“Want to swing by Tonglin County?” Lu Zheng asked Yan Hongxia, “Qingyan often mentions you, saying she wants to have a long chat over candlelight.”
Yan Hongxia scratched her face, “No can do. Actually, I’m heading east for some business, but those two delayed me by three days.”
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, “Need any help?”
Yan Hongxia shook her head, “No need. Just delivering a letter for a girl to her family.”
Lu Zheng nodded.
Yan Hongxia continued, “Once I’ve delivered the letter, I’ll check out the East Sea, then head back to the Central Plains to catch up with Qingyan.”
“Alright,” Lu Zheng grinned, “I’ll throw you a welcome feast when you get back.”
Yan Hongxia laughed heartily, “Then I’ll have to eat you out of house and home.”
…
The Huizhou Anomaly Suppression Bureau left with their people, Yan Hongxia bid farewell to head east, and Lu Zheng was left alone, heading west.
After a day’s travel, he found a secluded spot with no one around and crossed back to the modern world.
Checking his phone, Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, “Oh? She’s back?”
Before heading to the Jinhua Sect, Lin Wan had told Lu Zheng she was going on a business trip for a cross-border financial case involving Japan. Japanese Interpol would assist, and she was the coordinator on the Chinese side.
Unexpectedly, after a few days, she had already wrapped up the case and returned.
So, Lu Zheng dialled her number.
“Where are you?”
“Out of seclusion?” Lin Wan laughed on the other end, “You were gone a while this time. I’m having dinner with Mingmei.”
“Mingmei?”
Lin Wan explained, “Takeuchi Mingmei, the Japanese Interpol officer, my partner for this case. It’s done, and she’s heading back tomorrow.”
“Got it,” Lu Zheng nodded, “I’ll be home tonight.”
“Great!” Lin Wan said, “I’ll drop Mingmei off at her hotel and head home.”
Then, a slightly odd Chinese voice came through, “Is that your boyfriend? We agreed to hit a nightclub. Ask him to join us. Two weak girls like us need a protector, you know.”
“You’re still going out to have fun?” Lu Zheng couldn’t help but ask.
“Yeah, we’ve been tied up with the case these past few days. Now that we’re free, Mingmei wants to check out a local nightclub,” Lin Wan said, “Come pick us up.”
“You didn’t drive?”
“We’re drinking. How could we drive? Don’t drive either.”
“Alright!” Lu Zheng nodded.
Having spent several days in the ancient world, Lu Zheng wanted to unwind, so he quickly changed clothes, hailed a taxi, and soon arrived at Fulong Plaza.
At the restaurant, Lu Zheng spotted Lin Wan and another delicate-looking woman sitting in a corner.
“Lin Wan! Miss Takeuchi?”
“Lu Zheng, you’re here,” Lin Wan stood up, delighted, pulling Lu Zheng over to introduce him to Takeuchi Mingmei.
“Hello, Miss Takeuchi!”
“Lord Lu, just call me Mingmei,” Takeuchi Mingmei smiled, “Have you eaten? Join us?”
Looking at the table still laden with most of the dishes, Lu Zheng nodded, “I’ve eaten, but I can eat some more.”
Lin Wan smiled, pulled Lu Zheng to sit beside her, and ordered an extra set of cutlery for him.
“Get me a bowl of rice too, thanks!” Lu Zheng called to the waiter.
“Sure, just a moment!”
Lin Wan gave Lu Zheng a knowing glance, certain he hadn’t eaten.
“Your case is done? That was quick,” Lu Zheng said casually, making conversation.
“Partially done,” Lin Wan said, “We found a key piece of evidence domestically. The suspect was sent back to Japan this morning. Mingmei will take the evidence back tomorrow, and then it’s about filing charges against another suspect.”
Lu Zheng blinked, “Taking evidence, and you still dare go to a nightclub?”
Takeuchi Mingmei laughed, “How could I carry such important evidence? It’s still at the Haicheng Interpol liaison office. I’ll pick it up tomorrow before my flight.”
“Oh, right!” Lu Zheng nodded.
The waiter brought the rice, and Lu Zheng dug in.
They ate and chatted, then headed to a famous nightclub after the meal.
…
Lu Zheng had never been to a nightclub before. The experience was a shock, far different from movies or videos.
Looking left and right, it was mostly young people, handsome guys and stunning girls everywhere, dressed in cool, sexy outfits, bursting with energy.
Seeing Lin Wan and Takeuchi Mingmei looking unfazed, Lu Zheng asked Lin Wan, “You two seem pretty familiar with this scene?”
Lin Wan caught Lu Zheng’s slightly jealous tone and couldn’t help but laugh, “We’re police officers. How could we not come to places like this?”
Lu Zheng, “…”
“Aren’t these places supposed to be pretty legit?” Lu Zheng asked naively.
Even Takeuchi Mingmei looked at Lu Zheng like he was some mythical creature, then shot Lin Wan a glance.
As if to say, how is your boyfriend this innocent?
“If you’re just an ordinary person coming here to burn off some energy, with no curiosity, sticking to drinks and fruit, touching nothing else, then this place is legit enough for you, and no trouble will come your way,” Lin Wan said.
“But in reality?”
“Well, domestically, it’s actually a pretty good environment,” Lin Wan scanned the surroundings, “Fewer shady dealings, especially in bigger places like this where regular people come.”
“But Japan’s different. Gangs run rampant. Almost every venue has them…” Takeuchi Mingmei said helplessly, “If you’re pretty, trouble finds you. You can’t even have fun. You’re so lucky here.”
The three grabbed a booth, ordered a package, and Takeuchi Mingmei confidently led Lin Wan and Lu Zheng onto the dance floor.
Flashing lights, deafening music, swaying bodies, the pervasive scent of perfume…
Lu Zheng was mildly intrigued at first but soon found himself overwhelmed.
There are plenty of ways to let loose or stimulate the mind, but this felt like the least sophisticated.
Bright lights for visual stimulation, loud music for auditory, perfume for olfactory, and alcohol for neurological.
Just stimulation, stimulation, stimulation…
No wonder people who come here often become immune to intense stimuli, and those with weaker self-control end up trying new “toys.”
So crude!
Lu Zheng and Lin Wan returned to the booth, and he took a small sip of beer.
“Not into it?” Lin Wan asked with a smile.
“Not really,” Lu Zheng replied, “Just looking and listening, jumping around. I’d rather go work out.”
At the mention of working out, Lin Wan blushed.
They had a home gym with equipment used for more than just exercise. Lu Zheng and Lin Wan had come up with several creative uses, so much so that the word “workout” triggered a reflex in Lin Wan.
