Chapter 27
As fate would have it, on the same day that Chong Cheuk-wah found the informant's body, Chan Hon-tao, who had just returned from training, also sent a report to the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) about a suspicious person.
The outdoor training lasted three days and two nights. On the morning before leaving the island, Teams A and B waited for a long time after gathering, but Qiu Junxuan and Yu Xueli were nowhere to be seen. So, they split up to search for them, based on the location where they were last seen. It was during this search that Zhan Hantao and Ye Shuhui discovered two ruthless bandits of unknown origin who were so audacious as to kidnap a police officer in a cave hidden by trees.
Madam Zhuang was already lost in thought the moment she saw the document, and upon hearing Zhan Sir's words, her brows furrowed even more. Zhan Hantao also thought this was a tough opponent, and thus reminded her: "The one who escaped is quite skilled and should have received military training. Although he jumped into the sea when I finally caught him, I estimate that was his escape method, and he should be fine."
Zhuang Zhuohua nodded, her fingertips touching, and she also had a guess: "If their whereabouts were exposed and they had a direct conflict with you, I think they would definitely make a move in the next few days if they didn't run away."
"It's up to you to investigate these things. Once you find out, we'll do our best to cooperate if you need any help." Even though the words sounded like platitudes, they came out of Zhan Hantao's mouth with sincerity, especially at the end when he added, "This bandit is not to be underestimated. You colleagues must be careful."
“I know.” Zhuang Zhuohua smiled slightly and pointed to Qiu Junxuan’s statement on the table. When he was kidnapped, he had overheard the kidnappers’ conversation in a semi-conscious state and learned that the escaped kidnapper had come to Hong Kong to commit the crime in order to raise money for his son’s medical expenses. With such a clue, even if the criminal cannot be found immediately, he can still follow the trail and find out the person’s background after he finds his son.
Ever since hearing about what happened on the island from Zhan Hantao, Zhuang Zhuoyuan became even more determined to keep Iris out of the situation. He pretended to be clueless, cracked jokes, and dodged her questions several times. He also took a taxi to pick up and drop off his girlfriend from school every day on time, finally keeping a close eye on her.
But anyone would feel resentful if they saw prisoners being stared at like that. Just as Iris's anger was reaching its breaking point, Ding Huihui, who had flown to Phuket, finally returned to Hong Kong. However, this time, the meeting wasn't arranged by her; instead, it was Pauline frantically calling for backup.
"Uncle Cheng, bring me a beer." After being helped to the bar, Zhuang Zhuoyuan saw his girlfriend looking around for Pauline and took the opportunity to tap the table and joke with the bartender Gu Cheng, who was wiping the glasses.
Knowing he didn't have the guts, Iris just smiled and didn't say anything. She let go of his arm and sat on another chair, starting to eat snacks at the bar. Seeing her watching the show, Gu Cheng thought this little girl was quite good at managing her husband, so he turned to Zhuang Zhuoyuan and teased, "If you want to die, don't drag me down with you. Your wife and Sister Pauline are here, I wouldn't dare to do anything reckless."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan pointed to his ankle and continued to chat with him: "It's just a minor injury, Brother Cheng. I rushed over here so hard, you're not just going to give me a glass of water and call it a day, are you?"
"Want something to eat? I have a ton of mangoes here." Pauline came out carrying a box of fruit. Iris recognized the size and color as a specialty of Phuket. Pauline's tone on the phone earlier was exactly the same as last time, but thankfully, this time Huihui wasn't bringing back durian. "Handsome, want something to eat? Come on over, help me clear this out. Ah Shi, you have lots of friends, take a few more boxes with you, share them with schools, companies, hotels, and everywhere else."
Ding Huihui had also followed them out of the back warehouse. Seeing her somewhat embarrassed expression, Iris guessed that she must have been scolded by Sister Pauline again for acting impulsively and without thinking. Not wanting to take anything was not an option, but taking too much was also not advisable. Iris gave Zhuang Zhuoyuan a wink, then agreed to take two boxes with Sister Pauline before turning back to continue helping Ding Huihui out of the predicament: "Huihui just wanted to bring back good things to share with everyone. Sister Pauline, look how she thinks of everyone wherever she goes. You and Uncle Chao are truly blessed to have such a caring daughter-in-law."
Pauline's expression wasn't very pleasant. She understood Ding Huihui's thoughts perfectly well, but she still felt a headache coming on when faced with these troublesome things: "Fruit doesn't keep well. You were here last time too, and half a warehouse of durians just sat there rotting. The stench was so strong that you could almost smell it all over the street, and it took a long time for the smell to dissipate. If we can't finish them this time and they rot again, it'll just be a waste."
