As they got up to leave, the barbecue stall was still surrounded by customers picking out ingredients.
Xiao Xun wanted to say goodbye to Xiao Sanmao before leaving. When he went over, he saw that Xiao Sanmao and his companions were all drunk, their words slurring.
“You guys drink slowly, I’m leaving now.”
Xiao Sanmao’s eyes were glazed over. He swayed as he stood up, grabbed Xiao Xun’s arm, and looked at Chu Ningxiang, who was following behind Xiao Xun. “Brother Xiao, drive carefully.”
Xiao Xun didn't understand what he meant and asked curiously, “I’m not driving.”
Xiao Sanmao pulled something out of his pocket and stuffed it into Xiao Xun’s trouser pocket. “Listen to your brother’s advice, be safe, don’t cause any ‘trouble’!”
Xiao Xun was utterly confused and asked, “You’re drunk, drink less! You’re saying things I don’t understand.”
After bidding farewell to Xiao Sanmao, Xiao Xun and Chu Ningxiang walked to where she had parked her motorcycle.
“Where do you live? I’ll give you a ride back!”
Xiao Xun was still shaken from the earlier “speeding.” He thought for a moment and said, “Never mind, I’ll go back myself. It’s not far.”
“By this time, the buses and subways would have stopped running, and it’s hard to get a taxi. Why make it troublesome? It’s just a matter of a throttle twist. What are you being polite to me for?” After saying that, she stood almost flush against Xiao Xun. “Are you afraid I’ll ‘eat’ you!”
Looking at Chu Ningxiang’s ‘fiery red lips,’ Xiao Xun swallowed hard. He was a ‘shut-in.’ Due to his family’s circumstances and personal reasons, he had never even dated properly in college.
After graduation, influenced by his cousin, he always felt particularly inferior and inadequate around girls, especially pretty ones.
He thought, “If I die, I die. I’ll risk it all today.”
With a determined heart, he sat on the motorcycle, saying, “Why should I be afraid of you? Let’s go.”
This time, perhaps to consider Xiao Xun’s feelings, or perhaps fearing Xiao Xun might throw up what he’d just eaten, or maybe because Chu Ningxiang wanted to spend more time with Xiao Xun, she rode her imported ‘sportbike’ at a pace slower than an ordinary electric scooter.
When they arrived in front of the Saint Roman building, Xiao Xun reminded her, “We’re here.”
Looking at the commercial office building before them, Chu Ningxiang asked curiously, “You live here?”
After receiving Xiao Xun’s affirmative answer, she pointed at the building and said, “This is a commercial building.”
Xiao Xun scratched his head sheepishly. “I’ve been sleeping in the office these past two days. It’s convenient for work in the morning, saving me the trouble of getting up early.”
Chu Ningxiang understood instantly. She guessed that someone living here must be a security guard, and the so-called office was probably the security room.
“Want to come up for a bit?”
Xiao Xun extended the invitation. Chu Ningxiang was afraid that if she accepted, the other person might feel awkward, so she waved her hand. “Maybe next time! It’s getting late today.”
Xiao Xun didn’t insist further. He got off the motorcycle and headed straight into the building.
At the entrance, there was only one security guard playing a game. Due to the shift system, the security guards who had drunk with him last night were not on duty.
Seeing Xiao Xun, he quickly stood up. “Director Xiao, is there a problem with our system again so late?”
Xiao Xun nodded and said nothing more.
The security guard said with concern, “You guys work too hard.”
Xiao Xun took out his work ID from his pocket, bringing out the item Xiao Sanmao had given him.
He bent down to pick it up and saw a small sealed plastic bag with the words: “Technique is more important than size.”
Xiao Xun was in a hurry to get back and didn’t immediately grasp the meaning of the sentence. He casually put it in his pocket and headed towards the elevator.
Just as he reached the elevator entrance, he encountered a patrolling security guard coming out of the elevator. “Director Xiao, working overtime again?”
Xiao Xun nodded and got into the elevator.
These security guards were used to it. In this kind of company, overtime was the norm, and people came and went at all hours.
Back in his office, Xiao Xun took out his phone and couldn’t resist checking for new messages, but there were none.
He opened his computer and played a single-player game for a while, but he felt like something was bothering him. He kept glancing at his phone and couldn’t focus on the game.
After about half an hour, it felt like half a year. He felt like time was dragging.
He picked up his phone and sent Chu Ningxiang a message: “Are you home yet?”
Then his heart started pounding again, unsure if it was anticipation or nervousness.
He felt he was being too forward and worried that if she didn’t reply, what should he do?
After a long minute, his phone beeped. Xiao Xun excitedly picked it up.
The reply came: “Yes, I’m home. Are you asleep yet?”
“Not yet.”
Xiao Xun blurted it out before he could even think. This must be what it felt like to be in love!
He looked around and chuckled to himself, feeling embarrassed.
He hadn't eaten much that night, mostly having chatted. He hadn’t dared to order too much, as some places, even if they looked modest, didn’t display prices and charged exorbitant amounts.
So, he felt a bit hungry now.
He secretly bought a small electric pot and a box of instant noodles. He opened a packet and added some of his own seasonings.
He filled it with water from the dispenser, cooked the noodles until they were slightly soft, then took them out and rinsed them with cold water. He then added the seasoning packet, mixed it, and poured in hot water.
Just as he was about to eat, the door was suddenly pushed open. When one’s mind is highly focused, a sudden noise can be startling.
A woman in a black silk shirt and suit pants walked in slowly. She had light makeup on and a very cold expression.
“Who are you?”
The woman asked first. Xiao Xun looked at the person before him and felt a sense of familiarity but couldn’t recall where he had seen her.
However, anyone who appeared here must be a staff member. “I’m Xiao Xun, the newly appointed Technical Director.”
The woman shook her head, indicating she didn’t recognize him, and then looked at the bowl of noodles in Xiao Xun’s hand.
Seeing that the woman wasn’t speaking and was staring intently at his noodles, Xiao Xun offered, “Do you want some?”
Without any preamble, the woman reached out and took Xiao Xun’s bowl.
Xiao Xun handed her the chopsticks. The woman, without bothering to blow on the noodles, picked them up and put them directly into her mouth.
“And who are you?” Xiao Xun asked, mimicking her tone, his curiosity piqued.
The woman seemed to choke on her food from eating too quickly. She directly picked up the small electric pot and gulped down the scalding noodle soup.
With a gulp, the woman’s face showed a look of satisfaction. She looked at Xiao Xun and said, “Your noodles are delicious. I’m Mu Jiahe.”
Xiao Xun extended his hand. “Nice to meet you. Which department are you from?”
Mu Jiahe placed the bowl on the desk and casually picked up a tissue to wipe her mouth.
Xiao Xun stood there, watching the elegant Mu Jiahe, waiting for her to tell him the answer.
Suddenly, Mu Jiahe looked up abruptly, then lunged forward, grabbed Xiao Xun’s injured left arm, and pinned him beneath her, pressing him down under the desk.
Xiao Xun cried out in pain from his left arm, and with his cry, the massive floor-to-ceiling window shattered.
At that moment, two figures jumped through the broken window, their eyes equipped with night-vision goggles, holding assault rifles – weapons strictly controlled by the state and rarely seen even on the black market.
Mu Jiahe pressed Xiao Xun’s right shoulder with one hand and kicked the desk away with a powerful front kick. The force behind it was immense.
Mu Jiahe had already pulled Xiao Xun aside to safety. Everything happened in a flash, too fast for him to react.
When he came to his senses, he realized that a stack of files and two computers on his desk had flown away with the desk.
“My computers!”