Yongchuan Traffic Police Brigade.

Lin Chaoxi actually never thought that William Chang would agree.

But when William Chang sat in the missionary office and looked at her with an unclear gaze together with the female leader, Lin Chaoxi regretted making that call.

She looked at William Chang with a wry smile, her expression stiff.

Finally, the middle-aged man pushed up his glasses, looked at the female leader at the desk, and said, "Hello, I am a teacher in the mathematics competition group of Yongchuan High School. My last name is Zhang, and I am also in charge of the provincial Mathematical Olympiad."

When the words "Mathematical Olympiad" were heard, the female leader's reaction was the same as the guard's, as if she suddenly became interested. Or to put it more precisely, they finally began to look at her in the eye.

"We asked you to come here today because your students said they are working on a program and need our help," the female leader said politely.

Lin Chaoxi was afraid that Zhang Shuping would suddenly reveal the "truth" and looked at him nervously. However, after a few seconds of silence, Zhang Shuping said two words: "Yes."

The female leader at the desk paused, and then she could only continue: "So I want to know a little bit about the specific...nature of the program you want to do?" She said politely, "That is, what kind of help do you need from us here."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shuping's eyes shifted slightly.

Lin Chaoxi sat up straight.

"Let the child introduce what she wants to do."

Teacher Zhang had been in the system for a while and was familiar with most of the rhetoric. Lin Chaoxi breathed a sigh of relief, then concentrated again and began to organize his thoughts.

She had said many of the following words many times today, but in this office, she was forced to think carefully about what she could say and what she couldn't. She had to be clear and organized, but she couldn't leave any flaws, lest Zhang Shuping find out.

She spoke so carefully and meticulously that in the end, the two adults in the office just looked at her quietly.

"That's about it." Lin Chaoxi leaned forward slightly and looked at the lady at the desk. "The data I want has been sorted out. I just wrote it down on a piece of paper for you."

The office was quiet again, and the sound of female police officers walking and talking outside the door could be clearly heard.

Lin Chaoxi looked at the person at the desk, and the lady changed her sitting position.

Lin Chaoxi heard her say: "I understand everything you said. Now I only have one last question."

"Please ask."

"Your student status is in Anning, why do you want traffic data for Yongchuan?"

Lin Chaoxi was stunned. The lady sat in the office chair, her posture was very careful, which made Lin Chaoxi feel a little bit aloof.

"Don't worry, I checked it out." She pointed to her computer, "I don't suspect you."

It turns out that it is not that simple.

Lin Chaoxi lowered his head and thought for a moment, then raised his head and answered: "Actually, I have already completed a traffic forecast in Anning. In terms of various conditions, Yongchuan's geographical environment is larger, and the data is more and more complex. I think it is more conducive to the improvement of the program, so I chose this place."

"So what do you want to do with your next prediction?" the lady asked.

"I can't answer you for now," Lin Zhaoxi said, "I promise not to commit any crime or disrupt social order."

"Why?"

"Because we want the prediction to be influenced by as few variables as possible. For example, if I want to predict Mr. Zhang's behavior, I can't tell him now, as this will affect his behavior." Lin Chaoxi paused and chose an ambiguous explanation, "Everything is connected."

"Well, I think I understand."

The lady didn't seem to be very interested in what she wanted to do. She just routinely confirmed her reliability. "The data can be provided, no problem. As long as it doesn't involve a specific traffic accident case, the lawyer needs to send a letter to retrieve it."

“No need for specifics, I just want data.”

"But the data itself is not very detailed. For example, we only have a rough idea of ​​the traffic volume on the road. And for real-time things, you need to tell me in advance."

Lin Zhaoxi's eyes lit up: "'Probably' will do. Thank you so much."

"When do you want the things?"

"I hope it can be as soon as possible, preferably tomorrow morning?" Lin Chaoxi asked.

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

Lin Chaoxi's whole body tensed up. "I hope to finish it as soon as possible and not waste time."

"Then I'll try my best," said the lady.

"I'll come tomorrow." Lin Zhaoxi stood up and bowed involuntarily: "Thank you very much."

——

Outside the city traffic police brigade.

The sun sets early in winter. When Lin Chaoxi and Zhang Shuping walked out of the door, they were bathed in the orange sunset.

Zhang Shuping did not say a word since they left the missionary office. In fact, to be exact, Zhang Shuping just stood by her silently and let her perform as she pleased.

For a stern and serious person like Vice Principal Zhang, this is probably all he can do.

Finally reaching the bus stop, Lin Chaoxi slightly raised her head and looked at him. It seemed that without her realizing it, Lao Zhang had been so angry at them that his temples had turned slightly white.

She wanted to say something to express her gratitude, but when the words came to her lips, she couldn't speak.

So Chang Shu Ping coldly said, "I don't know what you are doing, I won't do it next time."

He said, and just left.

