Not long after Jizi Ge left the Fengfang City Anomaly Affairs Bureau, Yan Qi, who had turned her back into a transformation card and stored it in the system, was now sitting in the Fifth Squad’s office. She lifted her head, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.
“Xiao Qi, what’s wrong? Why have you been staring at the ceiling like that?”
Noticing Yan Qi’s odd behavior, Zhao Liang—who had brought her back to the Fengfang City Anomaly Affairs Bureau outpost—handed her a bottle of yogurt and asked in a concerned tone.
Hearing Zhao Liang’s voice and knowing he was worried about her, Yan Qi took the yogurt he offered, popped it into her mouth, and replied, even though she was well aware he couldn’t possibly help with what was troubling her.
“It’s nothing. I was just spacing out, trying to clear my mind.”
“Really? I thought you looked like that earlier because you hadn’t quite shaken off what happened this morning.”
Watching Yan Qi drink her yogurt with an utterly emotionless face, Zhao Liang, who had initially thought she might still be shaken by the sight of Guo Liangming and Guo Liangzhi’s bodies, visibly relaxed and said as much.
“In Brother Zhao Liang’s eyes, do I seem like a very timid person?”
Putting down the yogurt in her hand and understanding what he meant, Yan Qi asked, a bit displeased.
Hearing this, Zhao Liang knew exactly why she was upset, but that was precisely why he had said what he did earlier. He answered honestly, “Well, at least to me, Xiao Qi, you do come across as a rather timid little girl.”
“Is that so? Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, Brother Zhao Liang. I’m not as timid as I look.”
After saying this in response to Zhao Liang’s answer, Yan Qi turned her head away and started gulping down her yogurt, no longer wanting to engage with him.
Seeing Yan Qi’s expression and realizing she didn’t want to talk to him, Zhao Liang decided not to push his luck. He promptly returned to his desk and began writing up their mission report for the day.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps echoed from outside their office.
Hearing the footsteps, both Yan Qi, who was drinking her yogurt, and Zhao Liang, who was writing his report, immediately stopped what they were doing and looked toward the office door.
With a loud BANG, a young woman wearing an Anomaly Affairs Bureau uniform kicked open the squad office door, appearing before Yan Qi and Zhao Liang.
Shen An’an, who had been worried about Yan Qi and Zhao Liang ever since hearing about the unexpected situation they’d encountered, felt her heart finally settle the moment she kicked open the door and saw Yan Qi sitting at the desk, yogurt in hand, looking back at her.
Without a second thought, she rushed over to Yan Qi and, regardless of whether Yan Qi was willing or not, pulled her into a tight hug.
“Xiao Qi, are you okay? I heard there were a lot of terrible things at the Daheng Real Estate headquarters building today. It didn’t scare you, did it?”
Feeling like she was about to suffocate in the embrace of Shen An’an’s ample bosom, Yan Qi began struggling desperately.
After a good deal of effort, Yan Qi finally managed to create a tiny bit of breathing room.
Then, looking up at Shen An’an who was holding her so tightly, Yan Qi said, “Sister Shen, could you let me go? I feel like I’m about to suffocate.”
Hearing Yan Qi’s words from within her embrace, Shen An’an realized the error of her actions.
She quickly released her hold on Yan Qi and apologized in a remorseful tone, “Sorry, Xiao Qi. Sister Shen was just so worried about you that she…”
Seeing the look of guilt on Shen An’an’s face, Yan Qi—whose complexion had finally returned to normal from a slightly oxygen-deprived purplish-red—hurriedly waved her hands and said, “It’s okay, Sister Shen. I know you acted that way because you were worried about me. I don’t blame you. But next time, I’d really prefer it if you could restrain yourself a bit. After all, I might not always be so lucky to get my breath back.”
Hearing Yan Qi’s request for her to be more restrained in the future, Shen An’an—now deeply aware of her mistake—looked into Yan Qi’s eyes and said earnestly, almost pleadingly, “I understand, Xiao Qi. I’ll really try to control myself next time. Please, please don’t start disliking me because of this.”
Hearing Shen An’an’s words, Yan Qi, who had never disliked her in the first place, replied, “Don’t worry, Sister Shen. I won’t dislike you.”
With that reassurance from Yan Qi, Shen An’an—who had feared Yan Qi might come to resent her—felt a huge weight lift from her heart. She instantly relaxed and said, “Thank you for forgiving me, Xiao Qi.”
Then, remembering the news she’d gotten from her colleagues, Shen An’an quickly looked at Yan Qi and asked nervously, “Xiao Qi, about what happened at the Daheng Real Estate headquarters building this morning… it didn’t leave you with any trauma, did it?”
Hearing Shen An’an’s question and understanding her concern, Yan Qi looked at her and answered, “Don’t worry, Sister Shen. What happened this morning at the Daheng Real Estate building was all handled by Sister Zige. And with Brother Zhao Liang shielding me from the worst of it, I didn’t get traumatized by today’s incident at all.”
Hearing this, Shen An’an seemed a bit uncertain and pressed further, “Xiao Qi, you’re not lying to me, are you?”
Detecting the doubt in Shen An’an’s tone, Yan Qi raised both her arms in a gesture of ease and said, “How could I lie to you, Sister Shen? What do you even have that’s worth me lying for?”
Hearing Yan Qi say she had nothing worth lying for, Shen An’an felt a twinge of annoyance, but knowing it was true, she looked at Yan Qi and answered honestly, “Well… you’re right, Xiao Qi. I really don’t have anything worth you lying for.”
“Oh, right, Sister Shen, is your mission finished?”
Remembering Shen An’an’s assignment for the day, Yan Qi couldn’t help but look up at her and ask curiously.
Hearing this, Shen An’an quickly replied, “I only came to find you after finishing my mission. Otherwise, the Director would have skinned me alive.”