Chapter 76 Date: I'm really having a bad day! [VIP]
Soon, both the police uniform jacket and Yuichi's jacket were dried. Yuichi took the clothes from the shop assistant and glanced at Cheng You.
Cheng You shrugged helplessly: "There's nothing I can do, honey. It's hard to explain to my colleagues if I bring you along."
Yuichi grinned mischievously: "Hirata-nii, you can consider this compensation for me. That policeman just now knows about it."
Cheng You couldn't help but laugh. He reached out a hand to pat Youyi's head, but then he remembered that Youyi wasn't the same little kid from the first year of Ke Xue, and that being patted on the head might not be very pleasant. So he withdrew his hand and used the other one. He held up the police uniform jacket in his hand and said, "I really can't do anything with you."
Although Cheng You quickly withdrew his hand from patting Cheng You's head, Youyi still noticed it very quickly. He was about the same height as Cheng You now, so he leaned close to Cheng You's ear and whispered, "Hirata-nii, feel free to pat my head if you want~"
"Cough." Cheng You walked towards the back door, focusing on the road ahead and completely ignoring Youyi's nonsense.
Watching Cheng You flee in a panic, Youyi couldn't help but laugh, muttering a few words: "To wait several years for such a short-lived moment of happiness, I've really struck gold..."
After putting away his police uniform, Cheng took Youyi to find Date Wataru and Takagi Wataru according to the address.
From afar, Cheng You could see several people in various colored shirts sitting in front of the barbecue stall, but the first person he noticed was a man in a black suit. Just sitting there, the man's arrogant and domineering demeanor was very attractive.
—Jinpei Matsuda
The chair next to him was occupied by Kenji Hagiwara, who was wearing a white shirt.
Cheng You hadn't seen him and Hagiwara Kenji for a long time, and the matter of Matsuda Jinpei possibly encountering danger in Sekiya in the first year of the Ke Xue era hadn't been resolved yet. He was indeed worried, and even seeing the people in front of him made him somewhat anxious.
“Over here, Hirata.” Date Wataru was the first to see Cheng You and waved for him to sit next to him, which was opposite Matsuda Jinpei.
Cheng didn't refuse; he naturally sat down and pushed aside the stool next to him for Youyi to sit on.
"And who is this?" Date Wataru asked.
After Cheng sat down, he replied, "I accidentally bumped into the child. Although he has been treated at a small hospital nearby, I am still worried. I plan to take him out for a meal and then go to the Beika Town Hospital for a check-up."
"I see. But isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to take him to Beika Town? Is he a local child?" Date Wataru couldn't help but ask.
Before Cheng could think of a reply, Yuichi spoke first: "No, I'm also from Beika Town."
"A high school student?" Date Wataru nodded.
“Yes.” Yu nodded.
Ida Kou smiled and casually asked, "Would you like to apply to police academy in the future?"
"I am somewhat interested," Yuichi said casually.
Just then, the waiter brought over a few drinks, and Date Wataru was still chatting casually with Yuichi.
Cheng picked up the drink and took a sip. It was sweet, cloyingly sweet, with honey added.
Cheng is allergic to honey, so he stopped drinking it. He turned to the waiter and said, "Hello, I'm a little thirsty and don't want anything sweet. Could I have some plain water instead?"
The waiter nodded repeatedly: "Yes, sir."
Matsuda Jinpei, who hadn't participated in the conversation, noticed Cheng You's expression for a moment after finishing his drink, and casually remarked, "This drink isn't very sweet either."
"Really? I find it a bit too sweet. Maybe it's just a matter of personal taste." Cheng thought for a moment before answering. It was indeed very sweet, and perhaps he was just more sensitive to honey.
"Hmm." Matsuda Jinpei nodded, then turned to Hagiwara Kenji and began chatting and laughing.
“When we came here, we passed through the border of Higashino Ward. At that time, I saw someone who looked a lot like Yuki Matsukawa,” he said casually.
"Huh? I didn't see it when I was with you?" Kenji Hagiwara asked, raising an eyebrow.
