"Sir, you called for me?" Ming Guang asked rhetorically, shuffling to the empty seat vacated by previous staff. He sat, straight-backed, ready for questioning.
"I need all the information you have gathered from the past few days." Captain Mu said immediately, wasting no time with pleasantries. "And I'm not just talking about the kidnappers. I want every bit of information - especially about Miss Li's parents."
Captain Mu's eyes subconsciously darted to Li Tai Cheng and Li Yue Niang, who were staring disapprovingly at Jingwei drinking wine in the morning, nagging him at how unhealthy it was.
Jingwei then put down his glass shamefacedly, only for his beloved fiancee to take a swig, much to the despair of her parents.
"Sir? You suspect they're involved?" Ming Guang asked.
"Who knows?" Captain Mu replied cryptically. "They definitely aren't an ordinary civilian couple. If you believe this, I'll have to demote you."
"I know they are not regular civilians, but the worst thing they did to Jingwei was making him fix up their house." Ming Guang pointed out, feeling just a tad bit indignant on their behalf.
They were a perfectly ordinary couple, if one ignored their tendencies to violently harm intruders - something Ming Guang could understand.
"If her parents wanted to get rid of him, they'd simply push him into the path of a cow and let him be trampled. They didn't murder him when they caught him and Miss Li having sex in her bedroom, I'd doubt they'll kill him for anything else." He finished.
There was a moment of stunned silence from Captain Mu, before he cleared his throat. "Fair enough, but we cannot have loose cannons. Their true identities must be accounted for to prevent future trouble, especially if they are going to become Sun family in-laws. Do you have anything you can tell me?"
"They are by all means a perfectly ordinary couple. Mr Li has incredible skills at information gathering and Mrs Li has a very beautiful knife."
"Excuse me?"
The blade and balance were exquisite." Ming Guang confessed, as though he was a lovestruck girl penning initials into her notebook. Judging by the unimpressed look on his captain's face, he hurriedly rushed to elaborate.
"I mean," Ming Guang cleared his throat and recollected himself. "She handed me a knife for me to defend myself. It was clearly expensive, customised from the tip of the blade to the handle."
Captain Mu's eyes flashed in curiosity. "Tell me more."
Ming Guang then continued to talk about how the knife was designed, and Captain Mu listened to him patiently enough even though he was half-rambling. Every man had their interests, and Ming Guang's just happened to be customised weaponry.
Besides, they had plenty of time and Ming Guang could have some information he didn't realise was important.
"And there was a diamond carving at the bottom of the knife." Ming Guang finished, and Captain Mu startled. Now this was important information that should have been mentioned from the very beginning!
"Were they any words?"
"No Captain. There were no words or initials, just the carving of a diamond. It could be an aesthetic choice." Ming Guang said, albeit dubiously. It was unlikely that Li Yue Niang would be a fan of diamonds; she didn't seem to care much for frivolities like precious gems. But she could have admired their hardness and how unbreakable they were.
"Or it could be a family crest." Captain Mu said, with more enthusiasm. "It will lead us to her previous employers. From your descriptions of the knife, it's most likely a beloved gift, purposely commissioned for her to thank her for her service."
"..." That was frighteningly likely, and Ming Guang was ashamed he had not thought of it first. "Her service, Captain?"
"Once we find the family, we'll know what she was hired for," Captain Mu said with cheerful finality. He had his own thoughts about what Li Yue Niang could be hired for, and it wasn't anything as innocent as a housekeeper.
"If necessary, we must remove her to secure the Sun family."
======
"If you're digging into my background, I would advise caution. Misfortune might befall you otherwise." Mrs Li said pleasantly, while they were both waiting for the same toilet on the plane.
A private plane had many luxuries, but not more than one toilet cubicle, even if said toilet cubicle was very large and very well-furnished. After all, no one ever expected a private plane to suddenly fly so many people. It was supposed to be used for Sun family members, and there were only three of them from the main family.
"I beg your pardon?" Captain Mu asked, equally pleasant even as he whirled around to face her. Li Yue Niang had a placid smile on her face and she repeated her earlier words, along with a cutting observation.
"Your men were giving me odd looks throughout the flight. I'm a proud woman, but I know my body and looks wouldn't be able to attract the attention of so many men. Even if my husband would disagree." Yue Niang said dryly.
Captain Mu twitched, and he wanted to yell at his team for their lack of subtlety. Instead, what he said was "So you do admit there is something nefarious hidden in your past? Something that needed to be hidden under so many false details?"
"Define nefarious," Yue Niang said, idly looking at her nails, a behaviour so casually dismissive that he sucked in a deep breath to calm himself down. Captain Mu had the strangest feeling he was talking to a recalcitrant heiress, rather than a lady boss of a small-time restaurant.
"You and your husband are not who you claim to be," Captain Mu growled out. "I'll find out the truth if it's the last thing I do."
The toilet door opened, and Li Tai Cheng blinked when two pairs of eyes turned to stare at him intensely.
"Sorry I took so long," Tai Cheng apologised, mistaking the strange tension as disapproval. "You know I need a longer time to clear my bowels in the morning."
"In that case, Captain Mu, after you," Li Yue Niang said with a handsome smile, waving him inside the toilet. Despite the foul smell, he persisted with an equally handsome smile of his own, refusing to let Li Yue Niang beat him in this.
"Thank you for your generosity," Captain Mu said with gritted teeth. "I won't forget this."
He slammed the toilet door shut.
"Now what was that about?" Tai Cheng asked his wife. "Why do you keep needling him on purpose? That poor man…"
"That poor man wants to dig into our pasts." Yue Niang said pointedly, storming back to her seat, all need for a bathroom forgotten. "How do you expect me to let him off?'
"That is his job." Tai Cheng said reasonably. "I would be surprised if he didn't. That's why we made those cover stories."
"And he found out our cover stories were built on air." Yue Niang whispered hotly.
".... He is very competent," was the only response Tai Cheng could give, not liking the way his stomach curdled at the thought. Oh dear. Now it seemed that he needed the bathroom again.
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