Chapter 76 The disaster struck unexpectedly...
After spending the whole Sunday playing and enjoying delicious food at the Hongqiao No. 1 branch, the young cadre was full of energy when he went to work on Monday.
Every year-end, the building of the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Criminal Investigation Team is shrouded in gloom, as the annual crackdown campaign at the end of September and beginning of October begins again.
This year, Team Three escaped the crackdown, so Team One had to take over. Meanwhile, Tian Yongfeng and Xiao Min from Team Two received assignments to provide technical support in rural areas and were to head to Lanhe Township to make their mark.
Shen Zhenzhu thought she would be greeted by resentful colleagues today, but as soon as she reached the intersection, she saw Ma Suo and Sister Wang and others patrolling and on duty.
Upon seeing the beloved little seedling, Officer Ma's eyes nearly disappeared with a smile: "Your uniforms are crisp, neat, and clean; our Tie Si Police Station is full of talented people. This morning, several reporters interviewed me, and it's all thanks to you that our Tie Si Police Station made it into the newspaper."
Before Chen Zhenzhu could figure out what was going on, Sister Wang pulled her to the side of the road, pressed down her collar and stretched her hem: "Hurry up and wait in the yard. We can't go in, so we'll watch over you from outside."
"Huh?" Shen Zhenzhu was pushed by her towards the Criminal Investigation Team compound. When she got to the door, she saw that Director Liu and other leaders were already standing there.
"Are there more people from the provincial department coming down to guide our work?" Shen Zhenzhu thought she had gotten away with it and quietly asked Wu Zhongguo, "Nobody told me to come early."
"Your timing is perfect. Come over here and let me put some lipstick on you." Zhang Jie squeezed through the crowd to Chen Zhenzhu's side and said with a beaming smile, "When we take your picture later, remember not to grin like an idiot with your big teeth showing. Keep it to yourself. Otherwise, it won't look dignified if it appears in the National People's Public Security Daily."
Shen Zhenzhu said softly, "Didn't we agree not to publicize the case of the dismembered corpse? The people have finally finished discussing it, and if it's published in the newspapers, it will cause social panic again."
"Old Shen, come with me for a second." Seeing her bewildered expression, Gu Yanzheng walked over to Zhang Jie and called out to Shen Zhenzhu.
Shen Zhenzhu squeezed through the crowd with him and felt the enthusiastic and excited faces of her colleagues. It was no exaggeration; they were all very friendly to her.
"The convoy from the provincial department to deliver the 'First-Class Merit' award is about to arrive. Director Tu and other provincial department leaders will come over to take photos with you and express their appreciation. There is also a 'First-Class Merit' plaque, which will be delivered to your home later with the celebration procession. I have already spoken with your sixth sister and your younger sister, and they are already at home making preparations."
"'First-Class Merit'!! It really got approved?!" Shen Zhenzhu felt like she was dreaming. She was already excited to be eligible to apply for the 'First-Class Merit', but she really didn't expect that the 'First-Class Merit' would actually fall on her head!
Such a feat left her dizzy with shock. Zhang Jie dragged her aside, applied lipstick, wiped her face, and drew two curved eyebrows on her before she came to her senses.
The convoy accompanying the provincial department's award presentation included leaders from the provincial and municipal departments, as well as government officials such as the mayor and district head of Liancheng.
Surrounded by people, Shen Zhenzhu had a huge red flower pinned to her chest and a red ribbon with gold trim slung across her face. She was as happy as a flower.
Director Tu accompanied the director to award the first-class merit hero commendation. During the pre-arranged commendation ceremony, Shen Zhenzhu felt that she could hear her own heartbeat, completely drowning out the sound of the band playing gongs and drums.
So this is the surprise Zheng Ge was talking about! No wonder Sixth Sister and Taro Ball saw her laughing and urging her to go out this morning.
Shen Zhenzhu stood on the specially built stage for her, flanked by the unapproachable provincial leaders, while the police band and a sea of heads below applauded for her.