Matsuda Jinpei pursed his lips: "It's probably a matter of perspective. It looks similar, but it doesn't feel like it."
"Why?"
Jinpei Matsuda: "Because of the details. He doesn't have Matsushita's temperament."
"Jinpei's memory is so good, he remembers the details so clearly." Kenji Hagiwara smiled casually, taking it as just a friend missing each other, and it wasn't surprising since Jinpei Matsuda did value friendship.
“No, that’s not right… It’s so strange. He was with a blond man, said a few words to him, and then left alone…” Matsuda Jinpei frowned and muttered to himself.
Cheng You didn't hear any of this; after all, he wasn't an eavesdropper. He simply ate his meal, quietly paid the bill, and then left with Youyi, saying he needed to take her to the hospital for a checkup as soon as possible.
Seeing how anxious he was, Date Hang specifically reminded him to be careful on the road and gave him a leave slip, allowing him to rest for another day.
"What's wrong with you, squad leader? You're being way too lenient with your subordinates!" Matsuda Jinpei couldn't help but complain. "You used to be so strict about separating public and private matters!"
Ida Kou chuckled: "I forgot to mention, that Hirata isn't a policeman, he's a junior officer I mentor. He's kind of an intern, and also an advisor to our team. He doesn't get paid, and he often helps our team solve cases. This vacation is just like his."
"Not taking a salary?" Matsuda Jinpei's lips twitched. "That's certainly possible."
Kenji Hagiwara couldn't help but sigh, "He doesn't want a salary? Don't tell me he went to the Metropolitan Police Department just to have fun. Most rich kids are like that."
Matsuda Jinpei shook his head: "Hagi, didn't you hear what the squad leader said? Hirata is also assisting them in solving the case."
Kenji Hagiwara shrugged helplessly: "Hmm... but speaking of Hirata, it's not the one I know, is it?"
"?" Matsuda Jinpei asked, puzzled. "Which one?"
“Hirata Hiroshi, the one who dealt with that… traffic accident law and regulations a few days ago,” Hagiwara Kenji said after thinking carefully.
Upon hearing this, Matsuda Jinpei immediately remembered: "Oh, it was him..."
He seemed innocent and harmless, yet his actions were the result of days of meticulous planning and a single, deadly strike. It was clear that someone who caught the eye of Sergeant Date was no ordinary person. However, his style and behavior did remind him somewhat of an old acquaintance, Matsuda Jinpei thought.
As Cheng You left Dongye District, he clutched a brand-new leave slip, feeling somewhat helpless: "Sigh, I can't even go to work now."
He glanced at Yuichi, then, as if remembering something interesting, asked, "Hey, is it true that you were thinking about applying to police academy, as you just told Mr. Date?"
Cheng You's tone was very serious, completely unlike his usual playful demeanor. Although he knew that Youyi's words might be a joke or just a perfunctory response, he felt that taking the police academy entrance exam was a good option, especially for Youyi.
Yuichi is intelligent and capable, with outstanding wisdom and abilities. It would be a waste of his talent and aptitude to work in other industries.
Yuichi's dark, gleaming eyes darted around: "What do you think, Hirata-nii-san?"
“This is your own life, your own choice. You can go and try what you like. The important thing is not to listen to anyone else, but to follow your own interests,” Cheng You said. “However, being a policeman is not a good thing. It’s tiring and tough, and it completely disrupts your life. But there’s a saying in my hometown: ‘No pain, no gain.’ But I think that a free and leisurely life, like our dessert shop, is more suitable for me than being a superior person.”
Cheng You's words were indeed against his conscience. After all, he had once thought about being a superior person and the leader of an organization. However, as he made more friends, he realized that this kind of life was not what he liked best.
“Hmm,” Yu nodded, then hesitated and said, “I’d like to think about it some more.”
Cheng changed his serious tone and smiled at Youyi with a crooked mouth: "Life's choices are never easy. Think it over carefully. But you're only in your first year of high school, so there's no rush."
In Japan, students from elementary school to high school to university experience almost no pressure. They have a wide variety of courses, including art, practical, and labor courses, making their education quite enriching.
But growing up in such a comfortable environment is not a good thing.
