Unexpected Second Chance at Love

While Yue Ling makes her way to Cloth Co. with Liu Shan, in another part of Imperial, a white Audi R8 can vaguely be seen parked outside an abandoned factory.

The driver's side door opens, and a tall figure dressed in all black steps into view.

Lu Tian stares at the rundown building as he closes the door and walks in the direction of the entrance.

Before coming here, he had planned to meet his wife for lunch. However, upon calling her, she told him that she would eat at work since she had a meeting with his mother at Cloth Co.

Not wanting to jeopardize her plans, he decided to come here.

He soon arrives at the entrance and pushes the door open. Of course, he made sure not to use too much force since the door was on the brink of falling apart.

A creak echoes throughout the place, and he takes a step inside the building.

"Lu Tian."

Upon his entrance, Qin Jun's voice sounds from ahead as he greets the aloof man. If it had been anyone else, his guard would have been up. However, before their meeting, the man contacted him about coming here.

Lu Tian looks at the man standing in front of him and nods his head in greeting. He walked forward until he was three feet away from the other person.

"Is your whole team here?"

Hearing this, Qin Jun showed no expression and turned away. He walked towards the main room of the building but didn't forget to answer.

"It's only Song Jing Li and me. Kira is gathering information outside."

He nudges with his head, indicating for Lu Tian to take a seat.

"Coffee or tea?"

Lu Tian didn't think wrongly of the response and walked to a chair. He removed his coat and hung it over the chair's backrest before sitting down.

"Tea."

Qin Jun turns away and walks to where he and the others had set up the kitchen. He gets a cup and opens a box that stores the tea and coffee.

"Are you alright with instant?"

When they came to Imperial, they knew they were limited to things. For this reason, they could only depend on anything instant unless they go out to eat.

"It's fine."

Lu Tian answers with a short response. He leans back against the chair and crosses his arms over his chest as his eyes scan the place.

Once he came to the many monitors set up in the far corner, he stood up from his seat.

He walks over and stops in front of the monitor screens.

Each screen showcased the front and back of the place as the other screens showed different places around Imperial.

"I didn't know that the almighty Lu Tian is a noisy man."

A young man's voice sounds from the side. He wore a simple grey sweater with black denim and a white baseball cap.

Song Jing Li stood in front of the room he set as his sleeping area. His posture leans against the door frame, and his arms are folded over his chest.

He was taking a nap when he heard Lu Tian arrive, followed by the short conversation between the two older men.

When he came out of his room, he saw the aloof man walking towards Kira's computer station.

His eyes, void of all emotions, remains on Lu Tian, and he does a side smirk.

"I'm curious to know what will the world think when they hear this?"

Lu Tian was unfazed by the sudden young man. He leisurely turned his head to the right, and his dark eyes met the man's eyes.

"I can care less about what others think."

He turns away and looks back at the monitor screens in front of him.

"As long as it doesn't involve my wife."

Paying no more attention to the technologies, he then walks back to his chair to sit down.

Song Jing Li's eyes never moved away from Lu Tian. He keeps his composure, but deep inside, he was on haywire.

He can't seem to understand why his noona is in a relationship with this man.

His noona is the most outstanding person in the world, and she deserves someone so much better.

"Jing Li."

Before his thoughts could travel further, Qin Jun returns to the room with two cups in his hand. He didn't hear the conversation between the two men but judging by Song Jing Li's expression, he could tell it wasn't too good.

He gives the young man a glance before walking over to Lu Tian. He hands the man a cup and smiles politely.

"I hope you don't find Jing Li's behavior offensive. He's still young and has much to learn."

Lu Tian takes the cup filled with warm tea and shrugs one shoulder.

"It's fine."

He drinks the tea but couldn't help but wonder why out of the three men, Song Jing Li has the most dislike towards him.

No matter how many times he searches his memories, he can't seem to find any dispute with the young man. Not only that, in the past, they've only made eye contact once or twice and a few nods in greeting.

What could possibly make Song Jing Li hold so much loathe towards him?

However, not putting too much thought into this matter, he lowers his hand holding the tea.

"I'll make this visit short."

Never one to beat around the bush, he looks at Qin Jun sternly.

"I met with Chief Kim."

At the mention of their superior, both Qin Jun and Song Jing Li knew the meaning behind Lu Tian's sudden visit.

The two men glance at one another to determine what they should do. Neither spoke a word but held a nonverbal communication between their eyes before coming to a decision.

"Is that so?"

Qin Jun was the first to speak before leaning against a table as he drank his tea. His demeanor was like a person enjoying a day at home away from work.

"I wasn't aware."

Chief Kim did give them a heads up that Lu Tian was visiting but other than that, they were kept in the dark regarding other matters.

He and the others suspect Lu Tian might have learned about the other person they're searching for, but they still have to stay alert.

"That's right. How can we trust your words?"

Song Jing Li chimes in and walks over to a chair across from Lu Tian.

He scoots it forward to close the distance between them before taking a seat.

"How do we know that you really met with the chief?"

He slouches down in his seat in a lazy posture and folds his arms over his chest. His head slightly tilts to the side, eyes surveying the man across from him.

Lu Tian stares at the young man in front of him. He had to admit that for someone aware of who he is to behave this way in front of him requires courage.

However, was he intimidated by this? Of course not.

He smirks a chuckle at the young man and then casts his eyes at the older man. He remained collected as he spoke his mind.

"I didn't know Chief Kim's men like to beat around the bush."

He drinks the tea and finishes it in one gulp before setting the cup down on a nearby table.

"Or is it because you all have little trust in the old man?"

His voice was calm, but both Qin Jun and Song Jing Li knew how threatening his words were at the moment. It was enough to send a chill on the back of their spine.

"What do you mean by that? Of course, we trust the chief."

Song Jing Li abruptly stood up from his chair, causing it to scoot back. He eyes down the aloof man like a predator seeking out its prey.

"It's you that we don't trust."

"Jing Li."

Quickly as the situation escalated, Qin Jun's eyes widened. He strides over to Song Jing Li and pulls him to the side as he growls in a low voice.

"Are you crazy? Why would you say that? He is the only person we can trust here."

Song Jing Li glowers at the man he considers an older brother and snorts.

"You know it's the truth."

Hearing this, Qin Jun was at a loss for words. He knows that Song Jing Li is behaving this way because of Yue Ling. It's the young man's way of testing out Lu Tian to see if he (Lu Tian) is strong enough to protect her.

However, this is not the time and place for such matters.

He stares at his young comrade with bloodshot eyes before heaving a long sigh.

"That's—"

"And you think I trust you guys too?"

Before Qin Jun could finish his words, Lu Tian's deep voice cuts him off. The two men look in his direction to see him standing up from the chair.

His tall figure stood like a strong and mighty pillar. One that seems complicated to take down no matter what one does.

He casually takes out a handkerchief from inside his coat pocket and wipes his hand. His movement was like he had touched something impure.

After cleaning his hands, he set the handkerchief next to his cup on the table.

He looks at the two men with a cold and expressionless face. His deep dark eyes stared at them like the devil piercing into their souls.

"I have three men from another country currently residing in my jurisdiction. I've been informed it is for a case I'm also working but from the looks of it…."

His words pause for a second, and he looks between the two men before continuing.

"I reckon you're all here for another reason."

One corner of his lip arcs up into a mischievous smirk, and his eyes never once waver away from the two figures in front of him.

Now it was like he was the predator hunting his prey in the wilderness.

"If you want to talk about trust. It's me who should be questioning whether or not I trust you all."