Yi Leng stayed te chatting with the security guard at the gate before heading bae. With the ric water heater installed, the issue of insuffit hot water from the sor heater was finally resolved. His quality of life instantly improved. After a hot shower and a few drinks, he y on his bed, forted by the thought that his daughter was just across the hall, and slept soundly.

  However, in the middle of the night, he dreamed of Xiang Mo, the memories of her leaving him heartbroken once again.

  Seeing his daughter this time had brought Yi Leng immeional relief. Now that he had calmed down, he finally had the time and mio sider his own situation.

  Tossing and turning through the night, Yi Leually made a decision before dawn. He would return to his unit, recim his identity, publicly reuh his daughter, accept the disciplinary sequences, and try to trao a civilian desk job. If that didn’t work, he would retire and leave Jiangwei with his daughter, making it his mission to make up for all the years he owed her.

  But Yi Leng wasn’t naive enough to simply walk into the relevament and announce himself. Four years had passed, and who knew what had ged at his old unit? His profession was highly secretive, and being missing for four years cssified him as a "lost asset," with a high risk of defe. After careful deliberation, Yi Leng devised a safer approach.

  The m, Yi Leng drove to the Jiangwei long-distance bus station. After the crowd for a while, he identified a pickpocket. Whehief stole a phone from a traveler’s pocket, Yi Leng deliberately bumped into him, taking the stolen phone in the process.

  Behind the public restroom at the bus station, in a secluded er, Yi Leng dialed the number of his former superior. It was disected. Thinking for a moment, he tried another familiar colleague's number—also disected. He made five calls in total, all either disected, out of service, or reassigo someone else.

  Left with no other choice, Yi Leng called a ndline he office line of his former unit, which he knew was uo ge. Finally, someone answered—a duty officer. Yi Leioned his former operations unit, but the officer replied that the unit had been disbanded a long time ago.

  "Is Xin Zichao still there? What about Zhang Wei, or Director Di? Surely someone must still be around?" Yi Leng’s voice grew tense.

  "Sorry, I don’t reize any of those names. Please state your name and code," the officer replied calmly.

  The ndline was fidential, so anyone who mao call it was likely not an ordinary individual. The duty officer’s caution was uandable, but Yi Le a sinking sense of foreboding. He hung up, removed the SIM card, destroyed the phone, and walked away.

  , he found a bck-market i café nearby. Using specific search terms, he finally uncovered the information he was looking for: his former superior, Director Di, had passed away two years ago due to illness.

  Yi Leng had been a special agent, his identity highly cssified. Very few people knew who he truly was. Now, with Director Di gone, his unit disbanded, and his personnel file likely sealed in some fotten safe, there was no o who could verify his identity. His closest teammates had all perished, and the remaining acquaintances couldn’t vouch for him. This wasn’t just a matter of retiring or transferring to a civilian role—there was a real risk of being cssified as a defector and executed.

  If that were the case, Yi Leng would truly be "cold" (dead). It might be better to remain in Jiangwei, hiding uhe alias "Huang Pihu," living as a greasy chef.

  At Xiliu Bay Airproup executives were sending off the iion team. Ma Xiaowei noticed that the daughter of Chairman Ou was absent from the b lineup. However, he didn’t think much of it; perhaps Miss Ou had left the day before. After all, Jiangwei wasly a tourist destination—it had no famous ndmarks or delicacies, only polluted seawater and an old shipyard.

  Meanwhile, Ali was busy s out her housing situation. The principal had granted her a day’s leave and assigned another young teacher, Ling Siyan, to apany her. Ling Siyan, a ret graduate from a teacher’s college with a degree in English, was cheerful and chatty.

  Ling Siyan was a local, though she didn’t live in the shipyard distrid was currently staying in temporary housing provided by the school. She too o find a rental.

  She told Ali that the best residential plex nearby was the "Hawaiian Coastal Neighborhood," but the rent there was expensive. After payi, there would barely be enough left for food. Plus, it was far from the school, requiring the purchase of aric scooter for uting, making it less practical. Instead, renting an old unit in the Shipyard New Vilge would save a lot of money, and there’d be o buy a scooter.

  "Walking be your transportation," Ling Siyan said. "It’s good exercise too."

  Ali agreed. She had plenty of options—she could easily rent a long-term hotel suite or even buy a fully furnished apartment with moderies. But that would go against the purpose of her support-teag program in Jiangwei, which was to experience "real life."

  Not uanding Ali’s financial situation, Ling Siyan assumed the Hawaiian plex was too expensive for her and proposed a sed option: "Why don’t we share a small apartment in Shipyard New Vilge? That way, we look out for each other and save some money."

  "Sure!" Ali agreed enthusiastically.

  The two headed to a real estate agend found a newly listed property. Aook them to see a two-bedroom unit ohird floor of Building 17. Both rooms faced south and had good lighting. The decor was over a decade old—wood paneling, door frames, and parquet fl—but the inal owner had barely lived there. The furniture was intact, but basic appliances and kitware were missing.

