Huo Rou walked into the boarding gate, the three men at the check-in counter still looking dazed.
Weren't they just supposed to escort her through the formalities and then send her back? The "driver" was completely stunned, having never anticipated this situation.
Moreover, Huo Rou took the backpack with one hand, effortlessly.
Chen Long stepped forward, his voice low, "Xiao You, did you tamper with the system? This is no game."
This was Madam Ren's speculation, and now that Huo Rou could actually board the plane to Yizhou, sending only her, it made him incredibly nervous.
"Of course not," Huo Rou said casually, weighing the bag. "This is a legitimate route."
"I'll go with you," Chen Long said with a stern, uncompromising look.
The counter agent walked over. "Sir, you cannot go."
Huo Rou could go because of her special status, a special permit. Chen Long did not have that.
Chen Long quickly showed his ID. "Can I go now?"
Chen Guochao also showed his identification. "What about me?"
Seeing them both so unified, the driver thought for a moment and then took out his work ID. "Yu Chang City Intelligence Department. Can we go together?"
Going along would also be contributing to intelligence work.
Letting such a delicate "ace little sister" go alone...
He looked at Huo Rou, who was holding her bag with a composed expression, and swallowed.
Well, setting aside the adjective, she was still an "ace little sister" and couldn't go to Yizhou alone!
The man who had been mocking Huo Rou earlier, upon seeing that these three were all people of considerable status, had his mouth shut as if glued.
What important figures had he offended!
"Hurry up and let them in!" he urged the front desk staff, realizing that none of them could afford to offend these people.
The man offered a fawning smile. The counter agent checked their identification information and then regretfully stated, "I'm sorry, the three of you cannot go to Yizhou."
Chen Long's heart suddenly tightened.
Huo Rou's work might be even more serious than he had imagined!
Time was of the essence. Huo Rou smiled and waved goodbye to them.
Before the plane took off, she received a special call.
"You're really going to Yizhou?"
Huo Rou nodded. "Yes, the Yizhou laboratory needs me."
"As expected, my most outstanding soldier!" the other person said proudly. "You truly can do anything!"
It sounded noisy on the other end, and the person seemed busy. He didn't say much more, only solemnly instructing her, "Take care!"
The plane took off, and she was the only one in the entire cabin.
As the sky gradually brightened, the sun slowly rose from behind the clouds, painting the sky with rosy hues. Through the window, she could see the sun up close.
Huo Rou reached out her hand. Sunlight streamed through her fingers, making the sapphire on her knuckle sparkle, clear and bright.
The world would always be full of hope, as long as there was light.
In the dim room, sunlight also found its way through the cracks in the window.
Qin Ningyi quietly stared at the ceiling.
The night had passed.
He tilted his head, stretching his stiff neck.
His fingers tapped rhythmically on the pillow beside him, which was now cold.
The sound of a door opening downstairs, footsteps seemed heavy, completely different from An An's light steps as he had run past the door earlier.
His phone rang.
He sat up almost immediately. "Where did she go?"
"Young Master Qin..." the other person stammered.
"Speak."
"Miss Huo went to... Yizhou."
Qin Ningyi's mind flashed back to Huo Rou's expression when she heard he was going to Yizhou. She had seemed so worried, so scared...
"Dad!" As Qin Ningyi stepped out of his room, An An looked up at him, his eyes bright and full of reliance. "Why are you sleeping in today? Aren't you going for your morning run?"
An An was a disciplined child. Even after being frightened recently, his morning runs had not stopped; they had simply moved from outdoors to their own garden.
Qin Ningyi always accompanied him, but he was absent today.
He looked at An An's innocent smile, his hand clenching unconsciously.
"What's wrong?" An An walked over, looking up at him. "Are you not feeling well, Dad? Your eyes are so red!"
"An An..." he started, but didn't know how to continue.
In what state of mind must Huo Rou's parents have gone to their battlefield back then?
An An still had him by his side, but back then, Ah Rou...
He ruffled An An's soft hair. "Dad is fine."
After Qin Ningyi had breakfast with An An, he glanced at the somewhat dispirited Chen father and son before him and then got up to return to his study alone.
There would always be a better way.
Restlessly, he opened his computer, moving the mouse to check the situation in Yizhou for the day.
As the mouse moved, a "rustling" sound was heard. Qin Ningyi's gaze snapped back to a sticky note that had appeared before him.
His pupils widened, and he carefully picked up the note.