Psychologists say that most men have three desires: oral, sexual, and curiosity. After satisfying her oral cravings, Ping An, who had been playing the role of a good baby on the hospital bed for so long, quietly returned to the ward. Unbeknownst to her, while Ping An was satisfying her oral cravings, her roommate Mei Qian was also…
"Hey! Mei Qian, why aren't you turning on the light? Are you asleep?" Ping An pushed open the ward door and strode in.
"Ow! I said you shouldn't eat anything you shouldn't? My stomach, ow!" Completely ignoring Mei Qian and An Jing, who were embracing on the hospital bed, Ping An pretended to have a stomachache, grabbed a roll of toilet paper, and walked out.
"See, my brother found out. You're so impatient!" An Jing jumped off the bed, put on her jacket, and complained.
"Why did he come back at this time?" Mei Qian's hand had just reached inside, and before anything substantial could happen, he was caught red-handed by his "brother-in-law" who seemed to have returned at the perfect moment. Clearly unsatisfied with the progress so far, Mei Qian held An Jing's hand and played the "pitiable baby."
"Let go! If you pull again, I'll slap you!" Being caught in such a situation by her closest brother, An Jing, who was more conservative, now just wanted to escape. As for Mei Qian, who was pretending to be a "pitiable baby," well, they'd worry about that after they got through tonight.
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Outside the ward, Ping An, holding a roll of toilet paper, and Liu Ke Dou, playing match-three on a chair, stared at each other.
"Big guy, let's make a deal!" Ping An said, half-threateningly, half-luring, "When I go in later, no matter what happens, don't come in!"
"No way, you'll beat our captain to death!" Liu Ke Dou shook his head.
"How could that be? I'm just going to have a friendly chat with Mei Qian," Ping An said through gritted teeth.
"No, our captain is a patient right now. Wait until he's recovered, then you can talk all you want," Liu Ke Dou said. "Besides, our captain has already rented a place at your house. You'll see each other every day, so when can't you talk?"
"What? He's living at my house?" Ping An was shocked. "How come I don't know?"
"The day before yesterday. Your sister agreed, and I took his luggage to your house yesterday," Liu Ke Dou said. "He's living in your study. By the way, big reporter, why do you have so many books? Can I borrow those illustrated editions of 'Jin Ping Mei'?"
Well! He's quick! Can't be sneaky and affectionate, and now he's conquering the main base! Good for you, An Jing, turning your back on your own family! Good for you, Mei Qian, fine, if you dare to live there, I dare to collect rent!
"Oh, right, Reporter Ping An, this is the rental proof I got from your community committee for our captain this morning. You and your sister are really kind. Such a nice place, only 1500 yuan a month. Our captain gets thousands in housing subsidies every month, so this is extra. You really thought of our captain," Liu Ke Dou said enviously. "If I didn't have a place in Hechuan, I'd want to rent here too!"
"Weren't you and Mei Qian here together? How do you have a place in Hechuan?" Ping An was so angry he was confused. "No! What are you talking about? What did you say my sister charged Mei Qian for rent?"
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"My family has a property development in Hechuan…" Liu Ke Dou said a bit embarrassed. "1500, and An Jing still thought it was a bit much, saying it should be the same as Lin Dang. Our captain said that his brother-in-law has a small mind and might not be suitable…"
"Mei Qian! I'm going to smother you!" Forgetting about An Jing's reputation, Ping An kicked open the ward door, completely ignoring the blushing An Jing who was about to leave, and threw a punch without hesitation.
In the quiet of the night, one thinks of home.
But tonight, there's no need to think of home. A head nurse, looking like a shrew, with one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Ping An and then Mei Qian, declared that no matter if they were a big reporter or a criminal police captain, in her ward, they had to be good boys. Disobey, and they'd face half an hour of verbal reprimand.
"Is this hospital yours? Don't you know it's late and everyone needs to rest? So you caught a killer, what are you so proud of? If the person on duty that night wasn't me, I would have sat on him and crushed him. And you two would have been fine," the stern-faced head nurse said, shaking her "assets" and pointing at An Jing. "No overnight guests. You, go home!"
