Lu Mingyuan frowned slightly. The faint trace of goodwill he had developed toward her over a meal instantly vanished.
It seemed the rumors were true—Su Nuannuan was unrestrained in her behavior and had no bottom line.
Having someone like her assist him in completing the mission was simply absurd.
“Ji Xiao, she’s not suitable. Let’s request a replacement. Have the local department assign a female comrade.”
Ji Xiao furrowed his brows in contemplation, considering the feasibility.
Su Nuannuan’s temperament was far too unpredictable—one moment aloof and unapproachable, the next seductive as a fox, and then timid and fearful.
Such a person was indeed unsuitable.
They needed a female comrade with stable emotions, intelligence, and sharp instincts to cooperate with their work.
“Alright, I’ll go apply for a transfer right away.”
Su Nuannuan propped her head with one hand, her fingertips toying with the long hair draped over her chest as she spoke unhurriedly.
“Even with an expedited approval, a transfer request takes at least a day. How can you be sure they’ll select a suitable person for you within that time?”
“Moreover, Elder Sun’s schedule has been moved up. He’ll arrive in Haishi tomorrow.”
She dropped a bombshell.
The two men in the living room abruptly looked up, their sharp, knife-like gazes piercing her.
There was scrutiny, suspicion, but mostly wariness.
Lu Mingyuan’s hand moved to his waist, his entire aura turning cold and murderous. “How do you know about Elder Sun’s schedule?”
That was where he kept his gun.
The atmosphere in the living room grew tense and stagnant, so quiet that only the powerful heartbeats of the three could be heard.
Ji Xiao’s gaze was like a sharp sword, his mountain-like body radiating a terrifying ferocity. “You’re not Su Nuannuan. Tell me, who are you really?”
“You’re right, I’m indeed not Su Nuannuan.” Su Nuannuan’s eyes remained calm.
The room was charged with tension. Lu Mingyuan’s hand on his waist tightened.
Ji Xiao shifted his stance, leaning forward, his muscles bulging like a leopard ready to pounce on its prey.
Su Nuannuan smiled, lowering the hand that had been playing with her hair. Her clear, bright eyes met Ji Xiao’s gaze directly, though the smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“Because the old Su Nuannuan was already tormented to death by your mother and your sister.”
“The me now is Niohuru Su Nuannuan.”
Ji Xiao didn’t understand what “Niohuru Su Nuannuan” meant, but he sensed her resentment toward his mother and sister.
Guilt overrode reason, and his tense muscles relaxed. “Nuannuan, I…”
Lu Mingyuan’s eyes flickered slightly as he interrupted, “Comrade Su still hasn’t explained how she knows Elder Sun’s schedule so thoroughly.”
“Scientist Sun successfully returned to the country on July 3rd, marking the beginning of a new chapter for China’s aviation industry.” Su Nuannuan recited the passage slowly and steadily.
She reached out, picked up the newspaper spread open on the table, and forcefully threw it into Lu Mingyuan’s lap. “Front page, second line. My eyes aren’t blind.”
Lu Mingyuan unfolded the newspaper and found the second line on the front page—word for word.
His peach-blossom eyes behind the lenses gleamed with sharp intelligence, and his thin lips curved into a pleasing smile. “You only glanced at the newspaper once since entering this room, yet you remembered its content so quickly. Do you have a photographic memory?”
“Heh, photographic memory is something out of legends. At most, my memory is just a bit better than the average person’s.” Su Nuannuan crossed her arms, smiling playfully as she looked at Lu Mingyuan.
A data report about him quickly formed in her mind.
Lu Mingyuan, the male protagonist of this world, with Luck Points defying the heavens.
Estimated height: 185 cm, weight: 75 kg, appearance score: 98.
Personality: suspicious, IQ: 160, rational, clear-headed, extremely difficult to approach.
Success rate of winning him over: almost zero.
Su Nuannuan licked her lips, a blazing fire igniting deep within her calm eyes.
It was quite challenging; she hadn’t encountered something this challenging in a long time.
