Chapter 80

"Am I not going to interfere with your discussion of important matters here?" Qin Wan'er sneered. The three most influential figures in Hedong City were actually gathered together. What kind of banquet was this for Sister Qing Shuang, and what were their true intentions?

Jin Biao hurriedly said, "Of course not, of course not! Officer Qin, my nephew Yishan once told me that you are a woman who doesn't yield to men and are a favorite of Chief Chen. Haha, you must say a good word for my unambitious nephew."

"We have all heard of your deeds, Officer Qin. Your abilities truly make us admire you wholeheartedly!" Wu Lei knew that flattery never fails, and today he was determined to be as low-key as possible. Regardless of whether they had real skills, he decided to completely put aside his usual arrogance and serve them with humility. After all, no one could guarantee what Hedong City would be like next.

Qin Wan'er snorted. She wouldn't accept such flattery from a big thug. She coldly said to Jin Biao, "Jin Biao, don't think that just because Qi Yishan backs you, you can act recklessly!"

Although Jin Biao was seething with anger, he still smiled, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, Officer Qin. From now on, we are all friends on the same path. Let's not bring up past matters."

Qin Wan'er almost burst out in anger, "I'm not on the same path as you!" But thinking of Ruan Qing Shuang and Xu Yun coming here, she held back, though she felt very uncomfortable inside.

Damn Xu Yun, actually leading Sister Qing Shuang down this path. At first, Qin Wan'er thought they were just playing around, trying to avoid future trouble for the medicinal cuisine shop. But now, Sister Qing Shuang was directly aiming for the top position in the South District.

If that was the case, how should she, as a police officer, handle it? Wouldn't she be in a difficult position?

"Sister Wan'er isn't on the same path as you." Guo Guo suddenly spoke up, clearing the relationship: "Hey, we're here to eat. Fatty, why don't you go ask when the food will be served?"

Qin Wan'er, who had been struggling internally, felt much better after Guo Guo's outburst.

Jin Biao's lips twitched. This girl spoke without any respect, even calling him fatty?!

"Jin Fatty, I'm not here to chat with you. We're hungry, hurry up." Xu Yun, as a godfather, naturally supported his daughter.

Ma Pinghai and Wu Lei were drenched in cold sweat. There were few in Hedong City who dared to disrespect Jin Biao. Even those who had conflicts would call him "Biao Ge" out of respect.

The name "Jin Fatty" was the first time they had heard it, and more importantly, Jin Biao, with his short temper, could actually endure it and even smile, saying, "Good, good, good, let's eat right away!"

"Serve the dishes!" Jin Biao turned around and resumed his usual stern expression, shouting to the waiters outside the door.

The top three hotels in Hedong City were indeed efficient. Less than three minutes after Jin Biao spoke, a team of waiters started serving the dishes, each with a variety of names announced as they were placed on the table.

"Cordyceps and fig stew, loofah and liver stir-fry, yam and lotus seed pig tail soup, Sichuan pepper black chicken, dried shrimp and yellow flower mushroom soup, coriander beef, lily chicken slices, rock sugar pig trotters, rose red date and wolfberry paste, rock sugar lotus seed and bird's nest stew, wolfberry and chrysanthemum spareribs..."

As each dish was served, the names were so familiar!

Medicinal cuisine, and all exactly the same as the medicinal cuisine shop!

Xu Yun frowned. He remembered clearly that when Dan Hongning mentioned wanting to cooperate with the Hedong International Hotel, the owner of the hotel didn't think much of it, so the Ruan family's medicinal cuisine didn't enter the Hedong International Hotel.

Why would a deal that fell through now appear here?

Guo Guo couldn't resist picking up a piece of coriander beef, eating it while exclaiming, "Hmm? It tastes almost the same as at our place?"

Xu Yun didn't need to taste it to see that the ingredients were the same. This was clearly made according to Ruan Qing Shuang's family medicinal cuisine recipe.

Damn! A knockoff!

"Ha ha, I know Sister Shuang is in the medicinal cuisine business, so I ordered the new medicinal cuisine banquet here." Jin Biao didn't notice the doubt on Ruan Qing Shuang and Xu Yun's faces and continued, "Please, try the taste."

Qin Wan'er didn't plan to be polite with these three gang leaders. She directly turned the wolfberry and chrysanthemum spareribs to her side, first giving two pieces to Guo Guo, then two to Ruan Qing Shuang. Seeing Guo Guo pass the two pieces to Chou Yan, she gave Guo Guo two more, then took two for herself. With only ten pieces in the dish, she turned it to Xu Yun.

This dish was one that Xu Yun often made when they ate together, and it was highly praised.

Xu Yun didn't hesitate, putting the remaining pieces on his plate, not leaving any for the three.

