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墨書 Inktalez
In the late night of Yading, the wind and rain blurred the continuous mountains, and the world was shrouded in darkness, with only a small light shining in the corner of the inn to the west.
The kitchen was much cleaner than Zhou Yao had imagined. She was looking around when Luo Yi took a pack of noodles out of the cupboard. Zhou Yao said proudly, "You didn't even ask me what I wanted to eat before making your own decision? What if I wanted fried rice?"
Luo Yi replied, "Are you hungry?"
Zhou Yao answered, "Yes."
Luo Yi said, "You're hungry but still picky?"
Zhou Yao: "..."
She lightly glared at him, then turned away and happily laughed to herself.
The entire forest was asleep, with only him and her awake.
He filled a pot with water and placed it on the stove to boil. The temperature was low at night, and the water boiled slowly. Growing impatient, he took out a cigarette to smoke, and halfway through, he heard the sound of a hairdryer.
Following the sound,
In the nearby hall, Zhou Yao tilted her head, her black hair flowing like a waterfall. One hand waved a hairdryer while the other randomly grabbed at her hair, occasionally giving it a light toss, letting her long strands float. She unconsciously pouted, her expression clean and harmless.
A puff of smoke slowly circled in his lungs before being exhaled.
Luo Yi walked over and unplugged the hairdryer.
Zhou Yao was interrupted and looked up in confusion. "What are you doing?"
"Why are you drying your hair in the kitchen?" Luo Yi scolded her, his tone not particularly pleasant.
Zhou Yao jumped slightly in surprise, glancing at him warily before quickly protesting, "I'm not in the kitchen."
"Still arguing?" Luo Yi frowned and said sternly, "You can't do that in the dining area either. — Go to the Common Area."
"I'm not going."
"Then don't use it."
"If I don't use it, I won't use it." Zhou Yao wrapped up the hairdryer cord with a huff and turned her head away.
"…"
Luo Yi looked down at her stubborn head for a moment, speechless.
He decided not to dwell on it and returned to the kitchen, lifting the lid of the pot to find that the water was already boiling.
He put the noodles into the pot and stirred them a few times. The air pressure was low here, and the water was boiling at a low temperature, so it would take some time to cook the noodles soft.
He covered the pot and glanced into the living room. Zhou Yao had stopped blow-drying her hair and was sitting at the table, resting her chin on her hand, staring blankly into space with her big eyes.
Luo Yi paid her no mind.
As the long night wore on, the quietness made him a bit drowsy. He pressed his eyes and leaned against the wall, lighting a cigarette. Occasionally, he glanced in her direction; she remained motionless, lost in thought.
Outside, the wind and rain were fierce, while inside, the water was boiling. After a while, the pot lid began to rattle, and the aroma of the noodle soup gradually filled the air.
Zhou Yao caught a whiff of it; her previously lying stomach was now genuinely hungry, and she quickly dismissed the earlier distraction.
Her eyes sparkling, she ran over to him and asked, "Is it ready?"
Luo Yi stubbed out the remaining half of his cigarette and tossed it into the trash can. He stood up straight from the wall, walked to the stove to wash his hands, lifted the pot lid, and picked up a noodle with chopsticks. With a slight effort, it broke.
As he scooped noodles into a bowl, he asked, "Do you want an egg?"
Zhou Yao, being clever, immediately inquired, "Does adding an egg cost extra?"
Luo Yi replied, "Of course."
Zhou Yao asked, "How much?"
Luo Yi answered, "Five yuan."
Zhou Yao exclaimed, "So expensive?!"
Luo Yi asked, "Should I add more?"
Zhou Yao pouted, "No."
Luo Yi continued to fish for noodles, his expression a mix of wanting to laugh but not quite doing so.
Zhou Yao furrowed his brows and thought for a moment before saying, "Luo Boss, I'm a regular customer. You can't do business like this."
Luo Yi readily agreed, "Then—should I give you less?"
Zhou Yao cleared his throat and asked, "How much less?"
Luo Yi replied, "How much do you want it to be less?"
Zhou Yao put his hands behind his back and raised his chin, "About one yuan less would be fine."
Luo Yi chuckled lightly, "Do you think you're bargaining at Wu's Jade Shop?"
Zhou Yao shrugged, "Well, I can eat or not eat. Not eating is good for losing weight. —Hey, are you selling or not?"
Luo Yi said, "Alright then."
Zhou Yao confirmed, "One yuan less?"
Luo Yi said, "Hmm."
Zhou Yao peeked out with a smile, made a V sign at him, and said, "Then I want to add two more."
Luo Yi replied, "..."
Luo Yi cracked two eggs into the pot, mixed the seasonings into the noodles he had served, added the broth, and finally placed the eggs on top of the noodles.
Zhou Yao widened her eyes and changed her mind, saying, "This big bowl? — It's too much; I can't finish it."
