«Can you even imagine what the press would write if you are seen like this? My granddaughter is not some frightened puppy, do you understand?»

Xu Mei looked at the cup in her hands and put it down. Her grandfather seemed to think that she was trembling for some psychological trauma. Maybe, it was for the best.

The man continued with his talk, not waiting for an answer. «I will hire a specialist for you to recover and send him here. When you are suitable to appear in public, someone will fetch you, and you will stay at home until complete recovery. Am I clear?»

As expected, the girl didn't reply.

«An alternative is to send you abroad,» he stated, and Xu Mei lifted her head abruptly.

Abroad she wouldn't be able to see her mother and take care of her little sister.

«Fine, I'll stay,» she accepted in the end.

«While you are here, you should become close to Lin Longwei. He's a tough opponent and may become a problem in the future.»

«You want me to hook up with the next governor of Hei city?»

Xu Yanhuo looked at the little girl as if she had just told him a joke.

«There is no risk that Senator Lin won. Your uncle is going to be reelected again. I was talking about a farther future. After all, Lin Longwei is still a senator, and a problematic one at that.»

«How can you ask me something like that? I am still your blood.»

«That is specifically the reason why you should help your family.»

«I want something in return.»

«Are you bargaining with me?» Xu Yanhuo uttered, with a displeased look.

«No, I'm stating my conditions.»

«Let me hear before I decide,» he conceded.

«In two years, Wen will start junior high school. I want her to attend my former school. And you will finance her education from that moment until she finishes a university of her choice. And you will do it anonymously. My mother has not to suspect anything.»

«That girl is not fit to attend...»

«That girl is my sister, she is smart enough to obtain anything by herself. But some divine help is certainly not bad,» Xu Mei interrupted him.

The elder was indeed annoyed by her manners, but he needed her cooperation. Thus, he decided to listen to her.

«Deal.»

Said that the Prime Minister got up and walked to the door, where he met Lin Longwei.

«Already leaving, Prime Minister Xu?»

«I have to run a country, I certainly am a busy person.»

Lin Longwei greeted the elder casually before approaching Xu Mei. He brushed the girl's hair gently, asking her whether she was feeling fine.

Xu Mei noticed he was standing slightly to the left so that her grandfather would be able to see the two of them.

«I'm just a bit tired,» she answered.

«You seem more disappointed than tired.»

The Prime Minister already left, so there was no need to act any more, but he was still caressing her hair.

«Can... Can you let go of me?» Xu Mei stuttered.

He winced but agreed without further argument. «Sorry, I was lost in thought.»

«You know what he asked me in private, don't you?»

«I can imagine.»

«You seem good at seeing through people's intentions. I don't understand how Prime Minister Xu didn't think that you would realise his plan.»

«He did think of that. I'm sure he did.»

«Then, why did he ask me that? He already knows it won't work, right?»

«I can understand that, as well. Dinner is ready. Since elections are nearby, my assistant will join us. I hope you won't mind,» Lin Longwei said, glad that he had a pretext to change the topic.

«As long as you don't drag me into weird conversations, I'm fine.»

She got up and reached the dining room. There, she sat at her usual place.

'Weird that I already have a usual place,' she thought, sighing.

When the two men entered the room, she didn't pay attention to them, but when someone sat in front of her, she thought it would be really too much to ignore him, so she lifted her gaze.

«What are you doing here?» she asked, startled.

The young man in front of her, Wang Meng, was her former schoolmate. They did lose contact during the years, but she knew he had graduated earlier and already started to work. Yet, she never asked about details, so she couldn't imagine she would meet him in those circumstances.

«That's my line,» Wang Meng replied. His face didn't change much since high school, and his freckles were still sparse on his cheeks and nose. Judging by his answer, his character didn't mature too much either.

«I asked first,» Xu Mei uttered.

«I work here. And you?»

She didn't know how much she should reveal, so she turned to Lin Longwei and looked at him confusedly. She wasn't worried about Wang Meng hearing about her misdeeds, but she wasn't sure that he knew about his boss' shady deals. After all, no politician would like it if words that he's in contact with Shen Peng was spread.

«You know each other?» the man asked, shifting the focus of the conversation.

«We were in the same class in high school, Senator Lin,» Wang Meng answered briefly.

«So you were born the same year?» Lin Longwei continued with a surprised expression. «Xu Mei, are you already twenty-two?»