One minute ago.
Xia Qingqing, having just finished her overtime work, arrived at Riverside Cottage, thinking about asking Lin Chuan out for a meal to discuss plans for a May Day outing.
She wanted to go to Yundian, but always felt that going alone was too monotonous.
So, she thought about bringing Lin Chuan along.
At the entrance of Riverside Cottage, Xia Qingqing made a phone call to Lin Chuan, who said he was already having dinner.
"How about tomorrow?"
Xia Qingqing gave up the idea and walked into Riverside Cottage.
She preferred a quieter environment, so she habitually walked towards a corner.
Suddenly.
Xia Qingqing's brows furrowed slightly, looking suspiciously at a familiar figure in a white T-shirt sitting at a square table not far ahead.
Very familiar!
And the girl sitting opposite him also looked very familiar!
"Lin Chuan! Qianqian?"
Xia Qingqing was startled.
Hiss!
Lin Chuan, with his chopsticks midair, holding a vegetable, had a face even more surprised than Xia Qingqing's: "Qingqing, what are you doing here?"
Shen Qianqian, sitting opposite him, appeared much more natural; upon encountering Xia Qingqing, she immediately showed a smile: "Qingqing, what a coincidence, are you alone?"
Xia Qingqing quickly adjusted her mood, a smile forming on her face: "I had just made plans with a friend, but they had something come up at the last minute, so I came alone."
"If you don't mind, let's join us," Shen Qianqian said, patting the seat next to her with a smile.
"Sure," Xia Qingqing responded with a bright smile.
Lin Chuan ruefully retracted his chopsticks, looking at the two female officers in front of him who could arrest him at any moment, and forced a smile: "What a coincidence, Qingqing."
Shen Qianqian's brows furrowed slightly, thinking that Lin Chuan and Xia Qingqing seemed quite familiar with each other.
He calls her Qingqing, but refers to me as Officer Shen?
Xia Qingqing said with a smile: "Yeah, I didn't expect to run into both of you here."
"Indeed, such a coincidence."
"Such a coincidence."
Shen Qianqian and Lin Chuan both echoed.
Xia Qingqing glanced at the dishes on the table and waved at a nearby waiter, saying with a laugh, "Hello, please bring us a serving of the house specialty, the steamed king prawns."
The waiter was a young girl.
She was still staring blankly in astonishment.
She remembered Lin Chuan, after all, he had been here last night with Xia Qingqing, a good-looking couple, which was quite eye-catching, so she had taken a second glance.
Who doesn't love good-looking people?
During that time, she had also seen Xia Qingqing peel some shrimp for Lin Chuan, who enjoyed it immensely.
The young waitress couldn't help but feel envious:—What kind of fairytale romance is this?
But!
Tonight, Lin Chuan came with another girl!
This girl's beauty, features, and figure were not the slightest inferior to Xia Qingqing from last night, which made her spit in her mind: Jerk.
Soon, the reality proved her judgment correct.
Because she saw Xia Qingqing appear in the restaurant and head towards Lin Chuan's table.
In her mind, she already envisioned the classic scene of 'the wife catching the mistress in the act' and sat on the side ready to watch the drama unfold.
Yet to her surprise, she saw Xia Qingqing actually sitting next to that girl, chatting and laughing.
This is not how the plot is supposed to go!
The cashier thought to himself, though this guy is somewhat handsome, his clothes are plain. What virtues or abilities does he have to receive the favor of two girls?
"Waiter?" Xia Qingqing called out again.
"Right here."
The cashier snapped back to reality and spared another glance at Lin Chuan's table.
"Another steamed king prawn, please," Xia Qingqing said with a smile.
The cashier hurried off to place the order.
The lighting at Riverside Cottage was soothing, casting the two police flowers in the corner in a particularly charming light.
Shen Qianqian belonged to the sweet type, her floral dress accentuating her temperament.
Xia Qingqing was more on the innocent side, with an oval face and short hair. Her slender build revealed a swan-like neck and collarbones enchanting as the night, exuding an air of youthfulness.
But Lin Chuan either looked sideways, listening to the intermittent sounds of insects and birds around, or he bowed his head to pick up food, acting like an inconspicuous diner focused on eating.
"Qingqing, do you like to eat shrimp?"
Seeing that Xia Qingqing ordered steamed king prawns, Shen Qianqian casually struck up a conversation.
