Chapter 105 A chance encounter leads to the police station, tomorrow morning…
Mingxi had a great time eating hot pot the night before, but her fate the next day was quite tragic.
She ate too much mutton, and when she woke up in the morning, she had a nosebleed from a fever, and two large blisters appeared on the corners of her mouth.
Zhao Sulan rummaged through the dried chrysanthemums at home and brewed a cup of chrysanthemum tea for Mingxi: "I told you last night to drink more herbal tea, but you refused because you thought it was too bitter. Sure enough, you're getting a sore throat today, aren't you?"
Mingxi wrinkled her nose, looking disgusted.
There was a head chef in the cafeteria who came from Guangdong. Although it was unclear how a Cantonese person could have traveled all the way to settle down in Beicheng, that didn't stop Zhao Sulan from learning his skills. While working as an assistant, Zhao Sulan secretly learned a lot of his cooking techniques, even his method of brewing herbal tea.
She heard that herbal tea is good for clearing heat, reducing internal fire, removing dampness, and promoting body fluid production. It's said to be incredibly effective for colds or sore throats. So she specially brewed a pot and served it to everyone last night.
However, Mingxi couldn't stand this stuff. She only took a small sip, and her face scrunched up, her eyebrows furrowed together, looking like a knotted pretzel. She refused to touch that stuff again.
The other people at the table accepted it well; although they also thought the herbal tea tasted a bit strange, it wasn't unpalatable.
So, when a group of people eat together, only Mingxi gets a sore throat or fever when she wakes up in the morning.
However, for Mingxi, she would rather have a sore throat than taste the herbal tea.
Now, just thinking about the taste of herbal tea makes her frown and say with a look of disgust, "Please leave me alone, I really can't stand herbal tea."
That stuff was both sweet and bitter, not purely sweet nor purely bitter. It was sweet with a hint of bitterness, and bitter with a touch of cloying sweetness, which was really strange to Mingxi.
Zhao Sulan lifted Mingxi's head and stuffed a towel into Mingxi's nose: "Well, there's nothing we can do. If you can't drink herbal tea, then drink chrysanthemum tea. It's good for clearing heat."
Mingxi obediently held the teacup and said "Oh".
After tilting her head back and waiting for a while until the nosebleed stopped, Mingxi let go of her hand. At this moment, she glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and immediately jumped up: "Oh dear, it's getting late. I still have to take Bailing to a matchmaker today. No, Mom, I'm in no time. I have to go now."
As she spoke, she hurriedly grabbed her bag and prepared to leave.
Zhao Sulan: "Hey, drink some chrysanthemum tea before you leave, it's good for cooling down."
"It's too late, let's talk about it when we get back."
Mingxi rushed out the door in a flurry.
Mingxi had been rushing all the way, but she finally arrived at the place. It was still more than ten minutes before the appointed time. As the matchmaker, it wouldn't be a problem for her to arrive a little early and wait a while. If she were just checking the time, both the man and woman she was meeting would already be there, and it would be really inconvenient for them to wait for her.
However, Mingxi didn't have to wait long before Cong Kai arrived. He was wearing a blue V-neck sweater vest over a light blue long-sleeved shirt, and silver-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, looking every bit the cultured man.
Cong Kai walked over and greeted Ming Xi: "Comrade Ming, I'm sorry I'm late."
Mingxi waved her hand: "No, no, it's not time yet. I came early. Bailing hasn't arrived yet."
"I see." Cong Kai nodded, letting out a sigh of relief.
As soon as he woke up this morning, his mother and older sister made him change clothes in turns. He changed into four or five outfits, but his older sister wasn't satisfied with any of them, saying he was dressed too plainly and what if Bai Ling (his wife) wouldn't like him? In the end, he was put back into the outfit he had put together himself that morning. Not only were his clothes changed, but his older sister also made him pose for a hairstyle before letting him leave the house.
Cong Kai wasn't particularly nervous at first, but his older sister and mother's antics made him quite anxious.