An Jing, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh, looked at her brother, who was gnashing his teeth, and then at Mei Qian, whose eye was already swollen. Sticking out her tongue, she quietly pushed open the door and left.
"You two really think you're all better!" the head nurse said. "If you don't behave, I'll report you!"
The head nurse left, thoughtfully closing the door behind her. Now, only Ping An and Mei Qian were left in the ward.
"Soft?" Ping An's voice suddenly came from the darkness.
"Both soft and fragrant!" Mei Qian said a bit shyly.
"Are you really planning to marry An Jing?" Ping An asked.
"Yes! It has to be her," Mei Qian said.
"You know, I'm not an easy person to get along with," Ping An said, a little self-deprecatingly.
"What does it have to do with you if I marry An Jing? I'm not going to live with you forever," Mei Qian replied.
"Do you know that our father is a murderer?" Ping An continued. "If you marry An Jing, your social circle will include a murderer, and you can forget about any promotions in the future."
"Clack!" A lighter flared up in the darkness, illuminating Mei Qian's serious face. "Have a cigarette?" Mei Qian took out a cigarette and offered it to Ping An.
Ping An nimbly opened the window, took the cigarette, and lit it with Mei Qian's lighter.
"When I met An Jing, I wanted to recommend her for the special police force. I only found out that your father was a murderer after reviewing her background check," Mei Qian said. "After falling in love with An Jing, I asked about Uncle's case, but An Jing told me that Uncle couldn't have killed anyone."
"You knew and still…" Ping An said, a little surprised.
"Don't talk, let me say it!" Mei Qian said mysteriously. "I've always known that An Jing wants to prove that Uncle was framed, but as a woman, she couldn't do it alone, so I've been doing some private investigations."
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At this point, Ping An, who had been indifferent, suddenly's eyes lit up.
"I really didn't know you were An Jing's brother. I always thought her brother was a scholar, a gentle and refined person," Mei Qian said. "As for your question, I can tell you the truth. Although my parents are divorced, my Mei family has lived in Su Lu for generations, and I'm quite promising. Before coming to Hechuan, I was about to be promoted to deputy director of the county public security bureau. If there are no major issues, I'll be the director and deputy county head within a few years, and then return to the municipal bureau as a section chief. My future is bright."
"Unfortunately, this isn't the life I want. For An Jing, I don't care about these things. Even if I can't keep my police uniform, at worst, we can open a wrestling training class together," Mei Qian said.
"You should think carefully!" Ping An, after hearing Mei Qian's words, although not moved, was somewhat relieved.
"I've thought it through!" Mei Qian said decisively. "Besides, brother-in-law, trying to overturn Uncle's case as a reporter probably won't be easy, right? For example, I know you've wanted to see Uncle's case file for more than a day or two, but even with friends like Yan Qing and Gao Xiaofei, you can't get it."
"My father's case file is at the provincial department. Yan Qing helped me inquire, but there's no way," Ping An said helplessly.
"But I have a way!" Mei Qian leaned closer to Ping An. "Don't you know that your father's case was included in the textbooks? A copy of the case file has always been at the Public Security University."
"Is that true!" Ping An stood up and grabbed Mei Qian's hand.
"Absolutely true!" Mei Qian shook off Ping An's hand. "However, we'll have to wait until this case is over before we can go and see it. My teacher is a professor there. For example, I'll take my fiancée to give my teacher an invitation…"
"Whether you can marry my sister depends on your performance, but remember this clearly: you don't have to help me with my father's case, but you can't stop me," Ping An said. "I know you both have good intentions, but I am determined to investigate this case myself."
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"Alright, alright!" Mei Qian stood up and pulled Ping An down. "Don't be anxious! So, we've agreed. After we're discharged, I'll be living at your place!"
"You can live there, but there will be a tenant agreement!" Ping An said fiercely. "When I'm done thinking it up, you can sign it slowly!"
