Show weakness. No man likes a woman who is better than him in everything. ”
Xu Xu remained silent. Seeing her serious expression, Xu Jun added, "I'm just pointing in a direction. It's definitely correct. How to do it specifically depends on your understanding. You figure it out on your own."
Xu Xu looked up and said, "What you said makes sense, but I won't do anything you said."
Xu Jun was startled, and heard her say firmly: "I have my own way."
——
After returning home that night, Xu Xu went to bed early. I got up very early the next day and cooked a pot of beef porridge over low heat. This is what Ji Bai likes, and this is what she likes too.
Ji Bai's way of pursuing people is to first draw a circle around them to confine them, bring them under his wing, and then gradually attract and possess them, until it becomes a natural and indestructible thing. In love, he is like a wolf, a little proud, a little cunning, and a lot of silent dominance.
And the way Xu Xu likes and pursues someone is very, very simple, which is to be nice to him.
It is enough to do it sincerely and to the best of your ability.
She didn't want to learn Xu Jun's tricks and techniques of pretending to be young and weak and trying to please others.
After running that day, Ji Bai drank her porridge and raised his eyebrows slightly: "It tastes very good today."
Xu Xu felt a faint joy in his heart and replied, "Okay."
I hope every day can be this good in the future.
——
When there are no cases, the work of the criminal police team is relatively regular and easy. The morning passed quickly.
When Xu Xu and Yao Meng arrived at the cafeteria, it was already quite crowded and noisy. After buying the food, Xu Xu looked around quickly and pointed to an empty table across the aisle from Ji Bai, Lao Wu and the others: "Sit there."
"OK."
When they sat down, Yao Meng greeted everyone with a smile. Xu Xu also smiled and nodded. Their eyes happened to meet in the air, and they both looked away indifferently.
The men were talking about a criminal policeman nicknamed "Bull" in a certain division, who had an incredible drinking capacity and a tower-like physique. Yao Meng would occasionally interject and chat with Xu Xu, her clear voice sounding like a silver bell. Xu Xu kept staring at Old Wu or Yao Meng, pretending to listen carefully, but in fact he was looking at Ji Bai's plate out of the corner of his eye: He ate a lot of meat... He ate two steamed buns and a bowl of rice... He didn't eat chili peppers... He picked the garlic and ginger off the plate...
It turns out that this is his eating habit.
Ji Bai picked up the dishes calmly, occasionally glancing at her, thinking: Why is she so interested in the topic of men today for the first time in her life? Does she know that "brute" detective?
Later, everyone changed the topic, but she was still listening attentively, so Ji Bai lowered his eyes.
During lunch break, some colleagues went for a walk, some smoked in the corridor, and some slept on the table. The office was deserted. Seeing that there was no one around, Xu Xu turned on the computer, entered the internal system, and retrieved Ji Bai's basic information.
Height 180cm, weight 81kg...
The record holder for the 10,000-meter obstacle race and shooting performance in the Southwest Police District competition...
Won the second-class merit three times and the third-class merit five times...
As the mouse scrolled down, lines of text jumped into her eyes and she memorized them. Inadvertently, I caught a glimpse of the one-inch bare-headed color photo on the right. The man looked serious and calm.
Xu Xu clearly remembered that when she first saw this photo, she had the concept of "regular facial features". But now looking at the same photo, which is a stereotypical ID photo, why do I feel that no matter the hair, eyes, nose or chin, they all exude a handsome and vivid heroic spirit?
After staring silently for a moment, Xu Xu chose "Save Picture As" to the computer and created an encrypted folder. After thinking about it, I decided to name the file “Private file, do not tamper with it!”
——
After watching for a while, more people came to the office. Xu Xu turned off the computer and picked up a piece of paper in front of her. When she memorized something, she liked to write and draw with a pen. At this moment, there were a bunch of scattered numbers and words written on the paper: "180, 81, 995 rings, 10,000 meters..."
"What is written? Weird numbers." Zhao Han leaned over from the side and looked at the paper curiously.
Xu Xu remained calm: "Planck's constant."
Zhao Han had never heard of this astronomical numerical concept, and nodded as if he understood it.
