a lover, but in reality, to inspect the province’s drug distribution network. Unexpectedly, he was assassinated the second night after his arrival.

At the end of the post, the author revealed that, despite his apparent power, Gu Haiming was merely a pawn of a certain super-boss. With Gu Haiming’s death, the entire drug distribution network in East China was thrown into chaos and suffered massive losses. The boss was said to be furious and was now conducting a thorough investigation.

Zhang Wenhao read with growing alarm, certain that Gu Haiming had died by Qian Ning’s hand.

He continued reading the replies. Many commenters were skeptical, saying the author was making things up, but a few believed him. One user, “I am a Fish,” replied, “The author’s sources are impressive. I work in HR at a public security bureau, and even most officers don’t know the details. I only heard about it from the deputy director—who’s a relative. From what I gather, all of Jiangcheng’s detectives are hunting for the mysterious killer. It’s an ironclad order—they must catch the assassin.”

The author ignored most replies, but to this one, he replied with a thumbs-up emoji: “Looks like you know a lot, too. I’ve also heard the killer might still be in Jiangcheng and was wounded by gunfire. By the way, a friend told me the killer is a woman.”

“I am a Fish” responded, “Aren’t you afraid of being investigated for posting this?”

The author replied, “Haha, what’s there to be afraid of? My IP is overseas—are they going to pursue me internationally? Anyone with some connections knows the basics already, and besides, except for the deceased, I haven’t named anyone sensitive.”

After that, Zhang Wenhao found no more useful information. But even this much left him astonished. It seemed Qian Ning faced not only enemies seeking revenge, but also the police hunting for her. The situation was far more complicated than he’d imagined, and now he couldn’t help but worry—how much longer could she remain hidden?

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