Chapter 144 Ah! Vacation~
Under the pale searchlight, thirty-one cement barrels glowed coldly in the night.
Ning Yutong's fingertips were icy, and the cold temperature spread from her fingertips to her whole body.
One of them may contain Lin Changan's last breath.
She suddenly remembered that equally cold night twenty-six years ago.
When she was six years old, she was locked in a leaky warehouse by human traffickers. It was the ray of light that the old policeman kicked open the iron door and brought in that made her determined to become a police officer.
Later, all the other children were taken away crying by their parents, but she was the only one standing at the door of the police station with no one claiming her. That night, she learned that her parents had died in a car accident on the way to look for her. She watched her shadow being stretched very long by the street lights.
"Girl, come home with us." The old policeman squatted down, his police uniform and cotton jacket rubbing against Ning Yutong's red face. The old policeman's wife sewed her a new quilt overnight, the stitches so dense that it could hold the warmth of an entire childhood.
The night the old police officer died in the line of duty was a night like this. The seventeen-year-old girl, clutching her blood-stained badge, counted the longest stars of her life outside the morgue.
Later, Lin Changan found her crying secretly on the police academy playground and stuffed hot milk tea into her hands: "I'll count for you from now on."
Now, even his temperature will be sealed forever by cement.
"Sister Yutong..." Xia Lili put her arm around her shoulders, the girl's body warmth radiating through her uniform. "Look, the stars are especially bright tonight."
"Senior Lin, if he is still alive in heaven, has learned that you captured the old ghost with your own hands, and he is very happy for you."
Ning Yutong raised her head, tears flowing back into her eyes as she moved.
On the inky black sky, the Big Dipper that the old policeman had taught her to recognize was hanging quietly above the cement factory, shining brightly, just like the police badge on her chest.
Ning Yutong took out the two rings she had taken off before the mission from her pocket, and the tears in her eyes fell on the rings.
"Lili, thank you for providing the crucial information."
Ning Yutong said solemnly, "On behalf of all members of the anti-drug team and the comrades who died in the line of duty, thank you."
Xia Lili was infected by Ning Yutong's emotions and her eyes also turned red. She felt that her ability to predict misfortune was a gift from God. "From now on, we will be your family."
Xia Lili and Leng Xiaohe hugged Ning Yutong, and all three of them had red eyes from crying.
When the team was leaving, Ning Yutong put the two rings back on her hands.
Ten years of pursuit, two wedding rings, a hunt across life and death, the dust has settled at this moment.
*
The night was dark and the police car drove through the empty streets. The halo of the street lamps cast blurry afterimages on the car windows.
Xia Lili leaned on the passenger seat, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the seat belt. What lingered in her mind was still the tragic scene of the thirty-one cement barrels and the incident between Ning Yutong and Lin Changan.
She closed her eyes, but the same images still emerged in the darkness - desperate, depressing, and heavy.
The neon lights outside the car window passed over her profile, making her eyes look hazy.
In the driver's seat, Li Qihan placed one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the edge of the car window, his knuckles slightly bent.
His eyes were always fixed on the front, but his peripheral vision had already caught her absent-mindedness.
There was silence in the car for a few seconds, and then he spoke in a low voice: "Do you want to take some time off?"
Xia Lili was stunned, and her thoughts were suddenly brought back to reality.
She turned her head and looked at him in surprise: "Vacation?"
Li Qihan didn't look at her, still staring straight ahead. His tone was calm, but a little less cold and hard than usual: "Take a long vacation and relax."
He paused and added, "Don't always carry those emotions."
Xia Lili blinked and didn't react for a moment.
She thought he would remind her in his businesslike tone as usual, but unexpectedly, he actually offered to let her rest.
She couldn't help but ask tentatively, "But... didn't you tell me yesterday to take the fighting class seriously?"
Li Qihan was silent for a moment, his jaw slightly tense, as if he was weighing his words. After a while, he spoke calmly, "The state of mind in class is very important."
——The implication is that she is not suitable for training in her current condition.
Xia Lili was stunned for a moment, then the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
Her brother has already flown to Haicheng to prepare for the recording of the show, so she can go visit him on set and relax at the same time.
Xia Lili turned her head to look out the window, and suddenly felt a little relieved.
"Let me...make a plan," she whispered.
Li Qihan hummed, still not looking at her, and simply said, "If you've made up your mind, just tell Commander Gu directly. No need to file a report."
He paused and said, "You are a specially hired expert, so you have free time."
The car slowly stopped at the gate of the police compound. Xia Lili unbuckled her seat belt and pushed the door to get out of the car, but found that Li Qihan had no intention of turning off the engine.
She held onto the car door and looked up at him questioningly: "Aren't you going back to the compound?"
Li Qihan glanced at her sideways and said calmly, "We'll have to work overtime if we catch the big boss."
Xia Lili understood and nodded. As the night breeze blew past, she straightened her collar and whispered, "Then...good night."
Li Qihan's gaze stayed on her face for a second, then he withdrew and said in a low voice: "Have a good rest, good night."
"And thank you."
The car door closed. When Xia Lili heard Li Qihan's words, she realized that the engine noise had faded away.
Xia Lili stood under the street light, watching the black police car drive into the night, and suddenly felt that the wind tonight didn't seem so cold.
*
The next morning.
The sunlight came in through the gaps in the curtains. Xia Lili stretched out in the quilt and slept soundly and deeply without even dreaming.
She rubbed her eyes and slowly got up. She felt refreshed and even her breathing became lighter.
The aroma of fried eggs wafted from the kitchen. She walked over in her slippers and saw her mother taking hot milk out of the microwave.
"Are you awake?" Chang Yue turned around and smiled at her, "Go wash up quickly, breakfast will be ready soon."
Xia Lili said "hmm" and suddenly felt a warmth in her heart.
She sat at the dining table and took a bite of Chang Yue's special sandwich. The crispy bread, tender fried egg, and slightly melted cheese made her feel - how great it is to be alive with every bite.
After eating and drinking her fill, she held her chin in her hand and was stunned for a while before finally making up her mind.
He took out his cell phone and called Commander Gu.
"Hello? Lili!" Commander Gu's voice boomed over the background noise, and the faint cheers of his colleagues could be heard. "It just so happens I'm having a celebration party right here! After ten years, we finally caught that drug lord. Hahaha!"
Xia Lili couldn't help but laugh as well: "Congratulations, Commander Gu, you can finally get a good night's sleep."
"That's right!" Commander Gu was in a very good mood. "By the way, what do you want to talk to me about?"
"I want to... take a vacation." Xia Lili paused, "I've been feeling a bit tired lately, so I want to go to Haicheng to relax."
"Vacation? That's great!" Commander Gu slapped his thigh. "You should rest a long time ago! The bureau will reimburse you as a reward for your hard work!"
Xia Lili quickly shook her head: "No, no, my brother is in Haicheng recording a program, his agent will arrange it, the bureau won't have to spend any money."
Commander Gu was amused: "Girl, how come you're saving money for the bureau?"
He lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Just wait, the reward for solving this case is at least 700,000 yuan, you can't escape it!"
Xia Lili's eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up: "Really?"
"How could I possibly lie to you?" Commander Gu laughed heartily. "Okay, have fun. Contact me anytime if you need anything!"
After hanging up the phone, Xia Lili held the phone and couldn't help laughing out loud.
Seven hundred thousand!
In less than three days, we made 700,000 yuan!
Ah, vacation, it’s so wonderful!
Xia Lili couldn't wait to make a video call to Xia Xubai.
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