The five of them began to savor the dishes like connoisseurs, each trying to find the difference in taste from what Xu Yun made. After tasting, Ruan Qing Shuang was surprised to find that except for the slightly inferior cooking time, the dish was perfect, with the ingredients exactly the same, just like her family's medicinal cuisine.

They hadn't cooperated with the Hedong International Hotel, yet they had somehow obtained her family's secret recipe. Someone must have leaked it.

However, Xu Yun didn't show any reaction. Now wasn't the time to argue with the hotel. After dealing with the necessary matters, he would naturally arrange for an investigation.

Finally, Jin Biao stood up to pour the wine. No one refused, but no one drank either. After filling the glasses, Jin Biao spoke.

"Sister Shuang, we invited you here today just to ask about something." Jin Biao spoke very cautiously.

Wu Lei didn't know what kind of power Ruan Qing Shuang had, but seeing Jin Biao so nervous, he also became alert, looking at Ruan Qing Shuang seriously.

"Ask me?" Ruan Qing Shuang was taken aback.

Ma Pinghai, however, seemed indifferent at this moment. He suddenly stood up and apologized, "I'll go to the restroom, hehe, you all chat slowly, chat slowly!"

Jin Biao and Wu Lei were slightly surprised by Ma Pinghai's action. Why did he leave just as they were getting to the point? Jin Biao and Wu Lei knew that Ma Pinghai was a slippery old fox, and leaving now was definitely a taboo.

But Ma Pinghai ignored Jin Biao's light cough and Wu Lei's gaze, resolutely walking out of the room.

Jin Biao's face was awkward. He looked at Ruan Qing Shuang uncomfortably but saw no sign of joy or anger on her face. She seemed completely unaffected by Ma Pinghai's departure.

At this moment, Jin Biao seemed to understand something. He was afraid because he couldn't read Ruan Qing Shuang's inner world. He now realized why Ruan Qing Shuang could retain such powerful people as Xu Yun and Chou Yan—she herself was a deep and unfathomable person!

In fact, Ruan Qing Shuang didn't care what Ma Pinghai was doing. The reason was simple: she had no plans. It wasn't that Jin Biao couldn't understand her; she simply had no plans that Jin Biao could speculate about.

"My stomach is a bit uncomfortable too." Xu Yun frowned, shaking his head. "Knockoff stuff can't be eaten. Without authorization, it's just not the same."

Chou Yan understood Xu Yun's meaning, but Qin Wan'er and Guo Guo were confused, not understanding what Xu Yun was saying.

With two people leaving, Jin Biao's face lost its luster, but he still persisted, "Ha ha, Sister Shuang, we want to ask if you have any plans to expand your influence?"

Ruan Qing Shuang was bewildered. As the top figure in the South District of Hedong City, she really didn't understand the underworld. She was completely confused by Jin Biao's words.

Seeing Ruan Qing Shuang's puzzled expression, Jin Biao and Wu Lei felt a sudden tightness in their hearts, even holding their breath. They instantly formed a默契 (unspoken understanding) that if Ruan Qing Shuang said she had plans, they would immediately turn their attention to Ma Pinghai, who had left suddenly.

Qin Wan'er was speechless. She knew that Ruan Qing Shuang wasn't cut out to be a top gang leader. But as a police officer, she understood what these big thugs were thinking.

Seeing that Ruan Qing Shuang couldn't answer, Qin Wan'er reluctantly spoke up, "You can put your minds at ease. Sister Qing Shuang won't expand. But listen to me, don't let me catch you doing anything wrong... Sister Qing Shuang not moving against you doesn't mean the police won't."

Hearing Qin Wan'er's words, Jin Biao and Wu Lei felt a huge weight lifted from their hearts. They were well-versed in dealing with the police. They weren't afraid of the police but of someone like Ruan Qing Shuang, who was more terrifying than the police.

After all, in this day and age, if a gangster was caught by the police, there was still a way out. But if they were taken down by someone in the same underworld, it was a dead end. The higher they rose, the harder they fell.

"Officer Qin, we are all law-abiding citizens, ha ha, we do legitimate business." Wu Lei smiled, stood up, and poured water for everyone, as the waiters had been asked to leave by Ruan Qing Shuang, who didn't like being served.

Qin Wan'er was unimpressed by Wu Lei's flattery, looking at the door and muttering, "Xu Yun must have fallen in. He hasn't come yet?"

"Uh..." Guo Guo was speechless, "Sister Wan'er, can you not say such disgusting things while we're eating?"

At first, no one thought much of Qin Wan'er's words, but after Guo Guo's comment, no one could eat. However, Guo Guo didn't mind and continued eating, as the same medicinal cuisine here was twenty to thirty times more expensive than at their shop, and she couldn't let it go to waste.

Xu Yun didn't go to the restroom. He just wanted to know what Ma Pinghai was up to.

Ma Pinghai didn't disappoint Xu Yun. After hiding in the restroom, he made a call, "Boss Kai, I've found the person you asked me to find..."