Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
During a meal, Zhang Qiu and Lucia ate a lot, while Bai Jingwei only sampled a bit. After they were full, Bai Jingwei immediately got to the point, unable to wait for the second round.
"Zhang Qiu, can you hand over the jade pendant now?"
Zhang Qiu looked up, making eye contact with Bai Jingwei. Lucia keenly sensed the change in atmosphere within the private room, glancing back and forth between Zhang Qiu and Bai Jingwei.
Zhang Qiu took out the white tiger from his collar, tightened the velvet cord, and slowly let go, allowing the white tiger to sway in mid-air. Bai Jingwei stood up to grab it, but Zhang Qiu suddenly pulled it back. Bai Jingwei maintained his reaching posture, staring intently at Zhang Qiu and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Don't forget you promised me not to damage it. Also, it can only be used for medical research."
"I promise you!"
Zhang Qiu extended the white tiger again, and Bai Jingwei hurriedly took it, cradling the jade pendant in his hands before sitting back down abruptly. Zhang Qiu observed Bai Jingwei's demeanor and said, "You don't need to panic. I promised to give you the pendant for research; I won't go back on my word."
"Maybe I'm being a bit too eager, but the research on the pendant is urgent. While you were in Africa, the equipment related to the pendant research has been arriving one after another. As soon as we learned your exact return time, the relevant personnel immediately went on standby. Now that I have the pendant, we can start the research right away. Someone will come shortly to help arrange your rest; I need to leave first." After finishing, Bai Jingwei hurriedly made his way toward the door.
"Wait!" Zhang Qiu called out to him.
Bai Jingwei turned around and asked, "What is it?"
"I have something to ask you about Zhao Yuanjia, that War Maniac—what happened to him?" Zhang Qiu observed Bai Jingwei's expression closely; when he mentioned Zhao Yuanjia's name, there was no sign of doubt from Bai Jingwei.
"After Zhao Yuanjia returned home, his grandfather was furious. The other five families sought out the Zhao Family for an explanation. To ensure his grandson's safety, his grandfather ordered that Zhao Yuanjia not leave home even a step. Now he is restricted in freedom and is no different from a prisoner; of course, his living conditions are quite luxurious. I've heard that his grandfather even used connections to force a popular star whom Zhao Yuanjia liked but couldn't pursue to come home and serve him... Oh, that's enough for now." Bai Jingwei paused and added, "You all should rest well tonight; tomorrow I'll send someone to escort you home."
"Will we be able to finish the research by tomorrow?"
"Not possible that quickly; I estimate it will take at least a week."
"In that case, I won't go home just yet. There are countless historical sites in the capital; it's a perfect opportunity to take Lucia around for some sightseeing. I think Professor Bai wouldn't mind hosting us here?" Zhang Qiu looked at Bai Jingwei, wondering if he would actually disagree with their staying here.
"Are you going to stay here?" Bai Jingwei asked Zhang Qiu, while his mind raced through the pros and cons of Zhang Qiu staying in the capital.
"That's right. Lucia is very interested in nationalization, so I'm taking her around. Once your research is done, I'll bring the jade pendant back home with me."
"Sure, I'll make arrangements for you tomorrow. Now," Bai Jingwei raised the jade pendant in his hand, "I have to attend to some business."
Bai Jingwei hurriedly left, leaving Zhang Qiu and Lucia sitting in the booth. Lucia asked, "What were you discussing with Professor Bai?"
Zhang Qiu shared his plans about staying in the capital with Lucia. Lucia blinked her blue eyes and asked, "Are you worried about the jade pendant?"
"That's part of it. I want to wait until the research is over before bringing the jade pendant home. What prompted my decision was the news about Zhao Yuanjia. When I was in Tanzania, Zhao Yuanjia personally told me that he would target my Hall Society, so I rushed back to confront him. Now that I know he is confined at home, I don't need to be in such a hurry. Otherwise, we would have had to rush back to Beiluan overnight."
"I see," Lucia nodded thoughtfully.
Zhang Qiu continued, "During our time in the capital, I'll take you to see some historical sites." Beilan County is not far from the capital, but due to his studies, Zhang Qiu hadn't had time to enjoy himself. Chen Kun was studying in the capital as well, and Zhang Qiu planned to invite him so the three of them could relax together after their hardships.
"That sounds great!" Hearing that Zhang Qiu would take her out, Lucia excitedly waved her hands and said in broken English, "You are not a true hero until you reach the Great Wall."
As Zhang Qiu and Lucia were looking at their phones to plan their next route, they didn't notice someone standing behind them. "Professor Bai Jingwei sent me to take you both to your room for some rest," a cold voice came from behind them. Zhang Qiu was startled and turned around quickly.
The woman behind them had a striking face, with straight black hair cascading down her shoulders. She wore blue eyeshadow and bright red lipstick. Her black leather jacket hugged her curvy figure tightly, and her long legs were clad in leather pants topped off with high-heeled boots. She exuded an air of aloofness and coldness that made it feel as if she were not a person but rather a block of ice.
