Sang Yu knew full well that the law was necessary to maintain social order.
However, her heart ached every time she thought of her mom.
Shen Peichuan did not know how to console her because he had never walked her journey. Yet as someone who worked at the police station, he had had his fair share of the tragedies and evils of life.
Domestic violence was a pervasive problem in society. But different people reacted differently under such circumstances because everyone was entitled to their own opinion and reaction, and they would have to be responsible for whatever they did.
The only thing Shen Peichuan could do for Sang Yu was to give her a shoulder to lean on and be there for her when she needed it.
He had previously not been aware of the back story. When he went through the case file, it only said that her mom was jailed for murder. He had never tried finding out why she committed the crime. But now that Sang Yu had told him about what happened to her family, he finally understood why her mom had killed her dad. She had suffered at his hands for too long – she could no longer endure it. But a crime was still a crime, and she had to be held responsible for what she did.
Because ultimately, justice should be dispensed in an orderly manner – through the legal system. If people could take vengeance into their own hands, society would end up in chaos.
Sang Yu did not mean to spoil the mood by bringing up such a heavy topic. It just so happened that she thought about it and badly wanted to talk about it with someone. “I’m sorry to burden you with my past,” she said, shifting her gaze towards Shen Peichuan.
“It’s okay. I understand. You should remember that there’s a reason why things are going haywire in a lot of countries,” Shen Peichuan reminded as he looked into her eyes.
“I know. The law is needed to keep everyone safe and to keep everything in place in a country,” she replied.
“The law has an essential role in our society. A functional and comprehensive legal system guarantees the people’s safety and sustains a country. I do sympathize with your mom’s encounter, but in front of the law, the guilty have to be punished,” Shen Peichuan explained.
“I understand. It’s just difficult for me to reconcile the fact to my emotions, especially after seeing what happened to my mom.” If she had known there were better ways of seeking help, things would have been different. Back then, she was unaware of domestic violence centers that could intervene in her family’s problem. She was glad that there were now better laws and a more accessible system to uproot domestic violence in society.
“So where are we heading?” Shen Peichuan asked after they got in the car.
“Hm, I’m not sure how we should get out of this area. But that restaurant is in the West City,” Sang Yu commented as she took a look at the surroundings.
“Alright then. Let’s go,” Shen Peichuan replied as he started the engine.
The familiar shops in the West City soon appeared before their eyes as they reached the area after a ten-minute drive. Sang Yu knew this area well since she did a few part-time jobs in West City.
“Go straight after you turn right at the junction,” she said, pointing at the traffic light.
Shen Peichuan spared her a glance as he took a right turn. “What are we having?”
“You’ll know when we reach. I don’t want to spoil it for you,” Sang Yu replied as she eyed him cheekily.
Shen Peichuan raised his brows and agreed to keep the element of surprise. He was glad to see that Sang Yu had grown up into a cheerful and optimistic woman despite her problematic childhood. He could tell that she was trying hard to live a good life and be happy although she was alone in the city.
“Oh, there’s a slot over there. In front of the red signal board,” Sang Yu pointed out when she spotted a parking slot.
Right after Shen Peichuan parked the car, Sang Yu hopped off eagerly and surveyed the area.
“This is a restaurant I used to work at. They serve really good roast duck. The shop owner is very kind,” Sang Yu told Shen Peichuan as he walked towards her.
The location of the restaurant was not entirely strategic, but it was spacious and clean with a unique interior design.
“It’s usually very crowded in the afternoon, so I think we have come at the right time,” Sang Yu said as they walked in.
Shen Peichuan followed her lead and entered the restaurant before they sat down at a table right beside the French windows.
As Sang Yu expected, there were not a lot of customers. A waitress came over not long after they were seated. “Hey, Sang Yu. It’s been a long time!” the waitress greeted, smiling from ear to ear.
“It’s nice to see you again. Don’t forget to give me a discount,” Sang Yu replied with a playful wink.
“Of course. I’ll make sure you get a discount since you used to work here. Who is this gentleman?” the waitress inquired with a hint of mischief in her eyes.
