Chapter Thirty: Spicy Delicacies

Wang Ying was left speechless, caught between laughter and exasperation by this guy who had money on the brain. She scolded with a smile, “Eat or don’t—wait for me at the door. I’m going to change my clothes.”

Yang Jiekai pouted and felt the pitiful little bit of bonus money in his pocket, acting as if he’d lost millions. Alone, he wandered over to the gate, squatted nearby, and listlessly started smoking some low-quality cigarettes that cost only five yuan a pack.

It wasn’t thriftiness that made Yang Jiekai choose these cheap smokes—he thought the lower the quality, the more intense the kick. That burning feeling in his chest with each drag was something no premium cigarette could offer.

After about the time it took to finish a cigarette, Wang Ying came out, now dressed in casual clothes—a simple sleeveless T-shirt and tight, straight-leg jeans that accentuated every curve. Her hair was tied in a simple ponytail, radiating youthful vigor.

“What are you treating me to?” Yang Jiekai asked.

Wang Ying grinned. “Can you handle spicy food?”

“Of course! Chili peppers are my favorite—the hotter the better.”

“Good, then. I’ll take you somewhere special.”

With that, the two hailed a cab and headed straight for the southern district.

Anhai City was split in two by a grand river. The area north of the river, where Yang Jiekai lived, was called the Northern District; everything south of the river was the Southern District. Wang Ying led Yang Jiekai along the riverbank for a while until they reached a bustling outdoor food stall. She chose a table by the water and said with a smile, “Don’t mind the humble setting. The owner here makes the best spicy crayfish in town.”

“I don’t mind at all—anything to eat is fine.”

Yang Jiekai had only eaten breakfast that day and was already starving.

Wang Ying was from Sichuan, so she loved spicy food, a preference she shared with Yang Jiekai. Though he wasn’t from Sichuan, he’d developed a fondness for heat thanks to his previous job. When on mercenary assignments in icy regions, fiery liquor and chili peppers were sometimes as good as life-saving medicine.

Pulling a chair over, Yang Jiekai thoughtfully wiped it down with a napkin before smiling at Wang Ying. “Have a seat, beautiful.”

“Just call me Wang Ying from now on,” she said, sitting down without pretense. “No more of this ‘big sister’ stuff—you make me sound ancient.”

“But you are two years older than me. It’s only right to call you that,” Yang Jiekai teased.

Wang Ying laughed. “Well, just don’t do it again.”

“Alright, Ying’er, what are we eating tonight?”

She rolled her eyes, ignoring his shamelessness, and made selections from the menu. Once she was done, she called the stall owner over.

“Extra chili, please,” Wang Ying requested.

“Of course, no problem!” the owner replied before hurrying to the open-air kitchen.

Soon, several dishes appeared, each one blazing red with chilies. “Enjoy. Let me know if you need anything,” the owner said.

“Thank you,” Wang Ying replied politely.

Yang Jiekai’s impression of her improved even more. He had no patience for people who barked orders at waiters or workers—such people were snobs at heart.

“Do you come here a lot?” he asked, peeling a crayfish slick with chili oil and watching Wang Ying’s deft hands.

She nodded. “Not often, but sometimes when I have time, I come here to sit by the river, eat something spicy, and watch the water. It always cheers me up.”

“Watching the river? Eating spicy food?” Yang Jiekai laughed. “Those don’t seem connected!”

The two chatted and nibbled on authentic Sichuan snacks until suddenly Wang Ying cried out.

“What’s wrong?” Yang Jiekai frowned.

She pressed a napkin to her finger. “I pricked myself on a shrimp shell.”

“Let me see.” Casually, Yang Jiekai took her hand, removed the napkin, and saw a tiny puncture on her fair fingertip, a thin trickle of blood welling up.

“It’s nothing,” he said, seeing it wasn’t serious. He gently wiped it, then, without thinking, popped her finger in his mouth and sucked the wound, grinning, “All done. You’re fine now.”

Realizing what he’d done, Yang Jiekai felt something was off. Looking up, he saw Wang Ying staring at him in disbelief.

“Uh… sorry, I didn’t mean to take advantage…” he said, embarrassed.

Wang Ying, seeing his nervous face, couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Didn’t think you could get embarrassed! I thought your skin was as thick as a fortress wall.”

Since she didn’t seem offended, Yang Jiekai laughed too. “Thick skin isn’t edible, though. Doesn’t help with hunger.”

After chatting a while, Wang Ying suddenly remembered something. “By the way, what do you do for work? I keep seeing you jump into action like a hero—don’t tell me that’s your job. I’ve been a police officer for years and never seen someone act so often.”

