148: Chapter 148 Queen Jiang Arrives at the Fire Station

"Sister!"

Shen Jue's shout turned the tears that had just been wiped away in the cafeteria back into laughter.

He bumped his knee against the edge of the table, jumped in place from the pain, but still forced himself to stand straight.

"Sister Mu! Why are you here?"

At the kitchen entrance, Jiang Rumu was holding a plate of cold-eaten rabbit.

A light-colored apron was tied around her waist, her hair was tied up, and her sleeves were rolled up to her forearms. There was no red carpet, no stage lighting, and no team clearing the way.

But the moment she appeared, all the cameras of the Production Team moved.

Director Pei Zhao almost shoved his microphone into his own chin.

"Steady! Don't push randomly! This is a special segment for Mother's Day, not a surprise attack!"

Li Li's hand, holding his chopsticks, froze in mid-air.

Cold-eaten rabbit.

Queen Jiang.

An apron.

With these three things together, the amount of information was a bit overwhelming.

Shen Jue walked around the table intending to rush over, but stopped halfway, turning back to look at Li Li.

"Brother, can I go over?"

Li Li put down his chopsticks.

"You're calling her sister, why are you asking me?"

Shen Jue scratched his head.

"I'm afraid you'll misunderstand."

The cafeteria was quiet for half a second.

Then it exploded.

"Oh——"

"Shen Jue, you kid are very perceptive!"

"Rational observation, right?"

Shen Jue's ears turned red.

"I really am rationally observing!"

Li Li didn't look at him.

Jiang Rumu carried the plate to Li Li's side and set down the cold-eaten rabbit.

"Mother Zhang made it and asked me to bring it over."

Li Li looked up.

Jiang Rumu untied her apron and handed it to a staff member.

"She just finished surgery and the doctor won't let her fly, so she asked me to bring the food over and even recorded a video."

Director Pei Zhao immediately gestured.

The projector lit up.

Mother Zhang was sitting in the small kitchen of the welfare home, with old cabinets and a row of stainless steel basins behind her. She had lost some weight, but her spirit was fine, and there was an insulated box beside her.

"Li Li, Little Jiang said she was going to Pengcheng to film a show, so I asked her to bring some cold-eaten rabbit over."

She patted the insulated box.

"Don't push yourself at the station. If your hand is injured, move it less. You need to save people, but you also need to eat. Mother Zhang doesn't have any other skills, so I just made you some of the things you loved to eat when you were a child."

No one in the cafeteria was teasing anymore.

Qin Xiaoshan was holding his bowl, and the tears he had just stopped fell again.

"Mother Zhang's dish is just too fragrant."

Zhong Ji pushed the tissue box over.

"You've hit your tissue KPI for the day."

Li Li picked up a piece of cold-eaten rabbit and put it in his mouth.

The spiciness hit him—an extremely explosive level of heat.

But he could handle it.

This body remembered this taste.

He pushed his water glass aside.

"Mother Zhang's skills—even the surgery couldn't take away her core competitiveness."

Mother Zhang in the video was still nagging.

"Little Jiang helped me bring it all this way, so don't bully her. You should thank her properly."

The video stopped.

Everyone turned their heads in unison.

Jiang Rumu sat down next to Li Li and unwrapped a pair of disposable chopsticks.

"Did you hear that?"

Li Li nodded.

"I heard it, Mother Zhang told me not to bully you."

Jiang Rumu picked up a piece of rabbit meat.

"Then how do you plan to thank me?"

Li Li thought for half a second.

"I can waive your delivery fee."

The cafeteria exploded again.

Shen Jue slapped the table.

"Brother! She brought you food, and you're still charging a delivery fee?"

Ji Shen raised his chopsticks.

"I announce that Li Li is retiring from the 'Warm Man' track and switching to being a food delivery vendor."

He Manzhou laughed so hard she slapped her thigh.

"Queen Jiang, beat him up! I'll support you spiritually!"

Jiang Rumu put the rabbit meat into her own bowl.

"Mother Zhang said you were like this when you were a child—stubborn."

Li Li pointed at the food tray.

