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As the three of them chatted, dishes were gradually served on the table. Chen Jiu'an invited Lin Mingchang and Shen Tong to try some authentic Yangzhou Cuisine. The dishes laid out were indeed very tempting. The light-colored crystal meat glistened, the sauce duck had a crispy skin and tender meat, and the braised dried tofu was flavorful...
While eating and talking, Chen Jiu'an kept glancing at Lin Mingchang as he served him food. His old classmate had not changed at all over the years; his demeanor was still upright, and his eyes remained as clear as they had been in their youth.
Chen Jiu'an picked up a piece of freshly served fish and offered it to Lin Mingchang. "Lin Mingchang, to be honest, I think you would be perfect as a private detective, just like me. After all these years as a police officer, it would be a waste not to use your skills!"
Shen Tong raised her eyes slightly, while Lin Mingchang chuckled, "Being a private detective isn't that easy."
Chen Jiu'an slammed his chopsticks down with a "bang." "What’s so hard about it? If I can manage just fine, how much easier would it be for you? Besides, being a private detective is way more comfortable than being a cop. You can earn good money without having to deal with your superiors’ moods. Aren't you the one who hates bureaucratic attitudes the most?"
Seeing Lin Mingchang silent and deep in thought, Chen Jiu'an continued: "Lin Mingchang, to be honest, I have long-term cooperation with the Yangzhou Police Station. Nowadays, many cases are inconvenient for the police to investigate directly but still need someone to look into them—like... personal matters of wealthy families or business disputes involving celebrities... Just yesterday, I received a commission from the police station asking me to help investigate the recent Silk Factory Serial Arson Case."
Lin Mingchang lifted his teacup, signaling for Chen Jiu'an to continue.
"This case has been going on for about six months now, with three arson incidents occurring at some of Yangzhou's largest silk factories. The first was at Yongxing Silk Weaving Factory in the east of the city last December; a fire caused them to lose silk raw materials worth two hundred thousand taels. The second incident happened shortly after the Spring Festival at He Ji Silk Dyeing Workshop in the west; almost all of the building and production equipment were destroyed in that fire. The most recent one occurred just three days ago at Rui He Xiang Silk Factory; not only was the factory reduced to ruins, but even the factory manager Wang Derun tragically lost his life in that fire."
He looked intently at Lin Mingchang. "So what do you think? Are you interested in this case? You could stay in Yangzhou a bit longer and help me out."
Noticing Lin Mingchang hesitating, Chen Jiu'an pulled out his final trump card: "How about this? If you help me solve this case, we can split the commission fee from the Yangzhou Police Station right down the middle. What do you say?"
Lin Mingchang burst into laughter. "It's not that I'm after the commission fee; it's just that this case seems interesting. Tell me more details."
Chen Jiu'an leaned forward and patted Lin Mingchang's shoulder. "I knew you would be loyal! No rush—let's finish our meal first!"
After dinner, Chen Jiu'an hurriedly bid farewell to Lin Mingchang and Shen Tong, claiming he had some matters to attend to. He arranged to pick them up at their inn early the next morning to investigate the arson case together.
The inn where Lin Mingchang and Shen Tong were staying wasn't far away. With clear weather in the afternoon, they decided to stroll back slowly while enjoying the scenery.
On the way, Shen Tong suddenly spoke up: "Lin Mingchang, what do you think about Chen Jiu'an? Have you kept in touch over these years? Do you know much about his situation?"
Lin Mingchang looked at Shen Tong in confusion, unsure why she was asking.
Shen Tong continued: "From my observation of Chen Jiu'an, there’s something unusually sinister about him. I fear that those he associates with are not good people and that his business dealings are questionable."
Hearing Shen Tong's concerns, Lin Mingchang didn't seem too worried. "So that's what you're worried about? Jiu'an has always been clever and loves trouble. It's normal for him to know all sorts of people after years as a private detective. It’s fine; there's no need to overthink it."
"But..." Shen Tong recalled her earlier discomfort. "I still feel that he is not trustworthy. You should remain vigilant while working on this case together."
Lin Mingchang chuckled softly and said, "Don't worry, I'll be careful. Besides, you’re here with me."
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