DA chapter 71

A two-star cloud layer fell on the Fourth District, raising smoke and dust.

A faint sound came from outside the bedroom. Yan Xu jolted awake. He got out of bed, and froze for a moment when he saw the living room.

The floor, which had been messy the night before, was cleaned, and the tiles were wiped until they shone.

The plates and dishes on the table had been cleared away, leaving only an unopened can of beer. It looked exactly like the photo in the message, with an exquisite card paced underneath.

Yan Xu’s vigilance immediately faded. Barefoot, he walked over to the dining table and picked up the card.

[Pathetic.]

Yan Xu: “…”

This person!

Yan Xu put down the card and looked at the house, which seemed completely renewed. He was somewhat unable to believe it.

Did Lin Jia clean all of this?

Not only that, but the scent of plain porridge wafted from the kitchen, masking the smell of fermenting alcohol from last night.

Yan Xu raised an eyebrow. Who knew that Lin Jia was like a fairy maid?

More sounds of pots and bowls clanging came from the kitchen.

Yan Xu walked toward the kitchen. The person inside was also about to walk out to the living room, and the two unexpectedly collided face-to-face.

“Sorry, sorry, Captain Yan, sorry.”

Yan Xu rubbed his chin, feeling that the voice sounded wrong. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it wasn’t Lin Jia at all, but an auntie.

Yan Xu was stunned for a moment, unable to process how Lin Jia had become an auntie.

The woman was clearly afraid of Yan Xu and kept apologizing for the collision.

“It’s fine.” Yan Xu waved his hand and looked toward the deeper part of the kitchen. “Where’s Lin Jia?”

“You mean Boss Lin,” the auntie explained. “Boss Lin didn’t come.”

Boss Lin?

Yan Xu repeated this unfamiliar title suspiciously.

The auntie continued, “Boss Lin notified me last night to come clean here, but a cloud layer fell last night, so it got delayed.”

After the cloud layer fell completely, the auntie rushed over immediately.

There was an opportunity to make money without entering Fish Belly. Of course, she didn’t want to miss it. Even knowing the employer was Yan Xu, she gathered her courage and came anyway.

There was no misunderstanding to begin with. The auntie explained very clearly that the renewed living room and spotless table were not done by Lin Jia. After leaving a mocking card last night, this person took the cat and left.

Yan Xu lowered his voice a little: “…Oh.”

The auntie carefully glanced at Yan Xu. Although Lin Jia said on the phone that Yan Xu was easy to get along with, he was from the Management Office after all, and the rumored fierce Inspection Team captain. So, she inevitably felt afraid.

“Captain Yan… Captain Yan…” the auntie said. “The cleaning is finished.”

“Mm, thanks.” Yan Xu scratched the back of his head. “Cloud layers fall more often recently. Be careful on the road.”

“Okay,” the auntie responded, but she didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving. Instead, she seemed hesitant to speak.

Yan Xu took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and twisted off the cap. “Something else?”

The auntie carefully said, “Boss Lin said you have to pay the cleaning fee.”

Yan Xu: “Pfft—”

Yan Xu choked.

He laughed angrily. “Fine, I’ll pay for the damage he caused. How much?”

Lin Jia had mentioned the fee issue on the phone. She meant for Yan Xu to decide for himself.

Seeing Yan Xu like this, the auntie could not judge his attitude, so she didn’t dare use the same wording as Lin Jia. After thinking for a moment, she said, “50.”

This was a very low price, but if used sparingly in Underwater World, it could barely support living expenses for three days.

Yan Xu asked for the auntie’s account. “Done.”

“Thank you.” The auntie wiped the water from her hands on her clothes. “Then I won’t disturb you anymore.”

Yan Xu returned the unfinished water to the refrigerator and went to the bedroom to change into his uniform. When he came out, the auntie was standing awkwardly at the entrance.

She was someone Lin Jia had found, so Yan Xu never suspected that she had any problems. While wiping his revolver, he gave her a questioning look.

The auntie said: “Captain Yan, you gave too much.”

Yan Xu had transferred 1,000.

“Not too much.” Yan Xu breathed on the gun and wiped the handle with a cloth. “Is Lin Jia your boss?”

The auntie nodded.

Yan Xu laughed lightly. “Doesn’t he take a commission? He’s taking a commission on a price of 50. After he takes his cut, how much will you have left?”

Lin Jia arranged the auntie to clean at Yan Xu’s place, which naturally meant taking a commission.

Yan Xu looked around. “Cleaned very well. Keep the money.”