Just as Xu Xu was about to fold the paper, she heard a deep voice behind her: "Talk about literature?" Ji Bai came out from the inner room at some point and walked to her desk at a leisurely pace.
"Yeah." Xu Xu calmly tore off the paper and threw it into the trash can.
——
For the next two weeks, Xu Xu's life and work were peaceful and stable, and her relationship progressed steadily.
Do morning exercises together every day and make breakfast for him;
They didn't talk much during the day, and she focused on her work, but when they were taking breaks and chatting, she would pay attention to and understand everything about him.
For some reason, Zhao Han always has something to do on weekends, so he always asks Ji Bai to teach him. But it’s also good this way, we can have lunch together at noon and sometimes go shopping in the afternoon. However, every time he taught her how to shoot, her heart would still beat faster; and his hands would inevitably touch her waist and shoulders. She didn't pay much attention to it at first, but after a few times, she realized that the skin there was slightly burning, which lasted for a long time.
Xu Xu was not used to this state - a wisp of his breath, a little touch, could stir up her usually calm and steady state of mind, making her a little restless, a little nervous, and a little embarrassed that was difficult to control. But she did not reject this feeling of silent suffering. Even after the suffering, she felt a little satisfied, but it still felt not enough.
But because she knew that her mood had become sensitive and abnormal, and she was afraid that Ji Bai would notice her thoughts, she became more calm and reserved on the surface. She always calls him Master politely and seriously, lowers her head to avoid his gaze when her face turns red and her heart beats fast, and immediately stays calm and keeps a distance when she wants more of his touch... She thinks that this is enough for the current stage, and she is gradually infiltrating Ji Bai's life, which is natural and comfortable.
Ji Bai felt similarly to her. Because Xu Xu pretended to be too calm, the way she looked at him was no different from the way she looked at Zhao Han, Lao Wu, and even passers-by. He was not sure whether she had him in her heart or not, and most likely not. But he could see that the little girl was getting more and more accustomed to being with him, and every time he "inadvertently" approached or touched her, she would blush and look away. He thought that she must have had feelings for him, but she was too dull and naive, so she might not have realized it yet.
However, a little goodwill is certainly not enough. If I confess my feelings now, she might "feel weird and reject me without thinking" - after all, she had already concluded long ago that "he is not suitable for her". He also didn't want to be abrupt with her. He hoped that their relationship would deepen and they could spend more time together. When she could accept him naturally, they could confirm the relationship.
So he still has to keep working hard.
However, during this period of time, he discovered that she had more and more good qualities - she was quite picky about her taste and made her own breakfast every day, but her cooking skills were exquisite and she also satisfied his appetite; she seemed slow, but was actually very careful, and said she wanted to help him quit smoking, and whenever he felt his pocket for a cigarette, she would always be the first to hand him a piece of chewing gum... She was really suitable to be a wife.
——
That night, Xu Xu had dinner with Xu Jun as usual. Xu Jun was naturally concerned about the progress: "How is it going with that 'him'?"
Xu Xu replied: "Everything is under control."
Seeing his sister's faintly smiling face, but refusing to tell him who that person was, Xu Jun felt a little unwilling, and changed the subject, "By the way, I can get tickets for James' exhibition game next week, do you want one?"
Xu Xu raised his eyes and glanced at his brother.
There are no NBA games recently, so many big names are coming to China. Xu Xu also heard that a basketball superstar named James would come to Lin City. However, her brother has always known that she has no interest in this, and now he is offering her the ticket, obviously wanting to lure her to show up with Ji Bai.
So childish.
But Xu Xu still answered: "Okay. Thank you, brother." Because he heard from Zhao Han that Ji Bai liked James very much.
——
The next day was Friday. During lunch break, Zhao Han and Xu Xu were the only ones in the office. Ji Bai was not there either. Xu Xu handed him two tickets: "Do you want them? I remember you said you liked them."
Zhao Han was surprised: "This ticket is so hard to get, how did you get it? And it's in the seventh row!"
Xu Xu smiled and said, "My brother gave it to me."
"The boss likes James the most!" Zhao Han hesitated again, "There are only two...then you and the boss go."
Xu Xu shook his head: "I'm not interested, I won't go."
