Chapter 143: Ashamed to Show My Face
However, Su Zhaozhao couldn’t dwell on it.
She took Zhou Chengguo to the police station. After explaining the situation to the officers, she left him there for them to interrogate.
After leaving the police station, Su Zhaozhao didn’t hurry back to the guesthouse. She was worried that Huang Jiqin would be waiting for her there.
She had no idea how to face Huang Jiqin now.
Su Zhaozhao’s head ached just thinking about the utterly shocked expression on Huang Jiqin’s face when she saw her brutally beating up Zhou Chengguo.
’My gentle image is completely ruined.’
Originally, Su Zhaozhao had planned to make a good impression on Xie Huaizheng’s mother.
’She’s my future mother-in-law, after all. But now...’
Su Zhaozhao sighed, her thoughts turning to Gu Qingran.
’The female lead has appeared. Will she meet Xie Huaizheng?’
’If they meet, will she fall for him?’
’And will Xie Huaizheng fall in love with Gu Qingran at first sight?’
’I’ve read some of these transmigration novels before. In some of them, the male and female leads share a special bond, a natural attraction to each other.’
’What if, after they meet, I—the cannon fodder side character—become a complete nobody to him?’
The thought sent a wave of gloom over Su Zhaozhao.
Su Zhaozhao paced back and forth in the spot where she and Xie Huaizheng often went for walks.
Her mind was a jumble of thoughts, and the sun beating down on her made her feel even dizzier.
But she didn’t want to go back.
Finally, she gave up and squatted down in the shade of a tree.
’I was a professional powerhouse in my past life, but now I feel like a total rookie!’
After finishing his training, Xie Huaizheng heard that his mother had arrived and immediately headed to the guesthouse.
He knocked on the door. After a few moments, Huang Jiqin opened it.
Looking at the tall, handsome man standing before her, Huang Jiqin couldn’t stop a brilliant smile from spreading across her face.
"Huai Zheng, I haven’t seen you in a while. You look like you’ve bulked up."
Xie Huaizheng was in his training uniform and military cap. He was tall and powerfully built, with a commanding and heroic presence.
’The last time I saw him was during the New Year...’
Thinking of how little they had seen of each other over the years, Huang Jiqin felt a pang of sorrow.
’Xie Huaizheng really isn’t one for home. He usually doesn’t even come back for the New Year. This year was slightly better; at least he knew to come home.’
But over time, she and her son had grown distant.
Now, as Xie Huaizheng looked at her, his mother, his expression was perfectly calm.
He even frowned, his gaze holding a hint of coldness.
Huang Jiqin’s heart ached. ’Could it be that Xie Huaizheng doesn’t want me here?’
Indeed, he had been reluctant on the phone. If she hadn’t threatened to forbid his marriage to Su Zhaozhao, Xie Huaizheng likely wouldn’t have agreed so easily.
"Mom, why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I could have picked you up from the station."
His words made Huang Jiqin feel a little better.
But only a little.
Because Huang Jiqin knew what her son was thinking. "Do you think I came here secretly on purpose to inspect your girlfriend on my own?"
Xie Huaizheng rubbed his nose. He hadn’t expected his mother to see right through him.
"Zhaozhao is a young woman who traveled a long, long way to find me. It wasn’t easy for her, so don’t you go bullying her."
Although Su Zhaozhao was smart, cute, and universally liked, he didn’t know if Huang Jiqin would take a liking to her.
’Bully her?’
An image of Su Zhaozhao fiercely beating a man to a pulp involuntarily surfaced in Huang Jiqin’s mind.
She couldn’t help but laugh. "Xie Huaizheng, your wife is quite something. I was coming up the stairs earlier and was so tired I nearly fell, but she was the one who caught me."
Xie Huaizheng froze. He hadn’t expected them to have met so soon.
’Then again, the guesthouse isn’t that big, and it was quite a coincidence that Mom and Zhaozhao were on the same floor. It was only natural they’d run into each other.’
"So, what do you think of my Zhaozhao?"
’Already calling her "my Zhaozhao"?’
Huang Jiqin pursed her lips. ’A grown son can’t be kept at home, after all.’
’But for that girl to make Xie Huaizheng fall for her, she must really have her charms.’
"She’s wonderful. She’s pretty, has a good personality, and she even smells nice. Heavens, it’s not just you men—even I like her."
Huang Jiqin recalled the moment Su Zhaozhao had caught her.
Her eyes had lit up when she saw the young woman’s face.
And when she’d probed a little and learned that Su Zhaozhao was very likely her future daughter-in-law, Huang Jiqin had been even more thrilled.
It was only later, when she saw Su Zhaozhao beating someone up, that Huang Jiqin had gotten a bit of a fright.
But on second thought, she figured it was good that Su Zhaozhao was so formidable; otherwise, she would definitely be taken advantage of.
’That man must have been a bad person...’
At this thought, Huang Jiqin’s expression immediately turned to one of panic. "Oh, Huai Zheng! I just saw Zhaozhao hit a man, and then she said she was taking him to be dealt with. She just left, and now that I think about it, how could I let a young woman go off to handle a grown man all by herself? She still hasn’t come back! You need to go find her, quickly!"
Su Zhaozhao’s room was two doors down from hers.
If Su Zhaozhao had returned, she probably would have heard her door open.
But she hadn’t heard a thing.
Hearing this, Xie Huaizheng’s expression instantly turned serious. "When did this happen?"
"It’s been an hour or two already."
Xie Huaizheng immediately spun around and ran down the stairs.
’Zhaozhao actually hit a man at the entrance?’
’That man was most likely Zhou Chengguo.’
’I never expected Zhou Chengguo to get so desperate so quickly and actually show up here.’
’And Zhaozhao? She clearly could have called for help, or even asked my mother to come along, but she chose to take the man away by herself.’
’Why does she always insist on doing dangerous things on her own?’
His thin lips pressed into a tight line. He prayed that Su Zhaozhao was safe.
’But where would Zhaozhao have gone to deal with Zhou Chengguo?’
Xie Huaizheng could only think of one place: the police station.
On his way to the police station, he passed by the path where he and Su Zhaozhao often walked.
Then he spotted a young woman standing in the shade of a tree not far away.
Her small, huddled figure was partially hidden by the tree trunk; you wouldn’t have noticed her without looking closely.
Xie Huaizheng’s steps faltered for a moment before he quickened his pace and headed in her direction.
Su Zhaozhao stood in the shade, her eyes closed, feeling the gentle breeze and listening to the rustling of the leaves.
The fresh scent of the trees wafted to her.
It seemed to soothe her frayed nerves considerably.
Suddenly, a faint, cool fragrance mixed with the slight scent of tobacco drifted to her.
’That familiar scent.’
Su Zhaozhao opened her eyes. At some point, Xie Huaizheng had appeared right in front of her.
The man’s tall frame stood before her like a solid wall.
Su Zhaozhao looked up at Xie Huaizheng. "What are you doing here?"
Xie Huaizheng reached out, taking her hand and holding it in his palm. In a low voice, he said, "If I hadn’t come, how long were you planning to stay here? Just standing out here by yourself, basking in the sun on a day this hot?"