"What's going on, exactly?" Zhang Wan asked in a low whisper.
Fu Hu furrowed his brows. "Dunno. He just popped out of nowhere... Claims to be some high-ranking official from the National Intervention Bureau, but I've never even heard of that agency. He has my ID, knows my whole service record... I can't tell whether it's real or fake. But he has some high-tech gadget on him—definitely cutting-edge equipment, not the kind of thing an ordinary person could get their hands on."
"What he's saying could be true, yet it seems too unlikely to be true... Still, I don't dare offend him. If he really is an official, we'd be in serious trouble."
"Hss, goodness," Zhang Wan fretted. "We haven't run into a swindler, have we? Lao Fu, you need to keep your head straight. You were just an ordinary soldier back then—what major affairs could possibly involve you? If he dares to mention money, we're calling the police!"
"Don't panic. I asked him to stay for dinner. In a bit, I'll draw him out and see what he says. If he's a fake, think a green kid like him can pull one over on me? Just follow my lead!"
"What a mess. All the good food I bought today was supposed to nourish our daughter. For once she actually had an appetite, and now some outsider is mooching off us," Zhang Wan complained, waving her hand dismissively.
"Stop grumbling and hurry up with the cooking."
"Fine. Go tell Qingdai to lock her door. She can eat later."
The table was soon laden with dishes, the cups and chopsticks laid out.
Su Jin held the remote control, fast-forwarding through the movie, two full pages of notes already filled.
As he set down the final dish, Fu Hu turned his head and called out, "Director Li, are you finished watching over there?"
Su Jin paused the TV, closed his notebook, and stood up, walking toward the dining table. With a polite smile, he looked at the couple. "Sorry to have troubled you both today. I truly feel bad about imposing!"
"Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Zhang Wan... And this is..." Fu Hu gestured politely.
"Director Li Haocheng of the National Intervention Bureau." Facing Zhang Wan, Su Jin smiled and nodded.
"Sit, please, take a seat!" Fu Hu nodded repeatedly.
The three sat down, and for a moment, silence fell over the table.
Fu Hu raised his liquor glass toward Su Jin. "Director Li, as you said earlier, meeting like this is fate. Let me toast you first!"
Su Jin raised a hand to decline politely. "My apologies. I never drink during off-duty hours."
Fu Hu and his wife exchanged a glance. Zhang Wan smiled and said, "Quite right, drinking less is good for your health! Have some more food, then."
With that, Zhang Wan picked up some food with her chopsticks and placed it into Su Jin's bowl.
"Director Li, I overheard your conversation earlier. You seemed to mention something called the National Intervention Bureau? I've never heard of it before. Could you tell me more about it? Since when did our country have such an agency?"
"Of course. In truth, the bureau was established a long time ago. Well..." Su Jin paused mid-sentence, turned toward Fu Qingdai's bedroom door, and then turned back. "Excuse me, but that's your daughter in the room, isn't it? Why not call her out to eat with us?"
"No need, no need! That girl is always snacking and never eats a proper meal. Don't worry about her," Zhang Wan said with an aggrieved look. "Please go on, Director Li."
"Ah... Might I ask what your daughter's name is?" Su Jin changed the subject.
The moment he said this, both Fu Hu and his wife became instantly alert. Beneath the table, Zhang Wan gave Fu Hu a sharp poke with her finger.
"Her name is Fu Qingdai. Why?" Fu Hu asked impassively.
"That girl..." Su Jin hesitated, as if weighing his words, before finally speaking up. "Has something happened to her recently? From what I saw, her mental state doesn't look very healthy."
Fu Hu and his wife exchanged another look, their expressions shifting.
Fu Hu suddenly recalled something and asked at once, "Director Li, you mentioned you're proficient in psychology... Can you really spot what's wrong?"
Su Jin gave a self-assured chuckle. "Naturally. As long as one's mastery is deep enough, a single glance is all it takes... It seems your precious daughter truly has run into some trouble, hasn't she? Call her out and let me take a look at her. I can't guarantee I'm better than the world's leading specialists, but I'm certainly leagues ahead of those third-rate doctors."
