Regarding the matter of awakening lightning abilities after transformation

"Hmm...it's pretty good." There were no unreasonable customers or physically demanding tasks that made her back ache. All she had to do was enjoy the air conditioning and keep track of the bills. Plus, there were attractive girls to look at. Gu Cheng's answer was completely genuine.

"Then why do you accuse me of exploiting my employees?"

"I never said that."

They chatted idly for a while, and it was almost time to leave work. Seeing that Gu Cheng was getting ready to go home, Su Wanxi picked up her phone and started preparing lunch.

"You're eating takeout for lunch?"

"Hmm." Aunt Zhou used to make lunch, but now that she's not in the shop, and Su Wanxi doesn't know how to cook, she can only order takeout to barely make ends meet.

Gu Cheng stopped in her tracks, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

"that..."

She wanted to persuade Su Wanxi not to eat takeout, as it was unhygienic and not nutritious, but she didn't know where to begin.

Was she being too annoying? She even had to criticize what other people were eating. Gu Cheng suddenly felt insecure.

"What's wrong?" Su Wanxi asked with concern, noticing the hesitation in the other person's tone.

"..." Gu Cheng didn't speak, but turned around cleanly and neatly.

As a friend, giving advice shouldn't be a problem...

"Eat less takeout, it's bad for your health." She bit her lip and whispered, looking intently into Su Wanxi's clear eyes, her heart pounding with anxiety.

"What should I eat?" Feeling a slight warmth in her heart, Su Wanxi put down her phone and asked her with great interest.

"Anyway, I'll be cooking when I get home, so I can bring you some." Gu Cheng rubbed the hem of her clothes, her voice growing softer and softer.

If you don't have a lunchbox at home, you can go to the nearest supermarket to buy one...

"Huh?!" Su Wanxi suddenly reached out and pinched Gu Cheng's cheek, and her fair skin instantly flushed red.

"It's too much trouble. I can just eat whatever I want." Su Wanxi shook her head and reluctantly let go of her hand.

"...It's no trouble at all. Sharing homemade food with friends is a joyful thing in itself." Besides... that friend is none other than Su Wanxi.

Feeling increasingly embarrassed as she spoke, Gu Cheng simply turned her head away, not wanting the other person to see her shy expression.

Su Wanxi stepped forward gently, put her arm around Gu Cheng's shoulder, and brought her delicate lips close to his earlobe.

"If you'd like, you can stay here and cook for me." The kitchen is upstairs, and there are still some ingredients in the refrigerator that Aunt Zhou hasn't had time to process; it should be enough for one meal.

Gu Cheng's rented apartment was a bit far from the flower shop, and she barely had time to rest when going back and forth. Su Wanxi had also taken this into consideration, so she simply left her at the shop.

Black hair intertwined, accompanied by soft breathing near her ears.

The warm breath sent a shiver down her spine, and she almost ignored Su Wanxi's words.

"I do." Putting down her bag, Gu Cheng walked up the stairs with a flushed face.

The refrigerator was mostly filled with vegetables. Gu Cheng took out some celery and green beans, and then found half a chicken at the bottom.

That should be enough to eat... With limited ingredients, she couldn't make anything too elaborate, so she had to focus on the technical aspects.

Su Wanxi was in charge of assisting and preparing tableware. After finishing her work, she sat at the dining table like a well-behaved child, occasionally peeking inside.

"All done." The last dish was served, and the two sat facing each other, enjoying the fruits of their labor.

"...Is it not good?" Su Wanxi hadn't touched the plate of bitter melon at all, but Gu Cheng ate a little and thought it was alright.

"I don't like bitter melon." Su Wanxi glanced at the bright green flesh, her tone clearly showing disdain. Gu Cheng paused for a moment, then suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

Do you only like sweets? Are you a child...?

When lunch was over, there was still more than half of the bitter melon left, so I covered it with plastic wrap and put it back in the refrigerator.

Su Wanxi put down the napkin and let Gu Cheng follow behind her.

Pushing open the door, the first thing that catches the eye is a light blue single bed, the blankets folded neatly. A reddish-brown locust wood antique table is placed near the bedside table, on which flower arrangement books are neatly arranged.

Without a doubt, this is Su Wanxi's private bedroom.

"Is there something you need?" Gu Cheng's voice trembled slightly as she sensed the faint fragrance in the air. It was her first time visiting another woman's boudoir, and she felt more shy than excited.

She glanced around briefly, then lowered her head and looked timidly at the ground.

"Aren't you going to take a nap?" Su Wanxi sat on the edge of the bed, her fair legs, encased in black stockings, casually crossed.

"sleep?"

"Right now, right here, together?" Gu Cheng's first reaction was that she had misheard.

"Mm." Su Wanxi nodded and slightly turned to make room for her next to her.

If Gu Cheng's heart was pounding like a deer during that previous hug, this time it was definitely not a deer, but at least a mammoth weighing over ten tons.

Gu Cheng's heart skipped a beat, and she almost couldn't catch her breath.

"I don't take naps..." She probably forgot who fell asleep on the aiming platform on the first day of training.

Aren't you sleepy?

"Not sleepy." Although physiologically speaking, Gu Cheng is a girl, that doesn't mean she would take advantage of other girls without restraint.

That's a personality issue, nothing else.

"I'm going downstairs now, you can rest." Finally, Gu Cheng grabbed a flower arrangement book from the bookshelf and fled the room as if her life depended on it.

