The next day, the news of the KTV murder case indeed hit the newspapers.
On the front page of the Qingcheng News, a large headline read “Wrong Decisions and Wrongful Slaying”.
The article discussed issues of injustice in Hong Kong’s employment sector, asking how people should respond and how the system should be regulated to ensure every citizen’s rights and duties.
It detailed the myriad workplace challenges the murderer faced, largely fabricated by the author, portraying her as someone who had faced every conceivable workplace adversity. Despite her resilience and ambition, she ultimately could not escape the trap set by her superiors, leading her down a path of crime.
The author crafted a character who was simultaneously hateful, terrifying, and pitiable, sparking widespread public debate.
In the morning, as many documents were sorted and Sister Ying’s new assistant had yet to arrive, all the tasks of collecting, comparing, and recording documents fell on the homicide team.
Experienced and yet a newcomer, Jiayi naturally took on this role.
Busy all morning, she had no chance to glance at the newspaper until lunch.
At noon, a group rushed to Yi’s restaurant for lunch, where she finally got her hands on a copy from Jiajun and began to read the various reports about the KTV murder case.
In recent years, there has been a push for equality in Hong Kong, advocating for everyone to receive the same education, job opportunities, compensation, and social responsibilities. However, in practice, the clash of old and new ideologies has led to many conflicts and sparked numerous societal discussions.
This case happened to strike at the heart of these issues, bringing out public figures, whether or not you remembered their names, to speak up at this time.
Through various discussions and disputes, the case gradually changed shape and went off track.
From several newspapers, Jiayi picked out the Qingcheng Daily, which alone was seriously discussing the case and specifically Zheng Lishan involved in it.
Everyone could draw different meanings from the incident, depending on their life experiences and perspectives.
Jiayi just wanted to sigh, wanting to say something but not knowing where to start.
Jiajun also held a newspaper and after a while said to her:
“We also can’t afford a Christmas tree. Big Brother said almost the same thing as the murderer’s mother.”
“Really?” Jiayi raised an eyebrow, trying to recall the past.
“Yeah, with that money, why buy a Christmas tree, something you can’t eat or wear. Better to buy big sister a new pair of shoes, buy second sister a new pen, and get me a new racket,” Jiajun thought for a moment.
“But second sister and I really wanted a Christmas tree and those little colored lights. You ended up going with Big Brother to collect broken branches in the park and scrap wood from a construction site, then wrapped it all up with wire and tape into a really ugly Christmas tree, hehe.”
“I just remembered, Big Brother used to hang those small lanterns we put up during Chinese New Year on the tree. Everyone else’s Christmas tree is colorful, but ours was all red. From outside, it looked like a red-clad, glowing female ghost,” Jiayi laughed uncontrollably.
“Though it was an ugly Christmas tree, we still had stockings and gifts by our bed. My second sister and I both knew it was you and Big Brother who prepared them,” Jiajun said, tilting his head like a little adult.
“You two kids also prepared gifts for me and Big Brother.”
“Yes, I gave Big Brother my favorite stone that looks like a handgun, which I found myself,” Jiajun chuckled.
“Always bluffing your Big Brother from when you were little! In the end, didn’t I have to give that stone gun back to you? What was I supposed to do with it, play with it?” Yi Jiadong emerged from the kitchen to serve dishes, tapping Jiajun on the forehead as he passed the counter.
Jiayi joined in the laughter.
As they talked, they gradually forgot the sadness and reflections from earlier.
Turning back to the full-page newspaper report, Jiayi read a few lines and felt a sigh coming on again.
Suddenly, a man pulled up a stool, sat on it backward, rested his arms on the counter, and, facing the sibling duo, said with a smile:
“This world is pretty rotten, but we can’t wait for the world to get better before we start living.”
It was Fang Zhenyue.
In the jungle of society, injustice, prejudice, and discrimination always exist.
Some grow twisted by it, others grow stronger through adversity.
“!” Jiajun didn’t understand but thought it sounded impressive, his eyes unwittingly shining with admiration.
Jiayi blinked; as an older sister, she seemed to get it.
Looking at Fang Zhenyue and then at Jiajun, the words they said, the messages they conveyed, seemed to mean the same yet different.
But strangely, they both made her think of the most famous pig in Hong Kong.
McDull.
Boss, I want fish ball noodles. No fish balls, no noodles;
When I was a kid, I wanted to play soccer, but all I ended up with were thicker calves than others, never becoming a soccer star;
Even if you participate in the event and manage to grab the big bag, so what? Times have changed; no one will climb high to snatch the big bag anymore.
McDull felt down, and Jiayi cried inexplicably when watching the movie initially, but now she suddenly understood a kind of indifference and broad-mindedness that grew out of mourning.
Just like Jiajun, no Christmas tree, a broken one made by his brother will do.
No toy gun, just pick up a stone and pretend.
Or like Officer Fang, always looking unhappy and fierce while working on cases, but once he steps out of the police station, he switches modes—from a deeply aggrieved and bitter mode to a casual, craving-for-dace mode.