Because once they graduate, they will have to endure a closed environment they have never experienced before, which will put them under tremendous pressure.
Adults often go to drinking parties, and sometimes they may leave drunk and pass out on a street corner.
This is true for ordinary jobs, but it's even harder to be a police officer.
Layer upon layer of screening and various tests—this is just the beginning.
Once I officially start working, I might stay up all night writing reports or solving cases.
As someone who has always been able to withstand pressure since childhood, Cheng You could certainly accept these things. However, he couldn't guarantee anything about Yuichi. He had seen Yuichi when he was a child in the first year of the Ke Xue era. Even if he pretended to be mature and strong, he was still a child with a childlike nature and needed companionship. So, instead of forcing him, he pointed out his shortcomings.
He felt that with the assistance of the police, the FBI, and the protagonist, he was capable of handling the affairs of the Black Organization and the research institute, even if it came at a price.
Cheng hopes that Youyi can truly live the kind of free life he loved as a child.
Back at Cheng You's rented apartment, the two watched anime for a while before going to sleep.
These past few days have been spent investigating cases, keeping Yuichi company at home, and keeping an eye on whether anything strange has happened around Date Wataru.
After resolving some minor troubles, it was February 7th. Cheng You left early, knowing that the case would be very tricky, so he would provide as many clues as possible to prevent Ida Hang from failing to avoid an accident due to exhaustion.
Cheng went to the Metropolitan Police Department and decided to keep a close eye on Ida Kou.
Date Hang is not someone who needs close protection, but Cheng You will do his best to eliminate any accidents that Date Hang might not notice.
On this day, Cheng You truly felt the greatest malice the world could show to those who were destined to die.
For example, when they were investigating a case at a crime scene, there was a gas leak in the kitchen. Because Ida Hang had been working hard recently and had a slight cold, he didn't notice it immediately. Fortunately, Cheng had a keen sense of smell and discovered it in time.
Subsequent investigation confirmed that it was indeed an accident; the gas stove ignited automatically.
Cheng You immediately realized this was an unexpected turn of events. He clenched his fists, unable to help but question the system in his mind: [This is an unexpected turn of events? Willing to sacrifice everyone in the room to kill someone who was destined to die in the original plot?]
If Cheng hadn't been there with them, it would have been too late by the time the others smelled the gas leak.
The system was also helpless: [That's just how accidents are.]
Later, while walking on the road, a vase fell from a high place. Fortunately, Ida Ko was quick enough to jump away and avoid it: "That was really dangerous. We need to get the security guards here to check it out. If this is left unattended, it could become a real hazard."
The result was the same: nobody was there. The wind blew down a bamboo pole, which knocked the vase down. Incredible.
Ida Wataru couldn't help but sigh, "It really proves the saying, 'You never know which will come first, tomorrow or an accident.'"
Suppressing his resentment, Cheng teased Date Kou half-jokingly, "Mr. Date, are you having a really bad day? Maybe we shouldn't go out, it's scary."
Ida Kou didn't take it to heart: "Hmm? Bad luck? These are all coincidences, it's okay, let's continue the investigation."
Cheng had no choice but to continue following along.
Then one accident after another occurred, such as the nails used to carry infectious diseases on the road. Fortunately, Ida Wataru had good eyesight and noticed the blood-stained sharp object. They called the police to investigate and eventually found out that he was a carrier of an infectious disease. However, he said that he was just trying to commit suicide with a knife but failed, so he planned to throw away the blood-stained nails and props. Who knew that one of them would accidentally fall on the road.
Another unexpected turn of events.
The poisoned drink was mistakenly delivered to Date Hang. Fortunately, Cheng You overheard the killer's thoughts, knew the drink was poisoned, and stopped Date Hang from drinking it. Meanwhile, the killer was also puzzled: "What happened? Everything was planned. How could a stranger happen to get it?"
Another unexpected turn of events.
...After a series of unexpected events, Date Wataru suddenly fell silent. He began to wonder if he really shouldn't go out today.
After thinking it over, Date thought to himself, "Yes, today is really unlucky."
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