The auntie held the phone tightly. “Thank you, Captain Yan.”

Yan Xu said nothing more, instead stuffing the gun into the holster behind his waist.

The auntie opened the door and was about to leave when she thought of something. “Captain Yan.”

Yan Xu looked over at the voice. The auntie said, “Boss Lin told me to cook porridge for you. He said you had a hangover and should eat something light.”

The sweet fragrance of rice lingered in the air. Yan Xu coughed unnaturally. “Got it.”

“Captain Yan, I’m leaving. Thank you.”

“Mm.”

After cloud layers fall, the weather always gets a little better. Today, upper management had another meeting, and Yan Xu rode his motorcycle across the broad, empty road.

He hated upper management meetings. Each time one ended, the atmosphere in the Management Office became more tense. He could not understand those higher-level leaders. Wouldn’t it be better for the Management Office to have unifed direction? They were eating too much and engaging in political struggles in Underwater World.

But today, Yan Xu’s mood was actually not bad. He did not cause trouble until the meeting started.

The meeting was not held at Bounty Hall, but rather in a relatively quiet Management Office building.

Yan Xu stood behind Deputy Chen and heard the host of the meeting say: “Good morning, leaders. I’m Wei An from the Survey Department. Today’s meeting is mainly about J0001.”

He paused and raised his head.

Because of that, he also missed Deputy Chen’s brief stiffness.

Information about the J0001 cloud layer appeared on the large electronic screen.

[Code: J0001.]

[Cloud thickness: about 36000 m.]

[Cloud volume: about 80km]

[Cloud height: about 144000m]

[Estimated descent time: Unable to estimate.]

[Estimated number involved: Unable to estimate.]

[Estimated difficulty: Unable to estimate.]

[Estimated sinking city area: entire Underwater World]

[……]

The huge numbers on the screen were shocking, and the three “unable to estimate” results made people instinctively fearful.

Wei An said, “Recently, we detected that the J0001 cloud layer has a tendency to descend. According to the speed of its descent, it will land above all of us in 720 hours at the fastest.”

He said “land” rather than “fall.” Once a cloud layer falls, it will essentially never rise again, but landing is not necessarily permanent.

Deputy Chen spoke up. “But your estimated descent time says ‘unable to estimate.’”

“That’s because,” Wei An explained, “J0001 occasionally rises again during its descent process. The time and height of the rise are random and impossible to estimate. The 720-hour, one-month calculation is based on the current average rise value of the J0001 cloud layer.”

The participants’ expressions turned ugly.

They could see the dense cloud layers in the sky and know the landing time and location of some of them. As long as they avoided the descent area, they would not be caught in Fish Belly.

These people did not need to enter Fish Belly. With enough money and power, life in the Underwater World was more comfortable than life in the real world.

But now, the J0001 cloud layer—the largest in the Underwater World—actually had a tendency to descend. How could that not make them nervous?

Once inside Fish Belly, where life and death were at stake, everyone just wanted to survive. Who cared if you belonged to the Management Office?

“Leaders need not be nervous.” Wei An said, comforting them. “During J0001’s latest descent process, the Survey Department found its core area, which is about 10 meters in size. According to data from other cloud layers, a 10-meter core area involves about twelve people.”

Everyone let out a breath.

Yan Xu saw that Deputy Chen had also obviously let out a breath. He frowned, looking at the brother who once fought side by side from behind.

“Since the estimated number of people is twelve, why does the screen still say ‘unable to estimate’?”

Someone spoke up.

“Because this is J0001.” Wei An replied matter-of-factly, “Two years ago, J0001 descended, but rose back up halfway through. No one can guarantee J0001’s trajectory.”

“The purpose of this meeting is to ask the leaders to decide whether to publicly announce the information about J0001’s descent.”

The meeting room immediately became noisy as everyone expressed their opinions and argued their positions.

“All cloud layers revolve around J0001. If an expert enters J0001 and shatters J0001, won’t the other cloud layers fall down?”

“Underwater World’s order is already unstable. If the J0001 descent information is announced, who knows what kind of chaos will ensue in Underwater World? Although our Inspection Team captain is brave, it’s difficult for one person to fight alone.”

“Is J0001 certain to descend? If J0001 rises again like it did two years ago, won’t the Management Office’s prestige be ruined?”

“Besides, J0001 can only provide this much information. What difference does it make if we announce it or not?”

Yan Xu listened to these people discuss.

He looked at Deputy Chen, waiting for him to speak in rebuttal.

