Chapter 267: Chapter 267

Perhaps Xia Zuo had stared at the list for a few seconds too long, because when he looked up, Huangfu Huazhang had already turned from the bedside to stare at him.

Xia Zuo was startled and quickly said, "Sir, the police have called again confirming whether you wish to accept an interview or go to the station to respond."

Huangfu Huazhang, however, didn’t care about this question and just looked down at his cufflinks, "These cufflinks are too shiny, switch to a pair that’s matte."

Xia Zuo paused slightly, then understood the gentleman’s intention and quickly went to call the butler, telling him to immediately bring a pair of matte cufflinks suitable under indoor white lighting to the police station’s entrance.

After arranging everything, Xia Zuo returned to report, and saw that the list of suspects on the table was already gone.

"Sir, it’s been instructed," Xia Zuo slightly bowed at the door.

"Then let’s go." Huangfu Huazhang adjusted his black suit in front of the mirror and then walked out.

Once outside, Huangfu Huazhang suddenly paused, smiled lightly, and reached out to Xia Zuo, "Phone."

Xia Zuo was slightly taken aback and pulled out the gentleman’s phone from the briefcase to hand it over. He couldn’t quite remember how long it had been since the gentleman had used the phone himself.

The pure black VERTU shone with a low-key yet dazzling brilliance in the golden sunlight, as Huangfu Huazhang pressed each digit with a faint smile.

Yes, he pressed each digit, rather than retrieving it from the contact list. Xia Zuo knew that the gentleman’s phone did not have any pre-set contacts; whenever he needed to contact someone, he would just retrieve the string of numbers directly from his mind.

Huangfu Huazhang pressed the string of numbers and turned around.

This was the gentleman’s habit, a self-constraint of the body’s subconscious actions. So, at this moment, the gentleman was facing away from the direction of the Eastern Studies Department’s dormitory building.

He was making an effort to restrain himself from looking in that direction.

The phone rang a few times before it was picked up, and Huangfu Huazhang’s smile widened. He could almost imagine the surprise of the person on the other end upon seeing this number, followed by a slight hesitation for a few minutes, but still worried about being noticed by him, thus hurriedly picked up the call.

She was sensitive, with an instinctive resistance to danger, but at the same time, had a sense of justice. So, even though she felt fear, she still resolutely surged forward.

A contradictory yet bright young girl, instead, all the more genuine and lovable.

"Director? Is there something you need?"

Huangfu Huazhang finally raised his face with a smile and then bent to sit into the car. He would not let others see his smiling face in the sunlight.

"Mm. I’m going to the police station now for an inquiry. Would you like to come and listen?"

"Huh?" Shi Nian was deeply bewildered.

Wasn’t he someone who refused to meet with the police? Last night Jia Tianzi called his secretary and hit a soft wall. Even his lawyer Liu Qingtian’s mediation didn’t work, so why suddenly say this morning that he wants to go to the station for an interview?

"Does the director mean for me to inform the police?" Clearly, it wasn’t settled last night, and today Tang Yanqing and the team might not be at the station.

"My car is just below the office building, a short jog from your dorm, about 5 minutes." Huangfu Huazhang smiled, "Sorry, my car never invites unrelated people to ride; there’s just one spot for you. I’ll wait for you for 5 minutes, no more."

Without waiting for Shi Nian to speak, Huangfu Huazhang slightly curled his lips, hung up, and gave the phone back to Xia Zuo. Xia Zuo took it, deleted the call record, and then placed it neatly back into the briefcase.

minutes, just a blink. The gentleman was in a rare good mood, his slender fingers lightly tapped on his knee.

Xia Zuo remembered that it had been a while since the gentleman played the piano. Watching the gentleman’s fingers alternate, tapping in different lengths and rhythms, Xia Zuo knew he was silently playing a melody.

At 4 minutes and 42 seconds, Shi Nian’s figure finally appeared in view, she almost dashed towards them with her hair flying wildly.

Xia Zuo was a bit startled, glancing back at the gentleman. But he saw the gentleman staring ahead, a deep smile framing his lips.

The gentleman had once left during a meeting with an appropriately matched lady simply because the lady’s side hair was uneven, causing him to frown and bid farewell, ending the meeting.

The gentleman, who was meticulous about details down to the bone, could, however, smile at the woman running towards them like a crazy person with her hair flying...

In a moment of distraction, Shi Nian had already run to the side of the car. Standing slightly bent at the car’s side, she probably finally saw her "wind-blown appearance" reflected in the car window glass, felt a bit embarrassed, but casually used the hair tie on her wrist to neatly twist her long hair into a bun, then continued to smile and greet, "Morning, Director. I’m not late, am I?"

