Chapter 19 God's Assist
Although the weekend gathering was short, it was like a spiritual rest, allowing Jifeng to escape from the complicated case for a while.
On Monday morning, Ji Feng quickly returned to the case. He wouldn't forget that today was the day the Lan family was supposed to return. He was recalling his meeting with Zhou Wenlan a few days ago, pondering the details of their conversation. He recalled Zhou Wenlan's vagueness when discussing Lan Renxuan. Of course, this wasn't surprising at all—why would such a refined scholar be interested in a small-time gangster? But the sight of Zhou Wenlan and his wife hurriedly leaving still left him with a lingering suspicion.
Just as he was thinking about it, Xin Xiao walked over quickly and said, "Captain Ji, the Lan family is back, three of them, not one less."
"Okay, continue to monitor, stay away, and don't let them get hold of anything." After the last confrontation, Ji Feng was obviously more cautious, and his heart finally settled down.
"Don't worry, I'll be there right away."
Ji Feng pondered, "The Lan family right now is like a slippery ball, but also like a hard iron plate, making it impossible to bite them. Aside from keeping watch from the outside, there seems to be no other way. Are we just waiting for the Lan family to reveal their flaws?"
Suddenly, he felt an unprecedented sense of weightlessness and powerlessness, like facing the vast ocean, aimless and adrift. With the case nearing halfway through, and no progress at all, he felt, for the first time, immense pressure, a feeling he had never experienced while teaching at the academy.
Inexplicable uneasiness and tension followed, and fine beads of sweat covered my forehead.
Like a hungry wolf in a cage, he paced back and forth in the not-so-spacious office. Feeling thirsty, he sat back at his desk, grabbed the water cup, and gulped down several mouthfuls of water.
He wiped the water from the corners of his mouth, breathing heavily, trying to calm his anxious mood.
Looking back at the investigation, from the initial questioning of Lan Ruojin to the confrontation at the airport, the Lan family had always given people a distinct sense of rejection. This feeling was like two magnets with the same poles facing each other: the closer they got, the more they were pushed apart by an invisible force.
This seemed unusual, and simply explaining it as the exclusive aloofness of a wealthy family felt a bit thin. Compared to the three-dimensional, condescending attitude of other wealthy families, the Lan family felt more like a two-dimensional, flat surface. A deliberate, defensive stance that kept people at arm's length. This feeling was definitely different. Ji Feng clearly sensed resistance, not contempt, although the Lan family had shown disdainful glances more than once.
Does this mean there's something wrong with the Lan family? Perhaps fueled by a rebellious mentality, he secretly resolved, "The more this happens, the closer I'll get to you, the more I'll observe you, the more I'll study you." Thinking of this, the pressure he'd felt eased slightly, and he let out a long sigh, as if he'd seen a glimmer of light on a vast, overcast ocean.
Just as he was thinking, his phone rang. It was Hua Ailing's signature sound. Ji Feng tapped the screen, opening the dialog box. A playful good morning greeting appeared before his eyes. He smiled slightly and casually returned the greeting.
Immediately afterwards, Hua Ailing sent a message: "Thank you handsome man for your hospitality. I am honored to be here."
"Typical error? 'Warm hospitality' would be more appropriate."
"Are you sure?" Hua Ailing asked meaningfully.
"Don't forget, you still owe me a 'stable'." Ji Feng retaliated.
"How far is your ideal? Just go as far as you can."
“I’m one centimeter away from my ideal.”
"Seeing you this time, I think there's a word that suits you: cool and handsome."
Fortunately, he had just calmed down his irritable mood, otherwise, he would not be in the mood to flirt with her.
"Haha, it's really a compliment from a great professor. I accept it with a smile."
"Let's talk about something serious, so you don't misunderstand that I have nothing better to do than to flirt with you."
"What's the matter?"
"It's a small discovery. Although it may not be of much value to you, it's better than nothing."
"What did you find?"
"After you went to Lan Valley, the academy divided your teaching duties among the three of us teachers. I've been studying your case files again and have made a new discovery."
"Don't keep me in suspense, just tell me." Ji Feng became excited immediately after seeing it.
"I carefully studied Lin Wantang's footprints. The trajectory of the footprints shows that he knocked on the door to enter. After the victim, Shen Zhaoran, opened the door for him, they sat down on the sofa in the living room. Later, the messy footprints showed that they had a fight. The investigation records at the crime scene also confirmed that Shen Zhaoran was killed in the living room."
"Yeah. Pretty much what I guessed."
"The key point is the latter part," Hua Ailing said. "After Lin Wantang committed the crime, his footsteps went from the living room to the door, then back again. He went back and forth several times in the entryway, where the 'Little Dragon' spice ornaments were placed. From the subtle details of his footprints, I could see hesitation, uncertainty, and indecision."
