Chapter 141 - Visiting the In-laws

After finishing work at 6 p.m., Ye Fan drove to the police station.

As he was about to reach the police station, he made a call to Zhao Lina, “I’ll be at the entrance of the police station in about three minutes.”

“Got it,” Zhao Lina said before immediately hanging up.

“Seriously, is that any way to ask for help?” Ye Fan looked at his hung-up phone and complained, “No way, I can’t work for nothing.

Sure, you’re a busty beauty, but I’m the guy who flirts with thousands of women.

I can’t just help for free.”

Soon, Ye Fan arrived outside the police station, found a parking spot to stop, sent Zhao Lina a text message, and then waited for her to come out.

Zhao Lina replied quickly, “I’ll be right out.

Don’t get out of your car to wait for me.

As soon as I come out, just drive and follow me to avoid any misunderstandings with my colleagues.”

“Alright,” Ye Fan immediately replied.

Shortly after, Zhao Lina’s black Volkswagen slowly drove out from inside, deliberately honked its horn, and then turned right to enter the motor lane.

Ye Fan immediately started his car and followed her.

Twenty minutes later, Ye Fan followed Zhao Lina to the front gate of a residential complex.

Upon seeing the name of the complex’s gate, Baiyun Complex, Ye Fan thought.

“Baiyun Complex?

That name sounds familiar.” He pondered to himself, “I remember now, this is a high-end public servants’ residential area.

I’ve heard that all the big heads of Hua Hai City live inside.

It seems Zhao Lina’s identity is not just as simple as being the head of CID.”

Zhao Lina drove into the complex.

She stopped in front of the security room at the gate, rolled down the window, said a couple of words to the security guard, and then drove on in.

Following behind, Ye Fan entered the complex gate where the security guard lowered the traffic gate to stop Ye Fan, then handed him a visitor registration form to fill out.

After signing in, Ye Fan returned the form to the security guard who, upon taking back the form, obviously envious, said, “Bro, you’re in luck, moving up in the world is just a matter of time.”

“Heh, thanks, I’m flattered,” Ye Fan responded with a nonchalant smile.

The security guard remote-controlled the traffic gate up, and Ye Fan drove into the complex.

A few minutes later, Ye Fan stopped his car below a six-story building, following Zhao Lina’s car.

Getting out of the car, Ye Fan walked towards Zhao Lina and noticed she had changed her clothes.

She was wearing a beige dress with high-heeled shoes, her waist cinched, her tied-up hair now cascading down her shoulders.

She had shed the stern aura of her uniform, embodying the essence of domestic life and looking both beautiful and elegant.

Ye Fan swallowed hard and said earnestly, “Before we go up, I have to tell you something: to help you pretend I’m your boyfriend, I’ve already canceled dinner with two beauties tonight.

How are you going to compensate me?”

He wasn’t lying; Qin Mengyao and Bobo had called him.

Expectedly, Zhao Lina looked disdainful and retorted, “As if you had dates with two beauties?

Cut the crap!”

“Besides,” she continued, “you’re hitching a free meal at my place; what more do you want?

Many people would kill for the chance to eat at my house!

You should be grateful to me.” Saying this, she opened the trunk of her car and called out, “Hurry up and help out with the stuff.”

Feeling slightly ashamed, Ye Fan picked up the gifts from the trunk while grumbling, “Is your family dinner as grand as a banquet with the emperor?”

Zhao Lina shot Ye Fan an annoyed look, forcefully closed the trunk, and then strutted towards the stairway entrance of the building with a proud lift of her chin.

Ye Fan quickly caught up and walked alongside Zhao Lina, asking playfully, “Since we’re pretending to be a couple, shouldn’t we hold hands or something?”

Zhao Lina glanced at Ye Fan and said, “Don’t get your hopes up.

Let me warn you; don’t even think of taking advantage of me under the guise of pretending to be my boyfriend.

If my parents sense something’s off, so much the better; it’d save us all the trouble later on.”

Ye Fan shrugged his shoulders and muttered to himself, “Looks like it’s strictly volunteer work then.”

Zhao Lina lived in apartment 302 on the third floor.

It wasn’t long before they reached the front door of her place.