Zhao Han: "Xu Xu, you are so kind to me! So loyal!"
The tickets were sent out, and Xu Xu was in a good mood. She hadn't wanted to go in the first place. First, I really have no interest and would never waste a few hours on such a thing. As for the chance to date Ji Bai alone, she didn't even think about it. Of course, this could also be because the two of them have been together frequently recently, so she is not surprised subconsciously; secondly, Xu Jun would definitely be sitting in a corner with a high-powered telescope to spy, and she would certainly not go there.
As for giving the ticket to Zhao Han, it was inevitable - otherwise what if Ji Bai found out that she had a crush on him?
When the work bell rang, Ji Bai came in with his car keys. It seemed that he had gone out to have dinner with someone. As soon as I entered the office, I called Zhao Han in.
Xu Xu had thought that the ticket issue was settled and she didn't need to worry about it, but at this moment she couldn't help but look up. She found that she really wanted to see Ji Bai's happy expression when he took the ticket.
result……
Ji Bai had a faint smile on his face the whole time. He said something to Zhao Han, and then... handed a stack of tickets to Zhao Han.
Zhao Han was quite excited when he came out, and announced loudly: "The boss has got tickets for James' exhibition game tonight. Everyone will get one, and they are first-row VIP tickets!"
Everyone cheered and rushed forward, and Yao Meng even screamed with excitement. Zhao Han smiled as he handed out the invoices, saying, "Don't rush, don't rush. The boss said the middle seat is for the female comrade. Yao Meng, take it!"
After a while, all the tickets were distributed, and everyone calmed down and returned to their seats happily. Zhao Han leaned over and handed Xu Xu three tickets: "Yours, the best seats. And the other two, are you going to give them to other friends?"
Xu Xu didn't answer: "No need."
Zhao Han was a little surprised, but he also understood: "Really? Have you thought it through? Then I can give it to colleagues in other departments?"
Xu Xu nodded. As she continued to work, she thought: Yes, how could Ji Bai not get the ticket? She didn't expect that caring too much would lead to confusion. Thinking of this, she smiled slightly.
——
Ji Bai asked his friends to get so many tickets this time, with the original intention of rewarding the criminal police team for their hard work. However, before giving the ticket to Zhao Han, he still took out the middle seat for himself, and then naturally told Zhao Han to reserve the best seat for female comrades. The only women there were Yao Meng and Xu Xu, so Xu Xu naturally sat next to him.
But he didn't expect that Xu Xu would not go.
On Friday night, the city was brightly lit and the night breeze was blowing. There were many cars parked outside the city gymnasium, and the basketball court was brightly lit and bustling with people. Ji Bai found his seat, looked up with a smile, and was slightly startled.
Sitting on the left is Yao Meng, and on the right... is Old Wu. Looking around again, I saw several colleagues from the Economic Investigation Division, but I didn't see Xu Xu.
As he sat down in the crowd, Ji Bai asked Zhao Han behind him, "Are you all here?"
Zhao Han replied: "Xu Xu didn't come. She said she wasn't interested. When I left, she was still in the office. She said she had some unfinished work."
At this time, Yao Meng turned around with great energy and said, "Boss, who is better, James or Kobe?"
Ji Bai replied: "Each has his own strengths."
A girl from the Economic Investigation Department sat next to Old Wu. She also leaned over and smiled, "I heard that Team Ji likes James, but I like Kobe more."
Ji Bai smiled but didn't answer.
At this time, passionate warm-up music sounded, the lights flashed, and the cheerleaders in short skirts jumped onto the field. Everyone was silent at first, and then they applauded enthusiastically, and the atmosphere became increasingly lively. Ji Bai looked at it for a while, then turned around and asked Old Wu for cigarettes and a lighter.
Old Wu: "Why, you smoke whenever you get the chance?"
Ji Bai smiled but did not answer and stood up. Zhao Han saw it and asked curiously, "Boss, it's about to start, where are you going?" Yao Meng and others also looked over. Ji Bai smiled faintly and raised the cigarette in his hand: "Go out and have a smoke."
