Chapter 19: Dir. Gao

Chapter 19: Dir. Gao

The girl he loved was forced to marry someone else, and the feelings at that time, even after all these years, still haunt Qiao Jingnian.

The opposition from both families, his own lack of strength, and not even being able to see Lv Xiuqin left him with no choice but to pour all his energy into his studies.

Throughout his four years at university, many girls showed interest in him, but he never accepted any. What was going through his mind? Maybe even he couldn’t say.

The year he graduated from university, he faced a choice: to start working or to continue his studies. His teacher kept urging him to pursue further studies, but Qiao Jingnian had an idea in his heart, and because of that idea, he returned home and managed to see Lv Xiuqin once.

By then, she was already a mother, her gentle demeanor still the same as in the past, but it was no longer directed at him.

Qiao Jingnian watched her and her husband walking along the street, supporting their young son, chatting and laughing. He stayed quiet for a long moment, ultimately not appearing before her.

She seemed to be doing fine, so why stir up the past? Why dredge up memories that might have long been buried deep in her mind, needlessly upsetting their family’s peace?

After returning to the capital, Qiao Jingnian agreed to his teacher's suggestion to continue his studies. Over the three years of his postgraduate studies, Qiao Jingnian was busy with work and studies, seemingly letting her fade from his memory. Until the year he graduated and returned to his hometown, they ran into each other on the street.

By then, seven years had passed, and neither knew what to say upon meeting. They exchanged polite hellos and went their separate ways.

After that, Qiao Jingnian figured they’d never cross paths again. But unexpectedly, a few days before he was set to move south for work, Lv Xiuqin found him.

"I know this might be asking a lot of you, but I really have no other way."

His old flame looked worn out, her eyes rimmed with red: "At first, they wouldn’t let me work outside, afraid I’d run off. Then we had a child, and I was even more tied down. The household was entirely on his shoulders. If he loses his job, we’ll be in real trouble..."

"You have a friend at the food factory, don’t you... could you help me, just have him put in a good word? If it works out, great; if not, it’s okay..."

"Jingnian, I have a child now. I have to think of him—he’s just a little boy."

"I really have no other way..."

Qiao Jingnian looked at her. The flicker of joy he felt upon seeing her had already faded. He stayed quiet for a long moment, then gave a slow nod:

"Alright."

·

"How’s she doing?" Qiao Jingnian's tone was calm, carrying the composure of years.

Zhou Qiming opened his mouth, glanced at everyone, and finally said, "She's dead."

There was a clatter on the other end of the line, and Qiao Jingnian was momentarily stunned.

"Dead?" he murmured.

The sudden call, the questions about Lv Xiuqin—Qiao Jingnian was sharp enough to piece it together almost instantly.

"Is it... related to me?"

...

·

After hanging up the phone, everyone felt bad. Luo Kaiyang sighed heavily: "Who could’ve guessed it’d end up like this?"

Lv Xiuqin, instead of longing for her first love, went to plead for Cai Limin.

They couldn't imagine what kind of mindset Lv Xiuqin was in at that time, or what kind of mood she was in when facing Cai Limin's rage.

She worked tirelessly and devoted herself to that family, only to end up like this. Her family and neighbors called her a promiscuous whore, and the son she had loved and cared for since childhood now saw her as an enemy, leading to these irreversible mistakes.

"According to Cai Chengyong's confession, he had killed a total of seven people," Wei Zhengyi murmured.

Besides the five bodies they had already found, there were two more they hadn't discovered earlier.

So many lives taken.

And it all started with a misunderstanding.

How utterly absurd.

"Good thing we kept pushing the investigation," Jiang Cheng said, pursing his lips.

Wei Zhengyi replied, "Yeah."

Shen Qingye's expression was somber, her mood equally grim.

Yue Lingchuan looked around and knocked on the table: "Alright, pull yourselves together, get the necessary documents ready, and let's hand the case over to the prosecutor's office ASAP so they can face justice sooner."

Luo Kaiyang patted his face: "The boss is right. Scum like that, every day they breathe is a waste of air."

Everyone pulled themselves together and got back to work. Shen Qingye left the Major Case Division office, gazed up at the detention room on the top floor, and stood in silence for a long while.

·

Zhou Qiming stepped out of the detention room, glanced back at Cai Limin sitting on the edge of the bed, lost in thought, shook his head, and locked the door.

Cai Limin gazed out the window at the bright sky and suddenly remembered that night.