Seeing Mingxi now, she was still worried and asked anxiously, "Comrade Ming, what do you think of my outfit today? Is there anything wrong with it?"
Mingxi glanced at Cong Kai from head to toe without saying a word. Cong Kai nervously licked his lower lip, clenched his fists so tightly his fingertips turned white: "Is there a problem?"
Mingxi shook her head: "No, you look quite energetic dressed like this."
"call--"
Cong Kai let out a long breath.
Mingxi and Cong Kai were talking when they didn’t notice a tall, thin man with shifty eyes sneaking up behind them.
Seeing Cong Kai's expression, Ming Xi chuckled and teased, "What's wrong? Nervous?"
Cong Kai blinked sheepishly, "A little."
Mingxi: "Don't be nervous. Comrade Bai Ling is very easy to get along with. You'll see when you meet her. She has a very good personality."
Cong Kai pursed his lips, trying to explain that his nervousness wasn't because he was worried Bai Ling would be difficult to get along with, but because he was worried that Bai Ling wouldn't like him.
His mother and older sister were satisfied with Bai Ling's information, satisfied with Bai Ling's photos, and even more satisfied with Bai Ling's family situation.
His mother adored Bai Ling and declared that if he didn't bring Bai Ling home to be her daughter-in-law, she wouldn't accept him as her biological son.
Faced with this situation, how could Cong Kai not be nervous?
Mingxi didn't know what Cong Kai was thinking, but she figured that once Bai Ling arrived and Cong Kai met her, he would know what kind of person she was, so she wasn't in a hurry.
She glanced at her watch; it was almost time for the appointment, and Bai Ling should be arriving soon.
She craned her neck and looked towards the street corner, just in time to see Bai Ling turning the corner. She raised her hand and waved in Bai Ling's direction, calling out, "Bai Ling!"
Bai Ling paused, looked in the direction of the sound, and quickly spotted Ming Xi and Cong Kai. Her expression changed immediately, and she sprinted towards Ming Xi.
Mingxi was about to say there was no rush and to take it slow when she heard Bai Ling shout angrily, "Thief! Catch the thief!"
Mingxi subconsciously turned around and saw a shifty-eyed man pressed close to Cong Kai's body, pulling a wallet out of Cong Kai's pants pocket.
Mingxi immediately realized that this was a thief.
The thief realized he had been discovered and quickly stuffed the wallet into his pocket. Then, he raised his right hand, twirled the knife between his fingers, glared fiercely at Mingxi, and threatened, "Mind your own business!"
After saying that, he slipped on his feet and turned to run away.
Mingxi couldn't just let him get away, so she quickly tripped him with her leg. The thief, caught off guard, almost fell flat on his face, but he managed to stay upright and turned to glare fiercely at Mingxi. He hadn't expected that even after threatening her, she would still dare to meddle.
"Damn, you little wench are pretty unruly, you're asking for it..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mingxi kicked him in the crotch area.
"hiss--"
Even Cong Kai, who is also gay, couldn't help but gasp.
Not to mention the thief himself who was kicked, who let out a howl, clutched his groin, and jumped three feet high on the spot.
"Damn it! Damn it, you bitch, how dare you... how dare you lay a hand on me, you believe I'll..."
The thief bared his teeth, his eyes gleaming with malice, as if he wanted to attack Mingxi at any moment.
Before he could make a move, Bai Ling rushed up, kicked him to the ground, and then quickly stepped forward, twisted his arms behind his back, and handcuffed him.
"Damn, you're a cop!"
The thief belatedly realized what was happening. He stared wide-eyed, his gaze shifting between Bai Ling and Ming Xi. He thought to himself, "Damn it, these police are too ruthless. They actually set up a sting operation. It's a pity that a simple thief like me was tricked like this."
Yes, the thief thought that Ming Xi and Cong Kai were both police officers, just like Bai Ling, and that their presence just now was a sting operation.