Regardless of whether J0001 fell, the public had the right to know. They could have prepared in advance.

The people who entered Underwater World were not truly alone, either. Some entered with family, some brought pets, and some met new people inside.

Even if they didn’t have the strength to walk out of J0001, at least they could say their final goodbyes before being taken in.

Deputy Chen did not speak.

Yan Xu let out a mocking sound.

Wei An counted the opinions of upper management: “Those who agree that the Survey Department should announce the J0001 information, please raise your hands.”

The room fell silent; no one raised their hand.

Everyone chose to conceal the J0001 descent information, and their inner choice received unanimous support.

Yan Xu spoke up. “I disagree.”

Wei An looked at Deputy Chen awkwardly. Yan Xu was only the captain of the Inspection Team; he wasn’t qualified to vote.

He pointed at upper management: “You won’t announce J0001 because you’re afraid of being involved in J0001, allowing uninformed people to help block knives.”

He smiled. “Dare to be more honest?”

“They already said that J0001 will probably only drag in twelve people.” Yan Xu raised his brows, his gaze full of provocation. “What, done guilty things? Think these twelve spots definitely have—”

“Yan Xu!” Deputy Chen shouted, “Enough!”

Yan Xu looked sideways at him. “Leader, why does telling the truth count as making trouble?”

Deputy Chen: “Go outside first.”

Yan Xu snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Deputy Chen added, “Sorry, everyone. Please go outside. Let me talk with Captain Yan.”

Everyone looked at each other, stood up, and walked outside.

Deputy Chen stopped Yan Xu. After everyone else left and the meeting room quieted down, he said, “You doing this makes me lose face.”

To outsiders, only Deputy Chen could control Yan Xu, but Yan Xu had looked ready to bite Deputy Chen, too, just now.

Yan Xu laughed coldly. “This time, I never planned to give you face.”

Deputy Chen raised his head and sighed, “You saw it too. Everyone disagrees with announcing J0001. I can’t stop this decision.”

“Still coaxing me?” Yan Xu pulled open a chair. “No, you’re the same as them. You don’t want J0001 announced either.”

Deputy Chen’s voice softened. “I have my reasons.”

“Chen Chi.” Yan Xu smiled, but there was no smile in his eyes. “From my perspective, one day Broken Cloud was suddenly gone, and you changed too. I don’t have nowhere to go. The reason I work with you is because you consider other people. Did your mentality change again? Or were you deceiving me from the start?”

Deputy Chen looked at Yan Xu and met his heavy, scrutinizing gaze.

After a long while, he spoke. “The reason why you can still accuse me because I support you no matter what you do. If you had no power, if you were like those people in Underwater World, you would only think about how to survive. You wouldn’t have the spare mind to care about others. Environment creates different thoughts in people. If you don’t believe it, try it now.”

Yan Xu understood. Deputy Chen was going to dismiss him from his position.

He nodded: “Whatever.”

Then he got up and left.

From behind: “Gun.”

The revolver had been given to him by Deputy Chen. Without a word, Yan Xu took the gun off without hesitation, threw it backward, and pushed the door open to leave, not turning his head.

Outside the door, Xu Ying saw Yan Xu’s expression. “This is…”

Yan Xu ignored him, not slowing his steps.

Xu Ying had no choice but to walk into the meeting room. “Deputy Chen, what happened? Why did Captain Yan leave?”

Deputy Chen stared fixedly at the door, his gaze gloomy. “Don’t worry about him for now.”

He needed Yan Xu, but if Yan Xu was not on his side, there was no reason to force keeping Yan Xu by his side.

He wanted to see if Yan Xu would still say such laughable words without Management Office status, a gun, or a fixed monthly income.

The good weather in the Underwater World was only an illusion. After the clouds passed, more clouds would gather, one after another, as if the sky would never be clear for ten thousand li.

Yan Xu sped along the roadway, the engine roaring as he passed blurred scenery on both sides.

Suddenly thinking of something, he leaned into a drift, turned around, stopped the bike by the roadside. A road sign stood there—Third District, Jinniu Road.

His gaze shifted, and sure enough, he spotted a café on this street.

Yesterday, Lin Jia said on the phone that he had bought a coffee there.

He just happened to pass by.

He pushed the door open. A wind chime at the entrance rang ‘ding ding dong dong’, and the rich aroma of coffee mixed with gentle piano music came toward him.

Yan Xu walked to the counter. The café was also Management Office property. Although Yan Xu was not qualified to speak at upper management meetings, he still had a certain purchase quota.

