Lu Yunze was very nervous now. Having lived for nineteen years, this was his first time going on a joint operation with the police, and it was an extremely high-risk mission.
After agreeing with Police Chief Wang Xu, Lu Yunze carefully discussed today’s operational plan with him. Although they called it a discussion, there wasn’t really anything special about it.
Lu Yunze would enter Ankang Town deliberately exposing himself to Hu Ming’s sight to attract the target’s attention.
The personnel dispatched by the police were divided into two groups: one monitored Lu Yunze’s movements from the outskirts of the town and maintained contact with him at all times; the other was a disguised team covertly positioned around Lu Yunze to prevent any sudden incidents.
It all sounded simple, Lu Yunze just had to pretend to be a tourist and quietly approach the target but in practice, it was hard not to feel quite a bit of psychological pressure.
However, this pressure didn’t come from the danger of the mission itself, but from the people around him.
“Brother Chen, what’s that thing over there?” Luo Yao pointed ahead with eager anticipation on her face.
“Don’t know.”
“What’s that one?”
“Hmph, don’t know.”
“And that one?”
“Um… don’t know.”
Now even Luo Yao looked rather puffed up and annoyed.
“Brother, you’re the one who said we should come out to play, but you don’t answer any of my questions.”
That was true, I was the one who said it, but I never said I’d bring you along.
Lu Yunze didn’t want to involve anyone else in such a dangerous bait mission. He had already convinced Jiang Sui, but now Luo Yao was clinging on.
Ever since that Western Restaurant incident, Lu Yunze noticed Luo Yao was watching him more than usual, but she never spoke up, making him uneasy wondering if he had done something wrong.
Moreover, because of Luo Yao’s stare, Jiang Sui had practically turned into an obedient girl lately.
No matter how much Lu Yunze tried to persuade her, Luo Yao simply refused to give up. He had no choice but to inform Wang Xu in advance and bring her to Ankang Town.
The reason for this choice was that Luo Yao was different from Jiang Sui; she was no ordinary person without skills. Usually gentle and kind, she rarely took action almost making people forget that she was actually a Secret Arts Practitioner.
“Brother Chen, you’re not even really out here to play, are you?” Luo Yao squinted slightly.
“How could that be? I just wanted to come out and relax a bit.”
Lu Yunze forced a smile.
“If you want to know anything, just ask me directly.”
“Uh, what’s that?”
“Don’t know.”
“Forget it, I’ll just go see for myself.”
“All right, don’t wander too far.”
While dealing with Luo Yao, the tiny earpiece in Lu Yunze’s ear occasionally transmitted Wang Xu’s voice:
“That’s right, keep her steady and continue strolling.”
“We’ll keep walking until around four in the evening.”
“We’ve already sent people to search for Hu Ming’s location. Once there’s news, we’ll inform you immediately.”
“Got it.”
It was clear that Wang Xu’s voice was nervous too. The pressure from Luo Yao affected not only Lu Yunze but also the police involved in the mission.
To them, something happening to Luo Yao would be much more troublesome than letting Hu Ming escape.
Since there were no further orders, Lu Yunze could only stroll around nearby with Luo Yao. It was also his first time in Ankang Town, and he found everything here quite new and interesting.
“Smells so good. What’s that scent?”
Since entering this town, the two of them had been surrounded by a fragrant aroma.
Luo Yao noticed many locals were carrying scented sachets, so she casually approached a stall to ask.
“You must be from out of town, miss?” The elderly woman selling the sachets smiled kindly. “These are a specialty of our town you’ve got good taste.”
“Scented sachets can be considered a specialty?” Luo Yao casually picked one up and cradled it in her palm. “With a little extra spending money, I can buy better-smelling perfumes.”
“It’s truly different, miss,” the old woman said without offense. “Our sachets are crafted by ancestral hands. Just carrying one can bring good luck and ward off misfortune. If you don’t like sachets, we also have incense burners. Having one at home can drive away bad luck.”
Though Luo Yao spoke lightly and teasingly, she was completely captivated by the sachet. Her eyes sparkled with interest.
It was hard to get Luo Yao distracted by anything else, so Lu Yunze finally got a moment alone—though he didn’t stray far, lingering nearby at other stalls.
If he had to sum up this town’s defining characteristic in one word, it would be: fragrance!
A mixture of various scents filled the air, constantly stimulating one’s sense of smell. Lu Yunze worried his nose might give out.
Looking around, almost every street corner sold scented sachets or incense burners. Did this town really have so many tourists buying such things?
