When Ch'en Hui-chieh woke up again, she felt utterly drained, as if all her strength had been siphoned away. Aside from the lingering soreness, what dominated her senses was a blissful urge to sink back into the soft mattress and sheets, to lose herself in their gentle embrace.
No, no, this really wasn't like her at all.
It felt as though she were wrapped in a warm, motherly embrace, so comforting that she was reluctant to open her eyes.
From beside her came a presence that filled her with peace. It carried the warmth of sunlight and the fresh scent of grass and trees. It was… indulgence.
The steady, powerful heartbeat beneath her ear gave her a profound sense of security, as though she had finally put down roots in this world, found someone she could truly rely on.
She opened her eyes and looked at the man beside her, still asleep. A flicker of realization passed through her gaze, followed by gentleness. The feeling of finally having something to lean on meant everything to Ch'en Hui-chieh. She had always fought for Lungmen, throwing herself into danger without hesitation, never valuing her own life very highly. But now, she felt that she should cherish herself more.
Because if she were hurt, Felix would feel pain for her.
"You're awake."
"Ah…"
As Ch'en Hui-chieh was gazing at Felix's face, he somehow woke up as well. His voice was gentle, like sunlight after a noon rain.
"Mmm…"
Only then did Ch'en Hui-chieh feel a surge of shyness. Even though another version of herself was screaming internally, asking why she was embarrassed now of all times, the Ch'en Hui-chieh on the surface still lowered her head, her face heating up.
"Well then, it's already nine o'clock. How does it feel, sleeping in for once?"
"What? It's already nine?"
Ch'en Hui-chieh nearly leapt out of bed. The LGD workday started at eight-thirty, and as the head of the Inspection Unit, she was usually already sorting case files by seven in the morning, preparing for the day ahead.
She hurriedly searched for her clothes, only to find that the outfit she had worn after yesterday's mission, stained with dust and sweat, had been cleaned, pressed, and neatly placed back where it belonged, looking as good as new.
"Isn't today a holiday?"
Felix yawned on the bed, watching her delayed reaction with an amused smile.
Ch'en Hui-chieh tapped her forehead. Today was December 25th. While Yan was not the birthplace of Christmas, Lungmen treated this day as a public holiday. Given the city's diverse population and constant flow of visitors, such a holiday was hardly surprising.
"Feeling more awake now?"
Felix smiled. At this moment, Ch'en Hui-chieh was wearing nothing at all. From this angle, her fair skin was fully visible. She lacked the soft curves of a traditionally delicate woman, but her well-trained physique and toned muscles displayed a different kind of feminine charm.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
Ch'en Hui-chieh suddenly realized she had been pulled into Felix's arms. She tried to struggle in embarrassment, but her body quickly went limp instead.
"Rest a bit more."
"Hey! Mmph—"
Two hours later, Felix and Ch'en Hui-chieh finished washing up and sat in the living room, eating the breakfast delivered by the hotel staff. Ch'en Hui-chieh's face remained faintly flushed, and she shot Felix a glare from time to time. He casually chatted with her about work matters, and sure enough, her attention quickly shifted back to professional concerns.
Ch'en Hui-chieh still wasn't used to having time off. She remembered that at this time last year, she had been alone in the LGD archives, reading through unsolved cold cases. This year, she was sitting beside her lover, enjoying a luxurious breakfast.
"Do you have any plans today? Is it really okay for you to stay with me?"
The moment she asked, Ch'en Hui-chieh regretted it. She knew Felix was far busier than she was. She only needed to maintain stability and order in Lungmen, while he had to manage an organization and a nation. Asking such a question felt foolish.
Felix pondered for a moment. Right now, he only needed to handle matters aboard the Venus itself. He didn't even need to manage everything personally. With Loughshinny and Anthony assisting him, he could easily delegate authority. In fact, most of the time he only handled about ten percent of the work, leaving the rest to the two of them as training, or so he claimed.
As for the various Tomorrow's Development branches across different regions, local leadership managed them, reporting back to the main ship on a regular basis.
The management of Kazdel was even less of a concern for him. Hoederer's loyalty and competence were beyond doubt, and the regular communication with the Venus ensured complete transparency of information.
