The lights at the Yau Ma Tei Police Station stayed on all night. Colleagues from the Major Crime Unit, the Forensic Department, the Medical Examiner’s Office, and other departments worked tirelessly on the Ferry Street dismemberment case until dawn, finally wrapping up their work.
Dragging their exhausted bodies, everyone left like zombies, heading home. Despite their fatigue, their minds were set on catching up on sleep and returning in the afternoon to continue their work.
They needed to prepare abundant evidence to bring Zhang Dafu, who had caused them sleepless nights and heartache, to court!
When Lin Wangjiu arrived at the police station, he found the office empty, knowing that the detectives who had patrolled the streets the night before were probably pulling an all-nighter.
A new name appeared on the office whiteboard: Zhang Dafu.
There were also many reports and documents on the detectives’ desks. Lin Wangjiu sat down and read through them one by one, finally understanding everyone’s progress from the previous day.
To have caught the suspect after just one night’s patrol was nothing short of miraculous!
After reviewing the information for a while, he went to burn incense in front of the statue of Guan Gong, thanking the gods before returning to work.
Suddenly, the office phone rang, and he absentmindedly answered it—since then, he hadn’t had a moment’s rest all morning.
“Uncle Jiu, last night, in the dark, Brother Da Guangming and the others conducted a survey at the crime scene under unfavorable conditions. Although they searched thoroughly, we still want to revisit the scene in daylight. Do you have time to join us? Accompany us for a visit?” his colleague from the Forensic Department asked over the phone.
“No problem, I’ll bring a uniformed officer with me. Let’s meet at the garage.”
“All the police cars are out today, can we ride with Uncle Jiu in his car?”
“Sure, I’ll be the driver.”
Thus, with the forensic investigation, he visited neighbors, collecting more evidence and information, staying busy for an hour and a half.
After returning to the police station, he picked up a fan from Liu Jiaming’s desk to fan himself, complaining that Little Eleven was not around, so he couldn’t even get a drink of cold water, when the phone rang again.
“Hello, Uncle Jiu, this is Davis from the Forensic Department. We’ve reassembled all the body parts here. Based on the fingerprints and other information from the existing remains, we can use the intranet to search for the victims. Initial examination and analysis have also yielded some personal information about each victim, which should help you pinpoint some of the missing persons more accurately. Please have the victims’ families come to the Forensic Department to identify the bodies. Uncle Jiu, do you have time to come and pick up the report and documents?”
“Sure, I’ll come up right away.”
After Lin Wangjiu received the documents, he integrated them one by one.
He found the list of missing persons previously screened by Gary, did two more rounds of screening based on the new information, and in the blink of an eye, nearly an hour had passed.
He was exhausted, his brain was throbbing, his eyes were sore, and his heart was pounding with anxiety.
He found some leftover walnut pastries from the fridge, complaining that Little Eleven wasn’t around, and even when hungry, he couldn’t find a small snack to temporarily satisfy his hunger. It was really tough.
Afterwards, he returned to work, completed the third round of screening, and then picked up the phone to call one by one, asking the families of these eligible missing persons to come and identify the bodies as soon as possible.
After finishing all the tasks, he stretched lazily. It was already noon, and he hadn’t felt this fulfilled in a long time.
Looking back at what he had done, he realized that he had done so much, and amazingly, it was all done by himself.
Lin Wangjiu, who had been lazy for many years, suddenly felt a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
With no one else around, he had no choice but to go eat noodles alone, silently experiencing the loneliness of the strong.
As he walked out of the office, passing by the whiteboard, he glanced at the name Zhang Dafu written on it, picked up the red marker from the groove, opened it, and forcefully circled Zhang Dafu’s name in red.
Then he stood at the door, admiring the red circle for a while, feeling that he had drawn it as standard and round as Jiayi would, before smiling contentedly and leaving.
Qiu Sushan opened the office door, wanting to call Lin Wangjiu to accompany her in taking Zhang Dafu to various streets in Sham Shui Po to retrace the steps of the murder scene.
Seeing Uncle Jiu leisurely walking out, she lifted her arm to check the time. Surprisingly, it was already past eleven o’clock, time for lunch.
She pursed her lips and decided to let Uncle Jiu go for brunch first.
Taking a deep breath, she watched the rare lively figure of Lin Wangjiu, couldn’t help but sigh:
Since Yi Jiayi joined the Major Crime Unit, even Uncle Jiu has become enthusiastic and enterprising, as if a fresh young life injected soul and strength back into the Major Case Unit.
Turning back to the office, she stretched lazily.
As the madam herself, she couldn’t show weakness either.
She couldn’t let Fang Zhenyue take the lead in revisiting the crime scene in the afternoon. She had to go there personally!
…
…
Yi Jiayi slept until midday, feeling numb all over when stretching in bed.
After washing up, she rode her bike to Yi Ji’s for lunch.
