Yi Ji’s mutton hotpot, the Major Crime Team B had been eating it for three days straight.
Fang Zhenyue, who had the strongest vitality, was the first to get a nosebleed. He would walk around the police station with an imposing presence, even when attending meetings with the superintendent, carrying himself with grandeur as if he had forgotten the wad of tissue stuffed in his nose.
Liu Jiaming quietly joked that Brother Yue looked like a one-horned goat sage, having seemingly lost one horn.
Sanfu immediately retorted, asking if there really was such a wide goat sage, perhaps it was more like a bear sage in disguise.
This made Jiayi laugh so hard she bent over backwards, just in time to see Fang Zhenyue walking in with a stern face, holding a stack of reports, and the sight of the small tissue balls stuffed in his nostrils to stop the bleeding was irresistibly funny. Jiayi ended up laughing so hard that she had to lean on the table, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
And yet, in the evening, they ate mutton again at Yi Ji’s.
This time, however, there was a twist. Sun Xin had found a yin-yang copper hotpot from somewhere in the market, in the middle of which charcoal was stuffed, burning brightly. One side of the copper pot simmered a white, thick aromatic mutton soup, while the other side fried pungent condiments like chili and Sichuan pepper in hot oil to make the spicy pot.
The mutton ribs, cooked until tender, were all cut into small segments about a finger’s length and neatly arranged on the plate.
Raw mutton slices were cut by Yi Jiadong as thin as cicada wings, accompanied by half a plate of beef slices from yellow cattle, along with various vegetables and meats, filling the round table to the brim.
After the first wave of evening guests had left, Yi Jiadong, Jiaru, Jiajun all sat at the table, even Sun Xin and Ding Baoshu were pressed to sit at the table’s edge, along with all the detectives from Team B, gathered around eating the hotpot in a lively and bustling atmosphere.
The aroma was so strong it could be smelled down the street, even those sitting outside the hall under a rain shelter could smell it wafting to the rooftop, causing the upstairs residents to complain loudly: they were so envious, it was pitiful.
Large pieces of mutton ribs were dipped into a sauce made of sesame paste, peanut butter, a little sesame oil, sugar, salt, and other seasonings, then eaten whole.
The fresh and tender juices from the mutton soup flowed first into the mouth, followed by the fresh aroma and multiple layers of flavors from the dipping sauce, then biting into the meat, tearing it off the lamb rib bones along with the tendons and tender meat, chewing vigorously.
The juice bursts in your mouth, the aroma makes your eyes bright and cheeks flush with happiness, unable to control yourself from emitting a sob-like sound of praise.
Such was the mutton shabu-shabu hotpot that Sun Xin had named ‘Rolling Red Dust’.
When everyone initially sat down to eat the hotpot, they focused solely on eating, barely speaking. It was only when they were half-full that they felt in the mood to chat.
“Jiayi, did you see the report about Qin Xiaolei? It also mentioned you.” Yi Jiadong picked up a large slice of beef that had been marinated in a little salt, scallion, ginger, white pepper powder, a small amount of cornstarch, and sesame oil, briefly swished it in the hotpot until it changed color, then eagerly popped it into his mouth.
The beef, its juices captured by the cornstarch, remained silky tender after cooking. The freshness and tenderness of the hanging dragon meat were fully preserved through this treatment, delightfully satisfying!
Yi Jiadong ate so heartily that steam seemed to shoot from his nostrils, his eyes squinted as if he was intoxicated by the aroma.
“Ah? I didn’t see that. Is there still a newspaper?” Jiayi fished a piece of tender tofu from the clear soup, blowing on it before taking a bite, finding it both scalding hot and deliciously fragrant. The fresh taste of the tofu merged with the lamb broth, not only eliminating any bean-like taste but also adding a special milky flavor, which Jiayi loved the most.
“Yesterday, the court case for Qin Xiaolei’s murder of She Jingjing started. A businessman said he admired Qin’s physique and his kind, simple nature, so he hired a good lawyer for him.”
“In the court, Qin Xiaolei’s family situation and other aspects were cleverly presented, not only clarifying the circumstances of the crime but also gaining the sympathy and support of the entire jury.”
“Of course, the detailed chain of evidence provided by the police also played a significant role.”
“Qin Xiaolei was acquitted on grounds of self-defense and released on the spot.”
Yi Jiadong narrated as he ate, his mouth busy with food.
“Many media interviewed him yesterday, and today many newspapers have covered it,” Jiajun said before jumping off the stool and running back to the main room to get the well-kept newspaper, which he thought best described Qin Xiaolei, because it included everything Qin praised about his older sister.
Jiayi took the newspaper, her curiosity overcoming her appetite, and she paused her meal to start reading.
The media not only portrayed Qin Xiaolei as an innocent, honest person but also as a hero from the humble masses. He not only resisted a murderer but succeeded as well.
It was mentioned that the businessman who admired Qin Xiaolei’s qualities had taken him back to his villa after his release, intending to train Qin as his driver and bodyguard—a position of the utmost trust, almost entrusting one’s life to another.
