Chapter 87: Deliberate Teasing and Seduction
"Who’s worried about you!"
Yun Sheng’s ears flushed at Si Jin’s sudden approach and direct question. She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but he only held it tighter.
"I’m just afraid you’ll get me involved! If your identity is exposed..."
"Oh? Just afraid of being involved?" Si Jin leaned in even closer, his lazy voice full of allure. "Not because of... something else? For example... you’d miss me?"
As he spoke, his fingertip deliberately traced a line across her palm, sending a subtle shiver through her.
Yun Sheng’s heart skipped a beat. His ambiguous yet direct questioning left her feeling both embarrassed and annoyed.
"Don’t be ridiculous! Let go, so many people are watching..."
"So what if they’re watching? Isn’t it perfectly reasonable for me to show some concern for my sweetheart after she was interrogated by the Tower for over an hour?"
Si Jin cut her off, deliberately emphasizing the word "sweetheart." His tone was frank and natural, as if he were stating the most obvious of facts.
Yun Sheng knew he was joking, but his words still made her cheeks burn.
But Si Jin stopped teasing her. He held her hand tightly and calmly led her toward the exit.
"Let’s go. I’ll take you to get something to eat, to calm your nerves. As for Bai Ye..."
He tilted his head, a wild and untamed smirk playing on his lips.
"His suspicions are his business. As long as there’s no concrete evidence, he can’t touch ’Lin Mo’."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Yun Sheng’s face again, his voice filled with a matter-of-fact gentleness.
"Alright now, look at you, you’ve gotten thin from hunger. Let’s go eat."
’Thin from hunger?!’
The corner of Yun Sheng’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch again.
’How long has it been?’
’Where on earth did he get the idea that I’ve gotten thin?!’
’That excuse is so half-assed.’
But... she touched her stomach, which was indeed a bit empty, and swallowed the retort on the tip of her tongue.
She really was hungry.
Si Jin saw her small gesture, and the smile in his eyes deepened. Without another word, he led her straight outside.
The gazes around them were curious and probing, but he paid them no mind, as if the only person in the world was the one whose hand he held.
Just like that, Si Jin led Yun Sheng out of the Tower, weaving through several turns until they entered a secluded alley far from the main road.
At the end of the alley was a small shop with a worn facade and a faded sign.
"Here?" Yun Sheng was a little surprised.
The place looked... too ordinary, even a bit shabby.
"Yeah. The food’s good. I guarantee you’ll like it."
Si Jin’s reply was succinct as he pushed the door open and went inside.
The shop wasn’t large, with only four or five tables, but it was kept tidy.
A middle-aged owner with an apron and a simple, honest smile was busy in the kitchen.
Seeing customers arrive, especially two young people whose aura clearly didn’t match the humble surroundings, he paused for a moment before coming out to greet them enthusiastically.
"Welcome, welcome! Two new faces! My shop is pretty out of the way, how did you find it?"
Si Jin pulled Yun Sheng to a table in the back and sat down, completely at ease.
"A friend recommended it, said the owner’s a great cook. Sir, please bring us one of each of your signature dishes."
"You got it!"
The owner grinned, agreed readily, and turned to get things started.
Yun Sheng sat down in her chair and subconsciously glanced around.
Although the small shop was old, the shelves against the kitchen wall were fully stocked with all kinds of vegetables, meats, rice, and noodles.
The sheer variety was a stark contrast to the narrow, worn-out space.
A trace of surprise rose in her heart.
In this interstellar era of strict resource control, where most ordinary people relied on nutrient pastes, even a great clan like the Lin Family had to go to some trouble to maintain a daily supply of "natural food."
How could a seemingly ordinary little shop tucked away in an alley have access to such a rich supply of ingredients?
Lost in thought, she subconsciously murmured aloud.
"How can such a small shop have so many ingredients stocked up..."
Si Jin, who was wiping the table with a napkin, paused for a moment but didn’t respond.
However, a customer at the next table who was eating noodles overheard Yun Sheng’s murmur and chimed in with a smile.
