The Only Clue

Huo Shaoheng appeared thoughtful. "So your mother's name is 'Gu?'"

Xie Qingying thought Huo Shaoheng was referring to her calling Speaker Long, "Uncle." She composed herself and replied politely, "My birth mother's name was 'Gu,' but my stepmother is a 'Long' so it's alright for me to call Speaker Long 'Uncle.'" There was no consideration of kinship with marriages.

Huo Shaoheng smiled and said, "Of course not. I don't know if Speaker Long had mentioned it before but my Grandmother was a 'Xie.' If that's the case, we may be related."

"Oh?" Xie Qingying was surprised. "I had no idea! Uncle has never mentioned this and I just arrived to the Empire from Europe with my father and stepmother a few days ago. I'm still jet-lagged."

"Then Miss Xie should really take some time to rest. I won't keep you any longer." Huo Shaoheng nodded and strode away.