Though it was just a scent, Lu Yunze found it unusually sharp and uncomfortable.
And in such a tense environment, Luo Yao was playful, but Lu Yunze couldn’t shake off the pressure. He was genuinely worried about an enemy suddenly attacking from behind.
Just as Lu Yunze thought this, a shadow suddenly bumped into him from behind, startling him into a quick turn—and he saw someone fall to the ground.
It wasn’t Hu Ming.
“Ah, are you okay?” Lu Yunze’s expression relaxed.
“I’m fine… hiss.”
The other person was a girl about his age, with long beautiful purple hair that curled naturally at the ends. Her bright eyes resembled a starry night sky, exuding a lively exotic charm as if she had stepped right out of a fairy tale.
Lu Yunze’s fierce expression made the girl shiver.
“I, I didn’t mean to. Please, please don’t be mad at me.”
“Ah, I wouldn’t do that.” After assuring her he meant no harm, Lu Yunze reached out his hand.
The girl grabbed it and stood up, but her face went pale as she nearly collapsed again.
“What’s wrong?”
“I think I twisted my ankle.”
“Ah?” Lu Yunze panicked slightly. “Don’t try to scam me—the police definitely trust me.”
Hearing this, the girl became even more cautious than he was. “Handsome guy, I’m not scamming you. Look, my ankle’s swollen. If I were trying to scam you, the cost would be too high.”
Lu Yunze looked down and indeed saw a red, swollen bruise on her slender ankle.
“Good, that’s a relief. But what about your ankle?”
“There’s a bubble tea shop not far away. Just help me there,” the girl tugged at his pants.
Grabbing her arm, Lu Yunze helped her up again, then supported her by the shoulder as they walked toward the nearby bubble tea shop.
A fresh fragrance different from the sachets filled his nose—it came from the girl. Much more pleasant than the sharp scent around them.
But after sniffing once, Lu Yunze didn’t dare take another breath, worried he’d be mistaken for a pervert.
Once they sat inside the bubble tea shop, Lu Yunze exhaled in relief and asked:
“What would you like to drink? Consider it my apology.”
“Handsome guy, you’re actually quite nice.” The girl still kept her head lowered, a shy blush coloring her cheeks.
She then studied the menu and ordered a cup of bubble tea.
The seemingly gentle girl surprisingly picked the most expensive option the one with the highest sweetness and all the toppings filled to the brim. When the tea was served, the staff even handed her a spoon to lift the lid and eat directly.
That basically meant the toppings had a small amount of milk tea mixed in.
Lu Yunze didn’t dare imagine how sweet it must be so sweet it could make Luo Yao cry on the spot. Yet the girl ate as if it were nothing, taking big, hearty bites.
“Hey, handsome, haven’t seen you in Ankang Town before. Are you from out of town?”
Halfway through eating, the girl couldn’t help but glance at him.
“Well, I usually live in the city.”
“Didn’t expect you to be rich. I want to buy a house in the city, but it’s just a pipe dream.”
You look about my age, and if you can afford a house in the city, there’s no need to live in a small town like this, Lu Yunze thought to himself, but he still said politely:
“Keep working hard, and you’ll make it.”
“Speaking of which, I don’t even know your name, handsome.”
“Chen Yunze.”
After saying his name, he watched the girl’s reaction carefully.
She lightly bit her lower lip. “That’s a very nice name.”
Judging by her response, she hadn’t heard of him before.
Lu Yunze relaxed.
“As for me… you can just call me Little Yan. That’s what everyone around here calls me.”
Little Yan smiled for the first time, shy yet beautiful. Even Lu Yunze couldn’t help but feel his heart stir.
“Nowadays, there aren’t many people like you handsome and kind. If it weren’t for others falsely accusing me, that would be a stroke of luck.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“You’re so nice, you must have a very beautiful girlfriend, right?”
“No, I don’t.”
Little Yan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? I thought you’d be out here with your girlfriend. Didn’t expect you’re still single.”
“I’m here with my family.”
“With family? That’s rare. This place isn’t really one for family trips.”
“Just came out to have some fun.”
“I see.”
Little Yan seemed to relax as if a huge weight lifted off her heart, then took a big mouthful of the toppings.
So sweet, it felt like her teeth might rot.
She controlled her expression and continued:
“Well, I have a suggestion.”
“Yeah?”
“If you want to have some fun in this boring place, how about considering me?”
She leaned forward slightly, her loose collar revealing a patch of snow-white skin inside.
Compared to Luo Yao, who was older…