Prologue

The child appeared somewhat anxious, shaking their head, turning to look at the older child, casting a pleading glance for help

After counting, Liang Xi found his hands completely empty, and there was only a single banknote on the table. Liang Xi pushed this banknote towards John, saying: "I am sorry, sir, I cannot accept your money"

A man in his fifties, bald and with a protruding belly, sitting on a bar stool, slowly folded the newspaper and reached out to stop a child. He smiled at the child and said, "I will treat you to breakfast"

Liang Xi thought for a moment and said, "Sir, employing child labor is illegal"

John was very surprised. He knew it was a magic trick and was aware of the techniques involved; he was simply astonished at how well Liang Xi was able to perform it. John put away a banknote in front of him and thought for a moment: "Liang Xi, I know you are a student of the Blue Coat School"

This time, Liang Xi was surprised: "How did you know?"

John felt that there was nothing wrong with this statement, nodded in agreement, and asked: "Do you enjoy being a pickpocket?"

The man referred to as John glanced at the right pocket of the child's pants and said, "I noticed he is hungry, isn't he?"

The child hesitated for a moment, then took out the wallet from the right pocket of his pants. John took the wallet, tossed it carelessly onto the ground without even looking, and asked, "What is your name?"

The elderly woman noticed something unusual and said, "John?"

Liang Xi picked up five banknotes and began to count. His method of counting money was different from others; he first held the money in his left hand, then took one note out with his right hand and placed it on the table, counting: "One, one, one, one, one"

The older child stepped forward to take the paper bag and, followed by the younger child, walked towards the restaurant's main entrance

John Dao: "I am merely asking whether you are willing or unwilling; as for how to resolve the trouble, that is my concern."

As everyone was groping around, the middle-aged man finally realized that his wallet was missing and hurried forward to claim it

John pushed the milk in front of Liang Xi and glanced at the five banknotes he had placed on the table: "This is your money, you can take it."

Liang Xi raised his head to look at John: "But... but they are a very bad group of people"

The middle-aged man revealed a slight smile: "It is alright, but the restaurant is not a place for roughhousing"

The older child stood at the door, silently watching, seemingly waiting for the younger child to come over on their own

The question was directed at the child. The child nodded in response to the question, and John smiled with satisfaction, pushing the bar stool beside him for the child to sit on. At that moment, the older child quietly left the restaurant

Liang Xi picked up the banknotes and asked, "May I count them?"

John casually remarked, "If you don't pay, then it's not employment."

At that moment, the elderly woman saw the wallet, picked it up, and shouted: "Hey, which careless person lost this wallet?"

Two children packing sandwiches were playing and laughing in the narrow, elongated restaurant, disrupting the atmosphere. The waitress, an older woman, could not help but intervene: "Hey! Hey! Hey! Gentlemen, please be quiet."

On a Sunday morning in London, a roadside restaurant is operating normally. The number of patrons is just right; some are dining at their tables while others are seated at the long bar enjoying hot tea. The waitress, an older woman, refills each customer's coffee and black tea, occasionally stopping to chat with familiar patrons. The atmosphere in the restaurant is slow and pleasant

Yes, sir," the child nodded

The waitress said, "Gentlemen, your breakfast is ready."

"Liang Xi."

Liang Xi showed no interest in the profession of detective, casually tilting his head and saying, "There are detectives everywhere in Britain"

Chinese descent

John smiled at Liang Xi for a moment and said, "However, I allow you to help me count the money once a week"

John chuckled and said, "Of course, it can be done"

John smiled and replied, "I am a detective." A Chinese child would not become a pickpocket unless they were an orphan. Four blocks away, there is a charity school with blue jackets, and the restaurant is near the bus station. Taking all the information into account, John reached a conclusion

Liang Xi was astonished, is this the logic of a detective

Liang Xi did not respond, silently drinking the milk in his hands

Two children stopped and stood still, looking at each other. After the elderly woman turned around, the older child twisted his hips and knocked the younger child down, who fell beside a middle-aged man's chair. The middle-aged man quickly reached out to support the child. The child stood up, looking as if he had done something wrong, and awkwardly apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, sir"

John ordered a milk and a hot dog, then took out five bills from his coat pocket and placed them in front of the child. The child did not dare to move, and John explained: "I would like to buy the wallet in the right pocket of your pants"

John was aware: "My detective agency is located on Burning Street not far from here, and I am in need of someone to help me with cleaning. If you are willing, I can resolve your troubles."

John asked: "Of Vietnamese descent?"