“No need.” Yan Xu ordered a coffee and paid.

“Captain Yan, takeout or drink here?”

“Takeout.”

“Please wait a moment.”

Yan Xu leaned against the counter while waiting for his coffee, looking at the café’s decorations.

Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling window, filling every corner with warmth.

A melodious piano sound brushed past him. His gaze crossed the café tables and chairs and landed on the piano in the center.

A tall, elegant figure sat behind the piano, slender fingers moving across the black and white keys.

It was…

—Lin Jia.

“Captain Yan, your coffee.” Seeing Yan Xu’s gaze fixed on the pianist, the clerk said, “This guest plays very beautifully.”

Yan Xu looked at Lin Jia, tapping his knuckles on the counter one by one to match the rhythm.

In the eyes of upper management, the non-managerial staff at Underwater World were just a group of mediocre ants: miserable and pitiful.

Lin Jia was one of those ants, yet he lived more leisurely than anyone. Yan Xu quietly watched and decided that Lin Jia was the most elegant and composed person in Underwater World.

This person had changed clothes again. A black, high-collared shirt covered his slender neck. A pale yellow and paper-brown wool coat wrapped his upright figure. Camellia fragrance lingered around him.

Lin Jia played a classic piece: Canon.¹ He didn’t know many pieces, and after taking over the group, he had even less time to sit by a piano.

It was only because entering Underwater World was too boring that he played to pass time.

Last night, Yan Xu collapsed too quickly, preventing his plan from proceeding smoothly.

After this piece ended, he would stroll toward Fourth District, Huansha Road, Wanghai Apartment 904, wait there for Yan Xu to get off work, and find some chance to tease this “one-cup drunk.”

When the piece ended, Lin Jia’s hands did not immediately leave the keys.

But a hand appeared, holding a coin. It placed the coin on the piano rack with a ding.

It was a £2 coin. Underwater World had no currency; this coin was brought from the real world.

Lin Jia did not lift his eyes, saying lightly: “This tip isn’t enough.”

The person who tipped asked, “How much do you want?”

Lin Jia thought for a moment. “Fish maw yellow croaker soup, smoked ribbonFish Belly, red wine foie gras, and drunken green paste crab. For drinks, I remember Captain Yan still has one can of draft beer at home.”

“Tsk.” Yan Xu raised an eyebrow. “Feels like I’m being ripped off.”

Only then did Lin Jia look up at Yan Xu. “What should we do?”

Yan Xu: “First, send me the address of the place selling that soup and crab. I’ll go back and change my clothes.”

Lin Jia knowingly asked: “What about me?”

Yan Xu bent down and tapped on the piano keys. “Have a seat.”

Yan Xu moved quickly. Lin Jia had only just arrived at the restaurant when this person appeared.

Lin Jia noticed that Yan Xu had changed out of the black Inspection Team uniform and into the hoodie he had worn when they entered Fish Belly.

Lin Jia said nothing, he only asking, “Where’s the draft beer?”

Yan Xu casually pulled out a chair, sat down, and took the can of beer Lin Jia had asked for out of his kangaroo pocket.

The waiter brought the menu. Yan Xu pushed it in front of Lin Jia. “I can’t understand it. You order.”

Lin Jia said: “I already ordered.”

Yan Xu: “You really aren’t polite.”

Lin Jia: “Captain Yan treats, politeness makes it distant.”

After speaking, Lin Jia added one dessert.

After the waiter took the menu away, Yan Xu looked at Lin Jia. “Just you alone?”

Lin Jia: “Otherwise?”

Yan Xu: “Where’s the cat?”

He hadn’t even gotten a chance to touch it yesterday.

Lin Jia said lightly, “Earning money.”

Yan Xu: “Huh?”

Lin Jia didn’t explain much. He only swept his eyes over Yan Xu’s clothes and said, “Captain Yan is not on duty at this time…fired?

Yan Xu was pouring water into the cup. Hearing this, he corrected himself. “Actually, I just didn’t want to do it anymore.”

At that moment, dessert arrived. Lin Jia pushed it toward Yan Xu. “This was ordered for Captain Yan. Sweet food makes mood better.”

So he had already seen he was removed from position.

“You believe that, too.” Yan Xu picked up the spoon and scooped out a bite. The sweetness spread across his tongue. For some reason, his mood improved slightly.

Lin Jia: “Convenient to say?”

Yan Xu: “Say what?”

Lin Jia: “Why don’t you want to do it anymore?”

