Chapter 45: Dr. Yu, Hello

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Dr. Yu, Hello

Yu Zhiming rushed home to a chaotic scene: a wild chase, like a game of cat and mouse.

His eldest sister was chasing a frantically dodging Fu Xiaoxue, swinging a clothes hanger at her without pause.

"Uncle, save me...!"

Fu Xiaoxue nimbly ducked behind Yu Zhiming, crying out in an aggrieved tone, "Uncle, she’s going to beat me to death!"

"When Mom hits, it really hurts! It hurts so much! WAHHH..."

The more she spoke, the more aggrieved Fu Xiaoxue felt. After a few choked sobs, she suddenly hugged Yu Zhiming’s waist and began to wail like a small child.

This absolutely broke Yu Zhiming’s heart.

When he was young, he had been his eldest sister’s little shadow.

And when Xiaoxue was little and adorable, she had been *his* little shadow. He had practically raised her, and their bond was incredibly deep.

Yu Zhiming spread his arms to block his eldest sister and chided, "Eldest Sister, a few taps to make a point would have been enough. Are you really trying to beat her to death?"

"She’s your own daughter, after all."

Yu Zhaoxia took two steps back and pointed the clothes hanger at Yu Zhiming.

"Fifth Brother, this wretched girl is getting more and more out of hand! She’s raising hell! I swear I’m going to teach her a proper lesson today."

"I know you had a hand in this university application business. I’ll deal with her first, then I’m coming for you to settle the score."

Yu Zhiming immediately put on an appeasing smile. "Eldest Sister, if you know I was involved, then you should also know... would I ever do anything to hurt Xiaoxue?"

"Am I the kind of person who acts irresponsibly?"

Yu Zhaoxia froze.

’Mom didn’t have the energy; just taking care of Lao Si was a struggle for her, not to mention that Fifth Brother was blind. So, she was the one who had taken care of Fifth Brother most of the time. She knew his character better than anyone. Even though he’d been doted on and spoiled growing up, he had never given them any real cause for worry. He was someone with a mind of his own.’

Yu Zhaoxia calmed herself, took a deep breath, and said, "First thing this morning, I learned that Xiaoxue had been accepted to Binhai Jiaotong University. I was thrilled. I even called Second and Third Sister to share the good news."

"But Second Sister told me this ’Sino-British Finance Program’ is a separate thing from Binhai Jiaotong University. It’s a high-cost program with exorbitant tuition fees."

"I asked this wretched girl, and she said the tuition is 160,000 a year. I thought my head was going to explode."

"With a score of 612, she should have no problem getting into a top-tier university, right? Why spend a fortune to get into this... this Sino-British program?"

Yu Zhiming took two steps forward and, in a very fawning manner, helped his eldest sister sit down on the sofa.

"Eldest Sister, there’s a good reason for the high tuition."

Fu Xiaoxue stopped crying and immediately put on her best behavior. She obediently poured two glasses of water, one for her mother and one for her uncle.

"Eldest Sister, the last two years of this program are spent studying in London, United Kingdom. That’s studying abroad! How could the fees possibly be low?"

"Also, when Xiaoxue graduates, she’ll get two diplomas: one from Binhai Jiaotong University and one from the university in the United Kingdom. With those diplomas, she’ll be certified to work internationally."

"And most importantly..."

Yu Zhiming began to paint a grand picture. "Her future after graduation will be limitless."

"Eldest Sister, this program and this major are highly respected in the finance and securities industry."

"After working for just two or three years, their annual salary starts at a million. The people competing with Xiaoxue for a spot in this program are basically the children of the country’s top finance and securities tycoons."

"If Xiaoxue hadn’t performed so exceptionally in her interview, she wouldn’t have been accepted at all."

Yu Zhaoxia looked suspiciously at Fu Xiaoxue. "Really?"

With tears still glistening on her eyelashes, Fu Xiaoxue wiped her eyes hard and nodded vigorously.

"Mom, it’s true!"

"Sister Wenzhu was the one who got me the interview. She’s the niece of Dr. Qi Yue of Binhai, and she works at a well-known private equity firm."

Yu Zhaoxia looked at her daughter, then back at Yu Zhiming, and let out a long sigh.

"Fifth Brother, I know that if you’re pushing for Xiaoxue to join this program, you must have already thought through the tuition fees and everything."

"But it’s 160,000 a year. And Fifth Brother, Xiaoxue isn’t your only niece."

"Second and Third Sister each have two children."

Yu Zhiming chuckled. "Eldest Sister, so that’s what you’re worried about?"

"I’ve already discussed it with Xiaoxue. I’m lending her the tuition money. Once she starts making the big bucks, she has to pay me back several times over."