Outside, a storm raged, while inside, Lv Xiuqin's face was etched with fear as she backed away: "Limin, Limin, listen to me, let me explain—"

He seized her neck, his face twisted with anger: "Explain? What's there to explain? Did you see him? Did you?!"

"Cough, no, no..." Lv Xiuqin's face flushed red, her neck straining as she fought to free herself from his grip, her voice reduced to a faint gasp: "I didn't..."

Outside, thunder boomed, and lightning tore through the sky, casting Cai Limin's twisted face in a ghastly light, his eyes cold and menacing: "Didn't what? I saw you with him! You were smiling at him! After all these years with me, you still can't forget him? You still can't forget him?!"

Lv Xiuqin struggled to breathe, tears of desperation streaming down her face: "It's not like that, Limin, listen to me... Chengyong, Chengyong is still at home..."

At the mention of their son's name, Cai Limin hesitated, his grip on her neck slackening slightly. Lv Xiuqin's eyes widened in panic as she scrambled to crawl away. Cai Limin snapped back to reality and erupted in rage.

He lunged forward, seizing her neck and slamming her into the wall: "You still want to run?!"

"Where do you think you're going? Where?!"

"Are you trying to find that bastard?"

He pressed her head against the wall, banging it repeatedly. Blood splattered across his face, but he was blind to it, his eyes consumed by madness:

"Yes, I'm useless now, I'm about to lose my job! Your old flame is back, and he's successful now, isn't he?"

"You whore, you slut, how many times have I slept with you? You even gave me a son, do you think he still wants you?"

"If he still liked you, why didn't he take you away?"

Lv Xiuqin's head throbbed with pain, her vision blurring, her mouth wide open, only able to emit hoarse, guttural sounds.

Her fingers clawed at the wall, blood smearing across it. She wanted to escape, but her body grew heavier, and the voices in her ears became faint and distant.

"You can't escape, you're bound to me for life!"

Cai Limin's hands tightened around her neck, gradually increasing the pressure: "You can only be with me!"

Lv Xiuqin glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her eyes brimming with despair. Her lips struggled to move, still trying to explain:

I... didn't...

I went to him... for...

...

Cai Limin slowly closed his eyes, a single murky tear sliding down from the corner of his eye.

Xiuqin...

Xiuqin...

Zhou Qiming, who had only just walked a short distance away, paused upon hearing the hoarse, mournful cries coming from the detention room. He then continued walking without changing his expression.

As you sow, so shall you reap.

·

On Friday.

After submitting the relevant documents, the case involving the Cai father and son was pretty much concluded. The third team, unaccustomed to such downtime, found themselves at a loose end.

Shen Qingye didn't have much on her plate either. Even working at a leisurely pace, she managed to finish her tasks a few hours before the end of the workday. She stretched, feeling cooped up from sitting in the office, and got up to take a breather in the hallway.

To her surprise, as soon as she stepped out, she saw Luo Kaiyang at the entrance of the Major Case Division with a puzzled look.

"What's up?" she asked, slowly approaching with her water cup. "New case?"

Luo Kaiyang shook his head. "Not really."

He looked at her, his expression somewhat... complicated:

"Something... well, personally, it's good news for me."

He added: "For you, it should also be good news."

Shen Qingye was genuinely confused: "What is it? Brother Kaiyang, stop being cryptic."

"Lin Xiaofeng just called me," Luo Kaiyang said, choosing his words carefully. "Zhou Weipeng stole his money."

Shen Qingye raised an eyebrow. "Zhou Weipeng?" she asked. "Who's that?"

Luo Kaiyang explained: "Zhou Meihua's younger brother, the pudgy kid her mother brought over last time."

Shen Qingye looked at him, incredulous. "Zhou Meihua's brother stole Lin Xiaofeng's money?"

Luo Kaiyang shrugged and nodded.

Shen Qingye hissed, momentarily baffled. "Wait, what's going on? Didn't they say the Zhou family refused to take Zhou Meihua back? They're still here? How did they end up involved with Lin Xiaofeng?"

Luo Kaiyang said: "When the Zhou family first arrived, they were in a rush, but when it was time to leave, they couldn't get tickets and had to stay for a few days. They didn't want to shell out for a hotel, and they thought the house Zhou Meihua had rented was jinxed because someone had died there. In the end, they clung to Lin Xiaofeng, suggesting that if it weren't for him, Zhou Meihua wouldn't have died. Lin Xiaofeng had no option but to take them in. I heard that these past few days, Zhou Meihua's mother and Zhou Weipeng have been sleeping on the bed, while Zhou Meihua's sister—the woman who came with her mother—and Lin Xiaofeng have been sleeping on the floor."

