"Um... how is it, sir?" The man was the first to tentatively speak.
The man wasn't tall, but he had regular features and a great physique. The few specks of white hair suggested he was quite old, but he didn't look fat at all. On the contrary, he had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, without an ounce of excess fat, let alone a beer belly.
The man's voice was gentle, neither arrogant nor humble, and his words were clear. His eyes were deep and bright, but he would occasionally glance behind Ye Shaoheng, as if he was expecting someone to appear.
The word "commander" sent shivers down Ye Shaoheng's spine. He felt as if his lifespan had been shortened considerably. Looking at Nan Zhu, who had anticipated this and retreated behind him, Ye Shaoheng was on the verge of tears.
Ye Shaoheng: What should I do? What should I say?
Nan Zhu: You... look at what I'm saying.
Ye Shaoheng: No, Shi Yin didn't discuss it with me either. Now that I'm meeting the parents, how am I supposed to know what to say?
Nanzhu: Hmm...
Nan Zhu nodded deeply, expressing profound agreement with Ye Shaoheng's gaze.
Ye Shaoheng: "..."
Don't agree with me. Aren't you a diplomat? Give me some advice on what to do!
"Um, how should I address you both?" Ye Shaoheng racked his brains and stepped forward, extending his hand.
Ye Shaoheng was extremely nervous facing the couple in front of him.
Nan Zhu wasn't much better off. Logically speaking, compared to the grand scenes of international negotiations, this should have been a piece of cake. However, upon suddenly meeting Shi Yin's parents, Nan Zhu was extremely nervous.
Good news: I met my parents.
Bad news: There was no coordinated fabrication.
So, these two grown men, who had seen it all, surprisingly chickened out.
"Hello, hello, I am Shi Huaiyuan, Huai as in Jianghuai, Yuan as in tranquility and far-reaching vision." When Shi Huaiyuan saw Ye Shaoheng extend his hand, he quickly shook hands with Ye Shaoheng: "This is my wife, Chu Ning, Ning as in lemon."
"Hello, hello." Chu Ning smiled and nodded in greeting.
Chu Ning is quite tall, well-maintained with great skin, and looks very energetic. However, it seems that Shi Yin's height comes from her mother, while her appearance is more like her father's and more gentle. Chu Ning looks more assertive.
"Oh, hello both of you... No need for formalities, we're all... uh, family, just call me Ye... Captain Ye." Ye Shaoheng was so startled by Shi Huaiyuan's constant use of "you" that he almost knelt down.
Ye Shaoheng was already like a mouse before a cat when facing Shi Yin, but now these were Shi Yin's parents, a double buff, so how could Ye Shaoheng dare to be negligent?
Ye Shaoheng originally wanted Shi Huaiyuan and his wife to call him by his name, but then he thought, didn't Shi Yin tell her parents that she was their younger brother? If they called him that intimately, wouldn't that give them away?
Changing the subject, Ye Shaoheng still intended to have Shi Huaiyuan call him captain first, to get a middle ground.
"Hello, both of you. I am Nan Zhu, the 'Zhu' in 'east, south, west, and north,' and 'candlelight.'" Nan Zhu spoke much more fluently: "I am Shi Yin's assistant."
Ye Shaoheng: "...?"
Why should they call you by your name?
Faced with Ye Shaoheng's glare, Nan Zhu smiled smugly, showing a hint of triumph.
Shi Huaiyuan: "?"
What are these two arguing about, exchanging glances?
“Captain Ye, it’s like this. We are Shi Yin’s parents. She hasn’t been home for so long, and we’ve lost contact with her recently, so we thought we’d come and check on her.” Shi Huaiyuan carefully chose his words. “We know that Shi Yin may just be an insignificant subordinate, but we really don’t have any other way to contact her. We’re just anxious as her parents, so we came.”
An inconspicuous subordinate?
