This morning, thanks to the culinary skills of Master Chef Yi Jiadong, Fang Zhenyue’s breakfast was exceptionally lavish.
The round table was fully seated, with everyone from oldest to youngest eagerly digging in.
When the person sitting opposite you is eating with such relish, you can’t help but have your appetite opened up, consuming much more food than usual.
This was the scene at Fang Zhenyue’s breakfast table today.
He ate a soft and sticky custard lava bun (漏奶华), a milk pineapple bun, an egg that was yellow, tender, and sprinkled with green onions, half a plate of boiled bok choy hearts, two fried shrimp wontons, half a plate of butter-fried sausage slices, a cheeseburger, a cup of hot latte brewed by Jiayi with a coffee machine he brought back from Italy, and half an orange. He felt like a big eater, almost rivaling the superman Qin Xiaolei who could eat a whole pot.
Rubbing his round belly, Fang Zhenyue turned to Yi Jiajun and earnestly asked, “Do you eat like this every morning?”
“Yes,” Yi Jiajun answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world, with a look that seemed to say, ‘Isn’t this just an ordinary and normal breakfast for everyone?’
“…” Fang Zhenyue, shaken to the core.
Questioning life: What kind of miserable existence had he been living before? Was that even called living? It was merely surviving without actually being alive.
It was distressing, and he wanted to become Yi Jiadong’s little brother.
Sergeant Fang, putting on a brave face to hide his pity, patted Yi Jiajun’s shoulder like an elder, with a deep and heartfelt sigh:
“Cherish your blessings, child.”
“Yes, sir,” Yi Jiajun mimicked the way an elder sister would respond, nodding earnestly. All the while, he couldn’t help but look at Sir Fang with pity, thinking to himself: Poor rich people, they don’t even have a delicious breakfast, what’s the point of living in such a big, cold house?
Jiajun frowned and sighed, burying his head to focus on his breakfast. Oh, the crispy and tender custard lava bun was so delicious—it’s better to be poor, munch munch.
“…” Poor, pitiful tycoon Fang.
A mix of emotions.
…
After breakfast, as he had promised, Fang Zhenyue first took Jiayi to the police station, then dropped off Yi Jiadong at work, followed by the two little ones at their school.
Before reaching the school gate, just one street away, Jiajun spoke up:
“Brother Yue, you can let me out here.”
“Isn’t there still one more street?” Fang Zhenyue slowed down, puzzled.
Jiajun looked at Brother Yue with an expression that said “You really don’t understand,” and sighed softly, “Brother Yue, if people see me going to school in such a fancy car, they’ll think I’m not serious, vain, a show-off, and shallow. They might disrespect and isolate me. I can get off here.”
Yue Fangzhen slowed down, pulled over to the side of the road, and handed Jiajun his backpack, cautioning, “Be careful on the road.”
“You too, Brother Yue. Drive slower, no need to rush,” Jiajun said as he put on his backpack and prepared to leave. He paused, turned back, and asked, “Are you coming to Yi Ji for dinner tonight?”
“I might,” Yue Fangzhen raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
“There’s a place that sells taro and shrimp near our school gate; it’s really good, and I bet you’ve never tried it. I’ll bring some for you tonight,” Jiajun patted his waist, “my treat.”
Yue Fangzhen couldn’t help but laugh and feel defeated; he was being seen as a naïve, rich person who had never experienced anything by a kid, “Alright, thanks, Jiajun.”
“Brother Yue, you always treat my sister to nice food; we should return the favor,” Jiajun nodded earnestly, then turned and walked off with his large backpack, confidently mingling among the pedestrians on his way to school.
Yue Fangzhen turned the steering wheel and headed back onto the main road, not noticing the smile on his face reflected in the rearview mirror.
As he neared Jiaru’s school, Yue Fangzhen looked back and asked, “Do you want to get off a block early too?”
“I’m not as fussy as the little ones, just drop me at the school gate,” Jiaru said, lying on the passenger seat, looking ahead at the road and occasionally glancing at the pedestrians on the sidewalk, searching for familiar faces carrying backpacks.
When she spotted a classmate, she leaned out to wave. Seeing her classmate’s eyebrows raise in a mix of surprise and envy, Jiaru couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
A couple of years ago, her vanity had begun to stir when she saw wealthy classmates being dropped off at school in large cars, envying them like they were flowers basking in the sunlight while she felt like a mushroom hidden in the shade, occasionally indulging in self-pity.
Now that she was finally experiencing it herself, being driven in a big car, it felt just like she had imagined.
The jeep stopped at the school gate, Jiaru grabbed her backpack, hopped out with a bounce, and her long hair swung beautifully in the sunlight, gleaming black.
“Thanks, Brother Yue, I’ll also buy you some snacks from our school gate tonight; it won’t be worse than what Jiajun brings you,” Jiaru said as she walked over to the driver’s side, leaned on the window, and greeted him with a smile.
