Chapter 35 - 35 35 Detective Agency Opens

Words : 1973 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

35: Chapter 35 Detective Agency Opens 35: Chapter 35 Detective Agency Opens Lin Xiaosu didn’t watch the rest of the game. He stood on the bridge, quietly watching the Yihe River water running beneath his feet. After seeing the situation in the internet cafe, Lin Xiaosu felt a certain kind of recognition for his mother’s concerns. As parents, hoping their son has a legitimate profession is not only about making a living but also largely due to society having too many idle troublemakers. His mother worried that he would become one of them. If Lin Xiaosu had not accidentally come upon a strange opportunity, would he really have ended up as one of them? Who could know? In modern society, the employment situation is too grim, intense competition is everywhere, competing within the same industry, across industries, and even with machines – technology keeps advancing, robots are widely used. It used to be hard finding a good job; now, ordinary people’s jobs are being snapped up by machines, resulting in a large number of people unemployed, unable to make money, leaving nothing but the pursuit of a fleeting sense of fulfillment in the gaming world, right? He walked along the sidewalk, had breakfast, and when he returned to Fengshan Police Station, he saw Zhou Mei and Miao Ruolan chatting in the reception room. Seeing him, Zhou Mei smiled, “It’s been confirmed, the great detective has accomplished another feat!” “So what about it? You’re going to take care of what you promised me, right?” Lin Xiaosu smiled. Zhou Mei said, “Sun Yang has already gone to handle it, and additionally, Chief Zhang called everyone at the key checkpoints. He estimates that your license will be sorted out in no more than three days!” “Chief Zhang acted on this personally?” Lin Xiaosu was a little surprised; in his impression, Chief Zhang was always stern-faced, and in the few times they had met, he had never shown Lin Xiaosu a hint of warmth. It was hard for him to imagine that such a person would ask others for favors. Zhou Mei’s smile curved like a crescent moon, “Chief Zhang, ah, he has the face of a coffin, but that’s a professional necessity. A Criminal Investigation Team leader needs a particular ability to intimidate with just a look – bulls, ghosts, gods, snakes. In fact, he holds you in high regard... You don’t have to worry about the license anymore. In three days, I will deliver it to you directly!” “Thanks!” Zhou Mei said, “If you really want to thank me, just help me handle a few more cases in the future...” Lin Xiaosu scratched his head, “I just realized, this is actually a deal between you and me, a fair reward for this case. Up to this point, we’re even, it seems.” Zhou Mei gave him a sideways glance and laughed; Miao Ruolan also laughed... After laughing, Zhou Mei lifted her teacup, “To set up a Detective Agency, besides the license, there are also other things. Do you want me to recommend a rental shopfront to you?” “You have something suitable?” “There’s a place; whether it’s suitable or not, you have to judge for yourself,” said Zhou Mei. She gave Lin Xiaosu a phone number. The call went through, and it was a woman surnamed Cui. She had a shop next to Duanjia Bridge Commercial Center; if he was really interested in renting, she could come out for them to take a look on-site. At Duanjia Bridge, Lin Xiaosu and Miao Ruolan met this woman surnamed Cui, around forty years old with elegant charm. Seeing Lin Xiaosu’s smiling face, the shop behind her was open. Once they entered the interior, both Lin Xiaosu and Miao Ruolan’s heartbeats quickened – it was too perfect! It was as if it was custom-made for them. From the outside, the shop didn’t look big, about four or five meters wide, but it was deep inside and finely decorated, also very clean. There was even a computer on an office desk, while the second floor was a residential space, with three bedrooms, a bathroom, and even a kitchen. It had air conditioning! It even had a kettle for boiling water! It really was the kind where you could just move in with your bags. Sister Cui introduced that the previous tenant was a studio that started in Fengcheng. Later on, their business grew so much that Fengcheng could no longer fit their dreams, so they moved to Jiangcheng. They felt this place was the lucky place where they made their fortune and didn’t want to spoil it, so they generously left everything behind for Sister Cui, including the air conditioners and the computer, without taking anything away. Lin Xiaosu and Miao Ruolan exchanged glances, both seeing the word ‘satisfied’ in each other’s eyes... Managing a shop is not an easy task. Location scouting, renovations, procuring necessary office and living supplies – it’s easy to say but a nuisance to do. Having a ready-made option presented in front of them, how much trouble did that save them? Now, the only issue was the price. This was an old commercial district, and the rent had always been quite high. Only in recent years with the rise of e-commerce, as physical stores closed down en masse, making it difficult to rent out shopfronts. But no matter how difficult it was, such a property would normally be at least three thousand a month. Sister Cui smiled lightly, “It’s not easy for you young folks to start a business; I won’t charge you a high rate. Just like ten years ago, how about 2000 per month, okay?” Young couple? Lin Xiaosu hurriedly explained, “Sister Cui, we are... classmates!” “Oh, Sister saw it wrong, sorry about that...” Miao Ruolan, with her face flushed, bargained with Sister Cui. Probably considering the obviously not high rent, she