Chapter 47: Echoes of the Past

Gu Qing’s face flushed a mottled crimson, wishing he could simply drop dead on the spot.

“Grandma, I… I can explain…”

“Oh dear.”

The grandma, however, let out a long sigh, placed her grocery basket on the ground, and walked over to pat Gu Qing’s shoulder.

With the gravitas of someone who had seen it all, she spoke earnestly.

“Young people, being a little… flamboyant with their fun, Grandma understands.”

“Huh?” Gu Qing was completely bewildered.

‘Understands? What exactly does she understand?!’

“But,” the grandma lowered her voice, her face adopting an expression that clearly said ‘I’m thinking of your well-being,’ “this… this is a bit too brazen in broad daylight. You must consider the implications, and exercise restraint, understand? Next time, remember to lock the door and draw the curtains.”

Gu Qing stood there, mouth agape, utterly speechless.

“Alright then, this convenience store is still yours for now. This old woman won’t meddle any further.”

The grandma waved her hand, turned, and walked away, carrying her grocery basket.

The glass door swung shut.

Only Gu Qing remained, utterly bewildered in the afternoon sun.

****

A few more days passed.

Inside a specially cleared multi-purpose lounge in the S.H.I.E.L.D. Building, GSA Headquarters, Linhai City.

When Hua Mu’ai pushed open the door, she was met with a scene of bustling activity.

Colorful balloons and streamers adorned every surface, and Gu Qianqian was precariously balanced on a chair, struggling to straighten a “Welcome to the Team” banner. Below her, Lin Xiaolu held the chair steady, admonishing, “Qianqian, do be careful.”

Meanwhile, Qin Lan was directing the two young women.

“A little to the left, yes, a bit higher… Oh, it’s crooked, it’s crooked!”

Today marked Xia Xingyan’s welcoming party, though it was more accurately a small internal celebration for their Starfall Squad.

“Captain, what took you so long!”

Gu Qianqian spotted her first, immediately jumping off the chair and complaining indignantly, “We agreed to decorate together, but you’re a whole hour late!”

“Ahem, something came up on the way and delayed me,” Hua Mu’ai muttered, guiltily averting her gaze as she conjured a casual excuse.

She certainly couldn’t tell them that she had just, moments ago, precisely timed her precious thirty minutes to transform back into Gu Qing’s form, rushed to a small pub, and heartily guzzled half a bottle of whiskey, could she?

The sensation of that fiery liquid sliding down her throat was nothing short of solace for her very soul!

Ever since the landlady had stumbled upon him last time, he ensured he was thoroughly prepared for every transformation.

Now, his routine essentially involved: stripping, transforming, then dressing again.

Fortunately, while the time allotted for switching forms was only an hour each day, the benefit was that any alcohol consumed in the male body would be significantly diminished upon reverting to her female form.

Otherwise, with Hua Mu’ai’s constitution, which typically succumbed to even a drop of alcohol, she would have long since passed out.

For her, transforming into Gu Qing was about indulging in the moment. After all, her daughter was only close to Hua Mu’ai; as for the identity of Gu Qing, her daughter likely wouldn’t even deign to make a phone call.

In the eyes of others, Gu Qing was merely a middle-aged man who drank heavily all day, someone whose sudden disappearance would go unnoticed.

“Really?” Gu Qianqian leaned closer, a suspicious glint in her eyes. “But Captain, why is your face so red? And you’re breathing so heavily—did you run all the way here?”

“Exactly! I ran all the way here! Sprinting from home to this very spot, I’m absolutely exhausted!” Hua Mu’ai immediately seized the opportunity, exaggerating her fatigue by fanning herself dramatically as she spoke.

Gu Qianqian cast her a few skeptical glances but ultimately decided against pressing the matter further.

Hua Mu’ai secretly let out a sigh of relief.

It was a good thing she was clever enough to take a shower before leaving the pub; otherwise, the tell-tale scent of alcohol would have surely given her away.

“Don’t just stand there gawking, Captain, come help us!” Gu Qianqian said, thrusting a roll of streamers into her hand.

“Alright, alright, I get it.”

Hua Mu’ai took the streamers and joined the decorating efforts.

Perhaps the lingering effects of that half-bottle of hard liquor hadn’t entirely faded, for the mental exhilaration made her exceptionally lively.

“Ugh, Lin Xiaolu, your bow is hideously ugly, it looks like a pile of dung! Watch me!”

“Gu Qianqian, move that balloon a little to the left. Yes, a bit higher. Are you starving?”

“Qin Lan! Don’t just stand there watching, come lend a hand!”

With her hands on her hips, she alternated between directing one and finding fault with another, her words several times more numerous than usual, her mouth chattering incessantly like a demanding foreman.

The two younger girls were utterly bewildered by her sudden burst of “enthusiasm.”

‘Something about the Captain today feels off.’

Qin Lan, who had remained silent, leaned against the wall, quietly observing the unusually animated Hua Mu’ai.

Finally, as if she had discovered something, she slowly approached.

“You’re in a good mood today?” Qin Lan’s voice was flat.

“I suppose so,” Hua Mu’ai replied, still fiddling with the streamers in her hand without turning her head.

“Is that so?” Qin Lan’s steps halted behind her, and she suddenly asked, “Have you been drinking?”

Hua Mu’ai’s body stiffened, and she immediately bristled.

“What nonsense are you spouting! When have I ever had a drink?!”

“Haven’t you?” Qin Lan ignored her agitation, instead bending down to lean close to her neck, sniffing gently.

The young woman still carried a sweet, pleasant natural scent, entirely devoid of any alcohol.

Hua Mu’ai’s heart hammered in her chest, nearly leaping out, yet she maintained a facade of composure.

‘Hmph, this young lady took a shower before coming! You won’t smell a thing!’

“Did you smell it? Did you smell any alcohol?” Hua Mu’ai challenged, her neck stiff, her face demanding an immediate apology.

“This is slander! An insult to this young lady’s pure character! I’ll report you to the GSA Supervisory Committee!”

She certainly didn’t want to establish a bad impression among her team members by being late due to excessive drinking, especially not right after becoming captain.

Qin Lan straightened up, and seeing Hua Mu’ai’s outwardly fierce yet inwardly timid demeanor, she didn’t get angry; instead, she smiled.

That smile held a hint of nostalgia, a touch of understanding, and a barely perceptible indulgence.

“The way you are right now,” Qin Lan began slowly, “is exactly how a certain scoundrel I knew a long time ago behaved after getting drunk.”

“Deadly verbose, exceptionally fond of bragging, and eager to point fingers and boss everyone around, as if terrified people wouldn’t realize how extraordinary he was.”

The lounge instantly fell silent.

Gu Qianqian and Lin Xiaolu both stared wide-eyed, looking from Qin Lan to Hua Mu’ai, utterly baffled by the situation.

But the color drained completely from Hua Mu’ai’s face.

Her old friend’s behavior had opened the floodgates of Qin Lan’s memories.

Back then, they had all been young operatives on the GSA front lines. After every mission, that scoundrel Gu Qing would always drag everyone out for drinks, and once he had too much, he’d act exactly like this!

The past events were so vivid, as clear as if they had just happened yesterday.

“That was over a decade ago! How can you still remember it so clearly!” Hua Mu’ai snapped, her anger fueled by the alcohol’s lingering effects, the words tumbling out before she could think.

Yet, the moment the words left her lips, she regretted them.

‘I’m doomed.’

‘Didn’t I just let the cat out of the bag?’