It was a decision made earlier in her restaurant office, after searching for the latest posts about Xiang and Geng with little success. Not only were the posts with the video in the background blocked, but also the posts just mentioning the names of Xiang and Geng.

The net cops had done a thorough job. The several VPN apps she had used also broke down that morning. No possibility of her climbing over the walls, in spite of what she had told Yu the previous night.

It then occurred to her that she might as well do something different. Something Chen had hinted for her to do.

A visit to Lianping at Wenhui Daily.

She had first met Lianping in a Buddhist service at Longhua Temple, to which Chen had unexpectedly brought her along. At the time, Peiqin had thought the bachelor inspector was finally ready to settle down in the company of the young journalist, but to Peiqin’s disappointment, Lianping shortly afterward married another young man from a rich family. Like in an old Chinese saying, for a man lucky in his official career, he has to be unlucky in romantic affairs. In fact, Chen was said to have had two ‘girlfriends’ in the newspaper, but was simply luckless both times.

She did not know how things really stood between Chen and Lianping, but not too long ago Lianping had proved that she was still more than willing to help as far as Chen was concerned.

At the entrance of the Wenhui building, a doorman stopped Peiqin and demanded registration with her ID. Besides the ID, she had to call the person she wanted to visit.

As luck would have it, Lianping was in the office that morning and picked up the phone at the first ring.

‘It’s me, Peiqin. The Dragon Boat Festival is coming around. At the restaurant, we have some special Zongzi with pork and salted yolk stuffing. So I’m bringing some over to you.’

‘It’s so kind of you, Peiqin. Zongzi with pork and salted yolk stuffing is really popular this year. I’ve seen long lines of customers circling the Apricot Blossom Pavilion. I’ll be coming down in a minute.’

In about five minutes, Lianping hurried out of the elevator with a bulging black purse in her hand.

‘Wow, such a large basket, Peiqin. How can I ever thank you enough? It’s the least I can do to take you to the café on the street corner. My office upstairs is such a mess.’

Leaving the basket of Zongzi on the doorman’s table, she took Peiqin’s hand like an old friend.

With her stomach slightly rounded in early pregnancy, Lianping still appeared to be young and agile, leading the way to the café in light steps.

‘What favorable wind has brought you here – apart from the delicious Zongzi?’ Lianping said as soon as she seated herself opposite Peiqin at a table by the window. ‘Something I can do for you today?’

She tried not to immediately bring Chen into the talk, which Peiqin understood.