"Correction, I was stubborn when I was a child, but now I'm mainly tough-fated."

Gu Zeyan was sitting on the side. According to Company training, he should have kept smiling and added, "Everyone gets along so well."

But he couldn't help laughing just now either.

As soon as the camera scanned over, he immediately straightened his posture.

"Brother Li Li and Teacher Jiang get along very naturally; it's worth learning from."

Shen Jue turned his head.

"You were teasing too just now."

Gu Zeyan froze.

"I was just matching the atmosphere on set."

Zhong Ji added a jab.

"Just now was sincere; now it's professional."

Gu Zeyan lowered his head and shoveled rice.

The hundred thousand lines of social pleasantries taught by the Company were dismantled into parts in the Fire Station cafeteria.

Later, he would have to talk to Director Pei Zhao to not air his part, otherwise he would be scolded to death by Zhou Hui again.

Captain Cheng stood up.

He still had a fixation belt tied around his waist, and his posture was very stiff.

"Is everyone about done eating?"

Qin Xiaoshan immediately dragged his bowl into his arms.

"Captain Cheng, I'm not done yet."

Captain Cheng glanced at him.

"Your bowl could apply for a household registration."

The cafeteria burst into laughter.

Captain Cheng raised his hand and pressed down.

"There is a tradition for Firefighters joining the station: new recruits must perform a talent. Since the guests and new team members are all here today, it's just right to make it up."

Han Su's chopsticks stopped.

Qin Xiaoshan's bowl also stopped.

Both men shrank back at the same time.

But for a Firefighter over 1.8 meters tall, trying to hide behind a long table was too difficult.

Tao Qianzhi held his thermos cup and reminded them.

"You guys go first. Our table is all from the entertainment industry, so you'll be under more pressure if you go after us."

Han Su's face turned dark.

"Then I want to go even less now."

Li Li picked up his water glass.

"Don't panic. Firefighting talent isn't an audition; no one is asking you to kneel upon opening your mouth."

Zhong Ji stood up first.

"I'll go first."

He took the microphone.

"I'll sing an old song."

As the prelude played, the guest table went quiet.

It was Zou Xiao'ou's signature song.

Everyone in the circle knew this song was related to that old affair with Qi Wanyin.

Zhong Ji really didn't know.

He sang quite seriously.

The Firefighters tapped along, and Zhang Yu even knocked on the table twice.

Once the song ended, the Firefighters applauded directly.

The guest table paused for half a beat.

Qi Wanyin put down her cup and clapped three times.

"Well sung."

She paused for a moment.

"The song is good, and the person is good too."

Once this was said, the applause immediately followed.

Zhong Ji was still confused when he got off the stage.

"Did I step on a landmine?"

Li Li patted his shoulder.

"It's fine, you cleared the mine."

Qin Xiaoshan gritted his teeth and stood up.

"I'll do it! One hundred push-ups!"

He took off his jacket and lay down on the floor.

The first twenty were very steady.

At fifty, he started gritting his teeth.

After eighty, his whole body started negotiating with the floor.

At ninety-five, the whole cafeteria stood up and shouted the count.

"Ninety-six!"

"Ninety-seven!"

"Ninety-eight!"

"Ninety-nine!"

With the last push, Qin Xiaoshan collapsed onto the floor.

"One hundred!"

The applause crashed down.

Qin Xiaoshan flipped over and lay there, panting so hard he couldn't speak, but he was still thinking about his food.

"My bowl... don't take it away..."

Shen Yu pointed to his spot.

"Don't worry, your bowl has a legal seat."

Han Su went up third.

He held the microphone, his whole body tense.

"I'll sing... 'Season of Fireworks'."

Li Li's chopsticks stopped.

Jiang Rumu also turned her head to look at him.

The prelude began.

Han Su was off-key in the first line.

The second line went even further off.

By the third line, he couldn't find his way home.

Shen Jue covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking wildly.

Ji Shen slumped onto the table.

He Manzhou couldn't stop laughing.

Jiang Rumu leaned back in her chair.

"What does the original singer think?"

