Chapter 127 04

Chapter 127: 04

It took two days, but the team finally managed to streamline the department's work.

Li Shang, a master of work summaries, first drafted a sample, and the others followed suit.

Lao Wu, a seasoned—or rather, veteran—detective, performed reliably; his summary, while not brilliant, was perfectly compliant.

Cheng Xiaoyi put more effort into hers, given her irreplaceable role as technical support in the Missing Persons Investigation Unit.

After reviewing the initial drafts, He Lin singled out Fang Jue: "Add more content. Don't just copy others' work, or I'll charge any extra pay to Brother Li."

Fang Jue flinched, then faced He Lin with false bravado: "I'd just consider that Brother Li's well-deserved bonus."

All joking aside, everyone's final summaries turned out exceptionally well.

After all, this year, especially the latter half, the Missing Persons Investigation Unit had solved many major cases, achieving significant accomplishments.

The internal evaluation process still had to be followed. He Lin, an excellent officer, wanted to nominate Li Shang, and the department unanimously agreed. But upon checking, he found that Li Shang's file wasn't kept there, and he didn't meet the application requirements. Everyone was indignant and spoke up on Li Shang's behalf.

In the end, with everyone's approval, the department's outstanding employee award was given to Cheng Xiaoyi instead.

He Lin was somewhat disappointed, but Li Shang was completely unfazed.

With other tasks completed and still more than two weeks left before the holiday, only routine work remained. Fang Jue had already started counting down the days until the break.

The year-end report only needed one final task: contacting various municipal police bureaus to request updates on the investigation results of previously coordinated cases.

Missing persons cases often aren't isolated. With so many provinces and cities in the country and high mobility among the population, many cases are reported in one place but occurred in another. Thus, one of the routine tasks of the Missing Persons Investigation Unit is to assign cases out and request cooperation from other municipal bureaus.

But cases sent out don't always receive timely feedback.

By year-end, they needed to check for any missing updates, call to follow up on each case according to their case numbers, verify progress, compile the findings, and include them in the summary report.

Recently, there's been good news: several prefecture-level cities have connected their DNA databases, helping to locate many missing persons.

Last year, the Missing Persons Investigation Unit sent out 18 requests for coordination. By year-end, statistics showed 8 confirmed deaths, 9 found, with only one case unresolved—the missing person still missing.

Li Shang added the final period to the department's year-end summary.

Frowning at the line "still missing," he interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on them.

This one unresolved case made the work feel incomplete.

Then, Li Shang sighed, closed the file, and emailed it to He Lin for review and approval.

With some time left before the end of the workday, Li Shang took out the case file on the missing person for a closer look. The missing person was a woman named Jiang Lai, 30, unmarried and childless, who returned to her hometown, Hanhua Village, for the Spring Festival and disappeared.

The case was assigned to them because the disappearance was reported in Yuncheng.

The person who reported it at the time was Jiang Lai's cousin, Jiang Waner.

Li Shang wanted to contact her for specific details. He dialed the phone number listed in the file, and the call was quickly answered.

A young woman was on the other end. Li Shang explained he was inquiring about her cousin's disappearance and asked if she could do an in-person interview.

Jiang Waner hesitated: "I don't work in Yuncheng anymore. I moved back to Xincheng a few months ago."

Xincheng...

Li Shang's pen paused while writing.

Such a familiar place.

He checked the case file: the missing person's hometown, Hanhua Village, was near Xincheng, within its jurisdiction. The responsible police department was the Ninth Precinct under the Xincheng Municipal Bureau.

Li Shang could only ask a few brief questions over the phone.

Jiang Waner got emotional: "Please, I beg you, keep looking for my cousin! This case has been stalled for so long. With the Spring Festival approaching, her family is anxious, and I miss her too. And... I'm scared. I keep dreaming about her lately..."

Hearing the woman's earnest plea, Li Shang assured her he would communicate with the Xincheng police and contact her if there were new developments.

He Lin, overhearing Li Shang's call, knew he was reluctant to let this case go.

He had also reviewed the case file. Of all the coordinated cases sent out last year, this was the only one unresolved, so it left a deep impression.

He Lin walked over and said to Li Shang, "Note it down for now. Later, send another coordination email and try to push for progress."

