Chapter 14: The Undercover Worker

“Are you hungry?” Mu Qingwu’s gaze softened noticeably as she looked at Xiao Yu.

“Yes, I am.” Xiao Yu blinked his eyes, appearing pitifully earnest as he nodded.

“How about some takeout?” 

There was a rare warmth in Mu Qingwu’s usually cold demeanor.

“Takeout…” Xiao Yu’s expression became bemused. 

He recalled a legend from his police academy days. A senior, returning to school after summer break, was approached by a flamboyant middle-aged woman as he left the train station. 

She asked, “Young man, interested in some takeout?” 

Hesitant at first, the senior followed her and, as the story went, he not only grew up that day but also discovered a whole new world.

A series of tantalizing takeouts were delivered to the fitness club, and Xiao Yu eagerly dug in. He could tell this was no ordinary food, likely from some upscale restaurant.

“Slow down,” Mu Qingwu mildly chided, watching him devour his food. “You’re an adult, aren’t you afraid of choking?”

“You remind me of my mom right now.”

This wasn’t flirting, Xiao Yu was actually grumbling. 

Eating quickly was a habit from his past life, often due to urgent cases that left little time for meals. When out on duty, he had to grab whatever food he could, paying out of his own pocket with no reimbursements, except during specific business trips.

“Ha!” Mu Qingwu laughed, a sound so rare that she was surprised by herself. 

She realized she laughed more with this young man in one day than she had in the past month. 

As Xiao Yu ate, he couldn’t help but steal glances at Mu Qingwu. In her fitness attire, she was captivating. 

He even imagined her in hot pants and a tank top, with long legs in high-heeled sandals, dancing freely in a nightclub, her hair flying like a nightclub queen. 

Despite only knowing her for a day, he knew this ice-mountain royal sister would never set foot in such places.

After eating, they left the club and went to Mu Qingwu’s villa. Xiao Yu took a shower and changed into the outfit Mu Qingwu had bought for him the day before.

Xiao Yu underwent a transformation, emerging as a charming and handsome young man.

“Do you remember what I instructed you?” Mu Qingwu asked with a hint of concern, once they were seated in the living room.

“Of course, I’m not stupid,” Xiao Yu responded, nodding. “We’ve only been together for a week, right?”

“How did we supposedly meet?” she probed further.

“Well, once when you were dining out, your wallet got stolen. I just happened to be there and caught the thief. You were then captivated by my strikingly handsome features,” Xiao Yu said with a mischievous grin.

“Do you want me to beat you up?” Mu Qingwu retorted, half in jest.

“Alright, alright, it was I who was drawn to your breathtaking beauty and pursued you first,” Xiao Yu conceded, rolling his eyes playfully.

Ah, the complexities of women!

“Good,” Mu Qingwu nodded, satisfied with his response. “And what if my mother asks about your family?”

“I’ll be honest,” Xiao Yu replied, shrugging. “Is auntie the type to judge by status?”

“Not at all,” Mu Qingwu said, shaking her head. “When my dad first met my mom, he was just a guy freshly transitioned from the military, without much to his name. My mom, despite her family’s objections, chose to be with him.”

“Wow, auntie is quite something,” Xiao Yu exclaimed in surprise. “I’ve just realized, she and my mom have similar personalities. When my mom decided to marry my dad, her family was opposed to it too. They didn’t want her to move far away, but she still ended up in Bencheng to marry my dad.”

“Really?” Mu Qingwu was astonished. “My mom had a similar story.”

They exchanged a look of mutual surprise. What a coincidence!

“By the way,” Xiao Yu asked, “when auntie arrives, how should we…?”

“We can only…” Mu Qingwu said reluctantly, gritting her teeth, “hold hands at most.”

“Okay.” Xiao Yu was indifferent. As a guy he wouldn’t be at a loss in any case. After all, they weren’t actually in a relationship.

Despite being in a different world now, his values from his past life remained intact.

The next moment, he reached out and gently grasped Mu Qingwu’s delicate hand.

“You…” Mu Qingwu started, shocked and trying to pull away.

“Don’t move. There’s someone sneaky outside,” Xiao Yu whispered, frowning. “A middle-aged woman. Your bodyguard hasn’t stopped her, nor did he come to inform you. Could it be… auntie?”

“Ah?!” Mu Qingwu exclaimed, startled. 

It must be her mother, such a tactic was definitely her style. 

Was she being suspicious? 

It made sense, considering she had just recently told her mother she didn’t have a boyfriend. Suddenly introducing someone would surely raise doubts. Reflecting on this, Mu Qingwu inwardly sighed.

She leaned slightly, resting against Xiao Yu like a bird snuggling up to a person, committing fully to their act. 

She thought, ‘This kid is getting an advantage out of this!’

“I just had a thought,” Xiao Yu said, wrapping his arm around Mu Qingwu’s slender waist, careful to keep his movements respectful.

“What is it?” Mu Qingwu asked, her body tensed.

“We look like underground operatives meeting right under the enemy’s nose,” Xiao Yu said with a laugh, looking at the beauty in his embrace. “Don’t you think so, sister?”

“Ha!” Mu Qingwu’s body relaxed, and she leaned softly into the young man’s embrace, chuckling and giving Xiao Yu a playful glance.

Both paused for a moment, struck by a realization. They felt oddly like a real couple. 

Why did this feel so natural?