The two locked eyes, both wearing faint smiles that didn’t reach their eyes, like two cunning foxes evenly matched, their fighting spirits surging.
Lu Mingyuan’s smile deepened; he seemed to have caught the scent of a kindred spirit.
“With just this piece of information, you deduced that Elder Sun would arrive in Haishi early tomorrow? Comrade Su, if the chain of evidence is insufficient, how do you think we would treat you?”
If she couldn’t explain clearly, she would be treated as an enemy spy—detained, interrogated, stripped to the bone, or secretly executed outright.
They would never allow any threat to exist.
Su Nuannuan naturally saw the killing intent beneath his gentle smile, but so what? She had a clear conscience.
Leaning forward, she pushed aside the stacked newspapers, pulled one out from among them, spread it open on the table, and tapped her finger on a few lines of tiny, almost invisible text in the lower right corner.
Haishi weather tomorrow: 39 degrees, heavy rain, approximately level 6 winds. Citizens are advised to take precautions.
“Haishi is surrounded by mountains. Heavy rain and strong winds will increase the probability of mudslides. If Elder Sun doesn’t come tomorrow, he’ll be stuck in Haishi for at least half a month.”
The two hurriedly leaned in to look at the small print that many had overlooked.
Heavy rain, level 6 winds.
Su Nuannuan wasn’t lying.
Both were secretly shocked.
Her keen observation—with just a minor piece of information, she could deduce so much. Her intellect was almost monstrous.
Ji Xiao suppressed his shock, his expression grave. “I’ll go make a call. Nuannuan, stay here and don’t go anywhere.”
With that, he quickly ran out of the courtyard.
This information had to be relayed as soon as possible, or the consequences would be unimaginable.
Those lurking in the shadows were eager to pounce and devour Elder Sun alive.
If he were stranded in Haishi, Elder Sun might never return to the capital.
For a moment, only Su Nuannuan and Lu Mingyuan remained in the living room.
In the silence, Lu Mingyuan stared at her intently, as if trying to see through her and glimpse the soul hidden beneath this facade.
Su Nuannuan curled her lips into a shy, innocent smile. “Comrade Lu, why are you staring at me like that? Is there something dirty on my face?”
Her pure and timid demeanor made it seem as though the sharp, evidence-driven person from moments ago was just a dream.
Lu Mingyuan chuckled softly, his clear, clean voice echoing in Su Nuannuan’s ears.
Su Nuannuan felt half her body go numb. She pinched the soft flesh on her thigh and lowered her gaze to hide the desire in her eyes.
Clenching her legs together, she took a sip of cold boiled water to suppress the inexplicably surging heat in her body.
[System, why is my body reacting like this?]
[Hehe, the Host’s body sensitivity increases as various stats improve. Right now, your sensitivity is twenty times higher than before, making you highly prone to arousal. It is recommended that the Host address her needs as soon as possible.]
Su Nuannuan gritted her teeth. [007, you’re asking for death!]
“Comrade Su, your face is very red. Is the medicine taking effect again?” Lu Mingyuan asked with feigned concern, though he remained firmly seated on the sofa, showing no intention of getting up.
“I’m fine, it’s just too hot. Washing my face will help.”
Su Nuannuan patted her cheeks, stood up, and walked outside. She turned on the faucet in the courtyard, letting the cold tap water splash over her face, dampening her hair and causing it to hang down.
She lifted a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, and a flash of red plum blossom briefly appeared.
After washing several times in a row, she finally managed to dispel the surging desire erupting within her. Gasping for breath, she leaned against the edge of the sink, water droplets trickling down her delicate chin and disappearing into her collar.
[System, reduce sensitivity immediately, or I’ll kill myself right now.]
A pink piglet fluttered its wings as it flew around her, angrily shouting, [Host, are you insane? How dare you threaten the System with your life!]
Su Nuannuan’s eyes reddened. She pulled out the brooch she had taken from the Ji family from her pocket, pressing its sharp pin against her neck, her gaze icy cold.
[Reduce sensitivity now!]