Babysitting fees

Jia dragged Mingshen out of the theater at a place where they could be alone.

"Mingshen, I know that you don't care about the investigation nor the people involved in it, but you equally don't need to bother voicing your opinions regarding someone's personal life either!"

Mingshen leisurely propped against the wall and said with a carefree smile, "Aish, Spicy. I don't need to explicitly tell you that where his wife is lying sick back at home, he is quite enjoying the company of another woman himself. And by enjoying, you know what I exactly mean."

Jia was seething with indignation. "Of course I know what you mean. I am not blind to not notice their 'more-than-friendship' something. But at the same time I am a cop too. No matter what anybody's personal circumstances are, it is not my business to be judgemental of it. Police officers are always expected to be respectful, professional and impartial. Our job is to only find the truth and give justice, not insult someone with our personal opinions!"

"That is a binding your favorite law has put over you. But neither Yang Mingshen nor my assistant Lu Bojing has that restriction. We are not cops," he winked. "Your hands might be tied up with invisible handcuffs, but not ours."

"Do you realize that Dai Fengge or Yin Xiaoling may consider filing a complaint against us citing unprofessional behavior? Do you know what kind of a stain that might put on Huojin, Xiyang and all the other officer's lives who honestly work day and night to serve the country? You are not a cop, yes, but you ARE still a part of the team. You are viewed as someone who works together WITH all of us. That effectively puts us all as one unit, so your actions naturally will have repercussions on us too!"

He tilted his head, bewildered. "What does that have to do with me?"

Jia balled her fist, almost raising it to punch his face.

Mingshen smiled. "I am a free bird, my dear. I always have been. Your law cannot bind me into doing or not doing something. I speak or keep my silence according to my own will."

"And your will was to taunt Dai Fengge's marital conduct at a time when he is suffering from a loss?" She narrowed her eyes.

"At a time when it was supposed to be his wife holding onto his shoulder, not a third woman," he chuckled.

Jia stared at him.

"Since when does Yang Mingshen care about morals? If Dai Fengge is cheating on his wife then of course, he deserves to be punished. But since when do YOU care about someone's unjust actions?" She was genuinely stupefied. "You? Seriously, you?"

He pouted. "I hate cocky men like him."

"..."

"Says a cocky person himself."

"I am cocky for all the right reasons my dear~"

"Yang Mingshen you-"

"Mam Jia!" Officer Xiyang waved at her and came hopping to her side with little Yun by his side. "Mam, Dai Yun is done with his meal," he brightly smiled. "Haha, he ate a lot."

Her eyes glimmered, and she ruffled his head. "That's good! Children should eat a lot!"

Yun seemed as if he was remembering something and earnestly said, "Th-thank you big sis…"

"Aiya, you have such good manners."

Officer Xiyang nodded too. "Yes, yes, he was such a patient boy while waiting for food to arrive. He is really a very good boy. He thanked me too!"

Yun shyly spoke, "Mom t-teach me. Be a good boy and wait. Say thank you who do something nice for you."

Jia gave him a warm smile. "Your mother has taught you well."

She looked up at Xiyang and asked, "Can you keep him company for sometime, Xiyang? We are yet to question other witnesses."

"Ah, I am sorry Mam! I have to help Assistant Lu in moving…" he coughed. He couldn't say out loud about moving Dai Yaling's body for post mortem.

Jia understood him. "Ah that's right. Then-"

"Jia," Huojin called her from inside. "The people who were around Mrs. Dai's seat during the movie are ready for questioning."

"Coming!"

She hastily looked at Xiyang. "Just be with Yun for sometime. I will be back."

"No problem, Mam!"

She bent towards Yun and smiled. "Will you stay with the big brother for sometime?"

Yun nodded his head. "Okay."

"Thank you!"

Jia then shot a warning look at Mingshen. "You better stay away from any sort of human population. If you run your mouth like you did before again, I will personally sew it shut forever."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "I am cool with it. There is a scarcity of intelligent people to hold meaningful conversations with anyway."

Officer Xiyang - "..."

Jia left to assist Huojin for interrogation while Officer Xiyang roamed and played around with Yun for a while.

But eventually he had to leave too to help Bojing in moving Dai Yaling into the ambulance. The other officers were also occupied with their respective tasks so he wasn't sure what to do with Yun.

He saw Mingshen, who was lazily relaxing on a nearby couch. Though Jia had warned him to stay away from people in general, Officer Xiyang had no choice but to approach him. He cleared his throat as he stood before him. Mingshen raised his brow up.

"Sir, if you don't mind, can you look after Dai Yun for sometime? I will quickly help your assistant and be back."

Mingshen smiled. "How much cash do you have on you?"

He blinked in confusion.

Why is he asking about my money?

"Not sure, Sir...Around three or four hundred Yuan maybe?"

Mingshen brought his palm forward. "Hand it over."

Officer Xiyang didn't understand his intention at all. Nevertheless, he handed him all the money he had in his wallet.

"Leave."

"Ah? What do you want to do with the money?"

Mingshen looked at him as if it was so obvious. "My fees for looking after the kid."

"..."

He sneered. "Did you think that I would babysit for free?"

Officer Xiyang was left speechless.

You are charging money to look after a child!?

"Close your jaw, Officer, or a fly might sneak in your mouth," Mingshen chuckled.

"T-that…But my money…My money…" he painfully looked at his money filling Mingshen's wallet thicker.

Why did I suddenly go broke!? He broke down in silent tears. But before Mingshen, he couldn't gather much courage to protest any further.

"Little Yun. Stay with big brother for sometime, will you?" He spoke, his eyes stinging with tears from the loss of his precious money.

"Okay."

He turned around and lethargically dragged his feet away in lament, making Mingshen yawn. "So dramatic."

He shot a lazy look at Yun and said, "You want to keep standing the whole time or will you sit already?"