They had booked a table for four, and as Zhu Yuan entered the restaurant, her gaze instinctively flickered toward Elias. When he caught her eye, she quickly averted her gaze, her heart racing.
"Officers, I'll be right back. I just need to grab the documents from my car," Elias said, excusing himself.
As the waiter led them to their seats, Zhu Yuan leaned close to Qingyi. "You remember that cold case we've been discussing, right? That's why I teamed up with E..ermm Mr. Smith. This is purely forgathering intel. Nothing personal, okay?"
Qingyi raised an eyebrow, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Sure, Captain. Whatever you say."
Zhu Yuan turned to Seth. "And Seth, we need you too. We're all in on this."
Seth nodded seriously but exchanged a quick glance with Qingyi, who stifled a chuckle. "Just making sure this is all about the cold case, right, Captain?"
Zhu Yuan groaned, rolling her eyes."Oh, come on...! I am being serious!"
As they settled into their private seating area, the atmosphere thickened with anticipation. Always cautious, Qingyi activated a device to block any radio or signal transmissions." You never know, Captain," she said with a grin, earning a thumbs-up from Zhu Yuan.
Seth leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "Captain, just curious... have you figured out who's been sending those desserts?"
Zhu Yuan let out a weary sigh. "Seth, this isn't the time..."
"But seriously, Captain," Seth pressed on,"as a guy, I wouldn't send desserts to a girl I like for a whole week unless I had a good reason."
Clearing her throat, Zhu Yuan stammered, "I... I really don't know who it could be."
Qingyi, never one to miss an opportunity for mischief, leaned in with a sly smile. "Come on, Captain, it's just us here. Honestly, I thought J.D. was Mr. Smith quite odd seeing him yesterday ain't it?"
Zhu Yuan's face flushed. Seth's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, really?"
"Guys... Stop! Even my mom doesn't know about this yet!" Zhu Yuan whispered harshly, trying to maintain her composure.
Just as she was about to say more, there was a knock on the private room door. Zhu Yuan jumped slightly, prompting Qingyi and Seth to stifle their laughter. It was rare to see their no-nonsense captain so flustered—it was almost endearing.
Elias walked in, carrying a thick stack of files. "I'm starting to think we could've picked a more discreet spot," he said, glancing around. "But let's keep it short... like a dinner." He grinned, attempting to lighten the mood, but Zhu Yuan could feel her nerves escalating again.
Seth and Qingyi exchanged amused glances, clearly enjoying watching their normally composed captain break character in front of Elias.
They ordered dinner, but out of sheer anxiety, Zhu Yuan opted for her go-to: a lava cake and a strong coffee.
"Isn't it a little late for sweets and coffee, Officer Zhu Yuan?" Elias asked, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at her plate. "Seems like you've got quite the sweet tooth."
She scoffed, quickly taking a sip of her coffee. "It... It gives me energy, so I can focus on the tasks at hand later." She avoided his gaze, her nerves bubbling up once more.
Qingyi smirked, unable to resist the moment. "I always thought you reached for sweets when you were stressed. Like that time you skipped lunch and only ate lava cakes from J.D."
Caught off guard, Zhu Yuan choked slightly, spilling her coffee all over the table—drenching some of the case files in the process.
Elias blinked, momentarily stunned, while Qingyi and Seth both bit their lips, trying not to burst out laughing."Smooth,"Qingyi whispered under her breath, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Zhu Yuan scrambled to clean up the drenched documents, awkwardly apologizing to Elias. He remained calm and composed, brushing off her embarrassment. "It's fine, Officer. I'll provide your team with digitized copies of the evidence, all securely encrypted," he explained, waving a hand dismissively, as if he were dealing with a minor coffee spill instead of a flood of paperwork.
As dinner wrapped up, Elias shifted the conversation to the case, his tone growing serious as he mentioned anunfamiliar syndicate:Crimson Veil. "They're linked to theHollow Smugglersand even having roots in theoldEridu's Syndicate, with connections extending to some higher administrative positions," he stated, his voice steady.
Zhu Yuan felt tension rising in the air, her mind racing to connect the dots about theirCold Case. The mention of the Eridu Syndicate stirred memories of unresolved cases from her early days in New Eridu Public Security. This case had lingered like a ghost throughout her career—like that one time she thought she saw a ghost, but it turned out to be just a very dedicated janitor.
Qingyi chimed in, "Yeah, that case has been on the back burner for ages. It's about time someone dug into it."
As Elias continued discussing the implications of Crimson Veil, Zhu Yuan's heart raced with a mix of anxiety and determination. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, and she could feel the weight of the case pressing down on her—almost as heavy as the lava cake now resting in her stomach.
Their small briefing wrapped up quickly, even amid Zhu Yuan's anxiety, possibly eased by Elias' presence—or maybe it was the coffee she had during dinner.Though she tried to stay focused, her thoughts wandered.
"I wouldn't send desserts to a girl I like for a whole week unless I had a good reason."Seth's earlier comments echoed in her mind, leaving her feeling even more anxious not on the case but with the box of desserts.
"Captain?Mr. Smith is asking if you'd like to join us for dessert at the Plaza," Qingyi interrupted her daydreaming.
"Uh, yes...? Dessert?" Zhu Yuan stammered, snapping back to reality.
