Chapter 169 It's good that you've all arrived.

Qin Haoran's recommendation of his own brother was certainly not purely out of "selflessness".

He harbored some unspoken thoughts, his seemingly casual yet keenly observant eyes scrutinizing Lu Zheng's every reaction.

He wanted to take this opportunity to push Lu Zheng and see if this emotional blockhead could actually break through the barrier on his own.

If Lu Zheng can't overcome his inner conflict about "public versus private" and "worrying leads to confusion," and tacitly agrees to have Qin Haochu accompany him, then he'll wait to drink Lu Zheng's "wedding wine" in the future, although he feels the hope is slim; if Lu Zheng can overcome his concerns and take the initiative to stand up, then he, Qin Haoran, will wait with peace of mind to enjoy the feast after Su Xiaonuan's successful return.

By any measure, it seems Qin Haoran isn't at a loss.

—The premise is that Lu Zheng has to really "get it" first.

Qin Haoran sighed silently in his heart. For the sake of his brother's possible "budding happiness", he had staked his "ticket" to go to Su Xiaonuan's place for meals in the future. He was even prepared for Su Xiaonuan to find out the truth and scold him after the mission was over.

"Old Lu, Old Lu, I've staked my livelihood on this, you'd better give me some support..." he silently cried out in his heart.

Lu Zheng's silence made the atmosphere in the conference room somewhat delicate once again.

Su Xiaonuan also noticed something was wrong and looked at Lu Zheng with a puzzled expression in her clear eyes: "Officer Lu?"

Lu Zheng was brought back to his senses by her voice.

He raised his eyes, his gaze complex as he looked at Su Xiaonuan.

The girl's petite figure appeared particularly frail under the lamplight, but the light shining in her eyes was more powerful than any weapon. He saw that she was completely oblivious to his worries, focused only on the mission; he also saw Qin Haoran winking and making faces across from him, looking like he was enjoying the show.

An indescribable emotion surged in his chest—it was worry, it was reluctance to let anyone else, even Qin Haochu with a clean background, accompany her on this adventure, it was a strong impulse, which he himself had not yet fully understood, to personally protect her.

Ultimately, the impulse overcame all rational considerations and that tiny bit of awkwardness.

He took a deep breath, as if making a decision, his tightly pursed lips relaxed, and he spoke in a deep voice, slightly hoarse yet exceptionally clear:

"good."

He agreed to Qin Haochu's inclusion, but then his tone shifted abruptly. He looked sharply at Qin Haoran, then swept his gaze over the others present, his usual calm and unquestionable tone returning: "However, I must personally take charge of the perimeter support and operational command. I will coordinate with the technical team to ensure that communication and positioning are flawless. Report any situation immediately."

His "but" effectively secured the core security responsibility for the operation for himself.

Qin Haoran was taken aback for a moment, then a knowing smile flashed across his peach blossom eyes, and he secretly made a "V" sign under the table.

Hmm, although it's not completely broken through, this reaction suggests there's potential!

Although Su Xiaonuan didn't fully understand the meaning behind Lu Zheng's words after that moment of silence, she felt inexplicably at ease when she heard that he finally agreed and would personally oversee things from the outside.

She immediately smiled and nodded vigorously: "Yes! With Officer Lu in charge, I feel much more at ease!"

The matter was settled.

The air seemed to relax a little as well.

Su Xiaonuan's face brightened with a relaxed smile. She clapped her hands, breaking the lingering seriousness, and said cheerfully, "Alright, alright, let's put the serious business aside for now. To celebrate... well, the celebration plan is starting to take shape, and to thank everyone for taking care of us all, how about we go out for a meal together? Or... come to my house, I'll cook a nice meal for everyone?"

She blinked her big eyes, a hint of pride and anticipation in them, and said, "I guarantee it'll taste better than what you get at restaurants!"

Her words seemed to alleviate some of the underlying anxiety that had been building during the meeting.

Qin Haoran grinned and agreed, "Oh my, talking about it makes me hungry! Little Nuannuan, since you've invited us so sincerely, then we won't stand on ceremony! Let's go to your house! I've been craving your cooking for so long! Today we're going to treat you to a good meal!"

As he spoke, he nudged Lu Zheng, who remained silent beside him, with his elbow and winked at him.

Lu Zheng seemed to be jolted awake from some kind of reverie by the bump.

He raised his head, his gaze complex as he looked at Su Xiaonuan.

The girl stood under the light, petite in stature, her doll-like face still bearing traces of childishness, but her bright eyes burned with undeniable courage and determination, like two stars fallen to earth.

He saw the fleeting vulnerability in her eyes when she mentioned her adoptive father, and even more so, he saw how she quickly wrapped it up with strength as she matured.

The heavy worry in his heart, the turmoil stirred up by Qin Haoran's teasing, seemed to have calmed down somewhat at this moment.

He remained worried, perhaps even more so than before, but he also clearly recognized that he could not, and should not, prevent a soul from choosing the direction to fly.

He took a deep breath and finally spoke, his voice still as calm and deep as ever, but it seemed to have an extra, elusive warmth: "Okay. I'll go to your place."

He paused, then added, "What ingredients do you need to buy? I'll drive there tonight and stop by the supermarket on the way."

Su Xiaonuan shook her head, her smile gentle: "No need, it's enough that you've all arrived!"

Lu Zheng's eyes flickered slightly, and his expression softened. At this moment, he chose to respect her, to support her, and also to protect her in his own way, whether she could see it or not.

In the afternoon, everyone dispersed to prepare for the upcoming mission. They agreed to have dinner at Su Xiaonuan's house again that evening, as a small relaxation before the battle, and also to refine the details of their roles.

After the meeting, Su Xiaonuan made a special detour to the Leicasa Cafe. With her agile skills and the slight prompts from the system, she retrieved the listening device hidden in a secret corner of the private room without anyone noticing.

Clutching the small metal device, her eyes turned slightly cold, her wariness of Han Ming and the forces behind him deepening.

As evening falls, the setting sun casts a warm golden glow over the city.

The small apartment where Su Xiaonuan lived was already bustling with activity. An Ran and Qin Haochu had arrived early and were helping Su Xiaonuan in the kitchen.

An Ran shed her professional demeanor, donning a cute cartoon apron as she clumsily but diligently washed the vegetables; Qin Haochu, on the other hand, maintained the rigor of a forensic doctor, even his slicing of scallions was as meticulous as if he were performing an autopsy, though the slight upturn of his lips indicated that he was in a good mood.