Yan Xu did not raise his head, but scooped another spoonful. “Not wanting means not wanting. Why do you need a reason? You instead, so concerned about my work—is it because I lost the Inspection Team captain title, so not worthy to be your backing anymore?”

Yan Xu said this somewhat impolitely, but Lin Jia smiled.

Yes, Yan Xu was not stupid. How could he not guess that Lin Jia was looking for backing?

Dishes came one after another. Suddenly, Yan Xu spoke. “Someone like you doesn’t need me.”

Lin Jia casually responded, “When I came in, I saw that there’s a cinema nearby.”

Yan Xu: “So?”

Lin Jia frowned slightly and looked at him with disdain. “Do I need to say it clearly?”

“The afternoon is long.” Lin Jia had eaten enough and put down his chopsticks. “Captain Yan, shall we watch a movie together?”

Yan Xu leaned back in his chair, neither agreeing nor refusing—only quietly looking at Lin Jia.

Lin Jia generously let him look.

Yan Xu raised his brow. “Since you’ve made it clear, I’ll ask directly—what exactly do you want to do?”

Lin Jia answered easily. “Didn’t Captain Yan already guess? Looking for backers.”

“I was dismissed.”

“I believe Captain Yan will be reinstated.”

“So you’re set on me?”

“Yes.”

The two looked at each other, each seeing the other reflected in their pupils. Scene after scene related to Lin Jia appeared in Yan Xu’s mind: the first meeting at Bounty Hall, the “accidental” meeting in the D2481 cloud layer, and the appointment in the D3155 cloud layer.

At each stage, Lin Jia had a different attitude: guarded at the first meeting in Bounty Hall, rejecting him in D2481, and sugarcoating things in D3155. Now, he was honest and close.

Lin Jia was dangerous, but the more Yan Xu could not understand his true purpose, the more he wanted to understand him. Even knowing this person had thrown out a sharp hook, Yan Xu still swam back and forth where Lin Jia fished.

After quite a while, Yan Xu stood up. “Let’s go watch a movie.”

The cinema was next to the restaurant. There were very few people. In Underwater World, basically no one spent money on entertainment.

There weren’t many screenings, either—just old films from the real world.

Lin Jia was not interested in watching movies, so he let Yan Xu make the choice.

Lin Jia watched Yan Xu choose seriously and finally select Wonder Woman 1984.

Lin Jia was not surprised. A film about a strong, individual hero suited Yan Xu quite well.

Since Yan Xu was treating them to lunch, Lin Jia used his own money to buy a bucket of popcorn and made Yan Xu hold it. The two then entered the theater.

The movie quickly started. Yan Xu grabbed the popcorn and threw it into his mouth. It was only when the bucket was nearly empty that he realized Lin Jia had not tasted any.

As he turned to tell Lin Jia that the popcorn was gone, he stopped.

Yan Xu saw that Lin Jia was looking thoughtful.

This person took one step and thought one hundred ahead, deep-minded, full of schemes, spinning everyone around.

The light from the screen reflected on his face as if a flowing light had passed over it.

Yan Xu suddenly wanted to know what Lin Jia was thinking.

Knowing that he could never guess Lin Jia, Yan Xu simply asked: “Hey, Lin Jia, what are you thinking about?”

Lin Jia heard him and turned his head.

He was thinking about making movies.

Since Underwater World had cinemas, that meant there was a demand for films. Cinemas didn’t make money from people struggling to survive, but wasn’t money from people with high social status easy to earn?

People value new things. Even if a movie was terrible, it would still be profitable.

Seeing the screen in peripheral vision, Lin Jia said: “Diana.”

Diana, the female lead.

Following Lin Jia’s gaze, the heroine was seen acting for strangers on the screen.

Yan Xu adjusted his sitting posture and pretended to be casual. “You also think people who care about strangers are stupid, right?”

Lin Jia glanced at him. “What else?”

Yan Xu: “…”

The theater sound system hummed. On screen, the whole city rioted, people panicking and running.

The heroine was faced with a difficult choice between her lover and saving others.

“Can Captain Yan bear it?” Suddenly, Lin Jia spoke up.

“What?” Yan Xu asked.

“Trade regaining a lover for world peace.” Lin Jia turned to look at Yan Xu. “Would Captain Yan bear it? For world peace, one can abandon one’s life, abandon everything, and even one’s lover.”

Lin Jia’s questions came too suddenly, one after another, catching Yan Xu off guard.

