Chapter 11: Why Did Old Ye Close the Shop? Has He Stopped Doing Business?

“Did you say it was predicted by a fortune teller on Chunming Street, and that’s why you had your good friend wait outside? You threatened to call the police if she didn’t come out within half an hour?”

A-Mao furrowed his brows tightly and slammed the table abruptly. “Sun Feiyan, please be serious!”

Sun Feiyan shivered and hurriedly explained, “I—I’m not lying. It’s true. Everyone at the fortune-teller’s stall heard it.”

Lin Jingyao pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“A-Mao, she’s the victim, not the suspect.”

“But Officer Lin, she actually said it was fortune-telling...”

“No matter why she had her friend wait outside, we should encourage such vigilance, not be angry.”

A-Mao wanted to argue, but when he met Lin Jingyao’s calm face, he felt the pressure and clenched his teeth. “Understood, Officer Lin.”

“You may leave now. I’ll take over here.”

“All right.”

Sun Feiyan watched the door close behind A-Mao and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Officer Lin, I really didn’t lie...”

“I know.”

Sun Feiyan blinked in surprise. “You know?”

“Yeah, well...” Lin Jingyao paused, then smiled and explained, “Our precinct is right by Chunming Street. Almost all the stall owners there know each other. A quick ask and we got the confirmation.”

“That’s right—I said I was getting a fortune told, and they all saw it...” Sun Feiyan was about to say more when Lin Jingyao picked up a pen. “Miss Sun, you’ll need to recount everything that happened inside the Black Horse Billiard Hall in detail and cooperate with our investigation.”

Sun Feiyan smiled and nodded. “No problem.”

Chunming Street buzzed with excitement.

“Are you sure it’s the Black Horse Billiard Hall? Didn’t see it wrong?”

“I heard the billiard hall has connections. The informer is pretty reliable. Before, Officer Xiao Lin went inside to arrest someone but found nothing and was reprimanded. Now Xiao Lin’s going after someone else?”

“Probably. I even saw A-Mao there.”

“So what if they caught someone? They need evidence, or it’ll just be another scolding.”

Lin Jingyu, returning happily, couldn’t hold back. “Hey, hey, hey! Can’t you guys cut my brother some slack? Stop jinxing him!”

Everyone chuckled.

“Ah Yu, you’re back! Where were you just now?”

“Not telling you, it’s a secret.”

Old Liao grunted. “Where else could she be? Probably at Aunt Niu’s helping out. By the way, why did the noise stop? Aren’t the rituals supposed to last three days?”

Hearing this, Lin Jingyu slapped her thigh. “I knew I forgot something!”

“Brother Biao, watch the stall for me, buddy. I’ll tell you what happened when I get back. I’m going to call some people now.”

Su Chen closed his comic book with a helpless smile and switched to another.

Not gonna lie, these comics from this world are quite good.

In the blink of an eye, two hours passed.

Sun Feiyan and Jin Ling arrived at Chunming Street again, accompanied by their families.

Seeing Su Chen, Sun Feiyan’s face flushed with embarrassment.

Her mother, Jiang Mei, quickly forced a smile and handed a gift box to Su Chen.

“You must be Master Su, thank you so much. Without you, my daughter might have been harmed.”

“This is just a small token from us.”

The group of seven drew quite a bit of attention all at once.

Many people perked up to listen.

Su Chen set down his comic book and smiled at Sun Feiyan. “No need, you already paid the divination fee.”

“How can that be the same? Master, you don’t know— the officer said there was something in that smoke; once you inhale it, you can’t quit. Those scoundrels even wanted to send my daughter to an old man’s bed...”

Before Jiang Mei could finish, Sun Feiyan tugged her gently. “Mom~”

“All right, all right, I won’t say more. I just want to thank the master. If it weren’t for you, your life would have been ruined.”

Her eyes reddened as she said, “Mom still shudders thinking about it...”

Aunt Chun grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and sat beside Old Liao. “Did it come true again?”

Old Liao, busy packing steamed buns, glanced at her. “What, didn’t you hear about Yingying’s matter?”

“I heard, but maybe it was just a lucky guess?” Aunt Chun scrutinized Su Chen. “I still think he’s too young to be capable.”

“Now you’ve seen it yourself, right? He got it right again and even saved a university student.”

Aunt Chun snorted lightly. “How do you know they aren’t all in cahoots to trick us?”

“Trick? Working with the billiard hall people? If he knew them, would he need to fool us here?”

Seeing Aunt Chun’s skeptical look, Old Liao sighed. “Didn’t you see? Those billiard hall folks ride motorcycles or small cars. Do they look like they’re short of money?”

Crunch, crunch... Aunt Chun cracked five more seeds and frowned. “True, no reason to con us and then send themselves to the police.”

Old Liao had finished packing the buns and grabbed three seeds from her hand. “I’ll ask Ah Yu where he lives. If we’re ever in trouble and unsure what to do, we can go ask him, get a reading, and avoid misfortune.”

At this, Aunt Chun’s eyes lit up.

Just a few days ago, her sister came to see her. The meat processing plant wasn’t doing well; by year’s end, they might not even pay wages. She wanted to borrow some money to have a good New Year. Aunt Chun suggested her sister try vending here. It’s hard work, but stalls on Chunming Street rarely lose money. Her sister hesitated, saying her factory job was secure. But Aunt Chun thought, what secure job is that when there’s no food to eat inside?

She had tried hard to convince her sister, who finally promised to think about it.

Knowing her sister’s slow nature, Aunt Chun grimaced. That thinking might drag on for half a year.

Biting her lip, she shoved the sunflower seeds into Old Liao’s hand and called inside, “Mom, I’m going out. Please watch the shop for me!”

Old Liao looked curious. “Ah Chun, where are you going?”

“To look for my sister.”

Look for your sister?

Old Liao frowned and scratched his head, then noticed the seeds in his palm and chuckled.

Heh, no matter whose sister, these seeds are really tasty!

After Sun Feiyan’s mother expressed their heartfelt thanks and left, someone pinched their nose and sidled up to Old Liao.

“It’s amazing—five words, exactly five words, like they’re acting in a drama.”

Old Liao nodded. “Right? He’s got real skill.”

Then he looked curiously at the person. “Ah Sheng, why are you pinching your nose? Got a cold?”

“No, just came out of Old Ye’s noodle shop. Don’t know what they sprayed in there, but the smell’s awful.”

“No way. Old Ye’s place is always so clean.”

“How’s that? Ever since Old Ye got sick and came back, the broth’s been unbearably salty.”

As he spoke, Ah Sheng reached under Old Liao’s bike and pulled out a kettle. “I’ll pour myself some water.”

Old Liao nodded, his eyes drifting toward Ye’s noodle shop ahead. He saw a young man and woman pinch their noses as they left, grumbling, while Old Ye came out, greeted someone briefly but didn’t reply. His face looked regretful before he turned and shut the door.

Ah Sheng swallowed hard, seeing the same scene. “Why’d Old Ye close shop? It’s almost noon—are they off work already, not doing business?”

Old Liao gave a dry chuckle. “Maybe there’s an emergency, or he’s not feeling well.”

Su Chen switched to another comic book. As he flipped a page, his body suddenly shivered.

His eyes narrowed slightly as a glimmer of golden light appeared.

He paused, then smiled brightly.

He’d thought this world’s heavenly justice offered no rewards—it was just delayed.

Suddenly, he felt movement in his pocket. Looking down, a small slip of paper slowly slid out.