23: Section 23

"However, since this is a date… pfft, I mean, an outdoor mission, I naturally can't dress so casually!"

Thinking of this, Li Yaoyao immediately opened her wardrobe and changed into a powder-blue cropped bolero jacket that she basically never wore.

Compared to her usual serious formal wear, this better accentuated the excellent figure she usually kept hidden.

She paired it with a pale yellow velvet knee-length skirt and a pair of black high boots, her jet-black hair hanging naturally over her shoulders.

Then, she applied a rare, very exquisite layer of makeup.

She lightly drew curved willow-leaf eyebrows, and her long eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Her fair, flawless skin flushed with a faint pink, and her thin lips were as delicate and dewy as rose petals.

Taking a deep breath to suppress the slight nervousness in her heart, she walked to the room next door and knocked on the door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"..." After a long while, there was absolutely no response from inside the room.

Suddenly, Li Yaoyao couldn't help but feel a bit panicked.

No response? Not at home? That's impossible! She had been watching the surveillance feed the whole time.

Wait, no, she had spent quite a bit of time doing her makeup and changing clothes; she must have neglected the feed during that time!

Could an enemy have taken the opportunity to sneak in?

Thinking of this, Li Yaoyao didn't care about anything else; she hurriedly raised her right leg, tensing her muscles, and prepared to kick the door open.

However. Thud. Just as she raised her foot, she saw the door open.

She saw Lin Bai, looking sleepy, yawning. His mouth hung open, seemingly stunned by the sight of her high-leg kick the moment he opened the door.

"Uh... good morning? Are you, uh, working out?"

Lin Bai and Li Yaoyao stared at each other, and finally, he took the initiative to ask.

"..." Having been caught in such an embarrassing state, Li Yaoyao couldn't help but blush. She quickly lowered her right leg, a lingering sense of shame refusing to fade from her heart.

She couldn't very well say she was worried about him and was about to kick the door down, so she just nodded along with Lin Bai's words.

"Well, that's a pretty good hobby; it's good for physical and mental health. By the way, what brings you here so early?" Lin Bai laughed it off.

After all, Li Yaoyao had undergone training; she quickly adjusted her mindset and immediately seized on Lin Bai's comment to continue.

"Yeah, speaking of physical and mental health, I don't think I've ever seen you leave the house."

"It's not good to stay at home every day."

"Since it's the weekend and the weather is nice, I was wondering if you'd like to go out for a stroll?"

"I heard that the nearby Wanjia Plaza is hosting a food festival~"

"Every shop on the street is offering free tastings!"

Thinking of how Lin Bai had mentioned being short on cash and unable to pay his rent, Li Yaoyao added one final remark.

PS: Brothers, as everyone knows, during the free period of a new book, data is very important—it's even the key to whether a book can continue to be written! The data for this book hasn't moved much, and I'm honestly panicking! Here, I humbly beg everyone to extend a finger; if you could give me a flower, an evaluation ticket, or even a tip, I would be incredibly grateful!!

Upon hearing this, Lin Bai looked the beautiful neighbor in front of him up and down once more.

He recalled their few interactions. Aside from the dinner where he invited her over for steak, it was always her approaching him.

At first, she helped pay his rent for the month. Later, both times she came knocking, she said she hadn't seen him for a few days and was concerned.

Now, on the weekend, she was specifically inviting him out? Could it be that she was coveting something of his?

But thinking back to his status since transmigrating, he was just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill shut-in office worker. Aside from taking on freelance gigs to earn living expenses, he hadn't made any enemies.

As for coveting his money, that was even more impossible. The only valuable thing he owned was a fruit 14, which he'd only gotten because of a massive stroke of luck when a second-hand seller accidentally sent it to him by mistake.

Since it wasn't about money or a grudge, it couldn't be that she was lusting after his looks, could it? Well, that... actually wouldn't be so bad.

Thinking about it this way, Lin Bai realized he didn't seem to have anything to lose. Besides, he had been in this parallel Blue Star for quite a while and really hadn't been out much.

Plus, although he had completed many design orders over the past few days, the money hadn't hit his account yet. He was truly on the verge of running out of food.

The free tastings at the food street solved his biggest problem.

"Alright, hold on a second, let me change my clothes."

Seeing Lin Bai agree, Li Yaoyao let out a huge sigh of relief.

Otherwise, if the first step of getting him out failed, she wouldn't be able to proceed with the rest of her mission.

It wasn't just her. Through the listener Li Yaoyao wore, the members of the Special Decision Group gathered in another house also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Very good, the first step is complete!" "Next, we must ensure Lin Bai receives the reward that rightfully belongs to him in the most natural and reasonable way!" "Old Chen, have the comrades at the food street get ready!" "Oh, and remember to make the portions of food for Lin Bai larger!"

Chief Yun signaled the director of the National Security Bureau with his eyes, and the latter immediately picked up the communicator and began passing the orders down the line.

This operation was of great importance, and there could be no errors in any part of the process. Even more importantly, Lin Bai must not find out; everything had to be reasonable and covert.

Before leaving, Lin Bai realized that even after changing worlds, he was still someone who didn't care about his appearance.

Opening his wardrobe, among the handful of clothes he had, all he could see were black, white, and gray.

He thought about it and didn't bother being picky; he was just going for the free food, so he just threw on a simple white short-sleeved shirt and left.

He and Li Yaoyao headed straight for Wanjia Plaza.

Swish, swish, swish. The food street was surging with crowds and was incredibly lively.

Since Lin Bai was a shut-in, he was somewhat unaccustomed to crowded places, but for the sake of the free food, he squeezed into the crowd and walked toward the various shops.

"Mmm, these calamari rings are actually quite good!"

"Huh? We've visited so many shops; aren't you going to eat anything?"

"By the way, why do you seem a bit nervous?"

Lin Bai was eating the calamari rings he'd gotten from the fourth shop, marveling at how great the free tasting event was—the portions were so generous—while curiously turning his gaze to Li Yaoyao.

He found this neighbor living next door to be somewhat strange.

Upon arriving at the food street, not only did she not seem excited, but once the crowds grew, she kept nervously looking around.