Chapter 25

Try to find a way to get close to Lin Jin. [Revised]

The rented room, with no windows on any side, remained completely dark even in the early morning.

In the pitch-black room, a muffled cry of pain suddenly rang out.

Cheng Sangluo's biological clock is very punctual; she always wakes up before the alarm goes off.

She wakes up quickly, and habitually does a somersault to get dressed, fold the blankets, and make the bed—a military-style routine completed in one go.

However, she failed to get going and is now wincing as she supports her aching back, enduring the excruciating pain that is surging through her body.

She half-crawled, slowly getting up from the ground, her rapid breathing seemingly tinged with intense pain.

This dark and oppressive room had no bed, so when she rented the apartment, she also rented the attic as a living room.

After checking out yesterday, she took the cotton quilt from the attic to make a makeshift bed on the floor, but the mattress was too thin and didn't provide any comfort.

She didn't think too much about it. She was used to a hard life and just made do. But she never expected that she would be beaten up with sticks in 17th Port the day before yesterday, leaving her with hidden injuries. She had to lie on the ground all night, and her bones felt like they were broken. It was difficult for her to even turn over.

Cheng Sangluo was still enduring the pain when the sudden ringing of her cell phone distracted her.

She reached out and hooked her phone, hissing as she watched. On the shattered screen, names she hadn't contacted in a long time flickered.

When she saw the caller ID, she instantly snapped out of her distress, and even her swiping of the screen showed her anxiety.

Fortunately, the other party was patient enough not to let the ringing stop.

"Leader?" Cheng Sangluo answered the phone, subconsciously straightening her posture as if standing at attention, her tone of doubt filled with joy.

"Meet me at 10 a.m. at Xisen Park. Don't be late."

The woman on the other end of the line didn't say much, and her tone was rather cold. She briefly stated her points and then hung up.

Cheng Sangluo seemed unfazed by this attitude, grabbed the toiletries from the table, and hurriedly ran to the public area outside to tidy up.

She must have been meeting someone very important, because she specifically chose the floral shirt that Bai Mu had given her before leaving home.

Although being too casual might seem informal, this is the only outfit she can pull off.

With more than three hours to go before the meeting, Cheng Sangluo still left home early.

In a good mood, she stopped at the entrance of the grocery store and chatted with the landlord for a while before jogging away from the narrow alley.

The old city redevelopment area is most bustling in the early morning.

People going to work in nearby factories wear uniform work clothes and walk in twos and threes. The bus stops are also crowded with people going to work and school. So there are breakfast stalls along the street, offering a wide variety of breakfasts.

Cheng Sangluo stood in line in front of the steamed bun and mantou stall, watching the owner lift the lid of the steamer. The steam that rushed out carried the aroma of the buns, making her swallow hard.

She often comes here to buy steamed buns made with old dough, which are big and substantial. Buying six at a time can keep her full for two days, and the cost is no more than six yuan.

"Six steamed buns again today?" The proprietress already recognized Cheng Sangluo and was about to lift the lid of the pot.

Cheng Sangluo grinned and shook her head. "No, today I'll have two baskets of steamed buns, one with braised pork and one with fresh pork."

"Alright!" The proprietress deftly grabbed the tongs. "Two baskets of buns, 16 yuan."

Cheng Sangluo paid the money, took the steaming hot buns, brought them close to her nose to smell them, and sighed, "They smell so good!"

Perhaps because she was hungry, she couldn't resist picking up a piece and swallowing it whole.

"Hot, hot, hot... Ouch..." She exhaled through her gaping mouth, tasted the broth from the braised pork bun, and then laughed foolishly.

Happiness can be very simple; a steamed bun can satisfy even the poorest person.

Looking at the crowded bus stop, Cheng Sangluo mentally calculated how many transfers she would need to make to get to Xisen Park. After considering the cost, she scanned a shared bicycle.

She rode her shared bike into the early morning rush hour crowd, weaving through the non-motorized vehicle lanes, giving her the illusion of going to work.

The sun, not yet scorching, was comforting, and the cool morning breeze ruffled her bangs.

She would ring a bell from time to time, and turn left and right in places with sparse traffic, enjoying a rare sense of ease and comfort along the way.

It was just past eight o'clock when I parked the shared bike at the park entrance.

It was the time when the elderly came out to exercise, and after searching left and right, she finally found a relatively quiet resting chair.

Before the person she was to meet arrived, she divided the two bags of buns with different fillings equally, thinking she could give them to the other person to fill their stomach later.

