[Xu Fuji’s Diner!]

When Chen Xiao saw the sign.

He knew why Pan Huiping had made an emergency stop.

"What a coincidence." Chen Xiao couldn’t help but sigh as he looked at the sign.

Xiaoji and Liu Dayou settled down in their seats, and they looked at the sign with astonishment:

"There’s actually a Xu Fuji here on this night stall street!"

"Let’s try this place, let’s get off and taste their skills." Pan Huiping stopped the car and opened the car door.

Of course, the three of them wouldn’t stay in the car.

The name of the shop was really too enticing.

After sitting inside, Chen Xiao assessed the scale.

Besides the guests, there were several staff members inside the shop.

However, he didn’t see the owner, just a woman in her forties sitting at the cashier.

Seeing people come in, the woman immediately took the menu and approached with a full smile.

"Four of you? There’s space here, and private rooms upstairs too!"

"Let’s sit here." Chen Xiao said, and Pan Huiping nodded and sat down, then asked the woman:

"Are you the boss of this place?"

The woman nodded repeatedly: "Yes, little sister, you sound like a local, aren’t you familiar with my place?"

Pan Huiping shook her head: "I don’t usually eat night snacks, either I have it delivered from near my workplace."

"Then you’ve come to the right place today, we’ve been in Celestial Valley District for over ten years, used to be on Yanhe Road, moved here when the night market street was established."

Pan Huiping suddenly understood.

Yanhe Road is even further from the branch office.

"Have you always used this shop name?"

The woman smiled and nodded: "Yes, for over ten years, my husband’s name is Xu Fu, so it’s always been Xu Fuji."

Pan Huiping didn’t ask more, glanced at the menu and handed it to Chen Xiao: "I promised to treat you three, you pick, I don’t eat much at night."

Chen Xiao didn’t like ordering, but still took a look this time:

"Wow, this lamb shank bone looks nice, let’s start with a lamb shank bone pot?"

"That’s... our lamb shank is a specialty, so are the snails and porridge!"

"Then bring some of your specialties, we’re lazy to choose."

"Sure, but what beer would you like to drink?"

"Whatever."

Chen Xiao said, then gave a wink to Pan Huiping, signaling her to hold off on the inquiries for a while.

After all, they’d already asked quite a few questions.

If they asked too frequently, even someone without a guilty conscience might become a bit wary.

Pan Huiping understood the hint and quietly unwrapped the utensils.

After introducing the recommended dishes to Chen Xiao and seeing no issues, the owner happily went to place the orders.

After she left, Pan Huiping finally spoke:

"Do you think it’s a coincidence or is there some connection?"

"It’s too early to say now, but for someone who doesn’t eat snacks often, it’s uncanny how Captain Pan whimsically brought us here, as if there’s something inexplicable at work."

Pan Huiping nodded slightly, then started to wash the utensils.

Before long, a server brought a plate of stir-fried snails to the table,

and just as she was about to leave, Chen Xiao asked, "Sister, have you been working here for long?"

The server seemed a bit surprised but still replied, "For a few years now."

"How many employees are there in total?"

He smiled while asking: "Don’t worry, just asking casually."

As Chen Xiao spoke, Pan Huiping flashed her police badge.

The server immediately said, "Six in total, two assist the boss in the kitchen, two are dishwashers, and another server and me."

"Hmm, how old is your youngest female employee?"

"That’s me." The server pointed to herself.

"Does your boss have kids?"

"There’s a daughter, she’s twenty-two now."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao sensed a certain sharpness in Pan Huiping’s gaze.

He gave a smile to the server and then advised, "Go ahead with your work, but please don’t mention our identities to your colleagues or boss yet."

"Okay, I won’t say anything!"

The server agreed and continued with her work.

Chen Xiao watched her leave and smiled at Pan Huiping, "Captain Pan, let’s eat first."

"Hmm, later let’s find a chance to meet the boss’s daughter of this diner."

Pan Huiping replied and tasted a bite of the stir-fried snails.

But just with one sip, she frowned.

Liu Dayou couldn’t help but ask, "Captain Pan, did you get unlucky on your first one and get a bad one?"

She shook her head, "It’s not bad, I just don’t usually eat these, seems... I’m not very good at it."

The three of them were taken aback.

Liu Dayou laughed heartily, "That’s normal, those who don’t often eat these are like that. Let me teach you..."

It was evident that Liu Dayou was genuinely enthusiastic about it.

But anyone familiar with snails knows, if someone keeps watching and smiling while you eat, you’d think they’re nuts!

She frowned.

Liu Dayou’s behavior made her uncomfortable.

However, she still gamely tried based on Liu Dayou’s method. Although a bit clumsy at first, she got the hang of it after several tries.

"Not bad, this method is quite practical." She said with a smile.

Liu Dayou took out some toothpicks, "If you find it too bothersome, just pick them out with these. But doing that misses the essence of eating snails. Practice makes perfect, keep slurping and you’ll get it."

She curled her lips and said no more.

Chen Xiao also thought the diner definitely lived up to its over-decade reputation, the taste was indeed authentic.

Especially the lamb shank bone that came later, packed with flavor, which piqued his appetite.

Before long, the four of them finished everything cleanly.

After washing her hands, she said to Chen Xiao, "Let’s go, you and I will visit the owner and his wife."

Chen Xiao agreed and walked towards the counter.

She first took out her wallet to settle the bill.

The owner lady kindly gave them a small discount and offered a bottle of drink.

Just as she got the drink, she flashed her police badge.

The owner’s eyes froze upon seeing it, then asked, "Are you... police officers?"

"We’re handling a case nearby, just want to ask you some things."

The owner lady dropped her previous jolliness and said seriously, "Officer, we’ve been running this establishment for over ten years, no illegal practices at all!"

"Your ingredients and flavors are excellent, what I want to ask is..." Before she could finish, a voice called out from behind, at that moment:

"Mom, ask Dad to make me some fried rice, I’m starving!"

As the voice dropped, a tall girl in a T-shirt and denim flared pants walked over.