Work matters, especially missing persons cases, are rarely perfect. They were far from Xincheng; no matter how concerned they were, they couldn't handle everything themselves.

After all the work summaries were submitted, the year-end department awards ceremony took place.

Fortunately, this year's quotas were more generous, especially for outstanding departments. Both Criminal Investigation Unit 1 and the Missing Persons Investigation Unit were included.

That evening was the planned team dinner. The Missing Persons Investigation Unit team, plus Jin Tingrui and Lin Hui, went out for a meal together.

The last time the department had a gathering, Li Shang was still a newcomer. Now, he was clearly the team's central figure.

With two more people, the dinner was livelier. Since it was off-duty hours, they could drink alcohol.

Everyone else had their glasses filled—except Li Shang.

He Lin kept a close eye on him, almost putting up an "underage drinking prohibited" sign in front of him.

Li Shang didn't particularly want to drink, but He Lin's blatant lies made him both touched and speechless. He could only sit quietly sipping warm water.

Since he wasn't drinking, few paid him attention. Li Shang kept to himself for a while—except for the countless times he had to swat away He Lin's wandering hand under the table trying to touch his thigh. Otherwise, everything was harmonious.

After a few rounds, Fang Jue became the social butterfly.

Li Shang chatted with Lin Hui, who was also sober and quiet beside him, about this year's data summary at the municipal bureau, covering various cases and clearance rates.

He Lin, on the other side, was drinking enthusiastically with Jin Tingrui.

Jin Tingrui had a high alcohol tolerance—he could take on the entire Missing Persons Investigation Unit by himself in a drinking round.

Cheng Xiaoyi refilled Jin Tingrui's glass while praising him relentlessly: "Didn't expect Deputy Jin to have such a high capacity!"

Jin Tingrui patted his chest: "Of course! Even at the Criminal Investigation Unit's big gatherings, no one can drink me under the table."

Lin Hui quietly added: "Don't believe his boasting. His alcohol tolerance is actually average."

Jin Tingrui couldn't stand this. He rolled up his sleeves: "Who said that? Waiter, bring another bottle of baijiu!"

Li Shang wanted to stop him but couldn't. He was worried that if Jin Tingrui really got drunk, even He Lin wouldn't be able to handle him.

In the end, both Jin Tingrui and He Lin drank quite a lot.

Lin Hui's face was also slightly flushed, and he showed Li Shang a video from the department's annual party of Jin Tingrui performing a grass skirt dance.

After the meal, He Lin got up to pay the bill, and Jin Tingrui slammed the table and followed him.

Just as He Lin took out his phone to scan the code, Jin Tingrui shoved his way over, his boozy breath hitting He Lin's face. He Lin couldn't figure out what he was trying to do and casually pushed him, but Jin Tingrui stood firm like an iron tower, unmoved.

Before He Lin could react further, Jin Tingrui got annoyed. Without holding back, he hip-checked He Lin, sending him stumbling back several steps until he steadied himself against the cashier counter. Tipsy from the alcohol, He Lin was momentarily confused—one moment he was standing there ready to pay, and the next, he was shoved aside...

Jin Tingrui waved his phone drunkenly at the server and said, "Scan mine."

The server trembled with fright.

At 1.9 meters tall and with broad shoulders, he completely blocked the restaurant's cashier counter. By the time He Lin came to his senses, he couldn't even squeeze in to intervene.

He Lin hesitated for a long time between whether to use an over-the-shoulder throw to take Jin Tingrui down or just let it go this time. Fortunately, he wasn't too drunk, and his remaining rationality told him to drop it.

To avoid alarming the other diners and potentially having someone call the police, He Lin held back and simply said, "Next time, it's on me."

Detachment Commander Jin returned, his face flushed, sitting there zoned out, saying he'd wait for the alcohol to wear off before leaving.

Lin Hui thoughtfully ordered a large, bright green drink and placed it right in front of Jin Tingrui: "Drink this to sober up."

Hearing it could help with sobriety, Li Shang curiously glanced over and immediately scanned the ingredients: "Kale, celery, broccoli, spinach..."

Yikes...

He had initially considered getting one for He Lin too, but now Li Shang thought—never mind, that would be... too cruel.

