Chapter 242 Appearance

Qin Fen stood up and politely nodded to Nan Zhiyi and Zhang Yueran.

Without much small talk, he went straight to the point.

"Minister Gu briefly explained the situation to me on the way. Zhang Yueran, could you please tell me in detail the specific process and basis for your suspicion of that classmate? Please don't omit anything or add any subjective speculation, just state the facts."

Upon hearing this, and considering the identity Gu Xiao had described, Zhang Yueran immediately realized that Comrade Qin was the key figure who could truly manage this matter and was likely to see it through to the end.

Suppressing her excitement, she recounted in detail how she discovered that her classmate's academic foundation was extremely weak, how she tested him, and her and her sister's suspicions.

Qin Fen listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with questions about details such as the classmate's name, hometown, and general behavior.

After listening to Zhang Yueran's account, his expression became even more serious.

"We will immediately launch an investigation into this matter. We also ask Zhang Yueran not to feel guilty, to maintain her normal studies and life for the time being, and not to mention this matter to other students. We will verify the information as soon as possible and contact the admissions department and public security department in her hometown for assistance. If the situation is true, we will deal with it seriously, hold the relevant personnel accountable, and do our best to find the student who was impersonated and give him justice!"

Zhang Yueran nodded repeatedly: "Thank you, Comrade Qin Fen! We will definitely cooperate and won't say anything wrong!"

Gu Xiao then spoke up, "Old Qin, then I'll leave it to you. Make sure you get to the bottom of this."

Qin Fen stood up: "It is my duty, and I cannot shirk it. I shall take my leave now."

Seeing Qin Fen get up to say goodbye, Nan Zhi gently tugged at Gu Xiao's sleeve and gestured towards the kitchen with her eyes.

Gu Xiao understood her meaning, nodded slightly, and said, "Old Qin, it's almost lunchtime. No matter how urgent things are, there's no need to rush. There's food ready at home. Have some before you leave."

Qin Fen hesitated for a moment, but then he remembered that the two had known each other for many years. They were both alumni of a military academy. After graduation, Gu Xiao worked in the military, while Qin Fen, due to his family background and personal interests, transferred to the education system.

He then stopped being polite and laughed heartily, "Alright, then I'll trouble you to try my family's cooking."

"Fifth Brother, Comrade Qin Fen, you two talk first."

Gu Xiao patted her hand, and Nan Zhiyi got up and went to the kitchen.

Knowing that guests had arrived, Sister Zhang had prepared a lot of dishes in advance. Nan Zhiyi thought the meal was quite plentiful, so she didn't add any more.

At the dinner table, both host and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.

Qin Fen sighed, "Speaking of which, Lao Gu, do you remember when we were in school? The boiled cabbage in the cafeteria was just too much!"

Gu Xiao smiled and poured him a cup of tea instead of alcohol: "How could I not remember? You had the biggest appetite back then, and you were always the fastest to rush to the cafeteria after training."

Qin Fen laughed heartily: "Well, there's nothing I can do about it, I'm still growing! But then again, although it was tough back then, it really toughened me up. Who would have thought that I, one of the brothers who fought alongside me back then, would end up dealing with pens, ink, and documents?"

Gu Xiao said calmly, "We have different roles, but we are all working for the country's development. The area you are in charge of now is related to the future of many young people, so the responsibility is not light at all."

Qin Fen's expression also became serious: "Yes, especially since the college entrance examination has just been reinstated, there are countless things to do, and we are afraid of making even the slightest mistake and failing the expectations of the country and the people. In cases like the one mentioned today, once any signs are discovered, we must investigate thoroughly and show absolutely no leniency!"

His words were both a statement of his opinion and a message to Nan Zhiyi and Zhang Yueran beside him, to reassure them.

Zhang Yueran was deeply moved and couldn't help but interject, "Comrade Qin Fen, you will definitely find out the truth! That student who was impersonated is so pitiful!"

Qin Fen looked at her and said, "Don't worry, Xiao Zhang. Thank you for providing such important information. We will not let a bad person go unpunished, nor will we wrong an innocent person, and we will not let any diligent and studious young person be overlooked."

Zhang Yueran also raised her teacup and offered it to him, saying, "Thank you, Comrade Qin Fen!"

Qin Fen also picked up his teacup in response: "Young Zhang, please don't say that. This is what we should do."

After the meal, Nan Zhiyi and Zhang Yueran felt much more at ease because of their old friendship and the clear statement.

After the meal, Qin Fen sat for a while before taking his leave. Gu Xiao saw him off at the courtyard gate, and the two talked quietly outside.

Inside the room, Zhang Yueran excitedly grabbed Nan Zhiyi's hand: "Sister! With Comrade Qin Fen involved, we'll definitely get to the bottom of this!"

Nan Zhiyi nodded and said softly, "Alright, you can rest assured now. Go wash up and get some rest. Xiao Liu will take us to school together tomorrow morning."

A huge weight was lifted off Zhang Yueran's shoulders, and she felt much lighter. "Okay, then, sis, I'm going to rest. Goodnight, Xiaoman!"

Xiaoman held her mother's hand and waved obediently to Zhang Yueran: "Goodnight, Auntie!"

Nan Zhiyi held Xiaoman's hand and stood at the door waiting for Gu Xiao to close the courtyard gate and come in.

As soon as Gu Xiao entered, the two children, one big and one small, went to greet him.

He took his son's hand with one hand and put his arm around his wife's shoulder with the other, and said gently, "Come on, let's go upstairs and rest."

After Gu Xiao coaxed Xiaoman to sleep, he saw Nan Zhiyi still sitting at her desk writing something. He leaned over and asked, "Still writing? It's getting late."

Nan Zhiyi put down her pen and turned to look at him. "Yueyue and I were still worried about this this afternoon, but I didn't expect you to invite the person who can solve this problem to our house tonight. How did you come up with this idea? So thoughtful."

Gu Xiao raised his hand and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear: "I was afraid you two would look so worried. It would be better to leave it to the right people to handle, so you won't overthink things."

He spoke casually, but Nan Zhiyi was touched. She leaned closer and kissed his chin, saying, "This is a reward for you, and thank you for your hard work."

Gu Xiao chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist: "What's so difficult about that? It's just a phone call..."

He tried to pull her into his arms, but Nan Zhiyi gently pushed him away and picked up her pen again, saying, "Let me finish writing this last bit, it's just a few words."

Gu Xiao compromised: "Okay, you write it, I'll wait for you."

The next morning, Xiao Liu drove the two sisters to school.

Zhang Yueran slept well last night because her worries were resolved, and she felt refreshed and like a happy little bird.

Nan Zhiyi, however, appeared somewhat listless due to staying up late writing and for some unspeakable reasons, and leaned back in the back seat with her eyes closed to rest.

Zhang Yueran asked with concern, "Sister, what's wrong? You don't look well, like a monster has drained your life force."

Nan Zhiyi thought to herself, "That's absolutely right."

She mumbled, "It's nothing, I stayed up a little late last night writing." Then she closed her eyes to rest, and Zhang Yueran considerately didn't disturb her any longer.