It was only then that Shen Huaizhi noticed Gu Junxing. They had done business together before, and while they weren't exactly friends, they were acquainted.
Gu Junxing thought to himself that he had recognized Shen Huaizhi the moment he walked in, but Shen had been so focused on his Peipei that he hadn't noticed anyone else.
Gu Junxing gave a slight nod as a greeting. His gaze shifted to Gu Zhijing and Nian Suian, and he said to Shen Huaizhi, "My son and my wife."
"I was planning to visit and thank you personally, but what a coincidence to meet here. Let's have dinner together sometime, Mr. Gu."
"Dinner sounds good, but there's no need to be so formal, Mr. Shen."
The police station wasn't really a place for small talk, so Shen Huaizhi stopped there. He was as cold and stern towards the person who had bullied Peipei as he was gentle and tender towards Qiao Peipei herself.
"Officer, we won't accept mediation. He verbally abused and harassed my girlfriend. My lawyer will file a lawsuit against him immediately."
Once it reached the point of a lawsuit, it was no longer a matter for the local police, so they just had the three of them sign some papers and then they could leave. As for the man who had harassed them, he was temporarily detained for his abusive behavior, and a lawsuit awaited him next.
"Peipei, in the future, please tell me immediately if something like this happens, okay? You really scared me today." Shen Huaizhi held Peipei's hand as they left the mediation room, gently smoothing her disheveled hair as he spoke.
"I just went out for a walk, I never expected to run into a madman..." Qiao Peipei was still frightened herself.
"It's not your fault. It's all that person's fault." Seeing the fear still lingering in Peipei's expression, Shen Huaizhi hugged her and comforted her for a long time, wishing he could flay alive the person who had bullied Peipei.
"Have you seen enough? If so, let's go home."
Gu Zhijing and Nian Suian were standing not far away, watching Shen Huaizhi and Qiao Peipei.
"This is better than any drama."
"It certainly is."
Qiao Peipei noticed them too. She stepped out of Shen Huaizhi's embrace and walked towards the pair.
"Thank you both so much for today. I don't know what would have happened if it weren't for you. Especially you - I heard your father call you Zhijing, is that right?"
"Yes, that's right. No need to thank us, it's what anyone would do." Gu Zhijing's face reddened. He wasn't used to someone thanking him so sincerely, and he thought to himself, "The feeling of doing a good deed isn't bad at all."
"Mr. Gu, since we've had such a fortunate encounter, it's too late today, but we must have dinner together another time."
Qiao Peipei added, "Yes, when my brother returns from his business trip, we'll have him treat you all to dinner."
"Sounds good. Mr. Shen, it's getting late, you should head home."
After Shen Huaizhi and Qiao Peipei left, Gu Junxing thanked He Zhongyun.
"Zhongyun, sorry for troubling you to come out so late."
"Oh, don't mention it. This is what I do as a lawyer, isn't it? Fortunately, I wasn't really needed today. I'm just glad your wife and Zhijing are alright."
He then greeted Nian Suian and formally introduced himself.
The three of them saw He Zhongyun off at the police station entrance before heading home.
...
The police station was close to home. After getting in the car, Nian Suian felt like it took only three to five minutes to reach their neighborhood.
In the car, none of the three spoke. If Gu Junxing didn't speak first, neither Nian Suian nor Gu Zhijing would say anything.
Once they got home, Nian Suian couldn't hold back any longer.
"I'm partly responsible for what happened today. I'm sorry." After all, Gu Zhijing had come to find her when he encountered the incident.
Hearing Nian Suian say this, Gu Zhijing quickly admitted his own fault, "I'm sorry, Dad. I was too impulsive."
"Did I say I was blaming you?"
"Huh? You're not going to scold me?" Getting into a fight and ending up at the police station, yet his dad wasn't scolding him? Gu Zhijing could hardly believe it.
"Do you think I'm the kind of person who can't tell right from wrong? I understand what happened today, and it wasn't your fault. However..."
"What is it?" Gu Zhijing had been feeling pleased with his father's initial words, but as soon as he heard "however," he tensed up again.
"I saw the surveillance footage. Your fighting skills are terrible. You were lucky, otherwise you would have been the one getting beaten up. I'll find you a Muay Thai instructor. You'll practice once a week."
"Yes, Dad!" Gu Zhijing was excited. He much preferred the idea of learning to fight.
"Alright, go upstairs and sleep. You still have school tomorrow."
"Suian, you should learn Muay Thai with Zhijing too," Gu Junxing said to Nian Suian.
"Me too?!" Nian Suian pointed at herself.
"Yes, you too. Today's incident has reminded me that if you ever encounter a similar situation in the future, I hope both of you will at least be able to protect yourselves."
"Alright then." She might as well consider it as exercise. She had been feeling like she'd gained some weight recently anyway.
After Gu Zhijing went upstairs, Nian Suian and Gu Junxing also prepared to go up to rest. For once, they walked up the stairs one after the other.
"Oh no!" Nian Suian suddenly slapped her forehead.
Gu Junxing, puzzled, asked, "What's wrong?"
"I bought a bunch of test papers and exercises for Zhijing, but I used them all to hit that man! I didn't bring them back."
"We can always buy more."
"How come you're not saying I'm a bad influence on Zhijing today?" Nian Suian remembered that in the beginning, Gu Junxing would criticize her just for taking Gu Zhijing out for a late-night snack. Today they had even been to the police station, so she had expected Gu Junxing to scold her again.
"Is what happened today a bad thing? I think it's good to have the courage to help others in such situations. Just try not to be so impulsive next time."
The two of them ended up chatting on the stairs, with Nian Suian one step above Gu Junxing.
Nian Suian was standing one step above Gu Junxing, but she was still a bit shorter than him, so she went up another step to look him in the eye and said, "Well, I don't think eating late-night snacks is bad either, but you criticized me for it before."
Gu Junxing understood now. She was holding a grudge, bringing up old grievances.
"Eating greasy food late at night, like barbecue, I don't think it's a good habit."
"I don't care what you think, I care what I think!" Nian Suian suddenly took on a bossy tone. "Besides, why did we eat barbecue that time? It was because you wouldn't let us have late-night snacks. Just because you don't eat them doesn't mean we can't, right?"
Gu Junxing himself didn't eat late-night snacks because he always thought it was unhealthy to eat too late. But he had thought about it later and realized that it's okay to eat when you're hungry, as long as you don't go to sleep immediately after. Plus, Zhijing was in high school and would naturally be hungry after coming home from evening self-study sessions. "I didn't consider it thoroughly on that matter." Later, he had allowed Nanny Zhang to resume preparing late-night snacks at home.
Nian Suian continued, "The way you spoke to me last time, I felt hurt. I was very upset." She was genuinely angry, though not really upset. She was saying this on purpose.
"I'm sorry. My choice of words was inappropriate at the time. I apologize to you."
"It's okay. I forgive you."
"You're a great companion for Zhijing."
Nian Suian heard Gu Junxing say this just before she entered her room.