Tao Qiyue hadn't originally intended to do this.
As soon as she woke up this morning, she learned of Yu Mengzhi and Chen Jinzhao's breakup. After a period of internal struggle, she decided to proactively ask Chen Jinzhao out.
Even she didn't know why she was doing it.
When she heard Chen Jinzhao agree to her invitation, Tao Qiyue hummed a tune as she hung up the phone, feeling incredibly happy.
Tao Zixing returned from his morning exercise outside and saw his granddaughter humming a tune while sitting in the living room applying makeup. He said in surprise, "Am I seeing things? My dear granddaughter is actually wearing makeup? I remember you used to be quite resistant to this sort of thing. What's brought on the sunshine from the west today?"
"Grandpa, can you be serious?" Tao Qiyue said indignantly.
Tao Zixing chuckled, "Are you getting ready to see that kid from the Yu family?"
Tao Qiyue's hand paused as she applied makeup, then she turned to look at her grandfather, "Grandpa, stop always pairing me with that person from the Yu family. We're not compatible."
"Why?" Tao Zixing asked, confused.
He remembered that his granddaughter hadn't been resistant to Yu Huaixuan before. Why did she seem to look down on him now?
Tao Qiyue applied makeup while saying nonchalantly, "If you knew what kind of person Yu Shenxing is, you'd understand why I say that. What Yu Shenxing has done is a thousand, ten thousand times more disgusting than you can imagine. Have you heard the saying, 'When you see one cockroach in your house, the whole house is probably already crawling with them'? Yu Shenxing is the grandson Old Master Yu values highly. I don't believe that his actions wouldn't be noticed by the Old Master."
Tao Zixing's smile became strained, and his eyelids twitched wildly.
The thing he worried about the most had happened—
His granddaughter had her sights set on the Yu family!
The old man said nothing. Tao Qiyue continued to draw her eyebrows and complain about Yu Huaixuan, "I've had a few meals with Yu Huaixuan, and I feel that guy has even deeper schemes than Yu Shenxing. I don't want to marry someone like that."
"Grandpa, can you tell the Yu family about me and Yu Huaixuan?"
Tao Zixing reacted and met his granddaughter's dissatisfied gaze with a wry smile, "If you really don't want to be with Huaixuan, I can find an opportunity to talk to Old Master Yu. However, I heard that Old Master Yu has Alzheimer's, so this matter can't be rushed, lest it further agitate him."
Tao Qiyue snorted lightly. That was more like it.
Tao Zixing looked at his granddaughter applying makeup, thinking that this girl had grown up and had her own ideas.
After a long hesitation, Tao Zixing tentatively asked, "Girl, if… if there really is something fishy going on with the Yu family, how would you handle this matter? Don't forget, Old Master Yu regards you as his own granddaughter."
Tao Qiyue replied without any hesitation, "What else can I do? Handle it according to the law!"
She paused.
She stopped drawing her eyebrows and frowned at Tao Zixing, "Grandpa, why do I feel like you're making excuses for the Yu family? Even if Grandpa Yu treats me like his granddaughter, he can't do anything illegal. I am a people's police officer, not their lackey. Our laws won't allow it, and neither will the badge on my chest."
"Grandpa, you haven't received any benefits from the Yu family, have you?"
"If that's the case, I'll have to reluctantly uphold justice against my own kin."
Tao Zixing gave a wry smile, "What are you saying, girl? Don't you know your grandfather?"
He himself hadn't received any benefits from the Yu family, but he had helped them out quite a bit, both openly and behind the scenes. If a thorough investigation were to take place, it would reveal loopholes.
After all,
Tao Zixing's son, Tao Qiyue's father, was currently the general manager of a state-owned enterprise. He had reached that position partly due to Tao Zixing's influence, and partly because the Yu family had also provided covert assistance.
The Tao family and the Yu family had become a community of interest.
Prosperity for one meant prosperity for the other; damage to one meant damage to the other.
Now that Tao Qiyue was determined to investigate the Yu family, Tao Zixing was filled with worry, muttering to himself with dissatisfaction, "After working hard my whole life, wasn't it all to pave the way for future generations? What's wrong with that? Besides, I'm not the only one doing this. Besides Xu Hanchen, who else could withstand a thorough investigation? I hope Qiyue wakes up soon."
Tao Zixing didn't want to delve deeper into the issue with his granddaughter. He immediately changed the subject and asked with a smile, "Qiyue, tell Grandpa, which young talented man are you planning to meet today that has made you, of all people, start wearing makeup?"
Tao Qiyue rolled her eyes at her grandfather and said impatiently, "Grandpa, can't you speak properly? I didn't wear makeup before because it wasn't necessary at the Municipal Bureau. Now that I'm proactively asking someone out for a meal, makeup is the most basic etiquette. As for that person, Grandpa surely knows him. It's Sister Yu's ex-boyfriend, Chen Jinzhao."
"What?"
Even for an elder like Tao Zixing, who had seen his fair share of storms, he was astonished.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
The guy had just broken up, and she was immediately asking him out for a meal. Especially since the Tao family and the Yu family had a good relationship, wouldn't this be a laughingstock if it got out?
Tao Qiyue was completely unfazed, even saying with a hint of sarcasm, "Grandpa, it was Sister Yu who dumped Chen Jinzhao, making him the laughingstock of others."
"And now you expect me to care about appearances? Isn't that a joke?"
Clearly,
She was somewhat indignant about Yu Mengzhi's actions.
Tao Zixing repeatedly shook his head, not knowing what to say about his granddaughter. With a sigh, he turned and left.
As noon approached.
Tao Qiyue arrived at the bustling commercial district in the city center and immediately spotted Chen Jinzhao waiting at the entrance of the shopping mall. However, Tao Qiyue didn't rush over. Instead, she stood at a distance and observed Chen Jinzhao.
Amidst the throng of people at the mall entrance, Chen Jinzhao stood out like a drawn sword, drawing people's gazes.
It wasn't that Chen Jinzhao was particularly handsome, but rather that his aura was like a drawn sword, compelling onlookers to glance his way.
Tao Qiyue took a photo of Chen Jinzhao from afar before walking up to him.
"Uh…"
Chen Jinzhao almost didn't recognize the beautiful woman before him as Tao Qiyue.
Tao Qiyue was uncharacteristically dressed, with her hair tied back in a ponytail, wearing a simple and elegant white dress, and a pair of black canvas shoes.
Her entire outfit cost less than five hundred yuan.
Tao Qiyue grinned at Chen Jinzhao, "What, didn't you recognize me?"
Chen Jinzhao nodded directly, "Indeed. You're like a different person compared to when you're in your police uniform. I didn't recognize you at first glance."
Moreover, Tao Qiyue had applied light makeup, making her features appear more refined. It was understandable that Chen Jinzhao didn't recognize her immediately.
"It's rare for me to invite you, a busy person, out for a meal. But I'm not very hungry yet. How about we go shopping first?"
"Mr. Chen, what do you think?"