“You’re a good person.” Chen Wenwen said softly behind him.
Lu Mingfei’s heart skipped a beat. He turned around, almost bumping into her. Chen Wenwen was right behind him, very close, head lowered as if she were tired and about to lean on his back. The warm scent of her hair filled his nose, and the restless little soul in his heart began to mutter, You fool, the words are already out—there’s no chance left now.
Lu Mingfei forced a bitter smile. “Don’t drop this bombshell on me all the time… tonight was just a dinner between classmates…”
“Thank you. Actually, I know you don’t like me anymore.” Chen Wenwen shook her head. “But still, thank you… I don’t like you either… it’s not that I don’t like you, just not that way.”
“Uh-huh.” Lu Mingfei nodded, still confused.
“When I said you’ve changed, I didn’t mean money or taste… I meant that… you’ve grown up.” Chen Wenwen smoothed her hair, lifting her head. Her eyes were bright and clear.
“You sound like my older sister…”
“That’s wonderful.” Chen Wenwen sighed softly.
“That BMW will take you home.” Lu Mingfei stuck out his tongue. “Don’t be polite; it’s all paid for. Honestly, I’m broke in the States—this is all Chu Zihang’s doing. He arranged the restaurant booking, the luxury car, even these clothes. I was just bluffing to that reporter earlier. The food and wine are nice here, but they’re really not to my taste.”
“I figured as much.” Chen Wenwen smiled. “You weren’t eating with much interest.”
“Yeah… This is the only thing I prepared.” Lu Mingfei hesitated for a moment, then took out a bunch of crumpled plants from his bag and placed them on the table. “Dandelions… picked them on the way, but at this time of year, all the fluff is gone—couldn’t find a complete one. It doesn’t mean anything special, just a memory. I meant to give you dandelions at graduation, so this makes up for it… I remember you used to pick lots of them and put them in a paper bag with bellflowers. When you blew them, it looked like snow.”
Chen Wenwen looked down at the bundle of dried dandelions, caressing the empty stems without saying a word.
“Goodbye.” Chen Wenwen said.
“Goodbye.” Lu Mingfei replied.
He pushed the door open, looking up at the pouring rain, raised his collar to shield his head, and dashed out with his suitcase. The Panamera’s door popped open, and he rushed into the front passenger seat before turning back. Through the rain, on the other side of the window, the air conditioning blew the last few dandelion seeds away. Chen Wenwen stood amidst the scattering fluff, as if she might drift away with those soft white things. She gazed this way, breathing on the glass, drawing a small foggy patch, and sketched a smiling face with three strokes.
The Panamera sped down the airport highway, raindrops splattering against the windshield, turning into a mist of water.
“Mission complete,” Chu Zihang said, operating the steering wheel with one hand while tapping the aluminum-sealed box on the back seat with the other. He handed an iPad to Lu Mingfei. “The mission report is already written, just sign electronically at the bottom.”
Lu Mingfei, not even bothering to look, scribbled something in the “Reporter” field and handed the iPad back. “Senior, you never intended to take me along on this mission, did you?”
Chu Zihang was silent for a moment. “You couldn’t handle it. I’m not sure why you were assigned as an agent, but you haven’t had the necessary training. You completely lack operational ability.”
Lu Mingfei leaned back in his seat, watching the torrential rain outside. He sighed, “Sigh… I know I’m useless, but could you at least give me some face? Just saying ‘you can’t do it’ directly…”
Some Irish folk music played gently on the car stereo. Chu Zihang didn’t respond, and Lu Mingfei found himself at a loss for words, so they sat in silence.
“Tonight’s events… I won’t tell Nono,” Chu Zihang suddenly said.
“Thanks,” Lu Mingfei scratched his head. “But, Senior, you should know that Nono is Caesar’s girlfriend. I’m single. Who I eat with is my business; it’s not like I did anything shady…”
“But you don’t want her to know,” Chu Zihang’s reply was as cold and hard as a rock.
Lu Mingfei felt that he and the president really had nothing to talk about. The way he spoke was like wielding a knife—always getting straight to the point with minimal words, aiming directly and fiercely, hitting the mark, and moving on without wasting an extra word.
Chu Zihang was right—Lu Mingfei didn’t want Nono to know that he had dinner with Chen Wenwen, boasting and acting important. Even if she found out, it wasn’t like she would be angry; at most, she’d tease him a couple of times.
“But it was Caesar who made the reservation for you. I can’t guarantee that he won’t tell Nono,” Chu Zihang added.
Lu Mingfei almost rolled his eyes in exasperation. Hey! Are you messing with me, boss? Caesar is Nono’s boyfriend—of course, he’s going to tell her! Can you be a bit smarter? Alright, I get that you’ve been single all this time and probably don’t understand what it’s like between a boyfriend and girlfriend…
“The restaurant had a wedding banquet tonight, so they weren’t taking individual reservations. But I already told Chen Wenwen, so I couldn’t change the plan. However, this wasn’t difficult for Caesar—he’s a member of Mint Club, and that club can pretty much do anything.”
“Caesar helped you?” Lu Mingfei was curious.
“I posted a reward in the Watchmen’s forum, asking if anyone could help you get a reservation. If someone did, I would owe them a favor.” Chu Zihang’s voice was as flat as the asphalt under the car’s wheels. “Of course, Caesar saw it. He’s the proud young master of the Gattuso family; he won’t let anyone else outdo him when it comes to supporting his subordinates. So he got ahead and handled it for you. Caesar has a strong sense of possession—not only over his subordinates but also over his enemies. He wouldn’t let anyone else take my reward and interfere in our competition. He considers me his enemy and wants to defeat me himself.”
“So, the boss got played by you? Senior, you’re really sly!”
“People who speak little are often schemers,” Chu Zihang said lightly. “In fact, Caesar probably figured it out too, but he still chose to play along.”
Lu Mingfei grinned. At this point, there was no point in worrying about it. He’d just wait for Nono to find out and tease him. Even if Chu Zihang had tricked him, it was also because of his own lack of determination. He couldn’t help but be drawn to Chen Wenwen. Then again, there was no need for him to be determined in the first place.