Espionage: You're tasked with spying, but you'll blow up the Special Higher Police?

Zhou Hongyi cursed inwardly. First the Special Higher Police, then the Sakura Trading Company—both had actually given him the boot. Especially Hasegawa; did he think he could just use him and then kick him aside? Hmph, he was probably too optimistic. So what if those bosses signed contracts? Did he think a piece of paper could label these patriots as traitors? Hasegawa, that old fox, was about to reveal his true colors.

Although Zhou Hongyi had been rebuffed by both the Special Higher Police and the Sakura Chamber of Commerce, he actually felt a sense of relief.

Thinking that it had been a while since he had been home, after leaving the Sakura Chamber of Commerce, Zhou Hongyi went to the Great World Teahouse to visit Gu Tianbo before returning home early to check on his older sister who was alone in her room.

“Zhongliang, why haven’t you been home for so many days? Your brother-in-law said that the Special Higher Police have a new leader who is making you work overtime all day. No matter how hard you work, you have to take care of your health. Look at you, you’ve gotten so thin from not being home for a few days. I’ll ask Aunt Wang to make you a bowl of bird’s nest soup.”

Zhou Hongyi took Zhou Pan'er's hand, rubbed his face a couple of times, and said with a grin, "A child who is loved by his sister is like a treasure, hehe~~ No matter how busy or unhappy I am at work, as long as I come home to my good sister who cares for me, then I am a treasure. To be honest, I haven't had a good meal these past few days, but I want to eat the noodles you make, sister, not the food Wang Ma makes."

Zhou Pan'er gently patted her younger brother's hair with a touch of tenderness and said, "You're so good with words. Go upstairs, change your clothes, and take a shower. I'll make you some noodles right away."

The side effects of the skill had left him dizzy, so he took the opportunity to take a hot shower, change into clean clothes, and rest on the sofa for a while before feeling slightly better.

Zhou Pan'er cooked a bowl of noodle soup for her younger brother, with a poached egg and a few slices of beef. It looked and smelled delicious.

However, Zhou Pan'er did not call Zhou Hongyi to the restaurant for dinner. Seeing him resting with his eyes closed on the sofa, she brought the noodles to the coffee table, picked them up with chopsticks, and gently blew on them to cool them down.

"My sister's noodles are so delicious, much better than the Western food at the Huizhong Hotel."

Zhou Hongyi was "awakened" by the aroma. He took the chopsticks handed to him by Zhou Pan'er and slurped up the bowl of noodles in no time, even drinking the soup clean.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you. You're such a big person, why are you still acting like a child? Wipe it, the soup is all over your chin."

Zhou Pan'er took out a handkerchief and wiped her younger brother's mouth, smiling bitterly with a mixture of heartache and relief.

Zhou Hongyi pushed the empty bowl forward, patted his stomach and said, "Ah, I'm full, I'm full. My sister's cooking is still the best. This is the most delicious meal I've had in the last ten days or so."

Zhou Pan'er had the dishes and chopsticks cleared away, then personally made a cup of coffee for Zhou Hongyi and placed it in front of him, saying softly, "Zhongliang, I heard that things have been a bit turbulent at the Special Higher Police lately, and your teacher had an accident. Does that mean you won't have any backing at the Special Higher Police anymore?"

Zhou Hongyi asked, slightly surprised, "Sister, you knew about this?"

"That's what your brother-in-law said. He was sleeping that day when his men called him away in the middle of the night. I knew something big must have happened. And then you didn't come home for so many days, which confirmed my guess. Last night, when I was playing mahjong with those rich ladies, I heard them talking about it. And seeing your attitude today, it proves that it's true."

"The wealthy ladies who play mahjong? They're certainly skilled at gathering intelligence."

Zhou Hongyi mentally complained, then patted Zhou Pan'er's hand and said, "Sister, don't worry. Your brother didn't get to where he is now just because of nepotism. I'm already the director of the Second Branch Bureau, and I also have my brother-in-law. He'll take care of me."