Ye Shaoheng almost covered Shi Huaiyuan's mouth and begged him to stop talking. It was already good enough that Shi Yin was inconspicuous when he wasn't around. What a rebellious traitor!
However, Shion is right next door, so knocking now shouldn't be a problem...
"Gentlemen, it's like this. Because the apocalypse came suddenly, we're short-handed. Your daughters are very talented and important, so you can't get away for the time being." Nan Zhu pressed Ye Shaoheng's shoulder and took over the conversation.
"Is it very important?" Shi Huaiyuan's eyes flickered slightly.
“Yes, after all, communication is the most indispensable thing in the apocalypse, and your daughters probably have a lot of documents to deal with.” Nan Zhu observed Shi Huaiyuan’s expression: “Now, as the apocalypse worsens, Shi Yin… has also taken on several more tasks, and it is probably because of this that she has not replied to your messages.”
"Oh..." Shi Huaiyuan nodded thoughtfully, "She's too busy right now, isn't she?"
"Yes, please rest assured, it's not a dangerous job. As Shiyin's assistant, I will do my best to help." Nanzhu said with a smile, "While the soldiers at the front are charging forward, the logistics personnel being protected are also very important. Your daughters are very outstanding."
"No, no, it's mainly because she's quite independent-minded." Shi Huaiyuan finally felt a little relieved: "When does she eat? Her mother and I brought lunchboxes with all her favorite dishes..."
"..."
Nan Zhu's ears twitched slightly, and he subconsciously glanced at the office opposite the reception room. There was a dark shadow in the middle of the door, where light was shining through the crack.
“This is a bit of a problem. We don’t really allow strangers to come and go in our work area, but I can deliver the things to you two on your behalf.” Nanzhu paused for a moment: “Would it be convenient to leave your contact information? Because you need to make an appointment to come to the Doomsday Beacon, I can contact you directly next time Shiyin is available.”
Ye Shaoheng was stunned.
No, you're asking for their parents' contact information right now?
Why should I?!
“Okay, sure.” Shi Huaiyuan didn’t waste any time and picked up his phone to add Nan Zhu as a contact. Nan Zhu even showed Shi Huaiyuan a photo.
Ye Shaoheng leaned closer to take a look, his eyes widening like copper bells.
In the photo, Shi Yin is looking at a document. She seems to be looking at it very seriously, unconsciously biting the end of her pen as if she is even competing with it. Surprisingly, the photo looks kind of cute when the light shines on it.
Ye Shaoheng: "?"
When did you take this picture?
Nan Zhu would never admit it; at this moment, Shi Yin was simply angry. If they had filmed for even a second longer, the deception would have been exposed.
The next second, Shi Yin angrily slammed her hand on the table and ordered the corrupt official's house to be searched. Her eyes narrowed, which was quite frightening.
“Sometimes we have surveillance cameras to ensure everyone’s safety at work, and sometimes they take photos of us at work. If you two are worried, I can send them to you anytime.” Nan Zhu gave a polite smile. “Taking care of Shi Yin’s parents is also what I should do as an assistant.”
It turns out it was captured by surveillance cameras.
"No, no, you've worked hard." Shi Huaiyuan and Chu Ning exchanged a glance before letting out a sigh of relief.
After much persuasion, Nan Zhu finally reassured Shi Huaiyuan and his wife, sending them away in a special car and secretly dispatching a team of superhumans to escort them, making sure they arrived home safely.
"Hey, can you share your contact information with me?" Ye Shaoheng tugged at Nan Zhu's sleeve. "We're practically brothers now."
“No, that’s not allowed. It’s their privacy.” Nan Zhu gently rejected Ye Shaoheng’s wishful thinking: “We just need to do this for work.”
"Then could you give me one of the photos of Sister Yin from earlier?" Ye Shaoheng hesitated, and could only ask for another thing.
Nan Zhu: "Beg me."
"Please..." Ye Shaoheng's eyes sparkled.
Nan Zhu: "No."
Ye Shaoheng: "..."
South! Candle!
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