Liu Yutong never expected that after playing with that badge for so long and finding nothing unusual, her sister Gao Min would immediately discover something new about it.
"Requires a special key? So you're saying there might be something hidden inside?"
"It's possible."
Gao Min nodded gently, analyzing based on her police experience: "This kind of design is usually meant to protect extremely important items, like a custom-made chip or some kind of coded message. The fact that it needs a special key to open also suggests the contents are quite valuable."
"Also, you generally can't force this kind of thing open. It likely has a self-destruct mechanism inside; if you break it open by force, you'll destroy whatever's in there."
"Of course, it's also possible we're overthinking it, and there's nothing inside at all."
Liu Yutong nodded thoughtfully, but she had a feeling it wasn't empty; something was definitely hidden inside.
This feeling mainly stemmed from a piece of news she had seen in her previous life.
Though exactly what might be hidden inside remained unknown.
But at least it let her know this item was worth keeping.
Just then, a server approached carrying a steaming plate of steamed knife fish, its tempting fresh aroma instantly filling the air.
Liu Yutong put the badge away and picked up her chopsticks. Once the dish was on the table, she first picked up a piece of fish for Gao Min: "Sister, try this. The knife fish here is really delicious."
Gao Min didn't stand on ceremony either and took a bite of the fish.
"The flesh is tender and melts in your mouth. It really is quite good."
"Right?"
The two chatted as they ate.
Liu Yutong had originally planned to take her sister shopping tomorrow and visit some sights around Da Nan Cheng, but Gao Min politely declined, wanting to investigate the case as soon as possible.
This was quite in line with her usual style.
Liu Yutong could only say they'd make plans next time. As she picked up her teacup, her gaze inadvertently swept past the glass window, and she suddenly froze.
"Why is she here too?"
Gao Min also followed her line of sight.
Not far away, in front of an open-air bar stall, a young girl wearing a cheap suit dress and heavy makeup was laboriously trying to sell beer to passersby.
"Do you know her?"
Liu Yutong nodded: "Yes, she's my high school classmate. But it's so late; why isn't she back at school, and instead working a part-time job here?"
Gao Min: "Lots of students work part-time jobs to support their studies these days. Don't make a fuss."
As she said this, she subconsciously glanced at her sister again, thinking to herself: Not everyone is a freak like you, achieving financial freedom as a freshman with billions to your name.
Liu Yutong didn't know what her sister was thinking. If she did, she might have retorted, 'Who do you think you're looking down on, sis?'
"It's mainly that I find it a bit strange."
"Just last week, I saw her working a part-time job at a coffee shop near the university district. Now she's come to the night market street to sell beer in the evening. Doesn't that mean she's working at least two jobs?"
"Is that so? Well, hearing you say that, your high school classmate really is quite hardworking. Attending classes during the day and working two part-time jobs. Is her family situation difficult?"
"An ordinary working-class family, but I don't think it should be so bad that she has to push herself this hard."
Before the words had fully left her mouth, two men with a sleazy air staggered over to Fang Yaqiong. One of them reached out to grab her arm.
"Hey little sister, have a few drinks with us! We'll buy however much you're selling!" a young man with a crew cut said, reeking of alcohol. His hand had already wandered dishonestly to Fang Yaqiong's waist.
Fang Yaqiong pushed him away in a panic: "Sir, please let go. I'm just here to sell beer. I don't drink with customers..."
This displeased the two men.
"Playing innocent, are you?"
"Dressed like that and standing here, aren't you just waiting for men to hit on you? Don't be ungrateful when we're giving you face!"
"Exactly! What decent girl would be out selling beer at this hour of the night? Clearly you're selling yourself, so stop pretending to be respectable!"
The crew-cut guy said this and then yanked her hard towards him: "Have a few drinks with us brothers tonight. You won't be short-changed."
Fang Yaqiong was in no way willing to comply and struggled desperately: "Let me go! I'm not... let me go!"
Seeing that the soft approach wasn't working, the crew-cut guy simply resorted to threats: "Let me be straight with you. My buddy runs security for this bar. You'd better be cooperative..."
