When Gu Xicao returned home, it was already close to dusk. She was worried that Lin Yuan might have been up to some mischief alone at home, and since she had come back later than usual, she headed straight to her apartment after getting off the car.

As the elevator doors opened, a group of aunties playing cards in the hallway looked up. One of them, Aunt Lin, said, “Xiao Gu, you’ve got guests at home.”

“Guests? Who?” Gu Xicao asked curiously.

Aunt Lin smiled knowingly. “You’ll see when you get inside. Have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet. I had some things to handle today, so I got back late,” Gu Xicao replied as she chatted with them while walking toward her apartment.

Hearing her approach, the guests inside peeked out. Upon seeing her, they greeted her with a smile. “Master Gu.”

“Officer Lin, Officer Sun, what a surprise!”

Gu Xicao froze for a moment, then looked more closely. Seeing Lin Jianyi in an apron, she was even more startled.

Lin Jianyi scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed as he adjusted the apron. “Nothing much. Xiao Sun and I just got off work and thought we’d drop by to thank you. We brought some food, but you weren’t home.”

“Sis, Officer Lin brought roast duck and poached chicken! Come on in!” Lin Yuan called out excitedly, pulling her inside.

Inside, a small table had been set up in the limited space of the apartment. The roast duck and poached chicken were already plated, and Sun Zhaoqian had even opened a few bottles of cola.

The sight of the simple but thoughtful setup took Gu Xicao by surprise, but it also warmed her heart.

Lin Jianyi had even stir-fried a plate of water spinach.

Sun Zhaoqian couldn’t stop praising him. “Master Gu, you have to try this. Brother Jianyi’s cooking is top-notch. It’s rare to get a chance to taste his food!”

“It’s just a stir-fry. Nothing special. Don’t overpraise me,” Lin Jianyi said modestly, rubbing his nose. He motioned for them to start eating.

Gu Xicao took a bite of the water spinach. It was crisp, tender, and flavorful, with a distinct wok aroma. She nodded in approval. “Officer Lin, with skills like this, you could make a decent living as a chef.”

“It’s just basic home cooking. I could never be a professional chef.”

Seeing her enjoy the food, Lin Jianyi visibly relaxed. He placed a piece of poached chicken on Lin Yuan’s plate and began discussing the real reason for their visit.

“The case involving that fake Master Bai has been handed over to the serious crimes unit. The testimonies are solid, and it looks like the case will be resolved soon. If all goes well, that group will be facing the electric chair!”

“That’s great news!” Lin Yuan clapped his hands in excitement. “Officer Lin, our landlord said they found a lot of baby corpses in that temple. Those people are horrible! They should all be sentenced to death!”

At the mention of the corpses, Sun Zhaoqian’s expression darkened. He took a sip of cola and sighed. “It’s a pity we can’t touch the rich folks involved.”

“What do you mean?” Gu Xicao asked, her curiosity piqued.

Sun Zhaoqian explained, “The people who caused those baby deaths are connected to some very powerful individuals. Many of them are close to the Governor of Hong Kong. Orders have come down not to trace this back to them.”

Gu Xicao nodded, now understanding.

To be honest, she wasn’t surprised. Before the handover in 1997, corruption and collusion were rampant in Hong Kong. The fact that the authorities had managed to catch Master Bai and his followers was already a pleasant surprise to her.

“Sergeant Chen tried his best, but there’s nothing he can do. Brother Jianyi and I couldn’t stand it, so we came back here.”

Sun Zhaoqian finished his cola in one gulp, as if trying to drown his frustration. “I knew the system was corrupt, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad.”

Lin Jianyi stayed silent, his face etched with frustration.

Gu Xicao glanced at the two men. Lin Yuan, who had been happily enjoying the lively atmosphere and delicious food, now seemed to lose his appetite. The roast duck and poached chicken no longer tasted as good with the air so heavy.

“Officers Lin and Sun,” Gu Xicao said after taking a bite of rice. She raised her head, a smile lighting up her face. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course, we do!” Sun Zhaoqian replied with a chuckle. “My mom says Brother Jianyi and I must have stepped in dog poop to be lucky enough to meet a master like you. Two cases solved back-to-back—what are the odds?”

