Jiayi got up early the next day, went for a run first thing in the morning, and then headed to the market to help her brother carry groceries to his stall.
There, she discovered Sun Xin was also there. Though skinny, he carried quite a load.
To make mapo tofu, he even bought several pieces of marinated tofu, carefully placing them on top of the other vegetables to avoid crushing them.
“Only buying six pieces? Is that enough?” Jiayi took the tofu, counted it, and expressed her doubt.
With Yi Ji Restaurant currently booming, thanks to the new Sichuan dishes, customers were enthusiastic, ordering a lot. Surely, a dozen pieces would be needed to meet the demand of both lunch and dinner?
“Six should be about right for lunch,” Sun Xin answered with a smile in the morning sunlight, looking particularly healthy, a far cry from his formerly frail appearance. “I’ll prep these six pieces in the morning, soaking them in salt water so they’re ready to go into the pot as soon as someone orders during lunchtime. That should be sufficient.”
“For dinner, I’ll need to buy more in the afternoon.”
“Eh? Why not buy it all together? With the afternoon rush of customers, plus prep and cleanup, won’t you be too busy to go back to the market just for tofu?” Curious Jiayi chimed in.
“That won’t do. The tofu needs to be fresh. Tofu bought in the morning and eaten at noon captures the freshest, most delicious bean flavor, with no fishy taste thanks to the salt water. It’s the best. But if it sits until evening, it might start to sour, diminishing that freshly made taste,” Sun Xin insisted firmly.
“The most important part of mapo tofu is the quality of the tofu itself. To ensure our customers taste the finest mapo tofu, an extra trip is nothing.”
Jiayi listened to Sun Xin describe this, seeing him almost as if he were bathed in a halo of sanctity.
His attitude elevated the art of cooking to something almost holy.
“Sun Xin, you’re amazing,” Jiayi exclaimed.
After eating, she prepared to drive to work, glanced at her bicycle, pushed it back to the building silently, tied her shoelaces, slung her bag over her shoulder, and jogged to work.
In the suddenly chilly city, Jiayi broke into a sweat.
Among the hurried, money-driven city dwellers, Jiayi ran with the vigor of someone on a bank heist.
Arriving at the police station with over half an hour before work began, she was too early.
She sniffed her clothes, thankful they still smelled fresh, so she didn’t go back to her office for spare clothes. Instead, she headed straight to the women’s locker room for a shower, changing back into the body-hugging stretch pants and the loose, hip-covering plaid shirt she wore this morning. She tied her hair in a ponytail, looking youthful and brisk.
She was very satisfied as she looked at herself in the mirror.
As several uniformed police officers came in to change, they noticed Jiayi and nodded in greeting:
“Officer Yi, good morning.”
“Good morning, Officer Yi~”
Jiayi politely responded in turn. It was only when she stepped out of the changing room that she smacked her lips slightly.
She thought back to the days when the other officers called her “Little Jiayi” or often ignored her, as if it was just yesterday. She used to hear people saying that she was just a lucky newbie who would soon be forgotten.
Now, having joined the Major Crime unit and solved several cases, her help in solving cases was continually mentioned in the newspapers, and the discussions about her within the police station were changing.
Subtly, everyone’s attitude towards her had changed.
There was more recognition, more respect, and less joking and frivolous spectating.
She straightened her ponytail, lifted her head, took a deep breath, and silently resolved to work harder and become better, to learn from Sun Xin, to pursue details and excellence!
Go Jiayi! You can do it!
Chanting slogans in her mind and invigorated, she turned into the corridor where the Major Crime unit’s office was located.
As she approached the door, she suddenly faintly heard a murmuring voice inside.
“Look, Little Eleven. I used to pick on you, didn’t give you enough respect, my bad, Sanfu is sorry. Here’s a gift for you, it’s going to rain all week in Hong Kong, you lost that broken umbrella, right? Use this new one…”
“No, it’s not that I looked down on you. I just couldn’t accept it. A veteran detective of over a decade being outdone by a newbie, it’s only natural to feel some pride, who would be happy?”
“Listen, Eleven, you’ve been doing well recently, your effort and progress are seen by everyone. Here’s a gift for you, keep up the good work.”
“So tacky…”
“Mockery is a mediocrity’s tribute to genius. It’s normal for others to be jealous of you, it’s your fate. That’s society for you, it’s all a test for you, don’t take it to heart, this is for you… what the hell…”
Muttering and muttering, it was just one person talking to themselves.
Jiayi quietly peeked her head around and saw Sanfu speaking fervently to her desk, to the air—if it had been night, this behavior could have scared someone to death.
Jiayi withdrew her head, leaning back against the corridor wall, standing straight with an irrepressible smile on her face.
Uncle Jiu, being elderly, usually arrived at the office first. When he crossed the corridor and saw Jiayi standing at the door, he thought he had time-traveled back to his school days, encountering a mischievous child expelled from the classroom by the teacher.
