"You actually agree? That's great!"
Zhu Yuan's eyes lit up as she exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement.
"Of course! We're old friends—if I don't help you, who will?"
Sol clapped his hands and grinned. "So, tell me—how do you want me to play it? Since I'm supposed to be the bad guy, that doesn't really fit with my righteous looks, does it?"
"You'll need flashier clothes. You're too… properly handsome right now. It needs to be bad and handsome—something with messy graffiti all over it. And you have to talk in that cocky, street-punk tone—just like the punks the Public Security Bureau usually arrests. Oh, and…"
Zhu Yuan began listing, with impressive seriousness, all the kinds of flashy behavior she normally despised.
"Mm-hmm, got it," Sol nodded, committing every note to memory. "Anything else?"
Zhu Yuan thought for a moment. "A few more details—you should dye your hair yellow, wear a big gold chain, and carry yourself with a more menacing vibe."
"Uh… that might be pushing it a little," Sol said hesitantly.
That sounded painfully tacky—like some small-town thug.
That wasn't the kind of bad he wanted. Sure, he could be bad—but at least he had to look good while doing it.
At that moment, Qingyi couldn't take it anymore.
She smacked the table and said firmly, "Just act like you did when you were playing the big boss in the Panther Organization—but tone it down a little."
"Oh! You're right!"
Zhu Yuan's eyes widened in sudden realization. "Why didn't I think of that?"
She'd read Jane's mission report—if she hadn't known the truth, she'd have believed Sol was actually that brazen, corrupt, woman-chasing scoundrel described in it.
His performance had been so convincing that even those sharp-eyed arms dealers in the Panther Organization never suspected a thing. They'd treated him like a high-ranking envoy from a shadowy syndicate.
If they couldn't see through it, then her law-abiding parents certainly wouldn't.
"…I feel like you're taking a jab at me," Sol said, staring at Qingyi speechlessly.
"No, no! I just meant you're a great actor," Qingyi said quickly, whistling innocently though her tone betrayed her guilt.
In truth, she'd always thought of Sol as a mysterious powerhouse—playful, a little wicked, but ultimately kind-hearted.
That impression had only deepened since the day they met.
"All right," Sol said with a smirk, "if both of you say so, then I'll improvise something fitting. I'm sure I can get Zhu Yuan out of this mess."
"Cough… there's, um, one more thing," Zhu Yuan said awkwardly.
This time, Qingyi—who had been talking loudly a moment ago—fell silent. Her youthful-looking face flushed a shade pinker.
"What's up?" Sol asked, puzzled.
"This time, Senior Qingyi will also be part of the plan."
Zhu Yuan said it solemnly—she'd had to beg Qingyi for this one.
Sol blinked. "Her role is… what, the mastermind behind the act?"
"No," Zhu Yuan said, keeping a perfectly straight face. "She's the other woman in your two-timing act."
Qingyi suddenly looked up, her expression full of tragic heroism. "Though ten thousand may stand in my way, I shall go forth! For Zhu Yuan's sake—I'll do it!"
She was nearly a century-old automaton, yet this was definitely a first for her. Her youthful-looking face felt like it had been metaphorically burned off in embarrassment.
Honestly, she had no idea what kind of pressure Zhu Yuan's parents had put on her daughter to drive her to such an extreme plan.
"Hoo boy, this is getting spicy!"
Sol drew in a sharp breath. "If that's the case, then yeah—your parents definitely won't be pushing for marriage after this. Who could handle this chaos!?"
He glanced at Qingyi's petite frame and innocent face.
Yeah… this was absolutely going to look like he was headed straight for jail.
"Scoundrel with two lovers—both law officers. Three hearts united, defeat the parents' orders!"
Qingyi blinked playfully as she recited a little ditty, rallying their spirits.
Then she stretched her hand out toward the middle. "We'll make this work!"
Sol placed his hand over hers, feeling oddly fired up. "We'll make this work!"
Zhu Yuan, determined and full of that elite investigator energy, put her hand on top of theirs. "We'll definitely make this work!"
She felt sure of it. After all, no matter how impatient her parents were, they couldn't possibly stomach a "boyfriend" this outrageous.
Once their mission plan was set, the trio left the Simmer Hot Pot Restaurant and began their final preparations.
Since Zhu Yuan's parents had arranged a blind date for her the very next day, their operation had to be executed tonight.
Sol changed into [Boothill's Replica Cosmic Cowboy Outfit]—mostly black, sleek and sharp, accented with flashes of silver and platinum that gave off a dangerous edge.
The outfit featured symbols and badges—like the star crest paying homage to legendary Western gunslingers—oozing strength and menace.
The original top had been a cropped jacket designed to reveal Boothill's metallic abs.
If Boothill was still human instead of a cyborg, the outfit would've exposed everything from his chest to his waist.
Luckily, the system-generated version came complete with the mechanical abs included—a nice touch, Sol thought appreciatively.
When he finished changing, he looked himself over and grinned.
He looked lethal. A cold, dangerous aura surrounded him, and the red scarf around his neck added a perfectly arrogant flair.
"Isn't this… a little too handsome?" Zhu Yuan asked, hesitant.
She admired the look—it was incredibly attractive—but weren't they supposed to lower her parents' impression of him, not raise it?
"I think it's perfect," Sol said confidently. "You can't bring home a guy who's ugly and awful. At least make it believable that your parents would think you're in your right mind."
"Oh. Yeah, that makes sense."
Zhu Yuan nodded in agreement.
If her "boyfriend" were both hideous and scummy, even she'd wonder if she'd lost her mind—never mind her parents.
"Okay then," Sol said, patting the sleek frame of his Kawasaki H2 Special Edition. "Time to roll out."
It was a reward he'd gotten ages ago and never used—now, it was the perfect "bad boy" prop.
"All three of us on one bike?" Zhu Yuan asked blankly.
"Of course. If we're gonna act, we go all in. What kind of couple arrives separately?" Sol said casually.
"…Fair point," Qingyi said thoughtfully.
So, the petite Qingyi climbed onto the front, Sol took the middle to steer, and Zhu Yuan sat at the back.
With a sharp twist of the throttle, the trio roared down the street toward Zhu Yuan's home.
On the roadside, Nicole blinked, rubbing her eyes.
Was that… Sol? It couldn't be, right?