Once again, Shancheng’s criminal police deputy captain was awkwardly kicked out of the kitchen.

As the rhythmic sound of chopping filling resumed from the kitchen, Boss Bai of Huangliang Yimeng said mischievously: “Captain He, seriously, how much hush money are you prepared to pay us not to tell anyone what just happened?”

Although the door was closed, the soundproofing of the old house clearly wasn’t that good. Plus, after renovation, Huangliang Yimeng had specifically installed glass for the kitchen – though there were curtains, the quarreling couple had obviously both forgotten to draw them.

Now through the small window, He Jianqiu could see his wife’s efficient silhouette chopping filling, and said helplessly: “No wonder she likes working here.”

So this wasn’t just something she was “good at,” but something she actually enjoyed.

“Seems Deputy Captain He didn’t know how much your wife likes staying in there. Usually the boss is quite generous, opening the kitchen for Xiao Lei to practice. The things she makes lately are no different from professional pastry chefs.”

Han Sha finished speaking with a smile, then suddenly changed direction: “How about… next time bring more of your team to patronize our business, let them taste your wife’s cooking too. Since we’re acquaintances, I can give you all a group discount of twenty percent.”

“It’s true, Sister Lei’s cakes are so delicious, Captain He.”

Song Nanshi added quietly: “Now when the boss is too busy to teach me, I learn from Sister Lei. She even said she taught herself all this at home before, just to make them for you and your in-laws.”

“…”

Now that He Jianqiu thought back, when he brought the oven home, Lei Hong had indeed been happy and would often make cakes from time to time. He had just always assumed it was his wife’s helpless way of passing time while idle at home…

“He Jianqiu, come help me wrap dumplings.”

After just a few exchanges, the kitchen door opened in response, and Lei Hong nimbly placed several large bowls on the table.

The filling she mixed always had a very fragrant sesame oil aroma. He Jianqiu could smell it immediately – this was the unique dumpling flavor that belonged to his wife.

“From this perspective, Captain He is still somewhat useful.” Bai Yang couldn’t resist fanning the flames from the side. “At least he can wrap dumplings, so he’s not completely useless.”

Lei Hong brought over clean water and placed it on the table: “His hands are quick, otherwise we won’t finish wrapping them… we still have to send some to the station tonight. Didn’t you say Wang Wei and Chen Yuan have been craving them for a long time?”

“Let us help too.” Song Nanshi immediately pulled over a stool. “Though I’m not very good at it, dumplings shouldn’t be hard to learn… the boss has been wanting to eat dumplings for ages.”

“But…”

Lei Hong wanted to refuse, but Han Sha had already started distributing dumpling wrappers: “We’re considering takeout and membership card services, which would be suitable for stressed customers who don’t have time for afternoon tea. Don’t forget to mention it when you deliver dumplings to the station – consider it helping the boss out.”

It could be said that Lei Hong hadn’t wrapped dumplings with a whole table of people for a very long time.

She felt somewhat dazed as she dipped her fingertips in a little water, pinched one closed and placed it on the plate, only to discover that the three dumplings in front couldn’t be said to look identical – they could practically be said to have no relationship whatsoever to the thing called “dumplings.”

Lei Hong: “…”

He Jianqiu placed a normal-looking dumpling up there and said helplessly: “Boss, honestly, do you all really know how to wrap dumplings…”

The closest was Han Sha’s wontons. He shrugged: “It’s normal for Yu Jiang people not to know how to wrap dumplings. Only Xiao Lei here is from the north – me, the boss, and Xiao Song are all Yu Jiang locals.”

Lei Hong hesitated a moment, but only arranged the first two dumplings that resembled “egg yolk pastries” more neatly, saying simply: “My hometown is in the north, but I haven’t been back since college… there’s nothing worth going back for anyway.”

The efficiency of five people working together was very high. Soon the plates were filled with oddly-shaped dumplings. For the first time in her life, Lei Hong was flustered while boiling dumplings, and in the end there were even many dumpling wrappers floating in the dumpling soup.

Ten minutes later, the dumplings were served.

As soon as the steaming plates were set down, Bai Yang immediately ate one of his own “snow mochi dumplings” despite burning his mouth, and then he immediately understood why no one at Shancheng Detachment wanted their deputy captain to get divorced.

“No wonder Wang Wei and the others have been craving this…”

Compared to takeout, who wouldn’t tearfully down three big bowls of this?

