Ji Ning’s voice emerged behind Hu Bo.
Hu Bo’s brow furrowed tightly.
The man entering was Shen Hongqing, the Director of the Logistics Department at the Security Bureau. Though an ordinary person, his backing was formidable.
The Beijing Shen Family wasn’t prominent within the inner city, but they had a powerful in-law connection with the Fu Family, one of the three top noble families.
Fu Yuanxuan’s elder cousin, Fu Ying, married the young master of the Beijing Shen Family.
This Shen Hongqing was a distant relative, five generations removed from the Beijing Shen Family. Sly and opportunistic, he was arranged into the Security Bureau as a detective, gradually climbing to the position of Logistics Director with help from the Fu Family.
In terms of stance, Shen Hongqing aligns with the Fu Family’s power, which is why his relationship with Liu Yan is quite delicate.
Hu Bo, as Liu Yan’s trusted secretary, found the encounter somewhat tricky.
But Hu Bo didn’t ponder for long before approaching, "Director Shen."
When Shen Hongqing first received the call, he was furious, his face grim as he hurried from his office, prepared to vent his anger. But upon seeing Hu Bo’s familiar face, he swallowed his fury.
"Secretary Hu, what are you doing here?"
"Taking our new colleague out for a meal."
Hu Bo turned slightly, glancing at Ji Ning.
Shen Hongqing silently speculated about Ji Ning’s identity. For a colleague to warrant Hu Bo’s personal invitation, their background must be remarkable.
He quickly scanned his memory for any recent new hires, inadvertently neglecting the influence of his own mother and son.
Mrs. Shen, noticing her son being stopped for conversation, felt displeased and suddenly cried out, interrupting Shen Hongqing’s thoughts.
"Ah Qing! You’re finally here. If you hadn’t come, Xiao Lei and I would have been bullied to death by these people. Look at the clothes on Tao Tao."
The soup had spilled not only on the young man but also on Shen Hongqing’s son.
Shen Hongqing squinted slightly, examining his son’s clothes, and glanced at everyone’s expressions. Realizing that the situation might not be as tragic as his mother claimed, he remained biased towards his family. Even if it was his mother and son’s fault, were others entirely blameless? It takes two to make a quarrel, after all. How much trouble could an elderly woman and a child cause?
Just as he was about to speak, Hu Bo interrupted Mrs. Shen, coldly saying, "Director Shen, from what I heard from the surrounding people, it was your son who ran around recklessly with a dish, running right into that young lady. He fell and cried afterward, while your mother stopped them from leaving and kept cursing."
Shen Hongqing felt displeased inside, but his round face maintained a friendly smile, "So that’s how it is, Mom, that’s not right. If Tao Tao bumped into someone, why not let them leave?"
Mrs. Shen, sniveling, cried, "Ah Qing, that’s not how it happened. These people bullied us, the elderly and children, especially that woman who deliberately blocked Tao Tao’s way, causing him to crash into her. She did it intentionally, trying to extort money from our family..."
"You’re lying!"
A cacophony broke out, and Shen Hongqing looked at Hu Bo with a troubled expression, "Secretary Hu, what a mess. I don’t know whom to believe now."
"Just check the surveillance." Ji Ning’s voice interjected appropriately, freezing Shen Hongqing’s expression.
He had glanced at the surveillance setup upon entering, and although it couldn’t cover the entire hall, it should capture where his mother stood.
Hu Bo, agreeing with Ji Ning, didn’t wait for Shen Hongqing to speak before addressing those around him, "Is the restaurant owner here? We need to check the surveillance! Here’s my ID."
The Security Bureau’s badge carried weight, but the restaurant owner, hiding among the crowd, seemed hesitant. Glancing at Shen Hongqing’s smiling face and Hu Bo’s imposing demeanor, he stifled a bitter smile, not wanting to offend either side.
Hesitantly, he replied, "Sorry, everyone, our surveillance has been broken for a few days. No one’s fixed it."
Shen Hongqing’s smile broadened, while Mrs. Shen, hearing about the lack of surveillance, grew even more arrogant, sweeping her gaze over those who dared not speak up, smugly saying, "That’s karma for bullying the elderly and children. Son, you can’t let this slide; take them to your bureau for some education..."
"If the surveillance is broken, there’s an easy fix. The Security Bureau never lacks tech specialists. Lin Yuanyang, go with the owner and check the surveillance, restore the data." Ji Ning’s words changed the faces of Mrs. Shen and her son.
Shen Hongqing’s smile faltered, his eyes growing colder towards Ji Ning. Mrs. Shen glared at the meddling Ji Ning, sarcastically questioning, "Son, which leader is this? I’ve never seen them before."
Ji Ning maintained a faint smile, addressing Shen Hongqing, "My surname is Ji, the new detective at the Security Bureau."
"So, a newcomer, huh? No wonder you’re bold enough to fear no one..."
Before Mrs. Shen could finish, Shen Hongqing’s expression changed again, scrutinizing Ji Ning and urgently inquiring, "Are you Ji Ning?"
This name indeed stood out.
Those around were taken aback.
Ji Ning nodded slightly, "Director Shen, nice to meet you for the first time."
Shen Hongqing silently cursed his luck. The Fu Family had instructed to win over this multi-system superpower user, but he hadn’t found the opportunity until now.
He glanced at Hu Bo, a flash of antipathy crossing his eyes.
Then, with a smile, he addressed Ji Ning, "Ah, so it’s you. Pleased to meet you. We should have a meal sometime. Don’t mind what my mother said; she’s old and sometimes gets her words mixed up. It was my mother and son’s fault today; I apologize to everyone."
Saying this, Shen Hongqing clasped his hands in apology to the surrounding customers, then turned to the restaurant owner and the young man who had been bumped, apologizing sincerely, "I’m sorry, my son broke your dishes; I’ll compensate for it. And to the lady, please let me know how much your clothes cost, and I’ll repay you fully. Sorry for the trouble..."
Mrs. Shen felt like she’d swallowed a fly, nauseated by her son’s sudden change in attitude, but she knew she couldn’t publicly disrespect her son.
Suppressing her discomfort, she scrutinized Ji Ning.
Could this newcomer have a background significant enough to make her son change his stance so suddenly? Could they rival the Fu Family?
Mrs. Shen remained dismissive.
She always prided herself on her connection to the Fu Family, feeling superior except towards the three top families.
Ji Ning glanced at her, understanding her thoughts, but didn’t engage further. Instead, she spoke to Hu Bo, "Secretary Hu, it’s getting late; we should be leaving. Thank you for your hospitality!"
"No need for thanks; I’m merely playing host."
Hu Bo quickly exchanged a few pleasantries with Ji Ning, ready to see them off.
Seeing this, Shen Hongqing hurried forward to exchange a few words with Ji Ning as well and walked with Hu Bo to send the two out of the restaurant.
Beijing’s winter was dry and cold. Lin Yuanyang adjusted his clothes, looking back at the restaurant with a frown.
"Sister Ning, even the Security Bureau isn’t peaceful."