It was dark outside the gymnasium, with swaying shadows of trees. Cheers from inside the stadium rang out, attracting the attention of passers-by on the road. Ji Bai stood outside for a while, threw away his cigarette butt, and went to get the car.
Actually, I started liking James when I was younger, but now my interest has faded. I can watch it or not, just as a pastime. And in front of everyone, he didn't even consider today as a date with Xu Xu.
But without her in such a lively scene, and thinking of her staying in the office alone working overtime, why does it feel so boring?
Driving the car into the police compound, Ji Bai looked up and saw the familiar window with the light still on. Suddenly, he felt relieved.
——
The office building was completely silent as Xu Xu sat in front of his computer, lost in thought.
She felt a little annoyed because she realized she regretted it.
At that time, I just felt that there was no need to do something I didn’t like. But now, sitting in the empty office and reading the online reports about today's game, she suddenly thought of Ji Bai sitting in the audience with a faint smile on his face, watching the game happily.
It seems that if I stay with him, even if it’s a bit boring, it doesn’t matter.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but sigh. But she was only depressed for a short while before she stopped taking it to heart. She got up, packed her things, and prepared to go home.
Just as I was about to turn off the computer, I heard familiar footsteps in the corridor. She was startled, and then she saw Ji Bai walking in with a calm expression and his hands in his pockets.
"You didn't go to the game?" she was surprised.
Ji Bai shook his phone and said, "The director needs some information urgently." He glanced at her calmly and said, "Are you not leaving yet?"
Xu Xu: "Oh, I have something else to do." He lowered his head and casually opened a document on the computer.
Seeing that she was focused, Ji Bai didn't want to disturb her, so he walked into his office and opened a web page to browse casually.
After staying in silence for more than half an hour, Ji Bai's phone suddenly rang. It was Zhao Han: "Boss, why aren't you back yet? It's already two quarters!"
Ji Bai said in a serious tone: "I have something important to do, so I won't come." He looked up and saw Xu Xu looking at him.
"Are you hungry? Want to have a midnight snack?" Ji Bai asked.
——
Across the street from the police station are some elegant and clean shops. Ji Bai found a noodle restaurant and took Xu Xu to sit down.
Two bowls of noodles were served, and Ji Bai quickly finished one bowl. When I looked up, I saw Xu Xu lowering his head, picking up a noodle with chopsticks and chewing it carefully. He couldn't help but laugh: "Why is it like a cat?"
Where is Xu Xu hungry? Besides, she had no habit of eating midnight snacks, but she wanted to stay with him, so she was counting the roots here with difficulty.
"It's a little spicy." She answered without changing her expression.
Ji Bai took a look and saw a bowl of red soup.
Xu Xu continued to eat with his head down while Ji Bai waited quietly. The lighting in the small shop was soft, and they were the only table of customers. The owner was standing in front of the counter, using a calculator to calculate today's sales. His several-year-old son was lying on the counter, doing his homework with his head down and a frown on his face. The street outside the store was sparsely populated and the street lights were dim.
Ji Bai looked at her slightly drooping hair and her slender white chin, and thought: James is not watching, but he is here watching her eat noodles. But he watched it with great interest and was willing to do so.
——
After walking out of the store, the two returned to the police station parking lot and got their respective cars.
In fact, Xu Xu's mood had quietly become very good. Before getting on the car, he couldn't help but turn around and say to him, "Then Master...see you tomorrow."
Ji Bai was also in a very good mood, and nodded with a smile: "Yes. I'll wait for you in the gun room at eight o'clock."
It was a very ordinary sentence, but it made Xu Xu's face turn red. She thought she was guilty, so she immediately lowered her brows, nodded lightly, got in the car, and left without looking back.
——
Ji Bai watched her car leave before getting in. Thinking about tonight, I feel like laughing for some reason. Just as I started the car, my cell phone rang.
This time he is really the director.
"Xiao Ji, Xiangchuan County just reported a homicide case, which may be related to the human trafficking criminal gang in the province. The provincial department ordered us to focus on supervising the case. You should rush to Xiangchuan County tonight."
"Okay." Ji Bai answered straightforwardly.
The chief added, "It may involve some liaison work with the local police station and government, as well as comforting the abducted people. Bring the contact person in your team with you."
