Chapter Eight: The Restaurant is Robbed

Chapter Eight: The Restaurant Suffers a Theft

Qin Wan’er’s eyes lit up the moment she saw Guoguo—a pretty, spirited child, brimming with charm. A surge of affection welled up in her heart quite unexpectedly. In that instant, the sharp, commanding look in Qin Wan’er’s eyes softened, a gentle warmth replacing her previous sternness.

Xu Yun noticed every nuance of Qin Wan’er’s transformation, smiling helplessly. When it came to cuteness, could anyone possibly outshine Guoguo?

“Little beauty, can you tell big sister what happened here?” Qin Wan’er crouched down, her face adorned with a smile, all traces of her earlier fierceness gone.

“Daddy and Mommy just run a small business, but those bad people keep coming to cause trouble!” Guoguo declared indignantly. “Wan’er Sis, you must help Guoguo teach those bad guys a lesson for Daddy and Mommy!”

Xu Yun and Ruan Qingshuang were both dumbstruck, and Qin Wan’er, mouth agape in astonishment, looked up at the two adults. They didn’t seem that old—how could they possibly have a daughter this big? Could it be they married young because of a pregnancy?

Ruan Qingshuang hurried to clarify, “Officer Qin, Guoguo is his goddaughter. I... I’m not... Xu Yun and I... it’s not what you think.”

“But you could always become what Wan’er Sis thinks,” Guoguo said, dead serious, prompting a mixture of laughter and exasperation from the adults.

Qin Wan’er didn’t dwell on the subject. “Well, let’s head back to the station for a bit. I need to take your statements, and I promise I’ll make sure those thugs get what they deserve!”

“Okay!” Guoguo immediately raised her hand. “I’ll tell Wan’er Sis everything I know!”

“Good!” Qin Wan’er affectionately pinched Guoguo’s cheek, then took out her phone and called the Wenhui District police station for backup, arranging for the Four Wolves Gang’s bald-headed Wei Bing and his crew to be taken away.

Of course, Xu Yun, Ruan Qingshuang, and Guoguo were also escorted to the Wenhui District police station.

Wherever the three of them went—Xu Yun, Ruan Qingshuang, and Guoguo—they were an eye-catching trio. And with Guoguo calling “Mommy” and “Daddy” left and right, practically everyone in the station assumed this disheveled, carefree young man was utterly unworthy of the gorgeous young mother with a child. More than a few young officers mused to themselves: if this beauty wanted to marry with a child in tow, could I possibly resist?

The power of beauty was undeniable, so Ruan Qingshuang and Guoguo were treated with the utmost care—tea, chairs, everything at their service! Xu Yun, meanwhile, was left to stand awkwardly by himself.

Xu Yun felt a bit indignant—wasn’t this blatant gender discrimination?

Qin Wan’er and a few officers sat across from them. “Tell me, what exactly happened here?”

Before Ruan Qingshuang could speak, Guoguo piped up, “Wan’er Sis, here’s what happened: some scoundrel owed those bad guys money, then lied and said Mommy was his sister-in-law, so they came to Mommy for the money! But Mommy isn’t even married yet, how could she be that scoundrel’s sister-in-law?”

Her words made all the male officers, except Qin Wan’er, sigh inwardly in regret—what a pity, having a child before marriage… which bastard could be so wasteful and clueless as not to cherish such a treasure?

Xu Yun, standing nearby, became the focus of all their cold, judgmental stares…

Xu Yun and Ruan Qingshuang could only smile wryly, too weary to explain. They silently hoped little Guoguo would keep her comments to a minimum, terrified that she might blurt out something even more shocking.

Yet it seemed Qin Wan’er and Guoguo had a special rapport. In this solemn business of taking statements, she was actually interviewing a child not yet seven years old.

“Stop imagining things,” Qin Wan’er shot her colleagues a glare, then turned back to Guoguo. “Have they harassed you many times before?”

“Yeah,” Guoguo nodded. “Since I met Mommy, they’ve come several times. Mommy already paid their debt off twice for that scoundrel.”

Qin Wan’er was completely confused by the phrase “since I met Mommy,” but decided not to press further.

Ruan Qingshuang didn’t know how to explain either, so she let Guoguo speak freely. If the child made any mistakes, she and Xu Yun could always clarify later.

Guoguo continued, “The third time, they asked for twenty thousand, but Daddy stepped in to help us. So today, they came to take revenge on Daddy and Mommy.”

Qin Wan’er looked at Xu Yun, then at Ruan Qingshuang. “Is that right?”

“Yes,” Ruan Qingshuang nodded. Guoguo’s account was spot on.

Qin Wan’er scribbled down some notes, then looked up at Xu Yun. “Were you in the military?”

Xu Yun was taken aback, shaking his head. “No.”

Qin Wan’er scrutinized him, smirking. “Who are you trying to fool? You think I can’t spot military boxing? I practiced it myself at the academy.”

Xu Yun chuckled quietly to himself, thinking he should have fought like a street thug instead. He’d used military boxing only because anything else might have been lethal…

“Cat stance, rib chop, horse stance, cross punch, throat jab, snap kick—aren’t these all military boxing moves?” Qin Wan’er asked, her eyes glinting with pride. “If you weren’t in the military, how would you know them?”

