Good and Evil Chapter One: The Protagonist with Painted Nails

S City is a densely populated metropolis, a place of constant flux and a relentless pace of life. Within this steel-bound city, every person faces the pressures of work, daily living, and family; there is always something left undone, some unfinished business to attend to. Beyond the exhaustion of the body, an immense mental strain weighs heavily on its residents. Behind the dazzling façade, dark seeds quietly take root.

June is the very essence of summer, the harbinger of heat. Everyone living in this city has switched to light and scant summer attire. On the streets, sandals, camisoles, miniskirts, and bare legs are an everyday sight.

On this particular day, Xu Lang awoke from an utterly deep sleep at home—woken by hunger. After getting up, he opened the refrigerator only to find it completely empty. Resigned, he closed the fridge door, his hair a wild mess, and shuffled into the bathroom in his slippers.

Standing before the wash basin, he gazed at his reflection. His tangled hair formed a bird’s nest atop his head, greasy from days without a wash. His face was lean, his chin shadowed with stubble. Though his eyes weren’t fully open, they were strikingly bright and deep, agleam with intelligence. He wore a shirt whose original color was long lost—now a faded beige that might have been white once—and a pair of shorts. It was unclear whether the shirt was meant as sleepwear or a t-shirt.

He turned on the tap; cold water gushed forth. Xu Lang cupped his hands under the stream, splashed his face, grabbed a towel to wipe himself dry, then tossed the towel aside and exited the bathroom.

He’d planned to return to bed and continue sleeping, but his empty stomach rumbled insistently. Rubbing his belly, he muttered, “If only people could live without eating or drinking.”

With that, Xu Lang picked up his keys and wallet and left his apartment. He lived in an old housing block, a place left to him by his father—the only thing his father had given him before being sent to prison.

As he descended the stairs, Xu Lang opened his wallet. There was a single fifty, two tens, and a handful of ones—hardly enough for a hot meal. He sighed at the multicolored bills; just enough for a simple bite, certainly not a feast.

He remembered a nearby shop famous for its char siu rice. The place was small, the prices reasonable, but what drew him most was the beautiful young woman who ran it. For a man, it was a rare temptation—eating char siu rice while admiring a lovely woman. Even if the food was mediocre, the view made up for it. With that thought, Xu Lang decided on his lunch.

When he arrived, the proprietress was busy behind the counter. Xu Lang greeted her with a smile, “Busy, Miss?”

She was a woman in her thirties, dressed in a dark, cropped tank top and denim shorts, an apron tied at her waist. Her black hair was pulled into a high ponytail that swayed as she worked. Every time she bent over to fetch something, her impressive curves were on display—an open secret among her male customers.

It was still early, so the shop was nearly empty, with only five or six men seated around. No one knew the owner’s full name—she was simply known as Mrs. Chen. The business license bore the name Liu Changhong, but no one had ever seen this man. Some guessed he was a relative, but whenever anyone asked, Mrs. Chen would only smile, offering no explanation. Over time, people stopped asking.

When she noticed Xu Lang, she glanced up, her expression momentarily stiffening before she smiled. “Officer Xu! Long time no see. What brings you here today? The usual?”

Xu Lang nodded, “The usual, and extra chili.”

“Coming right up. Have a seat, it’ll be ready soon.”

With that, she disappeared into the kitchen. The sound of knives chopping meat echoed out. Xu Lang found a seat and looked around.

The shop was small, just five or six tables, but unlike most eateries, it was spotless and tidy—a woman’s touch evident everywhere.

As Xu Lang surveyed the room, a young man at the next table called out, “Madam, what is this?”

Xu Lang glanced over. The young man’s char siu rice was already half-eaten, but now he was holding something with his chopsticks—something that resembled a pig’s foot, but not quite. There was a reddish tint on it, almost like nail polish.

