An Ning had not expected this was what the woman's presence meant. She had assumed she was just a simple contact.
"You mentioned close-quarters protection. How close are we talking, exactly?"
An Ning, who was quickly changing her clothes, earned a raised eyebrow from the woman.
"Very close. So please, don't even think about trying to shake me."
"Don't worry, I won't. I could probably use a hand anyway."
The woman, already dressed, took a palm-sized packet from her waist. She unfolded it to reveal a simple charcoal pencil and a small, tailed brush.
An Ning watched her make a few simple strokes on her own face. Her features changed, yet they also seemed the same.
But her whole demeanor changed drastically. She went from a confident, independent woman to a simple, rustic farm woman who hadn't quite resigned herself to her fate.
"Your turn."
"I need you to remember everything I'm about to say."
An Ning, buttoning her last button, nodded. "Don't worry, I have a good memory."