  The rent was 800 yuan per month, with a deposit of three months’ rent up front. Ali was about to agree, but Ling Siyan stopped her with a look. Instead of enting on the unit, she suggested they check out other options.

  After viewing several other apartments with issues like high floors or poor youts, they returo Building 17. Ling Siyan haggled the rent down to 500 yuan, but the agent would only lower it by 50. After some bad-forth, they settled on 700 yuan.

  Since Ling Siyan didn’t have enough money, Ali paid three months’ rent and a one-month deposit, totaling 2,800 yuan. After signing the lease and receiving the keys, the two went on a shopping spree for essentials.

  They headed to the busiest area in the shipyard district, Shipyard Boulevard, to buy appliahe stores on this street had a det sele, but for something like Mald’s, they’d have to travel to Jiangwei’s city ter.

  As usual, Ling Siyan took charge. She chatted with sales staff, mentioning that she was a teacher at a local school and could help with student enrollments in exge for dists. The staff reended some gover-subsidized appliances, including a gas stove, refrigerator, and washing mae. A television wasn’t necessary, and an air ditioner could wait until summer. They bought everything at the Haier ter.

  The sales staff provided a payment slip, and Ling Siyan asked Ali to pay first, promising to reimburse her once she received her paycheck. Ali g the modest total, took the slip to the cashier, and pulled out a bck Ameri Express turion Card.

  This plementary card her father had issued to her, one of the most prestigious credit cards globally. Abroad, its appearance would draw envy and admiration.

  But at the cashier ter of a department store on Shipyard Boulevard in Jiahe bck card romptly rejected.

  "Use a different card," the cashier said bluntly.

  The cashier, trying to be helpful, added, "Young dy, why are y to pay with a beauty card? This isn’t a bank card."

  "It is a bank card," Ali replied, fused.

  The cashier, skeptical but obliging, swiped the card. The POS mae didn’t respond.

  Unbeknownst to Ali, a’s bankiions prohibited standalone fn-issued credit cards. Cards had to be co-branded with local banks to work domestically. Moreover, the Amex turion Card wasn’t teically a credit card but a charge card, making it even more inpatible.

  Ali was at a loss. She typically didn’t handle her own purchases and carried no other cards besides the be.

  Of course, this wasn’t a big issue—she could always call her father for help, and the problem would be resolved within half an hour.

  The cashier tossed the bck card back at Ali. "."

  Ali turned around and uedly came face-to-face with a scruffy, bearded man—Huang Pihu (Yi Leng).

  Yi Leng had just returned from the city and stopped by the department store to pick up some household items. To his surprise, he ran into Ali at the checkout ter.

  "What a ce," they both said at the same time.

  "Having some trouble?" Yi Leng had overheard the earlier iioook the receipt from Ali’s hand, g it, and handed both his and her receipts to the cashier. "Let’s put it all on one bill," he said.

  "Thank you, Master Huang. I’ll pay you back ter," Ali said gratefully.

  "Stog up on supplies? Are you settling down here?" Huang asked casually.

  "Yes, I’m substitute teag at the local school. I just rented a p Shipyard New Vilge," Ali replied openly, her hoy and openness on full dispy.

  "Well, what a ce. I live in Shipyard New Vilge too. If you’ve got more things to buy, let’s get them all at once. I drive us back together," Yi Leng offered.

  Ali mentioned she still o buy pots, pans, kit knives, pretty tableware, tablecloths, an oven, a microwave, a dishwasher, a disiant et, a water purifier, a garbage disposal, and more.

  Yi Leng immediately shut her down: "If you want to 'blend in with the locals,' keep it simple. And stop buying everything here at the department store. I’ll take you to the market instead—oop shopping, and don’t worry, I’ve got a car."

  Hearing that there was a car, Ling Siyan decided to tag along. They went to the parking lot, where they found a battered Wuling van. Its doors creaked as they opened, revealing a backseat with ing, windows covered in poor-quality bubble-ridden film, and an overwhelming stenixed vegetables a. Sitting inside felt less like being a passenger and more like being cargo.

  "Where are the seats?" Ling Siyan asked, her voice full of disbelief.

  Master Huang nontly pulled out two folding stools and unfolded them. "What do you mean? These are perfectly good seats."

  Ling Siyan wasn’t having it. "I just remembered… someone o be home to receive the deliveries from the mall. I’ll head baow. Ali, you go ahead."

  So Ali climbed into the rickety Wuling van. pared to the empty passenger seat, she found the folding stool more novel aing. Though there was no air ditioning—just a heater that still let in drafts—her curiosity and exhiration far outweighed any disfort.

  Ali had grown up in a standalone vil in Shanghai’s Jing’an District, with maids and chauffeurs at her disposal. Due to her heart dition, her parents had always kept her urict prote. She had never seen the "darker side" of the world or experiehe lives of ordinary people. What Ling Siyan found repulsive, Ali found new and adventurous—ai harmless exploration.

  Yi Leng drove them to the market, which sold wholesale kitware and appliances. Uhe shiny pots and pans of the department store, the items here were tied together with rough ropes and looked dirty. But the prices were shogly low.