I don't know why, maybe because I didn't eat lunch, or maybe I made some progress after working hard all day. After Zhang Shuping left, Lin Chaoxi felt sore all over and couldn't move a step.

She sat down at the bus stop. She finally had the chance to get the data, which should have been enough to make her happy. But she didn't feel any relief.

From the moment she walked into the office of the Propaganda and Education Section of the Traffic Police Brigade, her cell phone had been vibrating.

She had even prepared herself mentally that if Huajuan or Pei Zhi called, she would immediately end the conversation and go out to answer the phone, but the phone never rang from beginning to end.

When she thought of this, she felt that she should not wait any longer, so she took out her cell phone and called Huajuan.

There was a long waiting tone on the other end of the phone. The traffic on the street was rushing. After a minute, Lin Chaoxi's heart sank again. Huajuan was very busy, perhaps filming, and she didn't answer his call immediately. This was normal.

She forced herself to comfort herself and put her phone back in her pocket. Someone was selling roasted sweet potatoes near the station. She was so hungry that her stomach turned sour. She stood up and walked to the stall.

As if sensing something, the moment she put her hand into her pocket to take out money, the phone rang.

She picked up the phone subconsciously, put it to her ear, held it with her shoulder and said, "Hello, Hanajuan."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, and then she heard a very clear and steady voice: "It's me."

The hustle and bustle of the street suddenly stopped, and she seemed to be wrapped in a transparent bubble. The only sound in the whole world was the sound from the other end of the phone.

"I didn't see you at noon today. I thought something must have happened to you. I was busy this afternoon, so I can only call you now." Pei Zhi said.

Pei Zhi really didn't hear what she had asked him to say. Thinking of Pei Zhi waiting for her at the door, she felt very uncomfortable for a moment: "I'm sorry for making you wait for me."

Lin Chaoxi did not mention anything about the message from Huajuan, he just said: "I have basically finished dealing with everything here. How about you, are you okay now? Have you eaten? Can I come over now? I will bring you some takeout. Do you want to eat KFC?"

Lin Chaoxi could only think of some clichéd words, saying them over and over again.

"I'm fine." Pei Zhi's tone even seemed to comfort her, "Don't feel guilty, I only waited for a while at noon, and then I went back for something. So even if you came, we couldn't finish the meal." Pei Zhi explained to her very sincerely, "If you come now, I can't come out."

"Yes, Auntie...Are you okay?" Lin Chaoxi asked cautiously.

"He was rescued at noon and is now in the ICU."

The premonition came true and Lin Chaoxi choked up.

She really didn't know what to say. She had no experience dealing with such a problem, but she had to keep talking, as if that would keep the call from being hung up: "Is this your number? Can I still call you? I'll call you when I'm free, okay? When are you free?"

"This is the number for the nurse station." Pei Zhi was obviously in deep thought when he said this, and then he said, "I'll call you."

Pei Zhi didn't have a mobile phone after he came to Yongchuan. He cut off all external contacts. They had to talk through Huajuan. Although Pei Zhi never said why, Lin Chaoxi knew very well that this was probably a kind of control that Pei Zhi's mother had on her son before her death.

Faced with his seriously ill mother, Pei Zhi had no choice but to obey.

Lin Chaoxi didn't know what was going on in the intensive care unit of the hospital. She really hoped that Pei Zhi would just say something to her even if he wanted to complain.

But from beginning to end, Pei Zhi never said anything about his own situation.

"Yesterday, Lao Lin told me about my mother." Lin Zhaoxi thought for a moment and spoke slowly, "I now know that my mother gave birth to me out of necessity, and then she didn't want to raise me, so that's probably why she sent me to the orphanage."

As the conversation progressed, a noisy sound came from the other end of the phone. It must be a large number of visitors, bringing a lot of chaos.

It seemed that someone was calling Pei Zhi, and Pei Zhi was also greeting someone. He kept talking to other people, but he never hung up the phone.

Lin Chaoxi didn't know Pei Zhi's family, but now must be a troublesome time with many relatives gathering together.

She stood silently in the cold wind on the street, waiting for Pei Zhi to hang up the phone.

"I know that adults are not always right." Pei Zhi suddenly said, "But I am luckier than you. She has been with me for 16 years."

The phone was hung up, and the blank sound was long and distant.

The car driver suddenly honked the horn, and the shrill sound echoed through the sky, and Lin Chaoxi felt a little tinnitus.

She rubbed her ears, covered her mouth and nose, bent down, and began to cough violently.

"Do you want more sweet potatoes?" The vendor in front of her looked impatient.

"Yes." Lin Chaoxi said reluctantly.

"Four taels, five dollars for you."

Pay the money and we will give you the sweet potatoes.

Her palms felt hot and she peeled off the skin gently.

When she looked up again, the sunset in the sky was completely red, and Lin Chaoxi was in Lao Lin's office, the day she left the real world.

Even though only a short time has passed, it feels like half a lifetime.