Chapter 59 

She was the first to grab the table, so there was no need to feel embarrassed, but out of politeness, Lu Jiu still smiled courteously at the others. 

Wei Shian… 

Seeing his girlfriend’s smile turn two young guys into instant tomatoes, Wei Shian felt a mix of emotions. 

And then there were the glances from other customers in the shop—subtle yet noticeable. Knowing how striking his girlfriend’s looks could be, Wei Shian was a bit amused but also slightly exasperated. He lifted his hand and gently ruffled her hair. “Do you want to pick the ingredients yourself?” 

Lu Jiu brushed off his large hand and, after a few seconds of thought, declined. “You do it. I need to keep an eye on the table.” 

Why… is she so cute? Officer Wei couldn’t resist pinching his girlfriend’s cheek again. “Alright, I’ll get you more beef tripe and bamboo shoots.” 

“Mm-hmm, and more beef tripe, make it medium spicy.” 

“Got it.” 

The maocai place was small. 

To fit in a couple more tables, they had moved the ingredient display cabinet out to the entrance. 

While Wei Shian went out to pick the ingredients, Lu Jiu pulled out her phone to play a game of solitaire, occasionally glancing up to check on her boyfriend outside. 

Then, after finishing a round, she looked up again and noticed that Officer Wei was already in line to pay. 

But that wasn’t the main point. The main point was that standing next to her boyfriend were two pretty girls, enthusiastically chatting with him. 

This scene was all too familiar to Lu Jiu, as she herself often got approached by strangers. 

But possessiveness is a tricky thing that doesn’t follow logic. 

Even though Officer Wei kept a cold face and barely responded, Lu Jiu still felt a twinge of jealousy. 

So, she began eyeing her boyfriend’s outfit—a black leather bomber jacket on top, paired with cargo pants, and camel-colored Martin boots. 

“…Why does he have to dress so nicely?” 

Just as Wei Shian walked over with the receipt, he heard his girlfriend muttering to herself, so he asked, “Who are you talking about?” 

Lu Jiu snapped back to reality. “No one.” 

Wei Shian raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. He then picked up a kettle and began rinsing the bowls and chopsticks. 

The silver teapot didn’t seem particularly small to Lu Jiu, but in the large, broad, veined hands of her boyfriend, it suddenly seemed miniaturized. 

“What is it?” Wei Shian asked, pushing the clean bowls and chopsticks in front of her, noticing her eyes fixed on his hands. He looked down at his right hand, but didn’t find anything unusual. 

Not one to keep things bottled up, Lu Jiu took a napkin, started wiping the table, and asked casually, “Did you meet someone you know just now?” 

“No.” 

Officer Wei was a perceptive man, and he immediately understood what was behind his girlfriend’s unusual behavior. 

He felt a bit helpless, but mostly, he was delighted—delighted that his girlfriend cared and was a little jealous. 

But Officer Wei wasn’t one to make the person he liked unhappy over something so trivial, so he took the initiative to explain, “They asked for my phone number, and I told them I was broke and didn’t have a phone.” 

Lu Jiu was slightly embarrassed—both for being so easily read and for her boyfriend’s excuse. “Do you think they believed that you don’t have a phone?” 

It’s 2004. Even if someone didn’t have a cell phone, they’d at least have a pager. 

Besides, her boyfriend didn’t look broke at all. 

Wei Shian poured more hot water into the teacup, not too concerned, and replied, “It doesn’t matter if I have a phone. As long as they understood I was rejecting them.” 

Lu Jiu wasn’t convinced. “So after you said you didn’t have a phone, they just left?” 

Wei Shian, as if it were the most natural thing, said, “I also told them I have a girlfriend, so they left.” 

That makes sense; there are still plenty of normal people in the world. 

But it didn’t change the fact that her boyfriend being approached still left a bad taste in her mouth. 

“You’re so petty.” Officer Wei, in an excellent mood, wanted to kiss her, but since they were in public, he settled for gently pinching her cute nose. 

Who’s petty? Lu Jiu felt indignant. “This afternoon, a guy asked for my QQ number, saying he took a photo of me and wanted to send it to me.” 

Wei Shian’s face instantly darkened. “Who? Did you give it to him?” 

Lu Jiu… just chuckled. 

— 

After the meal: 

It wasn’t too late yet. 

Since they weren’t in a hurry to go home, the two of them bought some hot drinks and went for a walk in a nearby park, holding hands. 

Lu Jiu, holding her drink in one hand and linking arms with her boyfriend with the other, brought up her upcoming trip to Shendu next week. 

Wei Shian had heard her mention this before, but it wasn’t confirmed then. 

He didn’t mind his girlfriend being busy with work, since he was also busy himself. 

But the idea of her taking a train to Shanghai, then flying several hours to a place over a thousand kilometers away, definitely didn’t sit well with him. 

Even if her family was arranging for someone to accompany her. 

With this in mind, Wei Shian suggested, “I’ll push my brother to come back. If a retired soldier can make it in time, she can go with you. If not, I’ll take some leave.” 

She didn’t expect him to be so concerned. Lu Jiu stopped walking, looked up at him, and sighed, “I already told you before, I’ll have someone with me. Also, one of my best friends, Tong Xin, from college, works at the Shendu Base. That’s why I chose Shendu… We’ve already arranged it. She’ll be with me the whole time. And besides, taking leave right after the new year might not be appropriate, right?” 

Wei Shian responded, “It’s fine. I’ve wasted most of my vacation days over the years. My captain won’t say anything about it.” 

It’s not that he wanted to be overbearing, but his job had shown him too much of the darker side of the world, and with a girlfriend as beautiful as Lu Jiu, how could he not be worried? 

Seeing that he was determined to go with her, Lu Jiu, who wasn’t great at arguing, finally leaned her head against his chest and sighed in resignation, “Alright, you should push your brother to hurry up then. I can delay my trip by a few days if necessary.” 

Wei Shian placed his hand on the back of her neck and gently pressed her closer to his chest, then laughed softly, “Why is my girl so obedient?” 

Obedient? For whose sake? Lu Jiu was a little annoyed and pinched him in return.