Li Li's face was dark.

"I suggest calling the fire department; my song is trapped out of tune."

After Han Su finished singing, his face was darker than when he had carried someone upstairs just now.

"I tried my best."

Li Li nodded.

"I can hear that; the song tried its best, and I tried my best too."

The cafeteria laughed until they almost flipped the tables.

Several people went up one after another.

Ji Shen did ball tricks, and finally, the ball fell into Qin Xiaoshan's rice bowl. Qin Xiaoshan hugged his bowl and accused the champion of attacking his dinner.

He Manzhou demonstrated core strength, holding a one-handed plank that was terrifyingly steady.

Qi Wanyin sang a segment of an old folk song, and the cafeteria gradually quieted down.

Gu Zeyan sang and danced a talent show song; his movements were familiar, and his expressions were also familiar. When he stopped at the end, he didn't look at the camera, but turned to Han Su's table.

"That part where I carried someone just now, I should have been steadier."

Han Su was stunned for a moment.

"You didn't let go."

Gu Zeyan nodded.

"Next time it will be steadier."

These words weren't packaged, but they sounded pleasant.

When it was Jiang Rumu's turn, the whole venue started teasing.

Shen Jue was the first to raise his hand.

"'Say I Love You'!"

"Say I Love You!"

"Say I Love You!"

Jiang Rumu took the microphone and stood at the front.

The prelude began.

The joking in the cafeteria slowly stopped.

This song had once played in a Dubai hotel.

Artillery fire, the night, escaping, airplanes, aircraft carriers.

Others were listening to a song.

What Li Li heard were snippets of undeleted memories.

When Jiang Rumu reached the chorus, she turned to look at him.

Li Li lowered his head to drink water.

The glass was empty.

Not good.

Tactical failure.

Once the song ended, Shen Jue took the lead in applauding, his hands almost turning red.

"Sister! That was so good!"

Captain Cheng looked at Li Li.

"The last one, it's your turn."

Li Li took the guitar from the Production Team and sat on the chair at the front.

"I play the guitar just average."

Shen Jue immediately tore down his pretense.

"Brother, every time you say average, what follows is never average."

Li Li tried two chords.

"It's really average. The song I'm singing is one I wrote in Cantonese, called 'Truly Love You'."

The cafeteria boiled over.

Everyone looked at Jiang Rumu.

The chopsticks in Jiang Rumu's hand stopped, and her ears turned red.

"Why are you looking at me?"

He Manzhou slapped the table.

"It's hard not to look at you with that title!"

Li Li looked up.

"Don't misunderstand. This is a song written for all mothers."

The teasing stopped.

The first chord fell.

The cafeteria was quiet.

When the Cantonese lyrics came out, Zhang Yu lifted his head.

Captain Cheng leaned against the wall, no longer keeping a straight face.

Qin Xiaoshan took a tissue and wiped again and again.

Han Su lowered his head, his fingers tapping on the edge of the table.

Jiang Rumu sat in her original seat, not moving.

No stage.

No lights.

Only a guitar.

The last note fell.

The cafeteria paused for two seconds.

The applause burst out violently.

Shen Jue stood up and shouted.

"Brother! You call this average guitar playing?"

Ji Shen slapped the table.

"Deduct points for 'Versailles' style! Full marks for the song!"

Qi Wanyin looked at Li Li.

"Leave me the authorization for this song."

Director Pei Zhao had already covered his headset.

"Editing team, don't sleep tonight. Whoever sleeps doesn't respect the potential hit."

Jiang Rumu didn't speak.

She just sat there looking at Li Li.

Li Li returned the guitar to the staff.

"Don't look at me like that; the copyright fee is still calculated separately."

Jiang Rumu smiled.

"Stingy."

After the session, the Production Team packed up the cameras, and the Firefighters cleaned up the food trays.

Li Li helped put the chairs back in place and checked the fixation strap on his left wrist.

Jiang Rumu stood at the door waiting for him.

"I'm staying at a nearby hotel."

Li Li looked up.

"And?"

"Accompany me back."

Shen Jue walked by, his footsteps paused, and he forced his head to turn to the wall.