"I do. Many people come here specifically for this signature dish. Don't you like it?" Xia Qingqing nodded and smiled.
"I like it too, but Lin Chuan said he didn't want to eat it, so I didn't order it."
Shen Qianqian and Xia Qingqing began to chat idly.
"You know, steamed king prawns taste even better when someone peels them for you." Xia Qingqing glanced at Lin Chuan from the corner of her eye as she spoke brightly.
"Really? I've never had anyone peel shrimp for me before." Shen Qianqian pursed her lips.
"I will peel them for you later!"
"Great!"
The two women chatted back and forth, effectively sidelining Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan internally groaned.
He always felt that their conversations were meant for him to hear.
But ladies, can we not talk about shrimp, please?
The shrimp is innocent.
Let's not pick on the shrimp anymore.
Feeling a bit thirsty from listening, Lin Chuan poured himself a cup of jasmine tea and downed it in one go.
At that moment,
Shen Qianqian timely took the cup and poured tea for Lin Chuan, "I've been transferred to the anti-fraud department. I'll need Lin Chuan the expert to give me more advice."
"Speaking of which, I can enjoy the May Day holiday normally; I also have Lin Chuan to thank for that."
Xia Qingqing also poured a cup of tea for Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan looked at the two cups of jasmine tea before him, then at the two women.
Both of the police flowers stared fixedly at him, with smiles brimming in their eyes.
He inwardly groaned again.
Which cup should he drink from first?
Fortunately, the tea cups weren't big, so Lin Chuan, transforming into a master cup bearer, simply took one in each hand and gulped down both at the same time.
"No need to thank me, it was just a simple gesture." Lin Chuan set down the cups and smiled.
Xia Qingqing and Shen Qianqian shared a knowing smile.
"By the way, Qianqian, do you two have some important matters to discuss tonight?" Xia Qingqing peeled a shrimp and placed it in Shen Qianqian's bowl.
Shen Qianqian thanked her and then said with a smile, "Just some small talk, like discussing criminal detection and anti-fraud, as well as where to go for the May Day holiday."
Criminal detection and anti-fraud didn't interest Xia Qingqing.
But the May Day holiday...
Xia Qingqing looked at Lin Chuan, then at Shen Qianqian, and asked with interest, "Do you have any plans to go somewhere?"
"I'm thinking of going to Yundian," Shen Qianqian replied with a smile.
Xia Qingqing looked at Lin Chuan with suspicion, "Comrade Lin Chuan, what about you?"
Lin Chuan's lips twitched, "I didn't create any trouble."
"What about you, Qingqing?" Shen Qianqian asked.
Xia Qingqing pursed her lips and blinked, "Actually, I also want to go to Yundian."
Hiss!
Lin Chuan's eyes lit up, and he took a deep breath, "Great, the two of you can keep each other company, you can go together. I'll stay in Anling."
"No way."
"No way."
Xia Qingqing and Shen Qianqian said in unison.
Lin Chuan was stunned, "????"
How did you two end up on the same side?
"Well, what I mean is, it's dangerous for two girls to travel together, especially to a place near the border," Shen Qianqian nodded, as if trying to convince herself.
Lin Chuan, "????"
Officer Shen, have you forgotten you're a criminal police officer?
At the roadside stall last time, you blew the head off a balloon with one shot, and you say you're afraid of danger?
Criminals would run and hide at the sight of you two, trembling with fear.
"Right, it's very dangerous," Xia Qingqing also nodded.
Lin Chuan's forehead showed two black lines, and he suggested, "Uh, how about you explore around Anling instead?"
"I've already made travel plans," Xia Qingqing pouted.
"Er, I've also made travel plans," Shen Qianqian muttered softly.
Lin Chuan shook his head again, "There are a lot of fraud gangs near the border."
"You're an anti-fraud expert!"
"You understand anti-fraud!"
Shen Qianqian and Xia Qingqing both said.
Lin Chuan frowned secretly, his eyes looking at the two, pointing at himself with his finger, "So should I go or not?"
Xia Qingqing and Shen Qianqian exchanged glances, falling silent as they seemed to see through each other's thoughts.
But there was only one Lin Chuan.
Who would he go with?
Lin Chuan nonchalantly grabbed a shrimp, peeled it after making his choice, and tucked it into his mouth, focusing on eating his meal.
Men are inherently not good at dealing with such tricky situations, even if they are revered as 'time management masters' or ultimate challengers; they still end up being torn apart by such predicaments.
