As she picked up the plate, the proprietress noticed the large sum of money tucked beneath it.
The proprietress pressed her lips together and looked at the two figures beneath the streetlights, gradually disappearing into the snowy night.
Be happy together.
The proprietress silently wished them well.
After Li Wei walked Cynthia home,
Cynthia turned to straighten his collar and scarf, then said softly, "Good night."
Li Wei, who had been relatively composed just moments earlier, suddenly reached out with both arms and pulled Cynthia into his embrace. Stroking her long hair gently, he said, "Good night."
At first, Cynthia was clearly a little stiff, but her body soon relaxed, and she raised her arms as well.
It was their first embrace.
On the night of their first official date.
"Head back and get some rest. Don't you have something to do tomorrow? We'll keep in touch by phone."
Despite her words, there was still a trace of reluctance in Cynthia's voice.
"Okay."
They had gone out for a late-night meal after shopping, and it was already past midnight.
"Do you want me to have Garchomp take you back?"
Li Wei rubbed his stomach. "No need. I'll just walk back and let the food settle."
The proprietress had been far too generous, and Cynthia couldn't eat that much, so Li Wei had polished off most of it.
"Go back inside and rest. Don't stand out here."
When Li Wei turned around, sure enough, Cynthia was standing at the gate, watching him leave.
"Okay."
Li Wei really did have something to do tomorrow.
It was time he made a serious effort to look for traces of Cogita.
Li Wei suspected that Cogita might be living in seclusion here.
There was someone else who shared Li Wei's goal: Xiao Meng, who had