didn’t have the heart to haggle too much, symbolically knocked off 200 yuan, and they settled for 1800 yuan. Once the contract was signed, their Detective Agency took another big step forward. At lunchtime, the two made a new discovery in the nearby mall. There was a cafeteria in the mall, open to the public, offering meals at three different price levels. The cheapest meal box cost eight yuan, nearly the same as what it would cost them to buy groceries and cook themselves. That made sense. After all, cooking involved expenses for a variety of ingredients from firewood to oil and vinegar, all costing money. Here, while the owners might not earn much, they relied on volume sales and a small profit margin... Now, their problem with where to eat was solved. When they went to the mall and bought bedding, and then returned to their newly rented place, Miao Ruolan was very excited. She brewed a cup of tea for Lin Xiaosu and asked him with her chin in her hands, “Will the license really come through that smoothly?” “Should be!” he replied. Small towns are different from big cities. In big cities, the focus is on management and regulations, whereas small towns are largely still about personal relationships. Walking around, you’d bump into acquaintances from all walks of life overnight, and it’s very convenient to greet each other and exchange information. Why do some rural parents hope their children get into the system? Sometimes, it’s just for the convenience of getting things done. The same task can be difficult for ordinary people. But for those familiar with the system or with connections inside certain agencies, it’s much easier. This isn’t about corruption or unwritten rules. This is the basic principle of how things get done... Think about it, if someone is familiar with the process and knows where the key points are at each step, giving them a heads-up can save a lot of hassle. How could that be considered corruption? It’s reasonable handling of affairs! That’s why Chief Zhang could make a few phone calls and get the license processed faster. And that’s why Zhou Mei’s one phone number helped Lin Xiaosu find the most suitable rental place. Having the right resources just makes things easier than aimlessly searching. Three days later, Zhou Mei delivered the business license. On the fourth day, Lin Xiaosu spent three hundred yuan to get a sign made and hung up. “Fengcheng Detective Agency” – white letters on a black background. Two flower pots stood outside the door, one from Zhou Mei, the other bought by Miao Ruolan herself. These days, she walked as if carried by the wind, her inner excitement bubbling like the Yihe River... Registering the business, she had initially planned to register only Lin Xiaosu, feeling it would be fine for her to just help with the work. But once the business license was in hand, and she saw the registered share capital listing her at 50%, it became official and legally binding. Zhou Mei said that it was Lin Xiaosu’s insistence. Now it was settled. So, the Detective Agency became her new home! She was determined to ensure her efforts lived up to her share in the partnership. She wasn’t familiar with detective work, so that meant she had to learn! At the same time, naturally, she would take care of the Agency’s finances, logistics, and internal affairs. From the beginning, the Detective Agency had a very distinct style: Lin Xiaosu in charge of external affairs, and she managed the internal operations. Looking at the registration form on the computer screen, Miao Ruolan felt a bit nervous. Detective work was uncharted territory even in the most advanced cities, let alone in this little town. Would they even have any business here? What if not even a ghost came knocking on their door? How would they cope? Suddenly, a woman rushed in: “I’ve lost my baby, can you help me find it?” Miao Ruolan’s heart skipped a beat: “For missing children, you should report to the police first, sister.” For the Detective Agency, standard investigations such as lost pets, infidelity, and confidential matters were usually not convenient for police involvement. For something as serious as a missing child, it could fully be handled by the authorities, so Miao Ruolan immediately gave the correct advice. The sister was frantic: “I’ve reported it, but the police said, finding cats and dogs is not worth wasting police resources... They suggested I come to you! If you don’t take this case, I’ll complain right now that you’re passing the buck...” Miao Ruolan frowned: “Sister, didn’t you say you lost your baby?” “My dog at home, I treat it like my son, is that wrong? You little girl, so ignorant, so annoying, call your boss out!” The sister plopped down on the sofa, her entire body jiggling back and forth, her necklace and bracelet shining with gem-like lustre. “Please sit for a moment, sister, have some tea! I’ll call him right away,” Miao Ruolan offered her a cup. The sister glanced at it: “I only drink ‘Fusang Tea’; this tea of yours, forget it!” Fusang, an island country near Daxia Country, had longstanding animosity with Daxia. Yet its tea was famously sought after in the circles of high society. Drinking Fusang Tea was a term synonymous with an exclusive, high-end lifestyle among the wealthy. “Cough!” Lin Xiaosu came downstairs: “Sister, we can take your case, but it’s a bit pricey.” “Pricey?” The sister sneered. “How pricey can it get? Here’s 5000 yuan! Is that enough?” She took out a small bag and carelessly threw out 5000 yuan. With that toss, the red banknotes scattered, covering the table. Lin Xiaosu: “5000 yuan, that’s actually not enough.”

Chapter 35 - 35 35 Detective Agency Opens

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