Due to his unfamiliarity with Nanyi and the ongoing construction and renovation in certain new and old areas, Jian Ru ended up taking three wrong turns while driving that afternoon, even with GPS, causing his work efficiency to plummet.
He had already visited two out of the three “Caiyun Wedding Services” locations. One was a small convenience store, the other a hardware shop—both had changed their storefronts. It was said that these two small businesses had dabbled in wedding services midway, couldn’t find their footing, and quickly cut their losses by switching to other trades. Clearly, the “Caiyun Wedding Services” the police were looking for had nothing to do with them.
The third “Caiyun Wedding Services” was located in Qinghu Village on the outskirts of Nanyi. Jian Ru set the GPS, saw the distance and estimated time, and realized it would take over two hours. Seeing that it was getting late, he hesitated. He messaged Shao Shiqing, asking if the roads to Qinghu Village were good. Shao Shiqing promptly replied: “Not good. Qinghu Village is a rural area with unpaved roads, difficult to drive on. There aren’t many streetlights at night either. Be careful not to drive into the reed marshes.”
By the time he would reach Qinghu Village, it would be around 7 PM. Jian Ru sighed, reported his itinerary in the group chat, and Yuan Maoqiu told him to return and investigate tomorrow morning. Jian Ru also checked if there were any new useful posts in the forum, leaving a message for the person who provided the business card before departing, hoping they could provide more information to make his “sting operation” easier. Unfortunately, he hadn’t received a reply yet.
On his way back, Jian Ru drove past Wenxing Road and saw a couple on the roadside who looked very familiar, especially the man in a black jacket and jeans. Could it be that their Brother Yuan had already hooked up with the policewoman?
As the man and woman gradually walked under the streetlight, Jian Ru widened his eyes: Holy crap, it’s Captain Sheng of Nanyi! And next to him is Captain Lin’s sister! Wait, did I not see clearly just now? Why is there a child in the middle? Oh my god, Xiao Shitou! What’s going on here?!
Sheng Guoning was standing on Lin Zhizhi’s left, with Xiao Shitou on her right. The atmosphere was so harmonious; it had the perfect vibe of a family of three.
Jian Ru had just gotten a big scoop and couldn’t wait to message the small group chat: [Da Gou (Big Dog)! Er Gou (Stupid Dog)! I just got a huge scoop!]
After sending the message, Jian Ru glanced at the group name—”Criminal Investigation Unit Group”—and immediately broke out in a cold sweat: I’m doomed! Captain Lin has a rule that prohibits chatting in the work group, and anyone caught will be fined!
Yuan Maoqiu: [What’s the big scoop? Spill it quickly. (Eating Popcorn)]
Song Ping: [Haha, I don’t care about the scoop. All I know is that we’ve got more public funds for fruit again.)
Zou Bin: [??? Er Gou??? Who are you insulting?]
“Jian Ru has retracted a message.”
Yuan Maoqiu: [Ah, what’s there to be scared of? Your Captain Lin is currently buried in the archives and won’t come out. By the time he sees this, we’ll have already spammed the chat.]
Song Ping: [Exactly, and there’s no more fruit to eat.]
Jian Ru: [Big bosses, please be kind and pretend that nothing just happened. I’m begging you.]
Yuan Maoqiu: [Alright, alright. Bring me a pancake tomorrow morning as hush money.]
Song Ping: [Alright, and buy me a milk tea when you get back as hush money.]
Zou Bin: [??? Am I not getting anything???]
Lü Kanshan: [What’s this hush money about?]
Jian Ru quickly switched to the small group chat with Wen Huabei and Zou Bin. Zou Bin had already asked what the scoop was and how he could call him a dog in front of a senior. Doesn’t he care about saving face?
Jian Ru excitedly shared the fresh gossip he had just gotten: [You guys won’t believe this. I saw Cap6 Sheng with Captain Lin’s sister. They looked like they’re dating!]
Zou Bin: “…”
Wen Huabei: “…”
Jian Ru: [Shocked, aren’t you?! Left speechless, right?!]
Zou Bin: [You’re so slow; you missed the scoop while it was still hot.]
Jian Ru: [?]
Wen Huabei: [Didn’t you notice how Captain Sheng always calls him ‘brother-in-law’?]