Just for these dumplings alone, Bai Yang felt that when the He family parents learned their son was getting divorced, they should have beaten this rebellious son to death on the spot.

Lei Hong had specially prepared red oil dipping sauce that Yu Jiang people love. Han Sha silently ate half a bowl, then finally commented: “Looking at Zhong Dumplings’ market share, this feels like it could be a good path to wealth in the future. Boss, you really do have some dog shit luck when it comes to hiring people.”

“Next time I want Sister Bai to try some too…”

Song Nanshi added a lethal amount of Bai family chili sauce to his bowl, clearly very pleased with this flavor combination, and said happily: “With the chili sauce, she’ll definitely love it.”

“Better not, I’m afraid my sister would poach her overnight… my shop really can’t do without Brother Lei right now.”

Bai Yang immediately became alert, but his reflexive response immediately amused the “newlywed couple” across from him.

“It’s not that exaggerated, just homestyle cooking.” Lei Hong said. “At home before, a certain someone would eat this every few days. I thought he was already sick of it.”

After all these years, He Jianqiu had long known this dumpling flavor by heart. Though Lei Hong said he didn’t like to “order dishes,” the fact was that Deputy Captain He was really very easy to feed.

When on assignment in Southeast Asia for two or three months at a time, everything he ate made him feel like he was gnawing on soap, tasteless. Sometimes in the middle of the night, he would even dream of staring at plump white dumplings bobbing in a pot, with the aroma of flour filling the whole house, then Lei Hong yawning as she got up to prepare dipping sauce for him.

Recalling those nights of sitting at the table eating dumplings with his wife, he suddenly smiled with something like a sigh: “So from now on I can only pay to eat my wife’s cakes?”

His words came suddenly, and it would have been fine if he hadn’t said anything, but once he did, Lei Hong seemed reminded of something and looked up at him coolly.

“You didn’t seem particularly fond of eating them when you could, and after the divorce you even brought home someone else’s cake for me to eat, lying that you bought it and specifically saying it tasted good and looked nice too, making me so angry I couldn’t sleep all night, thinking all the cakes I specially made for you before had been fed to dogs.”

Bai Yang: “…”

He Jianqiu: “…”

Bai Yang connected the cause and effect and suddenly felt his scalp tingling: “Wait, sister-in-law, I think there might be some misunderstanding here. That cake last time…”

“That cake last time…”

Shancheng’s Ghost’s Bane felt somewhat desperate, nearly breaking the dumpling skin with his chopsticks.

He could see through wrongly judged cases at a glance, but when it came to his wife’s preferences he had always been blind. The rare thing he thought he had done to win Lei Hong’s favor had turned out to be another mistake.

Deputy Captain He held his forehead, attempting to defend himself with difficulty: “No, I always thought… you liked eating cakes, not making them. After all, making cakes is also about revolving around pots and pans… I mean…”

The more he explained, the worse it got.

If this continued, Lei Hong definitely wouldn’t go to the civil affairs bureau with him tomorrow.

Just as He Jianqiu was trying desperately to struggle once more, he heard a snort of laughter. Lei Hong had laughed out loud and began methodically putting all the dumpling wrappers into his bowl.

“So, Captain He, can we communicate properly this time? Don’t do any more self-righteous stupid things, bringing your case-solving empiricism home.”

Lei Hong said lightly: “I’ll say this one last time – don’t randomly guess what I like or don’t like, what I should or shouldn’t do. If there’s a next time where you do something you think is right to make decisions for me, you’ll only get dumpling wrappers every time you eat dumplings from now on, understand?”

…This threat sounded far too easy to carry out.

At this moment, He Jianqiu felt more deeply than ever that the nickname “Ghost’s Bane” should go to his wife, but he was completely obedient with his words.

“Yes, Brother Lei… no problem, Brother Lei. I’ll definitely be careful and absolutely won’t disappoint Brother Lei.”

“So, order from me now. What do you want to eat after we go to the civil affairs bureau tomorrow? I remember there’s a market next to it with pretty good vegetables.”

Finally, Lei Hong satisfactorily gave him another dumpling that looked like a small dinner roll: “Also, after this meal, you’re not allowed to order dumplings from me for a month.”

[End of Extra Chapter 2]

Author’s Note

Blind Eyes

Author

2022-07-16

Starting tomorrow will be Old Han’s extra chapters, which will write about some of Old Han’s previous “jobs.”