On the other side, Lin's Cafe was busy like any other day. A flood of custors stread in for their morning breakfast and coffee. Their hands were full with trays and orders.
"Two chicken sandwiches and two cappuccinos."
"Coming right up," Cai said, his hands already full with two other orders.
Lin got busy with his own set of orders when his brother cried. "Bro, it's high ti we hire so help. We don't even have a cashier to take care of the bills!"
Lin nodded. "We will put out so flyers today."
Cai sniffled. "Thank God. I am gonna die with this workload!"
"You are not going to die," he frowned.
"Figure of speech!"
"I see."
"Hou Lin!"
A sharp, unforgiving voice ca from outside the kitchen. Lin blinked, confused and so did Cai. They quickly stepped out to see a slight commotion in the cafe. Custors whispered to each other as they saw a bulky police officer standing in the middle of the cafe with a stern expression.
Lin's eyes slightly widened upon recognizing his parole officer, Mr. Peng.
"Inspector Peng," Lin quickly walked upto him and bowed.
He looked at him and asked, "You are here today…? I thought our eting was supposed to be next week."
"Sothing urgent ca up because of which I had to co today."
Lin noticed the discomfort of the custors and the suspicious looks in his direction.
"Shall we talk in the kitchen?"
"Hm."
They headed in the kitchen with Cai quickly closing the door behind them. A tense glint flashed in his eyes as he clasped his hands at the back.
Cai nervously stepped forward and asked, "We didn't expect you to be here today haha…"
Inspector Peng narrowed his eyes. "Is there sothing wrong if I ca today?"
Why is the parole officer giving a surprise visit?
Inspector Peng said, "I see your cafe is doing well."
Lin nodded. "Yes."
Cai nervously stepped forward and asked, "We didn't expect you to be here today haha…"
Inspector Peng narrowed his eyes. "Is there sothing wrong if I ca today?"
"No, no! Of course not."
"Are you hiding anything?"
His eyes widened. "What will we be hiding? We are busy taking care of the cafe for the whole day!"
Lin said, "Cai. Calm down."
He gave him a reassured look, urging him to be patient. But Cai found it difficult. This unplanned visit was getting on his nerves.
Did Bro do sothing wrong?
No, no! My bro has been living a respectable life ever since he ca out of the prison!
Inspector Peng squinted his eyes at Lin next. "Are you sure you are not hiding anything?"
Lin blinked, confused. "I don't understand. I have nothing to hide."
He tapped on a picture on his phone and showed it to Lin. "Do you recognize him?"
Lin took a closer look and said, "Yes. He was a custor who ca to our cafe last evening."
"Just as a custor?"
"Sorry?"
"Do you really not know who he is?"
"...No," Lin felt a bad foreboding.
Did I do sothing wrong?
"He is one of the wanted drug dealers."
The two brothers froze.
"Huh?" Cai looked dumbfounded. "Drug dealer?"
"Yes. The police got a tip that he was seen around this area last night. We have been hunting him for a while."
"W-We have nothing to do with him!" Cai exclaid. "We didn't know anything about him. I was even telling Bro not to take him in during our closing ti but that man claid he was really hungry and was close to collapse!"
"It was already closing ti and yet Hou Lin allowed him?"
Lin calmly explained. "He was starving and couldn't walk properly."
"That was just his acting. There is a convenience store just ten minutes away. He could have very well gone there, yet he ca here and you let him in too."
Cai asked, "What do you want to imply? That my brother is one of them?"
"I can only ascertain that after checking your cafe."
He was flabbergasted. "T-This is ridiculous! Are you bullying my-"
"Cai!"
Lin cut him off, throwing him an acute stare. He shook his head. "We served him like any other custor. It's fine if Inspector Peng wants to search the cafe."
"Plus, you don't have a choice. You are still on parole, rember?" The inspector's eyes squinted.
Inspector Peng called two of his officers, who were waiting outside for his order. He told them to comb through the cafe while he waited with them.
Cai clenched his fists. "What are you even looking for here? That man literally stayed for only ten minutes!"
"Ten minutes are more than enough to commit a cri."
You…what cri is he even talking about!
"Bro…"
"It's okay, Cai-"
"It's not okay, Bro! What will the custors think seeing two police officers searching through the cafe? We worked so hard to make our cafe super popular. What will our reputation be if this happens?"
A junior officer ca in just then. "Sir!"
"Did you find anything?"
"Sir, I found these stuck hidden at the back side of the toilet seat and under the washbasin sink far away."
Lin's eyes widened, seeing the inspector holding two small packets containing white powder.
Inspector Peng showed it to him and asked, "Do I need to spill it out what this is considering the man you just fed last night is a drug dealer?"
"I…I don't know anything about this," Lin breathed out shakily.
"A drug dealer ca to your cafe and hid these packets in your cafe's restroom and you have no idea about this? Do you even know how much these two packets are worth? You could beco rich overnight. You wouldn't have to work so hard to run a small cafe like this. Is this why you let him in? Or maybe you are another link in the chain?"
Cai burst out with impatience. "That is not true!"
"What is true and what isn't is what we will learn upon further investigation. But for now, Hou Lin has to co with . He is on parole and he is already associated with a drug ring? There is no way we can let him roam freely. Co with to the bureau, Hou Lin. You have so answers to give."
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