Chapter 49: Fighting Over a Bowl of Soup

Shu Yan glanced at Lu Chengfeng and whispered two words to him: "Shut up."

Lu Chengfeng stopped teasing her and handed his tray to the cafeteria worker to serve his food.

After serving the food, the worker habitually placed an extra steamed bun on top of Lu Chengfeng's rice and said, "Captain Lu, eat more."

Lu Chengfeng thanked the worker, "Thank you."

Seeing that there was no one else in line behind him, the worker stopped Lu Chengfeng and asked:

"Captain Lu, you're single, right? Would you like to meet my daughter? She's twenty-five this year, works as a teacher at the Ninth Municipal Primary School, pretty, and has a wonderful personality."

Shu Yan looked back at the worker.

She wondered how the worker would react if she knew she was carrying Lu Chengfeng's child in her belly.

At this thought, Shu Yan couldn't help but smile inwardly.

Lu Chengfeng looked toward Shu Yan standing ahead and noticed she was smiling, which made him frown slightly.

Wasn't she jealous when someone was setting him up on a blind date?

"Sorry, ma'am, I already have someone I like," he said deliberately, raising his voice. "You can ask Captain Liu instead; he's single too."

"Ask me what?" Liu Xun asked, suddenly appearing from nowhere.

Lu Chengfeng tilted his chin toward the worker.

"The auntie wants to set you up with someone—her daughter, a teacher, very pretty, with a great personality. You should leave your number with her; don't let her kindness go to waste."

Liu Xun's mouth twitched. "Hehe, Captain Lu, I don't have any plans to date right now."

Puzzled, Lu Chengfeng said nothing more and walked over to Shu Yan.

Shu Yan was serving herself some pickled cabbage and fish from the food tray; it was the only dish she could stomach at the moment.

Lu Chengfeng glanced at the pickled cabbage and fish on her plate—it was mostly cabbage with only two small pieces of fish.

"Eating just pickled cabbage lacks nutrition. You need nourishment right now and must eat more meat," he reminded her in a low voice.

Shu Yan glanced at Liu Xun, who was still getting his food, and glared at Lu Chengfeng. "Shut up. I'll get whatever I want to eat myself."

With that, she turned around, picked up some cold dressed salad, and walked away with her tray.

Lu Chengfeng glanced at the remaining dishes on the counter, feeling somewhat helpless; indeed, none of them looked very appetizing.

He thought to himself that if he could get off work on time this afternoon, he would go buy some fresh ingredients and cook for Shu Yan.

Shu Yan carried her tray over and sat down next to Taozi.

Taozi placed a bowl of corn and pork rib soup in front of her.

With a sweet smile, she said, "Sister Yan, I got a bowl of soup for you too, and I specifically asked for an extra couple of ribs."

Shu Yan smiled at Taozi. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Taozi replied. Seeing Lu Chengfeng walking toward their direction, she waved. "Captain Lu, there's a seat over here."

Shu Yan frowned slightly, silently praying that Lu Chengfeng wouldn't come over. The two of them needed to avoid suspicion.

Yet Lu Chengfeng walked straight toward them and sat down beside her.

Looking at the two of them, Taozi wore a knowing, matchmaking smile. "Captain Lu, sitting right here with our Sister Yan, you two really look like a perfect match."

"Taozi," Shu Yan said in a low voice, "don't talk nonsense."

Taozi stuck out her tongue and lowered her head to eat.

Liu Xun walked over with his tray, feeling a pang of jealousy when he saw Lu Chengfeng sitting next to Shu Yan.

"Captain Lu, don't listen to the auntie's boasting," he said, lowering his voice as he sat down next to Taozi.

"I've seen the auntie's daughter once. She's fat and short, a real match for her mother's figure. Otherwise, she would have been married off long ago instead of waiting until now."

Taozi turned to look at Liu Xun. "Brother Xun, that's discrimination. Who wouldn't want to be slim and beautiful?"

Liu Xun argued his case: "No, Taozi, I'm just telling our Captain Lu here. Look at our Captain Lu—tall and handsome. Of course he should look for someone slim and beautiful. Why would anyone pass up the good choices to pick a flawed one?"

Taozi blinked and looked at Lu Chengfeng. "Captain Lu, what kind do you like? Slim or plump?"