  Yi Leng helped Ali pick out a set of botes, a wok, a boiling pot, a cutting board, a knife, and a spatu. These basics were more than suffit. After paying, he loaded everything into the van and drove Ali to Shipyard New Vilge.

  It was only then that they realized Ali had moved into the same building as Yi Leng—they were now neighbors.

  Ali was delighted. "This is perfect! The two households downstairs are Warm Warm (Yi Nuan Nuan) and Master Huang. We’re all familiar faow. Neighbors watg out for each other!"

  With her new home settled, Ali began pnning. She wao ship her pillows and sofa from her house in Shanghai, buy a ton of soft furnishings, a her ptop and gaming sole sent over. She envisioned creating a brand-new, cozy home for herself.

  After helping Ali move her things upstairs, Yi Leng got a phone call a quickly. Something had happe the restaurant. This time, it was the city administration officers (gguan) causing trouble. They cimed the restaurant’s signage hadn’t been approved, and both the lightbox and signboard o be removed. There was also a fio be paid. Wu Yumei, holding a rolling pin, was in a standoff with the officers when Xiao Hong called him for help.

  When Yi Leng arrived, the frontation was still ongoing. A group of gguan officers in blue uniforms stood at the restaurarance, while Wu Yumei, armed with her rolling pin, blocked their path like an unyielding fortress. The sight of Yi Leng seemed to give Wu Yumei renewed energy, as she appeared ready to battle the officers single-handedly.

  What shocked everyone, however, was that Yi Leng didn’t back her up. Instead, he politely greeted the gguan captain, him a cigarette. Somehow, Yi Leng immediately identified the captain among the group of officers.

  The captain waved the cigarette away with the back of his hand and, stig to protocol, stated, "You’ve vioted the Urban Appearand Enviroal Sanitation Ma Regutions. You repced ynboard without filing with the gguan bureau, and the outdhtbox advertisement also cks approval. Acc tutions, we o remove the non-pliant signage and issue a fine."

  Yi Leng smiled and said, "Captain, someone must have tipped you off about our restaurant, right?"

  The captain ighe ent and replied, "If you refuse to cooperate, we’ll have to call the police."

  "We’ll cooperate," Yi Leng said calmly. "Please issue the ticket."

  Wu Yumei was furious at his “weakness,” but before she could act, Yi Lely stopped her by pg his hand on the rolling pin and shaking his head. Seeing his steady gaze, she relehrew the rolling pin aside, and stormed into the kit, muttering angrily about not wanting to see any of this.

  Remaining cooperative, Yi Leng personally climbed a dder and removed the LED lights from the signboard that read "Yumei Restaurant." This was the first light he had seen on his arrival in Jiangwei on a snowy night, a symbol of warmth—but now, he had to take it down himself.

  The gguan officers loaded the removed lightbox and signboard onto a blue truck. The captain handed Yi Leng a fine for 2,000 yuan, instrug him to pay at the Agricultural Bank by the day to avoid te fees or increased penalties.

  "Thank you, Captain," Yi Leng said politely, as if the officers were there to help rather than dismahe restaurant.

  After the officers left, Yi Leuro the restaurant, humming as if nothing had happehis infuriated Wu Yumei even more. "Yi Leng, are you even a man?!"

  Yi Leng smirked and put his hand on his belt. "What, do you want to check?"

  Wu Yumei ughed in exasperation. "They walked all over us, and you didn’t even fight back. I’m starting to think you’re missing some vital parts."

  Yi Leed, "Do you even know who these people are?"

  "They’re gguan. I’m not blind," Wu Yumei replied.

  "gguaate officials with administrative enfort authority. They have the power to act. As long as they follutions and don’t resort to violence, we ’t fight back. First the health bureau came, now the gguan. Someone’s clearly targeting us. That’s the real issue. If we resisted and broke the w, we’d be pying right into their hands. Losing the signboard and lightbox doesn’t stop us from doing business. Once we fix the paperwork, the problem is solved."

  Wu Yumei grudgingly admitted he had a point but remained defiant. "Hmph, as if they’ll approve our application. They’ll just keep stalling us."

  "Everyone pys by the rules. If they refuse to process our application, we’ll escate—call the mayor’s hotline, seek help from the local radio station. If all else fails, we’ll front their bureau chief directly. In aimes, suing officials came at the cost of one’s life. Nowadays, it just takes some guts and persistence."

  Wu Yumei, finally g, said, "Fine. I’ll pay the fine and file the application this afternoon."

  "Good. But don’t rush. Let me stop by the eleics market and pick up some things to help you out," Yi Leng suggested.

  Just then, Ali approached, her face clouded with worry.

  "Boss Huang, I’m looking for a part-time job," she said.

  Yi Leng raised an eyebrow. "First off, I’m not the boss—she is," he said, pointing at Wu Yumei. "Sed, isn’t your father some big-shot businessman? How did you end up needing part-time work ht?"

  [--------------------------------------------]

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