Chapter 7: We're Poor

"...This is a letter from Director Wang to you." Chen Meng pulled out a sealed letter from her folder.

Director Wang? Could it be Wang Xiuliang? It's been two years since we last met, and he's been promoted? Li Huan took the sealed letter.

Upon opening it and seeing the signature, it was indeed the once hot-tempered Wang Xiuliang. The letter was brief, stating that he must unconditionally obey the orders of Chen Meng, the liaison from the Third Military Intelligence Bureau, and that his code name would remain 009.

After reading it, Li Huan smirked. It seemed that the beautiful woman in front of him was to be his new boss. The mission was dangerous, and since they were working with the military, shouldn't they have found a seasoned old-timer? Yet, here he was, partnered with a woman and having to take orders from her. Li Huan felt a slight twinge of incomprehension.

"009, do you have any questions?" Chen Meng seemed to sense the dissatisfaction in Li Huan's eyes.

"No, no questions." Li Huan lifted his eyelids, his smile not reaching his eyes. "You're my leader from now on. The letter made it very clear. Everything you say goes."

"Not from now on, but from this moment on, you must follow my orders." Chen Meng detected Li Huan's reluctance and reminded him coldly.

"Yes, yes, from this moment on." Women always like to nitpick, Li Huan thought, too lazy to argue.

"Good, then I'll give you an order right now."

"An order?" Li Huan was taken aback. Wasn't that a bit too quick?

"I order you to put your clothes on immediately." Chen Meng blushed slightly after speaking. This guy was sitting there wrapped in a towel, and one could easily catch a glimpse of his thighs. It was somewhat distracting.

What? Is that an order? Li Huan grimaced. The clothes reeking of a foul odor were right in front of him, and he had just freshened up. He really couldn't bear to put them back on.

"What's wrong? Is it difficult to execute the order?" Chen Meng's face was stern, displaying a military demeanor.

Li Huan glanced at Chen Meng. It seemed he had no choice but to put them on. He reluctantly reached for the clothes, shaking them out, releasing a pungent smell that made Chen Meng wrinkle her cute nose in disgust.

Li Huan hesitated, shaking the clothes repeatedly without putting them on, as if in protest. These weren't meant for human wear, he thought, suspecting that Zhang Zhengzhong had stripped them off a corpse.

"Alright, alright, stop shaking them." The stench made Chen Meng nauseous. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "...You... stand up."

He had to obey this order. Li Huan tossed the stinky clothes aside, stood up straight from the couch, and quickly grabbed the towel that was slipping from his waist, looking a bit awkward in front of the beauty.

Chen Meng stood up and gave Li Huan a once-over from head to toe, making him feel uneasy. He wondered why she had asked him to stand.

"Stay in this room and wait for me. Don't go anywhere without my order." Chen Meng finished speaking and headed for the door without another glance at Li Huan.

Where could he go looking like this? Li Huan watched Chen Meng's graceful figure walk away and muttered to himself, feeling a bit bitter...

Li Huan didn't care where the beauty was going. After the harrowing experience of facing execution, he felt tired. Lying on the bed was more comfortable. He entered the inner bedroom, flopped onto the soft bed, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

In his half-asleep state, he heard a faint sound of the door opening outside the bedroom. Li Huan's keen hearing picked it up clearly. From the barely audible footsteps, he accurately deduced that Chen Meng had returned. It was an experience he had honed over years as a spy; he could identify someone from their footsteps after hearing them once. Sensing no danger, he remained lying on the bed, too lazy to move.

The door opened, and along with the soft footsteps, a faint scent of orchid and musk wafted to Li Huan's nose. It was her body scent. Li Huan, with his eyes closed, relished the intoxicating fragrance.

"Lazybones... it hasn't been long, and you're sleeping like a pig." Chen Meng grumbled quietly, but Li Huan heard it clearly.

"Hey, 009, wake up."

A pleasant voice rang in his ear, and he felt a soft hand nudging his shoulder. Li Huan opened his sleepy eyes to see Chen Meng's beautiful face right in front of him. Her body scent lingered in his nostrils, and he couldn't help but sniff, greedily taking in her alluring fragrance.

His unmasked greed displeased Chen Meng. Pervert, she thought, glaring at him with her beautiful eyes. She shook the handbag she was holding, and the contents spilled onto Li Huan's head, covering his face and blocking the scent.

This girl had a bad temper, Li Huan thought as he brushed the items off the pillow. They were clothes, a belt, a watch, and two boxes of men's underwear. So, the beauty had gone out to buy him some gear. He picked up one of the boxes, which contained an electric razor. The beauty was quite thoughtful.

Li Huan's mood improved significantly. After wearing prison clothes for over two years, he now had new clothes to wear. He didn't need to dwell on the beauty's earlier rudeness.

"Put the clothes on and shave." The beauty watched Li Huan, who was looking quite pleased, with an expressionless face.

Li Huan didn't mind Chen Meng's commanding tone. He eagerly dashed into the bathroom. When he emerged, Chen Meng was taken aback. Was this the same guy who had gone in?

