Only after that woman left did Zhou Zuizui shoot Shen Nan a glare and reach out to poke his arm: “Why’d you cut me off?”
Just now, when the woman found out about the two of them, she stormed off glaring at her and even cursed her out. Thinking about it, Zhou Zuizui looked at the main culprit.
Shen Nan glanced down, replied to a message from Xiao Tong, then gave her a cool look: “Having a lot of fun?”
“You bet.” Zhou Zuizui shrugged, sizing him up and down with disdain: “That little cutie was way more fun than you.”
Teasing a bit and joking around made things less boring. Otherwise, being with Shen Nan might bore her to death. This guy was stiff all over—his body was hard, sure, but his personality was too. No fun at all.
Of course, Zhou Zuizui would never admit there might be other reasons.
Shen Nan tugged at the corner of his mouth but ignored her.
The dessert shop was crowded—people coming in and out, chatting and laughing, some stopping to rest after walking around tired.
Before Zhou Zuizui came back, a lot of people were sneaking glances at Shen Nan’s table, and quite a few were itching to come over and hit on him.
Once she returned and sat next to him, everyone saw it and gave up on those ideas.
Zhou Zuizui didn’t care about all those random looks. She lowered her head and slowly enjoyed the dessert that was served, taking her time, looking totally relaxed.
After finishing hers, she eyed the guy next to her who hadn’t touched his at all and let out a light humph: “You’re not eating?”
Shen Nan gave a soft “Mm”: “Too sweet.”
“Then why order it?” Zhou Zuizui side-eyed him, directly pulled his red bean double milk dessert over to her side without any politeness.
“I’ll eat it then.”
With that, Zhou Zuizui dug in on her own. She hadn’t eaten lunch, so she was actually kinda hungry now.
After finishing, the two kept sitting in the dessert shop, zero conversation, each playing on their own phones.
Pretty soon, Zhou Zuizui couldn’t stand the stuffy atmosphere anymore. She looked at Shen Nan, scooted a bit closer, and nudged him with her elbow to get his attention.
“What?”
“Can’t you at least leak a little about what you’re doing?”
Shen Nan pressed his lips together, paused at her curious eyes, and finally explained one sentence: “Talking business.”
Zhou Zuizui’s eyes darted, and she got it right away.
“Illegal stuff?”
Shen Nan went silent again.
But looking at Shen Nan’s expression, Zhou Zuizui knew she’d guessed right. With that in mind, she felt a tiny bit more at ease.
Zhou Zuizui curved her lips into a smile, flashing a proud and bold OK hand gesture.
That afternoon, after leaving the dessert shop, the two wandered around the area some more. At one spot, Shen Nan’s phone buzzed. He answered the call.
After hanging up, Shen Nan looked at her.
Zhou Zuizui nodded understandingly: “Go ahead and take care of your stuff.”
“Mm.” Shen Nan glanced down at her: “Be careful.”
Hearing that, Zhou Zuizui tugged at the corner of her mouth in a smile, looking back at him: “That line should be for you.”
Shen Nan didn’t say anything. He thought for a moment and added: “Call me if anything comes up.”
“No problem.”
In a blink, Shen Nan vanished from her sight.
She watched his back, silently curving her lips. Two years apart, and this guy seemed even tougher and more mature… just a tiny bit more charming too.
At another inn.
Xiao Tong let out a sigh of relief when Shen Nan returned: “Captain Shen, they said tomorrow night at seven for the detailed talk.”
Shen Nan nodded, reaching out to take the message info from Xiao Tong.
He thought for a while, then asked Xiao Tong: “Any word from Deputy Captain Gao? Found out where the stuff is stashed?”
“No.” Xiao Tong reported honestly: “Deputy Captain Gao’s side says they’re being extra cautious. The goods haven’t shown up at all. This time they’re selling a big batch, so they’re way more careful than before.”
Shen Nan understood, saying in a low voice: “Our target this time isn’t just Brother Bao—it’s the people behind him too.”
