With the matter resolved, Director Hao arranged for Gu Xiaoxi and Lu Jiansen to stay in an executive suite at the guesthouse, complete with fresh fruit baskets and meal vouchers as an official gesture of gratitude.
While Lu Jiansen finalized reports with the local security bureau, Gu Xiaoxi refreshed her clothes and used her [Trash Sweep] skill to tidy the guesthouse suite until it was spotless.
Unpacking the food packages her mother and Aunt Wei had prepared, she found jars of homemade savory meat sauces, fried fish, pickled vegetables, a small iron wok, two bowls marked with red double-happiness characters, and a pouch of fresh spices. Her heart swelled with gratitude for her family’s thoughtful preparation.
When Lu Jiansen returned to the suite later that evening, he brought a hot dinner spread from the guesthouse kitchen. They sat side-by-side, sharing a quiet, cozy meal together.
Lu Jiansen spent the evening telling her about the military base, describing the layout of the residential quarters, the local market, and his fellow officers so she would feel completely comfortable upon arrival.
Listening to his deep, soothing voice, Gu Xiaoxi quietly drifted off to sleep beside him.