Li Huan looked completely different. The casual, fashionable clothes fit him perfectly. The messy beard was gone, revealing well-shaped eyebrows and bright, lively eyes. His straight nose and moderately thick lips, with a slight upward curve at the corners, gave him a half-smiling look. He wasn't particularly handsome, but he was certainly pleasing to the eye.

Li Huan noticed Chen Meng's stunned expression and felt a bit puzzled. He had looked normal in the mirror, quite handsome, so why was she staring at him like he was a monster?

"What's wrong? Are the clothes not fitting?" Li Huan looked himself over and muttered, "...They fit just fine, don't they?"

"Uh... they're okay." Chen Meng realized she had been staring and quickly looked away. She hadn't expected him to look so good after cleaning up. He looked quite presentable, which irked her a bit.

At that moment, an undignified sound came from Li Huan's stomach. He was hungry, and the sound made him blush with embarrassment.

So, he can feel embarrassed? Chen Meng found it amusing. Glancing out the window, she saw that dusk was setting in. It was time for dinner.

"Wait for me." Chen Meng left the room, carrying a large suitcase into the bedroom.

From behind the closed bedroom door came the sound of rustling. Soon, the door opened, and Li Huan's eyes lit up. Chen Meng had changed out of her military uniform into a light yellow dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure. Her black, flowing hair was casually tied back, and her stunning face made her look like a sexy beauty.

"What are you looking at? Let's go." Chen Meng rolled her eyes at Li Huan, who was looking a bit lustful, and brushed past him, leaving a trail of subtle fragrance.

Watching Chen Meng's elegant figure, Li Huan shook his head slightly. This temporary beautiful boss had a face that could kill, but her personality left much to be desired.

Downstairs, a white BMW 7 Series was parked, provided to Chen Meng by the Third Military Intelligence Bureau. Li Huan got into the BMW and ran his hands over the luxurious interior, feeling a bit envious. The people from the Third Military Intelligence Bureau were too extravagant. As part of the intelligence community, why was there such a difference in treatment? His previous ride was nowhere near this class.

The BMW drove south and stopped in front of an elegant hotel. Chen Meng didn't mistreat Li Huan. The hotel was already bustling with well-dressed diners, and its luxurious decor indicated it was a high-end establishment.

"You order." Chen Meng signaled the waitress to hand the menu to Li Huan.

"That... wouldn't be right." Li Huan said politely, but his hand eagerly took the menu. The colorful dishes listed on it had already whetted his appetite.

His finger slid down the menu, and he quickly selected over ten dishes, choosing the expensive and exotic ones. The Third Military Intelligence Bureau seemed to have plenty of money, so he might as well take advantage of it.

"What would you like to drink?" After ordering, Li Huan asked Chen Meng politely.

"Peanut milk."

"Why drink peanut milk? How about some wine? Come on, I just got out of prison. We should celebrate." Li Huan swallowed, his eyes fixed on the menu's premium Maotai, priced at 1500. It had to be good.

"What's there to celebrate? And we're here to eat, not drink." Chen Meng's face was cold. This guy was not only a pervert but also a drunkard.

"If you're not drinking, I will..." Li Huan turned to the waitress beside him. "A bottle of peanut milk, and... this." He pointed to the Maotai on the menu.

"No, you can't drink." Chen Meng interrupted, addressing the waitress. "Two bottles of peanut milk, please."

The waitress glanced at Li Huan, reluctant to lose such a big order. The commission on the 1500-yuan bottle of wine was significant.

"Hey, just because you're not drinking doesn't mean I can't. What's the deal?" Li Huan looked at Chen Meng with displeasure.

"What's the deal? I'm your boss, and I say no drinking. That's the rule." Chen Meng retorted sharply.

It seemed she was determined to stop him from drinking, using the rules to suppress him. How boring, Li Huan thought, giving Chen Meng a resentful look.

The dishes arrived quickly鈥攃hicken, duck, fish, and seafood. Faced with a table full of delicacies, Chen Meng glared at Li Huan, making it clear that he'd better finish everything, or else.

Ignoring Chen Meng's disapproving look, Li Huan dug in. The girl wouldn't let him drink, so he'd channel his frustration into his appetite. He devoured the food like a whirlwind.

This guy was indeed fresh out of prison, with terrible table manners and a fast-eating speed. Chen Meng watched helplessly as the dishes disappeared, knowing that if she didn't start eating soon, she'd be left with nothing but scraps...

After the meal, Li Huan waved his hand casually. "Check, please."

"Sir, the total is 2800 yuan." The waitress politely handed over the bill.

"Give it to her." Li Huan patted his slightly rounded belly, leaned back comfortably in his chair, and looked at Chen Meng with a grin. His eyes said it all: We're poor.

Chen Meng didn't mind paying. She took out her card and handed it to the waitress. But Li Huan's smug expression was annoying, and she couldn't help but shoot him a withering look...