As soon as Yi Jiadong saw her, he pulled her to a seat and looked her over. Although she didn’t dress up, she still looked youthful and beautiful, which satisfied him:
“You sit down, lunch will be ready soon.”
Yi Jiayi obediently sat down, watching her brother cook for a while, and even found time to make milk tea for the customers who came to buy Yi’s Iced Delight.
Luckily, making milk tea wasn’t too difficult, otherwise, she would have been really overwhelmed.
“Brother, have you considered hiring more help? Aren’t you too busy?” Yi Jiayi stood up, thinking of helping in the kitchen, but was pushed back to the table by Yi Jiadong, “You have to work today, can’t have you smelling like oil and smoke, sit down and don’t make a mess.”
With that, he waved his hand to fan away the nonexistent oil smoke above Yi Jiayi’s head.
She could only sit obediently and watch as the line for buying milk tea gradually formed. Her older brother waited while the food in the pot heated up, simultaneously making milk tea for the customers.
After serving a group of customers buying drinks, he went back to the stove to cook the next delicious dish.
Jiayi was about to start eating when her brother stopped her. “Auntie Mi insists on being your matchmaker, saying she wants to bring someone to have a meal with you. I couldn’t refuse, so just treat it as having two more people joining us for dinner. If you don’t like it, just ignore them, okay?”
Jiayi was stunned, and Auntie Mi arrived with her own son.
Although Yi Jiadong felt that no one was worthy of his sister, he warmly welcomed them with the mentality that guests are to be treated well. He invited them to sit at the same table as Jiayi.
After carefully observing the son of Auntie Mi, Yi Jiadong made some silent comments in his heart and then served, saying, “The dishes will be ready soon, you can chat first, chat first!”
Then he patted Jiayi’s shoulder and turned to the kitchen.
The son had a delicate appearance, slim, with neat short hair, and a standard sitting posture, like a suspect in an interrogation room afraid of being scolded by the police.
“Jiayi, you’re 20 years old this year, right? Time flies, you’ve grown up so fast.”
Auntie Mi smiled as she sat beside her son, looking at Jiayi. She was much bolder than her own son.
From head to toe, the more she looked, the more she liked. Yi Jiadong had really taken good care of his younger siblings, even when their parents weren’t around, they didn’t lack nutrition.
Seeing Auntie Mi squinting and straining her neck, Jiayi really wanted to stand up and make things clear for her, so she wouldn’t have to make an effort.
But thinking is just thinking after all. Most people only go wild and brave in their imagination. When it comes to real action, they are obedient and introverted.
But thinking is just that—thinking. Most people only act crazy and brave in their imaginations. In reality, they end up being well-behaved and introverted.
“When you were on TV, you looked a bit chubbier than in person. Now sitting face to face, you seem a bit slimmer. You should eat more.” After serving the dishes, Auntie Mi, with a strong sense of hospitality, helped Yi Jiayi with her food and couldn’t help but give advice. Her son only glanced at Yi Jiayi occasionally, a scholarly air about him, thoroughly suppressed by his mother.
“The newspapers also said that this year’s new police officers have a promising future. It seems you are highly regarded! But the male officers on camera don’t do as well; they’re either too old or too fierce. You need to find a good man, but you’d better look outside the police station.” Auntie Mi kept chattering on, clearly promoting her own son.
The young man was clearly uncomfortable, smiling bitterly when making eye contact with Yi Jiayi.
“Don’t listen to Auntie Mi’s nonsense, being a detective is truly impressive! I see many police chiefs who are formidable and charming. Our Xiaoqiang takes you as his role model, saying he also wants to be a cop in the future. It’s not about where you find someone, but whom you like!” The owner of a roast meat stall, Uncle Fatty, stood by and interrupted Auntie Mi.
The neighborhood of Sham Shui Po in Hong Kong doesn’t have the virtue of ‘minding one’s own business.’ When faced with injustices, they always have to argue a bit and settle right from wrong.
“Right, Jiayi, you looked so beautiful on TV, the whole of Hong Kong’s young talents must be lining up, huh? Auntie Mi, you need to get in line! How much does your son make a month? How tall is he? Come on, let’s discuss this. The papers say Officer Yi upholds justice, is full of integrity and loyalty, a blessing for Hong Kong! Such a person is a treasure for all of Hong Kong; as citizens and neighbors, we must help safeguard it!” A lady eating stir-fried noodles at another table also chimed in, pointing with her fingers.
Yi Jiayi’s cheeks flushed with praise, and she gave Uncle Fatty and the noodle lady continuous sweet smiles.
Keep the compliments coming; I love hearing them.
Just after Yi Jiadong made a milk tea, he handed it to a lady in a pencil skirt at the office door and listened cheerfully to everyone chatting as he leaned over the drink-making counter.
Don’t worry about having delays, it happens! Thanks for the chapters as always!
Thanka for chapter🐤