"Aren't you hungry? — Are you kidding me?" Luo Yi squinted at her, looking a bit dangerous.
Zhou Yao flinched and quickly said, "No. I'm really hungry. — But even if I'm hungry, I can't eat that much; it's too much, and I'm afraid of wasting it." She rolled her eyes and suggested, "How about you eat a little too?"
Luo Yi paused for a moment, glanced at the chopsticks in her hand, and said, "I'm not hungry."
"I'll share a little with you; you worked hard too." Zhou Yao got up to grab chopsticks and a bowl.
"How can I charge if I don't work?"
"Just consider it my treat for your late-night snack."
"This late-night snack is quite lavish," Luo Yi said, his voice slightly hoarse.
"..." Zhou Yao lowered her eyelids and said, "Can't you just stop talking?"
Luo Yi fell silent.
Zhou Yao returned with a bowl and chopsticks, and once again noticed the wounds on his brow and neck, feeling a slight sting in her heart.
As she divided the noodles, she smiled and asked, "Did you eat anything for dinner?"
"I already ate," Luo Yi replied, looking at the two bowls. "Just give me a little."
She set aside a small portion of noodles for him. He ate quickly and finished soon, then looked at Zhou Yao, who was eating slowly with still more than half left in her bowl.
He frowned slightly and asked, "Can't finish?"
"I can finish," she said, lifting her head from the bowl, oil on her lips. "Just wait for me a moment."
He nodded and waited for a while. After finishing his food, he felt even sleepier and lit another cigarette.
Zhou Yao remarked, "You smoke quite heavily."
Luo Yi replied, "It's not that bad. I only smoke two or three a day."
Zhou Yao looked at him speechlessly. "You just smoked three in a short time."
"……" Luo Yi had no words to say. "Did I?"
Zhou Yao said, "Yes, can't you count? One, two, three—"
"......" Luo Yi said, "Eat your noodles."
"Oh."
After a while, Luo Yi asked, "What do you usually eat in the wild?"
"Bread, biscuits, compressed rations."
"Don't you cook for yourselves?"
Zhou Yao looked up, puzzled: "Isn't it forbidden to start a fire in the Yading Scenic Area?"
Her face was glistening under the light, and Luo Yi was speechless for a few seconds before finding his words again, saying, "I meant normally, in other places."
Zhou Yao furrowed her brows and replied, "Most places also don't allow fires; they're afraid of accidental fires damaging the vegetation, unless there's a rest station. But carrying various instruments and rock samples is already heavy enough; who would carry pots and pans?"
Luo Yi said, "Your line of work seems tough."
Zhou Yao shrugged it off: "You get used to it. What job isn't tough?"
"That's true," he said as he looked at her.
The young girl was proud but very clear-headed.
Zhou Yao finished all the food in her bowl, contentedly patting her belly. She said, "This bowl of noodles is really delicious. I've been here for a month, and this is the best meal I've had."
Luo Yi glanced at her and asked, "Are you saying the food made by the chefs in my restaurant isn't good?"
"Not at all," Zhou Yao wiped her mouth and smiled. "There are so many people in our team that we secretly compete to grab the dishes. Every time the food is served, seven pairs of chopsticks go in, and it's gone in an instant."
Luo Yi chuckled lightly and said, "I heard you are graduate students and PhD candidates."
"Professors need to eat too," Zhou Yao complained. "You people always think that researchers should be cold and high-end, detached from the mundane world. But when we put down our work, we're all young people. Girls still love good food, beauty, and pretty clothes; boys still love games, models, and basketball."
Luo Yi smiled faintly as he took his bowl to the sink to wash it.
Zhou Yao was surprised. "Boss washing dishes? Won't the dishwasher take care of it tomorrow?"
Luo Yi casually replied, "If I clean the kitchen thoroughly the night before and come to work early the next morning only to find dirty dishes in the sink, I would throw the dishes in your face."
Zhou Yao couldn't help but smile.
Water splashed from the faucet as he adjusted his coat sleeves, which were slightly long. He tried to pull them up but had little success.
Zhou Yao naturally walked over to help him roll up his sleeves. He paused for a moment, looking down at her with an unreadable expression.
However, Zhou Yao didn't notice him; she continued rolling up his coat sleeves layer by layer and pushed up the sleeves of his thin inner shirt.
The water flowed continuously in the sink as she helped him roll up the other sleeve, her fingertips unintentionally brushing against his taut skin, which felt very warm.
She finished, took a step back, and looked at his tall figure.
He continued washing the dishes.
The kitchen was lit by a dim yellow light, and suddenly the howling wind outside grew louder, with rain pounding heavily against the windows, as if the whole world was on the verge of collapse.
The light flickered, and the two of them fell silent.
Luo Yi finished washing the dishes, rinsed his hands with soap until they were clean, and then led her out of the kitchen.
Zhou Yao returned to the room at night, lay back on the couch, and felt the lingering heat on his fingertip that had touched his skin.