Smuggling was always illegal, especially rare animals. And this group’s volume was huge—the police had never been able to pin them down.
They were sly, and they had an inside mole in the police, so arrests had always failed.
Shen Nan had just come back from another place when he got assigned this mission temporarily, bringing Xiao Tong and the team here.
Anyone who’d dealt with Brother Bao’s group before was out—they’d been checked by both the police and the criminals’ side. The bad guys had info on their internal people too. After thinking it over, Shen Nan—who hadn’t shown up in two years—was the perfect fit. These lawbreakers had no idea he existed.
Xiao Tong nodded: “I know.”
“Where’s tomorrow’s meeting spot?”
“In the middle of the lake.”
That group suggested they take a boat out there.
That lake nearby is a tourist spot during the day, but the place to get on a boat isn’t right next to the inn—it’s on the other side, quite far away. At night, hardly anyone goes boating on the lake. There’s no night view, no other entertainment, and it’s not safe. Boating isn’t allowed after dark unless you have special connections to pull strings for a private boat to go in.
Shen Nan raised an eyebrow and let out a light snort: “They’ve got some ideas.”
In the middle of the lake—if anything urgent comes up, those guys could just jump in and swim away. The lake near their inn is huge—really more like a river, but it’s called a lake here.
Xiao Tong looked at Shen Nan worriedly: “Master Shen, what if they suspect who we really are?”
“They won’t.” Shen Nan said calmly: “Where’s Deputy Captain Gao and the others right now?”
“Spread out in different inns.”
“We’re heading over there.”
“Yes, sir.”
While Shen Nan was carrying out the mission, Zhou Zuizui was kinda bored wandering around the ancient town.
It was Valentine’s Day after all, so there were twice as many tourists as usual, and the streets were full of couples everywhere, all lovey-dovey coming and going.
Zhou Zuizui watched it all and felt pretty bored. But going back now wouldn’t be right—Shen Nan was still on his mission.
Even though she and Shen Nan didn’t have much real feelings between them, she knew how important his tasks were. Anything that got him personally involved had to be big. To cooperate, Zhou Zuizui was willing to put her own stuff aside.
By evening, Shen Nan and the team had finished planning the next day’s operation and were ready to wrap up.
“Master Shen, you’re not eating with us?”
Shen Nan thought for a bit: “No, I’ve got something else.”
He paused, then looked at Xiao Tong: “Tomorrow, you’re coming with me. No matter what those guys say, don’t act surprised.”
Xiao Tong nodded: “Got it!”
“Remember that!”
“Yes, sir!”
Xiao Tong watched him: “Captain, where else do you have to go?”
Shen Nan let out a soft laugh: “To find someone.”
Xiao Tong stared at Shen Nan’s back as he left, totally confused… The captain was here—who else could he need to find?
When Shen Nan called, Zhou Zuizui was sitting in the shop eating dinner. Everyone around was in pairs—she was the only one kinda forcing it alone.
“Hello.”
“Where are you?”
“Eating in the shop. You done with your stuff?”
“Mm.” Shen Nan’s Adam’s apple bobbed: “I’m coming to find you.”
“Come on then.” The two were super polite. Zhou Zuizui gave him the address, hung up, and kept enjoying her solo dinner.
They met up, finished eating dinner together, and then Zhou Zuizui wanted to head back.
But when the two got back to the inn, to make the act look real, Zhou Zuizui was holding a bunch of bright, dripping-fresh roses in her arms.
The tavern gets crowded at night. Normally, Zhou Zuizui wouldn’t go in through the front door, but tonight… she walked right in holding those flowers, catching everyone off guard. Letting everybody see her, admire her openly.
As soon as she stepped in, most eyes in the tavern landed on her.
Qiuqiu was the most shocked, staring at the two coming in one after the other, her eyes lighting up.
“Sister’s back.” She pointed: “The flowers in your hand are so pretty!”