Zou Bin: [And during the meeting this afternoon, weren’t you gossiping with Officer Shen? Have you already forgotten that quickly?]
Jian Ru, struggling to defend himself: [All I heard was that Captain Sheng has trouble finding a partner. I didn’t hear the earlier part at all!]
Wen Huabei: [Tsk, tsk, tsk. San Gou, with detective skills like these… I’m not throwing shade, but how did you even make it to the second team? With skills like that, do you still dream of joining the first team and catching up to Da Gou and Er Gou?!]
Zou Bin: [My goodness, Da Gou, that line is a bit convoluted. I need to think it through.]
Jian Ru: [Whether I’m a dog, I don’t know, but you two are definitely dogs. (Dog)]
[02/26, 08:37, Qinghu Village, Nanyi City]
The next day, Jian Ru bought the pancake for Yuan Maoqiu, then drove off to Qinghu Village. Zou Bin and Wen Huabei were going to Turtle Back Mountain to stake out a spot. After looking at the map, they realized it was on the way, so they decided to hitch a ride.
Zou Bin was driving, and Jian Ru was staring at the map. Suddenly, he asked, “Isn’t Qinghu Village behind Turtle Back Mountain?”
Wen Huabei looked at the enlarged 3D panoramic map in detail and was surprised: “It really is! One’s to the south and the other’s to the north, with a mountain between them. That’s why there’s so much winding road.”
“That makes sense! The guy we’re staking out has a criminal record, and the place you’re going to find, which might be selling detonators, isn’t far. It’s right in their usual range of activity!”
Jian Ru, slightly excited: “Does that mean we can confirm that it’s this ‘Caiyun Wedding Services’?”
Zou Bin said, “I think it’s pretty likely. Can you handle it alone? Did you bring a gun?”
“I didn’t apply for one. Can you conjure one for me?”
Jian Ru reported the situation to Lin Huoyu. After a while, he got a reply telling the three of them to go to Qinghu Village together, but to remember they were only scouting and to be careful. If anything happens, retreat immediately.
Two hours later, the car veered off the highway and drove through fields and farmlands dotted with self-built houses, where the ground floor was used for shops and the upper floors for living quarters. The walls were covered in various painted advertisements, offering services like ***, abortions, and even claims to bring the dead back to life. Even the utility poles were plastered with small ads like “Big Money for a Son” and “Rich Women Seeking Marriage.”
“Wow, the illegal businesses in our great country are still so rich and diverse,” Jian Ru said, taking out his phone to snap a picture. “I’ll send this back for the city management comrades in Nanyi to appreciate.”
While they were taking in the rural scenery of Nanyi, Lin Heyu was driving to the station to pick up Gu Yan.
Gu Yan clutched his bag to his chest, looking as if he had just been pampered, with his arms tightly wrapped around himself and an expression that resembled a delicate 18-year-old girl. “What’s going on? Why did you suddenly come to pick me up? I’m not some lady cop or a female forensic doctor who needs protection, or… have you finally realized your true orientation?!”
Lin Heyu, sitting in the driver’s seat, stared at him coldly. Yuan Maoqiu poked his head out and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt as the third wheel. Sanhuo, I suggest you get in the car quickly before Heyu decides to beat you up for real.”
Carrying his luggage with a grin, Gu Yan got in the car. As soon as he sat down, he asked, “Where’s my little apprentice? I told him earlier that he was supposed to come pick me up.”
“He’s at the bureau. Whether he picks you up or we do, what’s the difference?”
“It’s not the same!” Gu Yan said mysteriously. “One of you is passionate and warm, while the other is as cold as ice, rejecting all visitors. It’s like a yin-yang contrast! I’m worried about my safety and my chastity!”
Yuan Maoqiu clenched his fists so tightly that they cracked. He was ready to punch someone!
After the joke, Gu Yan finally understood why Lin Heyu had been so proactive—there was a reason. Yi Shi had sent him the autopsy reports of the victims, and it would be best if Gu Yan could examine them. This made Gu Yan even more puzzled. Why couldn’t this be done at the bureau in front of the entire department? Why did it have to be Lin Heyu picking him up?
Lin Heyu explained, “These documents are highly sensitive. The fewer people who know about them, the better.”
