“I gotta get that bounty off your shoulders,” she said. Then, adding with a smirk, “that is, unless you’d like to keep it there.”

“No, I don’t mind you getting rid of it.” I gave her a playful one-armed shove. “But what about your price back home?”

“You can keep it there; I like a challenge,” she replied impishly.

“So you’re coming back?”

“Eventually I’ll will. Don’t you worry, you know how I do things. Xiaoli & her nemisis the Spoon Ninja should be back in action soon enough. Admit it, you’ve liked our confrontations.”

I had to admit, they were often the highlights of my job. But there was still something bothering me.

“But what about Xiaoli & her best friend Lin? Will that go back to normal?”

“If all goes well, it should.”

We threw our arms around each other.

“I’ve missed you Lin.”