Jiajun and Fang Zhenyue both have their unchangeable circumstances—one is poor, the other can’t completely eliminate crime. Yet, they know how to find specific ways out and strive to live well in this imperfect, rotten world.
Dreams unfulfilled, let it be.
No Christmas tree, let it be.
Can’t get married, let it be.
Can’t get promoted, let it be.
It seems very defeatist, somewhat resigned.
But mention delicious pineapple buns, and the eyes still light up.
Smelling the fresh steamed dace brought out by the elder brother, still can’t shift the gaze away from wanting to eat.
Solve a case, and celebrate with a big meal.
Even if working overtime every day and tortured by work, still able to laugh through self-mockery.
Jiayi didn’t understand McDull initially, and she might not understand him even now.
But the anger and sadness that Zheng Lishan conveyed to her suddenly dissolved.
It seems… she has gotten a bit of understanding of the common people’s life philosophy in Hong Kong that “happiness is most important.”
Life, death, gains, and losses are impermanent; depression cannot overcome innocence, sadness cannot beat optimism.
“Dinner’s ready.” Fang ZhenBrother Yuently patted Jiayi’s arm on the table, nodding sincerely, his eyes seeming to carry an unspoken reassurance. Without waiting for Jiayi to respond, he nodded towards Jiajun:
“Young handsome, do me a favor, come join us for dinner.”
Little Jiajun, as if he had won a big prize, immediately jumped down from the stool, disappearing behind the counter in an instant, only to appear from behind it, barely taller than the counter.
Fang Zhenyue glanced at him and patted him on the back of the head.
Little Jiajun immediately turned around to protest, but Fang Zhenyue suddenly scooped him up under his arms, lifting him with a slight effort. Taking a couple of steps forward, he then swiftly lowered his arms, pressing the boy down onto the chair.
It felt like a roller coaster ride for Jiajun, lifted up high then brought down low, and before he knew it, he was seated in the chair, realizing the fun in it and bursting into laughter.
Like a little fool.
Children are wonderful, happy about specific things, sad about specific things.
They know nothing of self-pity, an innocent trait that heals the heart.
Jiayi sat next to her brother, while Fang Zhenyue took the opportunity to sit on her other side. While everyone was entertaining Jiajun, he whispered to her:
“Cases are filled with all sorts of strange things. Some criminals are extremely vicious, while others appear pitiful and deserving of sympathy… Don’t be too affected, set aside your emotions, and keep the scales of law and justice balanced in your heart. When your heart is balanced, so will your emotions be.”
Jiayi nodded vigorously, eating her meal influenced by Sir Fang’s words, finding the steamed dace fish tasting even fresher, more tender, and sweeter.
In this world, bitterness is more common than sweet and spicy flavors, but nothing compares to the care and protection of family and friends. This comforting and guiding gentleness was so reliable, so reassuring.
She couldn’t pat Sir Fang’s head, so she patted her brother’s head instead.
Feeling awkward to serve Sir Fang food, she ended up serving her brother several pieces of meat.
Liu Jiaming praised her for being so caring towards her brother. Jiayi blushed slightly, but her eyes stealthily glanced at Sir Fang.
As Sergeant Fang caught that look, his heart suddenly skipped twice, inexplicably flustered for a moment. So strange.
Today’s steamed fish on the table was extraordinary. Chef Yi placed the dace on tofu to steam, combining the tender flavor of loaches burrowing into tofu with the satisfaction of getting a big piece of fish meat, just like feeding a dog a large bite.
Around the fish were placed shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage, green onions, black moss, and fish meat ground into a paste, mixed vigorously to make fish balls that tasted rich and varied in texture, bouncy at first then soft, with the chewy tenderness of diced mushrooms—truly magnificent.
“Brother Jiadong, with this dish of dace on the table, how can I ever enjoy steamed dace from other places again?” Liu Jiaming, who loved the fish balls on the side, couldn’t stop popping them into his mouth.
Gary also wanted some, ready to compete for them.
“Once you’ve entered Yi’s place, where else could you possibly want to go!” Yi Jiayi, from the back kitchen, playfully raised a cleaver towards Liu Jiaming, causing everyone at the table to burst into laughter.
Yi Jiayi extended her chopsticks to help her little brother with short arms and legs pick up a fish ball. She tasted one herself, finding that the deliciousness cured all woes. With a sense of satisfaction and happiness, she smiled softly and whispered to Fang Zhenyue on the other side:
“Thank you, Sir Fang, for ensuring I wasn’t treated unfairly.”
“Don’t talk nonsense, just eat,” Fang Zhenyue, who was struggling with fish bones, advised, not wanting to be distracted.
“Okay.”
“Mm.” Finally getting rid of all the fish bones, he swallowed the fish meat with satisfaction and nodded at Jiayi.
“Hehe.” Watching Sir Fang’s expression, which she found inexplicably cute, the young policewoman laughed until her eyes nearly disappeared.
“…” Fang Zhenyue was somewhat puzzled. Why was she smiling so sweetly?