“So, you want me to review the reports,” Gu Yan looked at the small screen of his phone compared to the documents, “like this, in the car?”
Yuan Maoqiu patted him on the shoulder with a smile, “Come on, you can zoom in on the screen, and you, Forensic Doctor Gu, have excellent eyesight, right?”
In the rough and bumpy environment of a car that kept stopping and starting, Forensic Doctor Gu’s eyes narrowed to slits as he examined the first two pages. Then, after a sudden sharp brake, his head banged against the seat. “Ouch! That’s it! I quit! I’m a department head at the very least; no matter how poor the working environment, it shouldn’t come to this! And Lin, your driving skills are killing me—I’m filing for worker’s compensation!”
Lin Heyu slowly turned his head, a predatory smile on his lips.
Gu Yan huddled over his phone, “Please have mercy; my eyesight isn’t what it used to be…”
Yuan Maoqiu fiddled with his phone for a bit and said, “Heyu, the bureau is pretty empty right now. Those three kids are in Qinghu Village, Captain Sheng is at the traffic control bureau, and only Shen Rui Rui is left. How about we go straight back to the bureau and look at these reports there?”
They were already on their way back to the police station, and this was indeed the route to the Nanyi Police Station. Lin Heyu had originally intended for Gu Yan to review the reports in the car so they wouldn’t have to take them out at the station. Who knew he’d be so uncooperative that Lin Heyu wished he could print out the reports for him right then and there.
When they arrived at the Nanyi Police Station, the three of them walked into the criminal investigation office. Lin Heyu noticed Qi Wenyu and Yu Xue sitting face-to-face once again. This time, it wasn’t just his eyelid twitching—half his face was spasming. What was this kid’s problem? He’d already warned him yesterday, and now he dared to stick around with the child again.
Yuan Maoqiu was puzzled, “Hey, Police Flower, why is your nephew here during the day?”
“It’s the weekend. Only our department is working overtime. He was home alone, so I brought him along,” Shen Ruirui smiled. “Besides, this kid wants to go to the police academy in the future. He asked to come along to get familiar with the environment.”
Lin Heyu was silent. Police academy? Had he made up his mind so soon?
Meanwhile, Gu Yan was watching his little apprentice and chuckling, “He never grows up, still likes hanging out with kids even though he’s already working.”
“That’s your fault for not keeping him in line,” Lin Heyu said coldly, “If something happens, it’ll be too late.”
What could happen? Gu Yan was puzzled and protective, quickly changing his tone, “Actually, Wenyu isn’t much older. He’s only nineteen, so it’s normal for him to make friends with someone close to his age.”
The age difference between these two was more than a little significant, and Lin Heyu couldn’t see how they were “close in age.”
As they walked closer, they saw that the two were playing Go. Black and white stones were scattered across the board, and though Lin Heyu couldn’t understand the game, it was clear that the situation had become intense from the way Qi Wenyu, holding a black stone, frowned deeply and hesitated to make a move.
Yu Xue took off his glasses and wiped them with a tissue, nonchalantly urging him, “Haven’t decided yet? Just make a move. The outcome won’t change anyway.”
Qi Wen Yu looked up, “How do you know I don’t have a way to turn the tables?”
Yu Xue put his glasses back on, and there was something oddly mocking in the young boy’s expression, “Then hurry up and show me.”
“…”
Another minute passed. Qi Wenyu, who had been holding his breath for a long time, finally exhaled and pushed the board away, “I can only admit… I lost.”
Gu Yan chimed in from behind, “Or maybe you were just scared?”
Qi Wen Yu turned around and quickly stood up, “Master, Captain Lin, you’re back.”
Yu Xue stretched lazily, picked up the Go box, and started packing up the pieces, then moved the board away, distancing himself from the adults’ conversation. Gu Yan raised an eyebrow at Yu Xue, “That kid’s only in middle school, right? Why were you playing Go with him?”
“I was bored, and he brought the Go board, so we played a game to pass the time,” Qi Wen Yu scratched the back of his head, “I didn’t think of him as a middle schooler. He’s really smart, very capable, and quite mature. Our psychological ages are about the same.”
“Smarter than you?”
“Pretty much,” Qi Wen Yu praised without hesitation, “We’re evenly matched.”
