Her team waved goodbye as they left the office, their voices echoing, "Captain, will you be working overnight again?" Zhu Yuan only offered a faint smile, her mind already preoccupied with the upcoming meeting.
As she sat at her desk, hesitation gripped her. Should she bother with makeup? A quick retouch? She dismissed the thought; after all, this was not a date but a work-related meeting. Yet, she couldn't shake the image of Elias's reaction to her haggard appearance—evidence of a sleepless night weighed down by anxiety.
In the end, she opted for a simple swipe of lip balm, feeling it was enough to give her a touch of polish without overdoing it. She then decided against her N.E.P.S. uniform; she didn't want to draw attention or make anyone suspicious of her identity as an officer. This meeting wasn't an official operation, after all.
She reached for something more inconspicuous—her long-sleeves and a comfortable coat that would help her blend in with the evening crowd.
As she looked in the mirror, she smoothed down her coat and adjusted the collar. It felt strange to go without her badge in sight, but the firearm secured at her handbag was a reassuring weight, a reminder of her duty. Safety first, she reminded herself, steeling her resolve for the evening ahead.
Zhu Yuan took a cab, feeling the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her as she resolved to stay focused. The rush hour traffic felt endless, and she fought off the urge to doze off, her restlessness making the journey seem longer.
Finally arriving at the café, Zhu Yuan scanned the long queue, her pulse quickening when she spotted Elias lounging on the balcony upstairs. You better hand over the evidence, Elias. Don't think I won't taser you if necessary, she thought, irritation and anticipation vying for control. She ascended to the second floor, her grip tightening on her handbag as she approached.
Instead of sitting, she leaned against the balcony railing, her eyes fixed on him.
Elias waved, his smile as infuriating as it was charming. "Hey... How was your day?" he asked casually, signaling to a server before gesturing to the chair in front of him. "Please, sit."
Zhu Yuan's tone dripped with suspicion. "What's in it for you?"
He chuckled, unbothered. "Come on, let's have something first."
She wasn't interested in pleasantries. "Where are the files?" Her voice was sharp, cutting to the point.
Elias leaned back, his demeanor relaxed. "Relax, I've got them, officer," he replied smoothly. Just then, his order arrived.
"No coffee tonight officer." he teased, flashing a grin that only deepened the crease between her brows. Zhu Yuan groaned, barely containing her frustration. "Today's been a little hard. Just give me the files," she demanded, finally sliding into the chair, fists clenched.
"I've been working overtime on this... for nothing?!" she added, her annoyance spiking as the memory of the day's endless tasks—and that unsolicited dessert from J.D.—flooded back. The outburst earned a few curious looks from nearby tables, but she didn't care.
"Zhu Yuan, you need to calm down," he urged, his tone a mix of concern and amusement.
He reached across the table, gently grasping her hands as he slid a small encrypted drive into her palm. "Remember to keep this safe—and the suspect. You need to secure him. "Flustered by his touch, she found herself momentarily speechless, her brain swirling with thoughts of dessert and duty.
"..."
".."
Focus, Zhu Yuan! This isn't a rom-com; it's a crime drama! Oh, she's fully aware of the genre shift now. Yep, she just glanced your way. "Don't give me that look—I know what this feels like, I'm not really into this. "A pause."Unless...? No, nope! Back to business."
Elias blinked, visibly startled, as if he somehow heard the internal monologue. "I wanted to ask if you have any connections in the sanitary department. I'd like to check the lost parcel at the landfill," he continued, his voice innocent of her little genre dilemma.
Zhu Yuan snapped back to reality, tightening her grip on the drive and furrowing her brow in concern. Great. First flirty palm drives, now landfill expeditions. Romance really is dead.
"The sanitary department? —you are really serious on your trash recovery plan huh." she replied, her skepticism plain.
Her thoughts drifted to the landfills in New Eridu, buried deep in the Hollows. Great. Just what I need—sifting through trash in treacherous terrain. And a possible encounter with raiders or ethereals. She briefly considered asking Phaethon for help but dismissed it. As an officer, she couldn't risk exposing her ties to a Proxy.
"...Elias," Zhu Yuan broke the silence, her voice firm, "interrogating the suspect makes more sense. The landfills are deep in the Hollows. It's too dangerous." Her no-nonsense tone made it clear this wasn't up for debate.
Elias sighed, rubbing his temples. "I understand. But without hard evidence, we've got no leverage. I couldn't offer whistle-blower protection, and even if I did, it might not be enough. That's why I need to get that package back."
Zhu Yuan's doubts lingered, but she felt a small wave of relief. Maybe he isn't tangled up with Crimson Veil after all. His concern for the suspect's safety seemed real enough.
