Chapter 304: Are You Interrogating a Criminal?
Su Zhaozhao studied the man before her. He bore a slight resemblance to Xie Huaizheng, yet seemed entirely different.
The man wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, and he looked both scholarly and a bit serious.
He looked like the type who did research for a living.
‘His demeanor really is completely different from Xie Huaizheng’s.’
‘I wonder if the two brothers have anything to talk about on a normal day.’
“Hello, Brother,” Su Zhaozhao said, smiling at Xie Duzhou.
“Come on in. It’s cold out here. Mom has a whole spread ready and is just waiting for you two to get home for dinner.”
Xie Duzhou sized up Su Zhaozhao as well. He had only seen her in wedding photos with Xie Huaizheng before. Now, seeing her in person, he was surprised to find that she was much prettier than she was in the pictures.
She came across as soft and sweet, and her voice had the gentle, melodious accent of a southern girl.
‘I really don’t get how Xie Huaizheng fell for a girl like this.’
Come to think of it, Xie Huaizheng was quite a hell-raiser. Though his years in the army had tempered him quite a bit, his temper hadn’t been completely reined in.
Anyone who spent time with him on a regular basis could feel that foul temper of his.
‘And he actually found such a gentle and adorable girl?’
‘Doesn’t he bully her on a daily basis?’
For a moment, Xie Duzhou was actually a little worried.
But then he saw Xie Huaizheng put Su Zhaozhao’s luggage in the trunk, then pull open the car door for her to get in.
Once they were in the car, Xie Huaizheng took Su Zhaozhao’s hand and held it tightly in his own, cupping it to warm it for her as if he were handling a precious treasure.
In that moment, Xie Duzhou realized he’d been overthinking things.
‘Xie Huaizheng has really grown up. He treats his wife so well.’
The heat was on in the car, making it much warmer than it was outside.
After sitting for a little while, Su Zhaozhao no longer felt cold.
The temperature in Beijing seemed even lower than in West State. And while the wind wasn’t as dry, it was just as cold.
Su Zhaozhao had already bundled herself up tightly against the cold.
She was wearing a white down jacket, fleece-lined pants, and a pair of black tall boots.
She had on a hat and earmuffs as well, but she still felt cold.
In contrast, Xie Huaizheng was wearing much thinner clothes than she was, but his hands were warm.
‘Is this man a natural furnace or something?’
‘How can he be so warm?’
Su Zhaozhao was baffled, but it worked out perfectly, allowing her to warm up a little.
Soon, the car arrived at the military compound.
Su Zhaozhao observed her surroundings. It was much nicer than the one in West State.
The military compound in West State was new, but it was surrounded by barren land.
Here, however, the facilities seemed fully equipped. The compound itself was well-designed, with each building standing independently, and it didn’t seem to be very crowded.
This just went to show how high-ranking Xie Huaizheng’s family must be here.
Su Zhaozhao was completely astonished. She followed Xie Huaizheng out of the car and looked at him. “You never told me your family background was this impressive.”
Just by looking at the buildings here, Su Zhaozhao knew that Xie Huaizheng’s grandfather or father must hold a very high position.
And being in Beijing, their positions were likely even higher than Li Jian Country’s.
“What’s there to say? Zhaozhao, I was honest with you. You didn’t expect me to give you a detailed description of my family’s living situation, did you?” Xie Huaizheng said with a helpless smile, reaching out to rub her cheek.
“That’s true,” Su Zhaozhao admitted. She hadn’t really asked for details before.
They walked through the door, and Huang Jiqin immediately came up to greet them. “Zhaozhao, you’re here! Oh, I’ve been waiting for you for so long. I’ve always wanted you to come visit us in Beijing, but we just never had the chance.”
Huang Jiqin watched Su Zhaozhao, bundled up tightly, looking like a little rabbit.
She was as beautiful as ever, even more so than before.
The youthful innocence of a girl had faded, replaced by a touch of womanly allure.
But when she looked at you, her eyes were still bright and held a hint of innocence.
‘So beautiful.’
Huang Jiqin felt her heart melt just looking at her.
The house was heated, so Su Zhaozhao took off all her winter gear, including her heavy down jacket.
‘It really is good to have power and influence, no matter the era. You get to enjoy perks ordinary people can’t.’
Just this house, as spacious as a villa, made Su Zhaozhao feel the comfort and convenience.
Back in West State, the only way to stay warm was to huddle around a space heater. But in this house, there was central heating, so you didn’t feel the cold at all.
Su Zhaozhao smiled and greeted Huang Jiqin.
“You must be tired from the trip. We just finished cooking, so we can eat now.”
“It’s already past one. You waited this late to eat just for us?” Su Zhaozhao asked in surprise. She stared at the sumptuous feast on the table, momentarily at a loss for words.
“It’s nothing. We’re just eating a little later than usual, that’s all.”
Huang Jiqin pulled Su Zhaozhao into the dining room. She felt incredibly guilty toward the girl.
The girl was so wonderful; the more she looked at her, the more she liked her. And yet, in the beginning, she hadn’t been able to stop herself from blaming her.
Her conscience was beginning to prickle with unease.
Xie Huaizheng followed them.
Just then, an old man walked over.
Su Zhaozhao looked at the gray-haired old man, and her expression involuntarily turned serious.
Though he was old, his eyes were incredibly bright. You could tell at a glance that he had a military background. He had an aura about him that made it hard for people to look at him directly.
“Father, you’re here.” Huang Jiqin immediately went to help Old Sir Xie, introducing Su Zhaozhao with a smile. “This is Huai Zheng’s wife, your granddaughter-in-law, Zhaozhao.”
Su Zhaozhao said to Old Sir Xie, “Hello, Grandpa.”
Old Sir Xie looked at the absurdly pretty girl before him and instantly understood why Xie Huaizheng had chosen her.
‘Even a hero is no match for a beautiful woman.’
With looks like Su Zhaozhao’s, the average man wouldn’t be able to resist.
It was only natural that Xie Huaizheng couldn’t resist either.
Still, he thought of all the girls in the compound who’d liked his grandson, especially Jiang Manzhi. That girl was pretty too, yet Xie Huaizheng had always been completely indifferent to her.
But the girl before him was truly a beauty—as if carved from jade, with rosy lips and pearly teeth.
“Zhaozhao,” Old Sir Xie began, “so you’re the one who married my grandson by mistake?”
His tone was stern, making Su Zhaozhao’s heart pound with apprehension.
Although she was good at reading people, she couldn’t see through someone like Old Sir Xie.
Xie Huaizheng stepped forward, shielding Su Zhaozhao behind him. “Old man, are you interrogating a prisoner?”