"It's fine," Felix said. "There's nothing major happening on the Venus today. Why don't we go out on a date?"
"A… a date?"
Ch'en Hui-chieh's voice immediately rose an octave. The unfamiliar word made her face flush red once more. Seeing the firmness in Felix's expression, she could only nod softly and answer in a gentle, almost timid voice, "O… okay."
That kind of girlish response was nothing like Ch'en Hui-chieh at all. She abruptly covered her face with both hands.
Seeing her like this made Felix feel a bit amused. Ch'en Hui-chieh quickly finished her breakfast and returned to the room. From the bags of clothes Shirayuki had brought yesterday, she chose what looked the most agreeable to her: a long-sleeved top and jeans, a neat and spirited combination.
But why did this long-sleeved shirt expose a bit of her waist?
Ch'en Hui-chieh nearly exploded. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw someone who looked dashing yet faintly sexy, and all she wanted was to question what standards Shirayuki had used when buying these clothes.
She glanced at the other outfits in the bags. The fabrics were good, and wearing them in winter would not make one catch a cold, but the places that should not be exposed were, in fact, still exposed.
As long as I wear a jacket over it, it'll be fine, she thought. She put on a black jacket, checked herself in the mirror again, and only then let out a sigh of relief.
When she pushed the door open and came out, she caught the faint look of admiration in Felix's eyes. Satisfied, she snorted softly to herself and tried to calm down.
"Let's go. Do you have any plans?"
"We'll stroll around Lungmen's city center and grab something to eat."
Felix had also changed into relatively casual clothing. He rarely had the chance to dress like this anymore. This was one of the few days in the year when he wore leisure clothes. As his status rose, everything he did, said, or wore was watched by others. He was a king, an object of loyalty and reverence. How could he afford to look plain or carefree?
Ch'en Hui-chieh glanced at the hand Felix extended toward her. She pressed her lips together, suppressed her shyness, and took it.
Lungmen was vast, crowded, yet everyone's living space felt small. In her daily life, Ch'en Hui-chieh drove police vehicles through the city, carrying out all kinds of missions. What she understood best was whether a location was suitable for offense or defense, how to breach it, and how to solve cases faster and more efficiently.
Slowing down, walking through the city, and experiencing the everyday bustle of life like this seemed to be something she had never done before.
"Pan-fried dumplings, fresh off the pan. Juicy and tender!"
"Don't miss it, don't pass it by. Everything's just 9.8. Take it home today."
"Fish balls. Top-quality fish balls."
This was Lungmen. Beneath the towering skyscrapers lay lively streets and honest, humble residents.
Ch'en Hui-chieh stared at the scene in a daze as Felix held her hand and led her forward. They stopped in front of a fish ball stall. Felix glanced at the price list and said, "Two bowls of fish ball soup."
"Coming right up."
A white-haired Ursus youth with a rather fierce-looking face put down the book in his hands. It had been his uninterested shouting earlier that drew Felix here. Though he looked reluctant, he still set the book aside and began preparing the fish balls.
"Boss, add… two more bowls of fish balls."
A lazy, middle-aged voice sounded from nearby. Felix stepped back half a step with Ch'en Hui-chieh. Unexpectedly, the same voice spoke again.
"Huh… to think I'd run into you here. What a… coincidence."
Hearing this, Felix turned around. Before him stood a middle-aged, Lung man wearing black Yan-style clothing.
He had met him before. When Tomorrow's Development first established itself in Lungmen years ago, conflicts with various forces had been inevitable, and this man was one of them. Felix never intended to form a monopoly, and Mr. Lee, who ran the Lee Detective Agency, was a reasonable person. They had attended several business dinners together, and he had even recommended a few capable talents to Tomorrow's Development.
Do not be fooled by the glamorous exterior of the Lee Detective Agency. In truth, Mr. Lee also took on private jobs. Whether those were legal or not was another matter entirely.
As for the young, Feline beside him, Felix had never seen him before. Or rather, he only knew Mr. Lee from the agency. As for his employees, he knew none of them.
"Not working today?" Felix asked. "You look quite relaxed, Mr. Lee."
"Hey now, what are you saying?" Mr. Lee grinned, flashing a row of white teeth. "Who works on Christmas these days? Just call me Old Lee. 'Mr. Lee' sounds far too formal."