Before he could finish, an enraged roar suddenly erupted from not far away.
"Damn you bastards! Let her go!"
A handsome young man with dyed blond hair charged over like an angry lion, landing a fierce punch squarely on the crew-cut guy's cheek.
With a thud, the crew-cut guy clutched his face, howled in pain, and fell to the ground, two of his teeth flying out.
"Son of a bitch! You dare hit us!"
Seeing this, the other thug swung his fist at the blond-haired young man's head.
The crew-cut guy, having recovered somewhat, grabbed an empty beer bottle from a nearby table and also lunged at the blond-haired young man.
The three of them immediately became entangled in a brawl.
"Be careful!" Fang Yaqiong screamed.
The blond-haired young man clearly had some experience in fighting and a mean streak, actually holding his own against two opponents.
He first dodged the crew-cut guy's attack, simultaneously accurately seizing his wrist and twisting it hard. The crew-cut guy cried out in pain, and the bottle fell from his hand, shattering on the ground. Then he grabbed the other guy by the neck, kneed him in the stomach, followed by an elbow strike to his back, directly knocking him to the ground.
The entire fight lasted less than a minute before both thugs were lying on the ground, moaning.
"Get lost! If I see you again, I'll finish you off!"
The two thugs scrambled away from the scene, not even leaving behind a parting threat.
Only then did the blond-haired young man turn to look at the shaken Fang Yaqiong, instinctively reaching out to touch her face.
"Are you okay?"
Fang Yaqiong wiped her tears haphazardly. Instead of thanking him, she pushed him away forcefully. "Who told you to hit them? Can't you ever solve problems without violence?"
"They were bullying you!"
"I could have handled it myself! Don't you know you'll get into even bigger trouble like this? Brother Hu has been looking for you, and now you're fighting again..."
"I don't care about that anymore! If he wants to come, let him come. At worst, I'll fight him to the end!"
Hearing this, Fang Yaqiong's eyes were filled with pain and disappointment. "Lin Bin, look at what you've become? Fighting, brawling, mixing with the underworld... You weren't like this before! You disappoint me, you know that?"
Lin Bin's temper flared up too. "I wasn't like this? Then what can I do? Can I go back? I've been expelled from school, I've served time! Can I just pretend none of it ever happened? Tell me!"
"Tell me!!!"
Fang Yaqiong looked at Lin Bin, who was like a beast on the verge of going berserk, and was left speechless.
In the end, she said nothing, turned, and walked back towards the stall, preparing to continue selling drinks.
But just as she picked up her serving tray, Lin Bin suddenly reached out and slapped it from her hands.
"Haven't I told you? Don't take night shifts anymore, don't work these evening jobs! Why won't you listen to me?!"
Fang Yaqiong's anger was now fully ignited. She snapped her head up to glare at him. "Why should I listen to you?! Lin Bin, who are you to me? My boyfriend? We broke up ages ago! What right do you have to tell me what to do?!"
"I..." Lin Bin was left speechless by her questions.
"Or is it because we were high school classmates? Or because you're now a dropout with a criminal record, a petty thug?"
"Lin Bin, what can you do besides fight and cause trouble? You can't even support yourself, and you want to control me? With the money you extort from those girls? I find it disgusting!"
"Fang Yaqiong! Say that again, you bitch!" Lin Bin took a menacing step forward, his tall frame almost completely engulfing her.
"I said it's disgusting! I'd rather smile and sell drinks here than take your dirty money!"
The muscles in Lin Bin's face twitched violently until rage completely consumed his reason. He abruptly raised his right hand, swinging it toward Fang Yaqiong's face.
Fang Yaqiong didn't flinch. She just stared at him, wide-eyed.
Yet, the slap never landed.
Not because Lin Bin held back, but because a powerful hand seized his wrist in a tight grip.
The owner of that hand was Yun Cheng.
Before either Lin Bin or Fang Yaqiong could react, a familiar voice came from behind Yun Cheng.
"Hitting a woman?"
"Lin Bin, it's been a year. You've really amounted to something now."
................
