Chapter 69: 68 Flip!

68 Flip!

“Clang!”

With a loud crash of a metal tray hitting the table, half a pudding shattered and leapt up, skillfully flying low over the mound of stewed beef before plopping into Leon’s bowl of soup. ???

Leon, mid-bite, froze, surprised, and looked up—only to see a familiar face full of fury sitting across from him.

That wasteful policewoman from this morning?

No… are you crazy? There are so many empty seats, why sit across from me, your “enemy”? Do we even know each other?

“Miss Isa.”

Wanting to avoid trouble due to her secret police status, Leon set down his fork and politely gestured toward a nearby empty seat, speaking as courteously as he could:

“I prefer eating lunch alone. If it’s convenient for you, could you please sit over there…”

“No!”

Looking at this bastard who had mocked her this morning and now stole her lunch, the policewoman glared at Leon, removed her scarf, and slammed it onto the table, gritting her teeth:

“I’m sitting right here! If you can’t stand it, leave!”

“Fine. I’ll go elsewhere. I hope you’ll keep your promise and stay right here—don’t move!”

With a cold, humorless smirk, Leon rose, carried his tray calmly to a nearby seat, and stabbed a tender, slow-cooked beef shoulder, savoring it with pure bliss as he stuffed it into his mouth.

Wonderful. Though some people in the Police Department are unbearable, the cafeteria’s food is truly top-tier! Especially this home-style stewed beef—though not a fancy dish, the chef clearly put in tremendous effort.

The beef had been briefly seared before boiling, preserving its tenderness perfectly. The broth ratio was clearly calculated—just right: not so absorbed it dulled the flavor, nor so thin it failed to penetrate.

Leon’s teeth barely pressed down, and the broth—infused with white peppercorns, bay leaves, and cloves—squeezed out from the tender fibers of the meat. The rich aroma, faintly spicy, blended with the silky texture, instantly conquering his tongue.

In the chilly late autumn, when fingers freeze in the wind, nothing compares to sinking this tender, slightly spicy morsel into an empty stomach. For a tired worker, it was true happiness.

I can’t take this anymore!

Seeing Leon’s blissful expression and the sauce on his lips, then glancing at her own cold, soggy pork cutlet—after a miserable day, the policewoman’s eyes turned red.

I’ve never seen such an arrogant rebel!

After sneaking into the Police Department by luck, you don’t even hide quietly—you boldly mooch off our cafeteria, and right in front of me, you savor the stewed beef I was saving for myself! You’re just…

Ah! Damn it! You’re even smacking your lips!

“Clang!”

The metal tray slammed the table again. After being utterly crushed by Leon’s blissful eating, the policewoman broke her own vow of “I’m sitting right here,” marched back across, and slammed her tray down opposite him, glaring furiously.

Decided! I’ll use the most evil expression of my life to whisper coldly to him:

You don’t think your actions from four days ago went unnoticed, do you?

According to the Director, the Bureau can’t arrest this bastard, nor can they feed him false intel—this lead has been completely abandoned. So why not scare him with it?

It’ll warn him to tone it down, and remind him our secret police aren’t just sitting around. Maybe he’ll panic and quit on his own!

…

“You…”

Just as the red-eyed policewoman slammed her fist on the table, ready to risk expulsion for violating Bureau discipline to make this bastard suffer, the bastard across from her suddenly glared back, face icy:

“Why are you wasting food?”

“Huh?”

What do you mean “huh”?

Seeing the scattered rice and pudding on the table, Leon—who’d spent the past three years eating less than two copper wheels a day, and once scavenged bread crusts from trash bins when starving—felt his mood plummet.

As he frowned and opened his mouth to say something like “Don’t waste food—half the capital can’t even afford to eat this”—he caught sight of the policewoman’s clothes.

According to the Kingdom Police Department’s regulations, officers aren’t required to wear uniforms unless on duty. Though her civilian attire was plain, the fine embroidery on the collar and the fabric that never wrinkled, no matter how she moved, screamed expensive.

So… what’s the point of me saying this to her?

Looking down at his own worn coat, checking the thin elbows and the cotton lining peeking through the frayed collar, Leon gave a bitter laugh, abandoned any hope of reasoning with her, and glanced at her coldly before lowering his head again.

“Forget it. I didn’t say anything.”

“…”

Watching Leon return to his meal, refusing to look at her again, the policewoman—who had been seething moments ago—sat frozen, utterly lost.

Due to chronic malnutrition, Leon was always thin, his cheeks hollow, making his eyes appear unnaturally large and sharp.

As the red-haired Director said, though Leon spoke little and showed few expressions, his eyes—alive, expressive—revealed a deeply emotional soul.

Now, the policewoman was shaken by the coldness in those eyes.

Not hatred. Not disgust. Not anger. Not resentment. Just pure, unadulterated indifference.

You can’t discuss ice with a summer insect.

Though she’d never heard that phrase, in Leon’s glance, she clearly understood its meaning: a recognition of the vast gulf between them, and the utter refusal to even try bridging it.

He’s… he’s…

Unable to describe that look, she snapped back to reality—aware of the stares around her, the murmurs in the dining hall, and Leon, still calmly eating his stewed beef with blank indifference—her face flushed crimson as if by magic.

