“What on earth is going on out there?” Zhang Wan hissed, keeping her voice low.
Fu Hu scowled. “I have no idea. This kid pops out of nowhere, claiming to be some high-ranking director from the National Bureau. I’ve never heard of the damn agency, but he had my exact service record and ID. I can’t tell if I’m being played. But that piece of tech he’s holding… that is seriously advanced. A civilian couldn’t just walk into a store and buy that.”
“It sounds completely insane, but… what if he’s legit? I can’t risk offending him. If he really is an official, we could be in trouble.”
Zhang Wan wrung her hands. “Are you sure he’s not just a con artist? Think about it, Old Fu. You were an ordinary soldier. Why would such a bureau need you? The second he asks for money, I’m calling the cops!”
“Keep your voice down. I invited him to stay for dinner. I’ll probe him over the meal. If he’s a fraud, you think some punk kid can outsmart me? Just follow my lead.”
“This is a disaster. I bought all that good food specifically to build up our daughter’s strength. She finally gets her appetite back, and now some stranger is mooching off us.” Zhang Wan flapped a hand in sheer exasperation.
“Enough complaining. Just finish cooking.”
“Fine. Tell Qingdai to lock her bedroom door. She can eat later.”
…
The table was laid with food, plates, and cups.
Su Jin fast-forwarded through the movie, filling two pages of his notebook with notes.
Setting down the last dish, Fu Hu glanced over. “Director Li, are you finished with your screening?”
Su Jin paused the DVD, snapped the notebook shut, and strolled over to the dining table. He flashed the couple a smile. “Apologies for the intrusion. I really didn’t mean to impose on your evening.”
“Allow me to introduce you. This is my wife, Zhang Wan… and this is…” Fu Hu gestured awkwardly.
“Li Haocheng, director at the National Key Risk Intervention and Execution Bureau.” Su Jin gave Zhang Wan a polite, measured nod.
“Please, take a seat!” Fu Hu gestured eagerly.
The three of them took their seats, the conversation fell quiet.
Fu Hu raised his glass toward Su Jin. “Director Li, like you said, fate brought us together. Allow me to offer the first toast!”
Su Jin raised a hand, politely refusing. “Apologies. I never drink outside work.”
Fu Hu and his wife exchanged a quick glance. Zhang Wan pasted on a warm smile. “Of course! Sobriety is good for your health anyway. Please, eat up.”
She picked up some food with her chopsticks and placed it in Su Jin’s bowl.
“Director Li, I couldn’t help but overhear your chat earlier. You mentioned the National Bureau? I’ve never heard of it. Could you tell me a bit more? When did the government set up a department like that?”
“Certainly. The Bureau has actually been operational for decades. However…” Su Jin let his sentence trail off. He shifted his gaze toward the closed door of Fu Qingdai’s bedroom, then turned back to the parents. “The girl in that room is your daughter, correct? Why isn’t she joining us for dinner?”
“Oh, don’t worry about her. She is always eating snacks and never eats proper meals,” Zhang Wan said, waving a dismissive hand. “Director Li, please, continue.” This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
“I see… and what is your daughter’s name?” Su Jin asked, changing the subject.
The question made the couple wary. Beneath the table, Zhang Wan nudged her husband.
“Her name is Fu Qingdai. Why do you ask?” Fu Hu kept his voice neutral and flat.
“That child…” Su Jin hesitated, then spoke. “Has she encountered some… difficulties recently? Based on my brief observation, she does not seem to be doing well.”
Fu Hu and his wife locked eyes again, but this time, their expressions changed.
A realization struck Fu Hu. He leaned forward urgently. “Director Li, you said you knew psychology… Can you really diagnose these things just by looking?”
Su Jin offered a thin, self-assured smile. “Naturally. If you know what to look for, you can often see the signs at a glance. I take it your daughter has indeed suffered some trouble? Bring her out. Let me take a look at her. I won’t claim to be a world-renowned psychiatrist, but I am certainly better than a third-rate doctor.”
Before Fu Hu could formulate a reply, Zhang Wan was already out of her chair, rushing to fetch Fu Qingdai.
Moments later, Fu Qingdai came to the dining table. She sat with her head bowed and said nothing.
“Speak! Greet our guest! Say hello to Uncle Li!” Zhang Wan hissed, poking the girl’s shoulder.
“U-Uncle Li…” Fu Qingdai stammered. She bit her lower lip hard, stealing a quick glance at Su Jin before snapping her eyes back to the table.
“Director Li, please, tell us what’s wrong with her,” Zhang Wan pleaded. “Lately, she’s been so…”
Before she could explain further, Fu Hu cut her off sharply.
“Do not interrupt. Let Director Li take a proper look!”
He claimed to know psychology. This would show whether he was telling the truth.
Su Jin lowered his head slightly and looked Fu Qingdai over as if studying her. He let the silence drag out for two minutes, feigning deep analytical thought.
Under the watchful eyes of the Fu couple, he finally broke the silence. “Based on her face and complexion… she is under a lot of pressure. I’m even detecting signs of suicidal thoughts. At her age, this is usually caused by pressure at school.”
Zhang Wan whipped her head toward Fu Hu, looking as if to say, I told you so.
Fu Hu glared back at her, looking annoyed.
This useless woman, he cursed internally. Two generic sentences and she’s already eating out of the palm of his hand! Pathetic!
“Yes! Exactly! Her math scores have been plummeting!” Zhang Wan gasped in pure shock. “Director Li, how could you possibly know that?”
“It is just a matter of probability,” Su Jin dismissed casually. “Qingdai, look at me. I have a couple of questions.”
Fu Qingdai raised her eyes and managed a tiny, terrified nod.
“What time does your school schedule its lunch break, and what time do you actually eat lunch?”
“The break is at noon… I eat at twelve-thirty.”
“And what does a typical lunch consist of? Who are you eating with?”
“It… it changes every day…”
Su Jin fired off a series of ordinary questions. They left Fu Hu and Zhang Wan entirely bewildered.
Fu Hu frowned and watched Su Jin closely.
After the twentieth question, Su Jin reached for his water glass. He took a slow, deliberate sip, a smile returning to his face.
“I think the problem is clear now.”
“What is it, Director Li?” Zhang Wan demanded, leaning halfway across the table.
“My preliminary assessment holds true—severe academic burnout. However, the second issue is more complicated… she is dating someone.”
“I am not!” Fu Qingdai protested. Beneath the table, her small hand viciously pinched her own thigh to keep herself composed.
“You are,” Su Jin stated with cold, unyielding authority. “Furthermore, the boy is not in your class. I would guess he is in the class next door. His grades are poor, but he is probably good at sports. You had been seeing him for over two months before he fell for someone else and broke up with you. You likely attempted to reconcile, only to be humiliated by him. Is my assessment accurate?” He locked eyes with the terrified girl.
Hold it together! I have to hold it together! she told herself.
Thick tears pooled in Fu Qingdai’s wide eyes. The skin on her thigh was already bruising from her fingers. Finally, the tension snapped. With a cry, she threw herself into her mother’s arms, breaking down into sobs.
Seeing their daughter break down, Fu Hu and Zhang Wan exchanged one final look. This time, their expressions changed completely.
This… this is unbelievable!
Even the hospital had missed this, yet this man had found the apparent cause after asking a few questions!
Was this what a top agent could do?
“See?! I told you!” Zhang Wan said excitedly to her husband, thoroughly vindicated. “The kid was just stressed over school and started dating! That’s all it was! But no, you just had to send her to a psychiatric hospital!”