Fu Xiaoxue nodded emphatically. "Mom, when I’m rich, I’ll pay back Uncle, and I’ll also buy a big house for you and Dad to come live in."

Yu Zhaoxia snorted. "Easy for you to say now. By then, you’ll probably just find us old folks a nuisance."

Seeing his sister’s brow still furrowed in worry, Yu Zhiming added, "Eldest Sister, I know what else is bothering you."

"This 160,000 might seem like a lot, but once I start my job in Binhai, my income will increase substantially. I don’t want to overstate it, but I’ll be making at least four or five hundred thousand a year."

"And I know you’re worried that Second and Third Sister will get jealous and make comparisons."

Yu Zhiming’s voice grew serious. "Eldest Sister, you raised me. And in a way, I raised Xiaoxue."

"Our bond is closer. If they have an issue with that, well, that’s on them for being narrow-minded."

"Besides, it’s not like I’ve ever treated Second or Third Sister poorly!"

"In the future, if their kids have a similar opportunity and I’m able to help, I will."

As Yu Zhaoxia looked at her youngest brother, a wave of emotion washed over her, and her eyes reddened before she knew it.

Seeing this, Yu Zhiming quickly changed the subject. "Eldest Sister, it’s almost noon. I was up all night, and I’m starving."

"Oh, right, I’ll go make lunch now." Yu Zhaoxia quickly stood up and headed for the kitchen.

Fu Xiaoxue sidled up to Yu Zhiming and said pitifully, "Uncle, can you check my back? It really stings."

Yu Zhiming lifted the back of her shirt and was shocked to see two long, bloody welts.

"Eldest Sister, you really didn’t hold back! You’ve raised bloody welts on Xiaoxue’s back."

"Is she even your biological daughter?"

Feeling a pang of guilt, Yu Zhaoxia didn’t answer.

Fu Xiaoxue shouted, "Of course not! I was found in a dumpster!"

"I’m going to remember this beating."

"But if someone were to take me shopping for some new outfits, I might just forget all about it."

Yu Zhaoxia’s voice called out, "You’re starting university soon, you need some new clothes anyway."

"We’ll go shopping tonight, just the two of us."

Fu Xiaoxue let out a whoop of excitement, the pain forgotten. She then piped up, "My phone and computer are getting a little old, too."

Yu Zhaoxia’s voice suddenly turned stern. "Fu Xiaoxue, don’t push it. You give her an inch, she takes a mile."

"You’ve only had that phone and computer for two or three years. What’s so wrong with them?"

Fu Xiaoxue didn’t dare make another peep. She just turned to Yu Zhiming, who was approaching with a first-aid kit, and pouted with a look of utter grievance.

Yu Zhiming smiled and said in a low voice, "Xiaoxue, have you gone silly?"

"Since you got into university, your second and third aunts are bound to give you a gift. All you have to do is ’casually’ mention that your mom doesn’t want to buy you a new phone and computer. That should do the trick."

Fu Xiaoxue’s eyes immediately lit up...

After lunch, Yu Zhiming, who hadn’t slept all night, went back to his room to sleep. He wasn’t woken up until nearly five in the afternoon by Xiaoxue.

"Uncle! Uncle! Some people from the prosecutor’s office are here to see you."

Yu Zhiming got out of bed and went to the living room. He saw Chief Prosecutor Sun Di, along with an unfamiliar, square-jawed man in his thirties or forties.

"Dr. Yu, hello!"

"Dr. Yu, my apologies for disturbing your rest."

After a brief pleasantry, Sun Di got straight to the point. "We have collected voice recordings of several suspects and need your help in identifying them."

"But before we begin, I need to verify your ability to identify people by their voice. I hope you don’t mind."

Yu Zhiming nodded. "No problem. It’s a reasonable request."

Sun Di took a digital recorder out of his briefcase. "I have recordings of twenty different people here. I need you to accurately identify the voice of Qin Fang’s father."

"And..."

Sun Di gestured to the man beside him. "You’ll also need to identify the voice of my colleague here."

Yu Zhiming’s eyes met the stranger’s, who gave him a knowing smile.

But the man was sparing with his words, not saying a single thing.

’Yu Zhiming had never met Qin Fang’s father before, and had only exchanged a few words with him last night. As for the man before him, he had only heard him speak that one sentence just now: "Dr. Yu, hello!" Damn, this Sun Di really lives up to his title as Chief Prosecutor. Cunning and cautious. However, he still seriously underestimated my ability to recognize voices. It was almost an instinct, a process of instant recognition that required no thought. It wasn’t something that could be fooled by a simple trick like Sun Di’s.’

Yu Zhiming gave a faint, confident smile. "Chief Prosecutor, we can begin whenever you’re ready..."