After seeing off Ina, Tan Rou finally had the chance to respond to Samiyi's message. She called Samiyi to say everything was fine on her end and also mentioned that she wouldn't be returning to the palace that night.
Samiyi told her to be careful and to call the palace if she encountered any danger, as she would help Tan Rou handle the situation. Tan Rou urged Samiyi to rest early, but Samiyi probably wouldn't be able to rest soon, as she still had many matters to deal with.
Tan Rou met up with Zhuang Liu at the hotel. The receptionist at the hotel looked somewhat unfamiliar, likely a new hire by the owner.
"Here you are." Zhuang Liu had prepared dinner. "Let's eat a bit together; we'll be leaving soon."
Tan Rou, however, suggested, "Let's go out a bit later today, wait till it's past 8:30 before heading out so we don't have to keep waiting outside—there are quite a few mosquitoes."
Zhuang Liu had no objections and asked, "What if we still don't catch anyone tonight?"