“If you trust me, then listen closely. If I told you that Hong Kong would improve significantly after the 1997 handover, that the corruption and collusion you see now would gradually disappear…”

Gu Xicao’s expression was resolute, her tone firm. “If I said that good officers like you would become ‘citizens’ friends,’ respected and valued, while the corrupt would be arrested, would you believe me?”

Lin Jianyi and Sun Zhaoqian were stunned.

Everyone knew the handover was coming, but most people didn’t understand what it would mean. Some thought things would get worse, fueled by fearmongering propaganda. Many were desperate to emigrate.

Although Lin Jianyi and Sun Zhaoqian didn’t believe the worst-case scenarios, they also couldn’t predict what the future would hold.

But looking at Gu Xicao’s unwavering confidence and hope, they couldn’t help but feel a spark of optimism.

“All right, I believe you!” Lin Jianyi raised his cola. “If Master Gu says it’ll happen, then it must be true. Let’s toast to that future!”

Sun Zhaoqian snapped out of his thoughts and quickly raised his bottle. “Count me in. If that day comes, Master Gu, we’ll make sure to bring you a special banner!”

“Me too!” Lin Yuan joined in, grinning as he lifted his bottle.

Clink!

The sound of their toast echoed, and in that moment, Lin Jianyi made a silent vow:

No matter what, he would be a good officer. If the police force was corrupt, then he would be the one to break through the darkness.

After dinner, Lin Yuan eagerly insisted on cleaning up. Gu Xicao didn’t stop him—after all, he had grown up learning to be responsible.

“By the way, Master Gu, why weren’t you at Temple Street today?” Sun Zhaoqian asked casually as he helped clear the table.

Gu Xicao thought for a moment before replying, “I was hired for a private reading. It was a complicated case and took some time. But I’ll be back at Temple Street tomorrow.”

“That’s a relief. Brother Jianyi and I were worried something had happened to you.”

Sun Zhaoqian looked visibly reassured. After helping tidy up, he and Lin Jianyi bid their goodbyes.

Gu Xicao saw them off at the elevator doors and then returned. She had gained quite a bit today. Cai Yongcheng, the so-called Toy King, truly lived up to his name. Generous as ever, he had given her half a million directly.

Gu Xicao planned to save this money for a house in the future. Currently, housing prices were exorbitant, with even the simplest property costing millions. Not only was it impractical, but staying in such places wouldn’t feel safe for her and Xiao Yuan.

It made more sense to continue living in the housing unit, where she knew her neighbors well, and they would notify her immediately if anything unusual happened.

“Brother Yi, I want to…”

As they descended the stairs, Sun Zhaoqian hesitated, his lips moving as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t quite get the words out.

Lin Jianyi, with his hands in his pockets, smiled and said, “You want to go back to the police station, right?”

Sun Zhaoqian’s face flushed, but he quickly caught on. “Brother Yi, you want to go back too, don’t you?”

“Yes. What Xiao Gu said earlier made me realize something.” Lin Jianyi’s gaze grew firm, the streetlight illuminating his resolute face. “The darkness in the police force isn’t something that appeared overnight. It’s naive to think we can change it all at once. But as long as we don’t give up, we’ll eventually see the light.”

“Exactly!”

Sun Zhaoqian cheered excitedly. “Brother Yi, that’s the spirit! Even elementary school textbooks talk about Yu Gong moving mountains. Compared to him, the two of us are definitely more capable. There’s no way we can’t shift this black mountain!”

The two of them laughed and chatted as they made their way back to the station.

Their senior sister was shocked to see them return. She hurriedly pulled them aside, half scolding and half warning. “You dare to come back?!”

Sun Zhaoqian grinned cheekily. “Senior Sister, what’s the matter?”

“What’s the matter? You two practically flipped the station upside down arguing with Sergeant Chen before you left. Just now, he even cursed at Brother Zhou, assigning him to guard the reservoir. Now he’s in his office, yelling into the phone, scaring the rest of us so much that no one dares to leave for the night.”