She held her bag, somewhat reluctant to eat it, savoring every bite. After all, it was worth about eight steamed buns.

Cheng Sangluo chewed with her cheeks puffed out, admiring the greenery in the park while pondering why her boss had suddenly asked to meet with her, who had already retired.

Waiting time always feels long and can make people restless.

Fortunately, Cheng Sangluo has a background in military training. Not to mention a few hours, she can sit like a log for a whole day.

She wasn't bored at all; she was constantly thinking about many things, such as how to formulate the next plan, how to raise three million within a month, and how long the money she had saved from being released from prison plus the money she earned from Lin Jin could support her.

"Cheng Sangluo".

Suddenly, a resounding roll call came from behind. Cheng Sangluo instinctively stood up and hurriedly replied, "Here!"

A short while later, a hand patted her on the shoulder. "It's not like we're mustering troops, why are you so nervous?"

Wei Yun has a neat short haircut. Although he is not as tall as Cheng Sangluo, his height of 175 cm is already quite slender.

Cheng Sangluo turned around nervously, her expression a mixture of joy at not seeing each other for so long, which then turned into a choked sob.

She opened her arms and hugged the woman in front of her tightly, saying nothing, just burying her head, her face full of grievance and helplessness.

Infected by Cheng Sangluo's complex emotions, Wei Yun frowned slightly, suppressing the discomfort in his throat, and said, "I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit you."

"It's nothing...it's nothing..." Cheng Sangluo wiped her nose, sat back down in her chair, and handed over the cold buns. "I didn't know what to buy you, so have some buns."

"Thank you." Wei Yun smiled as he took the steamed buns and ate one after another.

She didn't care about how unseemly she ate; all she wanted was for the food to quickly fill the discomfort in her heart.

This unpleasant feeling didn't stem from the coldness making the taste worse, but from the fact that the once most skilled female special forces soldier in the company had been worn down by life and lost her edge.

Cheng Sangluo sized up Wei Yun's clothes. They weren't military uniforms, so he must have taken leave to visit family. She asked curiously, "How many days are you coming back for this trip? How are the leaders doing? Ah... I really miss the steamed buns made by the mess hall. They had thin skins, big fillings, and tasted so good."

“I have to rush back to the unit tomorrow. I knew you were out but I couldn’t get in touch with you. Yesterday afternoon I went to the prison…” Wei Yun explained the whole story, swallowing the word “prison”, “Anyway, I finally managed to get your phone number after a lot of trouble.”

Cheng Sangluo understood her caution perfectly well, and smiled, "What a pity, you have to go back so soon after we met."

“I spent quite a few days on this family visit leave. Oh, by the way, I have a gift for you.” As he spoke, Wei Yun took a document from his crossbody bag and handed it to Cheng Sangluo, explaining, “I was in the audience during the final trial that day, but I didn’t dare to meet you. Perhaps not seeing you was the best respect for you. You are the best and most proud soldier I’ve ever trained. You’ve won so many awards and brought a lot of honor to the company. Others may not know what kind of person you are, but I do. This document is the result of my secret investigation over the years, and I can finally give it to you.”

Holding the thick stack of documents, Cheng Sangluo felt an indescribable emotion that welled up in her eyes.

She moved her lips and fell silent, only able to keep stroking the edge of the document until a wet drop fell onto the smooth paper, splashing up tiny petals, one drop after another.

This man, who had endured all sorts of humiliation, never cried throughout the entire ordeal, but in front of his former leader, he was incredibly vulnerable.

Wei Yun stretched out his arm, hugged her tightly, and shook her, sternly commanding, "What are you crying for? Have you forgotten the team rules?"

Cheng Sangluo hastily wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, swallowed hard, and replied, "I bleed and sweat, but I don't shed tears."

"The sound is too soft, I can't hear it."

"We'll bleed and sweat, but we won't shed tears!"

"I can't hear you."

"We'll bleed and sweat, but we won't shed tears!"

Say it again.

Cheng Sangluo's neck veins bulged as she hysterically repeated, "Blood and sweat, but no tears!"

"Very good, I'll give you half a minute to compose yourself." Wei Yun nodded in satisfaction. Once Cheng Sangluo had calmed down, he officially began the topic of their meeting: "My abilities are limited. I can't investigate many things while I'm in the team, and it's inconvenient for me to show up. In the past few years, I've been using my family visit leave to do some research."

I found out that the witness who recanted his testimony disappeared shortly after the trial ended. I couldn't find him anywhere; he seemed to have vanished into thin air.

