Killer Nights

Chapter 18: The Hot Pot City Incident

“Alright, let’s eat!”  Jiang Zhengkai said, as the waiter brought over everything they had ordered.  He began adjusting the hot pot’s temperature. “What did you want to eat first?  Shrimp balls or sliced pork?”

“I want the shrimp balls!”  As the sight of the food on the table, A-Jiao’s mood immediately improved.  After all, she had grown very tired of hospital food, so having something different for a change was a welcome delight.

“Know anybody who’s still in touch with A-Xiu these days?” Jiang Zhengkai asked in a seemingly casual manner, as he picked up a cooked shrimp ball and placed it on A-Jiao’s plate.

“Nope.  Yum!  This is delicious!” A-Jiao replied matter-of-factly. “Turnover is very high in our line of work, so who knows where people go once they leave the alley.”

“Then how come you’ve stayed in that alley for two years?” asked Jiang Zhengkai with a smirk, before...