Her tone carried both frustration and concern. “I’m just saying this for your own good. Lin and Sun, you may have made your contributions, but that doesn’t mean you can act arrogantly. Offending Sergeant Chen isn’t going to do you any favors.”

“Understood. Thanks for the reminder, Senior Sister,” Lin Jianyi replied, much calmer now.

Reflecting on their earlier outburst, Lin Jianyi regretted having openly argued with Sergeant Chen in front of everyone, embarrassing him in the process.

Determined to make amends, Lin Jianyi grabbed Sun Zhaoqian and headed straight to Sergeant Chen’s office.

He knocked on the door.

Inside, Sergeant Chen’s impatient voice barked out, “Come in! What’s with all the knocking? If you break the door, you’re paying for it!”

Lin Jianyi pushed open the door. Sergeant Chen was just pulling out a pack of cigarettes. Upon seeing who it was, his expression darkened immediately. “Oh, it’s you two? Didn’t you say you were disappointed in me and wanted to quit? What’s this, handing in your resignation letters?”

“Sergeant Chen, we’re here to apologize.”

Lin Jianyi pulled Sun Zhaoqian inside, closed the door behind them, and stepped forward to light Sergeant Chen’s cigarette.

Sergeant Chen raised an eyebrow, took a drag, and leaned back in his chair. “Well, well. Is the sun rising in the west today? Aren’t you two the righteous knights who vowed to cut ties with me?”

Sometimes, the streets demand a reckoning.

The harsher their words during their argument, the more awkward their apology now.

Thick-skinned as ever, Sun Zhaoqian quipped, “Sergeant, you’re the real Judge Bao. Brother Yi and I are just your Ox-Head and Horse-Face.”

“What nonsense about Ox-Head and Horse-Face? You think I’m the King of Hell?”

Sergeant Chen flicked his cigarette at Sun Zhaoqian.

Sun Zhaoqian caught it deftly. “Thanks for the cigarette, Sergeant. You truly have a magnanimous heart, not holding a grudge and even gifting us American smokes!”

Sergeant Chen was momentarily speechless at his shamelessness. His lips twitched, but his expression softened considerably. “Cut the nonsense and get out there and work. The Major Crimes Unit thinks they can take all the credit? Back when I was on the streets, they were still in diapers!”

“Sergeant, did you get the case back?!” Lin Jianyi asked in surprise.

Sergeant Chen sneered. “Of course. Otherwise, how could I call myself a sergeant? Isn’t that right, Brother Yi?”

Lin Jianyi: “…”

Offending a petty and vengeful superior was indeed awkward.

Seeing their obedient demeanor, Sergeant Chen finally felt satisfied and waved them off.

As Lin Jianyi and Sun Zhaoqian left, their senior sister and others crowded around them.

“How did it go?”

Sun Zhaoqian gave an “OK” gesture. “The sergeant is magnanimous and didn’t hold it against us. By the way, why didn’t you tell us he got the case back?”

“We didn’t get the chance to,” their senior sister replied. “Oh, by the way, I wanted to ask you something. This afternoon, there was a case at the Tai Ping Ding station. They say Master Gu helped the Toy King find his biological son. Do you know anything about that?”

Both Lin Jianyi and Sun Zhaoqian froze.

“The Toy King found his son?!” Sun Zhaoqian exclaimed.

“Yes, it was even on TV just now. How could you not know?” the senior sister said, puzzled. “I thought you were close to Master Gu and might have some inside scoop. They say the Toy King’s sister-in-law lost the child and even killed someone. My husband mentioned the Tai Ping Ding station will be working overtime tonight to dig up a body!”

Her husband worked at the Tai Ping Ding station, so the information seemed credible.

Lin Jianyi and Sun Zhaoqian were stunned.

Sun Zhaoqian scratched his chin. “We asked Xiao Gu earlier, and she just said she had some errands to run. Who would’ve thought it was something this big? She’s really humble.”

Lin Jianyi was increasingly impressed by Gu Xicao. The Toy King’s son had been missing for over twenty years, with ads in newspapers offering rewards for clues. After so long, most people believed the child was either dead or sold off elsewhere.

Yet, Gu Xicao had managed to find him.