Looking at Lin Jia, Yan Xu involuntarily thought if using Lin Jia in exchange…

He unexpectedly could not answer.

Seeing that Yan Xu was actually thinking, Lin Jia said faintly, “It looks like Captain Yan forgot.”

“What did I forget?” Yan Xu could no longer keep up with Lin Jia’s rhythm.

Lin Jia: “Captain Yan promised me that he would live well.”

Yan Xu: “…”

Lin Jia inevitably thought again of Yan Xu’s unpleasant actions in Fish Belly. Since he chose Yan Xu for support, naturally, that support could only belong to him.

“I’m not stopping Captain Yan from saving the world. I’m only adding one condition: within your capabilities. What you can do means you and your lover can live. If you can’t even do that, talking about saving the world is ridiculous.” Lin Jia’s voice turned cold. Using the movie as an example, he warned Captain Yan, “Don’t do things that make the lover sad.”

On screen, the heroine finally gave up her lover and chose to save the world.

Yan Xu thought that Lin Jia was just affected by the movie, so he comforted him. “Relax. I don’t have a lover.”

Lin Jia: “…”

He reached out and snatched the popcorn from Yan Xu’s arms.

Yan Xu: “?”

Lin Jia’s side profile was exceptionally cold: “Reward withdrawn.”

They had agreed that if Lin Jia was satisfied, a reward would be given.

So, if Lin Jia was dissatisfied, the reward would be withdrawn.

The movie ended quickly. Wind surged violently in Underwater World—a sign that another cloud layer was descending.

Yan Xu patted the back of the motorcycle seat. “I’ll take you back.”

Lin Jia, who always sat in the back seat, looked at the narrow motorcycle seat with a face full of resistance.

“What are you standing there for?” Yan Xu urged. “The clouds are about to fall. Hurry up.”

Lin Jia hesitated for a moment. Because a cloud layer was about to descend, there were no cars on the roadway. He certainly didn’t want to walk home, so he could only sit on the back of Yan Xu’s motorcycle.

Yan Xu handed the only helmet to Lin Jia. “Put this on.”

Lin Jia had never dealt with this before. He was studying how to wear it when, suddenly, his arms became empty—Yan Xu had taken the helmet back.

Lin Jia looked up, and the next second, the helmet was placed over his head.

Yan Xu fastened the buckle and looked somewhat disgusted. “How come you can’t even wear a helmet?”

Then, he gently lowered the visor, covering Lin Jia’s shimmering eyes.

Yan Xu gripped the handlebars. “Sitting steady?”

A soft sound came from behind. “Mm.”

The engine roared like a black beast snorting.

The motorcycle moved along the road when, suddenly, a pair of hands pressed against Yan Xu’s waist.

Yan Xu instantly jolted.

Damn!

What was Lin Jia doing?

Oh no, sitting behind and holding him was normal.

But the thought of Lin Jia gripping his waist, able to feel the shape of his fingers through his clothing, made Yan Xu feel as if countless ants were crawling over him. His whole body was stiff and numb.

“What’s wrong?”

Lin Jia’s head was inside the helmet, making his voice sound distant.

“Nothing.” Yan Xu said. “Hold tight. Don’t fall.”

His peripheral vision caught the hands on both sides of his waist. His heartbeat was unexpectedly fast, so he quickly looked forward.

Yan Xu kept his head raised like that the whole way. By the time they reached the hotel, his neck was stiff.

Lin Jia got off and returned the helmet. “I’m going back.”

Yan Xu remained stiff on the bike. “Mm.”

Lin Jia said nothing more and turned into the hotel lobby.

Only after Lin Jia had turned away did Yan Xu secretly touch his own waist. The warmth of Lin Jia’s palm still remained on his clothes.

He quickly withdrew his hand and looked toward the hotel lobby.

Lin Jia never turned back and quickly disappeared from sight.

Yan Xu laughed angrily. “…”

He rubbed his stiff neck, despising his own awkwardness during the ride.

It was entirely because of Lin Jia’s deliberate closeness and intentional seduction; otherwise, how could he have reacted so strongly? Yet not only did this person not invite him upstairs to sit, he didn’t even say thank you.

Ding—

A message came in.

Yan Xu unlocked his phone.

[Lin Jia: Thank you, Captain Yan. Today’s date was very pleasant.]

Yan Xu threw the phone back into his pocket.

Did this person even know how to use words? Two grown men eating a meal and watching a movie together—how could that be called a date?

The wind blew by, carrying the fragrance of camellias.

Yan Xu lifted the corners of his mouth little by little.

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