Chapter 403: The Transaction

In the back kitchen, He Yuzhu and several chefs sat around eating together; there were eight dishes on the table, every one of them a substantial course.

Qin Huairu picked up a piece of Boiled Fish, put it into her mouth, her eyes lit up, and she said, "Zhuzi's Boiled Fish is still the most delicious!"

The chef Xiao Deng also nodded along: "Brother Zhuzi's skill with this Boiled Fish is truly top-notch." He gave a thumbs-up.

"That Cadre Fan is really not a decent person! To actually not let you sit at the main table. Did you offend him at some point?" Qin Huairu scolded.

"I did offend him. Last time he got into a scuffle with Teacher Xu, I slapped him once." He Yuzhu took a sip of white liquor.

"I thought so! It's purely retaliation! What 'father and son shouldn't sit at the same table'? We don't have such rules in the countryside!" Qin Huairu said indignantly.

"Actually, I don't like eating with that table of people at all; they all put on airs and act like big shots."

Before He Yuzhu had finished speaking, a scream suddenly came from upstairs—"Catch the pervert!"

He Yuzhu dropped his bowl and chopsticks, dashed up the stairs like an arrow, and headed straight for the Manager's office.

Pushing open the door, Fan Jinyou was slumped on the floor, and Xu Huizhen, with a livid face, was kicking him one after another.

"Auntie, what's going on?" He Yuzhu asked.

"This bastard! He peeked at me changing clothes!"

He Yuzhu's eyes turned cold as he looked at Fan Jinyou on the floor: "I thought you just had a foul mouth, I didn't expect you to be a filthy pervert." He grabbed the man and hauled him up, then raised his hand and delivered several loud slaps.

Fan Jinyou was hit until he saw stars, yet he still cursed filthily: "You... you stinking woman... I was drunk and went to the wrong door looking for the restroom! Why didn't you... lock the door while changing?"

He Yuzhu laughed in anger: "You damn fool, don't you have a brain? Where would there be a restroom upstairs!" As he spoke, he delivered two more slaps, "I think you're just asking for a beating! I'm taking you to the police station!"

He dragged the man toward the exit, but Xu Huizhen walked over and stopped him: "Zhuzi, let it go."

He Yuzhu was stunned: "Auntie, this kind of person shouldn't be let off lightly, otherwise, there will definitely be a next time!"

Xu Huizhen shook her head, "I've already hit him... it doesn't sound good if it gets too big. After all, today is a good day for me and Quanwu. Let him get out."

He Yuzhu glanced at her and understood her concerns.

He didn't insist further, released Fan Jinyou, and landed a solid punch on his abdomen.

Fan Jinyou let out a muffled groan, curled up on the floor in pain, and couldn't catch his breath for a long while.

"Get out!" He Yuzhu shouted, "Don't let me see you again!"

Fan Jinyou, as if granted amnesty, clutched his stomach and scrambled out the door.

He Yuzhu turned to look at Xu Huizhen and joked: "Auntie, a woman with a child is different; you don't even lock the door when changing clothes!"

"You little bastard, a dog's mouth can't spit out ivory!" Xu Huizhen glared at him and scolded.

He Yuzhu laughed as he went downstairs and returned to the back kitchen, where he saw He Yushui wolfing down food at the edge of the table.

"Yushui, didn't you get enough to eat at the banquet? You ran to the back kitchen to scrounge for food?" He Yuzhu said.

"That bunch of brats, they finished every plate as soon as it came up; I couldn't compete with them!" He Yushui pouted.

"What just happened upstairs?" Qin Huairu leaned in and asked in a low voice.

"Fan Jinyou got drunk and thought it was the restroom, broke in and caught Xu Huizhen changing clothes, but luckily she was still wearing her undergarments. A second-marriage woman is really wild!" He Yuzhu joked.

"It was lucky that Chen Xueru was quick-witted just now; she saw you go up and stopped everyone who wanted to go watch the commotion!" Qin Huairu said.

"It seems this bridesmaid of his is quite capable!" He Yuzhu said.

He Yushui swallowed the food in her mouth and looked up to ask: "Brother, what are they arguing about upstairs?"