“Didn’t get into college, so I spent two years in the army. Wouldn’t really say I was a soldier, though,” Xu Yun answered calmly, unfazed.

Just then, news arrived from the interrogation room. The testimony of Wei Bing, the Four Wolves Gang’s fourth member, matched Guoguo’s account almost exactly.

“That proves Wei Bing wasn’t lying—Guoguo would never make things up,” Qin Wan’er said, smiling as she pinched Guoguo’s cheek again.

“Oh right! Wan’er Sis, those guys extorted thirty thousand from Mommy! Can we get the money back?” Guoguo looked at her expectantly.

Ruan Qingshuang hesitated—what was this child saying? The officer had just praised her honesty, but Lü Bao had only managed to swindle just under twenty thousand from her.

Qin Wan’er nodded seriously at Guoguo. “That gang is notorious. Wan’er Sis will definitely get justice for you. If their boss doesn’t return thirty thousand, I won’t let them go! How about that?”

“Yay!” Guoguo cheered, her face alight with excitement.

Seeing Ruan Qingshuang’s helpless expression, Xu Yun realized the little money-grubber had just scored a profit…

When Ruan Qingshuang tried to object, Xu Yun tugged her sleeve and shook his head, whispering, “They got what they deserved.”

Qin Wan’er then asked Ruan Qingshuang a few more questions. Upon learning that this frail woman not only supported herself but also cared for Guoguo, all while fending off the advances of unsavory men, she felt a deep admiration for Ruan Qingshuang.

The final conclusion was clear: the Four Wolves Gang had brought disaster upon themselves. Xu Yun’s actions were entirely in self-defense—one could even say he acted heroically.

“Sis Qingshuang, you can take Guoguo and go,” Qin Wan’er said warmly. “Guoguo is truly adorable.”

Ruan Qingshuang was a little flustered at the affectionate address. “Officer Qin, if you’d like to try medicinal cuisine, please come to our restaurant. Guoguo, Xu Yun, and I would all be delighted to have you.”

“No need to be so formal, just call me Wan’er.” Qin Wan’er smiled. “I’ll definitely come by and try it!”

“And I’ll treat you when you come!” Guoguo grinned.

After a few more playful words with Guoguo, Qin Wan’er stood and called out to Xu Yun, who was about to leave. “Hold on.”

Xu Yun paused. “Is there something else? Haven’t you already cleared me as a good guy? What’s this—heroic citizen bonus?”

“In your dreams! You think you get a reward just for teaching a few thugs a lesson?” Qin Wan’er shook her head. “Wake up, young man.”

“Then why are you calling me? Want my phone number?” Xu Yun stroked his chin. “If you want to ask me out, you’ll have to wait till after I get off work at nine.”

Qin Wan’er rolled her eyes. “I’m just telling you I might summon you again about this case.”

“Why?” Xu Yun wasn’t happy about being on the police radar, even if the officer was a busty, brainless beauty.

“Why so many questions? Are you a lawful citizen? If so, you’re obliged to cooperate!” Qin Wan’er said bluntly.

Xu Yun was speechless. “That’s your reason?”

Qin Wan’er sauntered away, leaving him with only her graceful silhouette. “Be sure to cooperate when I call, and you’ll find it’s to your advantage.”

Cooperate with the police? What a joke! Xu Yun scoffed inwardly; if it weren’t for Guoguo’s sake, he’d have lost his temper long ago. To Xu Yun, police meant nothing but trouble and annoyance.

…

By the time the three of them left the station, it was nearly four in the afternoon. Guoguo decisively cancelled their planned half-day trip to the job market.

Her reasoning was simple: that late in the day, only two types of people would show up to apply for jobs—those who were truly capable and confident, and those who were just loafers. The first type would never take a menial job at their restaurant, and the second type wasn’t worth even a hundred yuan to her.

After some discussion, the two women and one man—with their little companion—decided to head home.

When they returned to the medicinal restaurant, Ruan Qingshuang let out a gasp and drew a sharp breath. The street-facing window had been smashed, shards of glass scattered everywhere.

Guoguo froze for a moment, then suddenly cried out in alarm and dashed into the restaurant.

She quickly ran to the counter, then burst into tears—the seven thousand yuan in the cash drawer had vanished without a trace.

The moment Xu Yun saw the broken window, he understood everything. This wasn’t the work of some ordinary thief; after all, it took real nerve to smash a window and steal in broad daylight. If this wasn’t retaliation by the Four Wolves Gang, it must be connected to Lü Bao. Lü Bao had brazenly slipped inside at lunchtime, so it was hardly a stretch for him to break a window.

Besides, Lü Bao was now desperate—if he didn’t pay back the gang soon, he feared they’d beat him to death.

Ruan Qingshuang was shaken. Business had only just started to improve, and now, in just a few short hours, all their hard-earned money was gone. The blow was crushing.

Guoguo, too, was utterly dejected, her usual cheerfulness nowhere to be seen, which made her all the more pitiful.

Steeling herself, Ruan Qingshuang picked up the phone and called the police.