“You bastard!”

Eat! I’ll make you eat!

With a screech of chair legs scraping the floor, the policewoman leapt up, grabbed her tray by both sides, and dumped everything onto Leon’s plate. Amid countless shocked stares, she bit her lip, bowed her head, and ran out of the cafeteria. ???

What the hell is wrong with you?!

Unaware of the psychological blow his glance had dealt the proud policewoman, Leon’s temper flared as he stared at the ruined tray.

Though her brain was faulty, her physical condition was flawless. By the time Leon snapped out of shock and rose to chase her, she was already gone—long legs carrying her into nothingness.

“…”

Breathe… don’t argue with fools! Don’t argue with fools! Don’t argue with fools!

After glancing at the uneaten food on his tray, Leon silently repeated the mantra several times, then sat back down, scowling, picking through the mess—even plucking up a bit of spilled rice pudding and tasting it.

Admittedly, this dessert, popular among female officers, was delicious. It required real effort: mixing eggs, milk, white sugar, raisins into rice, steaming until the sugar dissolved and the grains softened into pudding.

Even cold, it remained silky-smooth, its sweet, soothing fragrance traveling down her throat and settling warmly in her chest.

After tasting the fried pork cutlet and apple pie—both equally excellent—Leon’s appetite satisfied, his anger subsided. He nodded in approval.

Not bad. The policewoman may be mentally unstable, but her taste in food is solid. Next time, I’ll order the same.

Leon, happily eating, didn’t notice the hand-knitted scarf with “Isa” embroidered on it still lying on the table where their first confrontation had occurred.

As for the policewoman who had stormed out after flipping the tray, she now stood frozen at the cafeteria entrance, staring as Leon picked up the spilled pudding, picked up his utensils, and slowly, reverently ate every last morsel from his ruined plate.

…

“Burp…”

Carrying cat food and pet toys bought from the department store, Leon sprinted home, arriving just before 3 p.m.

Though he had a small appetite, Leon had endured the cafeteria lady’s generous scoop, then the idiot policewoman’s double portion—finally, through sheer willpower, he managed to finish this painful, blissful meal.

Sitting down, clutching his bloated stomach to catch his breath, he checked the time: still half an hour until 3:30. He exhaled in relief, then struggled to his feet to prepare.

According to [Materialism]’s information, the witch’s cat would knock at 3:30. Though seemingly harmless, since it involved the abnormal, Leon had concocted an excuse to send his three younger siblings away, emptying the house.

Iron mouse, scratching board, salted fish doll, fishing rod for cats, a small ball with bells inside…

He arranged all the cat toys around the room, filled two large bowls—one with half a bowl of water, the other brimming with cat food—and nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to sit down, he realized he’d forgotten the litter box.

After searching the empty house and finding no suitable container, he took his washbasin, went outside, filled it with sand, and brought it in.

All set!

If the thing knocking is truly a cat—and not some large feline—it’ll be delighted with my hospitality!

As Leon waited confidently, time reached 3:30. His door was knocked on precisely.

“Tap. Tap-tap.”

“Coming!”

Leon took a deep breath, nervously opened the door—and luckily, it wasn’t a large feline, but a small, short-legged, fluffy-coated Munchkin cat.

“Meow~”

With a soft, babyish meow, like a greeting, the gray-and-white cat politely nodded to Leon, then scratched its back pack, pulling out a card and offering it.

【Hello, I’m Mango. I’m the pet of the witch who made an agreement with your Clearance Bureau.】

After checking Leon’s eyes to confirm he could read and had finished the card, Mango pulled out another card before Leon could speak.

【Don’t ask why I’m not black. Other witches keep black cats because they wear black clothes—cat fur doesn’t show.】

“…”

Uh… I just wanted to say hello, but I did wonder that…

Nodding to show he understood, Leon smiled warmly:

“So your master likes gray or white clothes?”

“Meow~”

The cat shook its head. Though adorable, its brow fur formed a tiny “ Chuan ” character, giving it a perpetually annoyed expression. It pulled out a third card.

【My master loves flying balls. Fur gets blown off—she doesn’t care.】

“Ohhh, I see…”

After a few awkward card exchanges, Leon stared at the clearly intelligent cat, glanced at his prepared items, and scratched his head in doubt.

Wait… this isn’t an ordinary cat. Will it even care about my stuff?

Glancing back at the two bowls and the sand-filled washbasin, Leon swallowed hard and ventured:

“Uh… could I ask—how should I entertain you?”

Hearing Leon’s question, the cat tugged at the fabric of its collar, unfurling a pink scarf embroidered with rabbits, then rummaged in its backpack and pulled out a fourth card.

【My requirements are simple. Just like before.】

Oh oh! As long as the demands aren't high!

After reading the card, Li Ang felt considerably relieved, but before he could let the cat inside, he saw the fifth card handed to him.

【For food, the appetizer only needs boiled soft carrots and peas; afterward, just serve some tuna salad; the main course isn't picky—half a portion of yellowtail sashimi and cucumber rolls will do…】

「…」

【Also, I've traveled a long way to get here and now need to use the restroom—could you please take me there first?】

「…」

【Human? What's wrong? Are you unwell?】

「…」