The hostage was successfully rescued, and the criminals were captured as well. The group was in high spirits and decided to have a simple “celebration banquet” at a small restaurant for lunch.
The private room was full of people, but the hero of this operation was not present. Song Ping stood at the door, looking around, but she couldn’t spot Yi Shi among the crowd.
Zhang Rui had just come back from washing his hands, flicking off water droplets: “Stop looking around, your neck is almost stretched like a giraffe.”
“Hey! Go shake your hands somewhere else, you’re splashing me.” Song Ping pushed him away by his back. Zhang Rui’s tone was sour: “He’s already gone home; how long are you planning to wait?”
“Gone home?” Song Ping was stunned. “Why would he go home at lunch time?”
Actually, after the operation, Yi Shi had no appetite for lunch at all. He informed Yu Xue and went back to the hotel to rest. Yu Xue noticed he didn’t look well; his face, usually pale, was even more so today, with dark circles under his eyes and lips paler than usual, as if he was sick.
“Not feeling well? Did you get hurt while capturing the criminal?”
“If I got hurt by that kind of loser, I’d better quit.” Yi Shi shook his head and explained, “I didn’t sleep well.”
This had been a long-standing issue for Yi Shi; if his sleep was disturbed, he’d be in poor spirits the next day. During today’s operation, he had forced himself to stay alert, but once he relaxed, his temples started throbbing, and his whole head felt fuzzy.
Yu Xue guessed he was having a bout of hypoglycemia again, so he grabbed Yi Shi’s arm, insisting he eat something to fill his stomach before heading back. Yi Shi was made to eat two brown sugar buns on the way before Yu Xue let him go. Before leaving, Yi Shi mentioned he would go to the municipal bureau in the afternoon, to which Yu Xue waved him off: “Rest well first. Whether you come in the afternoon or not doesn’t matter. The suspects caught in Haijing will be interrogated by Haijing’s people.”
“But…”
“No buts. I don’t even plan to get involved in the preliminary interrogation; it’s all theirs to handle.” Yu Xue gave him a meaningful look. “This is Haijing. Do you think you can personally extract information from suspects like in our own bureau?”
Yi Shi fell silent. Yu Xue’s words were a reminder to be more restrained. This wasn’t their turf; if Yi Shi did anything out of line, Yu Xue might not be able to protect him.
“Then I’ll head back.” Yi Shi paused. “We’ll see about the afternoon.”
“Mm, you’ve worked hard, using both your brains and strength. Go take a nap. I’ll keep Ding Gou (nickname for Ding Ju) at the bureau, he won’t bother you.”
From his tone, it was clear Yu Xue preferred if Yi Shi didn’t attend the interrogation in the afternoon. He was being considerate; if Yi Shi got anxious and wanted to extract information himself, it would be hard to hold him back without causing discomfort. On the other hand, if he didn’t hold him back, Haijing might not be able to handle it. Better to just not have him there and avoid trouble.
Back at the hotel, Yi Shi drew the curtains, lay on the bed, and his eyelids grew heavy. The room was silent and dark, and he slept soundly, better than at night.
When he woke up again, it was around 3 PM. Yi Shi sat up and checked his phone, surprised he had slept so late. It was rare for him to nap for more than two hours during the day.
He wondered how the preliminary interrogation was going. He opened WeChat, and there were no notifications from his pinned group chat, indicating his teammates were busy.
Below that was a message from Lin Heyu, which he hadn’t replied to since he fell asleep last night. Yi Shi was not great at communication, always ending conversations regardless of who he was talking to, and he was used to it. But Lin Heyu was different. Yi Shi sat on the bed, contemplating, then sent a message: [I fell asleep last night. We had a mission today, just got back.]
Yuan Maoqiu had just been teasing Lin Heyu about turning from a straight rod to a coiled mosquito coil when Lin Heyu’s phone buzzed. Yi Shi had replied, telling him he had just returned from a mission.
Lin Heyu: [Was the code correct?]
Yi Shi: [Yes, the hostage was at the Jiade Office Building, and the timing was correct.]
Lin Heyu: [That’s good.]
Yi Shi stared at the screen. Lin Heyu’s response was so simple. Didn’t he want to know if the mission went smoothly and if the hostage was rescued?