It's fortunate that Mingxi doesn't know what the other person is thinking, otherwise she would definitely admire the other person's wild imagination.
He's just a petty thief, and he didn't commit any major crimes. Why would the police need to use entrapment tactics?
Bai Ling handcuffed the thief, grabbed him by the collar, and stood up: "You little brat, you've got some nerve, daring to steal from your grandma?"
"Oh my goodness, I never expected you to be a police officer! If you had told me you were a police officer earlier, I definitely wouldn't have dared to lay a hand on you," the thief said with a fawning smile, clasping his hands together.
Bai Ling rolled her eyes: "You dare not target the police, so you dare to steal from ordinary people? Stealing is illegal, and you can't steal from anyone!"
"I know, I know, Grandma, you're right. I've learned my lesson this time, and I definitely won't make the same mistake again. Um, could you please forgive me this time since it's my first offense? I promise there won't be a next time."
First offense?
Oh.
Not only did Bai Ling not believe this, but even Ming Xi didn't believe it.
Judging from the person's practiced movements, experienced methods, and lack of panic after being discovered, and even the way they dared to threaten people, it's clear that this wasn't their first offense.
Bai Ling rolled her eyes: "First offense, first offense in a dream, I suppose."
"Grandma, please don't disbelieve me. This is really my first offense. Please, I'm begging you, have some mercy and let me go this time. If you forgive me, I promise I'll treat you like my benefactor. Or how about this, I'll recognize you as my godmother, and I'll treat you to all my holidays and festivals..."
"Alright!" Bai Ling interrupted the other party: "Don't try to talk back to me, it won't do any good. It's impossible for me to let you go. You just squat there quietly and come with me to the police station to make a statement in a little while."
Seeing Bai Ling's posture, the thief knew he couldn't escape today and would definitely have to go to the police station, so he stopped talking and obediently squatted down to the side.
Having silenced the thief, Bai Ling turned to look at Ming Xi and Cong Kai.
As if she had just remembered that she was there for a matchmaking event, Bai Ling suddenly became embarrassed. Two red blushes spread across her face. She took a deep breath, tried to calm herself down, and greeted Ming Xi in a natural manner.
"I'm sorry, Comrade Ming, I didn't have a chance to greet you earlier."
Mingxi waved her hand: "No, no."
In that situation, it would be strange if I could greet her immediately!
She had been a matchmaker for a while, but this was the first time she had encountered such a little incident during a matchmaking process. She was a bit flustered at the moment. She coughed twice, glanced at Cong Kai who was also frozen in place, and decided that no matter what, she should still introduce the two of them first.
Mingxi began, "Ahem, well, let me introduce you. This is Comrade Bai Ling. Bai Ling, and this is Comrade Cong Kai Cong."
Cong Kai stared blankly at the white antelope, his soul seemingly having already drifted away.
Bai Ling was the first to react, extending her hand to Cong Kai: "Hello, Comrade Cong."
Mingxi nudged Cong Kai, who snapped out of his daze and hurriedly reached out to shake Bai Ling's hand briefly. He said eagerly, "Hello, Comrade Bai. My name is Cong Kai. I'm currently a third-grade math teacher at the steel mill's affiliated primary school. My current monthly salary, without subsidies, is 22.5 yuan. However, next year, I'll be able to become a homeroom teacher, and my salary should increase by one grade to 25 yuan."
Before Mingxi could even react, Cong Kai had already revealed all his assets.
She was completely bewildered. What was going on? What was this kid doing?
She quickly tugged at Cong Kai's sleeve.
Cong Kai acted as if he hadn't noticed anything and continued to ramble on: "My family is small, only four people: my dad, my mom, my sister, and me. My sister is married and lives alone now. If you're willing to live with my parents after we get married, we'll live at home. If you're not willing to live with my parents, we'll rent a place outside."
Mingxi: ...
Wait a minute, you've only met once, isn't it a bit too early to talk about where you'll live after you get married?