Even though it was a sunny day, you could still see countless brief white flashes from the reporters' cameras below the stage.
After shaking hands with each of the leaders, Chen Zhenzhu didn't need to speak but instead acted like a life-size cardboard cutout, constantly taking photos with everyone.
"We were originally going to commend you at the provincial department, but we heard that you've been in contact with criminals again for a new case, which is truly commendable. When the provincial department's internal publication is released this week, it will definitely praise your noble spirit of fighting against criminals with courage and wit without fear of danger."
Compared to other provincial leaders, Director Tu was more familiar with Shen Zhenzhu. Knowing that junior officials might make mistakes when on stage, he simply squeezed out Deputy Directors Zhang and Li and stood next to her. His usually stern face was full of satisfaction, which stunned the people below, who thought that Director Tu had been replaced.
"Come, come, this is Mayor Guo, let's take a group photo." Director Liu led Shen Zhenzhu to take a photo with Mayor Guo. Mayor Guo showed great veteran demeanor, praising Shen Zhenzhu highly and giving face to the provincial department and the municipal bureau.
After the lively event concluded, the provincial department director personally presented the "First-Class Merit" medal and then warmly told Shen Zhenzhu that a province-wide campaign to "Learn from Comrade Shen Zhenzhu" would be launched to promote spiritual civilization.
This time, Shen Zhenzhu didn't need to see the provincial leaders off; instead, they watched her walk home.
With a heavy red flower and sash hanging on her chest, a prize in her left hand and a property certificate in her right, Shen Zhenzhu walked down the road with an air of grandeur and pride amidst the drums and gongs of the celebratory procession.
The people who couldn't get into the criminal investigation team to watch the commendation ceremony moved forward with the crowd, with the police officers maintaining order.
Standing before the plaque recognizing her as a "First-Class Hero," Shen Zhenzhu blushed and walked home, surrounded by hundreds of people.
Along the roadside, many familiar and unfamiliar faces clapped and congratulated each other. Many people inquired about how this young policewoman had been awarded a first-class merit. After asking around, they found out from somewhere that she had saved the lives of twenty or thirty people and had almost sacrificed herself heroically. One by one, they looked at her with even more respect.
It's said that the "First-Class Merit" is rare; it's usually received by a family member on one's behalf or while lying in a hospital bed. It's truly rare to see someone who can walk home with all four limbs intact. The presence of a living "First-Class Merit" recipient brought a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere to the team, reducing much of the heaviness and sorrow.
As Shen Zhenzhu passed by the commercial street of Tiesi New Second Village, she saw Uncle Lu climbing a tree to take pictures of her as she walked towards him, which made her feel both touched and amused.
It was breakfast time at Sixth Sister's Restaurant, but today was different. Shen Liuhe had been thoroughly groomed by Yuan Jiangxue and was now standing properly at the shop entrance. She wasn't much better off than Shen Zhenzhu; if it weren't for Shen Yuyuan supporting her, she would have fainted from happiness too.
Even so, it feels like a dream. The little girl who went to the kitchen to steal a sandwich before going to bed last night has become a people's hero and a role model for the police.
Shen Liuhe received a call from Gu Yanzheng last night and tossed and turned, unable to get enough sleep. Both her workplace and home gave Shen Zhenzhu a huge surprise, so much so that the congratulations and applause from all sides left her somewhat bewildered.
A lively atmosphere filled the air as the milk tea counter offered free gifts to the villagers. Television reporters, carrying cameras and microphones, squeezed through the crowd, hoping to interview Chen Zhenzhu.
The neighborhood committee staff also came to help maintain order. They followed Shen Zhenzhu back to her rented house, hung up a plaque that read "First-Class Hero," and took photos to congratulate her.
The whole process took from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. During the ordeal, Shen Yuyuan stuffed two hard-boiled eggs into Chen Zhenzhu's hand. The atmosphere only eased a bit after the police band left.