What Yi Shi didn’t know was that Lin Heyu was waiting for him to bring it up. In his mind, he had already asked once; if Yi Shi didn’t respond, either he hadn’t seen it or was avoiding the topic. Since Yi Shi didn’t mention it, he thought it best not to press further to avoid making Yi Shi uncomfortable.
[Don’t you want to know the outcome of the mission?]
Lin Heyu replied: [If you want to tell me, you will.]
“…” Yi Shi looked at their conversation, deleted a long message he had typed, and replaced it with two words: [All right.]
After sending the message, Yi Shi tossed his phone on the bed, grabbed his clothes, and went to take a shower, preparing to go to the municipal bureau. Lin Heyu saw the message, waited quietly, and watched as the screen indicated Yi Shi was typing, but nothing came through.
What’s going on? Yi Shi seemed ready to tell him, but then didn’t.
The tone of those two words didn’t feel right either, as if he was sulking, upset.
Lin Heyu was troubled, reflecting on what might have offended Yi Shi.
From the backseat, Yuan Maoqiu had been observing Lin Heyu’s expressions: a faint smile at times, a frown at others, and finally his usual deadpan look, staring at his phone in confusion.
“What’s wrong? Had a fight?” Yuan Maoqiu patted Lin Heyu’s shoulder.
Lin Heyu shook his head. The conversation had been cut off, and he still didn’t understand why. He decided not to reply. Yuan Maoqiu had a clear idea: they must have had a fight! His brother, lacking romantic sensibility, must have said something boring and stiff, driving away the handsome guy, yet he was oblivious, stuck in a dead end.
As a seasoned matchmaker devoted to cultivating relationships for fifteen years, Master Yuan spoke with an air of enlightenment: “Ah, young ones, experiencing the confusion and hesitation of first love. Let this old monk solve your problems and guide you.”
“…” Lin Heyu swatted his hand away. “Stop bothering me.”
Wen Huabei, holding the steering wheel, chimed in: “Master, I seek your guidance. My girlfriend is upset that I’m busy with work and don’t have time for her, and she’s threatening to break up. What should I do?”
“……” Master Yuan was silent.
Lin Heyu sneered coldly, his face expressionless as he replied, “If he had any solutions, his violin teacher wouldn’t have left.”
Yuan Maoqiu was anxious. Good grief, Lao Lin. Usually, you’re like a mute, but at crucial moments, your mouth is like it’s been dipped in poison, sprinkling salt on wounds!
“Oh… I see,” Wen Huabei was somewhat dejected. “Then I should prepare to be out of the game.”
———
Yi Shi quickly took a shower. After changing into his uniform, he sent a message to Ding Ju, asking if the suspect was at the municipal bureau or the detention center. The reason he didn’t ask Yu Xue was because Yu Xue might not tell him, but Ding Ju definitely would. That kid always acted nervously in front of him and was particularly honest.
Sure enough, Ding Ju answered truthfully and even kindly sent the location.
Haijing City’s First Detention Center was very close to the Haijing Municipal Bureau, only ten minutes away, and it was on the same transportation route as the hotel where Yi Shi and his team were staying. The bus was very convenient, with a stop right at the detention center’s entrance. After getting off the bus, Yi Shi saw Ding Ju standing there, as if he was waiting specifically for him.
“Why are you here?” Yi Shi asked.
“Captain Yu sent me to pick you up.” Ding Ju scratched the back of his head and muttered softly, “He even scolded me.”
“It’s my fault you got into trouble,” Yi Shi said lightly. “He didn’t want me to come in the first place.”
“Uh… don’t say that, I told you voluntarily,” Ding Ju didn’t expect to hear an apology from Yi Shi and felt a bit overwhelmed. “Let’s go in.”
The two entered the interrogation room, where most people from both Haijing and Nanyi were present, including Liu Chenyi, who was on “injury leave.” He had rushed over as soon as he heard that today’s operation was entirely based on Yi Shi’s plan. Initially, he was waiting to see Yi Shi fail, but everything went according to his predictions, as if Yi Shi had written the script himself. The criminals were caught, and the hostage was rescued, which was great news for both municipal bureaus, and the news had even reached the provincial department.
