"I'm looking for Selina. She hasn't been to class these past few days."
Hugh Hu looked uneasy, his face full of worry.
Evan Lin stood nearby, watching Martin Wu, but hadn't spoken yet.
"Selina probably won't be coming to class for a while. She got herself into trouble a few days ago, and now the old man is mad. You know how my family's old man is." Martin Wu listened to this, paused for a moment, then continued, "By the way, have you heard anything at school about Selina making new friends lately? You're at Peiying High, you should've heard something."
"Last time she helped someone beat up the Oceanport Guan family's people. The old man asked her who that person was, but she refused to say no matter what. Now the Guan family is pretty unhappy."
At this, Martin Wu glanced toward the backyard, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.
"New friends... I don't think so."
Hugh Hu looked hesitant. He wasn't sure if this 'new friend' included Evan Lin beside him. To be honest, plenty of people wanted to get close to a girl like Selina, but very few actually could.
"No?" Martin Wu nodded. "Maybe. This kid won't say anything, and Gavin Guan was almost beaten to death by some unknown guy."
"If I ever find out who she's protecting, I'll drag that punk out myself."
Martin Wu snorted coldly, clearly annoyed.
"That kid you're talking about—it's me."
As they spoke, Martin Wu suddenly heard the boy who'd been silent all along speak up, his voice flat.
He turned and looked Evan Lin up and down, squinting. "You?"
Hugh Hu saw Martin Wu squint and immediately sensed trouble. He rushed to speak: "Uncle Wu, this is my friend, he..."
But Hugh Hu hadn't finished his sentence.
Martin Wu waved his hand, then looked at Evan Lin with a playful smile. "So you're saying Selina got in trouble with Gavin Guan because she was protecting you?"
"Do you even know what the Oceanport Guan family does?"
Martin Wu crossed his arms, his tone a bit teasing.
"No idea," Evan Lin shook his head.
"Then do you know what the Wu family does?" Martin Wu raised an eyebrow.
"No idea," Evan Lin shook his head.
"And do you know what Selina likes to do most?" Martin Wu looked at Evan Lin, his gaze already growing distant.
"No idea."
Evan Lin shook his head.
Truthfully, Evan Lin really had no idea what Selina liked to do in her free time.
"How long have you known Selina? Has it even been half a year?" Martin Wu stared at Evan Lin and asked again.
"Not even half a year." Evan Lin thought about it—from their first meeting in Whitewood County to now, it really hadn't been that long.
They hadn't even met more than five times.
Hugh Hu listened to the conversation between Martin Wu and Evan Lin, feeling a little weird inside.
Evan Lin and Selina had known each other for less than half a year, but Selina already saw him in a new light and had even toured all of Peiying High with him.
Hugh Hu, on the other hand, had known Selina since childhood. Even though Warren Wu and Allen Ju made it hard for him to get close to her, ten-plus years of friendship couldn't compare to the bond Selina had formed with Evan Lin in less than half a year. No wonder Hugh Hu was so frustrated.
"Less than half a year."
Hearing Evan Lin's answer, Martin Wu nodded, then shook his head. "I don't know who you really are. Since Hugh says you're his friend, I'll pretend I didn't hear what you just said."
"I know my daughter better than anyone. If there's someone she'd willingly stand up for—especially going against the old man—it wouldn't be someone like you."
By the end of his sentence, Martin Wu's tone had grown even colder.
"Someone like me?"
Evan Lin met Martin Wu's gaze without flinching. When he heard that phrase, he looked at Martin Wu with genuine curiosity.
"I don't need to spell it out for you. Let me ask: anyone in your family an official?" Martin Wu looked at Evan Lin.
"No."
"Anyone in business, running big deals, worth hundreds of millions?" Martin Wu pressed on.
"No."
"So you come from an old, prestigious family? Raised among the elite?" Martin Wu pressed further.
"No."
Evan Lin shook his head at each question.
"So why did you come here with Hugh Hu to my house today?" Martin Wu's gaze grew serious.
"To see Selina and solve a problem," Evan Lin replied seriously.
"So you see, I don't need to say more about what kind of person you are." Hearing Evan Lin's answer, Martin Wu laughed outright.
You have no wealthy background, no illustrious family, and frankly, I see nothing remarkable about you. The only thing you've got is the guts to show up at my door with Hugh Hu. But even then, that's just the reckless courage of youth.
A man who could make my daughter willingly stand up for him—especially defying the old man—would never be someone as ordinary as you.
By the end, Martin Wu's presence grew even more commanding.
He oversaw the Jinzhou Political and Legal Affairs Committee. He might not serve in the military, but that military bearing was still in his bones.
No matter how he looked, Martin Wu couldn't connect Evan Lin with the friend Selina had mentioned.
He wasn't a billionaire or backed by a powerful family, but he should at least have some backbone.
But no matter how Martin Wu saw it, he just couldn't link it all to the boy in front of him.
Over the years, Selina had no shortage of admirers, and Martin Wu had met countless people. The first time he saw this boy, he didn't feel much—maybe Evan Lin was calmer than his peers, but even then, Martin Wu couldn't see any signs of a fighter in him.
"You came here hoping to take the blame, thinking Selina would thank you and remember you for it."
"But you're still too young. Do you really think I'm that easy to fool? And you're making things way too simple. If I really handed you over to the Guan family, who knows if you'd ever see Selina again. My advice: don't get ahead of yourself."
"Some things are just too much for someone like you to handle or even imagine."
Martin Wu shook his head repeatedly, his gaze at Evan Lin growing ever more dissatisfied.
After Martin Wu finished, Hugh Hu felt awkward and nervous. He glanced at Evan Lin, who, from start to finish, hadn't changed his expression at all in the face of Martin Wu.
Calm and unflinching, his courage was plain to see.