Getting Involved

"I merely stated a fact. I have no ties here… I can leave if you're dissatisfied with my services. What is it going to be?"

"You think you can leave just yet?"

Old man Shen wore a vicious expression.

"If you don't want to sleep in jail, you better not go missing for even a second for the next six days. And you watch your attitude, I hate cocky brats like you the most."

Old man Shen hadn't expected Zhi Luan to give such an answer. And Zhi Luan remained calm despite the old man's threat. He wasn't offended much by the old man's outburst, as he thought it normal for the old man to have some misgivings about him. He could only endure the old man's attitude for the next six, and if there was no change after that, he would simply leave.

Zhi Luan, as if he hadn't heard what old man Shen just said gave a reply of his own,

"I'm done cleaning. If there's nothing else to do, I'll be upstairs."

He said, and left the kitchen, leaving old man Shen alone to fume in anger.

But as soon as Zhi Luan approached the stairs, the door to the restaurant opened.

"Old man Shen, I'm not late, am I?"

Mr. Lee walked in with a mischievous smile. He was the one who had witnessed the agreement between Zhi Luan and old man Shen.

"Do you even have to ask? Look what the time is, I'm closed for the day. You should go back home before your wife comes to drag you by the teeth again."

"You know I work late, cut me some slack."

"I don't care, go home."

Old man Shen was firm and wouldn't approve.

Mr. Lee wore a pitiful expression as he prepared to leave. He then shook his head,

"I thought I could share what my wife told me about what happened to Qincheng yesterday, but I guess I'll have to come another day. With my work ending so late, I don't when I'll be able to come by again."

Hearing Yan Qincheng's name, old man Shen's firm expression faltered.

"Qincheng? What happened to her? Tell me!"

"I wish I could, but I'm so hungry… I can barely stand. I feel light-headed too…"

"Alright, fine. I could make an exception just this one time… it's like making a deal with the devil."

Old man Shen unwillingly agreed while grumbling about it. He then signaled to Zhi Luan who had been there the whole time. Zhi Luan understood what the signal meant, and went back into the kitchen.

"Oh, I see you're working the boy to the bone," said Mr. Lee.

"If the kid needs my help, he has to earn it… that's how it should be. But I fear he's one cheeky brat who doesn't know he owes me a favor," said old man Shen grumpily.

Mr. Lee chuckled softly as he shook his head,

"You're doing it again old man,"

"What are you talking about?"

"You might be strong for a man your age, but you cannot age in reverse. You've done a good job running the restaurant alone for years, but it's time you start to consider retiring."

"What nonsense are you saying?"

Old man Shen immediately refuted.

 "This isn't a firm or a government job where I can simply retire. This is all I have, and you know that!"

"There you go again, spitting fire before I could finish. I never said you should abandon the restaurant or sell it to someone else. I just said you need to let someone else handle the day-to-day task of the restaurant, while you take a step back and become a full-time manager."

"There's no one to assign such a responsibility to. I'd be burning my restaurant to the ground if I did."

"You wouldn't know that if you didn't give them a chance."

Mr. Lee said and pointed to the kitchen.

"Him?"

Old man Shen now realized what Mr. Lee was trying to say.

"He's out of the question. He got here yesterday, and he hasn't officially started working for me yet… he's still a stranger."

"I understand that part, but I'm just reminding you to give the boy a chance… you might like him. And if you're that skeptical about him, you can just run a background check on him and see him his story checks out…"

Mr. Lee knew how stubborn old man Shen most times could be and didn't bother to convince him. He only suggested as a friend would and left the final decision to old man Shen. The two talked for some time before Zhi Luan served the dish, stir-fried pork and noodles, Mr. Lee's favorite.

"Your food is here, now talk. Tell me everything about what happened yesterday," said old man Shen impatiently.

Mr. Lee Swallowed a mouthful of food before he began to speak,

"As you know, my wife hates it when I don't come straight home after and come here to eat instead,"

"Yet here you are, doing the exact opposite of what she said… the poor woman…"

The old man sympathized.

"Let's not change the subject,"

Mr. Lee swallowed another mouthful of food and continued,

"According to her, she had a feeling I was here and wanted to come check, when she saw Qincheng on the floor almost unconscious, and a naked man close to her. It wasn't… confirmed yet, but… the man… could be the mass murderer..."

At some point, Mr. Lee forgot he was speaking to someone and focused on the food. He ate as if he hadn't eaten anything in months.

"You pig! Can you be any nastier?"

Old man Shen rebuked.

"I'm sorry, but the food is something else. The kid knows his stuff."

Mr. Lee laughed awkwardly and continued his story.

"Anyway, there hasn't been much news after that. Qincheng was taken to the general hospital, and the detective said he'd give us feedback, but nothing yet."

"And Qincheng?"

Old man Shen asked.

"The kid is probably traumatized, who knows where she could be?"

Old man Shen sighed. He was quite attached to Miss Yan Qincheng and was worried for her safety.

Zhi Luan once again tidied the kitchen while the two men talked in the restaurant. He couldn't help but overhear what they discussed, and a realization dawned on him.

"Mass murderer, huh? It seems I got involved somehow. I hope the dust settles soon."

He thought out loud.