Zhao Lina unlocked the door directly and called into the house, “Mom, Dad, I’m back.”

Then, she turned to Ye Fan and said, “Come on in.”

Then she entered the front door, and Ye Fan followed with gifts in hand.

At that moment, a middle-aged woman’s laughter came from inside, “You’re back.”

The next moment, Ye Fan saw a woman with an apron on, coming to meet them with a smile on her face.

“This is my mom,” Zhao Lina introduced.

“Mom, this is Ye Fan.”

“Hehe, hi Auntie,” Ye Fan immediately squeezed out a smile and said, “I apologize for the intrusion.

Please don’t take offense.”

“Hello, Little Ye,” Zhao Lina’s mom replied with an elegant and gentle smile, eyeing Ye Fan from head to toe as a mother-in-law would appraise a son-in-law.

Under the gaze of this distinguished lady, Ye Fan couldn’t help but stand up straighter, putting on his best front to undergo the “future mother-in-law’s” inspection.

Zhao Lina was getting a bit impatient.

This was all just an act, so why use that son-in-law evaluating gaze on this annoying guy?

“Mom, you’re blocking the door,” she called out.

Zhao Lina’s mom came back to her senses without feeling embarrassed and, maintaining her composure and grace, said to Ye Fan, “Little Ye, welcome to our home.

Please come in.”

From her expression, Ye Fan couldn’t make out Zhao Lina’s mom’s specific attitude towards him.

As they entered the house, Ye Fan carrying the gifts said, “Auntie, this is a little something for you and Uncle.

It’s just a small token of appreciation.”

“Hehe, you didn’t have to bring anything, just coming is enough,” Zhao Lina’s mom took the gifts, and then said, “I’m sorry Little Ye, I have to go cook and will have to excuse myself for a bit.”

“Hehe, Auntie, go ahead, don’t worry about me,” Ye Fan said with a smile.

Zhao Lina’s mom instructed Zhao Lina, “Take good care of Little Ye,” then turned away, carrying the gifts.

Zhao Lina led Ye Fan toward the living room and called out to a middle-aged man studying a Go board near the coffee table, “Dad, my friend is here.”

The middle-aged man heard her and stood up, emerging from the sofa.

Ye Fan stepped forward in a timely manner and said, “Uncle, hello.

My name is Ye Fan.”

The middle-aged man was tall and well-built, with a square face, well-proportioned features, and an aura of authority about him.

His gaze was gentle, but his expression carried an inherent dignity.

“Hehe, hello Little Ye,” Zhao Lina’s dad greeted, nodding.

“Come, sit down and let’s chat.”

Ye Fan nodded and took a seat on a sofa opposite Zhao Lina’s dad by the coffee table.

Zhao Lina also sat down next to her dad.

Sitting on the sofa, Ye Fan’s gaze naturally fell on the Go board placed on the coffee table.

He saw the chessboard with its intersecting lines, where black and white stones formed two fierce dragons biting at each other, locked in a complex endgame that was difficult to resolve.

It was clearly an unfinished game.

“Huh, this looks familiar,” Ye Fan thought to himself.

“It seems I’ve played through this endgame before.”

Seeing Ye Fan looking at the Go board, Zhao Lina’s dad chuckled and asked, “Little Ye, do you play Go?”

“Hmm, I know a little,” Ye Fan replied, shifting his gaze from the Go board to Zhao Lina’s dad.

“But it’s been over six years since I last played.

I’ve almost completely forgotten.”

At this, Zhao Lina couldn’t help but pout and said dismissively, “Bragging!

Six years since you’ve played Go?

How old are you, anyway?”

Ye Fan chuckled without offering an explanation.

He was a true “red three-generation” member, raised in a family that no ordinary household could compare with.

Go, a game to cultivate strategic vision, had been taught to him by skilled masters from a young age.

Zhao Lina’s dad, noticing that Ye Fan graciously didn’t argue with Zhao Lina, nodded internally and said warmly, “Xiao Fan, why don’t you join me in finishing this game?”

“Sure,” Ye Fan responded generously.

After all, Zhao Lina’s dad had intentionally laid out the Go game; it was clearly a test for him, one he couldn’t avoid.