Eating Melons in the Police Station-Chapter 89

Little Tong said proudly, after licking the rice cake just three times, she nudged Zhong Jin’s arm when he didn’t move: "Hurry up and eat it before they find out."

She then glanced guiltily toward the living room, knowing she’d be in trouble if caught sneaking a treat.

Under her expectant gaze, Zhong Jin devoured the rice cake in a few bites, barely chewing before swallowing.

After whispering in the bedroom for a while, the father-daughter pair returned to the living room, with Zhong Jin now changed into loungewear—a not-so-subtle hint for their guests to leave.

Tao Siyuan gave Qiu Zhengrui a look before saying to Zhong Jin, "It’s getting late. You and Little Tong should rest. We’ll come see her again tomorrow."

Zhong Jin stood from the sofa, his tone indifferent. "I’ll drive you back."

"No need, you’ve already changed. We’ll just grab a taxi downstairs," Tao Siyuan refused, waving her hand as she reached for her mink coat.

Qiu Zhengrui stood up leisurely, then cooed in a sweet voice to Little Tong: "Little Tong, how about sleeping with Grandma and Grandpa tonight? Tomorrow, we’ll go to the aquarium!"

Little Tong clung to Zhong Jin’s leg, half her body latched onto her dad. At the suggestion, she hugged him tighter. "I’m sleeping with Daddy. Bye-bye."

Of course, Zhong Jin wouldn’t let her go with them either.

Luckily, Qiu Zhengrui didn’t push. Tao Siyuan handed him his coat, and he slipped it on with her help.

Still, Zhong Jin threw on a jacket and escorted the elderly couple downstairs, watching them board a taxi before carrying his drowsy daughter back into the elevator.

Exhausted from the day’s excitement, Little Tong yawned twice before dozing off against Zhong Jin’s shoulder.

His stomach growled twice—then he remembered he hadn’t eaten dinner, having been too busy picking them up from the airport. The tension from hosting Qiu Zhengrui and Tao Siyuan had suppressed his hunger, but now that they were gone, it hit him hard.

It was already past 10 p.m., and Little Tong was half-asleep.

Too lazy to cook, Zhong Jin considered grabbing some bread to tide him over.

His stomach growled again.

Little Tong’s eyes fluttered open. "Daddy, are you hungry?"

Zhong Jin: "You weren’t asleep?"

The little chubby girl pinched his ear and whispered, "Daddy, I’ll go eat with you! Mommy says you shouldn’t starve yourself—your stomach will hurt."

Maybe it was psychological, but the moment she said it, Zhong Jin’s stomach did twinge uncomfortably.

He pulled up her hood and pressed the elevator button for the underground garage.

He didn’t go far—just two blocks over to a 24-hour congee shop.

The place was lively with late-night diners, many dressed like Zhong Jin—loungewear under winter coats, slippers still on their feet.

Zhong Jin picked a corner booth and ordered a seafood congee with a few side dishes.

The steaming hot porridge soothed his stomach instantly.

Little Tong gnawed on a black bean chicken claw, wiggling with delight. If she had a tail, Zhong Jin could practically see it wagging.

Sauce smeared her cheeks and fingers. Zhong Jin wiped her face with a tissue, and she raised her greasy little hand solemnly.

"Daddy, you know what? No matter when you’re hungry, I’ll always be your eating buddy."

She’d clearly picked up phrases like "eating buddy" from hanging around the police station.

"So, are you my eating buddy to keep me company… or just for the food?" Zhong Jin teased, rolling up her sleeves.

Little Tong giggled. "Company first… then food. Hehe."

Sometimes, Zhong Jin had no idea how a three-year-old could be so heartwarming and infuriating, so sly yet so sincere.

Just then, Qiu Sheng’s video call came through. Zhong Jin propped the phone on the table, sipping congee as he answered.

Seeing they were still out, Qiu Sheng asked, "Why are you eating so late?"

