Chapter 146: Chapter 146: The Kid Has Grown Up

The others awkwardly backed off, but she couldn’t resist adding one last comment.

"We have a schedule, you know. We can’t be even a minute late!"

The two worked together seamlessly, easily fending off anyone with ill intentions.

Along the way, a few young girls pretended to ask for directions as an excuse to hit on him, but Shanshan turned them all away with various excuses.

"Ooh, a photo booth! Let’s go take some pictures!"

After going on a few rides, they passed a photo booth.

Shanshan grabbed Ling Anxun and rushed over.

The owner, a middle-aged woman, saw the well-matched "brother and sister" and enthusiastically ushered them in front of the backdrop.

The machine’s flash went off as the burst mode started, filling the air with the sound of a shutter. CLICK-CLICK-CLICK.

The two of them took a flurry of pictures, changing poses several times.

Shanshan made a funny face, and Ling Anxun, unable to refuse her, reluctantly cooperated by making a peace sign.

As the photos began to print, Shanshan suddenly squeezed Ling Anxun’s hand tightly.

She stared at the images slowly emerging from the photo paper, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Dad, I want to be with you forever."

"It’s too early to say things like that. When you grow up, get married, and have your own family, you won’t think this way anymore. You might even forget all about me one day."

Ling Anxun’s voice was low.

He looked at the hazy gray sky in the distance, his brow furrowing unconsciously.

A breeze blew from the end of the street.

As soon as he said that, Shanshan immediately bristled.

"No way! Dad, you’re my favorite person in the whole world! I’ll never, ever forget you, not even if I die!"

She threw her arms around Ling Anxun’s arm.

"If anyone tries to make me forget you, I’ll fight them!"

"Alright, alright, you won’t forget."

Ling Anxun gently patted the back of her hand, the corner of his mouth lifting into a small smile.

Seeing his daughter’s earnest and determined expression, Ling Anxun felt his heart lighten a little.

He glanced down at her flushed cheeks, then looked up at the shop signs gradually lighting up across the street.

He knew that no one could predict the future.

But this warmth, right here and now, was something he wanted to hold onto for just a little longer.

It was almost noon, so the two of them discussed where to eat, standing at an intersection for a while.

In the end, they decided to head toward the commercial district.

The sun had climbed higher, and the streets were getting more crowded.

Just as they turned onto the commercial street, Ling Anxun’s eyes twitched as he caught sight of a familiar figure from behind.

The person was wearing a green jacket and a black hat.

They were standing in front of a coffee shop, looking down at their phone.

Ling Anxun’s steps faltered, and his hand holding Shanshan’s tightened instinctively.

"Dad, what’s wrong?"

Shanshan felt the change in pressure on her hand and looked up at him.

"Shh, don’t look over there!"

Ling Anxun turned to block her view and quickly led Shanshan to a small stall by the side of the road.

He picked up a small trinket and fiddled with it, but his gaze remained fixed in that direction.

"This is pretty interesting... Did you see that man in the green jacket on the left? I’ve been watching him lately. It looks like he’s about to meet a contact."

"I see him! He’s talking secretively, too!"

Shanshan tilted her head, pretending to choose a toy, and quickly glanced over out of the corner of her eye.

She lowered her voice, so excited that her shoulders were trembling slightly.

"And the person in the gray clothes on the right is just staring at their phone. They’re definitely up to something!"

Being pulled into a mission by her dad made Shanshan’s eyes light up with excitement.

She straightened her back and clenched her small fists.

"Leave it to me! I’ll help you tail him. I guarantee he won’t spot us!"

After saying that, she even winked at Ling Anxun, looking completely confident.

Ling Anxun suppressed a laugh. Even though he knew how clever his daughter was, he couldn’t help but give her a few instructions.

"Don’t get too close. Keep your distance, and don’t do anything rash no matter what you hear. And most importantly, don’t let him see that you recognize him."

"Don’t worry, Dad! I promise I’ll be good and listen!"

Shanshan immediately stood at attention.

Ling Anxun led Shanshan along, walking slowly while secretly keeping a close watch on the person ahead.

The two of them pretended to be a normal father and daughter out shopping as they tailed him.

When they passed a bookstore, Shanshan even deliberately stopped to flip through some comic books.

Along the way, Shanshan, with her quick eyes and hands, bought a hat and a pair of sunglasses for Ling Anxun.

His face was too conspicuous; without a disguise, their cover could easily be blown.

She stood on her tiptoes to put the sunglasses on him, carefully adjusting their position.

"There, that’s better. Dad, you look like a secret agent now!"

Everything went smoothly, without a hitch.

They followed the target to the meeting spot.

It was a small plaza at the end of the commercial street.

It was surrounded by greenbelts and benches, perfect for concealed observation.

"Dad, is this guy really the mole? What kind of information did he leak?"

Shanshan crouched by a flower bed, fiddling with a leaf.

"Why is a little girl like you asking so many questions?"

Ling Anxun gently flicked her on the forehead.

Shanshan immediately clutched her head, pouting as she glared at him.

"Ow! I told you I’m serious! Why do you always treat me like a little kid?"

"You could’ve just said it’s classified. Instead, you have to say I don’t understand. Am I really that immature?"

She muttered under her breath and turned away, ignoring him.

"Alright, alright, I was wrong. Happy now?"

Ling Anxun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’The kid’s grown up, I can’t coax her anymore.’

He sighed and reached out to pat the top of her head.

"Hee hee, since you’ve admitted your mistake so nicely, there must be compensation!"

Shanshan would never pass up an opportunity like this to get something out of him.

The two of them turned to leave.

On their way out, Ling Anxun exchanged a look with a comrade lying in ambush nearby—a silent, mutual understanding.

The comrade gave a slight nod, his hand covertly gripping the handle of his pistol.

The surrounding trees were sparse, and the moonlight was obscured by clouds.

They didn’t speak, but the tacit understanding in their movements had long been honed through countless training sessions.

They had been watching this person for a long time and had long suspected there was a mastermind behind him.

That’s why they had held back, planning to catch a bigger fish in one fell swoop.

Over the past three months, the target had frequently appeared at several suspicious locations.

Each time, he met with a different contact, but his behavior patterns were highly consistent.

Communication records showed that he regularly sent encrypted messages overseas.

And the recipient’s location could never be traced.

Their superiors had ordered them to continue surveillance and wait for more critical evidence to emerge.

The time wasn’t right yet; they were supposed to remain hidden.

But they hadn’t gotten far when someone who shouldn’t have been there suddenly stumbled onto the scene.

The spy immediately stopped in his tracks, listening intently as his body tensed in an instant.

Then, a slender figure emerged from behind a tree.

She was wearing a school uniform and a backpack, and she didn’t look very old.

The spy immediately became alert.

He narrowed his eyes, staring at the newcomer as his right hand quietly reached for the dagger at his waist.

The surroundings were too quiet; even the wind seemed to have stopped.

Any unexpected event could disrupt the entire plan.

And this little girl was clearly an unforeseen variable.

"Little girl, what are you doing here?"

"I... I’m looking for my classmate. I saw her and her dad come in here earlier."

Cao Jiajia’s hands gripped her backpack straps, her knuckles white.

She didn’t know what was happening here; she was just following the route she remembered.

It was late, and the area was dark and cold.

She grew more and more frightened as she walked, but she gritted her teeth and pushed forward.