Jin Tingrui obediently took a big sip, then made a face as if bewildered.

Lin Hui asked eagerly, "What does it taste like?"

Jin Tingrui, slurring his words, said, "Cel... celery... feels like I just ate a whole bunch of celery."

Lin Hui nodded thoughtfully, as if conducting serious research, and said, "So that's what these ingredients taste like when blended together."

After all the fun, it was time for everyone to head home.

Once the others had dispersed, only He Lin and Li Shang remained.

He Lin, who had been chatting and laughing with everyone just moments before, now slumped against Li Shang's shoulder like a limp, clingy dog, repeatedly whispering his name into his ear:

"Li Shang... Li Shang..."

He kept calling his name while giggling dopily.

Li Shang couldn't tell if he was genuinely drunk or just pretending to be, and though he wanted to push him away, he was afraid He Lin might actually be unsteady on his feet. He could only frantically struggle to keep him upright. The two stumbled along, covering less than 100 meters in ten minutes.

He Lin slung an arm over his shoulder and asked, "Since I'm drunk, will you take me home?"

At that, Li Shang was sure he wasn't really drunk. He subtly shrugged him off and then gave a light twist to his arm...

He Lin quickly withdrew his arm, standing steadily on his own, his eyes clearing up. He clutched his arm and said, "Easy there, if my arm falls off, you'll have to help me put it back on..."

Only then did Li Shang let go of him.

The moment he was released, He Lin boldly leaned in again and asked, "Do you want to walk back or take a taxi?"

It wasn't far from He Lin's place—less than half an hour on foot.

Li Shang mentally considered the routes and time for both options before deciding, "Let's walk." It would also give He Lin more time to sober up.

The two chatted as they walked leisurely along the road, deliberately avoiding the main streets and taking quieter paths where few people passed. He Lin sneakily held Li Shang's hand tightly.

This time, Li Shang didn't pull away.

More than halfway home, Li Shang lowered his head and suddenly said, "About that case—the missing office worker near Xincheng. It's been a year, and the investigation there hasn't made any progress. I want to go there and see if I can push things forward."

He Lin, however, didn't want Li Shang to go. His health had only recently improved, and a business trip was nothing like a vacation—it would be exhausting, and he'd have to work on the case once he got there.

He patiently explained to Li Shang, "If you really need to go, there's no need for you to personally make the trip. I can send Lao Wu and Fang Jue. They haven't been on a business trip in a while."

Li Shang shook his head, his voice calm. "It's almost the New Year—only a little over ten days left. It wouldn't be fair to send them on a trip now."

If the case dragged on, they might even end up spending the Spring Festival away from home.

Wu Yunsheng had a family, and Fang Jue was someone's child too. In contrast, he and He Lin were alone—it didn't matter where they spent the holiday.

He Lin added, "I'm worried about your health. I grew up in that area, and in winter, temperatures can drop to minus ten or twenty degrees Celsius. Work is important, but even the sturdiest people can freeze half to death in that kind of weather. If you're concerned about their capabilities, I can take Fang Jue with me instead."

Yuncheng hadn't seen snow in years, but Xincheng was completely different.

The two walked silently along the nighttime streets, the streetlights stretching their intertwined shadows long.

As they neared the residential area, they occasionally passed commuters heading home. The two let go of each other's hands, which they had held the entire way, and walked apart for a moment before Li Shang spoke up.

"The missing person's route is traceable, and the case shouldn't be too difficult. I still want to try and see if I can find her," he said, turning to look at He Lin. Under the streetlights, his eyes were deep and somber.

Li Shang decided to cut to the chase: "Also, Xincheng is my hometown. I haven't been back in a long time, and I don't know if I'll ever return. I want to take this opportunity to transport my parents' ashes back with me." He looked at He Lin and added, "You asked me to think about your earlier question. I don't want to go on a honeymoon, but I do want to go on this business trip with you."

After he finished speaking, He Lin, who had been worried all along, sighed and looked at Li Shang with an expression that said he saw it coming. He nodded and agreed, "Alright, if that's what you want, I'll go with you."

Li Shang then looked down, but he kept a personal reason to himself.

He wanted to use this free time to settle all loose ends, so that if anything happened later, he could devote his full attention, without distractions.