There is no Batman in Gotham City comics.

Chapter 20 Chinatown

The Ducati cruised through several blocks before coming to a smooth stop under the Chinatown archway.

Qin Wei rubbed his face.

There was only one helmet on the motorcycle, so he, sitting in the back, couldn't enjoy it and could only hug Selena's stomach with his head pressed against her back.

The oncoming airflow whipped Selena's golden wig, like whips lashing his face. It didn't hurt much, but it was definitely unpleasant.

Looking at that embarrassed face, Selena smiled knowingly:

"Shall I prepare a helmet for you next time?"

"There's no need for that, I don't sit here often."

Qin Wei pretended not to understand.

As the two entered Chinatown, Qin Wei saw Selena about to head towards the restaurant with the red sign in front of them, and he quickly called her back.

"Where are you going?"

"Let's go in and eat. Their butter noodles are really good."

Butter noodles? What the hell is that?! Qin Wei muttered to himself, glancing at the shop's signboard.

"A restaurant called 'All Blessings'? What Chinese restaurant would name itself like that? These are mostly run by ABCs or Southeast Asians, catering specifically to your American palates, and have nothing to do with authentic Chinese food."

"So, you know a lot about Chinese food?"

"Just kidding, I know it perfectly!"

Selena stood with her hands on her hips, observing Qin Wei with great interest. Ever since she met Qin Wei, she had noticed that this man was always shrouded in mystery.

To call him brave? He was the one who secretly grieved under the covers in the empty Senate.

To call him cowardly? It was he who, in the critical moment, drew away the cyborgs, buying himself time to escape.

Calling him rational wouldn't be appropriate, since no normal person would think of such a suicidal plan as escaping through a sewer drain.

You could say he was crazy; he devised an escape strategy under immense pressure and even managed to save himself in the power struggle between Maroni and Falcone.

She always believed that this man hid his true self very well, except now.

Since arriving in Chinatown, Qin Wei's expression has become quite lively. He looks around, his eyes seemingly filled with endless longing for this place.

Selena's thinking is understandable, after all, Catwoman usually deals with wealthy businessmen and politicians who are used to peeling back their masks and putting on a bloody smiling mask.

But Qin Wei is different; he is brave; he is cowardly; he is rational; he is also crazy.

There's no need to deliberately hide it; people are inherently complex.

……

Qin Wei chose to sit down at a small restaurant called Chunfang Dumpling Restaurant. It was a small shop of about 20 or 30 square meters, with a yellowed calendar hanging on the peeling paint wall, and a small Buddha statue on the small wooden table at the back.

The table was crowded with people of Asian descent, some in work clothes, others in shirts and ties. As they ate dumplings, they would occasionally glance at the two of them with unfamiliar eyes, as if Qin Wei and Selena were the foreigners.

Is this place really authentic?

"Look at the kind of people eating here. Americanized Chinese food might fool others, but it won't fool them."

The shop owner, a woman in her fifties, walked up to the two of them, rubbed her hands on her dirty apron, and coldly asked in broken English:

"Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Two large plates of dumplings, pork and scallion flavor."

Hearing Qin Wei reply in Mandarin mixed with local dialect, the older woman's eyes immediately lit up, and the other diners also looked up in surprise.

"Wow! Where did you learn that? It's so standard!"

"Having lived here for over twenty years, how could I not meet the standards?"

Qin Wei smiled, and the people around him laughed along. Selena could clearly feel the faint hostility disappear, replaced by an inexplicable sense of warmth.

While the dumplings were being cooked, Selena poked Qin Wei's hand.

"Why are these people looking at us differently? They were so cold just now, but now they're all so friendly."

"Because of cultural identity. Learning our language is a form of cultural identification. This people are open and inclusive, yet wary of others. There's no way around it; the history of foreign aggression has left deep marks on them. To be accepted by them, one must first shed one's prejudices and defensiveness."

Selena nodded; she seemed to understand, but not quite.

When the dumplings were served, Qin Wei poured some vinegar for Selena, picked up a few cloves of garlic from the table, peeled them, and popped them into his mouth.

"garlic?"

"This is an advanced way to eat it, would you like to try it?"

Selena shook her head violently.

Qin Wei didn't insist. He picked up a dumpling, moistened it with vinegar, and the moment he put it in his mouth, the fresh aroma of scallions, along with the savory smell of meat, filled his nostrils.

He smacked his lips, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"Ah...this is the taste!"

Selena chewed a few bites, and her eyes lit up.

She grew up in the slums, eating her way through countless street stalls and small shops. Yet, for the same price, she couldn't recall anything that tasted better.

"Is this what dumplings are? Looks like you weren't exaggerating, you really know your stuff."

Selena gave a heartfelt exclamation and looked up to see Qin Wei still in the same position, head held high, eyes squinting, slowly chewing the dumplings, the soft light emanating from the Buddhist shrine behind him casting a faint halo on his back.

This is... so delicious it'll make you feel like you're ascending to heaven?

Selena chuckled.

This meal brought the two of them closer without them even realizing it.

After dinner, the two walked out of the dumpling restaurant with satisfied expressions, while the owner, an older woman, greeted them warmly from behind.

"Young man, come again next time!"

"Absolutely!"

Qin Wei smiled and waved goodbye, then turned around to find Selena looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"What's wrong?"

"Come over to my place, have a coffee or something," Selena invited.

Qin Wei wasn't sure if the girl meant that, but to be on the safe side, he thought he shouldn't agree. Falcone was Selena's father, and if he wanted to support Oswald's rise to power, he would inevitably clash with the old lion. Although Selena also wanted to bring down Falcone, blood ties might influence her final decision regarding the old lion's fate.

But a nobody like Qin Wei can't afford to make a mistake. He has to navigate between the two big shots, Maroni and Falcone. One wrong move and he'll be crushed to pieces.

He took a deep breath.

"OK!"

Wait... no! Didn't I mean to refuse?

When he came to his senses, he was already sitting on the back of the motorcycle. He swore that he was not being dishonest, but it seemed that another consciousness within him had made the choice for him.

Is this another unavoidable turning point, just like the casino massacre?

He seemed to have a sudden thought, and lifted his coat to check. Sure enough, a comic book was quietly tucked into his inner pocket. The cover was crumpled and wrinkled, and there were coffee stains on the edges of the pages. It was as if it had always been in his suit pocket, only that Qin Wei had forgotten about it.

The previous comic was ruined by water in the sewer, but now a new one has appeared. Qin Wei can finally confirm that whenever a key event occurs, the comic will refresh in his inner pocket.

What kind of twists and turns await him this time?

Thinking about this, he felt vaguely uneasy.