“My uncle,” Sang Yu replied briefly as their eyes met.
“I see. I thought he was your boyfriend.” The waitress put on a disappointed face as she passed them the menu.
Sang Yu took the menu and started going through it. “Leave it to me. I know all the nice food over here.”
It did not take long for Sang Yu to look up at the waitress again. She made her order before passing the menu back to the waitress.
“Alright, got it. We’ll serve the dishes in no time.” The waitress scribbled their order and went towards the kitchen, humming a soft tune.
After she left, Sang Yu went over to the counter to get a glass of water for each of them. “I’m sure you’re thirsty,” she remarked, putting a glass down before Shen Peichuan.
“Thanks.” Shen Peichuan took a sip of water. Before long, the waitress reappeared and served the dishes. “The extra dish is on the boss. He’s glad you brought a guest over today. Enjoy the food,” she said before making herself scarce once more.
Meanwhile, Sang Yu eyeballed the food eagerly and got ready to dig in. The restaurant’s roast duck was their signature dish. The skin was crispy, and the meat was puffy and juicy. Sang Yu took a piece of flour tortilla and carefully wrapped a piece of meat in it. “Do you prefer it sweet or spicy?” she asked Shen Peichuan.
“Hm, I prefer it spicy. I bet you like it sweet. Girls usually do,” Shen Peichuan replied.
“Not really. A lot of girls like taking spicy food these days,” Sang Yu explained as she spread some spicy sauce on top and held it close to his mouth.
Shen Peichuan’s gaze dug into the food held before him and thought that the gesture was a little too intimate. “You can have it yourself. I’ll make some for myself.”
However, Sang Yu was adamant. “Why? Do you think my hands are dirty? I washed my hands just now when I went to get water. Come on, don’t be a killjoy,” she urged.
Shen Peichuan had no other choice but to let her have her way. Seeing he had finally budged, Sang Yu stuffed the food in his mouth, and her fingers inadvertently brushed his lips when she fed him. She quickly retracted her hand and rested her hand on her lap.
“What do you think? Is it good?” She looked at him, anticipating an answer.
Shen Peichuan nodded silently as he munched away. He might look calm and composed on the outside, but deep down, his heart was fluttering because of the brief and unintentional touch. “Not bad. It’s not too oily,” he said shortly.
Indeed, the roast duck was tasty like no other. Roast ducks were usually oily, but this one was crispy, and the flesh was tender. The sauce complemented the meat well; the two blended into a perfect combination without a greasy aftertaste.
“Try it with the sweet sauce,” Sang Yu suggested as she passed him the sauce. Shen Peichuan did exactly as she did and wrapped a few slices of meat in a flour tortilla after dipping them in sweet sauce. This time around, the meat tasted slightly different from the first bite he had.
“I can tell you’re a foodie,” he said as he chewed and nodded approvingly.
“Well, I’m not someone who splurges on food. I just happened to know about this restaurant because I used to work here,” Sang Yu replied with a shrug. “By the way, what do you look for in a woman? Someone from an established family? Or perhaps someone with a good job?”
Sang Yu asked this because she felt like Song Yaxin was under the impression that Shen Peichuan owed everything he had to Captain Song.
In Sang Yu’s eyes, however, Shen Peichuan was the deputy chief because he deserved it. He had worked hard, and he had earned that title.
He was an inspiration to her. She wanted to be a worthy helper that could assist him in the future.
Shen Peichuan furrowed his brows and sunk into deep thoughts. He was not looking for anything in particular in his future partner as marriage was something that came naturally to him as he aged. “Well, I guess I would want to marry someone my age. She just has to be kind. She doesn’t have to have a strong family background. It’ll be okay as long as she’s someone I can get along well with.”
Although Shen Peichuan’s expectation was not high, Sang Yu still felt that it was unattainable because of their age gap.
She pursed her lips and picked up her chopsticks as she served him some vegetables. “I’m thinking about changing my major and apply for the police academy.”