In every era, the role of a chairman’s driver is a subtle one, often representing a loyal and absolutely trusted confidant.
The newspaper also mentioned that a master was specially consulted by the big boss.
The master claimed that people like Qin Xiaolei, who had killed, carried a fierce aura, which is potent against evil.
But since Qin Xiaolei had killed a villain and was inherently pure, simple, and kind, his fate broke the curse. After being rescued, Qin Xiaolei was touched by the noble aura and is now a rare figure capable of dispelling evil and bringing great fortune and positive energy.
“Today, the businessman’s company’s stock price has risen a lot; looks like the master was right, Qin Xiaolei really is a lucky star,” Gary commented after reading another newspaper.
“It’s just capitalizing on the popularity of the Qin Xiaolei incident to gain a good reputation. With the added blessing from the master’s words, of course, the stock price would rise,” Uncle Jiu’s stomach wasn’t as strong as the younger ones, he soon gave in, joining the conversation while leisurely patting his stomach.
After listening, Jiayi’s gaze returned to the newspaper, and then she read a description from an interview with Qin Xiaolei.
When asked who he was most grateful to after being exonerated and freed, Qin Xiaolei mentioned his boss and also mentioned Officer Fang from the Major Crimes Unit who had bought him steamed buns, adding that the buns were especially delicious.
Jiayi couldn’t help but laugh while reading, as Qin Xiaolei spoke as if those buns were the tastiest in the world.
Perhaps it was because the fear he had felt was finally soothed, he relaxed, his mood improved, and being extremely hungry at that time made the buns taste particularly delicious.
As she continued reading, her face suddenly turned unnaturally red.
How could he say that…
[“Officer Yi from the Major Crimes Unit seemed like a fairy descended from heaven, the kind that saves and protects people, like you see on TV, or you could even call her a female knight. I was so scared then, but Officer Yi wasn’t stern at all; she was so caring and spoke to me so gently.”]
[“Officer Yi is really wonderful; she specifically looked up legal books and assured me that everything would be okay, which really settled my mind. She is just as the newspapers describe, a personification of justice.”]
The newspaper not only quoted Qin Xiaolei’s words but also added descriptions, excerpting some of the most exaggerated phrases that had previously appeared in the press about Jiayi.
Terms like ‘dominant flower of the police world’, ‘nemesis of evil’, ‘sharpshooter of the Major Crimes Unit’, ‘most beautiful armed policewoman’, ‘blessing from heaven’, ‘fairy police officer’, and other embarrassingly grandiose titles were thrown out as if they cost nothing, making Jiayi suspect that the journalist was just padding out the word count!
Jiayi’s eyes followed to the columnist’s section, and she saw the name listed there: Nie Weiyan.
How could it be this reporter again—the king of awkward flattery?
If she ever meets him, she would definitely give him a red envelope and beg him to stop being so cheesy. Overdoing it can attract backlash, do these opinion shapers not understand? She was really scared.
“What’s it about? Let me have a look too.” Fang Zhenyue, seeing her blush, reached out to ask for the newspaper.
Jiayi instantly stuffed the embarrassingly smoky newspaper under her buttocks, shaking her head and saying, “Noooooo, sir!”
No, Brother Yue, no, no, no, no, do not look!
…
…
As the month ended and a new one began, Jiayi crossed off another day on the calendar, marking the start of a new day.
It was payday again.
A surprisingly pleasant payday.
In addition to her salary of 12,000 Hong Kong dollars, there was also a bravery bonus for shooting Ye Yongqian, compensation for injury and shock, and a reward for solving cases that Madam-Q had applied for, totaling an astonishing 112,000 Hong Kong dollars.
Jiayi looked at the number on her pay slip, and she almost jumped up and broke through the roof of the police station.
That day, when she looked in the bathroom mirror again, she no longer saw a poor young policewoman.
Out with the old, in with the new— who’s that stunning short-haired beauty in the mirror?
Jiayi grinned and silently replied: A gold-shining nouveau riche policewoman surnamed Yi!
Today, she dared to think about changing houses again.
Back at Team B’s office, while chatting casually with the others, Jiayi brought up her housing search. To her surprise, Brother Yue and the others still remembered to help her find suitable properties.
Before she could say much, Fang Zhenyue pulled out some photos from his drawer:
“I have a friend’s villa in Hung Hom that’s almost gathering mold. If you like it, just move in with your family. Consider it house-sitting for him.”
Jiayi was astonished: What? A villa?
She took the photos and looked through them, her eyes almost shining.
A three-story villa—though not very large, it’s in Hong Kong! A villa!
Jiayi, Jiajun, her eldest brother, and she could each have their own room, even a large study! The living room was big enough for dancing, and the yard perfect for throwing a big party!
Jiayi drooled over the photos for a while but finally calmed down. She couldn’t accept such a huge favor without doing anything in return.
She scratched her head and gratefully said:
“Thanks, Brother Yue, but living there, my elder brother would surely be too anxious to sleep, might even lose hair over it. Plus, Hung Hom is too far; he has to look after the shop every day and take care of my younger siblings. It’s just too busy to live that far. I’ll look for other houses.”