Chapter 59: Why Can’t the Damn Pager Be Silent?

Chapter 59: Damn This Pager! Why Can't It Be Muted?

The temperature fluctuated wildly between day and night by the sea.

After speaking, Jian Ruochen felt his nose itch again. He turned away and sneezed twice more.

Guan Yingjun unzipped his black windbreaker, swiftly took it off, and tossed it with an upward flick of his hand.

The windbreaker’s hem arced through the air before landing on Jian Ruochen’s shoulders, still carrying a residual warmth.

Jian Ruochen caught Guan Yingjun’s scent—not the smell of tea or smoke, but more akin to the fragrance of crushed mint, yet not entirely. It was dry and cool, quite unique.

Guan Yingjun tugged at the windbreaker’s collar and said, "Hands."

Jian Ruochen looked up, murmuring softly, "It’s fine."

Guan Yingjun lowered his eyelids, grabbed the hem of the windbreaker, aligned the zipper, and pulled it up. "Getting sick now isn’t practical. You have school and work at the police station. You haven’t fully recovered, and all this rushing around makes you more susceptible to colds."

Jian Ruochen watched as Guan Yingjun’s hand pulled the zipper from bottom to top.

That made sense.

Maintaining distance to avoid illness wasn’t the main concern; falling ill would delay things.

That wouldn’t be worth it.

He quickly slipped his left hand into the sleeve, then took the hotpot base with his right hand before sliding that arm into the warm windbreaker as well.

"Thanks, Detective Guan," Jian Ruochen said with a smile. "Detective Guan has such a strong physique, able to withstand the cold wind in just a thin shirt. I’m envious."

Guan Yingjun hummed in acknowledgment.

His gaze swept over Jian Ruochen’s hair.

The static from removing the windbreaker had caught a few stray strands, the almost white locks intertwining with the black, adding an unintended hint of intimacy.

The two walked in silence along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront until they reached the car.

Jian Ruochen slid into the passenger seat, his mind preoccupied with Lu Qian’s visit to the already-closed Tianquandu Entertainment City.

Legitimate businessmen had their own social circles—golf courses, riding clubs, charity galas, even calligraphy exchange meetings—anywhere was a place to discuss business.

These people would never risk being compromised by spending money at Lu Qian’s establishment.

Any sensible businessman knew that while competitive strategies were part of the game, crossing legal lines was an entirely different matter.

Without its high-spending criminal patrons, Tianquandu was nothing.

Tianquandu was a massive drain, consuming water and electricity. Now that Lu Qian had lost a significant portion of his supply and income, how could he still be seen at Tianquandu?

How could he still be throwing bathhouse parties and living the high life without money?

Jian Ruochen absentmindedly traced the car door's inner panel, thinking how nice it would be to swing by and check it out.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a voice came from beside him.

Guan Yingjun kept his eyes on the road as he drove and asked, "Want to check out Tianquandu?"

Jian Ruochen replied, "Yes."

He glanced at Guan Yingjun, his expression blank.

So blank that Guan Yingjun wondered if he’d said something wrong.

After that night, though nothing had been explicitly stated, things were practically an open secret.

Jian Ruochen was sharp and trained in psychology—he couldn’t possibly miss what others felt for him.

Guan Yingjun wanted to have an open conversation with him but feared that doing so would push him further away.

Jian Ruochen was too likable, able to fit in anywhere.

Jian Ruochen watched Guan Yingjun for a moment before turning away, his thoughts wandering aimlessly over Tsim Sha Tsui before settling back on the moving car.

The sky gradually glowed with the last rays of the sunset, casting a golden light over Hong Kong, illuminating its truly inch-by-inch worth.

Outside the window, the scenery shifted from thick banyan trees to old camphor trees, their layered green leaves gradually blocking the sky, leaving the magnificent sunset over Tsim Sha Tsui behind.

At a red light, Guan Yingjun turned on the car radio.

The hosts' enthusiastic voices immediately filled the cabin.

Female: "This year, the Hong Kong police’s case closure rate has increased by a full 4 points!"

Male: "Haha, really putting in the work, eh? Mostly in the last few months, right?"

The female host laughed. "Not entirely! Police across Hong Kong have been working hard to combat crime, but the West Kowloon team has been particularly strong."

The male host chimed in: "With Madam Lin leading the CID, no major case is too difficult, right?"

The female host teased: "You men only notice the pretty women. I’d say Sir Gong and Detective Guan deserve more credit! And that—"

She paused, and the man quickly went, "Oh, oh! The Criminal Psychological Consultant at West Kowloon!"

"Six cases solved in two months. Wow, West Kowloon wasn’t nearly this efficient before he showed up."