If he is still alive, he is a crucial clue for overturning the case; if he is dead, the chain of evidence will be broken.

Why don't you investigate the Lin Group? You might find more clues. The current CEO of the Lin Group, Lin Sheng, and the owner of the Senyao Group, Lin Jin, are siblings, and their relationship has always been strained.

Although your case does not directly point to Lin Sheng, Xu Songheng has a close relationship with him and can be considered his henchman.

Back then, Xu Songheng wasn't a company boss yet. Your case was difficult to win because of the people behind him. Think carefully about who you met on the night of the incident, and don't miss any details of what happened.

I've tried many ways to find out the truth, but I always feel like there's a wall blocking my way. Perhaps Lin Jin is one of your few breakthroughs. Try to get close to her; you might get unexpected results. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my ally.

After listening to Wei Yun's analysis, Cheng Sangluo nodded knowingly, but she did not tell her former leader that she had already established a relationship with Lin Jin.

Fortunately, another highly capable soldier suggested the same method in the same matter. This coincidence in judgment is enough to show that Cheng Sangluo's investigation these days has not gone astray.

Cheng Sangluo held the documents in her hand, her head hanging low with a sad expression. "Thank you for your thoughtfulness. So many years have passed, and I never thought that anyone would remember me or help me."

The term "labor camp inmate" is now firmly attached to me; I can't even remember what I looked like in military uniform.

In my memory, I was wearing prison clothes; in my memory, the person who shouted "Cheng Sangluo" was a guard; in my memory, the high walls were not a military camp, but a cold, impersonal prison.

I tried to hypnotize myself into believing that I could make the most of my time in prison, so I folded everyone's blankets in the cell into neat squares. I actively participated in the labor reform performance and always strived to be the best in everything I did.

My fellow inmates laughed at me, saying I was crazy, that I'd lost my mind and wanted to join the army. But little did they know, I've always been like this; it's just that I'm in a different place now. I'm still going to work hard and live my life to the fullest.

But the world doesn't accept me. All the honors I once won have become ironic. My family thinks I've disgraced the family, and society won't give me a place to stay. I can't even find a decent job, and I can't even solve my basic food and clothing problems.

No one knew how outstanding Cheng Sangluo had been as a soldier; all they knew was that she had committed intentional assault and was a convict to be avoided at all costs.

Cheng Sangluo looked at Wei Yun. She had been trying very hard to suppress her urge to cry, so much so that by the end her voice was trembling with sobs.

She had never vented her inner turmoil like this before; she was always used to suppressing her feelings.

But once those words were spoken, the true emotions buried deep in my heart burst forth uncontrollably: resentment, unwillingness, and despair.

Wei Yun wrinkled her nose. She didn't know what else she could do for Cheng Sangluo, so she could only give her a sincere hug.

She hugged the person with the deeply hunched neck tightly, gently stroking the slumped shoulders, wishing she could help this gloomy person regain the pride they had lost, even if it was just a tiny bit.

The atmosphere remained silent for a long, long time. Wei Yun took a deep breath and slowly let out a sigh of bitterness.

She pulled a business card she had prepared beforehand from her pocket and handed it to Cheng Sangluo. "If you really can't find a job, go to this auto repair shop. It's run by an old soldier from my old unit. I've already spoken to him. You're good at everything, smart and willing to learn. Auto repair is tiring, but it pays quite well."

Cheng Sangluo accepted the business card with both hands, her lips trembling slightly, unsure of what to say in gratitude.

Wei Yun patted her back and said, "Straighten your back. You've overcome countless hardships, so what's one more enemy to be brought down or an unfair case to be overturned?"

The sudden visit of the company commander was like a spring breeze, dispelling the gloom that had accumulated in Cheng Sangluo, and like a ray of light in the darkness, illuminating her difficult path ahead.

The two sat in the park and chatted for a long, long time until they parted ways in the afternoon.

Before leaving, Wei Yun suddenly called out to Cheng Sangluo and specifically instructed her: "The result is certainly important, but we can't rush things. Only by taking steady steps can we accumulate strength and achieve great things. I'm waiting for your good news."

Cheng Sangluo turned around and stared blankly at her, then suddenly stopped and stomped hard on the ground.

She quickly straightened her uniform, stood tall, gave a standard military salute, and replied firmly, "Understood!"

[Author's Note]

My upcoming novel, "The Lover Who Judges Crimes" [Criminal Investigation], is available for pre-order. Please add it to your favorites! I'll add 10,000 words to the chapters when it reaches 800 favorites. Let's all work together!