Ding Wanzhi finished meeting with the business partners at half past nine in the evening. She declined their offer to give her a ride and collapsed in her seat, closing her eyes to rest.
If she had taken a ride with the business partners, she would have had to keep dealing with them on the road. After a whole day of work, she no longer wanted to say another word to these work-related people.
After resting for a while, she started packing up her things to leave.
The office was already empty. She turned off the lights, greeted the security guard, and just as she stepped out, someone suddenly approached her.
Ding Wanzhi was startled, but when the person spoke, she recognized her as the young female detective from the Major Crime team who had visited Hengxiang during the day.
“Did you really come?” Ding Wanzhi glanced at her watch; it was almost ten o’clock. “You Major crime team members really push yourselves hard, huh? From past to present, nothing has changed. Does none of you have a family?”
Clearly, she was filled with resentment about the detectives from the Major Crime team working overtime and not going home.
It must all be Sanfu’s fault.
Jiayi didn’t respond to her complaint but smiled and said, “Sister Wanzhi, can we sit somewhere and talk?”
Ding Wanzhi noticed that the detective did not use formal titles like ‘Miss Ding’ or ‘Miss Ding’ but instead affectionately called her ‘sister.’
With a smirk, she adjusted her hair and looked up at the moon, whispering, “Indeed, it’s been a while since I last went to a bar.”
…
Eight minutes later, the two women entered James Bar in Mong Kok.
They found a dimly lit corner that was out of sight and sat at a small round table across from each other.
While looking at the drink menu, Jiayi was clueless. Despite her two lives combined, she had never really drunk alcohol, let alone knew what tasted good, what was strong, and what was weak in such settings.
“Is this your first time at a bar?” Ding Wanzhi quickly figured it out and laughingly ordered a low-alcohol cocktail for Jiayi, similar in strength to ‘drunken crab,’ and a high-alcohol Long Island iced tea for herself.
After ordering the drinks, there was an awkward silence between them for a while until Jiayi tried to figure out how to start a casual conversation before getting to the main topic.
Ding Wanzhi, a skilled salesperson, smiled and took the initiative to speak:
“How is Tan Sanfu doing these days? Still working as hard? Does he sleep at the station or go home?”
“Brother Sanfu goes home to sleep. Recently, our case-solving rate has been pretty good, and we solve cases quite quickly, so there’s no need to stay overnight at the station,” Jiayi hurriedly replied.
“Ha, he’s got his freedom now, no longer the man who doesn’t go home?” Ding Wanzhi couldn’t help but mock.
Jiayi gave an awkward smile.
Two glasses of alcohol were placed on the table. One was square, simple, and unadorned, seemingly with a high alcohol content—it belonged to Ding Wanzhi.
The other glass, cradled by a mermaid-shaped cup, appeared flashy and superficial, like an embroidered pillow, likely low in alcohol content—it was the young policewoman’s.
“Alright, I won’t ask about him. You tell me, what do you want to know? I’ll tell you everything I know, okay?” Ding Wanzhi took a sip of her drink and sighed softly.
With the sound of jazz music titled “Just for fun” in the background, she grabbed a nut and chewed it, blending its taste with the alcohol, prompting one to close their eyes and immerse themselves in a world of blissful oblivion.
“Wanzhi, do you know any gossip about Zhou Jianguo?” Jiayi also tasted her drink, named “Girl’s Summer.” Initially, the taste of fruit hit her palate, followed by a light milky flavor, ending with a slight sourness mixed with rum—a bartender’s impression of a young girl.
“Who doesn’t have a past? Some stories are funny, some are sad,” Ding Wanzhi raised her eyebrows, handed a nut to Jiayi, and smiled, saying:
“You know what we salespeople do. Some just honestly introduce products, dealing with negotiations, contracts, arranging product trials, logistics—all sorts of hard and tedious work.”
“Some are different; male salespeople might take male clients to Portland Street to find famous courtesans, or know all the best places to find companions. Once men have shared such experiences, their relationship changes, making business much easier.”
“For female salespeople, those who are attractive might take things into their own hands. It’s easy money and gifts for them, and they don’t lose anything by it.”
“There are many like this.”
Jiayi was astounded.
“Why do you look at me like that? I don’t do those things,” Ding Wanzhi playfully threatened in front of Jiayi and then smiled, “Although Wang Yongtao is Zhou Jianguo’s usual contact, there are other salespeople eager to snatch this client away. We have a very pretty young lady in our department, She Jingjing. Snatching clients isn’t new to her. Since Zhou Jianguo came to Hong Kong, She Jingjing has been arranging meals with him, even foot massages, claiming there’s nothing between them, but I don’t believe it.”
