183. Bumping Past Each Other
“Hey?” The moment the call connected, Lin Na’s voice came through, “What’s up, babe? Are you homesick again?”
Wen Han smiled silently.
After a brief pause, Lin Na’s voice became serious: “What’s wrong? Are you feeling down?”
“I’m back.”
“……What?!!!!!!!!!!”
After a brief silence, even without using the speakerphone, Lin Na’s loud exclamations could be heard.
“Wen Han, you’re back?! Star River City? You’re really talking about Star River City?! I didn’t mishear, right?!!!!!!!!!!”
“Yes.” Wen Han couldn’t help but laugh, “It is Star River City. I just arrived at my mom’s place.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I saw that you were busy looking for a job and didn’t want to disturb you. Isn’t it better to contact you after I arrived?”
“The job hunt isn’t urgent. I just graduated; good jobs are hard to find right now.” Lin Na replied helplessly, “When can we meet?”
“Um…”
Wen Han turned to glance at her mother.
“I just got back… how about tonight? You, me, Little Yuan, and my mom, we can go out for dinner together?”
“Sounds great!” Lin Na laughed continuously, “Damn! You little brat, you come back without telling me earlier.”
“Yes, yes, yes, the little brat is now on the phone with you!” Wen Han rolled her eyes playfully, “Lin Na, the good woman?”
“Hmph! Then you treat tonight!!”
“Did I say I wouldn’t treat?” Wen Han rolled her eyes, “I’ll contact you later.”
“Okay.”
Beep…
After hanging up the phone, Wen Han did not go straight back into the house.
She silently leaned against the balcony, closing her eyes as she took in everything familiar before her.
The past events and people surfaced one by one, and though it had only been a year, she felt as if a long time had passed.
By the way, I wonder what that guy… is thinking?
Tilting her head, Wen Han looked out at the scenery beyond the balcony.
“Star River City, I’m back!!!”
…
Star River City, Abandoned Construction Site.
“Everyone, be cautious.”
After exchanging glances, the two Black-clad Men carefully opened the last door.
“Hands up—!! Hmm? Where is everyone?”
The two were taken aback, but Su Zeheng behind them suddenly raised his eyes.
Swish—!
As his teammates looked on in confusion, he suddenly reached up and grabbed.
With a thud, an invisible monster suddenly fell to the ground from the ceiling, revealing its true form.
The monster immediately roared and jumped up violently.
However, Su Zeheng remained expressionless as he directly stepped over the monster’s head, seemingly oblivious to the terrifying creature.
Thud!
With that step, the monster’s head instantly exploded, its eyes wide open before it turned into a cloud of black mist that dissipated.
“Captain?!”
Everything happened too quickly, and only then did the two Black-clad Men notice that it was already over.
They noticed Su Zeheng’s gaze and hurriedly approached the blood left by the monster, extracting and preserving it in a vial while pulling out a tablet to search for something.
“280, invisible beast.”
Su Zeheng crossed his arms over his waist, walked into the room, and surveyed his surroundings.
The two Black-clad Men finally flipped to the page they were looking for, immediately showing expressions of admiration: “Captain is amazing.”
“Do I need to remind you to be quicker?”
“Sorry!!!” The two young men hurriedly recorded all the data and then stood up, “Captain, recording complete!”
“Next.”
As he stepped towards the window, he skillfully flipped and jumped out.
One foot hanging, the other foot stepped on the drainpipe.
Su Zeheng slid down the pipe, landing effortlessly with a thud, then walked out of the alley step by step.
“Captain, wait for us!!!!!!”
Hastily packing everything up, the two Black-clad Men also scrambled to climb out the window, hurriedly following that cold, frosty silhouette.
…
“Cheers——!”
Bang!
Four cups collided sharply together.
In a popular grilled seafood barbecue restaurant in Star River City, Lin Na had shed her childishness from a year ago and appeared much more mature.
Of course, in Wen Han’s eyes, she was still just a twenty-two-year-old child from a twenty-one-year-old child.
“Little Yuan, do you miss Auntie?” She habitually teased Little Yuan.
Little Yuan nodded enthusiastically: “Yes!”
“What do you miss about Auntie?”
“I miss the delicious things Auntie Lin Na bought for me!”
“This girl!” Lin Na rolled her eyes dramatically, “Alright, alright, Auntie will take you to buy candy later!”
Little Yuan playfully hugged her, and Lin Na was quite helpless.
Wen Han and Wen Mu exchanged amused glances, laughing heartily.
The joyful group failed to notice three Black-clad Men quickly passing by outside the window, like ghosts, slipping by before the four could catch sight of them.
“How many are left?”
Stopping at a red light, Su Zeheng spoke without turning his head.
“The research institute needs fifty samples; we still lack thirty-eight.” The two Black-clad Men promptly replied, “But wasn’t it mentioned by Uncle Fat before…”
“Cross the street first.”
The tall figure seemed tireless, like a machine working frantically.
When the green light turned on, Su Zeheng quickly crossed the street. After passing through several bustling streets, he entered an empty alley.
He came to a stop, habitually lighting a cigarette.
“Ah…” Exhaling the smoke, he silently raised his right hand.
The two young men behind him instantly understood, suddenly blocking the alley’s entrance, scanning the area to prevent anyone from noticing.
“Hiss…” Smoke slowly filled his lungs again, then he exhaled with a puff.
Thud!
The half-smoked cigarette dropped to the ground, promptly extinguished by a passing heel.
Su Zeheng walked deeper into the alley, his figure gradually engulfed by a cloud of black mist.
…
In the grilled seafood barbecue restaurant.
“Hmm?”
Coming back to her senses, Wen Han finally noticed the lingering magical aura in the air.
She immediately turned her head, but saw nothing.
It was likely just a passing magician, she thought.
She didn’t pay much attention.
Just then, Lin Na spoke up, drawing her back: “Wen Han, should we go out tomorrow? You haven’t been back for a long time; I’ll take you out for a stroll.”
“I have plans tomorrow.” Wen Han shrugged.
Lin Na immediately squinted her eyes, grinning widely: “I think you must be going out with someone else, right?”
“Someone else?”
“Still pretending?” Lin Na rolled her eyes, “Does your boyfriend not know you’re back? Are you planning a little romantic getaway?”
“…” A fleeting hint of abnormality crossed Wen Han’s face as she scoffed softly.
Memories and images surged forth suddenly, momentarily pulling her into past reflections.
Yet her face remained filled with unwavering confidence, calm and unflappable.
“Where would I even find a boyfriend?” She casually continued eating her food.
“Ah?”
Lin Na was taken aback, frowning.
“Is it that Su… you two broke up?”
