Chapter 154 It's time to take the initiative.

She felt as if she were caught in an invisible net, surrounded by a thick fog, and trust had become the most luxurious and dangerous thing.

Lu Zheng was extremely perceptive and immediately noticed Su Xiaonuan's sudden change in emotions.

Her usually clear and bright eyes were now clouded with gloom, her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, and even the vibrant and lively aura around her seemed to have subsided somewhat.

She was worried, even... wary.

Lu Zheng's heart also tightened.

Could it be that, without his knowledge, Su Xiaonuan had already independently accessed or even investigated some crucial information about that crescent moon mark, thus becoming aware of the potential danger?

The thought made his chest tighten, and an unprecedented urge to protect her under his wings and shield her from all storms arose within him.

He pursed his hard lips, and almost without thinking, with an unquestionable, almost forceful concern, he said in a deep voice, "Su Xiaonuan, remember, no matter what happens, or if you discover anything unusual, call me immediately."

His gaze was fixed on her, the implication so strong it was almost palpable. He was no longer the businesslike Officer Lu of the day, but more like... a guardian worried that his companion might fall into a trap.

Su Xiaonuan was taken aback by the rare, undisguised concern in his words.

She looked up and met his deep, focused eyes. The clear worry in them was like a warm current, quietly flowing into her somewhat chilly heart and dispelling some of the coldness.

She wasn't ungrateful; she knew the weight of Lu Zheng's words.

She suppressed the chaotic thoughts in her mind, not wanting him to worry too much, and forced a smile to appear more relaxed. She nodded vigorously, her voice regaining its usual softness, but carrying a hint of unwavering determination: "Okay, I understand, thank you, Officer Lu."

After saying that, she got up to take her leave.

As I reached the office door and grasped the doorknob, I paused for a moment, almost inexplicably, and couldn't help but look back.

Lu Zheng remained seated, his posture upright like a pine tree, the light streaming in from the window outlining the cold, handsome profile of his face.

He didn't speak, but simply gazed back at her quietly. The emotions he had just displayed in his deep eyes were gone, replaced by his usual calm and focus, like a calm sea, unfathomable yet giving people a sense of security that they could rely on.

The tension in Su Xiaonuan's heart seemed to be eased somewhat by that gaze.

She took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and went out.

The door closed gently behind me, shutting out the quiet atmosphere of the office.

The corridor was quiet and deserted. Su Xiaonuan leaned against the cold wall and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. Lu Zheng's reminder and his quiet support reassured her considerably, but she couldn't afford to be complacent.

Those parasites lurking in the shadows have repeatedly extended their tentacles toward her, from thugs to thieves, from internet celebrities to Fu Lilian now... Is Su Xiaonuan destined to passively wait for them to make their move?

No, she didn't want to.

Perhaps it's time to take the initiative.

But... how much does the other party actually know about her? Her past? That's probably impossible.

The most likely explanation is that her close relationship with the police department was discovered by them.

For a criminal organization hiding in the shadows, an ordinary citizen who frequently interacts with the police and even "coincidentally" assists in solving cases on multiple occasions is undoubtedly a thorn in their side that needs to be removed.

Having figured this out, Su Xiaonuan calmed down considerably.

Now that we've been targeted, there's no escaping it; the only option is to confront it head-on and see who has the last laugh.

She straightened her back, her eyes regained their clarity and determination, and left the police station with steady steps, driving home with the inkstone that had been waiting obediently in the car.

The next morning, her biological clock woke Su Xiao up on time.

After a night of rest and reflection, she felt much better.

The process of preparing ingredients and setting up the stall remains unchanged.

However, today she deliberately avoided the location at the main entrance of the municipal hospital yesterday, and instead drove her stall to a smaller but equally lively night market area behind the hospital.

Today I'm selling boneless chicken feet with spicy and sour lemon.

Having completed yesterday's stall task, she now has 10,890 merit points, enough to handle anything that might happen.

This night market is quite different from the previous ones, which were characterized by high mobility and a diverse mix of people.

The stalls were relatively fixed, and many of the stall owners seemed to know each other well.

As soon as Su Xiaonuan's clean and unique light wood-colored stall cart came to a stop, it attracted a lot of curious glances.

"Hey, new here? What delicious food are you selling?" A middle-aged woman selling fruit next to her greeted her with a smile, deftly peeling a pineapple in her hands.

"The young lady is so pretty, and this car is nice too!" A loud, cheerful woman selling multigrain pancakes across the street exclaimed.

"Boss, need any help? I know this place well!" Even an old man selling dried plum and vegetable pancakes across the street greeted him warmly.

Su Xiaonuan was initially overwhelmed by the overwhelming enthusiasm, feeling warm inside. While setting up her tools, she smiled and replied, "Thank you everyone. I sell spicy squid and some snacks. I'm new here, so please take care of me."

However, this initial sense of warmth was quickly overshadowed by some subtle, gradually amplifying "abnormalities".

She first noticed the owner of the pancake stall next door—a handsome young man who looked to be in his early twenties, with delicate features and a tall, upright figure.

He was wearing an apron and his movements looked quite professional, but the hands holding the scraper clearly showed a kind of unfamiliarity and stiffness that didn't belong to someone who had been making pancakes for many years.

He scooped up a spoonful of batter, poured it onto the griddle, and tried to twist his wrist, but instead of spreading it evenly, the batter clumped together.

He frantically tried to smooth it with the scraper, but he didn't control the pressure well, resulting in uneven thickness at the edges and almost puncturing the middle.

Most importantly, he was so focused on working with the batter that he completely forgot to adjust the heat. By the time he remembered, the pancake near the center of the griddle was already showing signs of burning.

"..." Su Xiaonuan's eyes twitched as she watched, her heart screaming: Bro, it's hot! It's too hot! Flip it! Flip it now!

The handsome stall owner seemed to smell the burning as well. A hint of annoyance and anxiety appeared on his handsome face. He tried to salvage the situation with a shovel, but his movements became increasingly clumsy.

Su Xiaonuan couldn't bear to watch any longer.

Normally, she would definitely have stepped forward to offer some guidance.

But at that moment, a strange intuition made her suppress the urge to help directly.