"So, he's debating whether to steal the spice ornaments?"
"Yes. From the force of the footprints, the point of impact, the order in which they landed, and every other detail, I could see his inner struggle. It was very subtle, but it clearly revealed the struggle he was waging."
"You mean his motive was murder, not money."
"At least judging from the perspective of traceology, that's the case."
"Don't use WeChat, it's too troublesome. Is it convenient for you? I'll call you." Ji Feng asked hurriedly.
"Allowed." Hua Ailing joked.
Ji Feng immediately called Hua Ailing and said, "Although we reopened the investigation because we suspected Lin Wantang's motive, we had no solid evidence and were only speculating. Your research has proven our judgment correct and confirmed Lin Wantang's motive. This strongly proves that reopening the investigation is necessary. Traceology experts are really not given away for nothing!"
"Actually, it doesn't help you much. You're already on the right path, and this just confirms your judgment."
"Not really. We've been undecided about the nature of the case, and your research has allowed me to rule out the possibility of murder for money."
"Can you prove that the nature of the case is murder?"
"It should be possible. I think it was either a murder of passion or revenge."
"Since he's not after money or life, then what do you think he's hesitating about?"
"That's what I've been thinking about. A person whose life is about to end, faced with a priceless treasure, what is he hesitating about?"
"That's your problem to consider. I can only help you up to this point."
"Oh, thank you so much! You've been a godsend to me! I was still scratching my head this morning because I hadn't made any progress on the case."
"You mentioned the progress of the case, but I have to remind you. I just ran into Dean Lu in the elevator. I reported this new discovery to him, and he agreed. But that's not the point. The point is that you've been away from the academy for half a year. Shouldn't you come back and report on the progress of the case?"
Hua Ailing's reminder made Ji Feng realize that he had really overlooked this matter. He immediately said, "I was so busy that I didn't realize it. Thanks for reminding me. I will call Dean Lu right away to admit my mistake and then arrange a time to go back and report on my work as soon as possible."
"So, you can't live without me, right?" Hua Ailing took the opportunity to control Ji Feng.
"It's a must! Without you, I can't eat or sleep, I feel weak and depressed..."
"Hmph, I don't believe you at all." Hua Ailing said with a Sichuan accent.
"You may not believe in ghosts, but you have to believe what I say, hahahaha..."
"Stop joking and call Dean Lu to confess your guilt. Remember to be more cautious."
"Okay, thank you goddess." Then he hung up the phone.
Ji Feng immediately called Lu Zhiyao. Unexpectedly, the call was hung up the moment it was connected. Ji Feng understood that he was probably in a meeting. So he opened WeChat and wrote, "Dean Lu, hello. I've been in Lan Valley for half a year. The reason I haven't reported to you on the progress of the investigation is that I've encountered some minor difficulties. I was afraid you'd be disappointed, so I thought I'd report back to you after I've made some progress. Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, and I plan to return to the college next week, first to visit you, and second to report to you on my work and ask for your guidance."
After a while, Lu Zhiyao's WeChat message came back: "I'm in a meeting. No need to come back. Go ahead and do what you want."
Ji Feng was a little confused about what Dean Lu meant, so he could only reply, "I will definitely go back. I must not forget to cultivate you on Mid-Autumn Festival, and I must not forget my teacher's kindness on Teacher's Day. You go ahead and get busy."
Just after sending the WeChat message, Ji Feng's phone rang rapidly. He looked over and saw it was Gu Xiaozheng. Today, he was the one keeping watch outside the Lan family's perimeter. Ji Feng quickly picked up the phone. Before he could say anything, Gu Xiaozheng said anxiously, "Captain Ji, the Lan family is shipping another large box, exactly the same as last time."
Ji Feng immediately became alert, "How many? Or are they being transported to the airport? Where is the destination?"
"There was only one box, and it was still being shipped to the airport, with the UK as its destination. Even the logistics company remained the same."
"Did the three of them still book the tickets? When do they leave?"
"Yes, the three of them will be leaving together tomorrow afternoon, connecting in Beijing at 10 pm and flying directly to London."
"I understand. Thank you for your hard work, Xiaozheng."
After hanging up the phone, Ji Feng immediately ran to Jiang Bo to report.
Jiang Bo was also surprised when he heard this. "He's only been back for two or three days, and he's leaving again? Why is he shipping this box alone?"
"Could it be the last box? Maybe it's the most precious one."
"We don't know how many treasures he has at home. Who knows if this is the last box?"
"What should we do?"
Jiang Bo frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "No way, it's the same as last time, nothing has changed."