With the front door closed, the four close team members, along with Uncle Lu and Yuan Jiangxue, gathered around the plaque, examining it closely and touching the material of the large red flower and the gold trim of the ribbon.
Shen Zhenzhu beamed with joy as she presented a property certificate to Shen Liuhe, exclaiming happily, "Mom! The provincial government has awarded me 5,000 yuan and a house!"
Seeing that only her own people were left in the room, Shen Liuhe wiped away her tears and said, "I just found out that I almost got your compensation! It turns out that you were almost blown up in the hospital that time. If that had happened, you wouldn't even have been able to find your whole body."
Shen Zhenzhu knew that Shen Liuhe was scared for her, and this time she couldn't hold it in anymore and showed it. She hugged Shen Liuhe and patted her back, saying, "Brother Zheng has been with me the whole time. He said nothing would happen. Even if you don't believe me, you have to believe him."
Shen Liuhe wiped away her tears and said, "I trust my feelings. Anyway, there can't be a next time."
She has no grand ambitions in this life. She would be happy as long as her two daughters have enough to eat and drink and a place to stay permanently. As long as her children grow up healthy and safe, even if they are just ordinary little girls, they will still be her precious darlings.
But her precious treasure wasn't just hers; it had also become a coveted treasure by its own merits, leaving her both shocked and heartbroken.
Every time I see Chen Zhenzhu coming home from work, even if she doesn't say anything, I know she's worked very hard. Criminal police officers are different from regular police officers; they deal with vicious criminals. It's truly remarkable that a young girl like her has come this far.
Shen Liuhe felt sorry for her daughter for a long time before realizing that she owned a house.
Shen Yuyuan's voice was hoarse with excitement, and she still had the plastic bag she'd left over from distributing fruit candies in her pocket. She opened the property certificate, saw the address inside, and exclaimed excitedly, "Is it really for my eldest sister? Do we really have our own home now?"
Shen Zhenzhu lovingly stroked the property certificate, and was overjoyed to see that it stated the house had three bedrooms and two living rooms with a building area of 115 square meters.
“You could have converted it into cash, but I took the initiative to choose a house for you.” Gu Yanzheng sat on the sofa, peeled an orange for Chen Zhenzhu to moisten her throat, and said, “I think you need this more.”
Gu Yanzheng's family has a real estate business and can predict future real estate trends. By combining these factors, he helped Shen Zhenzhu get a welfare housing unit.
“You’re right, I really want a house! Brother Zheng understands me!” When Shen Zhenzhu saw that it was a mid-to-high-end community, a house that was given away for free without a loan and that would appreciate in value in the future, she couldn’t help but say with joy, “Brother Zheng, you have such good taste! I’m so happy!”
Hearing that Shen Zhenzhu liked it, Gu Yanzheng felt relieved. Otherwise, he would have preferred to give her the cash himself to avoid upsetting her.
The new residential complex took into account Shen Zhenzhu's work and Liu Jie's restaurant needs, and also considered that if she gets married and has children in the future, she will need school districts and hospitals, so the location is excellent.
Shen Zhenzhu often patrols the police station and knows that this welfare housing is also within the Tie Si area. However, the green environment and humanistic needs can be met, and the market price is relatively high. Holding the property certificate, she is even more excited and happy.
Today was such a happy day.
The excitement lasted for over half a month. One man's success brought honor to his entire family; the Tie Si police station shone brightly because of its "first-class meritorious official." According to Ma, the Tie Si police station had become a place of great fortune, and next year would certainly be bustling with visitors.
Shen Zhenzhu, wearing a big red flower, stood in front of the "First-Class Hero" plaque and took a group photo with various leaders and officials. Her heroic deeds were featured in major newspapers in the province, and her heroic deeds became one of the things her colleagues on the public security front should learn from.
The school's teachers, students, and social organizations, who were familiar with Shen Zhenzhu's deeds, sent her a sea of flowers. Shen Zhenzhu was filial, so she sent half of the flowers to Director Liu's office and the other half to the Tiesi Police Station.
