“Beep-boop, beep-boop—”

An ambulance rushed to the public housing unit. Zhang Wu was carried out on a stretcher, with his wife and Zhang Qing following closely behind.

Mrs. Lin clapped her hands in delight. “Serves him right!”

“Mrs. Lin, they’ve already sent him to the hospital. Let it go; don’t get upset over this kind of person,” Mrs. Liang advised.

Mrs. Lin stood with her hands on her hips and snorted. “Who said I’m upset? Look at how smug he was this morning. Now let’s see if his son ends up angering him to death. I’m still waiting for the show to get better.”

The surrounding neighbors couldn’t help but sigh. Few sympathized with Zhang Wu. He and his family had never gotten along well with the neighbors. Even if they didn’t live on the same floor, conflicts were frequent. Moreover, this incident stemmed from their own unkindness. After Lin Peiwen supported Zhang Qing through years of schooling, he turned his back on her as soon as he returned to the country. To put it bluntly, if Zhang Wu ended up dying from anger today, it would be well deserved.

“Xiao Gu, I really have to thank you this time. You helped me get even.”

Mrs. Lin, grateful, brought her niece over to thank Gu Xicao.

She could see that Gu Xicao didn’t have to get involved at all this time. She had done so purely to help them.

“Mrs. Lin, there’s no need to be so polite. You’ve always helped take care of Ah Yuan for me. It’s only right for me to return the favor,” Gu Xicao said, waving her hand.

Lin Peiwen, her voice soft and refined, said, “You shouldn’t put it that way. You’ve helped us immensely this time, and we need to thank you properly. Miss Gu, this is a small token of our gratitude. Please don’t refuse.”

She took out a faded wallet, emptied its contents, and tried to stuff the money into Gu Xicao’s hands.

“There’s no need, really. I can’t take it,” Gu Xicao declined. “We’re neighbors. If I took money for such a small matter, would I still be human? Please, take it back.”

“You must take it,” insisted Mrs. Lin, agreeing with her niece. Seeing that Gu Xicao was adamant, she stuffed the money into Lin Yuan’s schoolbag instead. “Use this to buy some supplementary books for Ah Yuan.”

Lin Yuan: “…”

Seeing their determination, Gu Xicao didn’t want to make a scene in front of everyone. She relented, saying, “Fine, I’ll accept it. In return, let me offer you a fortune-telling session. Peiwen, have you ever considered going back to school?”

“Me?” Lin Peiwen was stunned, pointing to herself. “I’m already 22 years old. Can I still go to school?”

“Of course you can! You’re only 22, not on your deathbed. You’re young—why not go to school?” Gu Xicao patted her shoulder. “You’re hardworking and focused. You’ll do far better in school than Zhang Qing ever could. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll even study abroad.”

Lin Peiwen had never thought about it that way.

She had been raised by her father and started working after middle school. A few years later, her father drank himself to death, forcing her to move in with Mrs. Lin. That’s how she met Zhang Wu. Back then, she admired Zhang Wu for going abroad to study. But she never imagined she could have the same opportunity.

“Do you think I can do it?” Lin Peiwen hesitated. “I only graduated from middle school.”

“You’ll never know unless you try. If you don’t put in the effort, you definitely won’t succeed,” Gu Xicao said. “Start by attending night school to catch up on your studies. Studying won’t be harder than working twelve-hour days, will it?”

“That’s right, Xiao Gu is absolutely correct,” Mrs. Lin chimed in. “Peiwen, you should go to school. If money’s tight, I’ll take on an extra job to support you. No matter what, you have to study!”

Hearing Gu Xicao’s words, Mrs. Lin suddenly realized how short-sighted she had been. She regretted not thinking of this sooner. All that money would’ve been better spent on Peiwen’s education than on supporting someone else.

“I’ll give it a try then,” Lin Peiwen said, swallowing nervously and gathering her courage.

Everyone around encouraged her, with some even offering to introduce night school teachers.

With that settled, Gu Xicao brought Lin Yuan home for dinner.

Just as they finished eating, someone knocked on the door. Lin Yuan was doing the dishes, so Gu Xicao went to open it.

“Brother Yi! It’s you!” Gu Xicao greeted with a smile.

Lin Jianyi saw Lin Yuan washing dishes and said regretfully, “Ah, you’ve already eaten. I brought some char siu to add to your meal.”

“That’s so thoughtful of you. Maybe next time,” Gu Xicao replied, stepping aside. “Come in and sit for a while.”

“No, I have to head back to work,” Lin Jianyi waved her off. “I actually came to ask if you’re free tomorrow. A colleague of mine wants to find a good date for something and asked for your help.”

“Choosing a good date? That’s easy. Tell him to come by tomorrow,” Gu Xicao said. “You didn’t need to come in person for this. A phone call would’ve sufficed.”

“We live in the same building—why bother with a phone call?” Lin Jianyi handed her the char siu. “Consider it a late-night snack. I’ll be off now.”

Without waiting for a reply, he shoved the char siu into her hands, waved his police cap, and strolled off.

Gu Xicao looked at the char siu, amused. Lin Yuan poked his head out, disappointed to see Lin Jianyi already gone. “Oh no! I was hoping he’d stay to play with me after I finished the dishes.”

“He has work to do. Go finish your homework,” Gu Xicao said, opening the box of char siu. She popped a piece into her mouth. It was delicious—savory, sweet, and perfectly balanced.