“She Jingjing, huh? Do you have her photo, Wanzhi?” Jiayi quickly pulled out a notebook from under the table and began taking notes without hesitation.
Ding Wanzhi took the young policewoman’s notebook, wrote down She Jingjing’s name, and then said:
“I’m just sharing gossip, not statements. I’m not responsible for the truth of these matters.”
“Understood, I’ll look into it,” Jiayi replied earnestly.
“That’s good then,” Ding Wanzhi nodded, “Other than She Jingjing, I don’t know if Zhou Jianguo has other lovers.”
“I’m going to use the restroom, Wanzhi,” Jiayi said, having drunk a cup of milk tea earlier and now feeling the effects of the alcohol.
“In places like this, try not to leave your drink unattended. If you must go to the restroom, don’t drink from the same glass when you return. Even with someone like me, whom you’ve only met once and seems harmless, you should still be cautious, little sister,” Ding Wanzhi tilted her head, drinking and kindly advising.
Jiayi glanced at Ding Wanzhi, then at the direction of the restroom, and finally set her gaze on the 【Young Girl’s Summer】 in front of her before finally settling down comfortably.
Drinking it all in one gulp was definitely impossible.
But she couldn’t bear to part with this drink either!
So, she endured the urge to use the bathroom and continued to sip the wine slowly—after all, it wasn’t that urgent!
Ding Wanzhi laughed heartily at her antics, patting the young policewoman’s arm, and then said:
“Let me tell you another piece of gossip.”
“Ah?” Jiayi perked up her ears.
“She Jingjing has been in a long-term relationship with our department’s manager. It’s been more than half a year, and it seems that the manager almost broke up with his fiancée to marry her. But for some reason, they called it off and didn’t speak to each other for a long time despite working together. You can tell, She Jingjing absolutely hated the manager. But in the past two months, it seems like she has gotten over it, not only does she not hate the manager anymore, but it also seems like they have resumed their improper relationship.” Ding Wanzhi propped her cheek with one hand and sighed:
“Men and women in the city, constantly breaking up and making up, it’s quite fascinating… and yet so pointless.”
Women who have been divorced from Brother Sanfu have so many reflections on life.
It’s unknown what exactly happened between her and Brother Sanfu.
The two chatted more about gossip and idle talk, and as it was nearly 11 PM and their drinks were almost finished, it was time to go their separate ways.
When Jiayi went to the counter to pay, Ding Wanzhi held her hand back and cheerfully said:
“I don’t know if this helps, but let me treat you, kiddo.”
“No, I was the one who asked Sister Wanzhi out, it should be my treat.” Jiayi shook her head quickly.
The cashier smiled at them, “Someone has already paid for you two ladies.” He pointed to a man sitting alone at the entrance, leisurely rotating a juice cup in his hand, occasionally glancing around with a cool and enchanting demeanor.
No wonder the bar’s security was much better today; the usual rowdy young men thought Fang Zhenyue, who sat majestically at the entrance, was the bar’s new security staff, which might have intimidated them a bit.
Ding Wanzhi also observed Fang Zhenyue; the dim light flickered over his handsome face and broad shoulders, illuminating the man who led the team to Hengxiang earlier that day:
“I’ve always heard that Sergeant Fang is very generous, treating team members like his own sons, and indeed, his reputation is well-deserved.”
“…” ‘Little son’ Jiayi grinned, revealing that her ‘Father Fang’s’ social niceties had been spotted.
Fang Zhenyue saw Ding Wanzhi and, realizing she had noticed him too, stopped pretending to be a stranger. He stood up, stretched lazily, and approached the counter to ask Ding Wanzhi:
“It’s getting late, where do you live?”
Ding Wanzhi gave her address, and Fang Zhenyue nodded, “I’ll drop you off first, then Eleven.”
“Thank you, Officer Fang.” When she was married to Sanfu, she missed a ride in Sergeant Fang’s car, but now, after a drink with Yi Jiayi, she had the honor of a ride.
As the three stepped out of the bar, the nightlife of Hong Kong was just beginning, with many young people bustling through the streets of Mong Kok, showing no signs of fatigue.
Even during what should be a leisurely evening, people accustomed to a fast pace still walked briskly.
In this world without surveillance, in a city that develops at breakneck speed, everyone is racing against time, and no one notices those who brush past, whether they disappear from this world completely after turning the corner.
The bright moon shone brilliantly, illuminating the insignificant humanity. Watching them come storming in like a tempest, and leave quietly like specks of dust.
When Fang Zhenyue stepped on the accelerator and lightly turned the steering wheel, driving down Mong Kok Road to take Ding Wanzhi and Jiayi home, two streets south of Mong Kok Road, in a neighborhood, a figure stumbled out of a residential building, desperately fleeing into the shadows.