Mingxi didn't even need to think; just by looking at Cong Kai, she knew he was definitely interested in Bai Ling. But even if he was interested, he shouldn't reveal all his secrets right away.
Just as Mingxi was about to say something to smooth things over, Bailing spoke up.
"Don't your parents have any objections if you move out?"
Mingxi's brain went blank for a moment before she realized that Bai Ling's words were a follow-up to Cong Kai's statement, "If you don't want to live with my parents, we can rent a place outside."
She sighed inwardly at how strange it was. It was rare to see a man like Cong Kai, who was so interested in a female comrade, revealing all his wealth right away.
Bai Ling is not surprised that a man she meets on her first date will immediately reveal all his financial situation, and it is rare for a woman to continue the conversation along with the man's topics.
Two rare things have come together.
This is truly a perfect match arranged by heaven.
Mingxi sighed inwardly.
Upon hearing Bai Ling's words, Cong Kai immediately shook his head: "No, my parents won't object. They even complained before that I was bothering them by staying at home and disturbing their time together."
Bai Ling: "So, if I don't want to rent a place to live, will they have any objections?"
Cong Kai really thought about it seriously: "If I live at home alone, my parents might be annoyed, but if you come with me, they probably won't have any objections. Because my mom likes you a lot."
Bai Ling asked in confusion, "Does your mother like me?"
It wasn't that she didn't trust Cong Kai, but she had never met Cong Kai's mother, so how could Cong Kai's mother like her?
Cong Kai explained, "My mom really admires police officers. When she heard that you were a police officer, and even a police officer in the municipal bureau, she kept saying how amazing you were at home."
Mingxi chimed in, "I can vouch for that. When I introduced you to Cong Kai yesterday, your aunt was really excited after hearing about your profession."
Bai Ling touched her nose somewhat embarrassedly: "Hey, what's the big deal? I'm nothing special, just an ordinary person..."
Cong Kai: "You're not ordinary. I think you're not ordinary at all. You were incredibly skilled just now. You were agile and you tackled the thief in one go. He's a man, and he didn't even have the strength to fight back against you."
The thief, who was squatting on the ground, raised his head defiantly.
"Hey, you two are just chatting, why are you dragging other people into it!"
Mingxi: "Shut up! Do you think this is a place for a thief like you to talk?"
The thief pouted, looking aggrieved. What's wrong with being a thief? Don't thieves have human rights and self-respect?
Although he was a thief, he didn't want to be a part of a scandalous relationship!
He muttered a couple of words in protest, but after seeing the look Bai Ling gave him, he promptly shut his mouth.
He can't afford to mess with this young lady.
His interruption created an awkward atmosphere between Bai Ling and Cong Kai. They looked at each other, but no one spoke.
Finally, Bai Ling spoke first, handing Cong Kai the wallet she had taken back from the thief: "Here, this is your wallet. Check if anything is missing."
Cong Kai took the wallet, opened it and checked it carefully, saying, "Nothing's missing. The money, tickets, and documents are all still there."
Bai Ling: "It's good that it's still here. I was just afraid that the things had already been moved by thieves, and they..."
The thief then protested, "Officer, you're accusing me so wrongly! I had just gotten the wallet and hadn't even had a chance to do anything when that woman next to you kicked me, and then you came over. How could I have had time to transfer the money?"
The white antelope turned her head away impatiently; why did this thief talk so much?
The thief immediately became obedient after being glanced at by the white antelope.
Bai Ling ground her molars, stared at him for a while, then turned to Cong Kai and said, "Comrade Cong, I'm sorry, I need to take him back to the police station first. Also, is it convenient for you? If it is, would you like to come back with me to make a statement?"
Cong Kai: "Convenient, convenient."
He has no other plans for today except to meet with the white antelope.
White Antelope: "Alright, let's go now."
She walked up to the thief, grabbed his arm and pulled him up. She walked ahead to clear the way, and Cong Kai followed behind her, as obediently as a newlywed bride.
Mingxi watched the two leave one after the other, her head filled with question marks.
