Yan Mei rolled her eyes at her friend, watching how she shamelessly took all the credit for herself. It wasn't her business, so she kept quiet and simply listened to Section Chief Fang's self-praising speech.
Ring… ring…
Section Chief Fang took out her phone and saw her father's name on the screen. Since she was still on duty and her father held a higher position, she maintained her formal tone. "Hello, sir."
"Haha, Section Chief Fang, I just received the report. You earned great merit for taking down that trafficking syndicate. This will remain in your record and help with future promotions," said the middle-aged man, his voice blending fatherly pride with official authority.
"Thank you, sir. I'll continue to work hard to maintain law and order. These merits are merely decorations — what truly matters is fulfilling my duty with faith and integrity," replied Section Chief Fang in a solemn, sincere tone.
"Well said. As public security officers, our focus should be on protecting and serving civilians, not chasing merits," the man said contentedly. "Alright, Section Chief Fang, carry on with your duty."
Click…
The call ended, and Section Chief Fang went back to earning more merit by giving interviews to the reporters at the scene.
Her friend Yan Mei, having overheard the call, looked at her speechlessly. "Why are you wasting time collecting merits here? Didn't you just say your duty is to serve and protect civilians?"
Meanwhile…
Inside a luxurious office…
A young lady stared at the TV, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Human trafficking, huh? I saw him again… why was he involved in it?"
She picked up her phone and dialed.
"Hello, Miss Xinyi. How can I help you?"
"I want all the details on the human trafficking case in Xuhui District — on my desk in ten minutes," Xinyi said calmly.
"Understood, Miss Xinyi. Consider it done," replied the man on the other end.
Click…
The call disconnected. She set the phone down and continued watching the news covering the Xuhui District trafficking incident.
Meanwhile, in a hospital corridor…
Chaithanya turned to Xiuying and began giving instructions. "Okay, Xiuying, take them to the mansion, let them get used to the new environment, and explain everything they need to know. Go over the work details with Miss Rong, and prepare a guest room large enough for them. Arrange a bunk bed or dormitory setup for the kids, and a normal bed for Miss Rong. And don't give me that look — I'll be out for a bit, got some work to handle. I'll be back in an hour or two."
Xiuying rubbed her temples. "I'm your secretary. I'm supposed to handle your office work, not run errands for you."
"Alright, alright. I'll give you a bonus this month for working so hard," Chaithanya said with an exasperated look.
At the mention of a bonus, Xiuying's irritation faded immediately.
Junhao pulled on a mask, sunglasses, and a cap, doing his best to stay low-key. He booked a cab and, after a few minutes, climbed in when it arrived.
His destination was Dragon Broth Restaurant. Once there, he paid the fare and walked inside. The moment he entered, Sis Xia immediately recognized him and rushed out from behind the counter, greeting him with a bright smile.
"Sis Xia, don't do that. If you keep treating me like a VIP, people will start wondering who I am. Once they figure it out, I won't be able to eat here in peace anymore," said Chaithanya with a reproachful, half-smiling expression.
"I… I'm sorry, little brother. I won't do it again," Sis Xia said apologetically.
"Haha, I'm just kidding. Don't take it seriously," Chaithanya said, brushing a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear.
Sis Xia froze, blushing instantly. "L-little brother, please pick any seat you like. I'll go prepare the best dishes in the restaurant!" she stammered, then bolted toward the kitchen, too flustered to stay another second.
Watching her retreating figure, Chaithanya smiled in amusement and took a nearby empty seat. He dialed a number.
"Where are you? I'm waiting for you at the restaurant," he said when the call connected.
"I'm sorry, I'm close by. I'll be there in a few minutes," He Mei replied.
He then called out to Sis Xia. "Sis Xia, can you ask the chef to make Indian-style chai and samosas? Oh, and some chili bhajji would be great too."
"Okay, little brother, leave it to me," she said shyly.
Soon, steaming cups of Indian chai and hot samosas arrived. He inhaled deeply, nostalgia hitting him hard as memories from his past life surfaced. Shaking off the thoughts, he began to eat — sipping the chai and taking small bites of the samosas in between. When the mirchi bhajji arrived, the spicy aroma made him smile. One bite in, and the burst of heat and gram flour flavor filled his mouth, awakening his senses.
Lost in the moment, he licked his fingers absentmindedly until a hesitant voice interrupted him.
"Um… hello? Are you Mr. Junhao?"
He stopped, wiped his fingers clean, and turned toward the young woman. "Yes. Please, have a seat. What would you like to eat?"
"Ah… thanks," she said, nodding as she sat across from him, brushing her hair behind her ear. "No, it's okay, I'm not that hungry." Her modest tone carried that familiar contradiction — when a woman says she doesn't like something, it often means she does.
But Chaithanya didn't bother with those games. He simply nodded. "Alright then, let's discuss the costume."
The young woman blinked, stunned. For the first time, she met a man who didn't fawn over her or try to please her. Usually, when she acted modest, men would persist until she accepted their offers. She enjoyed that attention — but this man was different. Chaithanya was unlike anyone she had met before.
"Hmm." She felt embarrassed and awkward at the same time. Since she had just said she wasn't hungry, she couldn't very well order the dishes she actually wanted to eat.
She nodded and began discussing the costume details. Soon, both of them forgot the brief awkwardness and became fully absorbed in their conversation. She quickly moved past her embarrassment, offering professional advice and suggestions based on his ideas for the costume he liked.
Suddenly, a waitress placed a cup of Indian chai, a plate of samosas, and another plate of mirchi bhajji on the table. "Miss, your order," the server said politely, bowing slightly before walking away.