Detecting a Rival in Love

Lola hadn’t been a female shadow guard for ages. These days, she and Martin Wu were both Distinguished Professors in the Kingdom of Qin, constantly busy training teachers and teaching mathematics. Among all the women here, Lola and Martin Wu were easily the busiest.

So, under normal circumstances, Lily Evans wouldn’t call on Lola unless absolutely necessary. Today was clearly a special case.

Lola was a pro at wearing disguise masks—she found a mirror, slipped the mask on, and checked herself out. Staring at her reflection, she couldn’t see anything unusual about the mask.

“Chancellor Lily, whose mask is this?” Lola asked.

Lily Evans replied, “A while back, a spy infiltrated the Textile Works and yesterday set fire to the warehouse, destroying all our important goods. Just now, I used a trick to catch that female spy. This mask is modeled after her face. Lola, Sean Hayes is interrogating her right now. Once Sean gets the intel, you’ll wear the mask and pose as Xiao Lu, then meet with Xiao Lu’s accomplices and follow the leads to catch the whole gang. Of course, this mission is too much for you alone—Mrs. Penny, you’re in charge of the shadow guards, so you’ll take a team and help Lola.”

“Yes, Chancellor Lily.”

“At your command, Chancellor Lily,” Mrs. Penny said respectfully.

Lola and Mrs. Penny accepted their mission and headed out together. The former master and apprentice hadn’t really had a proper chat in ages.

Now, walking side by side out of the courtyard, Mrs. Penny glanced at Lola and smiled charmingly. “Little Lola’s all grown up! I haven’t seen you in ages, and look at you—almost as tall as your old teacher.”

Lola grinned, not nearly as aloof as she used to be. She said to Mrs. Penny, “Yeah, Mrs. Penny, we’ve been so busy we haven’t seen each other in forever...”

Mrs. Penny pursed her lips, looking at Lola, unsure what to say.

Her once quiet, thoughtful little apprentice had always kept her feelings hidden. Mrs. Penny never could guess what Lola was thinking.

But there was one thing Mrs. Penny was sure of: Lola liked Sean Hayes.

Even if Lola never said it out loud, Mrs. Penny was a woman—how could she not sense a rival for her husband’s affections?

Back when Lola was just a child, Mrs. Penny could tell herself not to take it seriously. But now, seeing Lola nearly as tall as herself, graceful and poised, she couldn’t ignore it anymore.

A strange sense of distance crept in. Was this beautiful young woman still secretly longing for Mrs. Penny’s husband?

Mrs. Penny tried to read Lola’s expression, but Lola had grown up and learned to hide her feelings. There was nothing to see.

The two walked on in silence, an awkward tension settling between them.

Mrs. Penny found the silence uncomfortable. She coughed lightly, meaning to say she’d go gather her team. But just as she called Lola’s name, she looked up and saw Sean Hayes hurrying over.

Whatever Mrs. Penny was about to say vanished, swallowed back down, because she instantly noticed how Lola’s whole aura changed the moment Sean Hayes appeared!

Mrs. Penny’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that after all these years, Lola was still secretly in love with Sean Hayes?

Sean Hayes, ever oblivious, spotted Mrs. Penny and Lola from afar and waved cheerfully. “Wife, Lola, what are you two doing together? I was just on my way to report to Chancellor Lily, and look—here you are!”

Sean Hayes jogged over, clearly delighted to see Lola after such a long time.