"Nothing, just a drunkard throwing a tantrum," He Yuzhu said dismissively.

Qin Huairu shook her head: "Xu Huizhen is really something, why didn't she lock the door when changing?"

He Yuzhu didn't respond, just smiled.

The people in the main hall gradually left, and in the kitchen, the chefs also began to clean up.

At this time, Tian Dan came over, pulled He Yuzhu aside, and said: "I've thought about it, you're right, the breakthrough is still with Lin Wanning. Why don't you go interrogate her again today?"

He Yuzhu was silent for a moment: "If she is willing to open up and tell all the secrets, can she be released?"

"That's against the rules," Tian Dan said firmly.

He Yuzhu knew that saying more would be useless, so he stopped insisting.

He turned to stir-fry a few dishes and went to Quanjude to pick up a roast duck before following Tian Dan to the Public Security Bureau.

When the door to the interrogation room was pushed open, Lin Wanning was stunned.

In the center of the room was an Eight Immortals table, piled high with food: two plates of roast duck, a large basin of Boiled Fish, a plate of Twice Cooked Pork, and a plate of vinegar-glazed cabbage. Beside them were beer, cola, and soda.

She stared at this out-of-place meal and asked: "... A last meal?"

"You're overthinking it," He Yuzhu pulled out a chair and sat down, "I just came to see you and have a chat."

"A weasel wishing a chicken a Happy New Year. Did you poison it?"

He Yuzhu didn't say a word, picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of each dish, and slowly finished them. Then he put down his chopsticks and looked at her.

Lin Wanning met his gaze for a few seconds and finally sat down.

She was truly hungry.

She picked up a thin pancake, wrapped it with duck meat, scallion shreds, and dipped it in sauce; she took a bite, and the rich, oily fragrance instantly filled her mouth.

She gulped down a large mouthful of soda and let out a satisfied burp.

"Try the Boiled Fish and the Twice Cooked Pork," He Yuzhu pushed the plates toward her, "I made them myself."

"You know how to cook?"

"Why does He Ji Restaurant have the surname He?" He Yuzhu smiled, "I opened it. But it was sold off a long time ago."

"There aren't many truthful words in your mouth. Let's be direct; you've gone through so much trouble, what are you after?"

"As long as your accomplices aren't caught, we won't be able to sleep soundly. If you say everything you should, perhaps... I can get you out so you don't have to sit in prison."

Lin Wanning sneered, "You talk like you're farting; can I believe you?"

She finished the last bite of the pancake and wiped her hands.

"Your cooking skills are not bad, but you want to trade a meal for me to open my mouth? No chance."

"Do you want to go out for a walk?" He Yuzhu suddenly asked.

Lin Wanning looked him up and down as if she had heard a joke: "Aren't you afraid I'll run the moment I step outside?"

"If I don't let you run, you will never be able to run."

"You sure know how to brag." Lin Wanning laughed.

"However, there is a condition for taking you out. Today, I will only ask you one thing: this time, how did you get your money? You don't have to say anything else."

Lin Wanning looked at He Yuzhu's face with a sharp gaze: "Really?"

"Really." He Yuzhu answered crisply.

Lin Wanning sat back down, watched him for a long while, and suddenly asked: "Can you tell me, when we were in the car, how did you open the Handcuffs?"

He Yuzhu got up and walked out of the interrogation room, returning quickly with a pair of Handcuffs.

He handed the key to Lin Wanning, then cuffed his own hands together.

Lin Wanning gripped the key tightly, staring at him without blinking: "If you can open them like this too, I'll tell you how the money was obtained."

He Yuzhu suddenly raised his hand and slammed it onto the table!

With a loud "Bang," the sound made Lin Wanning shrink back instinctively.

In an instant, He Yuzhu had used his space to take the key from Lin Wanning's hand and replaced it with a piece of iron.

By the time she came to her senses, He Yuzhu had already used the key to open the Handcuffs with a "click."

Lin Wanning opened her palm; lying in it was a piece of iron shaped like a key.

She looked up abruptly, pointing at He Yuzhu excitedly, "You... you aren't human! You're a monster!"

He Yuzhu laughed, "Lin Wanning, are you a sore loser? Now, it is time for you to fulfill your promise."