"good."
The external contact person was Yao Meng. Ji Bai called her immediately and asked her to meet up at the police station in half an hour and drive to Xiangchuan County.
——
The next morning, Xu Xu arrived at the gun room at 7:30. I concentrated on shooting for a while, but by eight o'clock, Ji Bai still hadn't arrived.
Half past eight, not here yet.
Just as I took out my cell phone, his call came first.
"There was a case in Xiangchuan County. Yao Meng and I came here last night." He spoke quickly, "You'll be away for a week. You should practice your shooting skills well."
"OK!"
After hanging up the phone, Xu Xu didn't feel anything. When she was working, she naturally wouldn't think about her children's love affairs. I just wanted to go to the office later and look up the relevant information about the case, maybe I could provide them with the best help I could.
But after a while, Ji Bai's words suddenly popped up in my mind, "Yao Meng and I came here last night."
She remembered the bright smile on Yao Meng's face when she was racing with Ji Bai last time, and she also remembered the complex emotions that flashed across Yao Meng's eyes when she looked at Ji Bai. Many little details that she had not noticed before suddenly flashed through her mind.
The finger that pulled the trigger paused slightly: It turns out that Yao Meng also likes Ji Bai.
☆、31
The police car was speeding on the national highway. Ji Bai sat in the back seat with his eyes slightly closed. The sound of the engine and wind gradually became blurred...
Suddenly, he felt his body sink slightly. He opened his eyes and saw Yao Meng beside him. She was lowering her head and placing a pink shawl on his chest.
Ji Bai stood up and sat up straight.
Yao Meng looked up at him and said, "Sleep a little longer. Your body won't be able to bear it if you don't sleep all night. I'll call you when we get there."
"No. Thank you." Ji Bai lifted up the shawl and handed it back to her.
After receiving the order from the director last night, the two drove onto the highway overnight and arrived at Xiangchuan County early this morning.
The crime scene was in Mapu Township below. Ji Bai drove all night before getting on the county public security bureau's car, where he took a short nap on the way.
The morning light was bright outside the window. Ji Bai put his hand on the door armrest, staring at the passing scenery outside the window without saying a word. Yao Meng took one look at his tall and straight figure and handsome and resolute profile, and her heart ached slightly.
After a moment of silence, she handed him a stack of information: "The information you asked for is sorted out."
"It's been hard work." Ji Bai took it and looked down at it.
Yao Meng didn't say anything else. Every time he finished reading a part, she would take it and organize it. When other information was needed, she would quickly find it and hand it to him, and cooperate with him quietly.
——
The country road is bumpy and the sorghum fields are very green and lush under the sun. The group got out of the car and walked along the path beside the field. There was a group of chattering farmers gathered in front, and the local police were trying to maintain order.
Ji Bai calmly pushed aside the blockade and strode in. Yao Meng followed him quickly.
On the open space next to the crops, there were small traces of dried blood and messy footprints. The body has been transported to the Municipal Public Security Bureau.
The county criminal investigation team leader, Su Mu, who was in his thirties, explained: "The deceased was Ma Rongrong, sixteen years old, female, from Guangyi County, H Province."
H Province and Lin City span several provinces. Yao Meng raised doubts: "You confirmed the identity of the deceased so quickly?"
Su Mu replied: "Ma Rongrong disappeared in the local area half a year ago and was suspected of being trafficked. Her parents reported it to the local police and the DNA data was entered into the national anti-trafficking system. So when we compared it last night, we got the result."
He paused and continued, "Ma Rongrong is a deaf-mute girl. Her parents are also deaf-mute. People have been looking for her all over the country since she disappeared. I heard that her financial situation is not good. After running out of savings, she has been living by begging. We have contacted them this morning and should be able to arrive tomorrow."
Ji Bai and Yao Meng didn't say anything. Su Mu handed over another stack of photos of the scene.
The girl in the photo was curled up in the open space in front of them. She was wearing a T-shirt and washed-out jeans. There was a large bloodstain on her head, but her pretty and fair face could still be vaguely seen.