Lu Chengfeng glanced at Shu Yan out of the corner of his eye. "The one that catches my eye."

Taozi caught Lu Chengfeng's subtle gesture, understanding everything without needing it spelled out.

Liu Xun also realized that Lu Chengfeng had feelings for Shu Yan. He felt deeply unhappy inside, yet he didn't dare utter a sound.

Compared to Lu Chengfeng, he was bound to lose.

It wasn't enough that Lu Chengfeng was taller and more handsome than him; he was also more capable.

Take the last case, for example: if Lu Chengfeng hadn't produced the crucial piece of evidence, everyone else would have assumed the perpetrator acted in a crime of passion.

The moment that critical evidence was presented, however, the nature of the case shifted into a premeditated intentional homicide.

Yesterday afternoon, Zhao Jianguo had specifically called Liu Xun into his office to discuss this very matter, telling him to learn a thing or two by following Lu Chengfeng's lead.

Shu Yan hadn't taken much food, and her appetite wasn't great either, so she quickly laid down her chopsticks and stood up.

"I'm done eating. I'll head back for a lunch break first. You guys take your time."

Taozi looked up at her. "Sister Yan, why did you eat so little? Is your stomach still bothering you? At least drink your soup."

Shu Yan glanced at the bowl of soup and said to Lu Chengfeng, "Taozi got me that soup, but I can't finish it. Do me a favor and take care of it."

"Alright, go get some rest," Lu Chengfeng agreed.

Shu Yan turned and walked away.

Liu Xun looked at the bowl of soup, then back at Shu Yan's retreating figure, belatedly sensing that something was amiss.

The tone Shu Yan had just used with Lu Chengfeng felt very much like a married couple.

He glanced at Lu Chengfeng, reached out to grab the bowl of soup, and said, "Perfect, I want some soup too. Captain Lu, let me have it."

Lu Chengfeng raised his eyelids and stared at Liu Xun. "If you want soup, can't you get your own?"

Liu Xun had no choice but to retract his hand. "I just didn't want to see it go to waste."

Watching the two men, Taozi thought they looked like they were fighting over a bowl of soup out of jealousy.

She silently pushed her own bowl of soup across the table toward Liu Xun.

"Captain Liu, I suddenly don't want to drink mine either. You can have it. I haven't touched it, so there's no spit in it."

Looking at Taozi's flushed cheeks, Liu Xun smiled and said:

"Why are you such a cute girl? I was just joking with Captain Lu. You drink it. If I want soup, I'll go get my own."

Taozi protested, "I really don't want it. Drinking soup makes it very easy to gain weight. I'm short, and if I get any fatter, I'll look terrible."

Liu Xun retorted, "...Taozi, you're quite slim; it's fine even if you gain a little weight."

Taozi shook her head. "I can't get any fatter. Actually, my ex once said I was too fat."

Liu Xun scoffed, "He's blind. Don't listen to his nonsense. It's better for girls to be a little plump—it brings good fortune. Hurry up and eat; you're still growing, so you need to eat more, understand?"

Liu Xun pushed the bowl of soup back to Taozi.

Lu Chengfeng felt that Liu Xun and Taozi were like a pair of magpies, chattering endlessly—a match made in heaven.

As for himself, he felt rather like a massive third wheel.

Therefore, he quickly finished off the food on his tray, said a brief word to the other two, and left.

As soon as Lu Chengfeng walked out of the cafeteria,

Liu Xun leaned close to Taozi's ear and tentatively asked, "Does your Sister Yan like Captain Lu too?"

Taozi slanted her gaze at Liu Xun. "You finally figured out that Captain Lu likes our Sister Yan?"

Liu Xun said, "Anyone with eyes can see it. What do you think we do for a living? We're in reconnaissance."

Taozi stuffed a piece of meat into her mouth, chewing as she replied:

"Since you claim to be in reconnaissance, why are you asking me? Just use your own eyes to look. Or are you saying you don't have eyes?"

Liu Xun stammered, "...You girl, with a tongue that sharp, no man is going to like you."

Taozi suddenly snapped her eyelids open, glared at him, and angrily retorted:

"I never asked you to like me! You straight-male blockhead, you don't even know how to talk—no wonder you don't have a girlfriend! Serves you right!"