Zhong Jin replied casually, "Had dinner earlier. Just hungry again, so we grabbed some congee."

Little Tong stretched her neck, shoving her face into the frame. "Mommy, he didn’t eat properly! I had to make him!"

All Qiu Sheng could see was a messy chicken claw waving at the camera, but she smiled warmly.

"Thank you, baby. Take good care of Daddy for me—make sure he eats and sleeps on time."

The chicken claw waved again. "Mommy, he doesn’t sleep on time! He stays up watching soccer!"

Zhong Jin tugged her hood, pulling her back into her seat.

"Don’t listen to her nonsense. I stayed up *once*, and it was only till 1 a.m. And *she’s* the one who made me eat a rice cake she licked!"

The little girl glared, protesting loudly: "I gave it to you ’cause I love you! I didn’t even wanna share!"

The father-daughter squabble turned into chaos, while Qiu Sheng laughed on the screen. After a moment, she sighed softly.

"I miss you both so much. We’ll see each other next week, right?"

She said, *I miss you both*—not just Little Tong.

Zhong Jin’s bickering quieted. He scratched his head awkwardly before murmuring,

"Yeah… I’m bringing her back to Jing City next Friday."

Qiu Sheng seemed to realize the unintended intimacy of her words and quickly changed the subject.

"Oh, right—my parents want to take Little Tong to the aquarium tomorrow. Secretary Dong will be with them. Is that okay? If not, I’ll tell them no."

Zhong Jin wanted to say, *No, it’s not okay. They came to see their granddaughter, and now they should leave.*

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But he couldn’t. After all, they were Qiu Sheng’s parents.

And truthfully, Tao Siyuan had always treated him well—like one of her own. Every time she traveled, the gifts she brought him were the same as those for Qiu Chen.

Tao Siyuan had a very close relationship with Zhong Jin’s mother. After the incident in Zhong Jin’s family, she would often cry during that period. Though crying was all she could do—unable to offer any real help—Zhong Jin still remembered her kindness.

As for Qiu Zhengrui, Zhong Jin had never repeated the harsh words he’d said to Qiu Sheng. What good would it do? Qiu Zhengrui was Qiu Sheng’s biological father, and Qiu Sheng had a soft heart. Telling her would only add to her worries without solving anything.

So, when it came to how Zhong Jin treated Qiu Zhengrui, there was a gap in understanding between him and Qiu Sheng.

Qiu Sheng knew Zhong Jin and Qiu Zhengrui didn’t have the best relationship, but she never imagined it had deteriorated to this extent. She simply thought Zhong Jin viewed Qiu Zhengrui as nothing more than a distant elder.

But ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‍for Zhong Jin, if it weren’t for Qiu Sheng, he would’ve grown so weary of the man that he wouldn’t even want to hear his name mentioned.

On the phone, Qiu Sheng sensed his hesitation and said, “Then forget it. I’ll talk to my parents and convince them to return to Jing City early. We can skip the aquarium.”

Zhong Jin knew that if Qiu Sheng tried to persuade them, it would only lead to another argument.

Qiu Sheng wasn’t one for conflict—she had a tendency to tear up easily. It was only after being with Zhong Jin that she grew tougher. Before, at the slightest disagreement, she’d burst into tears before the other person even had a chance to raise their voice.

If a real fight broke out, she’d be torn to shreds.

The thought made Zhong Jin relent. “Tell them to come pick up Little Tong. Just for one day.”

With Secretary Dong accompanying them, Zhong Jin felt at ease. Secretary Dong was a principled and steady man. When Zhong Jin’s family had their crisis, he had handled all the aftermath. Zhong Jin trusted this elder, who was a few years his senior.

On the way back after dinner, even Little Tong could tell Zhong Jin was in a bad mood.

Sitting in her car seat, she stretched her legs leisurely, tilting her head to watch the flickering city lights outside the window. Her reflection blinked back at her from the glass, her large eyes bright and curious.