Su Mu said: "We asked local people, no one had seen the victim before, she must have been brought to the village yesterday. She had old wounds all over her body, and there were signs of struggle on her arms and neck. Her clothes were messy and her belt was not fastened. In addition, another man's footprints were found at the scene. We suspect that it was a human trafficker or buyer who attempted rape and murder."
——
The sunlight was getting hotter and hotter, and the local police were waiting quietly and anxiously outside. The onlookers were even more curious and excited, looking at these two young and good-looking detectives who were said to have been specially invited from the city.
As soon as he received the report, Su Mu immediately ordered the township police station to protect the scene. Because the crime occurred at night and this place is remote, the suspect's footprints are preserved relatively clearly and completely. Ji Bai squatted beside a set of footprints at the edge of the field, pondered for a moment, and said, "Based on the length and depth of the footprints, the suspect is between 165cm and 175cm tall, and was wearing a pair of leather shoes at the time of the crime."
Yao Meng squatted beside him, holding a recorder. Su Mu took a pen and paper and wrote down everything quickly.
Ji Bai continued, "He was between 18 and 30 years old, overweight, weighing more than 80 kilograms. He had a package on his left shoulder at the time of the incident."
Yao Meng and Su Mu were both startled. Su Mu asked, "Why?"
Ji Bai stared at the footprints without moving his eyebrows, and explained calmly: "The front of the foot of the footprints exerts even force and the steps are steady, which are the characteristics of young people's footprints. If they are older, the scratches left by the heels and the dirt they bring up will be more obvious. In addition, the man's steps are not large, but they are wide and open at a large angle, which are the characteristics of fat people's steps. This can also be judged by the ratio of the length and depth of the footprints."
Yao Meng asked: "Where is the package?"
Ji Bai pointed at the left footprint: "Each left footprint is slightly deeper than the right one. There are two possibilities. One is lameness, and the other is carrying something heavy. But the clarity of the footprints on both feet is the same, which means the shoes have been worn to the same degree over the years. In that case, it is not lameness, but carrying a package."
As Yao Meng and Su Mu listened, they both became slightly excited. As soon as Su Mu got a clue, he immediately used the intercom to inform his colleagues outside and implemented it in the ongoing search operation. So the other policemen also listened and were amazed.
Ji Bai walked a little further along the edge of the field and said, "The victim walked to the crime scene with the suspect. The two footprints were parallel and clear, with even force, and no signs of running or struggling." After that, he pointed to the two sets of protected footprints on the right and asked, "Whose footprints are those?"
Su Mu replied: "It's the person who reported the case. His name is Zhang Zhuangzhi, he's 45 years old, and he's a local."
Ji Bai walked over, stared at the footprints for a while with his hands behind his back, then looked up at Su Mu: "Find him immediately. He is not only the person who reported the case, but also the buyer of the deceased. He may have seen the murderer."
When this clue was passed on, the police were excited and the villagers were instantly excited.
——
The lights were bright as Ji Bai, Su Mu and Yao Meng sat in the interrogation room of the County Public Security Bureau. Soon, Zhang Zhuangzhi was brought there.
This is a short, thin and sturdy farmer. Su Mu only scolded him harshly and asked him a few questions, but he turned red in the face and confessed everything in panic.
"My cousin has been dead for many years. I heard from someone that he could introduce me to a younger and prettier wife. The asking price is 30,000 yuan."
Su Mu said coldly: "Your financial situation is not bad."
Zhang Zhuangzhi was a little embarrassed: "My daughter graduated from university a few years ago and works in Shenzhen. She sends me 1,000 yuan every month. The government's policy for rural areas is good now, so I can still afford 30,000 yuan. And it's introduction, not trafficking. I think young women are like that now. If she is willing to stay with me for a few years for 30,000 yuan, it's fine."
Zhang Zhuangzhi explained the entire process of the incident.
The other person's name was Chen Yong. He was not a local. His appearance was exactly the same as Ji Bai's description. He looked to be in his early twenties and was carrying a black shoulder bag. The two agreed to meet at the crime scene at 9 o'clock last night.
"But I couldn't take it as soon as I saw the girl." Zhang Zhuangzhi was also a little excited. "Chen Yong said she was 22 years old, but I saw that she was a teenage girl. She was deaf and dumb, and she kept crying. She knelt down and shook her head desperately. Chen Yong even slapped her twice. Police comrade, this girl is younger than my daughter. I think she was abducted. I can't do such an immoral thing."
