Dinner was shared by the three of them: Chen Yang, Su Zining, and Ye Yiqing. As for the nurse Guan Xiyue, she had a night shift to attend and couldn't make it back home today, which left Chen Yang slightly disappointed.
At the dinner table, Chen Yang devoured his food, mouth stuffed full, and gave Su Zining a thumbs-up, mumbling through his mouthful, "Zi Ning, your cooking is indeed the best."
Su Zining smiled softly, looking up at Chen Yang with tender care in her eyes like gentle ripples on water, her lips curving into shallow dimples. Dressed in a cheongsam, she resembled a lady from the Republic of China era depicted in old magazines — pure and ethereal, yet even more beautiful.
Ye Yiqing pushed rice around in her bowl, her gaze periodically sneaking glances at Chen Yang, thinking to herself, "This guy looks so ordinary, how could he have effortlessly dodged my surprise attack and even turned it around to subdue me? His martial arts skills are too good, there must be something fishy."
"Yi Qing."
Lost in her thoughts and staring intently at Chen Yang, Ye Yiqing was startled when he suddenly called her name, causing her to jerk her wrist and hastily shift her gaze back to pretend to eat, only to find her bowl was already empty.
The atmosphere suddenly turned a bit awkward.
Chen Yang raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Why are you not eating and just staring at me? I'll tell you, I don't like violent women."
"You... huh, I won't stoop to your level for Zi Ning's sake," Ye Yiqing said, glaring at him, huffing angrily.
Su Zining gave Chen Yang a reproachful look, signaling him not to tease Ye Yiqing.
Just then, the sound of a ringing phone broke the silence. Chen Yang fished out an old monochrome screen Nokia phone. Glancing at the number, he frowned slightly and walked towards the dining hall entrance, "I'll take this call and be right back."
Gazing at the Nokia phone Chen Yang pressed to his ear, Ye Yiqing analyzed, "What era is this to still be using a Nokia, and a monochrome one at that? His financial situation must be pretty grim."
Standing in the yard, Chen Yang answered the call with impatience, "Hello, Old Li, yeah, yeah, call you master. I'm now enjoying life after inheriting Grandpa's courtyard house. Please don't assign any new missions to this retired worker; I tell you, I absolutely won't accept."
"No, I won't help, even as a favor. Don't say that a disciple must obey the master's orders; I won't fall for that. I have principles. Since I'm retired, I will definitely not make a comeback."
"What, pure! A beauty! A university student!"
Chen Yang's eyes lit up, and his tone shifted dramatically, "Master, although I'm retired, I deeply remember your kindness. Since it's your friend's granddaughter, of course, I'm willing to sacrifice my rest time to help you out. Ah, what can I do, I'm just too softhearted, aren't I? Principles, principles... I don't even have integrity, let alone principles. Hurry up and send me the girl's information."
After hanging up, Chen Yang moved the phone away from his ear and pressed down on the antenna at the top. The phone's screen projected a full-color 3D virtual image, eight inches square, displaying a girl's personal information and arrangements for Chen Yang.
Lin Rou, eighteen years old, a freshman in Computer Science and Technology at Dong'an University of Technology...
After reading the information and noticing there was no photo, Chen Yang frowned, "No photo, is she ugly? Old Li better not be trying to trick me. Anyway, I'll go and sit in on classes tomorrow; if Lin Rou turns out to be a dinosaur, I'll take off immediately. If she's a beauty, then I'll have to sacrifice the individual for the greater good."
Resolved, Chen Yang felt exceptionally cheerful. In fact, returning to Dong'an City, he indeed feared boredom. Now the chance to go to Dong'an University was way better than staying idle in the courtyard house. Plus, he had never attended university and was quite looking forward to experiencing university life, especially since his comrades had told him there were many innocent and lively girls on campus, one more captivating than the next.
"Zi Ning, there's some money on this card. The PIN is your birthday. Use it to arrange for some renovations on the courtyard house."
Back in the dining hall, Chen Yang took out a bank card and placed it in front of Su Zining, then headed towards the exit, saying, "I haven't been back to Dong'an for so long, I'm going out for a stroll."
Before Su Zining and Ye Yiqing could react, Chen Yang had already left the large gate of the four-courtyard mansion, leaving them exchanging perplexed glances before their attention turned to the bank card.
The mansion they lived in was vast, occupying several hundred square meters and consisting of three courtyards, handed down for over a hundred years, making it a cultural relic. To renovate it while preserving its original appearance would cost at least 500,000 yuan, if not more.
Ye Yiqing's eyes darted around as she analyzed in her mind, "Chen Yang is still using a black-and-white screen Nokia phone, which clearly shows his financial struggles. He said there's a 'bit' of money in this card, but I reckon it's at most a few thousand. However, the fact that he used Zi Ning's birthday as the password is rather peculiar."
As she thought, Ye Yiqing grabbed the police cap on the table and stood up to leave, "Zi Ning, I have a task tonight, so I'm heading out first."
After Ye Yiqing left the dining hall, Su Zining silently pocketed the bank card with a wry smile. Her thoughts mirrored Ye Yiqing's, doubting there was much money in the card and not planning to use it, thinking of it as merely safeguarding it for Chen Yang.
...
In the bar, the music was explosive, as if every beat was hammering on people's nerves. Smelling the alcohol in the air and watching the men and women wildly gyrating, even the calmest individuals couldn't help but feel a faint thrill.
Chen Yang was familiar with bars because he would often bring his team members to unwind there after completing missions, drinking a lot and then leaving with women they fancied.
Of course, today he wasn't there to find despondent housewives; he just wanted to have a drink.
Under the puzzled gaze of the bartender, Chen Yang ordered a bottle of rum without any mixers, pouring it straight into the glass and drinking it down in big gulps as if it were beer.
The alcohol content of rum is comparable to that of baijiu, and the bartender had never seen anyone who could drink baijiu like beer.
"Doesn't taste very good."
Chen Yang shook the glass in his hand, feeling nostalgic about the rum they had seized while fighting with the Blood Wolf Mercenary Corps in Africa. However, all that rum had been left behind at the base, and he couldn't drink it even if he wished to.
It was at that moment, under the dim lights, that a girl caught Chen Yang's eye, drawing his attention.
The girl's attire was distinctive, very much like the gothic style from the movie "Sweeney Todd." Her hair was voluminously disheveled, her makeup heavily smoky, with ghostly white foundation, thick eyeliner, bright lipstick, a high-waisted leather jacket, low-rise leather pants, bare midriff, and long legs, all exuding personality, wildness, and sexiness.
However, upon closer inspection, Chen Yang could tell the girl wasn't very old, and her features were very delicate; it was just that the heavy makeup obscured her natural beauty.
"What a pity, such a bright-eyed girl, why would she be into non-mainstream styles?"
Chen Yang pursed his lips, ready to look away, but then the gothic beauty suddenly rushed towards him, flinging herself into his arms and wrapping them tightly around him.
Thrown into his embrace!
I must really have such charm. Just one glance from me and you fell in love?
The girl's fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, and as he felt the softness in his arms, his male hormones surged, and his hands involuntarily embraced the gothic girl.