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

As the two were talking, the blind man placed a cup of tea in front of Zhou Hongyi.

"Brother Zhou, have some water."

Zhou Hongyi glanced at him and said, "What, you don't have to go to the gang today?"

The blind man gave a bitter laugh, pushed up his round sunglasses, and said self-deprecatingly, "Brother Zhou, as you know, after that incident, I can no longer stay in the gang. I've been staying with my mother these past few days. Once she gives birth, I'll have time to take care of her."

Zhou Hongyi nodded and said, "That's fine, but what are you planning to do after the baby is born? That's going to be a considerable expense."

"Sigh~~ It's just another mouth to feed and another pair of chopsticks. We poor families don't have that many rules about raising children. As for what to do, I haven't decided yet, but Shanghai is so big, there must be a place for a blind man like me."

Zhou Hongyi thought for a moment and said, "I just bought a shop on the edge of the concession this noon and asked one of my younger brothers to look after it. By the way, blind man, can you read and do arithmetic?"

The blind man paused for a moment, but still told the truth: "I know a little. After all, I used to be in charge of guarding the warehouse in the gang and taking inventory of goods. Although I can't compare to the accountant, I'm pretty much the same."

“That’s great. Once your mother has given birth and recovered, you can come work for me and help me look after the shop. My young friend is honest and kind, but he can’t do math and knows very few words.”

"Really? Brother Zhou, you are truly a great benefactor to my blind family, like a second parent! Not only did you help me pay off the money I owed the gang, but you also helped me find a job. If you weren't so young, I would have doubted whether you were my real father!"

Zhou Hongyi's lips twitched a few times, and he quickly raised his hand and said, "Stop, stop, why are you getting more and more absurd?"

At this point, Zhou Hongyi asked curiously, "There's something else I've always wanted to ask you: why do you wear sunglasses day and night? You're not really blind, are you?"

The blind man touched his round sunglasses with embarrassment and took them off in front of Zhou Hongyi. Only then did the latter see clearly that the blind man's left eye was actually a prosthetic eye. No wonder he wore sunglasses day and night; it was to cover up his fake eye.

"I injured my eyeball during a shootout. Although I survived, I lost my eye. To avoid scaring others, I've been wearing glasses ever since."

After the blind man finished speaking, his mother said irritably, "With your pathetic skills, you dare to try and fight others? Don't you think about what would happen if something were to happen to you? Who would take care of me in my old age? And what about your unborn siblings? I think following Young Master Zhou is much better. He's kind-hearted and capable; he'll definitely treat you well. Young Master Zhou, it's truly a blessing for my blind son to know you. Tomorrow I'm going to kowtow and pray at our ancestral graves to see if any auspicious smoke is rising from them!"

"No, no, no, Sister Qingxia, I only thought that the blind man was filial, efficient, and quick-witted. My shop also needs someone to manage it, and I feel more at ease finding someone I know well. But blind man, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, you must tell me. You can't make the same mistakes as before."

The blind man raised three fingers to the sky and said righteously, "Brother Zhou, rest assured, I, the blind man, swear to heaven that I will never do anything to betray you. You have done a great favor for our family, but if I break this promise, may I be struck by lightning!"

Zhou Hongyi pressed his hand down and said, "There's no need to make a solemn oath. Let your performance prove it."

The group chatted for a while longer, and seeing that it was getting dark, Ah Bing's mother stood up, supporting herself with her hands on her hips, and said, "Young Master Zhou, let's go. Since there aren't many guests now, I'll call Manyu out for you."

The blind man tactfully helped his elderly mother along, and Zhou Hongyi felt a little embarrassed. She was a pregnant woman about to give birth, and he was being asked to accompany her to the nightclub; it was indeed a bit of a chore.

"Sister Qingxia, thank you so much."

"Oh dear~~ What are you thanking me for? If anyone should be thanking someone, it should be us blind folks thanking Young Master Zhou. Let's go."

The three of them walked out of the alley. Zhou Hongyi specially called a rickshaw for the blind woman and followed her all the way to the front of the Paramount Ballroom.

Although it was still early, all the neon signs in this dazzling jewel of Shanghai's old Shanghai district were already lit up. Waiters in white shirts and dancers in cheongsams with permed hair stood at the entrance to greet the first group of distinguished guests.