Huangfu Huazhang, through the glass, waited until he saw she had tidied herself, then pressed down the car window, smiled slightly, "Not late, come on up."

Xia Zuo could only sigh silently at heart again. The gentleman gave her the utmost respect, waiting for her to tidy herself up before lowering the car window, pretending to only notice her perfect state once she was done.

Shi Nian got into the car. She was still catching her breath from running, her cheeks somewhat red, and there were fine drops of sweat like little Mizhu beads sparkling among her hair.

Huangfu Huazhang pulled out a silk handkerchief from his left pocket and handed it to Shi Nian.

Shi Nian was slightly surprised but declined with a smile: "Thank you, Director, but I have my own tissues." She took some tissues from her bag and showed them to Huangfu Huazhang.

Huangfu Huazhang’s hand paused in mid-air, seemingly unsure how to withdraw it.

Xia Zuo also felt a heart-wrenching tension. This was the first time he saw the gentleman voluntarily offering a handkerchief to a woman, only to be refused.

The atmosphere instantly became subtle, and Xia Zuo hurriedly signaled the driver to start the car.

The car smoothly started, and as it turned, Huangfu Huazhang quietly withdrew the handkerchief. Instead of putting it back in his suit pocket, he tossed it into the small black crocodile leather car trash bin beside the seat.

Even the trash bin was dignified, boasting remnants of its past glory, despite its deceased utility.

This eerie atmosphere, Shi Nian could feel it too. She silently balled up the moist tissue she had used, clenching it in her palm.

Shi Nian awkwardly sought for some topic: "Sorry for embarrassing you, Director. I stayed up all night writing a draft and just got up when you called this morning. You only gave me five minutes, I couldn’t tidy myself up properly, so I just quickly freshened up and came over."

"Hmm." Speaking of that curious five minutes, Huangfu Huazhang finally relaxed.

Suddenly, Shi Nian couldn’t help but wonder if he knew about her morning situation and deliberately set that nearly unreasonable five-minute time frame just to see her rush over, disheveled?

Shi Nian stared at Huangfu Huazhang, her face involuntarily blushing—no way, Huangfu Huazhang was a deep, mature 35-year-old man; he wouldn’t pull such juvenile pranks.

If it were someone like the "giant baby syndrome" "patient" Tang Yanqing, it might be different.

She quickly lowered her head, shook it, trying to discard this thought.

He chuckled lightly, the laughter quietly permeating the small world inside the car. He said nothing further, merely turned to her, and slowly asked, "Giving you only five minutes... was my disrespect to a lady; let me apologize."

"Actually, I’m fine myself," Shi Nian looked up, slightly flushed, yet her eyes were bright and resolute: "Don’t forget, Director, I’m a journalist. There are no strict start and end times for journalists. As long as there’s a news lead, I have to get up in the middle of the night and rush over, I’ve done countless face-to-face interviews without even brushing my hair, face, or teeth."

Shi Nian earnestly said: "I feel rude to you. You are always perfect and dignified; seeing me , it must have startled you." Content originally comes from NoveI(F)ire.net

Huangfu Huazhang chuckled softly again: "Shi Nian, do you think I enjoy looking at a face propped up with cosmetics, with actions and gestures, even the angle of gaze and smile are almost measured with a ruler?"

Shi Nian was slightly startled.

He turned his gaze again, those fox-like long eyes with a slight upward tilt at the corners carried a bright smile: "You, ... are perfect in my eyes."

Shi Nian felt a bit dizzy as she walked into the police station. She quickly went into the break room and unceremoniously made herself a cup of coffee, adding two extra lumps of sugar.

Perhaps it was because she hadn’t eaten breakfast and the five-minute sprint took a toll?

She held the coffee cup and entered the observation room behind the one-way mirrored glass, looking towards the interrogation room. Huangfu Huazhang was facing her direction, his gaze firm and warmly landing on her face.

—Although she was sure the large glass was one-way mirrored, so from Huangfu Huazhang’s viewpoint, it was just a large mirror, his gaze seemed to penetrate the mirror, accurately finding her position behind it.

At this moment, it seemed not like she was observing him, but rather he had finally obtained the opportunity to gaze at her closely and without restraint.

Tang Yanqing and Jia Tianzi hadn’t returned yet, and when the inquiry room door opened, it was Tang Yan Yi with a notebook, walking in to sit opposite Huangfu Huazhang.

Thanks to Cai for the red envelope; xj0905, moganqiuzi, Qianqianzihe for the monthly tickets.