Yang Jiekai, gnawing on a grilled fish, didn’t look up. “I’d like to do that for a living, but Anhai City’s too safe. I never run into real crime. If this keeps up, I’ll be out of work.”

Wang Ying clearly didn’t believe him. “You’re hoping for murder and arson every day?”

“Of course not.” He chewed a spicy bite of fish. “I want peace, too. But I still have to make a living.”

“Make a living?” Wang Ying was curious. “You’re married?”

He nodded honestly. “Yes, not long ago—just got married recently.”

Wang Ying was surprised, then laughed, “Didn’t expect it. What unlucky girl married a layabout like you?”

“A billionaire,” Yang Jiekai replied.

She giggled, not believing a word. “Still, now that you have a family, you really should find a proper job and take responsibility.”

He sighed, thinking of the job market earlier that day. “It’s not that easy! I have no degree, no fancy certificates—nobody even wants to talk to me.”

“You can do what you’re good at. You don’t need a diploma for everything.”

Yang Jiekai thought to himself that he couldn’t exactly say he was good at killing and arson. Out loud, he said, “I don’t even know what I’m good at.”

Wang Ying said seriously, “You’re good with your hands. You could use your strength and skill for a job like security.”

Yang Jiekai paused, eyes lighting up. He slapped his forehead. “Security guard? Why didn’t I think of that! Of course, they’d want me.” He jumped up, spread his arms, and pretended to lunge at Wang Ying, grinning, “Thanks, gorgeous! I’ll have to repay you with my first kiss—come here!”

She waved him off. “Go away! You’re a married man—act your age.”

At that moment the stall owner brought out another dish, glossy and bright red—stir-fried eel segments.

“I didn’t order this…” Wang Ying looked at the plate in confusion.

The owner smiled. “Compliments of the house. Hope you’ll visit often.”

She started to protest, but Yang Jiekai waved her off. “Thanks! We’ll definitely be regulars.”

“I’ll just leave it here. Enjoy!” the owner said, hurrying away.

“Heh, free food—can’t pass that up!” Yang Jiekai gazed at the glistening eels, swallowing greedily like a streetwise hustler reveling in a small windfall.

“I have a strange feeling about this…” Wang Ying’s police instincts kicked in. Something didn’t seem right, but she couldn’t say exactly what.

“You’re overthinking. You’re just obsessed with your cases, always expecting the worst,” Yang Jiekai said, already picking up an eel segment with his chopsticks and popping it in his mouth. “Delicious! Try it!”

Seeing how much he enjoyed it, and tempted by the dish’s rich color, Wang Ying decided maybe she was just being paranoid. She tried a piece—and it really was good. The chili flavor was infused deep into the tender eel, cooked to perfection, bursting with flavor.

“Strange, I’m getting dizzy,” Wang Ying said after a while, feeling a haze clouding her mind.

“You’ve probably been working too hard lately,” Yang Jiekai said, putting down his chopsticks. “Let’s head back. You should rest.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Wang Ying had indeed been swamped; beneath the calm surface of Anhai City, crime emerged constantly. Ordinary people had no idea of the undercurrents, only cops knew what lurked below.

“Check, please.” Wang Ying called out, but her head spun worse, her eyelids heavy. Realizing something was very wrong, she blacked out on the table.

“Hey, are you alright?” Yang Jiekai shook the slumped Wang Ying, then, feeling his own vision blur, collapsed silently onto the table.

Behind a curtain at the stall, the owner trembled before two burly men. “P-please, let me go. My family depends on me…”

One of the men grinned coldly. “Relax, I keep my word. You did what we asked, so we won’t touch you. But…” He leaned in, voice icy. “If you dare breathe a word about tonight, I promise your whole family will die in agony.”

“N-no, never, I swear…” The owner was nearly in tears. He didn’t dare breathe easy until the two men dragged the unconscious pair to a waiting car and drove away. Only then did he collapse in a heap—he’d never faced a gun to his head before, and the brush with death was something only those who’d experienced it could understand.

Once Yang Jiekai and Wang Ying were tied up and tossed in the back seat, the two men exchanged a grin, started the engine, and sped away.

Some distance out, the man in the passenger seat pulled out his phone and dialed. “We’ve got the bitch who got Lao San and Lao Si arrested… Yeah… Get everyone ready. Soon the boys can have a little fun.”

The driver asked, “Boss, what are we doing with her later?”

The man in the passenger seat hung up, his voice chilling. “Isn’t she a cop? Let her be the star of a little adult film tonight.”

A ruthless light flashed in the driver’s eyes. “Afterwards, let me finish her myself! Lao San and Lao Si are probably doomed—those drugs they had are enough for the firing squad ten times over. It’s time this bitch paid the price.”