Chapter 115: My parents are high-ranking officials

Qin Ze pulled her back to the sofa to sit down.

Shen Jingshu leaned on him naturally, picking up a towel to wipe her wet hair.

Qin Ze looked around and sighed sincerely:

"You've really taken good care of this villa."

Shen Jingshu smiled:

"I didn't have anything to do anyway, so I just thought I'd make this place more comfortable."

"You're so busy all the time; it's nice to have a comfortable place to rest when you come back."

Qin Ze looked at the gentle smile on her profile, and a surge of indescribable emotion suddenly welled up in his heart.

This woman was truly treating this house with care.

And she was truly treating him with care.

He reached out and took the towel from her hand:

"Let me."

Shen Jingshu was stunned for a moment, then obediently handed him the towel.

Qin Ze picked up the towel and helped her wipe her wet hair.

His movements were light and gentle.

Shen Jingshu leaned quietly in his arms, eyes closed, a satisfied smile on her face.

Qin Ze looked at Shen Jingshu's face, which was flushed from shyness, and a sudden impulse rose in his heart.

He reached out and lifted her chin.

Their gazes met in the air, and it felt as if sparks were dancing.

Shen Jingshu's breathing became a bit rapid, her lips slightly parted.

The night grew deep.

The villa quieted down, with only the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the leaves outside the window.

Shen Jingshu leaned against Qin Ze's chest, her fingers drawing circles on his chest.

"Why did you come over so suddenly tonight?"

Her voice carried a hint of laziness after satisfaction.

Qin Ze was silent for a few seconds, then said:

"Liu Bin is getting people to mess with me."

Shen Jingshu's fingers stopped.

She looked up at Qin Ze, her eyes filled with surprise:

"What happened?"

Qin Ze leaned against the headboard and told her about the company being investigated by various departments over the past two days.

"The Industrial and Commercial Bureau is blocking my company registration; the Fire, Business, and Tax bureaus are jointly investigating my company; and the neighborhood office is investigating my apartment."

"It's been several days in a row, every single day."

"If this continues, I won't be able to do business at all."

After listening, Shen Jingshu's expression darkened as well.

She sat up straight, her tone becoming serious:

"Liu Bin is the type of person who, after being humiliated, will definitely find ways to retaliate."

"And as far as I know, he really does know quite a few people. During holidays, he never skimps on giving gifts, especially to those in the system who are close to him."

Qin Ze looked at her:

"So I came to you to ask... can your parents help out?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingshu was silent for a few seconds.

Then she nodded:

"I'll come clean to my parents tonight about my divorce."

Qin Ze was stunned:

"You haven't told them yet?"

Shen Jingshu shook her head and smiled bitterly:

"My relationship with my parents... how should I put it? When I wanted to marry Liu Bin, my parents were dead set against it."

"My dad pointed at my nose back then and said, 'If you marry him, you'll regret it later.'"

"I didn't listen and insisted on marrying him."

"Now... sigh, I really don't have the face to tell them."

Qin Ze reached out and held her hand:

"Then telling them now, will it..."

"No." Shen Jingshu shook her head, her eyes firm.

"Actually, when my parents didn't let me marry Liu Bin, it was because they saw through him—that he wasn't reliable."

"Now that they know I'm divorced, they'll probably feel relieved instead."

"And..." She looked up at Qin Ze.

"If they know I'm with you, they should feel reassured too."

Qin Ze looked at her, his heart stirring slightly:

"You have that much confidence in me?"

Shen Jingshu smiled and reached out to touch his face:

"You're a hundred times better than Liu Bin."

Qin Ze smiled too.

He thought for a moment and asked again:

"Are your parents retired now?"

"Just retired, but their old connections are still there."

Qin Ze continued to ask:

"What were their positions before?"

Shen Jingshu paused, then said:

"My father, Shen Zhihong, was the former number one of the Xicheng District in Jiangcheng."

"My mother, He Lanfang, was the number two in the Jiangcheng Tax Bureau."

