The next morning, it was Caroline’s shift. It was still a weekday and people’s passion for travelling has died down quite a bit, so there weren’t any guests either checking in or checking out. Jianmen was up in the back attending to his garden, and Jason was off to meet with his buddies from the video channel, to try to dissuade them from cooperating with the Branston team on the obviously idiotic advanture into a deserted haunted hospital.

 

Just when Caroline was playing on her phone and practicing the casual cultivation method, a man walked into the inn with a young boy.

 

“Hello, welcome to Xianshi Inn… Kane? What are you doing here?” Caroline recognized the man walking in - it was her older brother whom she hadn’t met or talked to for a while, and the young boy was her brother’s son, Alex.

 

“Hello Caroline, nice to see you too.” Kane smiled and asked: “So, this is where you work?”

 

“Work, eat, live, and suffer.” Caroline shrugged then walked out from behind the reception’s desk and looked at the timid young boy: “Alex, nice to see you. You want some ice cream? We have some killer matcha ice cream!”

 

“Thanks! Auntie.” Alex looked at Kane, and with Kane’s permissive nod he took Caroline’s hand and walked into the diner with her.

 

“So, how have you been? ” Kane asked: “Does this place pay well?”

 

“No, but it has its perks.” Caroline gave Alex a big scoop of Matcha ice cream, took out two bottles of Jianmen’s fruit wine and sat down by one of the tables: “I don’t have to pay rent and I get three meals a day. And I just learned that apparently the signature homemade booze is unlimited.”

 

“Nice. But you’re sure the pay’s fair? If not I can hook you up or talk with your boss.”

 

“I would really hate that. But thanks.” Caroline laughed as she caressed Alex’s hair, “How are you? What brings you here?”

 

“Business. You know my line of work. Needs a lot of travel.” Kane took a sip of his bottle of fruit wine and looked at Caroline with surprise: “This is sweet, never thought you’d be drinking this.”

 

“Yeah, well it’s free and Boss boasts its medicinal properties.” Caroline also took a sip.

 

“Sounds very new age, your boss is a hipster?”

 

“No, he’s just Chinese. Old school Chinese.”

 

“Mrs. Robinson said it’s inappropriate to stereotype.” Alex looked up from his ice cream bowl and said.

 

“Aww that’s very polite. But it’s okay if the person you are talking about doesn’t mind.” Caroline chuckled and fluffed Alex’s hair, “And you should meet my boss, he’s very very Chinese.”

 

“As long as he treats you well.” Kane laughed and bumped his bottle with Caroline’s.

 

After several rounds of smalltalk about each other’s daily lives and interesting anecdotes, Kane turned to Alex: “Hey Alex, your Auntie Caroline and I have some grown up business to talk about, can you stay here for a while?”

 

“Okay. Don’t take too long.” Alex nodded.

 

Caroline followed Kane out of the diner and to the reception’s desk, where they can talk privately and still keep an eye on Alex.

 

“Simon’s out.” Kane looked Caroline straight into her eye and said.

 

Caroline went silent and rubbed her scar on the left side of her forehead for a while, then asked: “When? How?”

 

“Just last week. Officially, because of good behavior, if you can even believe it.”

 

“And unofficially?”

 

“Prison’s getting filled up and they were releasing some first time offenders. And Simon’s previous records were all expunged, because juvie.” Kane looked at Caroline with concern: “I just want to warn you. He’s really obsessed with you, so if he ever comes and finds you...”

 

“Don’t worry about me. I am not…” Caroline sighed and struggled a bit to find the right words: “I can kick his ass now. If he ever shows his face again, I can fend for myself.”

 

“No. Don’t take any risk.” Kane put his hands on Caroline’s shoulders and said, ever so seriously: “I am pretty sure he’s too dumb to find you. But if he did, I want you to do as we practiced, okay? Stay safe and call the cops. Do you have a weapon with you?”

 

“...No?”

 

“Okay, I understand, you’re living in someone else’s place. But I think you should really consider getting one, at least a small and portable one...”

 

“Kane!” Caroline had to cut Kane off and assured him: “I’ll be fine. Trust me.”

 

Kane sighed: “Alright, I trust that you can handle yourself. Just… give me a call if you need anything okay? I’ll keep an eye out for you as well.”

 

“You’ll help me get rid of his body?”

 

“Gladly, and I’ll take the fall for you, as long as you promise me to take care of Alex and never let Barbara touch him.” 

 

“Aren’t you sweet big bro, but no. The personnel dorm in this inn is no place to raise a child.”

 

“Jokes aside, do remember to give me a call if you need help. I’m gonna be in town for at least one week. So, plenty of time to help. And we can hang out.”

 

“Is this an invitation for me to babysit Alex for free?” Caroline jokingly punched Kane on the shoulder, which made Kane gasped and flinched.

 

“Ouch, Caroline, you weren’t kidding when you said you can kick his ass.” Kane was pleasantly surprised: “Now I’m relieved. Just don’t get cocky. And yes I am asking you to babysit Alex from time to time, pretty please?”

 

“Then drinks on you, no take backs. And don’t forget cockiness isn’t really my thing. It’s more of Simon’s.” Caroline finished her wine with one long chug: “You’re gonna be here a whole week? What’s this case you’re working on? Some cheating trophy wife?”

 

“Yeah I wish.” Kane scratched his head: “It’s some other business, can’t really talk about it. Just tryna cover the basics, no hopes on the bonus.”

 

“That bad huh? What’s this client’s deal?”

 

“Can’t say that either, but he’s more of a concerned father than a jealous husband.” Kane also finished his bottle.

 

“Hmm… sounds like a story I’ll have to hear another time.” Caroline took the empty bottle from Kane and accompanied him back to the diner: “You got a place to stay? I can give you the best room with the biggest discount.”

 

“No, thanks, I can stay at a friend’s place. ” Kane shook his head, “I’ll give you the address, it’s not that far from here. A place on North East Los Gamos Street, big, quiet house.”

 

“Hmm, this ‘friend’ is actually the client right?” Caroline asked while air quoting with her hands

 

“I’ll tell you when the check clears.”