The crystal vase on the table still held the beautiful bouquet that Gu Yanzheng had ordered from the florist, hoping to dazzle the junior cadres every day.
"Shouldn't you change the water for the goldfish?" After admiring the flowers, Chen Zhenzhu went to the window and saw a bucket of tap water that had been left to sit in the sun. She turned around and saw that Wu Zhongguo's seat was still empty. "Uncle Wu, why are you late today?"
Lu Ye, leaning back in his chair, slurped up Li Lili's signature beef noodles and asked, "Did he accompany Xiao Chuan to the provincial capital for the provincial football tournament?"
"What are you talking about? They won the provincial runner-up title last month and also got the title of seeded defender. I saw them go to Sixth Sister's place to celebrate with their own eyes."
Recalling the spirited and youthful high school students who won the provincial runner-up title, Chen Zhenzhu smiled and said with her dimples, "Xiao Chuan played really well. I heard that a team contacted him to train him as a football player."
As they were talking, Zhou Chuanxi walked in carrying a large bag of old-fashioned popcorn and placed it on Wu Zhongguo's seat: "I bought this for Xiao Chuan. This brand puts in a lot of saccharin."
Shen Zhenzhu smiled and helped Wu Zhongguo change the water for the red-tailed goldfish. For two years, she had been secretly watering the goldfish with its droppings into the golden gladiolus.
The Gladiolus 'Aureomarginata' has grown so large that it's overflowing its pot, and Chen Zhenzhu feels she deserves a lot of credit for it, hehe.
This morning I helped a team go through some old files and also fantasized about how to decorate their new home.
"The government won't let meritorious individuals rent houses. Tell me how you want to decorate this three-bedroom apartment. My company has a decoration team that will use new environmentally friendly materials for you. You'll get a discount on the decoration fee. It's definitely more reliable than those random decoration companies that have popped up on the market."
Gu Yanzheng's words were always true to his word, which made Shen Zhenzhu feel both at ease and touched. Shen Zhenzhu was so pleased that she kept praising her brother Zheng for being handsome, kind-hearted, and considerate to his subordinates.
Gu Yanzheng watched as the heartless girl praised him with her sweet words, and he secretly planned to renovate her house in one go.
"It's already eleven o'clock, why isn't Uncle Wu here yet?" Gu Yanzheng knew that Wu Zhongguo was always the first to arrive every day, so he said to Shen Zhenzhu, "Old Shen, give him a call and ask."
"Okay." Just as Shen Zhenzhu was about to pick up the phone, she received a call from Wu Zhongguo in her office.
When Shen Zhenzhu saw Lu Ye's expression suddenly darken as he held the microphone, she quickly went over and pressed her ear to listen.
"Fire! One and a half buildings burned down... Oh, how could this happen?" Lu Ye pressed the speakerphone, and Wu Zhongguo's exhausted voice came through the phone: "Our family is lucky, it didn't burn completely down..."
"Is he alright?" Shen Zhenzhu asked hurriedly, her face full of worry.
"It's alright, it's alright. I can't go to work today or tomorrow, so please ask for a personal leave for me," Wu Zhongguo said in a hoarse voice.
Gu Yanzheng walked over and said, "We've come over to see you. Is there anything you need?"
Wu Zhongguo didn't have time for formalities on the other end of the phone: "Bring some water and food, and also bring my spare clothes. More than 300 households here have been affected."
After hanging up the phone, Gu Yanzheng saw that everyone was very concerned about Wu Zhongguo's situation, so he called Shen Zhenzhu and said, "I'll go with you to take a look. Lu Ye, you keep watch here."
Lu Ye wailed, "Boss, why don't I go with you? I can help out."
Shen Zhenzhu pinched his arm: "I can help too!" With that, she packed up her slacking-off partner's things, glared at Lu Ye, and hurriedly left.
After they left, Director Liu came from his office carrying canned peaches that the cannery had given to the meritorious service recipients. He called out warmly at the office door, "Where's Xiao Shen? Want some canned peaches?"
