The rain was an absolute monster. Though twilight hadn't fully descended, a suffocating blanket of black clouds smothered the last vestiges of light. Gale-force winds chased the downpour, instantly dissolving the entire city into a watery abyss. Then, a flash of lightning, followed by a roar of thunder, tore countless gashes across the sky.

"Ugh, looks like I'll need to take another day off," Lu Heng grumbled. He was in Jian Ming's car, which had just pulled out of the underground parking lot, when a clap of thunder directly overhead made them both jump.

"Why take time off?" Jian Ming flicked on his left turn signal, merging onto the main road.

Lu Heng watched the rain lash against the car windows, then stretched, speaking lazily, "Too much rain. Inconvenient for my run to work." It sounded so utterly mundane at first.

"You take leave for that? Your unit still keeps you around?"

"Better if they don't. I've been wanting to leave for ages."

Jian Ming's lip twitched, a cold smirk playing on his face. "You're just relying on your uncle, the team leader, aren't you?" His tone dripped with unconcealed sarcasm.

Days earlier, after realizing Lu Heng knew he was Jiang Luchuan's adopted son, Jian Ming had discreetly inquired with Jiang Luchuan. He'd learned that his old friend Gu Tao was indeed Lu Heng's uncle, which explained how Lu Heng knew about his connection to Jiang Luchuan and also why Lu Heng was so resistant to his current job.

Lu Heng was somewhat numb to such sarcasm, but hearing it from Jian Ming's lips still grated on him. He straightened up, sitting formally, "I don't. Never have." There was a stubbornness and a hint of guardedness in his voice.

"Officer Lu, you must remember you are a People's Police officer, no matter where you are, that fact remains." Jian Ming possessed an inherent calm and composed demeanor, speaking without rush, effortlessly delivering a profound warning to Lu Heng.

Lu Heng was speechless. He knew very well that Jian Ming's casual remark was actually a serious caution. His heart suddenly stirred with emotion. This must be the kind of care and advice a friend gives, he thought. Suddenly, Jian Ming's words no longer felt sarcastic, but instead settled comfortably within his heart.

"It's almost six. How about we grab something to eat before heading back?" Jian Ming suggested, glancing at the car clock.

Lu Heng's obedience to Jian Ming remained unwavering, as always.

They returned to 'Peach Blossom Haven'. Even before the car drew close, they could see the entrance swarming with people vying for seats. It wasn't usually this crowded; perhaps the heavy rain deterred people from other options. Jian Ming felt a surge of hesitation, thinking that the bamboo room was definitely out of the question.

"Maybe we should try somewhere else," Lu Heng offered, perfectly timed.

"Good idea. Do you have any recommendations? I just got back, so I'm not familiar with the area." His hand was already turning the steering wheel, pulling away from the curb.

Lu Heng led Jian Ming to a humble, even slightly unhygienic, street food stall near his home. This area boasted a row of similar stalls, converted from residential houses. The large awnings stretching from the building tops suggested these stalls usually attracted a crowd, but today, with the awful weather preventing outdoor seating, the area seemed rather deserted. At each entrance, a hawker stood, trying to entice the sparse passersby, hoping to net at least one customer in this miserable weather.

The car couldn't navigate the narrow alley, so Jian Ming carefully parked by the not-so-spacious alley entrance on the roadside. "Are you sure you want to eat here?" He eyed the second stall Lu Heng pointed to, inwardly regretting not waiting patiently at 'Peach Blossom Haven'.

"Trust me, the food is top-notch." Lu Heng said, already reaching for the door.

Jian Ming instinctively grabbed his arm, stopping him from opening the door. Lu Heng stared at Jian Ming in surprise, utterly bewildered. Then, Jian Ming pulled an umbrella from the car's back seat compartment and handed it to him. "Were you just going to rush out like that? I don't have any more clothes for you to change into."