When Ding Mocun was mentioned, a cloud of worry suddenly appeared on Zhou Pan'er's face.

Zhou Hongyi's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Sister, how many days has it been since my brother-in-law stayed here overnight?"

Zhou Pan'er said slowly, "Ever since he was called away in the middle of the night, he has never come back. He only came back once to get some things and leave some money, and I haven't seen him since."

Zhou Hongyi's eyes darted around, and he thought to himself that Ding Mocun probably had a new lover. Although the traitor was not coming, he had one less way to obtain intelligence, but Zhou Pan'er could also escape her misery in a roundabout way. After all, nothing good could happen if she always hung out with a big traitor and spy chief.

Zhou Hongyi glanced at her, then told Wang Ma and the other servants to go and rest. He pulled Zhou Pan'er to sit beside him and leaned closer, saying, "Sister, to be frank, given Ding Mocun's status, things will definitely not end well. It's fine if you get some benefits from following him in the short term, but don't get too involved and start taking him for granted. Sister, you have class and looks, how can you be someone's mistress for the rest of your life? I think this is an opportunity, a chance to sever ties with Ding Mocun."

Upon hearing his words, Zhou Pan'er's eyebrows furrowed even more tightly.

"Zhongliang, what are you saying? Isn't he your brother-in-law? Aren't you two very close?"

Zhou Hongyi curled his lip and said contemptuously, "Sister, we are family, siblings. Of course I'll side with you. What a piece of trash your brother-in-law is. He's just a scoundrel who betrayed his country and beliefs and is only temporarily in power. You can be hypocritical and make money off him, but sister, don't give your heart to someone like him. He's not worth it and doesn't deserve it."

Zhou Pan'er slowly shook her head, looking her younger brother up and down as if she were meeting him for the first time.

“Zhongliang, you and he were always so close before, calling each other ‘brother-in-law’ this and ‘brother-in-law’ that. I thought you two were really on good terms.”

“My dear sister,” Zhou Hongyi squeezed Zhou Pan’er’s hand again, stared into her eyes, and said solemnly, “It was all for you. I was afraid it would put you in a difficult position. As Chinese people, who would want to be born a traitor, or marry a man who is a traitor? Circumstances are beyond our control. In the past, we couldn’t fight against the powerful. Sister, don’t tell me that you accepted his advances because you liked him as a person?”

I know that firstly, my brother and I were like rootless duckweed in Shanghai back then, and even if he wanted to force us, we couldn't do anything about it; secondly, you sacrificed yourself to help me secure my future. But now, sister, since he has a new love, isn't this a good thing for us? Let's take this opportunity to distance ourselves from him, seize some more wealth, and staying with a traitor like him will never end well.

Just a few days ago, a traitorous Communist Party member betrayed the organization and the people's interests. And what was the result? Even with layers of protection from the Special Higher Police and the 76th Special Branch, he still died. He was poisoned in the hospital, suffering immense pain before his death. Afterwards, he was dissected by the Japanese and disassembled for research. What do you call that? You call dying without a complete corpse.

Zhou Pan'er was frightened by her younger brother's words, and her face turned pale. However, the warmth from Zhou Hongyi's palm gradually calmed her down, and she began to seriously consider what her brother had just said.

“You’ve really matured a lot. That’s right. When my siblings and I first arrived in Shanghai, your condition worried me a lot. You were indulging in debauchery and living a life of pleasure all day long. If it weren’t for Ding Mocun protecting us, I don’t know if you would have been cut into pieces by your enemies.”

Zhou Hongyi burst out laughing and said, "Sister, did you ever think I was so worthless? But now your brother is the director of the police station, and I have the power to protect us. Sister, listen to me, although I have some connections with Ding Mocun while in this position, I have never done anything to harm my compatriots or the people. On the contrary, I have always secretly provided some financial assistance."

For example, disaster victims, students imprisoned for patriotic protests, and editors and reporters who insisted on reporting the truth—I would turn a blind eye and let them go, even offering some assistance, as long as it was within my power. Now, sister, make a clean break; you deserve a better future!