As Su Wanxi watched the door close, and then thought of Gu Cheng's hurried departure, a gentle smile couldn't help but appear on her lips.

She bent down to take off her shoes and quietly leaned against the pillow.

After resting for a while, Su Wanxi sat up, poured some water into the thermos and boiled it, then quietly went downstairs.

Gu Cheng fell asleep on the cashier's counter, the light falling on her wispy bangs.

The air conditioner was still on, continuously emitting cold air. Su Wanxi poured a cup of hot water and placed it on the counter, then took off her coat and carefully put it on Gu Cheng's shoulders.

The clothes were too light; the sleeping girl only stirred her eyelashes and did not wake up.

P.S. I have a computer exam this week, so updates might be less frequent, but I won't stop updating altogether.

Section 50, Chapter Fifty: Not As Expected

"Mr. Fan, it's been a long time." Song Shiyan sat in a leather chair, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Long time no see." Fan Ruosong nodded and smiled in acknowledgment.

The Hermit Bureau is a secret department set up by the government, and even Fan Ruosong, a high-ranking government official, has very little contact with it. Because of the traces of "Parchment" activities in Lanjiang, their exchanges have become much more frequent recently, but strictly speaking, this is the first meeting between the two sides since Song Shiyan took office as the branch director.

"First of all, thank you for your support of the Hermit Bureau's work." The investigation was made possible thanks to Fan Ruosong's leniency; otherwise, it would have been difficult for the Hermit Bureau alone to catch these people.

"It's all for the country and the people. I'm ashamed to say I only did some minor work." He had only intended to give them a warning, but he hadn't expected these guys to have already colluded with the parchment. Whenever someone with abilities is involved, the seriousness of the matter escalates to another level. Fan Ruosong, having been immersed in officialdom for over twenty years, knew he had received a great gift from the moment Song Shiyan took the initiative to contact him.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; the corrupt elements within Lanjiang City are banding together, waiting for him to wipe them all out.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two reached a consensus on many issues.

"Zhan Tai has also been considering relocating in recent years, and he has purchased a large number of properties in the Xicheng District..."

"Where did he get so much money? Was it provided by parchment?" Song Shiyan frowned slightly; that was a huge sum of money.

"Zhan Tai himself runs various businesses, ranging from bars and KTVs to hotels and restaurants. According to reports from our informants, he may also be in charge of the region's arms trade."

"As for more details, we can only do our best to investigate..."

“Understood, I will continue to provide assistance.” The more they talked, the more alarmed Fan Ruosong became. The information about Zhan Taiyi and the parchment had been erased too thoroughly, and the high-ranking officials involved might be more numerous than he had imagined.

"If a superpowered individual is found to be committing a crime, the Hermit Bureau will immediately send more personnel." Superpowers are too lethal to ordinary people; a C-level awakened individual skilled in destruction can often wipe out a squad of about twenty armed police officers.

In other words, the awakened must defeat the awakened.

"That's all for today. It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

"It's a pleasure working with you." After the meeting, the two seasoned veterans stood up and shook hands briefly.

"Regarding the Hermit Bureau, may I ask a few rather private questions?"

"What's the problem?" Song Shiyan put down the cigarette he was about to light and looked at the other person curiously.

"If we follow the normal procedures, when will Su Wanxi be able to retire?" Fan Ruosong was not asking from the perspective of the municipal party secretary; he was merely representing Su Wanxi's elder.

"If things go quickly, it will take more than ten years; if things go slowly, it may take nearly thirty years." Retirement is not only based on merit points, but also on the total number of capable individuals remaining in the district.

"I remember the retirement rate at the Hermit Bureau wasn't high." At least Fan Ruosong hadn't seen any Awakened Ones retire in Lanjiang.

"Yes." After all, it's a high-risk profession; probably only one in twenty people can retire.

"Please try to persuade her." Fan Ruosong closed his eyes and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"Are you suggesting that the boss persuade the employees not to work?" Song Shiyan laughed.

"Besides, she has her own ideas." Even her own father couldn't persuade Su Wanxi, let alone him?

Song Shiyan stuffed the cigarettes back into the box and left.

......

"Buzz buzz buzz!" The girl sleepily turned off her phone alarm.

At 12:50, after sleeping for forty minutes, she felt something on her shoulder and gently touched it.

Clothes? Muttering to herself, Gu Cheng brought the garment from her shoulder to her eyes. It was a familiar chiffon cardigan—Su Wanxi's coat.

"Awake?" Su Wanxi leaned against the window, teacup in hand, looking tenderly at Gu Cheng. Having removed her coat, she was left in only a tank top, her smooth shoulders slightly exposed, the off-the-shoulder design perfectly showcasing her delicate collarbones. As she spoke, her long, slender legs, encased in stockings, swayed slightly, exuding both sexiness and elegance.

"Mmm," Gu Cheng replied softly, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Perhaps because it had just woken up, the "hmm" was soft and melodious, like a kitten that had just opened its eyes and was a little shy.

"There's boiling water in the cup, so the temperature should be about right."

"Hmm." Gu Cheng picked up her water glass and took a few sips, feeling much better in her throat.

"Don't sleep with the air conditioner on next time, you'll easily catch a cold."

"I understand, thank you." After returning the clothes to Su Wanxi, Gu Cheng went upstairs to the bathroom. Washing her face with cold water made her feel much more refreshed.

Is today an exception?