"Captain Jiang, I..."
"I know what you want to say and what you're thinking. However, since the external environment hasn't changed this time, then if there was no solution last time, there certainly won't be any solution this time."
"Alas—" Ji Feng sighed to the sky, "Is there really nothing we can do about them? I won't accept this." Ji Feng almost punched Jiang Bo's desk.
Jiang Bo looked at Ji Feng with sharp eyes, "Captain Ji, I think I need to remind you, as the vice-captain, if you can't keep your composure, what will happen to the team members below?"
"Captain Jiang, what if they really never come back?"
Jiang Bo ignored Ji Feng's questioning and paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. After a while, he said to Ji Feng in a serious tone: "Captain Ji, you have been in Lan Valley for half a year. As an older brother who is a few years older than you, I want to give you a word of advice." After saying that, he looked at Ji Feng intently.
"Please give me some advice." Ji Feng nodded heavily.
"In the workplace, you can't just follow your own whims. In other words, a career spanning decades isn't just about fulfilling your job. It's equally important to hone yourself through work. Simply put, it's about tempering your character. It's a process of moving from youth to maturity, and no one is exempt."
Ji Feng's heart instantly sank, like a popped balloon. He certainly understood Jiang Bo's "truth," but he still couldn't overcome himself.
Seeing Ji Feng's unwilling expression, Jiang Bo continued to counsel him: "I heard that the reason you came to Lan Valley was, firstly, to solve the case; secondly, to pursue a different life experience. I also heard that Dean Lu has high hopes for you."
Jiang Bo emphasized the last four words "high hopes", obviously using Dean Lu's warning to remind Ji Feng.
Without waiting for Ji Feng to express his opinion, Jiang Bo continued, "Since you are pursuing a different life experience, then what you are experiencing now is not a life experience? Also, including myself, President Lu and all the other leaders, who was not full of vigor and ambition when they were young, and who was not smoothed out in the end? Isn't this a life experience? Isn't it another philosophy of life? Isn't it a kind of progress?" Jiang Bo's series of rhetorical questions left Ji Feng speechless.
Jiang Bo certainly knew that it was impossible to completely change Ji Feng's personality through one or two sermons. He was very clear about the ancient saying "It is easy to change the mountains and rivers, but difficult to change one's nature."
Finally, he said, "I've said a lot today, not as a so-called leader, but as advice from an elder brother. Please forgive me if I'm wrong."
Ji Feng didn't know how he got out of Jiang Bo's office. He only vaguely remembered that he didn't return to his office. He was standing by the sea in a daze.
To Jifeng, the sea is a broad-minded elder and his spiritual totem. With its vast and powerful arms, it offers Jifeng profound comfort, accepts everything about him with boundless tolerance, and silently influences and nourishes him with its broad and generous heart.
Whenever he felt frustrated or upset, he would unconsciously walk here. The waves rolled with white foam and gently licked the beach, as if nature was soothing his depressed and restless mood.
The salty sea breeze mixed with fine mist brushed across his cheeks, and the coolness took away the sweat on his forehead, just like his mother's soothing whispers.
Jiang Bo's words, like waves, buffeted his defenses. "Smoothing out the edges," "another life experience," "high hopes"—these words echoed over and over again. Reason told him that this was a path countless people had taken, a path proven to be "mature." But the thought of the boxes the Lan family had shipped off, the countless voyages with no end in sight, instantly transformed the gentle waves into a raging torrent, crashing against the rocks, unable to subside.
In the distance, a seabird was circling above the waves, sometimes diving, sometimes flying high, looking for an opportunity to soar into the sky in the wind and waves.
The knot in his chest seemed ready to break free, and he longed to raise his head to the heavens and roar out, to let out the frustration and resentment he felt. His gaze fixed blankly on the skyline, his thoughts surging like a tide, yet mingling in a chaotic mist.
A crisp, dinging sound from my phone pierced the silence. It was a text message. It was from the same mysterious number: "It's not too late to go back now."
A nameless rage suddenly surged in his chest, reaching the sky. He raised his hand, intending to smash the phone against the solid rock, shattering its bones. Suddenly, a powerful voice echoed from the depths of his soul, resonating forcefully: "Remember, you are a people's police officer!" Like a torrential downpour, it extinguished the rage within him. His raised hand froze in the air, frozen, restrained by an invisible force.
He stared blankly at the vast ocean in front of him, his mind blank. He could only take deep breaths, trying to calm his violently heaving pectoral muscles.
The distant horizon gradually blurred in the afterglow of the setting sun, and his raised hand slowly lowered. The dim light of his phone screen flickered at his fingertips, as if it had become the only reality in the world.
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