“See you tonight.” Yue Fangzhen nodded, waved, pressed the gas, and headed towards an intersection where he could make a U-turn.
Jiaru watched Yue Fangzhen’s jeep drive away. The classmate who had just greeted her caught up.
The classmate slapped Jiaru on the shoulder, eyes fixed on the departing jeep, and exclaimed, “A Mercedes jeep, eh? That’s an expensive model; my dad has always wanted one but never dared to buy it.”
“Is this car expensive?” Jiaru asked curiously.
“Of course. And look at that license plate number, it’s so early. Must be one of the first people who bought a car, huh? Old-money, a real tycoon,” her classmate teased. “Is he your big brother? Or perhaps your boyfriend? Haha.”
“Neither,” Jiaru shook her head.
Her classmates watched as the large Jeep made a U-turn at the intersection ahead and passed by the school gate on its return. The man in the driver’s seat waved at Jiaru before driving off.
“What a handsome guy,” a classmate couldn’t help but exclaim, eyes wide with the thrill of gossip, “so stylish~”
“Of course,” Jiaru turned around, stepping into the school gate under the envious gaze of her classmate.
…
When Fang Zhenyue returned to the police station, the detectives were organizing clues.
Jiayi stood with arms crossed in front of the whiteboard, while Liu Jiaming was writing on it: [Where is the body?]
As Fang Zhenyue entered, everyone immediately dropped what they were doing and stood up to greet him:
“Brother Yue~”
“Sir Fang!”
“How is it? Any new leads?” Fang Zhenyue unbuttoned one of his buttons; it was somewhat warmer in Hong Kong today. He had driven back with the windows down, feeling the humid and stifling breeze, and it was actually quite hot.
He casually grabbed a cup of coffee and gulped down most of it, then walked over to the table in front of the whiteboard, leaned back, and sat down on it.
In Team B’s office, desks were not only for working but also for sitting.
“This morning, the Central District Police Station’s forensic science department faxed over some of the urgent lab results and the latest information they extracted,” Liu Jiaming put down his marker and reported:
“There are signs of sudden braking at the sharp turn on Shixun Road, and from the tire marks and other details, the vehicle is identified as a five-seater Volkswagen model.”
“From footprints and other clues, it can be inferred that the victim jumped out of the car, fell, then got up and fled, jumping off a cliff in panic. He was already bleeding heavily at this point.”
“The two struggled and tore at each other near where the suit was found, resulting in the victim’s suit getting torn. They then continued the struggle in another direction before returning to the vehicle.”
“Some of the footprints and bloodstains at the crime scene were later destroyed by another witness at the scene, a sanitation worker.”
“It’s possible that the perpetrator also destroyed some of the evidence at the scene, but this is still uncertain.”
“The perpetrator did not go back to retrieve the suit, possibly because he needed to keep the victim under control and had no time to deal with the scene of the dispute. It could also be because he heard the sound of the sanitation worker’s motorcycle uphill and had to flee the scene immediately.”
Liu Jiaming took a deep breath and paused before continuing:
“All the blood samples collected from the scene have been tested and belong to the same person.”
“No blood traces of a second person were found at the scene.”
“Before discovering the suit, the area where the conflict between the victim and the perpetrator took place had a significant amount of blood shed.”
“The forensic officer at the Central District Police Station estimated from the blood found that the owner of the suit is likely dead. The death likely occurred during the altercation and when the person was dragged back to the car, probably between 19:00 and 21:00 on the 22nd.”
“The confrontation between the victim and the perpetrator at the major bend on Shixun Road is estimated to have occurred between 17:00 and 19:00.”
Fang Zhenyue walked to the whiteboard and recorded the two time points.
“So far, no match has been found for the fingerprints collected, but colleagues from the forensic department of the Central District Police Station will continue with fingerprint imaging comparisons,” said Liu Jiaming, scratching his head, and then picking up the notebook he had used earlier when he received a phone call to continue:
“The forensic science team from the Central District Police Station will perform a second scene investigation today, especially since it was dark last night and some clues might have been missed. They have requested us, as the CID officers in charge of the case, to send at least one detective to accompany the survey.”
“Uncle Jiu and Jiaming, you go. No need to go down the slope, just follow and collect some clues,” instructed Fang Zhenyue.
“Yes, sir,” responded Uncle Jiu and Liu Jiaming, each grabbing a cup of coffee ordered by Jiayi from downstairs that morning before heading out.
Fang Zhenyue stretched his arms and turned to look at the remaining three people in the office, then suddenly turned to ask Jiayi:
“What do you think we should do next?”
Jiayi, who had been taking notes and deep in thought, was caught off guard and looked up in surprise, taking a few seconds before realizing what Brother Yue was talking about.