“No waste, we won’t waste it.” Zhuang Zhuoyuan had already come up with an idea. He met Iris’s eyes, looking quite pleased with himself. Iris winked and made a small face, urging him to stop being so mysterious. Zhuang Zhuoyuan then smiled and said, “Durian is hard to say, some people like it and some don’t. But mangoes are different, most people can eat them. We can make them into snacks, like mango pomelo sago, mango pudding, dried mango, etc., it should be fine.”
Gu Cheng paused wiping the cups, seemingly lost in thought, and said, "Boss lady, this idea is feasible. Anyway, customers always say that our snacks lack originality. Why not do it according to A Yuan's suggestion? We should be able to make a profit."
However, there is still a problem: who should we ask to do these things?
Gu Cheng and Sister Pauline shook their heads in unison, not to mention Uncle Chao, who wasn't even there. Looking at Ding Huihui, the "culprit" who had meant well but made a mess of things, she also looked troubled. Looking around, Zhuang Zhuoyuan felt that this major problem was about to fall into the hands of himself, the "culinary ceiling" of the group: "Actually, we learned about these desserts in home economics class in school, so how about..."
“Why don’t you let me do it!” Iris unexpectedly interjected. Seeing the others looking at her with surprise and suspicion, she patted her chest as if to assure them: “I know how to make desserts. My brilliance has just been overshadowed by A-Yuan. Have you all forgotten that the heroine of one of my romance novels is a pastry chef?”
Zhuang Zhuoyuan, who knew her and the novel best, nodded and slowly stood up, leaning on the bar: "Then let's go in together, Huihui, come on over."
"What are you doing here?" Iris felt that having her and Ding Huihui was enough.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan put his arm around her shoulder without saying a word: "There's not enough sugar today, I have to go in and taste it."
Iris wasn't going to give him a chance to complain, so she leaned up and kissed him on the lips, almost trying to pull away. One more kiss, and the sweetness was enough.
Such a perfunctory excuse wouldn't let her escape so easily. He could always find a reason to follow her into the kitchen. For example, the new couple's phone he and Iris had bought together: "Daddy said its camera function has been upgraded, so of course I'm going to make good use of it to record your dessert-making process. I definitely can't miss any of your attempts."
Iris squinted and muttered under her breath, "This isn't an 'experiment,' I've done it many times before."
Zhuang Sheng had anticipated her compromise and was happy to change his tune: "That was the first time I saw you make desserts, and I even recorded you making soup. I have no reason to miss your other 'firsts,' do I?"
Iris lightly punched his chest and complained in a sweet voice, "You're so clingy!"
Even if they're clingy for only a few more days, it'll be nice to spend a few more days together, all lovey-dovey. Watching the two of them, oblivious to everyone else, their sweet interaction filled Ding Huihui with envy. Thinking of Zhan Hantao, who was always busy with work and not particularly romantic, she was momentarily distracted: If only A-Tao could be like A-Yuan…
Zhan Hantao naturally wanted to propose to Ding Huihui as soon as he returned. However, the timing wasn't quite right, and he was also preoccupied with the fugitive bandits, making it impossible for him to concentrate on preparing for another proposal. Originally, he had Zhuang Zhuoyuan as a helpful assistant, but after Iris's reminder to "do it personally," Zhan Hantao truly realized the importance of sincerity. Therefore, this surprise had to be postponed again and again.
Fortunately, the matter quickly came to a head. Madam Chong discovered the identity of the ringleader, Qin Sen, and also received a tip that they were planning to rob a jewelry store. The entire O-Team team was dispatched swiftly. When they arrived at the scene, Qin Sen and his two accomplices had already packed up the jewelry and were preparing to leave. The attackers were armed with heavy firearms, and upon seeing Chong and her group arrive, they immediately began indiscriminately firing indiscriminately.
Under the barrage of bullets, Ben and the others who got out of the car could only seek cover behind the car door, unable to move forward at all. Only the ever-calm Zhuang Zhuohua, in a hurried glance, confirmed the type of the bandits' guns. She counted the gunshots and, taking advantage of the few seconds the bandits spent reloading after running out of bullets, quickly got up and rushed forward to return fire!
However, after another burst of gunfire, the bandits left triumphantly.
Zhuang Zhuohua clutched her arm, gritted her teeth, and angrily let Qin Sen escape despite such a good opportunity. Her face was pale, whether from the severity of her injury or her anger, it was hard to tell. Fang Yongbin anxiously stepped forward to support her shoulder, calling an ambulance while asking Zhuang Zhuohua if she had any other injuries. Visibly, her white shirt on her upper arm was stained with large patches of blood. He was truly worried that she would endure the pain, pretending to be strong and suppressing her emotions.
It was so difficult to even hope that Madam Zhuang would occasionally cry out in pain and show weakness, let alone persuade her not to risk her life while catching a thief. Since they met, Fang Yongbin had come to feel more and more that Zhuang Zhuohua was a woman who was both admirable and pitiful. He was also more certain that Zhuang Zhuohua would be a unique presence in his life.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
