The call was answered shortly after it was dialed.
“Hey, Caifeng, what’s up?”
Bai Yuling, who had just finished handling an emergency, asked Li Caifeng over the phone.
“Yuling, it’s almost seven o’clock. Why haven’t you arrived at Tianxing Restaurant yet? My husband, daughter, and I are already here.”
“Sorry, Caifeng. I ran into a bit of trouble and just finished dealing with it. I don’t think I’ll make it to Tianxing Restaurant on time today.”
Hearing Bai Yuling’s explanation, Li Caifeng frowned slightly and asked with concern, “Is the trouble you ran into serious?”
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing major.”
Relieved by Bai Yuling’s response, Li Caifeng continued, “That’s good. So, when do you think you’ll get here?”
After a moment’s thought, Bai Yuling gave an approximate time. “Probably in about half an hour.”
“Half an hour? Got it. We’ll wait here for you, and we can all have dinner together once you arrive.”
Hearing this, Bai Yuling, who already felt bad about being late, quickly replied, “It’s my fault for not arriving on time. How can I let you, as guests, wait for me?”
“Don’t say that. We’ve known each other for years. Just hurry over, or else we’ll all go hungry.”
“Alright, alright. Since you insist, I’ll rush over as fast as I can.”
“Okay, I’ll hang up now. See you soon.”
“See you soon.”
After watching her mom hang up, Yan Qi, who had overheard the conversation but was still a bit confused, asked, “Mom, what happened to Aunt Bai?”
Putting down her phone, Li Caifeng turned to her daughter and replied, “Aunt Bai said she ran into a little trouble that messed up her plans for tonight, but she’s taken care of it now. She should be here in about half an hour, around 7:30.”
Hearing her mother describe it so casually as “a little trouble,” Yan Qi, who knew exactly what kind of work Bai Yuling did, wasn’t fooled. Still, since Bai Yuling said everything was resolved, Yan Qi didn’t press further.
“Okay, I understand.”
Having listened to his wife’s conversation with Bai Yuling and her response to their daughter, Yan Zhenyi, who had been quiet until now, suddenly remembered something. Earlier that day, his boss had specifically reminded him to dress appropriately for the dinner hosted by Bai Yuling that evening.
Puzzled by this request and suspecting it had something to do with Bai Yuling, Yan Zhenyi asked his wife, “Hey, honey, do you know where Yuling works now?”
“Why are you asking all of a sudden?”
“I’m asking because of something that happened at the bureau today.”
“Something at the bureau today?”
Li Caifeng looked confused.
Seeing she didn’t understand, Yan Zhenyi quickly explained what had happened at the bureau earlier.
After hearing her husband’s explanation, Li Caifeng’s expression cleared. “So, you suspect your boss’s special reminder today is related to Yuling, who’s treating us to dinner tonight?”
“Exactly. So, can you answer my question now?”
Li Caifeng hesitated before replying, “Sorry, honey, I don’t know where Yuling works now.”
“Has she never told you where she works?”
Li Caifeng shook her head firmly. “No, she hasn’t.”
Though he still didn’t have a definitive answer, Yan Zhenyi felt he was closer to the truth. “Okay, thanks for answering, honey.”
“You’re welcome. You probably have your own theory about this now, right?”
Yan Zhenyi nodded. “Yes, but it’s just a theory for now. To confirm it, we’ll have to ask her directly.”
“Something like this really does require asking the person involved to get a clear answer.”
Hearing her parents discuss Bai Yuling’s work since moving to Fangfeng City, Yan Qi, who already knew Bai Yuling was the director of the Fangfeng City Supernatural Affairs Bureau, showed no reaction. She simply rested her head in her hands, elbows propped on the table, and waited patiently for Bai Yuling’s arrival.
……
“Are you sure Bai Yuling, the director of the Fangfeng City Supernatural Affairs Bureau, will come here tonight?”
A middle-aged man with a prominent scar on his face looked doubtfully at the glittering Tianxing Restaurant in the distance and asked the woman beside him.
Hearing this, the woman replied unhurriedly, “I’m sure. When I followed her yesterday, I saw her book a private room here at Tianxing Restaurant.”
The man, knowing the woman was cunning but never lied to her allies, couldn’t help but show a hint of excitement. However, just knowing Bai Yuling had booked a room wasn’t enough. He quickly suppressed his smile, turned to the woman, and asked further, “Do you know which room she booked?”
“Yes, Room 3—the innermost room on the second floor.”
Now satisfied, the man broke into a pleased smile. “Excellent. Our order has been waiting for this day for a very long time.”