Regarding the matter of awakening lightning abilities after transformation

In summer, the branches in the flowerbed grew exceptionally lush. Qin Jin wiped the sweat from his face and carefully trimmed the shrubs. The reason for keeping the flowerbed tidy was not only for its aesthetic appeal, but more importantly, to protect the children's skin from sharp thorns.

The pruning here was almost done, so Qin Jin turned around and walked towards another flower bed, but his pace suddenly slowed down as he passed the shade of the trees.

That was... The sunlight was blinding him, blurring his vision, but even from the corner of his eye, Qin Jin felt that the figure leaning against the tree was very familiar.

"Miss Gu?" He stepped forward and asked tentatively.

“Mr. Qin…” Gu Cheng turned her head, brushed the long hair that had fallen beside her ear behind her back, and slowly stood up.

"Why are you here..." Qin Jin asked her in a low voice.

"Just stopping by to take a look." The gaze traveled down the man's head, finally landing on the large pair of garden shears in his right hand.

"Are you doing volunteer work?" Gu Cheng pursed her lips slightly and raised her head to reveal her fair and delicate neck.

"Yeah, it's a holiday..." Gu Chengyan used to come over and help with cleaning and stuff.

"Do you need my help?" The girl's voice was clear and crisp, her light brown eyes fixed on him.

Qin Jin quickly shook his head: "No need, I can manage on my own." Besides... there's only one pair of garden shears in the yard.

Gu Cheng didn't insist; she just stood aside and quietly watched him.

"After work, would you mind sitting over there for a while?" Her eyes sparkled, and her tone was full of undisguised anticipation.

“...Okay,” Qin Jin replied.

......

Forty minutes later, at the milk tea shop closest to the Sunshine Welfare Home, Gu Cheng took off her baseball cap, letting her light brown long hair fall naturally over her shoulders.

Gu Cheng: "A glass of lemonade."

Upon hearing this familiar choice, Qin Jin subconsciously glanced at her a few more times.

"...Me too." It wasn't about the taste; he just preferred to buy the cheaper ones.

"Okay, two glasses of lemonade, please wait a moment." The waiter tore off the receipt and handed the sign to Qin Jin.

"How's your postgraduate entrance exam preparation going lately?" Gu Cheng asked casually, stroking the brim of her hat.

"Still preparing..." Qin Jin talked about some matters related to the postgraduate entrance examination, which Gu Cheng, who had never been to university, found completely confusing.

"Is that so..." Although Gu Cheng had brought up the topic, she herself didn't know what to say, and just nodded silently.

Qin Jin just stared at her, his gaze complex.

As the ancients said, "White hair can feel like new acquaintances, and a first meeting can feel like old friends." He didn't understand the meaning of this until he met Gu Cheng.

Even though they had only chatted a few times and met only two or three times, he could feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity with the other person.

It was almost like...we had lived together.

Qin Jin shook his head, banishing the absurd thoughts from his mind.

"All of this... was told to you by Gu Chengyan?" The girl in front of him knew a lot about him; no one but Gu Chengyan could know so much about him.

"Mm." Gu Cheng nodded, her long legs pressed together as she leaned closer to the chair.

"...They have such a good relationship." Qin Jin smiled, resting his wrist on his chin, seemingly lost in thought.

"Your lemonade is ready, please enjoy."

"Just leave it here, thank you."

Bubbles rose from the bottom of the glass, clinging to the ice cubes. Gu Cheng took a sip; it wasn't too sour or too sweet, and the proportions were well-balanced.

"How are you...doing?" The refreshing lemon juice made it easier to say some things.

"How do you calculate it?" Qin Jin asked her.

"Are you eating and sleeping normally...?" Gu Cheng lowered her head, only glancing at the other person out of the corner of her eye.

"It's fine. I study and prepare for various exams every day as usual, and occasionally I volunteer at the welfare home..." Qin Jin's tone was calm, as if he had already emerged from his grief.

"That's good..." Gu Cheng sighed softly. No matter the reason, a lie is a lie, and the other person's relief only shortened the thorn in her heart by a little.

After a moment of silence, Qin Jin took the initiative to start the conversation.

"I'll probably be going back to class in about two days." His university is far away, almost halfway across China from Lanjiang.

"So fast?"

"It's already September." Most universities started their semester at the end of August, so early September is considered one of the later ones.

"Are we still taking the train?"

"Hmm." Trains are cheaper, and with student tickets at half price, it's much more economical than flying.

"Well... have a safe trip." Besides that, she didn't seem to know anything else to say. Gu Cheng finished her lemonade, a slight mist settling between her brows.

"Thank you." Accepting the blessing, Qin Jin nodded politely.

"Waiter, the bill, please." Having finished their drinks, they seemed to have no reason to continue their conversation.

"Actually, you and Gu Chengyan are quite alike." Qin Jin's words before leaving made Gu Cheng pause for a moment.

"why?"

He really likes to drink lemon water.

“...Many people like to drink this.” Gu Cheng swirled the glass; lemon water isn’t exactly a niche drink.

