Chapter 3: A Disastrous Start
A pink McLaren with large, Carslan-style eyeglasses plastered on it had just pulled up in front of the Langu City Public Security Bureau, its engine still revving, when Xin Xiao hurried over. He opened the door and grabbed Ji Feng's shoulder, "Brother Feng, I'm the only one who'd recognize you. Anyone else would think your car was some internet celebrity who'd gotten themselves into the wrong place."
Xin Xiao was a true Jiaolang man, with dark skin, a square face, and a hint of gray hair on his broad forehead. Standing in the sun, he looked like a reef polished by years of waves. He was short but sturdy, with rough, broad hands, giving him an air of down-to-earth honesty. If he weren't wearing his police uniform, outsiders would be more inclined to believe he was a seasoned fisherman.
Ji Feng got out of the car and held his calloused hands, smiling and saying, "Xin Xiao, your hands, as an old fisherman, still feel so safe when I hold them."
"Haha, yes, I haven't seen you for many years. Your style has changed again. These pants can fit two of you, right?" Xin Xiao said as he looked up and down at Ji Feng's World War II-era burlap overalls.
Ji Feng shrugged his shoulders, looking cynical: "Hey, this world is just a makeshift troupe, just have fun. But you, on the other hand, are like a young wife who has lived a peaceful life."
"I'm already forty, I can't change, unlike you." Xin Xiao still spoke with an authentic Jiaolang accent.
As he was speaking, Ji Feng's phone rang. He pulled it out and saw a message from Lu Zhiyao: "Put aside your lax attitude in Lan Valley and remember that you are a people's police officer! If you dare to act so carelessly again, I will be the first to strip you of your police uniform and make your so-called cynicism a dead end!"
Ji Feng was shocked after reading it. He had never seen Dean Lu so stern before. He quickly replied, "Got it. I'll keep it in mind!" Then he shook his head and sighed.
In the afternoon, a hint of sleep hung in the meeting room of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Langu City Public Security Bureau. The team members swayed unsteadily in their chairs. Jifeng had changed into a dark gray jacket with an iron barrel badge pinned to his left chest. A triangular hole at the shoulder peeked through the pale green T-shirt beneath. He sat to the right of Captain Jiang Bo, twirling his e-cigarette between his fingers as he introduced himself in a flurry of words: "My name is Ji Feng. Before I came here, I was a teacher at the police academy. Xin Xiao and I are classmates, and we're both forty years old this year. But they all say I look like I'm fourteen, that I'm unruly. The students at the academy all call me 'Crazy Brother.' I don't think they understand life—what does it mean to be serious? Being rigid and rigid is called being serious? Boring! Let's get down to business. I'm in Lan Valley this time because of the murder of the auction house owner ten years ago. Oh, and I like to play. I play with everything: cars, games, ball, but not women. I've added you all on WeChat. My nickname is 'Don't Block My Sunshine.' Feel free to call me if you want to play."
The team members sitting around the table seemed nonchalant. Some were intently scrolling through their phones, as if their tiny world held an endless allure. Others were deftly twirling pens with their fingertips, their pens spinning rapidly and making a faint sound. Their faces were all indifferent, as if Jifeng's introduction were merely insignificant background noise.
Only Xin Xiao sat upright in his seat, leaning forward slightly, listening intently to every word Ji Feng said, his eyes revealing his expectation for this old classmate.
Captain Jiang Bo's brows knitted together as he watched, and he slammed the table, "Everyone, sit up straight! Comrade Ji Feng is the deputy captain, here to help us solve the case! Don't you even have basic respect?"
At this time, an old police officer with an unshaven beard curled his lips and said sarcastically: "Oh, the master of reasoning is here. My apologies."
A young police officer nearby joined in the commotion, his head practically drooping on the table: "Looks like we losers need to pack up and leave!"
"Deputy Captain Ji, you are so handsome, why don't you change your career and become a model?" As soon as Gu Xiaozheng said this, the conference room burst into laughter.
Jiang Bo's face instantly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot: "Shut up!"
"Hey, Captain Jiang is angry, everyone be good." Gu Xiaozheng didn't take it seriously at all. He took out a cigarette from the cigarette box and threw it to the people around him. He lit it up and started puffing out smoke like a god.
"That's right, don't make the captain angry." The old policeman with a beard took the cigarette thrown by Gu Xiaozheng, rubbed it back and forth under his nose and sniffed it.
"This is a meeting, can you two be serious?" Jiang Bo said sternly.
"Serious? I'm serious. What? Restricting freedom of speech?"
"That's right. It's a lot of work to do with those few coins every month."
"Ji Chuan, what nonsense are you talking about? You complain about the little money, why don't you improve your case-solving rate? You're slacking off all day long, and you still complain about the little money? I think it's already quite a bit."
"Captain Jiang, you said it's a lot, right? Okay, just take it all away, and I'll take my whole family and go begging on the streets. Hahahaha."
"Brother Chuan, take me with you! My family of six can form a Beggars' Sect branch!"
"Are you guys done yet? You only complain about your low salary, but don't you even consider how many cases you've solved in a year?"
"Captain Jiang, if you say that, I have something to say. You only want us to improve our case-solving rate, but don't you understand the current situation? How can it be so easy? Our brothers have left their homes and careers, worked hard, and finally, the case is about to be solved, but you insist on solid evidence. Now, all our efforts have been in vain."
"That's right." Gu Xiaozheng chimed in, "Can't we learn from our fellow criminal police team? Can we be flexible? Do we have to follow the rules?"
"If we don't rely on evidence to solve a case, what do we rely on? Just guessing? With your way of thinking, how many wrongful convictions will there be?"
"Captain Jiang, it's the 21st century now. Could you please keep up with the times?"
"To keep up with the times, we need evidence, ironclad evidence!" Jiang Bo's eyes widened like bells.
When they saw this, they knew there was no point in arguing any further, so they waved their hands, turned their heads away and stopped talking.
Gu Xiaozheng was young and energetic and wanted to argue a few more words, but Jiang Bo shouted at him: "Gu Xiaozheng, you are so young, don't you still have any manners? If you have anything to say, go to my office after the meeting and don't delay everyone's meeting. You, Daji, Qin Tian, the three of you, go to my office after the meeting." After saying that, he glared at the three people angrily.
Jiang Bo then turned to look at Ji Feng, his attitude becoming more gentle: "Deputy Captain Ji, I'm sorry to have embarrassed you. Please continue."
Ji Feng smiled while spinning his e-cigarette: "It's okay, it's not easy for anyone. If you want to make money, come to me. You can win money by playing games, and you can earn more by playing with coins - but don't come to me to cry if you lose." After saying that, he shrugged at Jiang Bo, meaning that he had nothing to say.
Jiang Bo cleared his throat awkwardly. "Deputy Captain Ji is an expert sent from the academy to assist us. He was a well-known master of reasoning during his time at the academy. After graduation, he stayed on to teach at the academy and is now the deputy director and associate professor of the Criminal Investigation Department. He has many outstanding students. Those present here include both his classmates and his students. Comrade Ji Feng is highly skilled in his field. I believe his presence will provide us with tremendous theoretical assistance and greatly improve our case-solving efficiency. Since Comrade Xin Xiao and Comrade Ji Feng were classmates, in order to better carry out their work, Comrade Xin Xiao will assist Comrade Ji Feng, focusing on the murder of the auction house owner for one year. Meeting adjourned."
The team members dispersed in twos and threes, and Jiang Bo shouted, "You three, stop right there!"
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