"Tch, don't be so quick to pin things on me," Loffis rolled his eyes. "Offering a smoke is just a normal social gesture between men. The way you're talking, it's like I've corrupted your little boyfriend." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Shen Qi smirked, "You seem to have a pretty strong opinion of me?"
Loffis waved his hands frantically, "How would I dare?"
Shen Qi ignored him, reaching out to lightly pat Lu Zhi's hair. "Where have you been? Your hair is full of dust."
Lu Zhi snapped back to attention and said, "Ran into a little trouble." He briefly recounted the events.
Shen Qi hummed, "Do you know which painting they took?"
"You never told me they stole a painting," Loffis looked at Lu Zhi with a mournful gaze. "It's preferential treatment, this is."
Yan Shao chuckled like an old fox, "If you don't want preferential treatment, you're still somewhat close. You could try for it."
Loffis cried out, "You're sinister! You're so sinister, trying to provoke me into seducing Lu Zhi and becoming the third party! Am I that kind of person? Shen Qi, you saw that, right? I definitely don't have the guts… no, I don't have the intention, I swear."
Lu Zhi was left speechless and amused.
"Back to the main topic," Yan Shao gestured with his chin towards the mouse in Lu Zhi's hand. "Let's deal with this rat first and see if we can get anything out of it."
Loffis turned and yelled to the chubby kid dozing on the table behind him, "Er Pang, bring me your honey-glazed chestnuts."
Er Pang jolted awake and stood up straight, responding loudly, "Yes, Commander!"
The cloying sweetness of honey and the soft, fragrant aroma of chestnuts filled the air.
Lu Zhi couldn't help but look at the chestnuts in Er Pang's paper bag, feeling a sudden craving.
"Commander, isn't this the gallery's guardian rat? What happened to it?" Er Pang carefully took out a chestnut from the paper bag and brought it close to the little mouse's tender pink nose.
The mouse's breed resembled a chinchilla (like Totoro in anime), but it was only about the size of an adult's palm, with off-white fur. For now, they decided to call it the White-furred Mouse.
When the White-furred Mouse was in a state of feigned death, its limbs were stiff, like a fake doll.
If Lu Zhi hadn't felt the warmth when he held the White-furred Mouse in his palm, he would have truly thought it was dead.
As Er Pang held the chestnut near the White-furred Mouse's nose, he saw its long whiskers twitch, followed by its tender pink nose quivering and sniffing frantically. Before its eyes even opened, under Er Pang's practiced guidance, its two front paws quickly clasped the chestnut. It opened a pair of bright, beady black eyes and let out a delighted squeak.
Lu Zhi clearly heard a lively, young boy's voice saying, 'Wow~ Candied chestnuts, and authentic wild honey! Wow~ This is amazing~'
"It's really awake," Yan Shao exclaimed in surprise.
Lu Zhi chuckled softly, "Still a glutton."
The White-furred Mouse, surrounded by several burly men, showed no fear. It unceremoniously used its teeth to quickly peel the chestnut shell, happily gnawing on the soft, sweet chestnut meat.
Lu Zhi's gaze unconsciously drifted to the remaining half of the chestnuts in Er Pang's paper bag.
Loffis leaned in and said to the White-furred Mouse, engrossed in its food, "You're still in the mood to enjoy yourself? The gallery was bombed, and the paintings were stolen. Aren't you going to think of a way to make amends?"
The White-furred Mouse squeaked, its black bean eyes widening in shock. Startled, its two pink paws froze, and the half-eaten chestnut fell onto the table. Short-term memories resurfaced, and the entire mouse felt terrible.
It spun in circles and then stood up, waving its front paws. Even without understanding the words, its body language conveyed nervousness and panic.
Loffis grinned wickedly, "Well, I'm very sorry, Mr. Mouse. I don't understand Mouse language. I'll find someone who does in a moment."
Er Pang looked troubled, "Commander, Translator Su is on a mission today and hasn't returned yet."
The White-furred Mouse looked crestfallen.
Although none of them knew why, they could clearly see the word 'disappointment' on the White-furred Mouse.
'Oh no~ It's all over, the paintings are stolen, the boss will kill me.'
Lu Zhi's gaze turned subtle. Staring at the dejected White-furred Mouse, he hesitated for a moment before asking, "What kind of painting was stolen?"
The White-furred Mouse sadly hugged the chestnut and chewed while weeping. With two squeaks, it subconsciously replied, 'It was a portrait of the Rat Emperor and Empress in their loving embrace...'
Lu Zhi was bewildered. He could actually understand this White-furred Mouse.
Although he knew from Loffis and Er Pang's conversation that there were translators, he had only just arrived in the City of Never Sleep. It made no sense that he could understand the language of mice.
The White-furred Mouse, realizing this, suddenly leaped from the table and lunged towards Lu Zhi, squeaking incessantly. Everyone was caught off guard.
However, before it could reach Lu Zhi, Shen Qi, with a look of disdain, caught it by the scruff of its neck with two fingers and tossed it back onto the table.
"What's going on?" Loffis asked, puzzled. "Is this little rat trying to attack you?"
The White-furred Mouse became agitated, 'You're the little rat! My name is Bai Zhan, Hundred Battles, Invincible Bai Zhan!'
Lu Zhi: ...Seems not very bright.
The White-furred Mouse squeaked at Lu Zhi for a long time, 'You can understand what I'm saying, right?'
Lu Zhi hesitated, then nodded.
The White-furred Mouse was overjoyed, 'Quickly tell them, I wasn't trying to attack you, I was just too excited that you could understand me.'
Under Bai Zhan's expectant beady black eyes, Lu Zhi slightly raised his hand. "Um, I think I can understand Mouse language. He wasn't trying to attack me; he was just a bit too excited."
The White-furred Mouse squeaked a couple more times.
Lu Zhi looked at Loffis with a wry smile, "Second Squad, he says his name isn't 'Little Rat.' His name is Bai Zhan, Hundred Battles, Invincible Bai Zhan."
Loffis: ...Hundred Battles, Invincible?
Loffis glanced strangely at the White-furred Mouse. At this moment, the White-furred Mouse stood with its paws on its hips, looking incredibly proud.
Lu Zhi couldn't help but chuckle softly.
The White-furred Mouse squeaked a couple more times, repeatedly pointing at Shen Qi. The others, unable to understand its language, were intrigued.
Yan Shao thoughtfully guessed, "Perhaps he wants Mentor Shen to apologize?"
Lu Zhi looked at Yan Shao in surprise, "You can understand Mouse language too?"
Yan Shao: "No, no, no. I can only roughly guess the simple thoughts of this little… guardian rat, Bai Zhan."
Shen Qi, who had been silent, spoke in a gentle tone, his silver-gray eyes fixed on the White-furred Mouse. "You want me to apologize?"
The White-furred Mouse squeaked, its fur standing on end, and quickly scrambled to hide behind the blanket on the table.
Lu Zhi nudged Shen Qi's arm with his elbow, "He's still just a child. Don't scare him."