Liu Chenyi couldn’t sit still at home and hurried back to participate in the subsequent interrogation. He regretted deliberately acting important and not joining the operation today. Yi Shi and his teammates from Team One would definitely receive commendations from the leaders, while he missed out.
Yi Shi walked past him without looking at him, not even a glance.
“You’re here? I knew you wouldn’t stay put.” Yu Xue was sitting, habitually holding a tea cup, and pulled out a chair next to him. “Sit down and watch together.”
In this interrogation room, instead of a one-way mirror wall, there was an electronic screen connected to monitoring equipment, ensuring excellent sound insulation. They could only see what was happening in the interrogation room through the screen.
The pre-interrogators were two unfamiliar faces from Haijing, interrogating Lin Erde. His hands were cuffed to the table, and he was hunched over. Despite being in his thirties, he looked prematurely aged.
“Lin Erde, where did you hide Pang Daozi? Hurry up and confess.”
“Heh, I’m not Zhao Chenghu, who caved in after a couple of questions and betrayed his own boss.” Lin Erde spat. “I used to respect him as a man, but he knelt before you all so easily.”
“Your boss is Tu Laogui, why are you so loyal to Pang Daozi? Did you betray him?” The pre-interrogator flipped through his notebook. “You’ve been with Tu Loagui longer than Zhao Chenghu’s been with Pang Daozi. Seems like your loyalty isn’t that strong.”
“Bullshit!” Lin Erde was furious. “I am loyal and righteous, as clear as the sun and moon! You think reverse psychology will work on me? Ha, I’m not falling for it!”
“Is there any point in stubbornly keeping quiet? We’ve already figured out Pang Daozi’s hiding place. We’re just giving you a chance for leniency.”
Lin Erde sneered, “Trying to fool me? If you really knew where Pang Daozi was, you would have arrested him already.”
The pre-interrogator’s face changed slightly. “I’m telling you, struggling is futile. Xu Shang has already confessed everything in his statement.”
“He confessed? What could he confess?” Lin Erde laughed loudly. “They were all blindfolded and taken there. How could they know the way?”
On the other side of the wall, Li Changsheng shook his head, clicking his tongue. “These gangsters are all tight-lipped.” Shao Shiqing, next to him, laughed, “Of course, they wouldn’t be in the same gang otherwise. These ‘mixers’ are all very loyal, willing to take the fall for their bosses.”
Zhang Rui complained, “These local thugs all think they’re in some Hong Kong triad movie.”
Yi Shi stared at Lin Erde and, hearing them mention Xu Shang, asked Yu Xue softly, “Xu Shang’s statement?”
“I knew you’d want to see it, so I have a copy here.”
Yi Shi took the statement and quickly skimmed through it.
[… Zhao Chenghu never returned after going to Nanyi. I suspected he was captured but didn’t dare ask. As days went by, I didn’t know how much longer I’d be in this dark, damp cave. The entrance was covered with thick vines, and I couldn’t tell day from night.
A few days later, Tu Laogui arrived and openly discussed the kidnapping plan with Pang Daozi. They had already scouted the place and would act soon. They planned to cause trouble for the police, saying the hostage was extra and that since so many had died, they might as well send a big gift for a ‘good start.’
I never thought I’d be chosen. I thought it would be that old woman, since she was even more useless than me and older. Pang Daozi wanted me to be a human bomb, and I was so scared I wet my pants, begging him to spare me.
Question: So why did you agree? If you were so desperate to survive, you would have found a way to seek help once you left Lin Erde.
Answer: I was forced. One of Pang Daozi’s underlings grabbed my hair and threatened, “Brother Zhao has already kidnapped your wife and child in Nanyi! If you don’t do as we say, you’ll be reunited with your family underground!”
I thought Zhao Chenghu had been captured, but he was fine and had kidnapped my family. I had no choice but to comply, agreeing to anything, even being a human bomb.
Question: Did you see who made the bomb? The one on you was not made by Pang Daozi.
Answer: I didn’t see. I heard them arguing about whether the wires should be the same color or something like that.
Question: Hmm, okay. Continue.