At first, Xu Lang thought nothing of it, assuming it was just chili sauce. Before he could look closer, Mrs. Chen hurried out of the kitchen, glanced at the item, and her face tightened. Quickly, she said, “Sorry, we’ve been remodeling recently—must be some paint residue. Let me get you a fresh serving.”

She swept the item into the trash with a napkin, then glanced meaningfully at Xu Lang.

The young man looked at his half-eaten plate and, realizing he was nearly done, declined the offer of a replacement, settled his bill, and left.

After he was gone, Mrs. Chen seemed to relax. Turning to Xu Lang, she said, “Officer Xu, your char siu rice will be out in a moment.”

Xu Lang nodded, indicating he was in no rush. Mrs. Chen returned to the kitchen.

Watching her, Xu Lang’s instincts—honed from years as a police officer—told him something was amiss. He stood and squatted by the trash bin, using a disposable chopstick to poke at the napkin-wrapped thing. One glance was enough: it wasn’t an animal’s toe at all, but the tip of a woman’s finger, complete with red nail polish.

He examined it closely—there was no mistaking it. A terrible feeling settled over him.

Just as he was about to stand, he realized Mrs. Chen had silently approached, a tray in hand, staring at him with terror.

Xu Lang calmly layered several napkins together, used his chopsticks to lift the object, set it on the napkins, and, discarding the chopsticks, stood up. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by a stern expression as he held out the napkin-wrapped item to Mrs. Chen and asked, “Madam, what is this?”

His words drew the attention of everyone in the shop. They couldn’t see what was inside the napkin, but Mrs. Chen’s panic was plain to them, stirring their curiosity.

Mrs. Chen set the tray on the table but didn’t reach for the item, nor did she look at it. Instead, she smoothed her hair and forced a smile. “It’s pig’s foot. What else could it be?”

Xu Lang stared into her eyes, enunciating each word. “Pig’s foot? If that’s pig’s foot, I’ve truly learned something new. I’ve never seen pig’s foot painted with nail polish before.”

“What? Pig’s foot with nail polish?” The diners stared in disbelief. A few were eating pig’s foot themselves, and now their expressions grew comical—they couldn’t bring themselves to swallow or spit it out.

Mrs. Chen, having recovered from her initial panic, now appeared composed. Glancing at what Xu Lang held, she insisted, “It’s pig’s foot.”

A regular customer might have believed her, but Xu Lang was an ex-police officer, and not just any officer—he’d been a detective. He knew better. Still, he said nothing further. Carefully wrapping the item, he returned to his seat and called Ning Yanran, captain of the first detective squad. He didn’t explain the details, only said there was a situation and asked her to come at once.

After hanging up, Xu Lang looked at the untouched plate of char siu rice. He’d lost all appetite; even his stomach had stopped growling. Mrs. Chen hovered nearby, uncertain whether to stand or sit, as all eyes were on her and Xu Lang.

Gone was her earlier charm. Gazing at Xu Lang with watery eyes, she pleaded, “Officer Xu, you’re a policeman—you can’t make accusations without evidence. I run a legitimate business. How am I supposed to keep my shop open after an accusation like that?”

Xu Lang looked up at her. There was no denying that Mrs. Chen was beautiful, her skin fair and clear, unmarred by years of kitchen work, with large, lustrous eyes. Her tearful expression would have moved most men to doubt themselves. But not Xu Lang. “Whether it’s pig’s foot or not, the police will be here soon to check.”

With that, he ignored her, staring blankly at his rice. Hearing this, Mrs. Chen’s face grew tense; she quietly returned to the counter. As she was heading for the kitchen, Xu Lang’s voice stopped her.

“Madam, you can’t go into the kitchen.”

She paused, turned, and asked, “Why not?”

“No reason,” Xu Lang replied without looking up.

Mrs. Chen stared at him, then suddenly smiled. She gave up on the kitchen, choosing instead to sit at the bar and wait with Xu Lang for the police to arrive.