After chatting with his apprentice for a bit, Gu Yan prepared to let him off the hook since he still had a small meeting to attend. But before entering the office, Lin Heyu reminded Qi Wen Yu once more, “Keep it in moderation and remember, he’s still just a kid.”
“…?” Qi Wenyu nodded obediently. “Oh, I understand.”
Shen Ruirui received a call from Sheng Guoning, saying she needed to go to the evidence department to pick something up. She patted Yu Xue on the head and said, “A-Xue, I’m leaving now. If you go home, make sure to use the landline to call your aunt.”
The large office was left with only the intern forensic doctor and a middle schooler. The middle schooler was packing his schoolbag when Qi Wenyu slid over and asked softly, “Are you leaving?”
“Yes.” Yu Xue nodded and glanced at Qi Wenyu. “But there’s still one more thing to do.”
“What is it?”
Yu Xue unzipped his backpack, revealing the corner of a folded chessboard. “You lost.”
Qi Wenyu suddenly realized and smiled as he asked, “What do you want to eat today? Too many snacks aren’t good for your health. Let’s change it up.”
“Oh, then how about fried chicken and fries?”
“…?” Qi Wenyu thought he hadn’t explained clearly enough, so he patiently elaborated, “You’re still growing, and junk food isn’t suitable.”
“Yes, fried foods produce a lot of carcinogens during the cooking process and contain large amounts of trans fats that can denature proteins,” Yu Xue explained calmly. “I understand all the reasoning, but I still want fried chicken and fries.”
From Qi Wenyu’s angle, Yu Xue’s upright, fair little face held a trace of childishness. Qi Wenyu’s mood improved, and imitating Shen Ruirui’s gesture, he ruffled Yu Xue’s hair. “Alright, then I’ll take you to McDonald’s.”
Yu Xue agreed but also batted away his hand, tired of being patted on the head every day, fearing it would stunt his growth. Qi Wenyu looked at his own hand and couldn’t help but laugh. The two of them left the large office together.
Twenty minutes later, at the McDonald’s in Pingju Plaza, Yu Xue and Qi Wenyu sat together. On the table were a box of spicy wings, a box of chicken drumsticks, and a large order of fries. Yu Xue held the spicy wings with both hands and ate heartily, while Qi Wenyu held a glass of orange juice, occasionally biting the straw absentmindedly.
Their conversation revolved around high school life, something Yu Xue had never experienced. In Qi Wenyu’s description, the notoriously stressful three years of high school seemed like a game. He even mentioned that in his final year, he spent half of it on vacation, traveling to famous domestic tourist spots.
There wasn’t a trace of envy in Yu Xue’s eyes as he calmly asked, “How did you score on the college entrance exam?”
Qi Wenyu pushed up his black-framed glasses, a hint of pride in his smile. “I didn’t take the exam.”
“Oh?” Yu Xue’s expression remained unchanged. “Did you get a direct admission in your third year?”
“Yes.”
“That sounds boring.” Yu Xue discarded a chicken bone and took a sip of cola. “If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t choose a direct admission. If you have the ability, why not openly earn the top score in the entrance exam?”
“…Isn’t being admitted directly proof enough of ability?”
“There are many who get direct admissions each year, but there’s only one top scorer.”
Hearing this logic for the first time, Qi Wenyu sized up Yu Xue. People can’t be judged by their appearances; this kid really has something to him.
He pushed up his glasses again and said, “Alright then, how about this? Do you dare to bet with me again? Get the top score in the city for the college entrance exam?”
The young are fearless. Yu Xue agreed without hesitation, “Sure, let’s bet. If I win, you have to promise me one thing.”
Qi Wenyu marveled again at the young one’s cunning and nodded. “Alright, as long as it’s within my ability, I’ll do anything. But what if you lose?”
“I’ll do the same as you.”
They both agreed. Qi Wenyu wanted to exchange contact information, but Yu Xue shook his head. “I don’t use a phone; it distracts from studying.”
“Then…” Qi Wenyu thought for a moment and snapped his fingers. “I’ll apply for a transfer to Nanyi in a few years. I know your aunt anyway.”
Yu Xue nodded, not giving it much thought. After all, it was a matter for years down the road, so why worry now?
If he could foresee the future and knew this bet would leave him bedridden, he probably wouldn’t have agreed to step into McDonald’s today.
