The car took forty minutes before arriving at a large courtyard, Li Xianglu noticed that this must be the district branch office, as the people going in and out were all in white police uniforms. Feeling Qin Xi holding her hand, she turned her head and nodded with a smile.
After getting out of the car, the two were led to separate offices. Li Xianglu was settled down, and soon a man and a woman in uniform sat down across from her.
The man was holding a pen and paper, while the woman was carrying a cup of water, setting it down in front of her with a smile, "It’s really cold and we regret having to call you in , but there are some things we need to ask."
Li Xianglu raised her eyebrow and smiled faintly, thanking them as she took the cup but did not drink, instead looking up at them.
Huo Ran paused, wasn’t it said that this girl was straightforward? Why does she seem like someone you can’t get anything out of?
For a moment, the room fell silent, with Li Xianglu just quietly looking at the two across from her, who also did not know how to begin.
After a while, Huo Ran somewhat helplessly spoke, "Do you know Tian Tian?"
Li Xianglu raised her eyebrow, then nodded, "My roommate and classmate." She answered clearly.
Huo Ran thought for a moment, "Tian Tian suddenly received a report which was handed over to the police department. We later checked and at that time, there was only you and another girl in the room. So I wanted to ask if you were the one who placed the report? And how did you get this material?"
Li Xianglu opened her mouth in surprise, shaking her head incredulously: "Tian Tian said I gave her a report?"
Huo Ran felt a blockage in his heart; it seemed she didn’t say that, so he explained, "No, she didn’t say it, we suspected it."
Only then did Li Xianglu relievedly say, "Then you’ve suspected wrong, it wasn’t me who placed it."
Huo Ran... Alright, they indeed suspected, but you can’t just conclude directly like that. Just as Huo Ran was about to say something, someone knocked on the door.
The man who was recording stood up and stepped out, then came in and spoke a few words to Huo Ran.
Huo Ran helplessly looked across at her, he had told them not to call Mr. Li’s granddaughter in, that old man is very protective, and now he’s complained to upper management.
Helplessly standing up, he said, "If that’s so, let’s leave it at that, we’ve suspected in the wrong direction."
Saying this, he walked to the door and said to Li Xianglu: "You can go now."
Li Xianglu looked at her teacup and then at Huo Ran, is it over just ? She hadn’t even drunk her water.
After going out, Li Xianglu regretted not bringing a few buns, she was starving. Qin Xi also came out about ten minutes after her, and immediately smiled upon seeing Li Xianglu’s originally stern face, grabbing her and heading out.
It was only after exiting did Li Xianglu notice that this was the office location of the district branch.
The two continued silently all the way, not speaking until they reached the bus stop, where Qin Xi asked, "Are you hungry?"
Li Xianglu nodded, starving to death, she thought she should have eaten well before leaving.
Qin Xi gently rubbed her head and said with a smile, "Shall we go home first or go eat something?"
Li Xianglu didn’t even think before saying, "Of course go home first, Grandpa must be worried to death."
Qin Xi nodded with a smile, "Alright, after we go back, let’s have something simple. For lunch, the three of us can go to Donglaishun for some hotpot. You’ve been wanting to eat there for a while now."
Li Xianglu’s eyes squinted into slits, her joy beyond words.
Lately, Qin Xi had figured out a secret recipe to please food lovers: cater to their tastes and provide delicious food as much as possible. Besides, food enthusiasts are usually lazy and greedy; it’s best to deliver the food right to them so they can hardly escape from your palm.
However, for Donglaishun, they had to dine in the restaurant.
When the two returned home, Mr. Li had already heated up porridge and buns, as if he knew they’d be back soon.
Li Xianglu was indeed famished. After washing her hands, she ate a bun and took a couple of sips of porridge to restore some energy before saying, "They are so boring. Just asking those few questions, was it necessary to bring me all the way over there?" Then she started attacking her second bun.
Qin Xi casually looked at Grandpa Li and saw his puzzled gaze, then she casually asked, "What did they ask you?"
Li Xianglu took a big gulp of porridge before speaking, "They suspected that I was the one who submitted the document. I told them they were wrong, it wasn’t me, and then they let me go."
Just like that? Qin Xi was momentarily stunned. What a difference in treatment, considering she is Mr. Li’s granddaughter.
Mr. Li nodded satisfactorily, "Well, they know their boundaries."
Qin Xi choked, took a sip of porridge, thinking only Grandpa Li could treat the police . After all, his apprentices are scattered throughout the capital’s police system, many of whom hold high positions.
Li Xianglu brought up going to Donglaishun for lunch, and Mr. Li agreed, "Hmm, it’s cold, having some hotpot would be good. Invite Xu Xi and Basra too."
Li Xianglu nodded, "Classes at International Trade have paused for revision, and I haven’t seen Teacher Basra for a while."
Mr. Li said, "Basra is going back to her country. We’ll meet today as a goodbye."
Going back? Why is that? Wasn’t she going to teach at Capital University?
Mr. Li smiled, "She also had matters to attend to, and Grandma Su needs her. The university has already processed her resignation, and she’ll be going back next week."
Oh, Li Xianglu’s tone was somewhat downcast.
Qin Xi came over with the cleaned dishes and said with a smile, "Don’t worry; there will be chances to meet again in the future."
At noon, the four of them sat around a steaming table. When Basra finished her fifth plate of lamb, Li Xianglu suddenly felt no sadness at all, realizing she needed to hurry or she’d miss out.
Basra left in the second week, and Xu Xi also left. They would be in Hong Kong for the near future. Some of Su Yan’s enterprises started shifting towards Hong Kong, which was complex and slow due to their volume.
It wasn’t until January 17th or 18th that the university finished its exams and started the holidays. However, Qin Zhen wasn’t in a rush to return, citing some matters to handle and saying he’d be a week late. After asking about it, Qin Xi let him be, as he was nearly twenty already.
Speaking of which, Li Xianglu would turn twenty in April of ’80, and Mr. Li planned to hold a wedding for his granddaughter since the two kids had been registered for almost two years.
Lately, Li Xianglu was a bit sulky, not talking to Qin Xi much, even her wedding attire preparation was sluggish. Grandpa asked several times, but she said she was fine.
Qin Xi saw this and was anxious. It wasn’t until a week before the wedding that Qin Zhen returned. It was only when he saw a platinum ring on his younger brother’s ring finger that he started to feel stunned, wondering what he might have overlooked.
PS: This afternoon, I felt like listening to some music. I opened our home audio app, and the first song was Jiang Dawei’s "Where is the Way." Suddenly, I felt inspired to write.