When Lucian pushed the Mobile Stall back into the shop, Croissant was just finishing the cleanup before closing.
For someone as unreliable as this bread girl could be, she was surprisingly serious when it counted. It made life a lot easier.
The moment she saw him, she flashed a thumbs-up and winked.
"Lucian, right on time! If you came ten minutes later I would've assumed you went missing and called that yellow-haired she-tiger at the Lungmen Guard Department!"
"A few hours without seeing me counts as missing?" Lucian laughed and went over to help.
Croissant puffed out her cheeks with a serious face.
"I'm not joking, y'know. That loud cop lady gave me and Texas her personal number. She said if you do anything weird, we should call her immediately—no need to wait twenty-four hours to file a report. Especially if you and Exusiai disappear at the same time! She said that's when we must call her."
"Is she a creep?" Lucian was stunned.
Beatrix Swire—Lungmen Guard Department's proud Senior Inspector, and one of Lungmen's top Capitalists' daughters—was far too invested in some nobody like Lucian.
He didn't dislike her blunt affection, but Swire bribing the people around him felt a bit… yandere-ish.
And why was she specifically worried about him and El vanishing together?
That made it sound like he only ever snuck off to hook up with El. What an insult.
In fact, today he'd gone on a little date with their family's Inspector Ch'en instead. Lucian hummed smugly.
"Tell me you didn't actually do what she asked. Whose side are you on, Croissant?"
"Obviously I'm Lucian's loyal minion!"
The bread girl shamelessly leaned in, clinging to his arm.
"A one-time meal or lifetime meals—of course I know which to choose. So I sold Swire's number! A pretty officer from the Guard Department fetches a good price!"
Lucian was speechless.
"That's a bit much… Don't blame me if she comes after you."
No one in Penguin Logistics was easy to handle. No wonder Ch'en saw them as a pack of thorns.
After closing the shop, Lucian and Croissant headed home under the envious eyes of 996 wage slaves.
To save on rent, Penguin Logistics all shared a single Youth Apartment.
Three bedrooms, one living room, two bathrooms. As the only guy, Lucian had to take the small room.
As soon as they got home, Croissant flopped onto the couch with a magazine, while Lucian—acting like some housewife—picked up her scattered shoes, socks, and jacket.
Seeing Croissant lounging in just a tank top, one leg kicked up like some giant white fish, he seriously wondered if this bread girl had forgotten she even had a gender.
"…Not like I'm gonna get horny for bread anyway," Lucian muttered, convincing himself.
Then he briskly headed to the Kitchen to cook.
"Go check if Texas is awake. Tell her dinner's ready."
"No waaay!" Croissant rolled around on the sofa.
"Texas has to wake up naturally. If she doesn't sleep at least twelve hours she's terrifying—the look in her eyes is like she'll chop you."
"That's just her being half-asleep," Lucian retorted. "But fine, let her sleep."
Croissant was hyperactive on a good day, while Texas was practically nocturnal. After wiping out some arms dealers in the early hours, she'd only just come home to crash. Sleeping until evening was normal.
Exusiai wasn't back yet either—the boss of Penguin Logistics was off on another self-discovery trip. So tonight's dinner was just Lucian and Croissant.
Croissant clasped her hands.
"I'm digging in!" she said with sparkling eyes.
The bread girl who ate like a pig reincarnated tore through the food like a storm. She ignored Lucian-mama's lectures entirely and inhaled three servings in the blink of an eye.
Wiping her mouth, she winked again.
"I live for this meal! You could say I was born just to eat Lucian's rice! Anyway—I'm heading out to run my night stall, thanks Lucian."
Lucian-mama frowned deeply.
"Wipe your mouth. Put your bowl in the sink. And don't run right after eating—don't go swinging that hammer in your room—ah, she's not listening at all."
He watched the bread girl dash out with a huge bag, leaving chaos behind.
Just like Lucian ran a Tea Shop, Croissant had her own side hustle—she went out at night to run her stall selling random trinkets she scavenged.
Some were legal. Some weren't.
But despite her scatterbrained vibe, she'd never once been caught by the Lungmen Guard Department. Another thorn in Inspector Ch'en's side.
"This girl really can't act like a proper woman… even her tank top's half falling off."
Lucian grumbled while very honestly gathering up her discarded clothes. They were still warm.
He sorted her laundry by color and fabric, cleaned the dishes, put away the leftovers, and finally got to his own work.
First, he prepped ingredients in the Kitchen for tomorrow's shop.
By the time he finished, it was nearly midnight.
"Time for the real work."
Stretching, he went back to his room.
Outside of the bed, the rest of his room was basically taken over by messy tools and equipment.
He made his own Firearm and bullets here—it was basically a tiny armory.
Opening the Sterilization Cabinet, he took out empty Blood Plasma Bags and disposable Needles. He rolled up his sleeve, disinfected with alcohol, and pierced his arm.
He moved with practiced ease—ten years of habit embedded in his DNA.
The Mixer rattled rhythmically as fresh red blood filled the Blood Bag. The sensation was strangely fascinating.
—Knock, knock.
Just as Lucian was drawing blood while assembling bullets, his half-open door was tapped.
Texas, freshly awake and still hazy, stood there with her wolf ears drooping.
She glanced at Lucian, then at the Blood Bag connected to his arm, staring for a few seconds.
"…I'm hungry."
"Okay, okay. I'll heat the food." Lucian paused his work, removed the Needle, sealed the Blood Bag—again, flawlessly smooth.
He brewed two cups of coffee, adding double sugar and milk to Texas's.
"…I'm digging in," Texas murmured.
The cold, aloof wolf girl accepted everything quietly and began eating.
Lucian sat across from her, sipping coffee, watching her with interest.
Freshly awake, Texas was completely in home-mode. She wore an oversized T-shirt as pajamas, the hem falling to her thighs like a dress.
It left plenty of room for a man's imagination, and Lucian made no effort to hide the fact he was enjoying the view.
"…Hey."
Texas's cheek twitched as she looked at him.
"When do you actually rest? You haven't slept for twenty-four hours since yesterday."