Shen Qingye frowned, gaining fresh insight into the family's bias favoring sons over daughters.

"They stayed at Lin Xiaofeng's house for two days, bossing him around all the time, feasting on lavish meals every day. Lin Xiaofeng was nearly at his wit's end but gritted his teeth and bore it out of respect for Zhou Meihua.

"Yesterday, the family finally got their tickets, and today he just sent them off. Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, he discovered that the thousand yuan he'd left in the house had vanished. Panicked, he called me. I told him that's not our department and advised him to report it to the police directly."

Luo Kaiyang shrugged: "Luckily, there's still time to sort it out since the train doesn't depart for a while."

Shen Qingye, however, frowned, feeling something was off, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Hasn't Lin Xiaofeng figured out what kind of people the Zhou family are? How could he be so careless as to leave money lying around?"

Luo Kaiyang laughed: "Who can say?"

He understood Shen Qingye's thoughts and said nonchalantly: "Even if it's a setup, it takes a willing participant, right? It's not as if Lin Xiaofeng shoved the money into his hands."

As for whether Lin Xiaofeng intentionally flaunted his wealth to tempt them, that remains unknown.

Anyway, seeing the Zhou family in a bind made Luo Kaiyang feel pleased.

Hearing this, Shen Qingye also smiled and said to him: "Indeed, this time, the Zhou family might end up with egg on their face."

She took a sip of water and said cheerfully: "If there's any news, make sure to fill me in."

Luo Kaiyang chuckled: "You'll be the first to know!"

·

With over two hours to go before clocking out, Shen Qingye had nothing to do. She recalled her mother's words from the night before, that her work would likely be completed in the next two days, and she might be able to make it back to spend the weekend together. The thought lifted her spirits.

Just as she was feeling pleased, a sudden stir broke out around her. Turning her head, she saw the office old-timer, Brother Peng, leaning by the window, exclaiming in awe: "A red flag car—which bigwig is here for an inspection?"

Fang Yun strolled over and said: "Since there's no heads-up, it's none of our concern. Just relax and wait for the end of the workday."

Shen Qingye initially thought the same. On her way to get water, she glanced at the car out of the corner of her eye and was about to look away when she suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. Her eyes widened as she took a second look.

The license plate number was Jiang C79... yes, that's right.

Shen Qingye's throat moved slightly.

Brother Peng was still saying: "That's true, but isn't there nothing going on now? Hey, the car door is opening, let me see who it is."

Shen Qingye unconsciously swallowed, thinking it couldn't be.

Brother Peng said: "Hmm, I see... huh? Director Gao?"

His voice rose slightly, and everyone in the office couldn't help but gather around, discussing: "Rare indeed, why is Director Gao here?"

"Could it be about the serial murder case? Is there still an issue with that case?"

"Even if there's an issue, shouldn't our team go to the bureau? There's no need for Director Gao to come personally, right?"

"Then it must be a private matter."

A private matter...

Shen Qingye's eyelids twitched uncontrollably. Just as she was about to quietly leave, the person downstairs had already keenly noticed the gaze from above and suddenly looked up. His piercing gaze softened the instant it met Shen Qingye's.

He lowered his gaze, pretending to be serious, and silently mouthed:

"Come here."

Shen Qingye closed her eyes, sighing inwardly.

...

Before entering, Shen Qingye took a deep breath, steeling herself, and then knocked on the door before stepping in:

"Uncle Gao!"

A smile spread across her face: "What brings you here? Any work?"

The tall man sitting on the sofa glanced at her and snorted, "Do I need work to visit?"

"Of course not." Shen Qingye greeted Song Lianfeng before sitting down beside him, saying, "I’m just surprised. You didn’t give me a heads-up."

Gao Zhengming looked at her, his stern face wearing a forced smile, "If I’d warned you, would I still have found you here?"

Shen Qingye’s smile remained unchanged, "What are you talking about? I wouldn’t avoid you."

"Who knows?" Gao Zhengming said in a mocking tone, then turned to scrutinize her carefully. After a moment, he shook his head, "Hmm, you’ve slimmed down."

Shen Qingye touched her face, "No, I haven’t. I might’ve even put on a few pounds since New Year’s."

"Oh? Really?" Gao Zhengming’s tone was flat, tinged with sarcasm, "I figured all that work would’ve worn you down."