The leader openly fed them, and no one dared to question it. However, Lu Ye spoke up, saying, "Uncle Wu's house is on fire, and half of it is burned down."
Director Liu said regretfully, "This is terrible. Old Wu is such a stingy man; his wife and children are his lifeblood. What kind of person is he?"
"No one is hurt, but there was likely property damage." Zhou Chuanxi pointed to the National Security Insurance, which was heavily advertised in the newspaper, and said, "I don't know if they bought insurance or not. If they had, it would have reduced the losses considerably."
Director Liu took the newspaper: "Let me see..."
The Cherokee bypassed the unreasonable little motorcycle in the middle of the parking lot and drove out of the city police criminal investigation team.
Chen Zhenzhu sat in the passenger seat, gripping the seatbelt tightly, extremely worried.
Passing by a convenience store, Gu Yanzheng parked his Cherokee on the side of the road. Chen Zhenzhu ran over and bought several cases of bottled water and ham sausages and bread. When paying, Gu Yanzheng tossed out his wallet.
The junior cadre has learned to spend the leader's money without batting an eye. He skillfully pulls out the large bills, buys the items, has the leader put them in the trunk, takes the receipts and change and puts them in his wallet, then goes back to the car and puts them in the glove compartment.
Fuanli Old Street has no clearly defined residential area boundaries. There are two adjacent eight-story tenement buildings along the narrow road, with twenty households on each floor, making it very densely packed.
"It used to be a house allocated by the textile factory. Aunt Wu took over her father's job in the textile workshop before she got married and lived here. She let her parents live in the house allocated by our bureau, where the conditions are better than here." Gu Yanzheng parked the car and smelled the pungent smell in the air.
Shen Zhenzhu waved her hand at the air in front of her, feeling a layer of choking ash still floating in it. Of the two tenement buildings, the one on the south side was completely destroyed, its collapsed roof planks leaning against the ruins, blackened all over.
The building to the north is still standing, but half of it is charred black, and all the residents inside have been evacuated.
The sudden fire was extinguished by firefighters, with occasional sparks still exploding on the fallen door panels.
The cracked water pipe emitted white steam in the scalding environment, which, along with the acrid smell of burning cotton and clothing, could stick to the throat when inhaled.
The scene has been cordoned off, but some fearless individuals are still searching for their belongings in the rubble. More people have gathered in the street, some slumped on the ground in shock, others weeping and wailing; there are also injured people, and others arguing...
When Shen Zhenzhu saw a child sitting on the ground being embraced by his mother, the soles of their shoes were burned to black ash. The mother and child could no longer cry and stared blankly at their former home that had become ruins.
"Daddy...I want Daddy..." The three- or four-year-old child sobbed, calling out for his father who hadn't yet come out of his mother's arms. The sheet metal opposite them rattled in the wind, constantly peeling off pieces of its charred paint.
Gu Yanzheng took out bottled water from the trunk, and immediately a number of disaster victims gathered around the car. Shen Zhenzhu handed two bottles of water to the mother and son, and after searching around the scene, finally found Wu Zhongguo's family.
Uncle Wu, who was usually clean and presentable, was now in a sorry state. He grabbed an old man who was holding a deformed biscuit box and trying to rush into the ruins, and said in a hoarse voice: "Don't go, listen to the firefighters, there is still danger inside!"
Upon seeing Shen Zhenzhu arrive, he pointed to the roadside, where Shen Zhenzhu saw a middle-aged woman bandaging a young girl's arm.
Shen Zhenzhu handed her bread and bottled water: "Aunt Wu? I'm Uncle Wu's colleague, my surname is Shen. I came with Captain Gu to check on Uncle Wu and you, are you alright?"
Aunt Wu's hair, which was styled in a bun, was partially singed. She gently patted Chen Zhenzhu's hand and said gratefully, "Thank you for coming. We're alright. The firefighters arrived shortly after the fire reached our building. Thankfully, the building didn't collapse."
