“Mmm…”
Lin Wan shifted, wrapping her arms around Lu Zheng’s, and went back to sleep. Though Lu Zheng was awake, seeing her comfort, he stayed still, letting her use him as a pillow. Lin Wan nuzzled his arm, and a glistening trail of drool escaped her lips.
…
It was the third day after the spring outing. Lin Wan had finally returned from Weizhi City, three days later than planned. She’d extracted new evidence from that fatty, syncing some information with the Japan branch of Interpol. Their joint efforts led to another wave of arrests domestically and the capture of suspects in Japan.
Lin Wan returned last night, having informed Lu Zheng in advance. He prepared a few dishes to welcome her home. Why could Lu Zheng cook? Guess how many strands of fate’s light he’d spent to reach the level of a state banquet chef?
“Heavens! This is delicious! Did you really make this?”
“You dare doubt me?”
“No, no, but I’ve never seen you cook before!”
“It’s simple, really. I’m a genius, you know. Cooking is all about mastering the heat, so…”
“So it’s just about controlling strength and timing, right? Learning to cook after martial arts is easy, isn’t it?”
“Exactly!”
“I’ll give you a piece of my mind!”
“Which piece?”
“…” Lin Wan was speechless, then swiftly changed the topic. “It’s decided. You’re handling dinner from now on!”
“No chance, I’m busy!”
“Darling~”
“Hiss…” Lu Zheng sucked in a breath.
“Darling~~”
As Lu Zheng washed dishes, Lin Wan pressed against him from behind, her hands wandering. “Your cooking’s amazing. Make it when you’re free, okay? Name your price.”
Lu Zheng was stunned, unsure if she loved his cooking or just couldn’t help herself. But let her take the lead? No way.
…
Panting, Lin Wan said, “Good, your demands are met. Don’t forget to cook at home!”
“Deal!” Lu Zheng nodded. “But I’ll need a little tip!”
“Fine, it’s yours!”
…
Exhausted from her trip and their night’s activities, even with her martial vitality, Lin Wan slept deeply until nearly noon. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, and as she groggily opened her eyes, she saw Lu Zheng gazing at her tenderly.
Blushing, Lin Wan instinctively licked her lips, only to find she’d drooled a puddle on his arm.
“Oh no!” she yelped, wiping her mouth and reaching to clean his arm.
“Wiping what? You’ve left plenty of fluids on me,” Lu Zheng teased.
“You’re impossible!” Lin Wan, mortified, swatted at him. He caught her wrist, rolling over to pin her down.
“Hey, you’re still at it? No… mmph…”
…
It was well past noon. For lunch, Lu Zheng made a simple pot of noodles, but the rich broth and chewy texture had Lin Wan devouring three bowls before setting down her chopsticks.
That afternoon, they stayed in, lounging on the sofa, watching TV, feeding each other snacks, and flipping channels aimlessly. The shows didn’t matter; it was about who they were with. Two bags of crisps, an apple, three oranges, and a bottle of soda vanished quickly.
“Darling.”
“Hm?”
Lin Wan blinked. “I might have to leave again tomorrow.”
Lu Zheng: ???
“Didn’t you just get back?” he asked, puzzled. “New case?”
Lin Wan shook her head. “No, it’s this one. I’m going to Japan.”
Lu Zheng’s eyes narrowed. “Oh?”
“A group from Japan is coming. The Haicheng Interpol liaison will send a secure email, and domestically, we’re sending people too, splitting into three routes,” Lin Wan explained.
“Wow,” Lu Zheng smacked his lips. “You’re part of the domestic team?”
“Yep.” Lin Wan peeled an orange, popping a segment into Lu Zheng’s mouth. “I’m in the action team.”
“Which route carries the evidence?”
“No idea.” Lin Wan shook her head. “That’s decided at the last minute.”
“Fair enough.” Lu Zheng nodded. “You going alone or with someone?”
“With a senior, a veteran detective from a reconnaissance background. I’ve learned a lot about investigation and counter-surveillance from him.”
Lu Zheng was speechless. “You’re training to be a spy now…”
“Hehe!” Lin Wan nuzzled him. “I feel like I’m tougher than some movie protagonists.”
“Of course. Like you said, movies come from reality. Unless it’s supernatural, real life is often wilder than fiction.”
Lin Wan grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Even the supernatural might not outdo reality!”
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin, nodding seriously. “True!”
“Show-off!” After some playful banter, Lin Wan suddenly said, “Oh, I remembered! You said you’d teach me the Taiyuan Mysterious Scripture!”
Lu Zheng slapped his forehead. Forgot!
“I was going to teach you last night, but someone brought up cooking!” he deflected.
Lin Wan pounced, biting him.
“Stop, stop! You’re leaving again soon. How’ll you practice?” Lu Zheng said, enjoying it. “Wait till you’re back.”
“Hmph!” Lin Wan pouted, easing her bite.
Lu Zheng stroked her hair. “When do you leave tomorrow? I’ll see you off.”
“Probably two or three in the afternoon,” Lin Wan paused, squinting. “Same flight as Mingmei.”
Lu Zheng asked, “Should I pick you up from work at noon and take you to the airport?”
“No need, someone from work’s driving.”
“Alright.” Lu Zheng nodded, then asked, “You’re just delivering evidence?”
“Yep!” Lin Wan smiled. “Might just be a formality.”
“Okay.” Lu Zheng nodded thoughtfully. “Got it.”
…
The next day, Lin Wan kissed Lu Zheng goodbye and went to the Haicheng Interpol liaison office. She collected a secure case, identical to the one Takeuchi Mingmei had, then met her partner, Hong Liang. Escorted by a colleague, they reached the airport.
After checking in and entering the terminal, they found a quiet spot to sit. Lin Wan was chatting with Hong Liang when steady footsteps approached from behind. Her eyes widened as she turned, seeing Lu Zheng saunter over, waving a plane ticket with a grin.
“Well, what a coincidence!”
