Chapter 144 Sharing a Room

The lights at Orly Airport appeared exceptionally cool and bright in the late autumn twilight.

The plane's tires made a steady rubbing sound as they touched the runway. After a slight turbulence, the silver-gray special plane, which had crossed half the globe, finally came to a stop on foreign soil.

The hatch opened, and a humid air, carrying a faint scent of perfume and gasoline, rushed in—a stark contrast to the capital.

Gu Baobao followed the members of the delegation down the gangway.

Beneath my feet was hard concrete, and in the distance were signs with unfamiliar writing and architectural silhouettes of different styles.

She subconsciously tightened her black coat, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up slightly—a primal alertness she felt in a completely unfamiliar environment.

Several black sedans and a medium-sized bus were waiting quietly beside the tarmac.

The people who came to pick them up were staff members from the Chinese Embassy in Country F and an advance team that had arrived earlier.

The two sides exchanged brief and restrained handshakes and pleasantries, using polite language that mixed French and Chinese. Each person's expression carried the propriety and distance characteristic of diplomatic occasions.

Welcome to Paris. Have a long journey.

One of the embassy counselors spoke in a gentle tone, his gaze sweeping over the delegation members, lingering particularly long on Gu Baobao and several key technical personnel.

"The vehicles are ready. We'll take everyone to the hotel to rest first. Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, we'll hold a pre-departure meeting in the hotel conference room, and then head to the exhibition hall to familiarize ourselves with the venue."

There were no unnecessary formalities, and the process was simple and efficient.

The luggage was quickly loaded onto the vehicle, and everyone filed in.

Gu Baobao, Huo Zheng, Lu Zhanming, and two other comrades got into one of the cars.

The Parisian night view outside the car window flowed slowly through the traffic.

Unlike the quiet nights or the few lights in some Chinese cities, the streets here are illuminated by orange streetlights and neon signs from the shops.

The pedestrians' clothing colors and styles are also much bolder, and occasionally you can see groups of people chatting in street cafes.

The air was filled with the aroma of coffee and toast, mixed with the smell of car exhaust.

Everything was new, yet there was an invisible barrier between us.

Gu Baobao quietly looked out the window, silently memorizing the typical sights, road signs, and pedestrian characteristics she saw along the way.

This was a habit she developed in her previous life: whenever she arrived at a new place, she would first quickly establish a basic understanding of the environment.

Lu Zhanming sat beside her, also silently gazing out the window, but his perspective was clearly different.

Pay close attention to the road direction, potential monitoring points, and whether there are any unusual signs of the vehicles.

The car eventually stopped in front of a stone building in a relatively quiet neighborhood, with a solid and imposing appearance.

The hotel wasn't particularly luxurious, but it exuded a dignified, old-fashioned European feel, with the doormen dressed in crisp uniforms.

This aligns with the delegation's preference for a low-key, pragmatic, and safety-first accommodation.

The lobby was brightly lit and well-heated, dispelling the chill outside.

Embassy staff have completed the check-in procedures and are distributing room keys.

The room allocation was clearly carefully considered, with leaders and important members residing on higher or more central floors.

Gu Baobao and Lu Zhanming's room was arranged in a relatively quiet corner on the middle floor.

"Comrade Gu, Comrade Lu, these are your room keys. Room 1508."

The staff member handed Lu Zhanming a hard card key, adding in a low voice,

"The rooms have already been preliminarily inspected by our advance team, but it would be best if you checked them again after you checked in."

I had dinner on the plane. The hotel provides 24-hour hot water.

Breakfast will begin at 7:30 AM tomorrow in the first-floor restaurant. For any assistance, please call the front desk or contact the embassy staff on duty.

"Understood, thank you."

Lu Zhanming took the room card, his fingers tracing the edge of the card, feeling its cool touch.

He turned slightly to the side and whispered to Gu Baobao:

"Let's go up."

The elevator was an old-fashioned gate type, and it made a creaking sound as it ran slowly.

The small space contained only the two of them, their silent figures reflected in the mirror.

Gu Baobao could feel the tension emanating from Lu Zhanming beside her, a tension that was more restrained than usual but not undeniable.

He was like a fully drawn bow, ready to be released even though the arrow had not yet been revealed.

The elevator stopped on the fifteenth floor.

The corridor was carpeted with thick carpets, absorbing the sound of footsteps. The lighting was a soft, warm yellow, and the walls were adorned with landscape paintings of indeterminate age.

It was unusually quiet.

Upon finding room 1508, Lu Zhanming did not immediately swipe his card. Instead, he quickly scanned both ends of the corridor and the area around the door to confirm that there was nothing unusual before inserting the card into the door lock.

With a soft "beep", the green light turned on.

"Hold on."

He spoke softly, gesturing for Gu Baobao to step back, and then pushed the door open and went in first, but without turning on the main light.

Using only the light from the corridor, he quickly scanned the room, while simultaneously closing the door slightly, leaving a crack.

Gu Baobao stood outside the door and could hear his deliberately light but quick footsteps coming from inside as he checked behind the curtains, in the bathroom, in the wardrobe, and even under the bed and the telephone.

The movements were professional and skillful.

About two or three minutes later, the door was fully opened and the ceiling light inside the room was turned on.

"You can come in now."

Lu Zhanming stood inside the door, his expression slightly softened.

"No major problems."

Gu Baobao entered the room. It was a standard room, not large, but clean and tidy.

Two single beds covered with white sheets were placed against the wall, separated by a small bedside table.

There is a desk and a chair by the window, and a wardrobe stands in the corner.

The separate bathroom door was open, revealing white tiles and chrome hardware inside.

The interior design is simple and modern, reflecting the typical characteristics of European and American hotels of this era.

Her gaze swept quickly across the two beds, her heart skipped a beat for no reason, and she forced herself to look away, dragging her suitcase to the bed closest to the other bed.

Lu Zhanming closed the door, locked it, and carefully checked the lock and chain to make sure they were in good condition before placing his bag at the foot of the bed closest to the door.

His movements were methodical, but Gu Baobao noticed that his ears seemed a little redder than usual under the bright lights of the room.

"Baby,"

He turned to face her, his tone serious and businesslike, but his eyes seemed somewhat unfocused.

"The situation is special, and the accommodation is limited... Uh, you should rest first. I... I'll check the communication equipment and the windows again."

Gu Baobao nodded understandingly, trying her best to make her voice sound natural and calm:

"Yes, I know. The big picture is more important. Brother Zhanming, don't be too nervous. Take a rest first. You've been on a plane for more than ten hours. Your bones are about to fall apart."

As she spoke, she took off her heavy black coat, revealing a beige sweater underneath.

The soft texture of the sweater accentuated her slender waist.

She carefully hung the coat into the closet, then took out a neatly folded set of pink cotton long-sleeved pajamas from the open suitcase:

Also produced by the same brand, this pajama set is soft and skin-friendly, with gentle colors and a simple, conservative style. However, from the perspective of the 1960s, the cut and color of this pajama set were already quite fashionable and even a bit delicate.

Holding her pajamas, she said to Lu Zhanming:

"Then I'll go wash up first."

"good."

Lu Zhanming's gaze swept quickly over the pink pajamas in her hand, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly. He then immediately turned around, pretending to check the telephone on his desk.

"Take your time washing, there's no rush."

Gu Baobao took her pajamas and toiletries bag into the bathroom, closed the door behind her, but didn't lock it. In this environment, locking the door might cause unnecessary trouble and psychological barriers.