"But Captain already had a dessert," Seth chimed in, raising an eyebrow.
"...another dessert wouldn't hurt, right?" Qingyi countered, grinning. "Besides, it's Mr. Smith's treat tonight; he even paid for our dinner!"
Zhu Yuan hesitated, glancing between her teammates and the door. "I... I don't know," she said, uncertainty creeping into her voice.
"Come on, Captain! It could be fun!" Qingyi encouraged, her excitement infectious.
Zhu Yuan bit her lip, still weighing her options brushing her arms. "I just... I need a moment to think about it."
Before she could protest further, Qingyi grabbed her arm, tugging her toward the exit with surprising enthusiasm."Just join us! You work too hard!"
Zhu Yuan barely had time to resist as Qingyi led her to the parking lot. Elias was already waiting by his car, leaning casually against itlike he was posing for a magazine cover. Zhu Yuan felt a jolt of anxiety when Qingyi nudged her into the passenger seat.
"Just join us, Captain. You need to take a break sometimes," Qingyi said, giving her a knowing smile before shutting the door with a soft thud.
With Seth and Qingyi in the back seat, Zhu Yuan found herself uncomfortably close to Elias. Her heart raced, though she blamed it on the sugar and caffeine from dinner, trying not to overthink things.
"Hope you're ready for some dessert!" Elias said with a playful grin, glancing at her.
"Uh, yeah... dessert again... let's see what they have," she replied, forcing a smile and hoping he wouldn't notice her nerves.
The car rolled through the dimly lit streets, streetlights casting warm shadows across their faces. Zhu Yuan leaned against the window, her mind buzzing. Just a casual dessert... why am I so jittery?
From the back seat, Seth broke the silence. "I can't remember the last time our Captain actually took a break like this. Did someone finally take her out on a date?"
Zhu Yuan rolled her eyes, pretending to be engrossed by the view outside. "It's just aworkthing."
Elias chuckled. "Dates?In our line of work? We're lucky if we have time to eat." He shot her a side glance, his casual demeanor softening the tension.
Flustered, Zhu Yuan snuck a glance at him. Why did his relaxed attitude have to make things more confusing? She muttered, "Shouldn't have had that coffee..."
"Yeah, bad choice. Coffee at night's a no-go," Elias said, though his tone had a hint of playful warning. "You'll end up even more tired."
They soon arrived at the café—a familiar spot where they usually started their morning patrols. But tonight, it was alive with chatter and laughter. Zhu Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense ofdéjà vu, but something about being here for dessert rather than work felt oddly... out of place.
"Chop, chop, Captain!"Qingyi exclaimed as she bounced out of the car, tugging Zhu Yuan by the arm again.
Zhu Yuan hesitated for a moment, her heart still racing as they walked toward the entrance. Elias, already ahead of them, looked back, giving her a brief reassuring smile that made her stomach flip-flop in ways she didn't want to admit.
Inside, the warm scent of pastries wafted through the air, and Zhu Yuan felt herself being drawn into the moment. She shook her head, attempting to stay grounded. What am I doing here? Seth nudged her. "Come on, Captain, treat yourself. We deserve it."
"Yeah, it's not every day we get to relax," Qingyi added, grinning.
Zhu Yuan took a deep breath. "Alright, dessert again... it is." She allowed herself a small smile, even though her nerves weren't entirely settled.
As they reached the counter, Zhu Yuan's eyes landed on a familiar dessert: the lava cake that J.D. had sent her before. Her thoughts this... a sign?She glanced over at Elias, who was standing in the line, chatting casually with Seth and Qingyi.
"You guys go ahead and order. I'll be in line," Elias offered, flashing another warm smile before heading to the counter.
Zhu Yuan's heart raced. She exhaled sharply, almost frustrated with herself. This guy is giving me mixed signals. What does he want?
While the others chatted, Zhu Yuan ordered a simple bottle of water, trying to keep her thoughts straight. When she returned to the table, Qingyi gave her a curious look. "Only water, Captain? Mr. Smith got an extra cinnamon roll for us."
"Just hydrating," Zhu Yuan replied, quickly taking a sip of her water. "Need to balance out all that coffee from earlier."
Qingyi raised an eyebrow, clearly seeing through the excuse. "Uh-huh. Watering down coffee now? Sounds like a Captain Zhu special." She winked.
Elias, who had just sat down with their orders, chuckled softly. "A creative solution. But if you need more energy, I can share some cinnamon roll." He slid the plate toward her with a teasing grin.
Zhu Yuan's face warmed at the offer, and she shook her head quickly. "No, thanks. I don't want to spoil my dinner routine."
"Good call," Seth added, smirking. "Can't have Mr. Smith thinking our Captain is a dessert fiend."
They laughed, but as the evening wound down, there was an undercurrent of tension that Zhu Yuan couldn't ignore. The light conversation, the desserts, the playful teasing—it all felt like a distraction from the gnawing confusion swirling inside her.
When they finally returned to the station, the group exchanged goodbyes. Zhu Yuan made her way back to her apartment, her mind still racing. Lying in bed, she stared at the ceiling, replaying the night in her head.Maybe I really shouldn't have had that coffee...she thought, tossing and turning. But it wasn't the caffeine keeping her awake. It was the growinguncertaintyabout Elias—and thosedesserts.