"So you still have a conscience? What happened next?"
"I do have a conscience... Then I left. When I left, I heard Chen Yong cursing, saying that the dumb girl hadn't made any money in several months. Then I heard him beating her very fiercely. I didn't want anyone to die, so I didn't go far and hid behind the sorghum. After a while, I saw Chen Yong running onto the road and driving away in his car. When I walked over again, the girl was already motionless. I called 110..."
——
Before the interrogation ended, Su Mu asked Zhang Zhuangzhi: "Why was the deceased's clothes messy and his belt not fastened properly?"
Zhang Zhuangzhi's eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing.
Yao Meng caught his expression and said sternly, "Tell the truth. Any concealment is illegal. This is a murder case, and the consequences are very serious!"
"I didn't do anything!" Zhang Zhuangzhi waved his hands hurriedly, "I... said I didn't like her, and Chen Yong asked me to check the girl first, then he stripped her clothes and made her kneel in the field..."
Ji Bai's face was gloomy, and Su Mu's expression became more and more ugly. Yao Meng's eyes were filled with heat and he cursed, "Beast!"
——
After taking Zhang Zhuangzhi away, Su Mu immediately notified the front-line police officers based on the clues he provided and carried out a targeted search. After a while, he returned to the interrogation room with two young detectives and looked at Ji Bai expectantly and solemnly.
"Captain Ji, how do you know that Zhang Zhuangzhi is the buyer?" asked a young criminal police officer.
Ji Bai replied calmly, "The crime scene is hidden, but not far from the highway and has convenient transportation. Judging from the footprints, the suspect and the deceased went to the crime scene together at night. It is very likely that the traffickers chose this location to trade with the buyer."
Su Mu suddenly realized: "Besides their footprints, there were only Zhang Zhuangzhi's footprints at the scene, so you suspected he was the buyer."
Ji Bai nodded: "Not only that, he left two sets of footprints, which means he went to the scene twice. One set is even and steady; the other set is more messy, and he hesitated for a while at a location more than ten meters away from the corpse."
Yao Meng added: "So the first time was probably when he came to meet the traffickers; the second time was when he saw the body and reported the case after hesitating and panicking."
Su Mu and the others suddenly felt enlightened. After a moment of quiet reflection, Su Mu said to the other two, "We all learned a trick from Captain Ji today."
Ji Bai stood up, patted Su Mu on the shoulder, and walked out of the house with them. Yao Meng was about to follow him, but when she looked up, she saw his calm and solemn face and the admiring looks people were giving him, and was suddenly stunned. She just felt as if her heart was gently pulled by something, slightly sweet, and strongly bitter. Just by looking at his profile, she felt a kind of heartache and pride that could not be explained to outsiders.
After a quick lunch, a clue came - in Lin County, some people saw a man suspected to be Chen Yong. Su Mu led the team, and Ji Bai was the instructor, and they went to Lin County together. Ma Rongrong's death made everyone suppress a heavy feeling of resentment. The criminal police never thought that Ji Bai had not slept for a whole day and night. Instead, they felt excited and determined to succeed because the famous detective also joined the search.
Only Yao Meng took advantage of the fact that no one was around and pulled Ji Bai's sleeve: "Boss, do you want to take a rest for a while?"
Ji Bai said no, just arrest the person first.
——
During the first two days after Ji Bai left, Xu Xu didn't think much about him, nor did he have the thought of calling or texting him - when there was a case, everything else had to be put aside. This was the unshakable basic professional ethics of a criminal police officer, and it was also deeply engraved in Xu Xu's personal consciousness and code of conduct.
She was thinking more about how to help his case. So he took the initiative to check and analyze a lot of relevant case information, and then compiled it for Zhao Han so that Ji Bai could use it anytime when needed.
It was just that during lunch break, he inadvertently glanced at the encrypted folder where she stored the murder photos, and subconsciously clicked on it, staring at his face for a few seconds, then closed it.
After a while, he opened it again and looked at it for a few seconds.