Raising his eyebrows about to speak, he saw the young policewoman press her finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet.
Curious, Lin Wangjiu quickly walked to the door as Jiayi whispered, “Don’t let them see me,” and then she hurriedly ran off.
Upon entering the office, Wangjiu saw Sanfu doing something at Jiayi’s desk, puzzled, he asked, “What are you up to? Afraid that Eleven will take your sand exhibition spot, casting spells or setting up a formation?”
“Uncle Jiu, what are you talking about? Whose sand exhibition? It’s certainly not mine. Anyway, Eleven is doing a good job, let her handle it. Would our brothers still trouble her? They definitely support her,” Sanfu said, his expression briefly unnatural before he quickly turned back to his desk, scratching his head with a forced laugh.
Lin Wangjiu, suspicious, glanced at Sanfu and, as usual, went to pray in front of the statue of Guan Gong.
Those about to retire pray each day to live peacefully.
He turned to look at the calendar on the desk, tore off yesterday’s page, and picked up today’s page with a furrowed brow:
“What’s going on? Today is not suitable for any undertakings.”
Uncle Jiu sighed while looking at the old almanac, and Sanfu occasionally stole glances at Jiayi’s desk, looking hesitant and conflicted.
Just then, the hallway suddenly became noisy, and both men instinctively looked out to see a group carrying a large object covered with red cloth turning into the corridor, making a noisy entrance.
“Left side, lift harder.”
“Damn it, don’t walk too fast!”
“Are we there yet? I can hardly carry it anymore!”
“Why is your office so far, officer?”
“Be careful not to scratch the paintings on the wall…”
By the time they reached Team B’s door, Uncle Jiu and the others realized that this object was being moved into their office, and they hurriedly made way.
Under Jiayi’s direction, the group then placed the large object in the farthest corner of the office.
“What is it?” Sanfu peered and asked.
Following behind, Ding Wanzhi answered, “It’s a massage chair. Jiayi bought it from our Hengxiang Wangye, and I gave her a big discount.”
Only then did Sanfu notice Ding Wanzhi following the group, he stiffened awkwardly for a moment before smiling, “Taking care of your sales, huh? Very nice.”
“You can come and sit on it when you’re free, to relax,” Ding Wanzhi said with a friendly smile, nothing like her previous bickering self.
“Is business doing okay? If you need help with sales, I might buy one for my mom too,” Sanfu cautiously made small talk.
“Sure, if you buy it, I’ll definitely give you a discount,” Ding Wanzhi said loyally.
As the two looked into each other’s eyes, they suddenly burst into laughter, the moment carrying a hint of burying the hatchet.
After Jiayi had arranged for the movers to tidy everything up and sent off Ding Wanzhi and the workers from Hengxiang Wangye, she returned to the office just as Brother Yue and the others arrived, curiously inspecting a large item.
Jiayi hurried over, whipped off the red cloth with a flourish, and mimicked the sound of firecrackers:
“Pop-pop-pop-pop…” These were long firecrackers.
“Whoosh—bang!” These were fireworks.
“Ding-ding-ding-ding—chair unveiling ceremony, a perfect reveal!” Jiayi shook the red cloth, proudly showing off the luxurious massage chair to the others.
“Wow, what a grand gesture!” JiaMing approached, marveling at the massage chair.
He had been in awe ever since he saw a sample at Hengxiang Wangye, amazed at how far technology had come—just looking at it seemed comfortable.
And now they actually owned it!
Wow!
That’s pretty awesome!
“We should thank Brother Yue,” Jiayi chuckled, shaking the red cloth toward the direction where Fang Zhenyue was standing, “Brother Yue gives me 5000 yuan each month for our Team B’s afternoon tea, breakfast, and late-night snacks fund. With the leftover money from last month plus this month’s, we had just enough to buy this. Now, whenever we’re working overtime or out on assignments and tired, we can come back to the office and sit in the massage chair.
“It’s really comfortable, I tried each one at Hengxiang Wangye, and this one is the best!”
“Wow, thanks to ‘Old Daddy Fang’ for the gift! And thanks to Little Eleven for the thoughtfulness!” Gary said as he patted the massage chair, speaking loudly.
The nickname sounded a bit off in terms of generations though.
Team A’s Sergeant You Zhaohua passed by the entrance of Team B’s office, peered inside at the scene, and exclaimed appreciatively:
“Wow, your place is getting more and more comfortable, aren’t you tempted not to go home?”
“That’s perfect, just live in the office and work overtime for me,” Fang Zhenyue declared proudly, playing the big boss.
“You’re heartless~” You Zhaohua scoffed before waving goodbye.
Lin Wangjiu, sitting in the massage chair, was full of praise as he tested it, with Gary and Liu Jiaming studying its functions.
Taking advantage of the moment, Sanfu turned to Jiayi, hesitantly took a neatly squared package from his desk drawer, rubbed his fingers, and then approached Jiayi. He nudged her back with his elbow, and when she turned around, he handed her the package.
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