“What’s on your mind? If you’re tired, take a nap,” Zhong Jin glanced at her in the rearview mirror before focusing back on the road.

Little Tong swung her short legs. “You don’t like it when I go out with Grandma and Grandpa, do you?”

Zhong Jin was momentarily stunned. He thought she was too young to understand, but it turned out she noticed everything.

His hands steady on the wheel, he replied calmly, “Go if you want, don’t if you don’t. You don’t need to worry about grown-up matters. At your age, your only job is to be happy.”

Little Tong gazed thoughtfully out the window and fell silent.

Zhong Jin checked on her in the rearview mirror a few times, relieved when she finally closed her eyes to sleep.

This child was too sharp. He’d have to remind Qiu Sheng later to be more careful with their words around her. Kids her age should only fill their little heads with thoughts of treats and games—not adult troubles.

The next morning, as expected, Secretary Dong contacted Zhong Jin early, saying they were already at the gate of the neighborhood.

“I’m still getting her dressed. Should I have you come up?” Zhong Jin asked.

After muffled exchanges on the other end, Secretary Dong replied, “No need. Mr. Qiu says they’ll wait downstairs.”

Zhong Jin dressed Little Tong in a shearling jacket and tiny boots. Unable to manage her hair, he settled for a matching aviator hat with ear flaps—a stylish outfit Qiu Sheng had mailed from Jing City.

When it came to fashion sense, Mom still knew best. Zhong Jin had always thought he dressed Little Tong well, but now, in comparison, he realized he’d been doing her a disservice.

Once she was ready, Zhong Jin carried her downstairs.

Dressed in casual wear and flats for their aquarium trip, Qiu Zhengrui and Tao Siyuan looked youthful for their age—wealth and good skincare did wonders.

The moment Little Tong appeared, the elderly couple’s faces lit up. Qiu Zhengrui even stepped forward, reaching to take her from Zhong Jin’s arms.

But Little Tong clung to Zhong Jin’s neck, twisting away from Qiu Zhengrui’s outstretched hands.

Qiu Zhengrui awkwardly withdrew, forcing a smile. “Little Tong, come to Grandpa. I’ll take you to the aquarium and buy you lots of snacks and toys.”

Burying her face in Zhong Jin’s shoulder, Little Tong said clearly, “Grandpa, if you want me to go out with you, you should ask if I want to first.”

Qiu Zhengrui blinked. “Ah, right, my mistake. Little Tong, would you like to go to the aquarium with Grandpa?”

Watching Qiu Zhengrui’s overly eager, almost pleading expression, Zhong Jin finally understood the meaning of “generational doting.”

In Zhong Jin’s memory, Qiu Zhengrui had always been strict and intimidating. As a child, he’d even pitied Qiu Chen and Qiu Sheng for having such a harsh father.

Yet faced with this unexpected granddaughter, the stern old man had somehow mastered a sugary, coaxing tone without any lessons.

Little Tong, however, remained unimpressed. “Grandpa, I don’t want to go out or visit the aquarium. Bye.”

Qiu Zhengrui’s smile faltered.

Zhong Jin said coolly, “She’s shy around strangers. Maybe another time when she’s more familiar with you.”

Then he turned to Little Tong. “Want to come with me to the police station instead?”

“Yes!” she answered brightly.

“Uncle, Auntie, I have work to attend to. Secretary Dong can show you around the area?”

Disappointment flashed across Qiu Zhengrui and Tao Siyuan’s faces, but before they could protest further, Zhong Jin strode off with the child in his arms.

Once in the underground garage, Zhong Jin asked, “You really didn’t want to go to the aquarium?”

Little Tong giggled, tugging his ear. “Actually, I do! They sell those giant grilled sausages there—my favorite.”

“Then why didn’t you go?”

She pressed a tiny hand to her chest. “Because I love you.”

Zhong Jin’s eyes crinkled into slits from smiling. Qiu Chen’s tuition money hadn’t gone to waste—he’d have to treat his brother-in-law to a meal sometime.