Expecting Yun Jian and her comrades to take at least weeks or half a month for the mission, plus the possibility they might not even make it back for Lunar New Year, Qin Yirou breathed in relief when her daughter returned home not even two days later. Any mission they went on posed a risk after all!
Winter break had just started and Lunar New Year was still some time away.
The next evening, Qin Yirou did some Lunar New Year shopping at the mall after she got off work. She had some savings now. Since she worked in New Cruise, they had moved past the days where she tried to make ends meet.
Therefore, she made some extra purchases when she did her shopping.
“Mom, I’m not having dinner at home tonight. You don’t have to make my serving,” Yun Jian informed Qin Yirou, standing at the door wearing a pair of white canvas shoes and a scarf wrapped around her neck, before turning to open the front door.
“Okay!” Qin Yirou agreed easily.
Pulling the front door open, Yun Jian headed out bracing the piercing cold of the wintry wind.
She wore a long down jacket today that reached past her knees. Tying her hair into a high ponytail, she wrapped everywhere under her neck into the scarf. She was dressed simply for her bottoms, only a pair of thermal leggings that kept her warm.
After a successful mission yesterday, Chu Xiangnan was treating them to a meal to celebrate. He invited all of them in Team Monarch and planned to host a dinner. They were saying that they would go to the karaoke after dinner too.
Putting aside their identities as the Special Forces, Chu Xiangnan was actually born with a silver spoon. Having never been poor, he was used to being pampered in luxury since he was a child. He was usually easy going too.
Actually, Chu Xiangnan performed the worst in Team Monarch. The reason he was selected into the team was that his father had forcefully admitted him there, citing that he wanted him to suffer a little in the military and shave some edge of his initial staunched pride.
Before Chu Xiangnan joined the Special Forces, he was the average delinquent who mingled with bad influences he called friends all day, frequently staying the night out too.
Infuriated, his father took to some connection and thrust him into the Special Forces training. He even told the boy that he would break his leg if he dared come home without picking up some skills.
These were recounted to the team by Chu Xiangnan himself as a joke later on.
Bracing the icy wind, Yun Jian made a few turns into an alley after leaving home where Chu Xiangnan and others were waiting for her shivering and stomping around for heat.
When he saw her, Chu Xiangnan waved quickly. “Yun Jian, you’re finally here. Quick! Here, come on now. I’m freezing!”
Yun Jian went toward them as told.
“I’ll buy all of you a good meal today! Heh heh!” Chu Xiangnan puffed some warm air into his palms and told his team members.
“Quit it! What time is it even? Come on, I’m starving!” Chu Ning hopped up to clap a palm on his head and ordered him bossily.
“Alright, alright, let’s go!” Walking in front, Chu Xiangnan led the rest to the location where he said he would buy them a good meal.
Yun Jian was situated at the back of the group. Pressing her lips together, her pretty little face was reddened from the cold.
The destination of Chu Xiangnan’s good meal was a new hotel. It was not rated in stars but the prices were incredibly high. The hotel was a branch from abroad and it was said that the owner was a foreigner.
Chu Xiangnan led all of them inside.
The light at the entrance was glitzy with a huge chandelier hanging.
There were guests at the tables on the first floor and it seemed like the place was booked like someone was hosting a banquet.
Just as Yun Jian followed Chu Xiangnan and others in moving to the second floor, a deep strong voice of a man called out to Yun Jian in delight, “Girlie?”