"Sir Gong even thanked him specially at the police station entrance this time."

"Oh? Didn’t Sir Gong get called out? That consultant criticized him in front of the media."

"Where? Right after that, he went to help Sir Gong solve cases. What condemnation? He was just helping his own media outlet boost ratings. STN's stock soared—the acting manager there must be grinning from ear to ear. The boss personally getting involved to drive results..."

The man said, "Ah, rich and beautiful. Who could he possibly fall for? Someone like me would feel ashamed standing next to him."

Jian Ruochen felt himself flush from the praise.

He reached over and turned the dial on the radio, tuning to another station.

But that one was praising him too, this time with the topic: "So young yet already made it into high society—the depth of his skills is unbelievable!"

Jian Ruochen: [...]

It felt like these media outlets were using him for clout.

He simply switched the station to a music channel, and the radio finally filled with Teresa Teng’s soothing voice.

After the song ended, Guan Yingjun parked the car in the commercial street parking lot next to Tianquandu Entertainment City.

Jian Ruochen pulled his hair into a messy bun with a hair tie. "Detective Guan, do you have a hat?"

He pointed to his hair, "It's too eye-catching."

Guan Yingjun opened the storage compartment, took out a fisherman's hat, and placed it on Jian Ruochen's head. His face was immediately covered, leaving only his chin visible.

Jian Ruochen adjusted the hat until it no longer blocked his view, before opening the door and getting out of the car.

Tianquandu Entertainment City was located in the Kowloon area, in Yau Ma Tei, on Mong Kok Street.

To the west was the Bafu Street Sports Field, to the east was Ferry Street, and not far to the south stood the Tsim Sha Tsui Seaview Building.

It could be considered a central building in the Kowloon area.

As the car door closed, the streetlights on both sides of the road lit up.

Dots of vibrant, saturated hues flickered and intertwined, creating a dazzling and dreamlike haze.

The entrance of Tianquandu was exceptionally tall, with neon tubing layered to form a signboard measuring about six square meters.

Small golden light bulbs flickered, arranged in a semicircle around the golden characters at the center of the neon border: "Tianquandu."

It gave off a distinctly worldly vibe.

Jian Ruochen glanced around, his gaze settling on the cigarette shop and family convenience store opposite Tianquandu Entertainment City. "Shall we check out the convenience store first?"

Lu Qian might be inside Tianquandu, so approaching directly at this point was clearly not a wise move.

"Yeah." Guan Yingjun also glanced at the family convenience store, noticing the Spring Festival couplets placed on the counter. He said quietly, "Pretend to browse the couplets?"

"Okay."

Having worked together on multiple investigations, the two had long developed a tacit understanding.

They didn’t even need to coordinate their lines before approaching the counter.

Guan Yingjun lowered his eyes, flipping through the stack of red paper piled on the counter. "What kind should we get this year?"

"Definitely gold characters on a red background." Jian Ruochen wasn’t sure if the convenience store owner had been bribed by Lu Qian, so he couldn’t question directly.

Instead, he used the excuse of browsing couplets to discreetly survey the surroundings of Tianquandu.

"How about this one?" Guan Yingjun scanned the area and noticed a car parked not far from Tianquandu. It wasn’t luxury but was brand new.

He lifted the couplet, angling it toward the car, and gently nudged his elbow outward.

Jian Ruochen looked up. The couplet read: "The vast universe grows old together, the bright sun and moon compete in brilliance."

Beyond it was a new car.

Lu Qian, with his innate vanity, couldn’t change his ways. His disguise was unconvincing—he knew to swap the luxury car but didn’t think to choose a slightly older model.

Suddenly, the side door next to Tianquandu’s revolving door opened, and Lu Qian stepped out, his hair still dripping wet, making no effort to conceal himself.

Jian Ruochen let out a quiet scoff and turned away. "Let’s look at something else."

Behind them, the convenience store owner chuckled. "Don’t like this one? It’s perfect for newlyweds."

Guan Yingjun set the couplet back on the counter. "We’ll keep looking."

He didn’t understand why the owner assumed they were a couple, but when his eyes fell on the oversized windbreaker Jian Ruochen was wearing, it suddenly made sense.

Family convenience stores were smaller than chain stores. To avoid Lu Qian’s line of sight, the two without a word moved deeper into the store, stopping near the display of fortune characters.

Jian Ruochen studied them for a moment before picking up a cloth chick next to the fortune characters and giving it a squeeze.

1993, the Year of the Rooster.

I’ll buy a couple later.

Guan Yingjun glanced back toward the store entrance. "Lu Qian is heading this way."

Standing close, Jian Ruochen leaned half his weight against Guan Yingjun, too preoccupied to care about any awkwardness. He pricked up his ears, counting the footsteps.