"Your mannerisms...and you like to bite straws just like him." Qin Jin paid the bill, took his coat, and left with a smile.

Gu Cheng watched his departing figure, her gaze gradually shifting back to him.

There were indeed faint teeth marks on that small section of the straw.

Section 67, Chapter Sixty-Six: I'm Back

Qi Bei glanced at the thick bandage on her right leg out of the corner of her eye, her eyes gradually losing their luster, like a young girl who had suffered humiliation.

He has been in the hospital for more than a week, and he spends all his time lying down. He took the first two days as a rest, but the longer it goes on, the harder it gets.

Qi Bei's movement was limited to no more than ten meters, and even going to the toilet required special personnel to accompany him. He recognized the person in charge of surveillance; they had chatted briefly at a bar before, where the man had ordered a Manhattan and asked if he wanted to try it. Initially, Qi Bei only thought Zhou Li was an ordinary intelligence agent, but he never expected him to be an Awakened One, even capable of severely injuring Zhan Taiyi and Li Wenhai in a two-on-one fight in the warehouse.

That power and speed were too outrageous... Compared to these awakened beings who had been involved in crack repair for a long time, Qi Bei was like a flower grown in a greenhouse.

"What time is it?" Qi Bei cleared his throat, his voice a little hoarse.

"It's 5:30. Would you like some water?" Zhou Li glanced at his watch and stood up to add hot water to his cup.

"Hmm..." Qi Bei looked up slightly, took the cup, and took a small sip.

Zhou Li was indeed very patient. He monitored Qi Bei almost 24 hours a day, and at night he would lay out his bedding, hug his knife, and sleep. He would wake up immediately at the slightest disturbance.

"Here you go." After finishing his water, Qi Bei continued to stare blankly at the ceiling.

There are at least three surveillance cameras in the ward, and there should also be people controlling access from the outside. Such tight measures are just to lock him up.

Why bother... He never intended to keep running anyway.

"Knock knock knock..." A low knocking sound came from the door, and Qi Bei's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

Lunch is here? At mealtimes, the Hermitage Bureau sends someone to deliver meals, ensuring that the patients receive adequate nutrition.

"Come in." The person who came was carrying a plastic lunchbox and was wearing a black suit, which was quite different from the usual food delivery attire.

"Director Song." Zhou Li nodded slightly, his tone respectful.

Although Qi Bei had read a lot of information about Song Shiyan, he had never met him in person.

"You can go now, there's no need to continue monitoring you."

"Okay." Zhou Li nodded, put away his belongings, and left the room.

Song Shiyan pulled out a chair from the corner and then gently sat down by the bed.

"Qi Bei, male, 25 years old, born in Ping'an Hospital, Changkou District, Lanjiang City..." The man slowly sorted through the intelligence, from kindergarten certificates to dropping out of high school and getting involved in the underworld, he dug out all the information he could find.

"What do you want to do?" Qi Bei swallowed hard, his brows furrowed.

"A test."

"If I'm not mistaken, your ability should be blood explosion," Song Shiyan continued to reason.

"You want to recruit me?" The best way to deal with him is to send him straight to prison. Qi Bei has done many disgraceful things, and twenty years in prison is considered a short time. Song Shiyan doesn't need to waste his breath on him.

"We are currently planning to do this." Song Shiyan tapped the bedside table with his fingers, gazing at the other person with an expressionless expression.

"You had a chance to leave, so why did you come back?" He read Zhou Li's battle report, which was the biggest point of contention in this operation.

If Qi Bei is a hidden pawn, waiting for an opportunity to infiltrate the hidden game, this tactic is far too obvious.

"..." Qi Bei remained silent, and Song Shiyan did not press him further, but instead changed the subject.

"I should have come a few days earlier, but unfortunately some people just didn't want to."

"Chen Guotong's arms smuggling is a serious crime, and he will probably never get out of prison. The remaining accomplices have also been rounded up."

At this point, Song Shiyan glanced at Qi Bei a few more times.

"Especially Zhan Taiyi and his gang." They may run away, but they can't hide. Zhan Taiyi's years of hard work were wiped out overnight.

"How are they...?"

“They will be tried, and those who cooperate will be treated leniently.” Those were matters for Fan Ruosong, and Song Shiyan didn’t care.

"As for you..." The man stroked his stubble and leaned back relaxed. Qi Bei's vision went black, and he fell unconscious again.

The questions he wanted to ask would be answered in his dreams.

......

After leaving the hospital, Zhou Li ate a quick bite and hurriedly squeezed onto the subway.

Today is the day Qin Kexin returns to Lanjiang. She spent most of the day on the phone nagging Zhou Li not to be late.

Upon arriving at the bus terminal, Su Wanxi and Gu Cheng were already there.

They sat side by side on a bench. Su Wanxi ate her ice cream in small bites, while Gu Cheng watched her eat quietly beside her.

It's been almost two years... Since that incident, Su Wanxi has become serious and unsmiling.