Chapter 95: I’ll Do Anything
Recalling his behavior throughout the day, cold sweat broke out on Lu Zheng’s forehead.
He thought for a moment and cautiously asked,
“…Sorry?”
“Why are you apologizing with a question mark?”
Yi Ning was puzzled by Lu Zheng’s noticeably rising intonation.
Because I don’t know what exactly I did to upset you.
On the other end of the call, Lu Zheng rolled his eyes.
Though he’d listed out a bunch of possible reasons for Yi Ning’s anger, on closer inspection, not one of them really held water.
Sneaking a sniff of her scent and mocking her chest—yeah, those were clearly his fault. But those things were long past.
It wasn’t that Lu Zheng thought past actions didn’t need reflection—just that knowing Yi Ning’s personality, she wasn’t the type to hold onto grudges from so many chapters ago.
As for smashing her cameras and spanking her over his lap…
Well, it was a bit embarrassing to admit, but Lu Zheng had never felt he was particularly in the wrong for those.
He was just removing obstacles to his work and getting the job done.
Except for the part where he couldn’t resist sneakily groping her a couple times during the spanking.
But he was confident Yi Ning hadn’t noticed.
Otherwise, she definitely would’ve used it to tease him by now.
Still, after a brief pause, Lu Zheng chose to say it:
“Remember to send me the bill for those four cameras I broke.”
He might not feel too guilty about it, but he had promised to reimburse Yi Ning in full.
As a hero, he couldn’t go back on his word.
Besides, he’d been flustered after sneaking in that groping and forgot to mention it before leaving.
Yi Ning was probably mad at him because of that, right?
Or so he assumed.
Unfortunately, the reality was far from what he thought.
“No need for that.”
Yi Ning shook her head and declined.
She knew well enough that it wasn’t Lu Zheng’s fault.
Those four cameras were bought purely to trap him, and after serving their purpose, it was only natural they met their end—smashed by a hero.
“I said I’d pay.”
Lu Zheng insisted, leaving Yi Ning no room to object.
“Fine, whatever.”
Yi Ning rolled her eyes at him through the air.
Since he had no clue what her cameras actually cost, she could just make up a fake invoice later.
He wouldn’t know the difference anyway.
She wasn’t interested in dragging this out.
Once they reached that mutual agreement, silence fell again between them.
Lu Zheng waited for Yi Ning to open the door. Yi Ning waited to see what else Lu Zheng might try.
Hearing no response, Yi Ning blinked and sat up from the sofa.
Cross-legged, she propped one hand on the sofa and brought the phone to her ear with the other.
“Anything else? If not, I’m hanging up.”
She was the first to push coldly.
“Wait, wait!”
Panicked by Yi Ning’s answer, Lu Zheng hurriedly spoke up.
He gripped his phone with both hands, posture unconsciously hunched over.
“I deeply apologize for everything I did earlier! What will it take for you to forgive me? I’ll do anything—as long as I can do it!”
He still didn’t know what he had done to upset her, but he needed her help now. So even if he wasn’t in the wrong, he had to act like he was.
Lu Zheng wore a helpless expression.
He suddenly missed the old days.
He used to just kick down Yi Ning’s door, escape her traps, destroy her evil inventions, and finish by giving her a good beating to blow off steam.
Simple. Easy.
Now? He was stuck owing her multiple favors for no clear reason.
But that thought lasted only a few seconds.
Lu Zheng lightly slapped his own face and pushed that idea out of his head.
As a hero, how could he long for the easier days of fighting Yi Ning?
She was now closer than ever to the Hero Association—more chances to pull her into the path of justice.
Way better than the old Yi Ning who tiptoed around the edge of the law.
Well… she still kind of did that.
He sighed.
On the other end, the phone went quiet too. Only Yi Ning’s faint breathing could be heard.
Lu Zheng didn’t interrupt her. He remained silent, waiting for Yi Ning’s final judgment.
All that filled their phones was the steady sound of breathing.
Time itself seemed to stretch.
Seconds felt like tens of minutes.
Finally, Yi Ning spoke.
But not in the way Lu Zheng expected. She didn’t list any conditions. She simply asked, calmly:
“What kind of resolve did you have in mind when you said that?”
On the other end, Lu Zheng said nothing.
He didn’t know how to respond.
What kind of resolve?
Truthfully—
He hadn’t thought about something so lofty when he said those words.
He just knew Yi Ning’s character.
Knew she wouldn’t demand anything outrageous.
She was rational and knew her limits.
That’s exactly why he had left it to her to set the terms of forgiveness.
Yi Ning didn’t care about his silence.
She went on.
“You’re just a hero. Are you really able to shoulder someone else’s life?”
Lu Zheng furrowed his brow.
Someone else’s life…
He went quiet.
Back when he first graduated, he would’ve confidently declared that he could fulfill the mission of a hero and shoulder anyone’s life.
But now—he wasn’t sure.
Not the same Lu Zheng who had fled to a remote city.
Really—he didn’t know.
Almost as if on purpose, Yi Ning’s words pressed down harder.
“‘Willing to do anything’—that’s a heavy thing to say.”
“…Sorry…”
Lu Zheng didn’t know what else to say. That was all he could manage.
But Yi Ning didn’t seem to hear it.
She ignored the apology and continued, like reading lines in a play.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
Yi Ning glanced at the text on her phone screen, swiped it away, and brought the phone back to her ear. She delivered the final line she had just read.
“You really are someone who only thinks about yourself.”