"Tell me,"She said, lowering her voice as tension thickened the air, "why were you chasing him that day?We haven't gotten a shred of useful info from him."
"He's connected to my primary informant," Elias said, his tone calm but unwavering. "Theyboth panicked, thought they couldn't trust me. Especially with certain... people watching from the shadows." He leaned back, his shoulders stiff. "There's someone bigger pulling the strings, and that's why I've been handling this case alone."
Primary informant? Zhu Yuan's mind spun. Is he for real, or just stringing me along?
Her fists tightened. "Then why drag me into it?"
Elias's gave him a straight face. "Zhu Yuan, remember you were the one who came in and offer help while I'm finding the evidence at the trash." That line made Zhu Yuan's heart skip a beat, she remembered.
"I really don't want to drag anyone with this case, it's really complicated." he added rubbing the bridge of his nose, seemingly upset.
"Oh... -Y.. Yeah." she stammered. Because I need leads on our cold case, yeah, I remember.
"Elias, I told you if this is something bigger, as a PUBSEC officer I should offer help. I'll keep it under cover. "She paused."...and who is this Primary Informant aside from the suspect behind bars?"
"Remember when we first ran into each other—during your lunch?"
Her eyes widened. "Wait...my lunch?"
"I was chasing my informant," Elias continued. "Ran right into you—lost him that day." His voice softened, and a light chuckle slipped out. "Tried to explain, but you were...let's just say you weren't in the mood to listen, and you attempted to taser me."
Zhu Yuan's jaw dropped slightly. He's bringing that up now?
"The suspect's tied to the same case," he added, sighing as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "He bolted because he doesn't trust anyone—not me, not you."
Zhu Yuan blinked, the memory of that awkward encounter flashing back. "Oh...thatday? I—I'm sorry." She clasped her hands together, her eyes falling to her knees as embarrassment flooded in.I was way too worked up over that lunch...—because obviously you ruin it.
Just as Elias was about to speak, Zhu Yuan's messenger buzzed on the table, snapping her out of the conversation. She checked the screen. It was her mom.
"Excuse me," she said, lifting the device. Elias gave a casual nod, sipping his drink.
"Hey, Mom."
"Zhu! How's work? Are you eating enough?" Her mother's voice carried its usual warmth.
Zhu Yuan's eyes flicked to the untouched lava cake sitting on the table. "Yeah, Mom, I'm fine. Just... busy with a big case."
"You sound tired. Are you taking care of yourself?"
"I am," she said, glancing at Elias, who was now pretending to be deeply fascinated by the crowd outside. For a second, Zhu thought about mentioning the odd dessert offerings but held back. Instead, she forced a smile. "Someone's been giving me desserts a lot lately, though."
"Oh? A special someone?" her mom teased, all too happy to connect dots that weren't there.
Heat crept up Zhu's face. "No, Mom. Probably bribing me to finish my quarterly paperwork," she muttered, quieter than she'd meant to.
"Well, you never know. It could be a secret admirer," her mother hummed.
"Mom, not yet," Zhu replied, half-heartedly, as if trying to dismiss both the idea and the cake staring back at her.
After wrapping up the call, she slipped her messenger back into her pocket, catching Elias's raised eyebrows. "Everything okay?" he asked.
"Yeah. Just my mom doing her usual check-ins," Zhu said, leaning back, trying to shrug off the awkwardness.
"Sounds like she really worries about you."
"She does. A LOT." Zhu sighed, her voice softening. Her thoughts strayed for a moment, but she wasn't about to dive into personal stories with Elias. Not yet. "Anyway, back to the case," she said, eager to change the subject.
They dove into work, discussing the Crimson Veil case in detail. Bit by bit, the tension in Zhu's mind loosened, though a quiet comfort lingered in Elias's presence. She wasn't about to admit it, of course—especially not in her own head. What was she, a romance novel character?Please, let's not get that meta.
Once the conversation wrapped up, Zhu grabbed the box of lava cake. "I think I'll call it a night. I haven't slept well in days," she admitted with a tired smile.
Elias nodded. "Of course. Get some rest."
As she left the café, she paused at the entrance, glancing back with a small, almost reluctant smile.Well, at least I've got my dessert for the day,she thought, giving Elias a quick wave before slipping into a cab.
The cool hum of the air conditioning greeted her as the cab pulled into traffic. Zhu rested her head against the window, watching the city lights blur past. Her mind wandered between the weight of the investigation and... whatever that was earlier. Not that she'd admit to anything weird. She was a detective, after all, not some protagonist in a cliché love story. Right? Right.
Arriving home, she let out a sigh of relief and made a beeline for her bed—after enjoying her precious lava cake, of course. Priorities.