So, Lin Chuan simply tossed this particularly thorny issue over to the two police beauties.
Now, he was at peace.
Seeing that the two of them kept silent for a long time, Lin Chuan poured two cups of jasmine tea, holding one in each hand and placing them in front of Shen Qianqian and Xia Qingqing.
The true Master of Water Service.
Suddenly, Xia Qingqing smiled radiantly, taking Shen Qianqian's arm, "Qianqian, let's go to Yundian together and make Lin Chuan carry our luggage, how about that?"
Shen Qianqian's eyes, clear as autumn waters, sparkled, "That's a good idea."
In that moment, the two seemed to have reached some sort of agreement.
Lin Chuan, "????"
"How about it, Comrade Lin Chuan?" Xia Qingqing's eyes sparkled as she smiled.
Lin Chuan asked begrudgingly, "Can I not go?"
"No!"
"No!"
Shen Qianqian and Xia Qingqing said again in unison.
Lin Chuan's vision darkened, "Didn't you say that I should find inspiration for my writing by going on a journey to write a better book? How did it turn into me being a luggage porter?"
The prettier the girl, the more deceitful!
"Just kidding." Xia Qingqing said with a bright smile, skillfully peeling a shrimp and placing it into Lin Chuan's bowl.
Shen Qianqian's shrimp peeling skills were much less adept, clumsily managing one shrimp after much effort, which she then also placed in Lin Chuan's bowl.
Lin Chuan looked at the two of them, frowning.
"Come on, Comrade Lin Chuan, eat, why aren't you eating?" Xia Qingqing, more lively than Shen Qianqian, smiled as she watched Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan didn't know what medicine these two police flowers were selling in their gourds.
But since the shrimp were peeled, it would be a waste not to eat them!
So, he stuffed both shrimp into his mouth at once.
Meanwhile, the little waiter who occasionally glanced at this table, wanting to join in on the drama, just stood there, stunned.
Wow!
Two stunningly beautiful sisters were peeling shrimp for this scumbag at the same time?
What's so great about this scumbag?
Scumbag, scumbag, scumbag!
The night breeze gently wafted, carrying the scent of riverbank moisture and vegetation around the corner of 'Riverside Cottage'; the post-rain sky was exceptionally clear, and a few stars could be seen twinkling above.
This dinner seemed to have resolved the troubling issues in Lin Chuan's heart.
Xia Qingqing and Shen Qianqian chatted and laughed, discussing how to go to Yundian and which places to visit.
"Qingqing, I'll buy the plane tickets."
"Er, I've already bought mine and Lin Chuan's tickets, let me buy yours too."
"Sure, I've already booked the hotel."
"Okay, you've booked the hotel, then I'll cancel the ones I booked earlier."
"Er..."
"Qianqian, prepare those essential tools, like the selfie stick, sun protection clothing, sunburn cream, and prepare a set for Comrade Lin Chuan too."
"I've already prepared everything."
Lin Chuan frowned as he listened on the side.
It seems you two have prepared everything, and I've become an NPC tool.
Sigh—
As the night grew darker, it wasn't until nearly eleven o'clock that the three of them left.
Xia Qingqing lived in the same Qingxiu District as 'Riverside Cottage' but she got into a Mercedes-Benz GLC with Shen Qianqian and they drove Lin Chuan to Happiness Community.
Both police beauties sat in the driver's and passenger's seats.
Lin Chuan sat in the back seat.
The Mercedes-Benz GLC followed the same route back and quickly arrived at the old city area.
This place, unlike the bustling downtown area, had become quiet at this time of night, and the arrival of the Mercedes-Benz GLC was particularly noticeable.
Lin Chuan got out of the car, waving, "Goodbye."
"Good night," Xia Qingqing said with a smile from the passenger's seat.
"Good night," Shen Qianqian also said with a smile.
Lin Chuan watched as they drove away before he heaved a sigh of relief. He hadn't felt full from tonight's dinner, having eaten only shrimp.
He ate shrimp last night.
He ate shrimp for lunch.
And he still ate shrimp tonight.
Peeling shrimp is certainly delicious, but since shrimp are cold in nature, one shouldn't eat too much; it's easy to get a cold stomach.
Lin Chuan turned around, ready to go upstairs.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind, "Chairman, you're finally back?"
Lin Chuan shuddered.
Damn it all! I forgot about the Little Landlady!

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