Qin Ze took a deep breath upon hearing this.

Number one of Xicheng District!

Number two of the Jiangcheng Tax Bureau!

With these two big shots, no wonder Shen Jingshu's rating was SS!

If Shen Jingshu stepped in, no matter how hard Liu Bin's background was, he would have to weigh the consequences!

Qin Ze calculated quickly in his mind.

A retired number one, connections still intact, students and former colleagues spread across every department in Jiangcheng.

As long as Shen Zhihong was willing to say a word, who among those subordinates would dare not give face?

He immediately made the decision:

"Then I'll personally go visit your parents tomorrow?"

Shen Jingshu thought about it and nodded:

"Sure, we have to meet sooner or later."

"Then tomorrow it is."

Qin Ze asked again:

"What hobbies do your parents have?"

Shen Jingshu thought:

"My dad doesn't have any other hobbies; he just likes calligraphy and loves writing with a brush pen when he's free."

"My mom likes jewelry—pearls, jade, and the like. But she has high standards and doesn't look at ordinary things."

Qin Ze silently noted it down.

"Alright, I'll prepare for tomorrow."

Shen Jingshu leaned back into his arms and said softly:

"Are you staying tonight?"

Qin Ze looked down at her and reached out to hold her tighter:

"Yeah, staying."

The next morning.

Qin Ze rarely didn't sleep in.

He got up early, washed up, changed his clothes, and took Shen Jingshu out.

The two first went to the largest tobacco and liquor store in Jiangcheng.

Qin Ze directly ordered two cases of Moutai, five cartons of soft Chunghwa cigarettes, and several boxes of high-quality Da Hong Pao tea.

Seeing this, the owner of the store couldn't stop smiling and quickly had people help move it to the car.

After leaving the store, Qin Ze took Shen Jingshu to the most expensive shopping mall in Jiangcheng.

He went straight to the luxury goods section and picked out a Cartier necklace for Shen Jingshu's mother.

It was platinum, inlaid with a sapphire that wasn't small but was very exquisite.

When the sales clerk took it out, Shen Jingshu's eyes lit up.

Then Qin Ze walked around twice more and picked out a high-quality Huzhou brush at a stationery shop.

The brush handle was made of ox horn, the tip was top-grade wolf hair, and the craftsmanship was exquisite—it was clearly a good item.

Finally, Qin Ze took Shen Jingshu into a jewelry store.

He picked out a pearl necklace and personally put it on Shen Jingshu.

"Is this for me?" Shen Jingshu looked at herself in the mirror, a bit surprised.

"Yeah, bought it for you."

Shen Jingshu looked at the round, plump pearls on her neck, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift slightly.

After buying everything, the trunk was packed full.

Qin Ze drove, following Shen Jingshu's directions, all the way to the residential area where her parents lived.

The car turned into a quiet street lined with tall plane trees.

Shen Jingshu pointed to a residential area ahead:

"We're here, it's this one."

Qin Ze parked the car downstairs and looked up.

It was a very quiet residential area with good greenery and large spacing between buildings.

However, given the status of Shen Jingshu's parents, living in this place was already considered very low-key!

After going upstairs, Shen Jingshu knocked on the door.

The door opened.

The person who opened the door was a woman who looked to be in her fifties.

She was wearing a simple and elegant dark blue knit sweater, her hair was coiled at the back of her head, her face was upright, and her temperament was gentle.

But her eyes held a hint of shrewdness and scrutiny.

This was Shen Jingshu's mother, He Lanfang.

He Lanfang first looked at Shen Jingshu, her eyes filled with heartache.

Then her gaze moved past Shen Jingshu and landed on Qin Ze behind her.

She looked him up and down.

A hint of surprise flashed in He Lanfang's eyes.

It was more astonishment at Qin Ze's youth, but she immediately showed some favor:

"You must be Qin Ze, right?"

"Come in, come in." ===== CHAPTER 116 =====