Shen Qingye still smiled, "I’m in the office all day, safe from the elements. What’s there to tire me out? It’s you, Uncle Gao, who’s truly working hard."

"Oh, so you do know I’m working hard?" Gao Zhengming feigned surprise, "I thought you figured I just laze around all day, doing nothing. That’s why you’ve been giving me extra work."

Shen Qingye obediently said, "Listen to you. You’re so busy, it’s got to be exhausting."

Gao Zhengming didn’t respond to her flattery, just looked her up and down, clicking his tongue in admiration, "Shen Qingye, you’ve really outdone yourself. Should I say you’re a natural, or that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree? In just a few days, you’ve pulled off two big wins. Impressive."

Well, he’s calling her by her full name now. He must be really angry.

Shen Qingye quickly leaned forward and poured him a cup of tea, "I didn’t plan any of this. It was all just luck."

Gao Zhengming looked at her with a "keep going" expression, nodding, "Yeah, luck. So lucky that you went on two—no, three—field ops and each time hit the jackpot."

Shen Qingye pouted, a twinge of guilt creeping in.

Gao Zhengming took a deep breath, looking at the girl who was now meekly listening with her head down. He was torn between anger and helplessness:

"When you were applying to colleges, you were set on the police academy, and your mother and I couldn’t dissuade you, so we had to agree.

"Then, in college, you said you wanted to take classes with the criminal investigation majors, learn some self-defense, so you could protect yourself in case of danger. I agreed, and even called your school’s principal to let you join their combat and firearms classes.

"Finally, when you graduated, I figured you’d calm down. But out of all the administrative positions in the bureau, none appealed to you. You were dead set on joining the Criminal Investigation Detachment. Now you’re telling me it’s all luck, Shen Qingye. Do you think I’m senile and you can pull one over on me?"

Shen Qingye opened her mouth, "You’re not old..."

And she wasn’t trying to fool him.

Gao Zhengming almost laughed in frustration, "Not old? A few more years of this and I’ll be an old man from all the grief you’re giving me!"

Shen Qingye bit her lip and stayed quiet.

Gao Zhengming looked at the dark crown of her head, and after a long while, he sighed deeply:

"Xiao Feng, since you were a kid, we’ve never asked much of you. Just this one thing. Why can’t you... just listen?"

Shen Qingye's smile slowly faded. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she couldn't help but raise her head. Her clear eyes were clouded with a hint of sorrow: "But Uncle Gao, since I was a kid, I've never asked for much, except for this one thing..."

She lowered her eyes: "I've thought about staying out of all this, just being a clerical police officer, living a normal life would be enough. But Uncle Gao—

"This is the place where I grew up, all my childhood memories are tied to this place. My father also fought for this, even sacrificed.

"This place and I have long been inseparable."

Gao Zhengming looked at her, and after a long while, he slowly closed his eyes and sighed: "I know, you've always been smart and sensible, clever yet steady, just like your father used to boast to us, definitely cut out to be a criminal investigator."

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing by stopping you."

Shen Qingye's eyes flickered slightly, Gao Zhengming's straight back slowly bent, leaning on the sofa, his whole body weighed down with an indescribable heaviness.

"When you were taking the college entrance exam, you said you wanted to apply for the criminal investigation major. I was dead set against it on the surface, but deep down, I was always wavering.

"You have talent, you have ability, you are the daughter of Chu Chengjiang, you were born for this line of work. Perhaps letting you study criminal investigation, to walk this path, you could go further than your father, than me.

"But every time I have this thought, I can't help but think of your father, think of his hand, still gripping a gun, cut off and placed in a box!"

Song Lianfeng had been acting as a bystander, but upon hearing this, his pupils couldn't help but contract, and he instinctively looked at Shen Qingye.

The girl's jaw was tightly clenched, her fists on her knees were tightly clenched, her whole body rigid with fear.

A police officer, whose hand holding a gun was cut off, and was boldly sent to the police station.

Song Lianfeng's lips were tightly pursed, and for a moment he did not speak, but his mind was in turmoil.

He didn't know much about her before, only roughly knowing that her father was a martyr, and that the group of criminals had not been completely eradicated, so she and her mother had to change their names and were handed over to him by Gao Zhengming to take care of.

It wasn't until today that he got a glimpse of the inside story.

Gao Zhengming looked at her with a bitter smile: "Xiao Feng, your Uncle Gao has never been scared of anything since he was a kid, but that time, I was really scared."