Both Zhang Qiu and Lucia were taken aback as the woman coldly repeated, "Professor Bai Jingwei sent me to take you both to your room for some rest."
"Oh, okay." Zhang Qiu responded, stepping back two paces after standing up, keeping his distance from the woman.
The woman did not say much more; she turned and led the way. Zhang Qiu and Lucia followed behind her, maintaining a distance as if afraid of being frozen by her presence. The woman guided them out of the research institute building toward a four-story apartment. The dim yellow light filtered through bare tree trunks, casting mottled shadows on the ground. Zhang Qiu and Lucia walked silently on the ground beneath them.
The woman settled Zhang Qiu and Lucia in two rooms on the second floor of the apartment. This was the first time since they left that Zhang Qiu and Lucia were arranged to stay in different rooms. There was no danger at the research institute, so they gladly accepted this arrangement and said goodnight to each other before heading to their respective rooms to rest. Zhang Qiu lay in bed and took out his phone to send a message to Chen Kun, quickly receiving a reply.
They agreed on the time and place for their next meeting, and then Zhang Qiu shared some updates about the situation in their home country during his time in Africa. They chatted until midnight before logging off. After a quick wash-up, Zhang Qiu fell into a deep sleep.
At eight o'clock the next morning, Zhang Qiu walked to the door next door and knocked. "Lucia, get up and wash up. I'll take you to meet the friend I mentioned at ten."
As soon as Zhang Qiu finished speaking, the door opened from the inside, and Lucia leaned out with a smile. "I'm already ready."
"So fast?" Zhang Qiu looked at Lucia, who was dressed neatly in a white turtleneck sweater, a loose beige puffer coat, and a beautiful hat, making her look very cute.
"Yes, I woke up at seven."
"Wait for me; I'll wash up right away."
Zhang Qiu rushed back to his room and dove into the bathroom. Half an hour later, he finished washing up and joined Lucia in the dining room for breakfast. When they arrived, Bai Jingwei was already waiting for them and waved at the two.
Zhang Qiu and Lucia sat down, and Bai Jingwei took out two cards and placed them on the table. "This one is a meal card; you can use it to buy food here." Bai Jingwei then picked up the other card and emphasized, "This is a bank card with thirty thousand yuan inside, enough for you to live quite comfortably in the capital for a while."
"Thirty thousand!" Zhang Qiu exclaimed in surprise. "Why are you giving us so much money?"
"I will cover your expenses in the capital personally as a thank you for your willingness to let me study the jade pendant. The capital is vast with attractions scattered all around; it won't be convenient for you to travel back and forth to the research institute. You can use this money to enjoy your stay wherever you want. If it's not enough, you can ask me for more."
Originally wanting to decline, Zhang Qiu accepted the bank card after hearing Bai Jingwei's words. "Thank you then."
"No need to be polite; go buy your breakfast."
Zhang Qiu and Lucia got up to buy breakfast. At Zhang Qiu's suggestion, Lucia chose traditional pancakes. It's worth mentioning that the pancakes sold in the research institute's cafeteria were very authentic. The chef brought freshly fried dough sticks from another window to put inside; they were golden brown on the outside, crispy and delicious. Chopped green onions and cilantro were sprinkled on top, mixing with the aroma of glutinous rice that wafted through the air. Lucia couldn't help but exclaim, "It smells so good."
Zhang Qiu smiled and said, "It tastes even better."
The first pancake was ready, and Lucia held it in her hands, unable to resist taking a bite. Her eyes widened in surprise as she exclaimed, "Zhang Qiu, it's so delicious."
While waiting for the second pancake, Zhang Qiu swiped his card. Lucia finally snapped out of her delight over the pancake and quietly asked Zhang Qiu, "Why did he give you a bank card?"
"He doesn't want us to stay at the research institute. This way is better; it’s more convenient to come back from outside. With this money, we can go to many fun places and eat a lot of authentic food."
Lucia wasn't as excited as Zhang Qiu had imagined; instead, she lowered her head in thought. Just as Zhang Qiu was about to ask what Lucia was thinking, she suddenly looked up and grabbed Zhang Qiu's arm, saying, "Zhang Qiu, you have to teach me."
Zhang Qiu was taken aback, and Lucia continued, "I can't understand your conversations; I need you to translate every time. I want to stay here longer. Can you teach me?"
"Of course! As long as you're willing to learn, I will definitely teach you."
"Yay, that's great!" Lucia excitedly waved her hand, almost flinging the pancake out of her grasp. Zhang Qiu noticed her delayed excitement.
After the second pancake was ready, Zhang Qiu and Lucia sat back down across from Bai Jingwei. While eating his pancake, Zhang Qiu observed his surroundings and noticed that occasionally one or two pairs of eyes would sneakily glance at them before quickly looking away. Eventually, his gaze returned to Bai Jingwei, who had a bowl of wontons in front of him and was stirring the broth with a spoon.
"Professor, after a night of research, do you have any findings?"
Comment 0 Comment Count