Siheyuan came through and sent Jia Zhang to prison

He Feng shook his head and sighed: "Forget it, everyone has their own choices and their own ideas. As outsiders, we can't interfere too much." Having said that, the helplessness in his tone could not be hidden.

Ma Xin thought about it, and suddenly his eyes lit up: "Oh, right, you still owe me a meal last time, didn't you forget? There's a new restaurant just opened on the corner, I heard the food is good, I'd like to invite you over? If you drink less, it will relieve your boredom, and maybe you'll feel better."

He Feng was stunned for a moment, then nodded. He really wanted to drink some wine now, to let the alcohol temporarily numb his tense nerves and relieve the depression in his heart. "Okay," he stood up and picked up the coat on the back of the chair, "Let's go out for a drink, just in time to get some fresh air."

The two walked out of the office building side by side. The cool evening breeze blew on He Feng's face, clearing his chaotic mind a little. Perhaps a change of environment could really help loosen up the knot in his heart.

Afterwards, Ma Xin took He Feng to the small, newly opened restaurant on the corner. The restaurant looked a bit shabby from the outside, with several patches of peeling paint on the wall and a wooden door with a bit of chipped paint. But once they pushed the door open and walked in, they were pleasantly surprised. Several ink paintings hung on the walls, the tablecloths were simple blue prints, and in the corners stood two pots of vibrant pothos, exuding an elegance that belied the exterior.

"Ma Xin, how did you find such a stylish place?" He Feng looked around with a hint of surprise in his tone.

Ma Xin smiled and found a seat by the window. "I was feeling down a while ago, so I went out for a walk to relax at night and stumbled upon this place. I came in to try it, and I didn't expect the chili fried pork here to be so authentic. It's just my taste."

He Feng nodded, turned to the boss wearing a white apron and said, "Boss, just a few of your specialties will do." After a pause, he looked at Ma Xin, "Would you like some more wine?"

There were too many things weighing on his mind these days, especially when he thought about how Zheng Qiang, with whom he had worked for so long, was hiding so many tricks. He Feng felt a tightness in his chest and urgently needed some wine to relax. For a moment, he didn't know how to describe this complicated emotion.

Ma Xin nodded readily: "Okay. I'll pick a bottle and drink with you today until we're drunk."

"Okay," He Feng agreed, sitting alone at his desk, his fingertips tapping unconsciously. The scene of Zheng Qiang's arrest replayed in his mind—why had that guy bit off his tongue so ruthlessly? Was it to protect his accomplices in the Public Security Bureau? Who was the traitor hiding in the shadows?

On the other side, Ma Xin walked to the counter. The boss was busy cleaning the cups. Seeing her coming, he smiled and asked, "Miss, what kind of wine would you like?"

"What kind of wine do you have?" Ma Xin asked calmly.

The boss pointed to several bottles of wine on the counter and introduced them enthusiastically: "These are all good wines. Look at this bottle of aged wine, it has been stored in the cellar for five years and it tastes mellow and smooth..."

Ma Xin didn't listen much, casually picking up a bottle of plainly packaged baijiu and paying. As she turned, she casually glanced at the owner, a subtle hint in her eyes. The owner, a shrewd man, immediately understood and nodded subtly without saying anything else.

When Ma Xin returned to the table with the wine, the dishes were already served: a bright red plate of stir-fried pork with chili peppers, a refreshing plate of smashed cucumbers, and two bowls of steaming seaweed egg drop soup. "He Feng, what are you thinking about? The dishes are all here," she asked with a smile, placing the wine bottle on the table.

He Feng came back to his senses, with an awkward smile on his face: "Sorry, Ma Xin, I was distracted."

Ma Xin stopped smiling and his eyes became gentle: "Are you still thinking about Zheng Qiang?"

He Feng nodded heavily, picked up his chopsticks and put them down again, his voice a little tired: "I never thought that after working together for so many years, he would hide it so deeply. It would be a lie to say that I don't feel uncomfortable. It's like something is blocking my heart and I can't breathe."

"Alright," Ma Xin poured a glass of wine for each of them and pushed it in front of him. "Some things are beyond your control. Don't dwell on them anymore. We police officers have seen a lot of complicated people's hearts. We can't let a small flaw ruin our plans."

He Feng looked at the wine swaying in the glass and nodded: "You're right. Let's not talk about this anymore."

"Come, have a drink." Ma Xin raised his glass. "Drink this, and forget about anything else tonight. Just relax."

"Okay." He Feng clinked his glasses with hers and took a long sip. The spicy wine slid down his throat, bringing a burst of burning warmth. He turned to ask Ma Xin, "Have you gotten used to the bureau since you came here? Are the people in the team okay?"

"It's fine. Everyone's taking good care of me," Ma Xin replied with a smile, recounting some of the team's anecdotes. The two chatted idly as their glasses of wine gradually finished and the dishes on the table became mostly gone. The gloom on He Feng's face seemed to gradually dissipate as the alcohol took over. The night outside the window deepened, but the lights in the small restaurant seemed especially warm.

Ma Xin opened the bottle, and the rich aroma of the wine immediately filled the air. She poured a full glass for He Feng and half a glass for herself, pushing it over to him and whispering, "Drink a little, just to relieve your boredom."

He Feng didn't say anything. He picked up the cup and poured it into his mouth. The spicy liquid burned his throat, but it also relieved some of the suffocation in his heart. When he put the cup down, the bottom of the cup banged heavily on the table, and he was inexplicably annoyed. "Tell me... why didn't I see that there was something wrong with Zheng Qiang sooner?"

Ma Xin put a piece of stir-fried pork with chili peppers into his bowl and advised, "People's hearts are hidden in their stomachs, how can we see through them all? Come, have some vegetables to fill your stomach."

He Feng chewed the food, picked up the glass and took a big gulp. He didn't even notice the wine dripping down the corner of his mouth: "We have worked together for five years... He always rushes to the front on every mission, I thought..." Before he finished speaking, he drank another half glass.

"Don't think about it." Ma Xin reached out to grab his cup. "If you drink any more, it will be too much."

"It's okay." He Feng waved her hand away, his eyes a little straight, "I can still drink..." He poured himself another full glass, tilted his head back and drank half of it again. His cheeks soon flushed and his words began to waver. "Ma Xin, tell me... why are there so many fake things in this world?"

Ma Xin looked at his red eyes, and her heart began to sink. She could only respond softly, "You'll always meet the real one."

He Feng, however, seemed to have not heard, pouring and drinking his own wine. When the glass was almost empty, he tried to grab the bottle, but his hands were too weak to hold on. He staggered and almost slipped off the chair. "I can't take it anymore..." He leaned on the table, his voice muffled, "I feel dizzy..."

Ma Xin quickly supported him and felt his forehead, which was frighteningly hot. "I told you to drink less, but you wouldn't listen." She paid the bill and half-helped him up. "Let's go. I'll take you home."