Zhu Yuan didn't even finish her Ramen before they all hopped into Elias's car. It was really late, and the weariness was setting in, they were parked with a streetlight above them. "I think we need to go somewhere more discreet," Elias said as he drove, his brow furrowed with focus. "But some places aren't exactly suited for this kind of meeting."
They tossed out suggestions while driving.
"How about the precinct?" Qingyi suggested, leaning forward.
Elias shook his head. "It might look a little suspicious to bring along a random guy like me and then have a closed-door meeting. And... you know, meeting with the Proxy situation." His voice trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air.
"It's too risky…" Zhu Yuan muttered, rubbing her temples.
"The Café?" Seth offered, clearly still thinking about food.
"Still too risky," Elias sighed.
"What about my place?" Elias suggested nonchalantly. But the minute he said it, Zhu Yuan's stomach dropped. She sent him a quick message while he drove.
Zhu Yuan: NO. They'll find out you're Elias if you have trophies lying around! I can't have them losing trust in me on this case!
Elias's messenger chimed, and he glanced at it, one hand on the wheel.
Elias: How? I'll just say it was a fake name. Problem solved.
Zhu Yuan's heart pounded.
Zhu Yuan: And then they'll lose trust in YOU and ME because of makeshift name, genius!
Elias: They don't trust you?
Zhu Yuan: It's not like that. I'm just protecting you and them from this case.
Elias sighed loudly, pulling the car to the edge of the road. "Alright, my place is probably not the best idea either. Too risky. Also, my roommate might overhear sensitive information."
"Wait, you have a roommate?" Seth asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
"Yeah," Elias shrugged. "He's a bit of a night owl, too. Any other volunteers?"
Zhu Yuan immediately perked up. "How about Seth's place?"
"Uhh, Captain, I have cats. You're allergic, remember?" Seth hesitated, shooting her an awkard look.
Zhu Yuan widened her eyes. "Oh, right, the cats." She cringed inwardly, Why did I forget the cats?
She turned to Qingyi, almost pleading. "Qingyi?"
Qingyi glanced back from the seat, her face mischievous as ever. "Captain, my home isn't even in New Eridu. I stay at the station, remember?" Then, she added with a smirk, "How about your place? You live alone, right?"
Zhu Yuan jumped in her seat, turning bright red. "No way! That's my personal space!" she blurted out, her voice louder than she intended.
Elias chuckled under his breath as Seth snickered in the backseat. "Okay, let's vote on it," Elias suggested calmly. Before Zhu Yuan could even protest, both Seth and Qingyi's hands shot up like eager students in a classroom.
Zhu Yuan sank back into her seat, feeling the heat creeping up her face. Gosh, I don't even know if I cleaned up... what if there are undies lying around? She buried her face in her hands, silently praying for her apartment to miraculously organize itself.
Her cheeks were flushed, and she suddenly felt like she was coming down with a fever. Or is this just embarrassment?
While parked, Zhu Yuan couldn't decide if she should volunteer her place, but the night was dragging on, and they had no other options. With a defeated sigh, she finally caved. "FINE, but only the living room! Any other room is off-limits!"
Seth, ever the opportunist, perked up. "…What about the kitchen, Captain?"
Zhu Yuan narrowed her eyes. "Ugh, Seth. Fine, but—no snacks! I'm serious."
"And the bathroom?" Qingyi chimed in, her expression innocent, but Zhu Yuan knew better.
Zhu Yuan shot her a sideways glance. "Qingyi, you're an automaton. Do you even need the bathroom?"
"Of course, Captain," Qingyi replied with a straight face. "Do you think food just magically disappears from my tummy?"
Zhu Yuan blinked, speechless. "Fine. But I'm checking every room before you two enter! And don't even think about my bedroom—it's my personal space."
Elias, who had been quiet until now, chuckled under his breath. "I was just about to ask that," he said with a playful grin, "but—where do we sleep?"
