'SEE YOU MORNING' 134 Malaya's Confession

The speed of the jet was efficient; the aircraft landed on the rooftop of Las Vegas in less than two hours. Malaya put on the tunic Li Haojun had prepared for her—a white linen, semi-transparent style with a ruffled hem at the waist. It effectively concealed her hips without appearing bulky.
After unloading the suitcases and equipment cases from the plane, Li Haojun strapped the equipment to the suitcase. Malaya did not lead the way. As he turned to ask why, she spoke first.
“You walk ahead. I’ll follow behind and guide you. The elevator doors ahead,” she pointed.
“Oh,” Li Haojun turned and walked forward. He trusted Malaya completely and rarely overthought things, though this time it felt like the same protocol he’d followed with John during missions. Was she protecting the equipment? It didn’t seem necessary.
The elevator had no other passengers and went directly to their floor, where guards stood. Li Haojun glanced back at Malaya.
“Keep moving forward to Room 1721,” she instructed, giving directions without explanation.
The room door was open, with worktables and some installed equipment already in place. After entering, Li Haojun received the equipment installation guide.
As he connected and calibrated the devices according to specifications, he pondered their purpose. The equipment he brought was his company’s detection system, capable of identifying formulations derived from their proprietary technological pathways, including applications in medical aesthetics or human biological enhancement.
Once calibration was confirmed successful and the report completed, the new terminal directive was simply to follow Malaya out.
Only after descending to the ground floor and glancing back at the building’s name did Malaya finally speak.
“Alright, come back to the hotel with me. We’ll attend the exhibition tomorrow.”
Only then did Li Haojun sense the familiar Malaya he knew. Unable to hold back, he asked,
“Do you really enjoy this kind of work?”
“What do you mean?”
“This cold, dangerous work doesn’t suit you. It feels like the job has changed your personality.”
“Has it? Do you really think you understand my personality? Besides, people grow up.”
There it was again. Li Haojun didn’t want to argue or delve into life philosophies now, so he stayed silent.
“Don’t you want to go on adventures with me?” After asking, Malaya chuckled softly to herself.
Her laughter was like a warm breeze, seeping into Li Haojun’s heart and dispelling some of the chill from the building. He recognized the words she’d spoken to him a year earlier, though he’d never fully understood them.
They walked back to the hotel in silence. The prebooked room had two beds. Li Haojun glanced around.
“I’m responsible for your itinerary and safety, so we’ll share a room,” Malaya explained.
“Will you also escort me to that testing lab whenever the equipment malfunctions?”
“Yes. Other personnel handle the actual operations.”
“Fine,” Li Haojun agreed, suddenly feeling a distance between them. She was no longer the girl who once arranged his trips freely, relying solely on her own judgment. Now, she seemed merely an executor of external orders.
A strange sadness washed over him as he walked deeper into the room. Suddenly remembering something, he turned.
“Do you manage others’ itineraries too?”
“No. Only yours.”
“Oh,” he replied, his expression freezing as he met her gaze.
“Do you trust my sister?” Malaya stepped closer, holding his eyes for a moment before saying, “You can trust me just as you trust her.”
“Oh,” he answered woodenly.
Seeing his reaction, Malaya paced back and forth before him, then abruptly turned.
“Would you go on an adventure with someone you don’t trust?”
“I wouldn’t.”
“Neither would I. Yet here I am with you.” She stood before him again, locking eyes.
Li Haojun gently pulled her shoulder into an embrace.
“Let’s sit and talk. I just don’t understand—your sister wanted care and affection from me, but you want to adventure with me. What kind of adventure do you seek?”
“In a way, this is it now,” she said.
“But if it’s someone you care about—like me and your sister—I wouldn’t take her into danger. I’d want us to stay safe together. Yet you seek danger and drag others into it. If something happened, what would be the point?”
“If something happened, only your body would die—not your soul.”
“Alright, you’re right. But I’ve never died, so I can’t make life choices like that,” Li Haojun replied logically, still unable to grasp Malaya’s worldview.
“I prefer adventuring with those who haven’t died. That’s where the value lies,” Malaya smiled, eyes fixed on his.
“Oh,” he murmured, beginning to understand. “But isn’t that too extreme?”
“Hmm,” she chuckled, rising to end the topic.
Watching her move, Li Haojun wondered if this girl desperately craved care or attention. Testing her, he posed an extreme question.
“If your orders were to detain or kill me, would you obey?”
“I’d never receive orders at that level.”
“But if you did?”
“I wouldn’t. We’d play a runaway adventure game—just you and me.” She laughed heartily.
Her voice, clear yet subtly magnetic, held him captive. Li Haojun stared, comparing this Malaya to the one he once knew, unable to imagine what she’d endured these past months.
Unfazed by his gaze, Malaya walked to the window, drew the curtains, and placed a button-sized device there from her belt. Then, still under his watch, she positioned another by the door before returning to sit beside him.
“That little girl posed no threat, did she?” she began. “Now she’s grown, trained by unknown parties. You have no idea what happened during that training.”
“Yeah, heh,” Li Haojun replied, knowing both sisters could sense his thoughts.
“This trip isn’t just for the exhibition. Other parts of the city might see simultaneous events requiring our equipment. But I don’t know the full picture—we’re just small fragments of the task. Don’t worry too much,” she explained, adding, “After all, I’m just field staff, and you’re commercial tech support. We’re not specifically targeted.”
“Oh, and watch out for deception—like orders that hide the truth,” Li Haojun warned, suddenly considering the possibility.
“I will. It’s just a job, and it has its thrills. That’s why I chose it.” Malaya’s lips curved faintly.
Seeing Li Haojun’s silence, her smile faded.
“Can you still shield that little girl from the storm?” She gripped his arm.
“Hah, of course,” he laughed, though a strange distance lingered as he faced the changed Malaya.
“I know why you can’t treat me like before,” she said softly.
“Oh? Why do you think that is?” He leaned in, eager to hear her insight on his unspoken unease.
“I only want you to know—I’ve never been controlled by anyone, owned by anyone, or belonged to anyone.”
“Oh,” Li Haojun nodded, a silent suspicion surfacing. Was this truly the root of his subconscious hesitation?