...
Luo Yi pushed open the bedroom door and suddenly felt a wave of fatigue wash over him.
Looking up, he saw another person on the sofa.
He closed the door and walked into the room. "When did you arrive?"
"This evening," Lu Xu said. "I’m staying next door."
So that was why Zhou Yao had woken him up when he knocked on the door.
Lu Xu was smoking, and Luo Yi sat down opposite him. Lu Xu offered him a cigarette, but Luo Yi raised his hand to block it. "I don't smoke."
Lu Xu put away his cigarette and glanced at the wounds on Luo Yi's brow and neck, which spoke volumes.
"You say someone wants to kill you, what do you mean?"
"Someone revealed my whereabouts to my enemy, trying to use them to do the dirty work," Luo Yi replied, his voice slightly hoarse as he turned his head and coughed lightly.
"Who is that person?"
"Wu's Jade Shop Boss."
Lu Xu stared at Luo Yi's face for a moment in silence, seemingly assessing him. Gradually, a faint smile appeared on his face. "Let me guess what you're going to say next—he wants to kill you because he's involved with that fake Jade Buddha Tower. He found out you're investigating him, and to protect himself, he wants to silence you first?"
Luo Yi furrowed his brow slightly and calmly asked, "You don't believe me?"
Lu Xu laughed. "Why should I believe you?"
Luo Yi looked directly at him, his lips pressed together.
Lu Xu continued, "We've known each other for quite some time. Do you think I'm a fool? You returned suddenly after being away for less than two months. Why? According to my investigation, you had a falling out with Dan Shan; he wanted to capture you, and you couldn't stay in Yunnan anymore. But you won't be able to stay here either. Sure enough, it was only a month after your return that you sought me out for 'cooperation.' Do you really think I would let myself be used by you?"
"You believed the nonsense Wu Ming spread. That's your investigation," Luo Yi said, pulling the corner of his mouth into a slight smirk devoid of humor. It was unclear whether it was helplessness or something else, but then he shifted his tone sharply, his gaze once again steady. "Officer Lu, I came back because I can retrieve the net that was cast out, but—" he paused for a moment, feeling somewhat cold-hearted as he added, "my abilities alone are limited. Dan Shan is using Wu Ming to spread false information to sow discord between us; there’s only one possibility: I’m getting closer to the truth and becoming increasingly dangerous. You've been investigating me for so long without results; why not join me in reeling in the catch?"
Luo Yi stared at Lu Xu, waiting for his response. However, the latter's face still bore an expression of distrust, even tinged with mockery.
"I've been investigating you for so long without any results; do you think I would give up at the last moment?" Lu Xu reiterated, "Why should I trust you?"
Luo Yi: "I can prove—"
"I only trust you a little—you have the ability to forge some evidence, whether it's about people or events." Lu Xu interrupted him. "Besides, do we need to provoke each other? We are already adversaries."
Luo Yi subtly shook his head, as if mocking himself.
The next words were even more sarcastic: "Do you know how I see you now? A loser in an internal struggle. What qualifications do you have to cooperate with me? Hmm? Luoyi?"
The sound of rain was overwhelming, and the name "Luoyi" was particularly clear.
Luo Yi had a hint of a smile in his eyes, lightly tapping his fingers on the armrest of the chair.
"You've reached a dead end; you can't even protect yourself, and yet you come to talk about cooperation. Fine, I'll set a condition: there's only one way to cooperate." Lu Xu flicked off some ash from his cigarette and said, "You turn yourself in and confess everything about your collusion with Dan Shan. This is your sincerity in cooperating. Only then will I take action to ensure your safety. Since we know each other, I don't want to collect your corpse."
Luo Yi calmly listened to him finish this long speech before lowering his gaze. His lips curled slightly as he said, "Lu Xu, you're even more foolish than I imagined."
"You underestimate people." Lu Xu was enraged, standing up abruptly. He looked down at him, resentment flashing in his eyes. "Luoyi, there are two fundamental issues from back then that you cannot avoid: your team could not have misidentified things! And your brother committed suicide because he knew the truth!"
After he finished speaking in anger, the room fell silent, with only the howling wind and rain outside.
Luo Yi calmly raised his gaze and said, "Leave."
...
The wind howled like someone’s spirit lamenting.
The lights were turned off, and the room was dim, with only a faint light coming from outside the window.
Luo Yi sat in the armchair, facing the tightly closed window. The storm raged outside with a destructive force, as if it would lift this castle-like house into the sky and tear it apart at any moment.
In the weak light, Luo Yi's face appeared pale, as if he were about to melt into the darkness.
He felt somewhat tired, resting his elbows on the armrest, shielding his eyes with his hand, and lowering his head.
Luo Yu, ah, if I ultimately fail to protect what you once guarded, do not blame me; I have tried my best.
I have tried my best,
but no one believes me.
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