Chapter 13 1/2

“No, there aren’t any, not even white flowers!” The girl wrapping the rose bouquet raised her head, seeing a handsome guy, sweetly reminding, “Handsome, don’t spread rumors, don’t believe in rumors! Do you like roses? They’re on sale today!”

Jiang Li hated roses today and replied, “Thanks.”

He walked away, thinking he needed another tube of nutrients when he got back. It would be enough only after Omega’s pregnancy was detectable in a month, and he could use the pregnancy test image to collect nutritional supplements from the medical station.

For the remaining half of a month, he would have to spend some money to buy food for himself.

“Jiang Li,” someone called him.

Jiang Li followed the voice and saw Cen Lang in the car, wearing a mask and sunglasses.

Strangely, just by the elbow resting on the car window, Jiang Li found he could recognize him.

“Are you waiting for me?” Jiang Li asked.

Cen Lang said, “Get in; I’ll treat you to a meal.”

Jiang Li concluded that it was impromptu; otherwise, why not make an appointment in advance and find someone for a meal after the mealtime, especially since they were not familiar with each other?

Jiang Li asked, “Why?”

Cen Lang, smiling, said, “I can’t spend all my salary.”

“Inconvenient to get off; come up yourself.”

The military academy gate was quite eye-catching. Jiang Li opened the door on the passenger side, and while fastening his seatbelt, he suddenly wondered: How do you fasten the seatbelt in the middle and later stages of pregnancy?

He couldn’t resist quietly gesturing with his fingers.

“Can’t fasten it? Complicated?” Cen Lang turned and asked.

Jiang Li snapped the seatbelt and said, “No.”

He realized he couldn’t be absent-minded in front of this person. Did military personnel always keep an eye on the clock? Would they report if he pondered for a couple of extra seconds?

Cen Lang rolled up the car window and said, “Let me introduce myself. I’m Cen Lang, from the Space Force, but not on active duty.”

Once you took a position, you would be bound by rules and regulations, and there would be occasional reports. Cen Lang, who was already bothered by these things, would only be more troubled.

“Oh,” Jiang Li responded.

During his internship in the N9 area, Cen Lang was also elusive, disappearing once he found the interference device. Jiang Ping guessed he was a military special agent, sent wherever the mission was urgent.

Appearing at the gate of the third military academy today for no reason was also obviously a mission.

As a military academy student, Jiang Li had the obligation to cooperate. Pulling Cen Lang into this would easily expose him. Cooperation might earn him a meal.

Cen Lang asked casually, “Any favorite restaurants?”

“Any will do,” Jiang Li replied.

After about ten minutes, Cen Lang parked the car in front of a restaurant named “Big Bowl Dish.”

The restaurant’s decoration was far less exquisite than the one Jiang Lu invited him to. When Jiang Li walked in, he saw large bowls of vegetables and meat on the tables of other diners, hearty and satisfying.

Cen Lang asked for a private room and inquired about Jiang Li’s preferences.

“Rice.”

“Okay.” Cen Lang ordered two bowls of shrimp and egg fried rice, two servings of handmade beef ball soup, and two plates of cold dishes.

Without getting too familiar, they ate separately, making it less stressful.

The dishes were served in identical portions. Cen Lang ate elegantly, but not slowly.

Jiang Li picked up a full bowl of egg-fried rice, and the fragrance made him feel happy.

The mentor and Jiang Lu discussed things without moving their chopsticks at all. As an accompanying person, Jiang Li could only order enough to stop. He sat there for an hour and a half, fully digesting. Now, having a second lunch was not a problem at all.

Cen Lang looked up at Jiang Li’s left hand holding the bowl, wondering if he was malnourished, as his wrist was so thin.

Eating seriously without hesitation was something he liked.

Jiang Li ate half a bowl of rice, filled his stomach, and felt a bit dry with just egg-fried rice; he needed soup.

The beef ball soup was light in color, with oil droplets and scallions on the surface, appearing not steaming hot but still quite warm.

Steadily scooping up a spoonful and blowing it a bit before putting it in his mouth, Jiang Li found it light and stomach-warming.

Cen Lang started the conversation, saying, “Director Zhang mentioned that you sent her a hormonal level analysis table for the area near Shanshan.”

“If I had known Dr. Jiang was here, I wouldn’t have wasted my effort running around.”

“There are many influencing factors, and the interference device is the least likely to be thought of. I didn’t contribute much.”

“I just saw you wanted to buy chrysanthemums. Who are they for?”

He knowingly asked, wanting to hear Jiang Li’s high praise for the hero’s life.

“For your colleague who is in life and death.”

Simple and plain adjectives.

Jiang Li calmly drank the soup. The matter had caused a stir, but Cen Lang was a non-military officer of the space force. How could he not know who it was for? Wasn’t he afraid of exposing it as a starting point for a conversation?

Cen Lang: “The most powerful medical department in the entire federation also seems to have a plastic surgery department. Can they completely change a person’s face?”

Jiang Li, calm and composed, replied, “Yes, before the plastic surgery department helped soldiers disfigured on the battlefield. Now it is mainly used to make prosthetic skin for special agents, as some agents have distinctive features.”

He glanced at Cen Lang. Could someone so handsome become a special agent?

“Prosthetic skin? Who is researching that?”

“Um, Chen Liufeng from the plastic surgery department.”

Cen Lang’s recent tasks were indeed related to the underground city. He came for this matter, looking for that caregiver, as only the caregiver knew the true situation of the underground city.

Jiang Li naturally took out his phone and, under Cen Lang’s eyes, sent a message to Chen Liufeng: “Don’t reveal the fact that I gave you the skin trial.”

After throwing out the question, Cen Lang stared at Jiang Li’s reaction. In fact, students from the third military academy, especially those from the computer science, plastic surgery, and surgery departments, fit the profile of underground city caregivers. The age, skills, and regional scope all matched, and Jiang Li from the hormonal department also fit.

But he didn’t see anything on Jiang Li’s face.

Cen Lang was good at interpreting microexpressions and often saw silly ideas on the faces of bodyguards. No spy could withstand his sudden questioning.

Because Cen Lang was investigating this matter, Jiang Li breathed a sigh of relief for the Alpha in the underground city.

For some reason, even though Cen Lang liked to talk nonsense and dig into mushrooms, Jiang Li could feel an unparalleled sense of security from him. He believed in Cen Lang’s position.