"…Oh…" Lu Heng had never encountered anyone so meticulously thoughtful, which only made him feel more reckless and impetuous. He jumped out of the car, opened the umbrella, and walked around to the other side, waiting for Jian Ming to alight.

Dressed in a standard office suit, Jian Ming walked into the bustling eatery, immediately drawing confused, subtle glances from all around. It was as if someone dressed like him simply didn't belong there. Of course, Jian Ming's proud, handsome appearance and extraordinary high-class aura created a stark, incongruous contrast with the humble, common setting. He uncomfortably removed his suit jacket and draped it over his arm.

Lu Heng, oblivious to these discordant observations, was already greeting the middle-aged woman standing by with a small notebook. "Boss Lady, have the kitchen whip up some of your signature dishes inside. I have a friend who's visiting for the first time, so please maintain your usual standards!" He sounded like a regular, his familiar tone akin to someone chatting with their own chef.

"Heh, how could I let the standards drop? You know my chef's skill!" The boss lady jotted notes while responding. "Still the usual three, right? We have an extra person today, so let's add a fish. Just delivered this afternoon, super fresh!"

"Sounds good, alright." Suddenly remembering something, Lu Heng quickly turned to Jian Ming behind him. "You don't have any dietary restrictions, do you? Can you eat spicy food?"

"You decide, I'm fine with anything." Truth be told, having arrived here, Jian Ming wasn't in a position to be picky; his only minimum requirement was hygiene.

"Got it!" The boss lady grinned at Jian Ming. Never had such a handsome man graced her humble establishment, and she couldn't help but steal extra glances. "Come, come, handsome sirs, sit inside! It's bigger in there, no one else." With that, she led them to an adjacent room. In reality, the entire establishment was just a three-bedroom, one-living-room house converted into a restaurant, and this "inner room" was merely the slightly larger master bedroom.

Lu Heng had a very practical reason for liking street food stalls: he could smoke. He took a cigarette, lit it, then casually tossed his Zhongnanhai pack and lighter onto the table, a picture of contented ease.

"Counselor Jian, you don't smoke, do you?" He looked at the pensive Jian Ming, tilting his chin towards the cigarette pack on the table, as if to say: Help yourself, don't be shy.

"No, thank you for the offer." Jian Ming observed carefully. From the moment he entered the restaurant, the man opposite him was completely transformed. His tone, demeanor, expressions, even the way he lit his cigarette, all exuded a relaxed and lighthearted state of mind. Jian Ming could tell this was Lu Heng's typical state when living alone for at least three years.

The boss lady returned with two sets of "sanitized" wrapped cutlery, placing them on the table with a wide smile. "Would you like anything to drink? Beer, soft drinks?"

Lu Heng: "Beer."

Jian Ming: "Boiled water."

The boss lady paused for a moment, then quickly recovered. "Oh, coming right up! Two bottles of beer to start?"

"Make it four bottles. Two aren't even enough to rinse my mouth." Lu Heng rubbed the back of his head, joining in with a disdainful remark.

Dishes began arriving at the table: spicy crab feet, steamed cured meat with Lao Gan Ma sauce, dry-pot yellow duck, and a steamed eight-treasure fish. Dripping with sauce, red, fragrant, and spicy, the dishes looked incredibly appetizing.

Jian Ming was currently using the boiled water to re-sanitize the "already sanitized" cutlery, while Lu Heng, opposite him, had already bitten open a bottle of ice-cold beer, intending to pour it into both his and Jian Ming's sanitized cups.

"Wait." Jian Ming raised a hand to stop Lu Heng. "Your cup hasn't been scalded yet. Use my cup first. I'm not drinking, I'm driving." Remembering the trouble of finding a designated driver after the Weidong party, Jian Ming had resolved never to drink when driving. Lu Heng's hand, holding the beer bottle suspended in mid-air, froze for about ten seconds. Finally, he sighed helplessly and took Jian Ming's cup, filling it for himself.

"Sigh, you, you don't pick anything, yet you live so un-freely, like a girl." Lu Heng genuinely lamented.