"You finally came back. If you hadn't, I would have gone to find you."
"Hehe, I trust your head more than your words. Your travel plans are always so mysterious. It's been a month and you haven't contacted me once, but you say you'd have time to find me?" Lin Wan cheerfully ate her noodles, "They're so delicious. Lighthouse Country doesn't have noodles as good as these."
"You talk as if you can get them at home whenever you want." Lu Zheng raised his eyebrows.
"It's different at home, because I have you!" Lin Wan puckered her greasy lips and moved in for a kiss.
Lu Zheng didn't mind and kissed her right back.
"Wait, let me finish eating first!"
Letting go of Lin Wan, watching her take a couple of deep breaths and then continue eating, Lu Zheng asked, "Why did it take so long this time?"
"It's about the people on the Red List. Besides investigating their foreign financial records, there was surveillance, persuasion, and other tasks." Lin Wan slurped a noodle, pouting, "Plus dealing with Lighthouse Country's CIA."
"Why would the people on the Red List need you Interpol agents?"
Lin Wan nodded, "It was a coincidence; they're also involved in a transnational bank bankruptcy case."
"So the CIA is also conflicted, because that bank just happens to be in Lighthouse Country." Lin Wan giggled, "So they have no reason to bother us, except over small details to annoy us."
Seeing Lin Wan so excited, Lu Zheng decided to play the supportive listener.
"Outsmarting Hua Country people? Of course we countered every move against us!"
Lin Wan then enthusiastically recounted her experiences over the past few months to Lu Zheng.
Although most of it was dull investigational, surveillance, and persuasion work, there were occasional moments of strategic maneuvers.
"Did you encounter any beautiful scenery?"
"Of course, though most were minor scenic sights, with people holding signs and shouting slogans, not very useful. Didn't encounter any major scenic spots; that was a bit of a pity." Lin Wan said, "We mostly operated in bustling areas, so rarely ran into social issues in Lighthouse Country."
Lu Zheng nodded; the land of Lighthouse Country was actually divided into two worlds.
It's said that Artha is a nation of a billion people and twelve billion livestock; Lighthouse Country is similar, except its powerful national prowess covers up all sorts of problems.
By the time Lin Wan finished chattering, the big bowl of noodles had already been devoured.
"I'll wash the dishes, you go take a shower." Lu Zheng took the dishes from Lin Wan's hands.
"Okay!" Lin Wan winked playfully at Lu Zheng, "I'll have a surprise for you later!"
Lu Zheng truly hadn't anticipated that Lin Wan would bring back a Batman and Catwoman costume from Lighthouse Country.
Needless to say, role-play is always a game one never tires of.
Hang City, West Lake.
"So, visiting West Lake is really only suitable in the off-season." Lu Zheng couldn't help but sigh, "If it's during summer vacation or the National Day, it's just asking for trouble."
Lin Wan recalled Lu Zheng telling her about his college National Day West Lake trip and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Having been on business for a long time, Lin Wan got a few days off. Both being energetic people, they resolved to visit West Lake during the current off-season when crowds were thinner.
At this moment, the two were taking a stroll along the lake, walking on the Bai Causeway, with the Broken Bridge not far ahead.
Lin Wan held onto Lu Zheng's arm and mused, "Do you think there's really Bai Suzhen suppressed under Leifeng Pagoda?"
"How old are you?" Lu Zheng chuckled.
Lin Wan pouted, "I wouldn't have been this childish before, but it's because you've appeared in my life!"
Lu Zheng shrugged, "Blame it on me, then?"
Lin Wan bit her silver tooth, irritatedly pinching Lu Zheng lightly, "I'm talking serious here!" New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
"The serious thing is, that's impossible!" Lu Zheng laughed, "That's all folklore; we're in a new century now, gotta believe in science!"
"I trust your nonsense!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Wan took a deep breath, feeling a bit stifled in her chest.
Lu Zheng burst into hearty laughter, drawing the attention of some nearby people.
They paid no mind to others' gazes, and leisurely strolled and took photos, capturing their moments in a photo album.
Soon, they arrived at the Broken Bridge.
"So, it was here that Lady Bai met Xu Xian, right? This scenery is beautiful."
Lu Zheng nodded, "Beautiful scenery must be paired with beautiful people; ancient had Bai Suzhen, now has Lin Wan, comparable indeed."
"Get lost, get lost, I can't compare to Bai Suzhen."
Despite saying "get lost, get lost," Lin Wan's face was quite smug.
Now with her cultivation achieved, Lin Wan, already boasting a hot figure and pretty looks, seemed almost transformed.
Her long legs straight, curves elegant, complexion jade-like, even her native tan skin became increasingly fairer.
So much that many female colleagues at work came to inquire about how she maintained herself, leaving Lin Wan wondering how to respond—suggesting simply finding a boyfriend who's like an Immortal?
With this in mind, Lin Wan couldn't help but recall Lu Zheng's affectionate toying with her long legs yesterday, her breathing turning heavier.
"Come on, come on! Let's go rowing!"
Lin Wan pulled Lu Zheng forward a few steps to a lakeside dock on the Bai Causeway.
It was still early, plus off-season, surprisingly no one lined up; Lin Wan decisively got a vintage-style rowboat.
The so-called vintage-style rowboat was actually a canopy boat, with the dock providing a boatman at the stern, rowing while fully vintage.
The two climbed into the boat, and the boatman untied the rope, pushing the small boat away from shore.
Seated inside the boat, swaying side to side, the boatman, dressed in vintage clothes, rowed at the stern, explaining classic spots on the lake, moonlighting as a tour guide, making them feel the few hundred bucks spent quite worthwhile.
"The scenic center, Zhenlu Pavilion, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, Xiaoying Island, Su Xiaochun Dike on the West Inner Lake, and the Millennia-old-standing Leifeng Pagoda."
"Speaking of, back then, Lady Bai to start conversation with Xu Xian, swirled her wine cup skyward, turning it to rain, drizzling down, giving her a reason to borrow an umbrella from Xu Xian."
The boatman rowed and explained, "Thus, the boatmen back then were witnesses to Lady Bai and Xu Xian's initial meeting."
"So, the lingering drizzle around West Lake carries its own charm."
"I see..." Lu Zheng nodded, looking up at the sky.
The boatman chuckled, "Expecting rain? Although it's rainy season, today's weather forecast says it's cloudy."
Lu Zheng grinned, reached his right hand out of the boat, scooped up some West Lake water, and sprinkled it upwards, letting it scatter.
"Haha." The boatman couldn't help but laugh, having seen countless people imitate Lady Bai by sprinkling water skyward.
But the result was...
The next moment, a gentle breeze suddenly rose, and drizzling rain fell along with the wind.
The boatman: (⊙o⊙)!!!