"I had nightmares for two weeks straight, dreaming that you were all cut up, crying and shouting for my help, but I could do nothing. Dreaming that your father was scolding me, why did I let you go down this path, why did I harm his daughter!"

Gao Zhengming took a deep breath: "Xiao Feng, I can't take that risk, I just can't!"

Shen Qingye lowered her head, silent for a long time, then hoarsely said: "Uncle Gao."

She raised her head, gathered her emotions, and slowly said: "My mother told me, when she was pregnant with me, my father had already decided, if it was a boy, he would be named Hanfeng; if it was a girl, she would be named Hanfeng, meaning to have a sharp edge within."

She said: "You have known my father longer than I have, you should know better than me, what kind of person he was."

Gao Zhengming looked at her for a long time, then slowly shook his head, powerless: "You and your father, are exactly the same."

This stubborn streak that even ten oxen couldn't pull back.

That was his brother, how could he not know what kind of person he was?

But it was precisely because he knew, that he was afraid.

He was afraid that one day Shen Qingye would be like him, dying without a trace, even to the end, not even a body could be found.

The office was silent for a moment, Song Lianfeng watched from the side, watching this particularly stubborn old and young, not knowing what to say.

Gao Zhengming waved his hand, tiredly said: "You don't need to tell me, no matter what, I will not agree."

"And," he glanced at her: "This matter, your mother probably doesn't know yet, right? You might as well figure out how to break this to your mom when you get back."

Hearing this, Shen Qingye's expression shifted slightly, but before she could react, the sound of clicking heels approached from a distance. Then, a woman's brisk voice came from outside the door:

"Her mother's here, so if you have something to say, say it now."

As soon as she finished speaking, the office door lock turned, and Shen Qingye turned to see a tall woman standing at the door.

She wore a long black trench coat, matching high heels, and her voluminous wavy hair framed her face. Her features were striking, and her every move radiated confidence.

Shen Qingye shot up, stammering, "Mom?!"

Gao Zhengming stood up, surprised, "Sister-in-law?"

Madam Shen Linyue glanced at them without a word. Instead, she turned to Song Lianfeng, smiling as she offered her hand: "Detachment Leader Song, Qingye's mentioned you before, but work kept me from visiting. Thanks for looking after Qingye."

Song Lianfeng quickly stood to shake her hand, saying politely, "Not at all, Xiao Shen's very capable. I haven't done much; she's done it all herself."

After a few more pleasantries, Shen Linyue turned to Shen Qingye, "Why are you just standing there? Has it been a week since you last saw me, and you've forgotten how to speak?"

Shen Qingye shook her head, dazed, "No..."

"Mom, what brings you back?"

Shen Linyue raised an eyebrow, "Don't want me back?"

Shen Qingye quickly said, "No! It's just unexpected. I thought it'd be tomorrow or the day after at the earliest."

She stepped forward and hesitantly called, "Mom..."

Shen Linyue walked past her and sat on the sofa, looking at Gao Zhengming across from her, "Old Gao, have a seat."

"Sister-in-law," Gao Zhengming sat down slowly, asking, "When did you get back?"

Shen Linyue, "Just now."

She'd just returned and came straight here.

Gao Zhengming glanced at Song Lianfeng, who cleared his throat and pretended to be busy.

Shen Linyue ignored their exchange and asked, "What were you arguing about? Everyone's so worked up."

Gao Zhengming glared at Shen Qingye, saying irritably, "Ask her yourself."

Shen Qingye sat beside her mother like a quail and whispered under her gaze, "It's nothing, just... I've been involved in two cases."

Gao Zhengming gave her a look, "Yes, your daughter's quite capable. Two cases, and she's been a key player each time! Even better than her father was."

Shen Linyue tilted her head to look at her and asked, "Is that so?"

Shen Qingye, watching her expression, cautiously nodded.

Shen Linyue's expression remained calm, showing no anger, and she simply asked again, "Were you hurt?"

Shen Qingye paused, then shook her head, "No."

She explained, "The suspects were all caught. There was no danger. I knew what I was doing."

Shen Linyue looked at Gao Zhengming, "Since she wasn't hurt, why are you so worked up?"

Gao Zhengming disagreed, "Sister-in-law, do you know what she's doing?"

"I know," Shen Linyue sipped the tea her daughter handed her and said casually, "If she wants to do it, let her."

Gao Zhengming's eyes widened, "Sister-in-law?!"