The nightclub lights were dim, so ordinary people couldn’t see Lin Wan’s flushed face.
But Lu Zheng was no ordinary person, so he promptly asked, “Why are you blushing?”
“You idiot!” Lin Wan couldn’t help but pinch him.
“What are you thinking?” Lu Zheng said with a straight face, “I meant proper workouts, the kind for letting off steam.”
Lin Wan was even more speechless, “Proper workouts are about exercising muscles to keep the body healthy and achieve a strong physique. They’re not for letting off steam!”
“Is that so?” Lu Zheng blinked, “Then what we do at home, does that count as working out?”
“It kinda…”
“Why are you two back?” Takeuchi Mingmei bounced back, looking at Lu Zheng, “Don’t like the vibe here?”
“First time coming, not quite used to it,” Lu Zheng smiled, handing her a bottle of beer.
Takeuchi Mingmei took it, drank a sip, caught her breath, fanned herself with her hand, and said with a smile, “The young people in China are too polite. No one’s come to bother me!”
Lu Zheng blinked, momentarily unsure if she was complimenting or being sarcastic.
“I was thinking if anyone caused trouble, you could be our knight in shining armour. After all, we’re police officers, not convenient to make a move,” Takeuchi Mingmei said, setting down the bottle, “Didn’t expect to dance so freely. Lin-chan, come on, let’s keep going!”
Then Takeuchi Mingmei pulled Lin Wan away from the booth again to dance.
So Lu Zheng sat there drinking, admiring the two women’s graceful dance moves, while mentally studying the “Golden Palace Imperial Method Derivation Secret Art.”
“Brother, can we rest here for a bit?”
A soft, sweet voice rang out, and Lu Zheng saw two girls appear in front of the booth.
One had a ponytail, wearing a short-sleeved top and hot pants; the other had long hair over her shoulders, in black stockings, a suspender top, and a tight pleated skirt.
Their makeup was exquisite, youthful and vibrant.
Lu Zheng blinked. Though it felt a bit off, the booth could seat five or six people, and they just wanted to rest…
“This place is taken. Go find another booth.”
Lin Wan suddenly appeared behind the two, saying flatly, then squeezed in between them without even glancing at them.
The two girls’ faces changed, their eyes flickering, but they said nothing, just looking at Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng didn’t even look at them, just smiled at Lin Wan, “Why’d you come back?”
“Afraid your sympathy would kick in, and you’d be stuck,” Lin Wan sat down, saying bluntly.
“How could that happen!” Lu Zheng disagreed.
“Then if they said they were thirsty and wanted a beer, would you give it? We’ve ordered plenty, seems like we can’t finish them.”
Lu Zheng blinked. For something so minor, he probably wouldn’t mind?
“Then they’d chat with you, build rapport, and drag you off to dance?”
“I’d firmly refuse!” Lu Zheng said seriously.
Lin Wan let out a scoffing laugh.
By then, the two girls had walked away.
“Who were they?” Lu Zheng couldn’t help asking.
“Nothing much, just freeloaders looking to snag a rich guy,” Lin Wan said.
Lu Zheng glanced at his outfit, which seemed pretty ordinary, “Am I a rich guy?”
Lin Wan laughed, “You’re already good enough. Do they expect to hook a real tycoon? They’d be lucky to snag someone with a million-yuan salary.”
“Come on, since we’re here, let’s experience it more,” Lin Wan pulled Lu Zheng into the dance floor, “The booth has staff watching. With us gone, they won’t let anyone else near.”
…
From just after ten at night until past two in the morning, the three finally left the nightclub, hailed a taxi, first dropped Takeuchi Mingmei at her hotel, then headed home.
“Tired? Get some rest.”
“Not tired,” Lin Wan grabbed Lu Zheng’s arm, her eyes bright, “Let’s go work out.”
Lu Zheng: ???
…
The phone rang.
“So tired…” Lin Wan lazily stretched her hand from under the covers and answered the call.
“Lin-chan, I need to pick up documents from the liaison office today. Need your signature!” Takeuchi Mingmei’s voice came through.
“Huh?!”
Lin Wan jolted awake, moving the phone away slightly, and only then saw the time on the screen.
“Already half past ten?”
“Yeah? What’s up, you still sleeping?” Takeuchi Mingmei said surprised, then her tone turned teasing, “Did Lin-chan not go straight to bed last night?”
“I did go straight to bed, just had a bit to drink yesterday, so slept in a little.”
Lin Wan tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder, wriggled free from Lu Zheng’s arm, and hurried into the bathroom.
“Still time? I’ll be there in half an hour, then take you to the airport.”
“Of course, my flight’s at three this afternoon. Plenty of time.”
“Good!”
Lin Wan hung up, quickly brushed her teeth, washed her face, did her makeup, got dressed, and packed up. Only then did she notice Lu Zheng had come out of the other bathroom.
“I have to go to the office. You? Heading out today?”
“It’s the weekend. Besides signing at the office, anything else?”
“Nothing.”
“Then I’ll go with you. We can catch a movie after.”
“Sure!” Lin Wan tossed the car keys to Lu Zheng with a wave, “You drive.”
…
They first went to the Haicheng Interpol Liaison Office. Lin Wan handled work while Lu Zheng waited at reception for a bit, then saw her come out with Takeuchi Mingmei.
Takeuchi Mingmei carried a locked small leather case.
“This evidence should put the Japanese suspect behind bars, maybe even dig out the deeper hidden mastermind,” Lin Wan said.
“Hope so,” Takeuchi Mingmei nodded, “Can’t let him roam free anymore.”
The three didn’t go out again, just ate in the liaison office cafeteria, then Lu Zheng played chauffeur, driving Lin Wan and Takeuchi Mingmei to Haicheng Airport.
After seeing Takeuchi Mingmei into the airport, Lin Wan waved goodbye, then drove back to the city with Lu Zheng.
They watched a movie, shopped, bought a few hair ties and two cloth dolls, and had barbecue on the fourth-floor restaurant.
As the two were sweetly eating, the phone rang.
Lin Wan glanced at the caller and answered casually, “Captain?”
Then Lu Zheng saw Lin Wan’s pupils shrink, her face visibly darkening with disbelief.
A few minutes later, Lin Wan hung up, silent.
“What happened?” Lu Zheng asked, “Can I know?”
Lin Wan looked at Lu Zheng, took a deep breath, and said word by word, “Mingmei’s dead.”