Before Fu Hu could speak, Zhang Wan was already on her feet to fetch Fu Qingdai.
Soon, Fu Qingdai was seated at the table, her head hung low, not daring to utter a sound.
"Speak up! Greet him! Call him Uncle Li!" Zhang Wan nudged Fu Qingdai's shoulder.
"Un... Uncle Li..." Fu Qingdai bit her lower lip hard, sneaked a swift glance at Su Jin, and hurriedly dropped her head again.
"Director Li, please look at her. What on earth is wrong with this child?" Zhang Wan asked anxiously. "Lately, she's always—"
Just as Zhang Wan was about to describe the girl's symptoms, Fu Hu cut her off in a deep voice.
"Quiet. Don't distract him. Let Director Li take a proper look!"
Proficient in psychology, eh? This was the perfect chance to see just how proficient he was. Real or fake, one test would reveal the truth!
Su Jin lowered his head slightly and scrutinized Fu Qingdai with an air of practiced solemnity, pretending to ponder deeply for two minutes.
Under the watchful eyes of Fu Hu and Zhang Wan, he spoke slowly: "Judging from her facial expression and complexion... this child is under far too much pressure. I even sense some suicidal ideation. Generally speaking, at her stage, this stems from academic stress."
Zhang Wan immediately looked at Fu Hu with an "I told you so" expression.
Fu Hu shot her a sideways glare, looking displeased.
This foolish woman! Just a couple of sentences in and she was already being led by the nose! Utterly useless!
"In her recent studies, did her grades in math and physics begin to slip first?"
"Yes! Isn't that right? Her math grades have been getting worse by the day!" Zhang Wan exclaimed in astonishment. "Director Li, you can tell even that?"
"That's quite normal—a matter of probability," Su Jin said. "Qingdai, lift your head. Let me ask you a couple of questions."
Fu Qingdai raised her eyes and gave two timid nods.
"What time does your school break for lunch, and what time do you usually eat?"
"We break at twelve. I eat at twelve-thirty."
"And what do you have for lunch? Who do you eat with?"
"It's different every day..."
Su Jin asked over a dozen routine, everyday questions in succession, leaving Fu Hu and his wife completely bewildered.
Fu Hu's brow remained tightly knitted, his gaze never leaving Su Jin.
When the twentieth question was done, Su Jin picked up his water cup, took a sip, and smiled once more.
"I believe the issue is now quite clear."
"What is it, Director Li?" Zhang Wan asked hurriedly.
"The first point I already mentioned earlier: excessive academic stress. But the second point is more complicated... She is dating someone."
"I am not!" Fu Qingdai retorted immediately, one small hand pinching her upper thigh with all her might.
"You are... And that boy isn't in your class. If I had to guess, he's a classmate from the room next door. Poor grades, but probably good at sports... You two saw each other for about two months or more, after which he had a change of heart and dumped you. You probably went back to look for him, only to be humiliated, didn't you?" Su Jin looked straight at Fu Qingdai.
Hold it in! Must hold it together!!
Fu Qingdai's large eyes welled with mist, her upper thigh already bruised from the pinch. Then, with a loud wail, she threw herself into Zhang Wan's arms, weeping uncontrollably.
Their daughter's sudden breakdown caused Fu Hu and Zhang Wan to exchange another look—this time, their expressions had transformed entirely.
This... this was nothing short of miraculous!
The hospital hadn't been able to figure out any of this, yet a few casual questions from him had dug up the root of the problem instantly!
Was this the caliber of an elite secret agent?
"See, what did I tell you?!" Zhang Wan turned on Fu Hu in a flurry of excitement, her chest overflowing with immense relief. "The child was just stressed out from school and started dating someone! There's nothing else wrong with her at all, yet you insisted on sending her to a mental hospital!"
Chapter 15