"First time here, little lady? You wouldn’t know, then! The only reason our owner has such a supply of ingredients is because he’s looked after by the Former War God!"
Hearing this, Yun Sheng instinctively looked at Si Jin.
She saw him still wiping the table with his eyes lowered, his expression unchanged, as if he had just heard a stranger’s name.
Another customer at the neighboring table added, "The Former War God used to love coming here for a bowl of the owner’s stewed soup after every mission. Said it warmed his stomach and made him feel grounded. Later, he saw the owner was struggling, so he pulled some strings and got him a stable, special supply channel...
A lot of us brothers from the Tower, when we’re exhausted after a mission, have gotten used to coming here for a seat and a hot meal. It’s become a tradition over the years!"
The owner, who happened to be bringing over two cups of hot tea, was filled with emotion upon hearing this.
He gently placed the teacups in front of Yun Sheng and Si Jin and sighed.
"That’s right. My little shop has only managed to survive this long thanks to God of War Si’s protection back in the day... It’s just a pity..."
He shook his head and didn’t continue, but the regret and nostalgia on his face were clear.
In his unfinished words lay the deepest sigh for that hero of the past, who had now become a taboo subject, wanted by the Star Alliance.
Yun Sheng’s heart felt as if it had been gently squeezed.
She looked at Si Jin across from her again.
He happened to raise his eyes and meet her gaze.
His deep eyes were calm, showing not the slightest ripple, as if everything he had just heard about "Si Jin" had nothing to do with him.
Only Yun Sheng saw his fingers suddenly tighten around the teacup, so tight that his knuckles turned white.
At that moment, another customer at the neighboring table also spoke up instinctively.
"Speaking of which, the Former War God saved the lives of many people in our squad. We once went to a contaminated zone in the East District for a mission that was supposed to be against a B-level contaminant. Who knew that when we got there, it was actually S-Class!
We were hanging by a thread. If the Former War God hadn’t suddenly appeared, our entire squad would have been wiped out in that godforsaken place! You should have seen it, his spiritual body... WHOA! The moment that Abyssal Giant Wolf came out, the S-Class contaminant acted like it had just seen its natural predator..."
Just as he was getting to the exciting part, a derisive sneer cut through the air like a splash of cold water.
"Heh! You’ve got some nerve! Daring to openly reminisce about the Star Alliance’s most-wanted criminal right here!"
The voice was arrogant and sharp.
Yun Sheng looked up to see three men in standard-issue Sentinel training uniforms walk in.
The one in the lead was tall, with his chin slightly raised, his expression filled with arrogance and domineering pride.
The two behind him also had hostile expressions, their gazes sweeping across the small shop.
The atmosphere in the small shop grew tense.
The faces of the customers at the next table, who had just been chatting animatedly, changed. One of them, slightly agitated, retorted, "We were just talking about the past. Lord Si Jin really used to..."
"Used to?"
The lead Sentinel sneered, walking straight in and fixing the owner with a malevolent gaze.
"A Dark Sentinel who betrayed the Star Alliance and is wanted everywhere doesn’t deserve to have his past mentioned!"
One of his lackeys immediately stepped forward, rapping his fingers on the old counter—KNOCK KNOCK—his tone domineering.
"Old man, have you thought about what we told you last time? Our captain has taken a liking to your ingredient supply routes. Be smart about it. Hand over the supply channels and management rights to the shop, and you’ll be well-rewarded in the future."
The owner’s face turned pale. This little shop was his entire livelihood; how could he just hand it over?
His lips trembled. "Gentlemen... I-I really can’t... The supply channel is under an exclusive contract, and this shop..."
"Cut the fucking crap!"
The tall Sentinel they called "captain" completely lost his patience. He strode forward and viciously grabbed the owner by the collar.
"You shameless bastard! On the Tower’s turf, you think you can have a good life after offending me, Zhou Meng?"
Fury rising, he shoved hard with the hand clutching the collar!
The owner was thrown off balance by the push, losing his footing and stumbling uncontrollably straight toward the table where Yun Sheng and Si Jin were sitting!