Turning to meet the gazes of Sanfu and Gary, Jiayi suppressed her instinct to be modest, took a deep breath, stood up, and bravely faced the potential scrutiny from others, openly confronting her own desire to be effective, and said:
“The most important thing we can do now is to identify the victim, find this person or the body.”
“This morning, the forensic department of the Central District Police Station faxed over a photo of the suit. We can make several copies; one team could take these photos and go up Shixun Road, visiting the wealthy residents at the top of the hill, perhaps finding the owner of the suit.”
“Another team could take them to luxury stores, using the brand and style of the coat to find the person who bought this suit.”
When the Central District Police Station’s forensic department had called earlier, Jiayi had taken the call and specifically asked Ah Wei, who sent the fax and made the call, about the brand and material of the suit.
Luxury clothes from major brands are also considered luxury items, differing from the clothes that ordinary people buy casually. They all come with information like models and styles, almost as if they have their own ‘identity cards’ much like a person’s birth date and place of birth. These clues allow us to trace their origins.
Fang Zhenyue had already planned in his mind, and nodded seriously when he heard Jiayi’s words, then raised his eyebrows as a signal.
Jiayi caught his cue, pursed her lips, then turned to look at Sanfu Brother and Gary, gathering courage to issue orders to the detectives:
“Brother Sanfu and Gary, based on the information we have, find the store in Hong Kong City that sells this suit, then visit the brand store to find the person who bought this suit.
“Jiayi and Brother Yue will go to the Peak to visit the residents, looking for the owner of the suit.”
“Let’s set out now.”
Although Jiayi had previously had the help of Gary and the Liu Jiaming team arranged by Brother Yue, she was still somewhat nervous this time with Brother Sanfu there.
Having never led before, she wasn’t used to managing and commanding others, and she still had many psychological burdens.
She worried that others might still not accept her authority deep down, and might perceive her taking control as an act of aggression, thereby harboring hostility.
She also feared that even though Brother Sanfu liked her as a colleague, he might still struggle with being directed by her. After all, people sometimes think they’ve accepted something rationally, but emotionally react negatively when actually faced with the situation.
Since Brother Yue began consciously training her to independently lead teams, Jiayi realized that power didn’t just mean ‘doing whatever I want’ in a fun way.
To possess authority also requires courage and confidence. The courage to manage others, the confidence to guide them.
This is also a responsibility. You have to ensure your decisions are correct.
At the same time, you have to consider others, making sure the tasks you assign are suitable for them, your arrangements protect their rights, and don’t offend them…
After all, you’re arranging for them to do work that’s hard, tiring, and even potentially dangerous. What if they aren’t happy to do it? What if they face danger?
Authority also means pressure, representing more responsibility and workload, suggesting that Jiayi wants to progress, gain more benefits, and rise above, requiring more capabilities, more thought, and more work.
She must become accustomed, must learn faster like a sponge, and must strive to be at the forefront, aiming to perform the best, and even better.
Brother Yue and madam Qiu have already written her name on the internal nomination list, and she will face more tests and interviews.
Right now, facing the basic work she must learn to do, it’s just the beginning.
Taking commands from familiar faces like Brother Sanfu, Gary, and with Brother Yue supporting her at her side, if she can’t handle this situation, then what will she do when Uncle Jiu retires, when new people join Team B, when Brother Yue gets transferred?
Reflecting on this, Jiayi took a deep breath and quickly reviewed the current case situation, assuring herself that her arrangements were without flaw.
Thus, she puffed out her chest, raised her head high, and fearlessly looked towards Sanfu and Gary.
Her confidence and aura were communicated to the two detectives. Coupled with the reliable impression Jiayi had always left on them and the appropriate commands combined with her reputation for being consistently dependable and capable, the detectives harbored no negative feelings. They smoothly accepted the circumstances arranged by Jiayi, sequentially expressing their acceptance.
At this point, Fang Zhenyue nodded slightly and decisively said, “Let’s get to work!”
“Yes, sir!” the detectives responded in unison, and promptly set about their tasks.
Jiayi took a deep breath, casting her gaze downward to reflect on the anxiety and concern she had felt just moments before. She savored the smooth feedback from Sanfu and Gary, faintly grasping how one could earn the recognition and respect of others at the exhibition.
She found closure for her own worries, realizing that some tasks might seem daunting before one starts, but upon actually engaging with them, they might turn out not to be so difficult or frightening after all.
All it took was to earnestly engage in the task and then take that step forward.
Lifting her head, she met Fang Zhenyue’s gaze, snapped her heels together, and stood at attention with her chest out and head raised. She saluted Fang Zhenyue perfectly, then said earnestly:
“I understand, Sir Fang.”
The corners of Fang Zhenyue’s lips lifted, his eyes brimming with approval and admiration.
Very well, he didn’t need to say much; she had already grasped his intentions and learned what he intended to teach her.
As expected of you, Jiayi.