Page 288

Last night, Chu Yi had noticed a yellow talisman in the pocket of her sweater, which seemed to flicker in the dim light, making her momentarily doubt her eyesight.

She hadn't seen it when she washed the clothes today.

That frightened her into thinking the talisman might have dissolved in the water.

"Oh," Chu Yuening recalled the talisman she had given Zheng Xinya, and smiled enigmatically. "It's already been used."

Due to the weekend, the usually bustling Canton Road was much less crowded.

Riding her rickety stall cart, Chu Yuening made her way unhindered to Temple Street, where she happened upon Zhang Jiande carrying a bag of items.

She parked her cart at the dessert stall and greeted him with a smile. "Good morning, Brother De."

"Good morning," Zhang Jiande replied, removing his pipe and holding out a bag of takeout dim sum. "Har gow, fish roe siu mai, braised chicken feet, honey-glazed char siu bao—what would you like?"

Faced with Zhang Jiande's generous offer, Chu Yuening shook her head. "I've already eaten. My appetite is too small; I can't fit much more."

"Well then, I'll just have to enjoy them with my old friend," Zhang Jiande said with an exaggerated sigh.

"Old friend? Brother De has a guest?" Chu Yuening followed his gaze to the restaurant and indeed saw that the shutter door was already open.

"Mm-hmm," Zhang Jiande chuckled enigmatically. "Quite the high and mighty one. Wants dim sum from Dafeng Restaurant but sends me on errands for it."

With that, he bid farewell to Chu Yuening and entered the restaurant with the steaming breakfast in hand.

Opening the door,

Zhang Jiande tapped on the kitchen's glass window and passed the dim sum to Ice Cream Hui. "Could you plate everything and send it to Table 3, please?"

Ice Cream Fai received the dim sum and glanced at Table 3. Spotting the customer in a black Royal Police uniform, he counted the stars on his shoulder.

"Wow, a Superintendent! When did Brother De make such an impressive friend?"

Perhaps due to the joy of reuniting with an old friend after a long time, Zhang Jiande playfully joked, "You're not my wife; you don't have to know everyone I do."

Ice Cream Fai chuckled. "I wouldn't dare compare myself to Sister-in-law. Alright, let me heat up your breakfast first."

With that, Ice Cream Fai turned and headed into the kitchen.

Zhang Jiande's gaze shifted to Table 3, and after some thought, he fetched a cup of warm milk and placed it on the table.

"Go ahead, drink up. Milk is good for your stomach if it's sensitive."

Inspector Leung was indulging in his bowl of rice noodles. Upon noticing the additional cup of milk on the table, he set down his chopsticks and picked up the milk, glancing around. "Huh? Dim sum?"

"Why come here if you're so eager for dim sum?" Zhang Jiande sat opposite him and lit a cigarette.

"You're wrong there. You can have dim sum anytime, but Zhang's rice noodles are a rare find." Inspector Leung's usually stern face softened as he spoke with his decades-old friend.

He asked, "How about Ah Rong?"

Ah Rong was Zhang Jiande's wife.

"The restaurant gets hectic and smoky; I didn't bring Ah Rong along." Zhang Jiande chuckled.

"It's been a while since I've seen Ah Rong. Sometimes, I even miss the days when we fought side by side in the Major Case Squad," Inspector Leung teased. "If you hadn't opened this restaurant outside the police station back then, when would it have been your turn to be by Ah Rong's side?"

"Defeated rival," Zhang Jiande also laughed. "Who would've thought that the rookie back then would become an inspector today?"

As it turned out, both Ah Rong and Inspector Leung had been part of the Major Case Squad back then.

Inspector Leung sighed. "Ah De, I'm sorry about what happened back then…."

"No need to dwell on the past," Zhang Jiande interrupted. "Ah Rong never held it against you."

Changing the subject, he continued, "Didn't you mention last time that the Major Case Squad is allowed to seek external assistance? After much thought, I think we should explore the metaphysical realm. I know a master who's quite young but incredibly skilled. I believe they could help the Major Case Squad solve even more cases."

"Should you wish to proceed, I'd be willing to help with the introduction."

"Enough of that," Inspector Liang took several dim sum dishes from Sweet Cone Wei's tray and placed them on the table. "You know I've never put stock in anything beyond science, fortune-telling?"

A gentle smile plays on the serious face, accompanied by a slight shake of the head.

"It's merely a sophisticated ploy to make me believe in the mysterious. Unless something truly extraordinary occurs, I won't be convinced until I witness it with my own eyes."

Zhang Jiande gazed at the bustling Chu Yuening outside and chuckled. "Sooner or later, you'll regret this."

"Regret? That's non-existent in my dictionary, Liang Wenlin's," Inspector Liang said, picking up a shrimp dumpling and also gazing out the window.

The shrimp dumplings were set down as Inspector Leung removed his glasses to wipe them before putting them back on.

Through the window, the silhouette of the girl outside gradually came into focus.

Wasn't this the girl from that day at the police station?

Could fortune-telling really help solve a case?

It sounded and looked like a joke no matter how one put it.

---

Elsewhere,

Chu Yuening parked her food cart and lifted the glass lid to uncover the ice cream box.

In an instant,

the aroma of coffee-toasted milk permeated the streets, immediately captivating the patrons with its unique scent. Before long, the dessert stall was swarmed with people.

Chu Yuening's sales of sweet soups grew, and she gracefully handed over a packed cup of coffee crème brûlée with a smile.

"Thank you for your patronage. The coffee crème brûlée and phoenix milk pudding together come to 38 yuan."

The customer, holding the bag, remarked, "It smells so good. Is this a new item?"

"Yes, it is. We hope to see you again next time," Chu Yuening counted the money and slipped it back into her pocket with a grin.

The customers rushed forward, afraid that the new product would sell out, each pushing their way to the front with cash in hand.

"I want one too!"

"I'll have one as well!"

Seeing that the sweet soup stall was overwhelmed, Shanpo, from the neighboring stall, placed the freshly wiped apples on her stand, put down her cloth, and stood up to help.

"Ning Ning, I'll lend you a hand."