Seeing that she was dressed thinly and that the fire scene hadn't been cleared yet, Uncle Wu wouldn't let her go home to get clothes. Shen Zhenzhu draped Uncle Wu's police coat over her shoulders. At that moment, words seemed inadequate. Shen Zhenzhu and she looked at their former home together, unable to utter a single word.
There are always brave people at the ruins, hunching over and searching through the rubble. In front of Chen Zhenzhu was a middle-aged man with fire tongs, who looked about the same age as Wu Zhongguo. He picked up the wood chips and found some slightly burned clothes. Without caring whose clothes they were, he handed them to the children waiting outside.
Among the ruins were expensive household appliances, such as a brand-new Toshiba television set that someone had bought, now only the outer metal casing and a spider web-like screen remained.
Shen Zhenzhu walked to the edge of the ruins and saw the photo album at her feet curled up in the charred world, the smiling faces of her family licked away by the flames.
At the disaster site, everyone was heavy-hearted. This sudden fire will undoubtedly tear countless families apart, leaving wives and children separated and homeless.
People were crying from all directions, regardless of age or gender. Some were being pulled towards the ruins, searching for their lost family members. Others lay limp on the ground, unconscious.
Gu Yanzheng walked over to Wu Zhongguo and comforted him, "Thankfully, he's alright."
Wu Zhongguo helped the old man into the ambulance, wiped the cold sweat from his brow, and said wearily, "We're lucky to be alive. Xiao Chuan got up in the middle of the night and noticed a smell, which woke up everyone in the building to evacuate. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
“If you don’t have accommodations arranged, I can prepare some for you.” Gu Yanzheng patted Wu Zhongguo on the shoulder and said, “Don’t worry, the people in Team Four are your support.”
Wu Zhongguo lowered his head and shook it, looking at the liberation shoes with his toes sticking out, and said, "It's a pity that there are still a few grass flowers and plants at home. The third-class merit awards I received at work over the years have all been burned. There was really no time to save them. In the face of human life, everything else is meaningless."
Shen Zhenzhu walked over, remaining silent and heavy-hearted. Seeing her gazing sadly at the ruins, Wu Zhongguo couldn't help but say, "Why are you more distressed than I was when I burned down my house?"
Shen Zhenzhu touched her chest, her expression genuine: "It's painful to see."
Wu Zhongguo gave her a deep look, sighed, and said, "It's just one of those times in my life. Once you get through it, everything will be alright."
To prevent the fire from reigniting, firefighters, fully equipped, inspected the fire scene for potential hazards in front of the public.
Chen Zhenzhu looked around for a while but didn't see Xiao Chuan: "Where's your son?"
Wu Zhongguo pointed to the south building and said, "He was with Xiao Kai. Xiao Kai's house was burned down, and his parents didn't come out."
"Those who should have come out aren't, while those who shouldn't have are! What kind of world is this? It's so pitiful." A voice behind him said indignantly, "Such a good couple didn't get out, but his uncle, who was in jail, managed to escape while drunk. Heaven has no eyes!"
Shen Zhenzhu had heard a little about Xiao Kai's family, and she didn't want to discuss the fire victims with others at this moment, as that would undoubtedly hurt them a second time.
"A full 160 households! All the people from the old textile factory are here!" Suddenly, someone behind Shen Zhenzhu let out a wail, which was shocking and brought with it a series of sobs.
Just as everyone was sighing, a firefighter suddenly shouted, "Evacuate! A gas cylinder is about to explode!! Everyone evacuate!"
Shen Zhenzhu and Gu Yanzheng helped Wu Zhongguo run across the road. Just then, Aunt Wu's voice came from not far away. She cried out in despair, "Xiao Chuan! Xiao Chuan just ran in!"
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Author's Note: Pearl: [Hands clasped in prayer][ ...]
Wishing all the babies peace and safety.
***
There's a red envelope coming up. See you tomorrow.
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