Answer: Then I was taken out of the mountain. Lin Erde took me to a shampoo parlor run by his mistress where I stayed for the night. I was given a bath, new clothes, and a good meal with fish and meat. At the shampoo parlor, I met a woman, very tall with long legs, and her figure was really good, just like a celebrity on TV.
Her hair was very long, and she wore a mask, so I couldn’t see her face. I thought she must be a beauty. Lin Erde was mesmerized by her and asked his mistress where she had found the shampoo girl. His mistress said she was her cousin from the countryside, here for treatment because her face had been disfigured by illness.
I was on the brink of death and didn’t have any thoughts about women, but unexpectedly, she came to find me when Lin Erde and his mistress weren’t around and asked if I wanted to live.
Question: Did she want to let you go?
Answer: No. She told me to listen to Lin Erde and pretend to know nothing. She said someone would come to rescue me.]
Yi Shi’s eyes flickered: “It’s her.”
It was the woman who delivered the message. Could she really be a country cousin of the shampoo parlor owner? It couldn’t be that simple.
Shao Shiqing said, “Captain Yuan has already sent someone to find Lin Erde’s mistress. If they find that woman, she will be brought back immediately.”
Yi Shi nodded. His phone, which was in his pocket, vibrated. Lin Heyu had messaged again, asking if the operation went smoothly and if the hostage was rescued.
Couldn’t he help himself? This person was really amusing. Clearly wanting to know, yet pretending to be aloof. Yi Shi’s lips curved into a smile as he quickly typed a response, the statement resting on his lap.
Yu Xue tilted his head and watched him for a while, his gaze full of interest. With the team here, who was Yi Shi messaging? Was he chatting with someone?
Yi Shi seemed to notice his gaze and subconsciously shifted a few centimeters away: “Just replying quickly.”
“Go ahead,” Yu Xue pushed up his glasses, “New friend?”
Yi Shi’s gaze was meaningful as he showed the contact to Yu Xue—Lin Heyu.
Yu Xue understood and waved his hand dismissively, indicating for him to continue replying as long as he needed.
At the service area, Lin Heyu got out of the car to buy water. After paying, his WeChat pinged, notifying him of Yi Shi’s message. He quickly opened it, only to find nothing there.
What did Yi Shi send? There was no indication of a message being withdrawn, but he had definitely seen a message from Yi Shi.
Lin Heyu stared at the screen, noticing something wrong with his chat interface with Yi Shi. According to their previous conversation, it should have ended at [Hmm, okay], but now the very bottom of the chat was Yi Shi’s first message from the afternoon.
8:28 AM
Yi Shi: [Hmm, okay]
Lin Heyu: [You will tell me what you want to say.]
Yi Shi: [Don’t you want to know the result of this operation?]
Lin Heyu: [That’s good.]
Yi Shi: [Yes, the hostage is at the Jiade Building, and the timing is right.]
Lin Heyu: [Is the code correct?]
Yi Shi: [Fell asleep last night, out on a mission today, just got back.]
The sequence of the conversation was completely reversed, and the timing was off. At 8:28, he had just left Nanyi Municipal Bureau and hadn’t sent any messages to Yi Shi.
At that time, he had his phone, and it was just an ordinary chat interface. The order of messages was correct. How could it have changed so suddenly?
Lin Heyu pondered over his phone, mentally mapping out the time difference between the two worlds. 8:28 AM corresponded to 3:33 PM. Then he flipped through the messages and suddenly realized what was happening.
The time between him and Yi Shi was mutually reflective. Although time flowed forward in both worlds, for them, one side had to be the opposite. For example, chat records like this, which display tangible time evidence, would need adjustments to remain intact.
Perhaps it was the universe’s way of making time order reasonable.
With this in mind, he scrolled up the chat and indeed saw Yi Shi’s most recent message under the 7:05 AM ones: [Today went very smoothly. The hostage was rescued, and the statement was completed. We are now interrogating the captured criminals.]
Thus, Yi Shi had only just received the message and hadn’t seen his earlier messages. Lin Heyu understood why Yi Shi might have been a bit emotional, as from his perspective, he might have seemed like a pretentious, aloof person who was clearly dying to know but was acting indifferent.
Ah… Lin Heyu sighed. Looks like he needs to find a time to explain to Yi Shi. Leaving such an impression, he was truly innocent.
