While Li Jia was wondering what was going on, Jiang Ling rushed into a supermarket and soon came out with a bottle of Great Wall dry red wine and a few cans of drinks. She excitedly returned to the car. "What's with that expression? Is there a problem?" Jiang Ling saw Li Jia's helpless expression and handed the wine and drinks she was carrying to Li Xiaoqing in the back.

"N-nothing... Sit tight, let's drive!" Li Jia was genuinely a little annoyed. Jiang Ling was a bit of a mystery to Li Jia. She had initially thought Jiang Ling had gone out to catch bad guys, but it turned out she had gone to buy alcohol and drinks. So she stopped guessing what Jiang Ling was thinking and focused on driving.

Ten minutes later, the white Passat stopped in front of Sishui Barbecue at the intersection of Sishui Road. Li Jia, Jiang Ling and the others went into the barbecue restaurant. There were no seats available in the private rooms, so they had to choose a semi-enclosed booth near the window by the street, which was relatively quiet.

The grilling here is a very traditional stone pot grilling. Two portions of beef, one portion of heart, one portion of liver, plus a few cold dishes, are enough for Li Jia and her group to eat very well.

Since it wasn't peak time yet, the food was served quickly. In less than ten minutes, a sizzling grill was on the table, and a rich aroma immediately filled the air.

Jiang Ling took out the wine she had just bought from the supermarket, poured two glasses, handed one to Li Jia, and distributed several cans of drinks to Li Xiaoqing and the other two. "To celebrate my salary doubling, cheers!" Jiang Ling said, then casually tilted her head back and drank the red wine in one gulp. Li Jia was a little doubtful, wondering if this woman could even drink.

"Alright! Come on, let's toast to your Sister Ling!" Li Jia suddenly felt playful and simply imitated Jiang Ling by drinking the wine in her glass in one gulp. Her posture was quite like that of a drinking expert. However, if the wine in the glass was not red wine, then this posture would really make people admire Li Jia's refined face.

"Sister, that's not how you drink red wine! Do you even know how to drink red wine?" Li Xiaotong couldn't stand it anymore and reminded the two people who were drinking red wine like beer, her eyes growing increasingly impatient as she looked at Li Jia.

"I'm leaving now! You guys enjoy your meal!" After saying that, she got up and left the Sishui Barbecue Restaurant. Li Xiaoqing looked at Li Jia apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, Brother Li, my little sister just has this temper. Please don't take it to heart. I'll go check on her. You guys enjoy your meal."

"I've eaten, you guys eat slowly, Sister Ling, goodbye!" Li Yan was even more decisive, after taking a few bites he got up and left, leaving Li Jia with a dashing back view.

Jiang Ling ignored the three of them as they left, her eyes filled with deep anger as she watched their retreating figures. "Don't bother with them. Orphans are all like this." After saying that, Jiang Ling finished her drink again and then silently ate a piece of pastry with her head down.

"How long have they been like this?" Li Jia put down her chopsticks; the atmosphere seemed a little awkward at this point in the meal.

"It's been a long time, probably since their brother went missing, at least a decade or so. That's what Xiaoqing told me. I don't really know what happened, but I do know that their brother started sending them money every month for nine consecutive years starting in the fourth year after he left."

Even so, I still feel that their brother is incompetent, and doesn't even deserve to be a brother. How could he abandon Xiaoqing and the others for more than ten years? He only sends a few measly coins back every year. He has no idea what Xiaoqing and the others need! What they need is family, an older brother, an older brother who can protect them and live with them!

But so far, that bastard brother of mine, who's nowhere to be found, hasn't sent them any money for almost two years. That's why Xiaoqing ran away to tutor. If I find out where that bastard is, I won't let him get away with it! Jiang Ling seemed a little drunk, and her words were somewhat incoherent. It was unclear whether she herself had something bothering her and was taking this opportunity to vent.

"Are you drunk?" Li Jia asked Jiang Ling'er with some uncertainty.

"I'm going to the restroom." After saying that, Jiang Ling got up and went to the restroom. The cool water from the tap calmed her down. "What's wrong with me? Why did he suddenly pop into my head at this time?" She quickly combed her short, black hair, steadied herself, and a brand new Jiang Ling'er appeared in the mirror again.

"I'm sorry about what happened earlier..."

"No need to explain, haha, it's good that everything's alright. Keep eating. Those little guys really have some interesting personalities. I wonder if they'll be okay when I get home?" Li Jia interrupted Jiang Ling's explanation and began to worry about the three of them.

"It's alright. The local thugs and Xiaotong are on good terms. She's very influential here. She'll probably have sent Xiaoqing and Xiaoyan home by now." Jiang Ling knew the group too well, so she wasn't worried about them at all. Instead, she was more interested in the cow in front of her.

"Waiter, another serving of beef!" Li Jia instructed the waiter, then turned to Jiang Ling and said, "It's on me, eat as much as you want! Order whatever else you'd like! Hehe!"

"Then I won't be polite! Waiter, another order of potato chips, and another order of liver!" Jiang Ling showed Li Jia what a big eater she was. But what puzzled Li Jia even more was that Jiang Ling should have been a big eater normally, given how much she ordered. However, her figure seemed to be well-maintained. She had known her for so long, and her figure had always been the same. Moreover, she had never seen Jiang Ling in her police uniform or any other clothes! This made Li Jia even more curious about what Jiang Ling looked like after changing out of her police uniform.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!