Her heart practically stopped at his flirty tone. What?! Sleep? He did not just
Qingyi and Seth burst out laughing in the backseat, clearly enjoying the moment.
Zhu Yuan's face went crimson, and she stammered, "What do you mean we? No one—NO ONE—is going near my bedroom! You can sleep in your car, at the balcony, or, better yet, just drive home! Come on, Mr. Smith!" she retorted, flustered beyond reason.
Her thoughts raced as she tried to calm down. I am never, ever doing this again... inviting people into my personal space. What was I thinking?!
After that moment, Zhu Yuan fell into an awkward silence, curled up in a fetal position in the front seat. Her cheeks were flushed, and her heart raced like she'd just sprinted a marathon. Why did I even agree to this? She glanced nervously at the narrow road, guiding Elias toward her place.
"Quite odd, bringing my team and even a random guy to my home who I barely know. But at least this is a meeting for a case," she muttered to herself, peering at the back seat.
"At least Seth and Qingyi are here." She sighed, anxiety bubbling in her chest. "I just hope this case is worth intruding on my personal space!"
"Captain, would you mind if we stop at a convenience store?" Seth piped up from the back. "We'll just grab a snack."
"What?" Zhu Yuan blinked in disbelief. "Seth, you already had two bowls of Ramen! Are you trying to compete for the title of Snack King now?"
"Come on, Captain! This meeting might get longer than expected."
Zhu Yuan let out a groan. Why did I sign up for this? Finally, she relented. "Fine, but if we're getting snacks, I want a can of cold beer too!"
"Gotcha, Captain!" Seth exclaimed, practically jumping out of the car like a kid headed to his favorite amusement park.
As she peered out the window, watching them waddle into the store, Qingyi shot her a glance that seemed to say, Get out here! But Zhu Yuan just sank lower in her seat, not wanting to face the reality of inviting Elias into her space.
Qingyi, sensing Zhu Yuan's reluctance, knocked on the window. "Captain? What's bothering you?"
Zhu Yuan lowered the window just enough to talk. "Honestly? This whole thing may compromise my personal space. I don't mix work with my home life. You know me, Qingyi."
Qingyi frowned, concern written all over her face. "If that's your only concern, I'll make sure to secure your place after this meeting. No work will cross the threshold!"
Zhu Yuan chuckled nervously, "Thanks, but I'm not sure that'll help if the ghosts of cases past start haunting my living room."
"Just think of it as a team-building exercise! A little bit of work never hurt anyone—unless you're eating it with a side of awkward," Qingyi teased, and Zhu Yuan couldn't help but laugh.
"Right, because nothing says 'team spirit' like discussing criminal cases in my living room with a guy whose last name I don't even know," she shot back, trying to lighten the mood, even if her heart was still racing.
Qingyi dashed into the store, leaving Zhu Yuan alone in the car, staring blankly ahead. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts when suddenly her phone vibrated, pulling her from her reverie.
"Zhu Yuan, I sense you're feeling uneasy. I can always volunteer to meet at my place if you really want. I just feel like we might be invading your space."
She sighed, half-amused. Well, you're not wrong there…
"Thanks for the offer," she typed back, her fingers hesitating over the screen.
Another message pinged in. "We'll keep your personal space safe, I promise, after this."
Zhu Yuan couldn't help but feel a bit relieved, a small smile tugging at her lips. She put her phone down and glanced out the window. Inside the store, they were chatting and laughing like old friends, Elias looking surprisingly innocent. He doesn't look like a spy... or a ghost...
She grabbed her phone again, her playful side taking over. "No, it's fine! We're just a couple of blocks away from my apartment. But please, be mindful of wandering around my place without my permission. I will definitely taser you if you try!"
She sent the message, giggling at the thought of Elias jumping back in surprise. Maybe a little humor will lighten the mood. Who knew an undercover agent could be so... friendly?