“Yeah.” Zhou Zuizui grinned wide: “Super fresh, right?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” When it came to hyping her boss, Qiuqiu could spit rainbow compliments all day: “They suit you perfectly—the flowers are as beautiful as you, sister!”
Hearing that, Zhou Zuizui pretended to be mad: “Are the flowers as beautiful as me?”
Qiuqiu: “……No way!” She acted all childish: “It’s Valentine’s Day today—the streets are so lively.”
Valentine’s Day always makes the ancient town buzzing, but the inn gets even wilder. Everyone who’s lived here long knows it clear as day.
After all, couples come traveling at this time for reasons everybody gets. They’re all adults—keeping the love story a bit direct helps things move along faster.
“How’s business tonight?”
“Super good.” Qiuqiu said: “Tons of couples and married folks.”
Zhou Zuizui raised an eyebrow, leaned in close to Qiuqiu and teased: “Get drunk so they can walk together.”
Qiuqiu burst out laughing.
Their voices weren’t too loud or too soft—just right for Shen Nan’s sharp ears to catch every word. When he heard that last line, he lifted his eyelids, glanced at the woman laughing a bit too much, and coughed as a reminder.
Zhou Zuizui side-eyed him, curved her lips into a smile: “Hubby, wanna drink some too?”
She used the flowers in her hand to rub against his chest, all cute and sweet: “The wine I brew is super good—have a little?”
Shen Nan stared at her deeply, secretly amazed. When they were alone, this woman was always cold and detached, like she wanted nothing… except that one time. But right now, in front of everyone, she could act this flirty and seductive.
Like the old saying goes—when a woman turns on the charm, especially a beautiful one, just using a little of that female power… men have zero defense.
The two locked eyes silently. Shen Nan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he gave a low “Mm,” playing along: “Okay.”
“Drink it in the room?” He raised an eyebrow, suggesting with extra meaning.
Zhou Zuizui: “……Sure.”
Under everyone’s staring eyes, the two headed upstairs one after the other. Before going up, Shen Nan even took the wine Qiuqiu handed them. It looked like they really planned to get drunk in the room and get down to business.
The moonlight in the ancient town is always nice—stars twinkling and shining in the sky.
As soon as they entered the room, Zhou Zuizui wanted to relax and keep some distance from Shen Nan. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Shen Nan covered it with his hand.
Zhou Zuizui’s eyes went wide, blinking her lashes at him, totally confused.
Shen Nan set down the stuff in his hand, pulled her into his arms, then lowered his head and wrote on her palm with his finger.
After a bit, Zhou Zuizui nodded—she got it. He was worried there might be surveillance or bugs in the room. For normal people, getting in here would be impossible, but for someone with bad intentions who really wanted to, it wouldn’t be hard for a pro.
Soldiers can climb buildings bare-handed to rescue people—these crooks with shady tricks could find other ways to do bad stuff too.
Thinking about it, Zhou Zuizui just hung her whole body on Shen Nan, leaned close to his ear, and spoke in a breathy whisper so anyone listening or watching wouldn’t hear a thing.
“How do we check?” Her voice was super soft, all her breath tickling his ear. The woman’s fragrance wafted right into his nose with the air, making Shen Nan’s eyes darken.
His body stiffened a little. He held her waist tighter, leaned to her ear, and whispered back: “Turn off the lights. Get on the bed first.”
A spot where even a pinhole camera couldn’t see would make checking easier.
Zhou Zuizui: “……”
She raised an eyebrow, hands on his shoulders, looking at him. Her voice turned all soft and sweet, deliberately louder: “Hubby, aren’t you gonna drink with me first?”
Shen Nan curved his lips, his lips brushing her ear as he played along: “What if we get drunk?”
Zhou Zuizui thought back to her chat with Qiuqiu downstairs, and threw him a flirty wink: “Drunk and walk with me?”
He smiled meaningfully, hinting deep: “Walk where?”
Zhou Zuizui laughed all ambiguous, said two words: “To bed.”