At this time, Zhao Han came in with a stack of documents and said to Old Wu, "The report from the appraisal department is out. I'll scan it and fax it to the boss."
Xu Xu was silent for a moment, picked up a stack of documents, and followed Zhao Han into the photocopying room next door.
What needed to be identified were the powder particles extracted from the suspect's footprints, which were sent to the municipal bureau by the Xiangchuan County police overnight. Zhao Han stood in front of the scanner, checking each page carefully. Xu Xu said: "Go notify the Xiangchuan County Public Security Bureau and I will scan it for you. This will be faster."
Xu Xu was always meticulous and quick in her work. Zhao Han nodded, handed it to her, and said, "Call the boss when you're done."
Listening to the sound of the cell phone signal being connected, Xu Xu felt a slight joy rising in his heart.
It only rang once, and Ji Bai answered it: "What's the matter?"
Xu Xu: "The appraisal report has come out. It has been faxed to the Xiangchuan Public Security Bureau. I will also send the electronic version to your phone."
"good."
His voice was slightly hoarse and deeper than usual. Xu Xu paused for a moment and said, "Goodbye then."
"Wait a minute." He stopped in a low voice.
Xu Xu remained silent.
She clearly felt her heart, as if it was gently lifted up by his words.
——
At the entrance of an alley in Xiangchuan County, Ji Bai was sitting in the back seat of an inconspicuous car.
He led a team and had been waiting outside a small hotel where Chen Yong was suspected to be, for a whole night, but to no avail. Perhaps Yao Meng mentioned it to Su Mu, and Su Mu insisted that he sleep for a few hours in the car behind, and promised to wake him up immediately if there were any signs. Yao Meng and Su Mu stayed in the car in front.
Ji Bai didn't refuse. I had just taken a nap when I was woken up by Xu Xu's phone call.
"Is everything okay in the city these days?" he asked gently.
"Everything is fine." Xu Xu replied, "How are you doing?"
"Still waiting, almost there."
They were both silent for a while, and Xu Xu directly asked the question she was concerned about: "I heard your voice is a little hoarse, are you okay?"
Ji Bai held his phone, looking at the colorful lights and noisy passers-by on the streets of the county town, and a smile slowly appeared on the corners of his lips: "I am a little uncomfortable. I drove all night and didn't sleep for about fifty hours. I am just about to take a rest."
Xu Xu was stunned and said nothing.
In fact, this was nothing for Ji Bai. There were many more difficult times than this. And as was his habit, he never complained about this kind of suffering to anyone. But for Xu Xu... can you let her feel sorry for her a little?
Xu Xu listened to his calm tone and could almost imagine his tired but resolute face in his mind. This suddenly made her feel a little uncomfortable, and her brows furrowed unconsciously.
"Then you should rest immediately. I won't disturb you." She said quickly, "Also, try to get enough sleep and eat on time. Contact me anytime if you need anything. Bye."
Before Ji Bai had a chance to speak, she said, "Master, go to sleep." Then the phone was hung up.
Ji Bai looked at the darkened screen of his phone and smiled slightly. At this time, the local policeman in the front row heard something and asked with a smile: "Captain Ji, is it your sister-in-law who called to express her concern?"
Ji Bai didn't deny it directly nor did he admit it. He leaned back in the back seat with his tired body, closed his eyes, and smiled: "Women love to worry... Then I'll take a nap first, call me if there's anything wrong."
☆、32
Dusk slowly falls and street lights light up one after another.
The residents of the small town prefer to take a walk after dinner, and a crowd of people walked past the hotel entrance. The innkeeper's wife moved a chair to the door to chat with someone, eating melon seeds and laughing. Everything looks peaceful and comfortable.
Ji Bai, Su Mu and Yao Meng sat in the car, staring at the road with bated breath. At a newsstand not far away and at the entrance of a busy supermarket, several plainclothes detectives were waiting quietly.
They have been waiting there for more than ten hours. According to reliable information, Chen Yong will return to the hotel today. As night fell, the nerves of the criminal police became more and more tense.
Among the hurried pedestrians, a medium-sized and strong man in black was walking from the supermarket entrance to the hotel. In the lively night
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