The next afternoon, Lin Jianyi showed up again, this time with a colleague and the colleague’s partner.

“This is Master Gu,” Lin Jianyi introduced. “She’s helped us crack several cases—her skills are top-notch.” He turned to Gu Xicao. “This is Wan Lingfeng, one of our officers. He’s a good man—reliable and honest.”

“Mr. Wan’s face reflects his integrity. No wonder he exudes such righteousness,” Gu Xicao said, throwing in a compliment. After all, she had eaten his char siu the night before and felt obligated to say something nice.

Wan Lingfeng, a bit shy, scratched his head. He glanced at the woman beside him. “Master Gu, I’m here to ask you to pick a good date for my wedding to Xiaofang.”

The woman, Xiaofang, looked to be in her thirties. She was plainly dressed but neat and tidy. Hearing this, she blushed and smiled. “ Brother Wan, there’s no need to make such a fuss. I think any day would be fine as long as we’re together.”

“Wedding, wedding…”

A slightly overweight, dark-skinned man clapped his hands and repeated the words in a sing-song voice.

Though the man hadn’t spoken much before, it was clear something was off—he seemed mentally impaired.

“Brother, we’re talking. Don’t interrupt,” Xiaofang scolded gently, frowning.

The man giggled, clapping his hands and singing, “Xiaofang’s getting married! The bride goes up to the wedding sedan chair, becomes a bride…”

Xiaofang’s expression grew awkward. She turned to Wan Lingfeng. “Brother Wan, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought my brother. Maybe we should come back another day.”

“Why? It’s not a big deal. He’s just saying a few words—it doesn’t disrupt anything. Master Gu, you don’t mind, do you?” Wan Lingfeng asked, soothing Xiaofang.

Gu Xicao glanced at the man briefly before retracting her gaze. “Of course not. Why would I mind? We need to show more tolerance toward vulnerable groups.”

“You truly have a kind heart, Master. No wonder you’re so capable at such a young age,” Wan Lingfeng said gratefully. He took some money out of his pocket and added, “Ah Fang and I are planning to get married this year. Please help us pick a good date, preferably one that will bless us with children and prosperity.”

As he spoke, his face turned red.

This middle-aged man blushing like this was both amusing and endearing. His sincerity was unmistakable.

Lin Jianyi teased with a laugh, “Brother Wan, you’ve been single for forty years. Took you long enough to think about getting married.”

He then turned to Gu Xicao. “Brother Wan is a great guy. Please put in extra effort for him.”

Gu Xicao hesitated, her fingers gently stroking the handle of her teacup. “Mr. Wan, let me first read your past. This way, you can judge for yourself if I’m accurate. How does that sound?”

Wan Lingfeng looked at Lin Jianyi in surprise. Lin Jianyi reassured him, “Don’t worry. Just listen to whatever the Master says.”

“Alright, Master, go ahead. We even brought our wedding invitation with us.” Wan Lingfeng gestured for Zhao Fang to take out the invitation.

In Hong Kong, wedding traditions were quite formal, requiring matchmakers, elaborate proposals, and written wedding invitations. These invitations usually detailed the couple’s names, ages, and birthdates.

Gu Xicao accepted the invitation, glanced at it briefly, then raised her head. “Mr. Wan, it seems your marriage was delayed by family obligations. Otherwise, your fate would’ve allowed for plenty of marriage opportunities earlier in life.”

Wan Lingfeng nodded earnestly. “That’s correct. My mentor was bedridden for years. His children refused to care for him, so I felt it was my responsibility to step in. He passed away two years ago, and only then did I feel free to consider marriage.”

“Your mentor?” Lin Jianyi was surprised. “Brother Wan, what kind of mentor are we talking about? You took care of him for so many years?”

“You younger ones wouldn’t understand,” Wan Lingfeng replied, shaking his head. “When I first came to Hong Kong as an illegal immigrant, my mentor took me in out of kindness, since we were from the same hometown. He gave me food and a job. How could I not repay that kindness?”

Wan Lingfeng’s expression was calm and composed, without a trace of regret or resentment. His integrity was evident.

“Mr. Wan, you took care of someone for ten whole years. That’s truly admirable,” Gu Xicao said sincerely.

It’s rare for even biological children to care for their parents for so long when they’re bedridden. For Wan Lingfeng to sacrifice his own marriage to repay his mentor’s kindness—he was truly a good man.

“Brother Wan, no wonder, I said you are such a kind and considerate person, why haven’t you gotten married all these years?” Zhao Fang said, her face full of sympathy. “After we get married, let’s visit your mentor’s grave and share this good news. I’m sure he’ll be happy for you in the afterlife.”

Wan Lingfeng was deeply moved. “Ah Fang…”

“Mr. Wan, let’s not get too emotional just yet,” Gu Xicao interrupted with a smile, leaning forward slightly. “How did my reading sound? Was it accurate?”

Wan Lingfeng nodded vigorously. “It was spot-on! Nobody at the station knows about this, not even Xiao Lin. The fact that you figured it out proves you’re truly skilled.”

“In that case, may I offer you some advice? Would you be willing to hear it?” Gu Xicao asked.

“Of course! Is there something specific we need to avoid on our wedding day?” Wan Lingfeng asked eagerly.

Gu Xicao paused for a moment, then shook her head. “No, that’s not it. My advice is that you shouldn’t get married—at least, not to Miss Zhao.”