No, these two just left like that?
Didn't you call her?
Could they have forgotten about her?
No way, really?
Mingxi was right. Bai Ling and Cong Kai had both forgotten about Mingxi. They walked quite a distance before realizing something was wrong and quickly turned back to find her.
Bai Ling: "I'm so sorry, I was in such a hurry to get back to the station that I forgot about you, Comrade Ming. Well, you also need to come back with us to give a statement."
Mingxi: ...
Well, if they hadn't come back and asked her to give a statement, those two might have really forgotten about her.
Although she couldn't help but complain in her heart, she still obediently went to the police station with Bai Ling to give a statement.
Mingxi took the statement quickly and finished it in no time. When she came out, she didn't see Bai Ling, but she saw Cong Kai in the lobby. She went up to ask him and found out that Bai Ling had been pulled away to work overtime.
Mingxi: "Ah...then what about you?"
They had originally agreed to meet, but now Bai Ling has been pulled away to work overtime, so they definitely can't continue meeting. What are Cong Kai's plans?
Cong Kai: "I told Bai Ling that I would wait for her to get off work."
He smiled nonchalantly and said, "Anyway, I'm free today. Let's wait a bit, and maybe we can have dinner together when she's not busy."
That's not impossible, it's just...
Mingxi pursed her lips, but before she could speak, Cong Kai said, "Comrade Ming, you should go back first. Anyway, you introduced me and Comrade Bai Ling, and we've gotten to know each other now. You don't need to come along anymore."
Mingxi thought about it and realized that made sense.
Moreover, Cong Kai and Bai Ling are clearly interested in each other. It might be more appropriate for her, as a third wheel, to stay out of it and let the two of them spend time alone and get to know each other.
With that thought in mind, Mingxi said goodbye to Cong Kai and left the police station.
On the way home, Mingxi remarked that Bai Ling and Cong Kai were the first couple in the world to meet in the police station after meeting each other. If these two really got together in the future, it would be a special memory, a story that they could tell others on important anniversaries.
It sounds like fun.
Mingxi couldn't help but chuckle. She shook her head and turned into the alley. Just then, a familiar voice came from behind her.
"Comrade Ming, you seem to be in such a good mood today, is there something good happening?"
Mingxi turned around: "Wei Ning?"
Wei Ning pushed his bicycle, waved slightly at Ming Xi, and said, "It's me."
Mingxi noticed the yellow mud stuck to the front and rear wheels of Weining's bicycle and couldn't help but ask, "Where have you been?"
Wei Ning fell silent. Ming Xi stared at him curiously, her big eyes blinking rapidly, refusing to look away. After a long while, Ming Xi's eyes still didn't move away.
Wei Ning conceded defeat and said, "I went fishing at the reservoir."
Mingxi: "Where's the fish?"
Wei Ning took a deep breath and couldn't help but grit his teeth. Ming Xi, that girl, why did she have to bring up the sore spot?
Mingxi: "Where are the fish? You didn't catch a single one? No way, no way, you came back empty-handed?"
Wei Ning took a deep breath. He had no choice but to admit, "Yes, we didn't catch any. Not a single one."
Seeing Wei Ning's serious expression, Mingxi couldn't help but find it amusing, and out of kindness, she offered a word of comfort.
"It's normal, it's normal. These days, fish are smart, so it's normal not to catch them."
Upon hearing this, Wei Ning's expression improved considerably.
He didn't go fishing for the fish; he just wanted to kill time. His mother would nag him all the time if he stayed home, so he went out to find some peace and quiet.
Seeing that Wei Ning's complexion had improved, Ming Xi couldn't resist her gossip and curiously leaned over to ask, "Hey, Wei Ning, I heard from the people in the alley that your mother said that after you get married, the family will separate. Is that true?"
Wei Ning: "You've heard about it?"
Upon hearing this, Mingxi knew it was true.
She clicked her tongue in admiration, thinking, "No wonder she's Aunt Ding, she's so decisive."
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