The blind woman moved her slightly clumsy body to the bottom of the steps and waved to a dancer above: "Cui Cui~~"

Upon seeing the senior dancer from before, the dancer hurriedly ran a few steps, her face beaming with smiles, and said, "Oh my~~ Sister Qingxia, you're not feeling well right now, why are you still coming to the dance hall~"

Qingxia took the dancer's hand and said with a smile, "You little rascal, you've grown even more beautiful since I last saw you. I just missed you all, so I came to see you~~~ By the way, has Manyu arrived yet? Please call her for me and tell her I need to see her."

When the dancer heard the name Manyu, a hint of disdain appeared on her face, but she quickly concealed it.

"As soon as Sister Brigitte came, she went to find Maggie Cheung. You know, she's the top star at the Paramount Ballroom now. Many big shots are lining up to ask her to dance, and she doesn't even talk to us old sisters anymore. Although we dance in the same dance floor every day, I haven't spoken to her for three days."

The dancer was speaking in a sarcastic tone when she heard a silvery voice from the side.

“Sister Cui Cui, you’re wronging me. I, Manyu, have always considered you all my best friends, especially my sister Qingxia. When I first arrived at the Paramount, I received so much care from Sister Qingxia. Sister Qingxia, when are you going to give birth? Judging from your figure, it seems like your due date is approaching.”

The group looked over at the sound and saw a black car parked on the open ground to the side of the Paramount. A beautiful young woman with a stunning figure and a graceful walk, dressed in an elegant silk cheongsam, stepped out of the car.

But what she saw was Man Yu's eyebrows, which resembled distant mountains, and her eyes, which were misty as if they held a pool of autumn waves. Her fiery red lips parted slightly as she spoke, and a small black mole grew at the corner of her left eye, which added to her charm.

Zhou Hongyi thought to himself, "This is Manyu."

For someone who had seen countless women, this woman's looks were at best above average, not even as pretty as his older sister, Zhou Pan'er. However, the charm and unique aura she exuded were quite captivating. Coupled with the feminine hormones emanating from her every move, it's likely that any man would find it hard to look away.

"Oh my, Manyu, my dear sister, you are now the top star of our Paramount Ballroom! If I ever can't make it in the future, I'll have to come back to you for help. Don't forget your sisters then!"

Manyu's lips curled up, her eyes crinkling into crescents, and she said coquettishly, "Sister Qingxia, you're so funny. Even after having a child, your charm hasn't diminished at all. In fact, mature women have even more allure. By the way, are you here today to support your little sister?"

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the blind woman got straight to the point, pointing to Zhou Hongyi beside her and saying, "Today I'm introducing a distinguished guest to my sister, Young Master Zhou, my blind man's elder brother. Young Master Zhou has long admired your name and is very impressed. Hearing that my sister and I know each other, he insisted on coming to meet you..."

Zhou Hongyi stepped forward, revealing a gentlemanly smile, and said, "Miss Manyu, hello, my name is Zhou Hongyi, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Manyu sized Zhou Hongyi up and down. In her line of work, having a sharp eye is an essential skill; she can roughly judge a person's social class and economic situation just from their speech, behavior, and clothing.

After scrutinizing Zhou Hongyi, a hint of surprise clearly flashed deep in Manyu's eyes.

"So it's Young Master Zhou! He's truly a handsome and talented man; he's clearly no ordinary person!"

The blind woman introduced at the right time: "Young Master Zhou is now the leader of the Special Operations Group at the Second Branch of Jing'an Public Security Bureau. He is young and promising, and he also owns a shop next to the concession. My blind son works for him now."

"Is Young Master Zhou a police team leader? I know Director Feng of the Jing'an Second Branch, but I don't recall ever hearing about any special operations team."

The blind woman was unaware of the details, but Zhou Hongyi said calmly, "It didn't exist before, but it has since I arrived. Miss Manyu, the reason I asked my sister Qingxia to introduce me is firstly because I've long admired you, and secondly because I'm very interested in our Paramount. To be honest, Miss Manyu, I'd also like to invest in a similar place, and if it's suitable, I've set my sights on this Paramount."