Lu Qian entered the cigarette shop next door.

Jian Ruochen let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The man was too alert. If he had come into the convenience store, Jian Ruochen wouldn’t have known how to keep up the act.

The owner, watching the two tense up over a box of cloth chicks, found it amusing. "What are you two huddling together for?"

She held a slender, long-handled tobacco pipe, tapping it against the ashtray. Ash tumbled out from the mouth of the pipe.

Taking a drag from her cigarette, she eyed Guan Yingjun leisurely. "Handsome, can’t decide on a chick? Does your significant other control the money?"

Guan Yingjun’s ears instantly flushed red.

Worried the owner might be Lu Qian’s plant, Jian Ruochen pulled out a bill and pointed to the cloth chick and the golden fortune character. "We’ll take these two for now. We’re still looking at the rest, and also those red envelopes."

He glanced toward the top shelf behind the owner. "And a pack of those too."

The priority was to keep the owner from scrutinizing them.

The owner took the money, set down her pipe, and cheerfully went to fetch the red envelopes, chanting auspicious phrases.

Jian Ruochen finally relaxed, openly eavesdropping on the cigarette shop next door.

Lu Qian seemed to be buying cigarettes.

"A pack of Marlboros."

"Here you go, Boss Lu."

Lu Qian: "Seen any suspicious people around?"

"Nah." The cigarette shop owner sucked in a breath. "Since you’ve been closed for business, fewer folks come by to buy smokes. Today, only Brother Quan stopped by. He took a carton of Nanyang Double Happiness, said he was treating the brothers."

"Snick, hiss—"

The sound of a metal lighter igniting came from across the street. Probably Lu Qian lighting a cigarette.

Just then, the owner brought the red envelopes over. "Here."

Jian Ruochen immediately said, "Thanks, sis. Also, that basin on the top shelf and the package next to it."

Guan Yingjun reached out and patted Jian Ruochen’s vest. Before he could speak, the owner laughed and asked, "What size do you need?"

Jian Ruochen: ?

What comes in sizes?

Just throw out a random size, like a clothing size. "M."

The shopkeeper sized them up, shaking her head and sighing as she stood on a chair to get the items. "You want all of these?"

"Yes, yes." Jian Ruochen said, but his eyes and ears were elsewhere.

The shopkeeper muttered, "Can you even use this many? Kids these days, I tell ya..."

She stopped talking, and Jian Ruochen finally caught the conversation between Lu Qian and the cigarette shop owner next door again.

Lu Qian: "...Duan Ming hasn't sent any messages lately? He didn't say a word about the Kowloon Walled City incident last time. Did something happen?"

"Ming's been by..." The cigarette shop owner hesitated.

Jian Ruochen felt anxious for him.

Just spit it out already.

"Ming seemed like he hadn't slept well, seemed kinda paranoid. He kept looking over his shoulder when he came. I asked if someone was following him, but he didn't say anything."

Lu Qian said softly, "Doesn't he have Lin Zheng with him? What about him?"

"Ah Zheng..." The cigarette shop owner said, "Nothing from him."

"Tsk." Lu Qian sounded impatient. "What about the boss? Has he sent anyone lately?"

"...No." The cigarette shop owner sounded nervous, as if afraid Lu Qian would suddenly get angry.

Jian Ruochen wanted to hear more, but the shopkeeper came down with two items. She smiled and placed the bag in the basin. "Do you want the Spring Festival couplets from earlier?"

"Ring them up too." Jian Ruochen said, wishing he could crane his ears over to the next shop to listen.

Guan Yingjun looked at the items in the basin, repeatedly opening his mouth to say something but holding back. Before any words could escape his throat, they heard—

"Beep beep beep—"

The sound was loud, startling all three people in the shop.

It was Detective Guan's pager!

Guan Yingjun immediately pulled it out and shut it off, reading the message: "The vitamin B test report is out. There's something fishy. Who's taking these? How are they now? Detective Guan, do you want to come over?"

Jian Ruochen remembered the vitamins that could knock out an adult with just four pills, his heart racing.

Half from the revelation, half from the sudden noise.

Now he understood why early Hong Kong films had scenes where cops hiding in parking lots got made when a pager went off.

It wasn't that the writers were dumb—it's that these things don't have a silent mode!

Silent phones are truly a great invention...

Jian Ruochen dug his fingers into Guan Yingjun's arm.

Both held their breath, and the only sound in the convenience store was the shopkeeper clicking her abacus to calculate the bill.

Not far away, Lu Qian said, "Was that a beeper?"

He raised his voice slightly: "Auntie Cui, do you have customers in your shop?"