"I didn't hear anything."

Zhong Ji passed by with a tray.

"I heard it, but I'm mature, so I won't say anything."

Li Li looked at Jiang Rumu.

"Is the Production Team car sending you?"

"It's at the door."

"Let's go."

When the car arrived at the hotel parking lot, Li Li got out first and scanned the parking spaces and entrances.

Having been named by someone with a black box during the day, taking someone back to the hotel without thinking at night was called grinding tasks for the other side.

Jiang Rumu stood at the elevator entrance waiting for him.

"You're actually checking?"

Li Li pressed the elevator button.

At the suite door, Li Li stopped.

"We're here, so I'll head back."

Jiang Rumu swiped the door open and turned around.

"Not coming in to sit for a while?"

Li Li took half a step back.

"That wouldn't be appropriate."

She pushed the door open, leaving Li Li with a back view that invited endless imagination.

"There's a surprise, oh."

Li Li's footsteps stopped.

A surprise.

A hotel.

A suite.

Jiang Rumu's personal invitation.

Reason told him not to think crookedly.

But since humans evolved to this day, reason often didn't rank high.

0.0001 seconds later, he followed her inside.

The next second, two gray-white fluffy balls rushed out.

"Awoo!"

Xiao Chai pounced on his leg, claws digging into his pant leg.

Xiao Qian was a beat slow, circled around him, sat down, and swept the floor with its tail.

Li Li looked down.

Very good.

A surprise.

Two huskies.

Jiang Rumu stood by the door with her arms crossed.

"Like it? They flew here on a plane with me."

"The hotel charges an extra 1000 yuan every night just so they can stay."

Li Li squatted down and rubbed Xiao Chai's head.

"Xiao Chai, you've grown capable, knowing how to use a female celebrity as bait to lure me."

Xiao Chai opened its mouth to bite his sleeve.

Xiao Qian raised a paw to press down on Xiao Chai's neck.

Bloodline suppression.

Management intervened, and the situation stabilized.

The connecting door was open, and Lu Cheng poked her head in with a computer.

Seeing Li Li, she hurriedly closed the computer.

"Teacher Li, I, I'm working."

Li Li nodded.

"Good security configuration—connecting rooms, assistant is here, dogs are here, few blind spots for surveillance."

Jiang Rumu tossed him a bottle of water.

"You check security first when you enter a room?"

"Occupational disease."

"Isn't your profession an architect?"

"Today's encounter has made me a part-time anti-terrorism victim."

Li Li played with the two huskies for ten minutes.

Xiao Chai tried to steal his shoelaces but was pressed down by Xiao Qian.

Jiang Rumu sat on the sofa.

"That song tonight, was it really written on the spot?"

Li Li snatched the shoelaces back.

"Prepared in advance; I couldn't exactly sing 'Today You Are Going to Marry Me' on Mother's Day."

Jiang Rumu lowered her head, her ears turning even redder.

"It would be fine even if you had that song."

The room went quiet.

Lu Cheng was typing on her keyboard by the connecting door.

The computer wasn't turned on.

She was typing into the void.

Jiang Rumu's response left all three of them not knowing how to continue the conversation.

Li Li could only stand up.

"I should go; I have training tomorrow."

Jiang Rumu walked him to the door.

Xiao Qian followed to the door, while Xiao Chai refused to let go of his shoe.

Li Li bent down and snatched the shoe back.

"Xiao Chai, let go. You're four months old now; you can't have an adult's shoe."

Jiang Rumu hugged Xiao Chai.

"Be careful on the way."

Li Li nodded.

"Lock the door, Lu Cheng, don't open the door for strangers. Leave takeout at the front desk."

Lu Cheng responded from inside.

"Received."

Li Li got into the elevator and went down to the parking lot.

The elevator door opened, and just as he stepped out, his phone vibrated.

A string of overseas numbers popped up on the screen.

The note was very short.

Fahd.

Li Li stopped at the elevator entrance and swiped his thumb to answer.

A sentence in Arabic came from the other end of the phone.

"Li, I have an emergency."