"It wouldn't hurt to stock up on some food," Felix said casually.
The smile on Old Lee's face slowly faded. He looked at Felix, whose expression had not changed at all, then inconspicuously glanced at Ch'en Hui-chieh beside him. Old Lee had been pretending not to recognize her. After all, if someone who made a living in the underworld did not recognize the head of the Inspection Team, that would be far too embarrassing.
"I know what you're worried about," Old Lee said slowly. "But rest assured. Just get a good night's sleep, and tomorrow will still have the same sunrise and sunset."
Felix paused briefly. "It might get a little noisy by then."
"Are you talking about firecrackers, sir?"
The Ursus youth making fish balls looked up and asked.
Felix gave him a thumbs-up. "Buddy, you should pack up your stall in a few days. Didn't they say this area will be cleared to prepare for the post-New Year parade?"
"Huh? Is that really happening?"
"I just passed by the entrance of the LGD. They've already put up the notice."
The moment Ch'en Hui-chieh heard this, she began contacting several officers who were working overtime at the LGD, asking them to urgently draft such a notice. She knew exactly what Felix was doing. This street was one of the busiest in Lungmen. If Reunion wanted to carry out a terrorist attack, this was a highly likely target.
As for whether there would really be a parade, even if there wasn't one, there had to be one now.
"Then I've got to tell Uncle Tung… ah, and the others too."
As he spoke, the young man sped up his work. Before long, the four of them each had a small plastic bowl in hand, filled with fish balls and rich, steaming broth.
"Your Excellency, shall we take a walk?" Old Lee invited.
Felix nodded slightly. After leaving the stall, he spoke in a calm voice, "With your information network, you've heard about it already, haven't you?"
"Your Excellency… I know this isn't a joke, but this…" Old Lee frowned. Even the delicious fish soup failed to relax his expression. "Have those people gone completely mad?"
"What's more frightening than a madman," Felix said lightly, "is a madman who is perfectly sane. Old Lee, for the sake of our past dealings, I advise you and your employees not to take part in this so-called battle, in any form. Leave Lungmen's defense to us."
"You…" Old Lee exhaled slowly. "The new waves really do push out the old ones, huh. The old waves end up dying on the beach."
He bit into a piping-hot fish ball and hurriedly blew on it, steam rising into the air. He waved at Felix. "I'm not much good in frontal combat, but if there's any small, discreet work, feel free to contact me."
"Mm."
"Oh, right," Old Lee added. "I heard you met that guy Liang Xun. What do you think of him?"
"Rigid and serious. A man who never smiles."
"You really hit the nail on the head."
Old Lee smacked his lips, sighed a few times, and then wandered off with the Feline behind him. The young Feline glanced back a couple of times, confused, but still obediently followed Old Lee away.
Only after they left did Ch'en Hui-chieh speak up. "Someone you know?"
"Mm. We've crossed paths a few times before. A seasoned old fox, but once you ask him to do something, he'll see it through," Felix said. He shifted his gaze. "In a few days, scenes like this won't be around anymore."
"Yeah."
A trace of melancholy appeared in Ch'en Hui-chieh's eyes. Then she clenched her fist. "I… might need Tomorrow's Development's help."
"I'm glad you asked," Felix said with a smile. "The Ch'en officer of the past would shoulder everything herself. Even if there was help available, she wouldn't care, relying only on her own strength."
"…"
Ch'en Hui-chieh turned her head away in a sulk. "So are you helping or not?"
"Of course I am," Felix replied with a smile. "This is a trial for Lungmen. As a faction that rose in Lungmen, Tomorrow's Development has a duty to act. Nine already knows about it. The operators are assembling, and Lord Wei has granted Tomorrow's Development permission to operate within Lungmen. When the time comes, the LGD won't be fighting alone."
"Mm…"
Ch'en Hui-chieh leaned against Felix. "And in the end, we're talking about work again."
"Then let's talk about sweet things instead."
"…Mm."
Ch'en Hui-chieh stood on tiptoe and pecked Felix on the lips, staking her claim.
Up on the overpass, a day-off Hoshiguma tugged at a selfie-taking Swire. The two looked down at the kissing couple below, both wearing expressions of pure, shameless curiosity.