For the next few days, nothing significant happened. The news from Gao Xiaofei was that the palm print at the construction site didn't match the killer, meaning that the person who dumped the body at the construction site was not the killer. This news gave Mei Qian and the others a headache, fearing that the investigation was going in the wrong direction; however, for Ping An, it was as expected. Furthermore, Wu An's mobile phone, a refurbished brand, was completely irreparable this time, and no useful information was found. This news was nothing to Mei Qian, but for Ping An, it was a dire sign. Finally, under Ping An's "threats," Liu Juan and her husband Gao Min, citing "they didn't discover it at first," voluntarily returned the 1 million yuan in cash they had hidden somewhere. According to what Gao Xiaofei later told Ping An about visiting the scene, he perfectly mimicked Liu Juan, who had red eyes like a greedy devil. He then conveyed a message to Ping An, asking if he was "satisfied."
To Ping An, these things were not major issues. He took advantage of his remaining days in the hospital to draft a stringent rental agreement.
On September 30th, the day before the National Day holiday, Ping An and Mei Qian were officially discharged. Gao Xiaofei didn't come, claiming his mother was keeping him at home and forcing him to go on a blind date, so he probably couldn't get out. An Jing and Lin Dang drove to pick them up. The driver was none other than Gaoda, the security guard from the construction site.
"Master Gaoda, you've started your new job, huh!" Ping An said with a chuckle as he got into the car and saw Gaoda.
"I settled my wages with the construction site yesterday morning, and went to your sister's in the afternoon. I've already discussed my salary with Boss An Jing. It's quite generous, 5000 a month! The accommodation is great too. Boss An Jing even got me a meal card for the company cafeteria downstairs, so I have a place to eat. I'll work as a security guard during the day, fetch water for the trainees, keep an eye on the equipment for our training class at night, and also do security work for the company downstairs. The company downstairs doesn't pay me, but they put 600 yuan on my meal card every month, which I can't possibly eat all of," Gaoda chattered. Listening to him, Ping An felt very comfortable. He glanced at Lin Dang sitting next to him and noticed that the girl was blushing. What did that mean?
"Lin Dang, how has work been while I was away?" Ping An asked deliberately.
"Everything's been great. Director Zhang and Director Fei have been a big help, and the editors have been very considerate. They point out my mistakes and help me correct them," Lin Dang replied earnestly.
"Are you comfortable living at home?" Ping An continued to ask.
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"Very comfortable! The room is nice, but my rent is too low. I'll definitely make up for it later," Lin Dang said.
"No need for that. People like you, who have a conscience, unlike some people who have several thousand yuan in housing subsidies every month but only pay a little rent," Ping An said.
"Speaking of which, how much rent do you want? I'll pay you the difference," Mei Qian said with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"Forget it, brother. Mei Qian saved our lives, let's not haggle over these things," An Jing said. "It'll be more lively with two more people at home."
"Hmph!" Ping An gave his sister a displeased look.
In fact, Ping An's home hadn't been this lively for many years.
Gaoda dropped the carload of people off at the complex and helped with the luggage twice before preparing to return to the training class, but Ping An stopped him. Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and with the busy days ahead, he didn't know if they'd have time to celebrate. So, he put on his "head of the household" airs and announced that they would have hot pot for lunch, play mahjong in the afternoon, and seafood for dinner, celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival in advance.
An Jing was more than pleased with her brother's suggestion. She grabbed Lin Dang and headed to the supermarket. Gaoda, with nothing to do, saw the weeds in the yard and started tending to them on his own. Ping An went upstairs first to light some incense for his father, then sat in the living room, cocking his head, listening to the sounds from the study, or rather, what was now Mei Qian's bedroom.
Ping An's study, to be precise, was once Ping Fan's study. Now, it was filled with three large bookcases. In addition, there was a simple, makeshift bed by the door. On the opposite wall, leaned a simple cloth wardrobe, its color indicating that An Jing had chosen it.
After putting down his luggage, Mei Qian lay on the bed. A makeshift bed was naturally not comfortable, but thinking that he would be living under the same roof as An Jing from now on, Mei Qian was ecstatic. In fact, Mei Qian had intended to move out with An Jing, but An Jing understood her brother's temperament and refused to budge. Mei Qian had to settle for the next best thing.
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The hot pot for lunch was prepared entirely by Lin Dang. This girl, who spoke with a genuine northeastern accent, was actually a Sichuan native through and through. Ping An was puzzled and asked her why she spoke with such a clear northeastern accent. Lin Dang smiled and said it was because her roommate was from the Northeast, and she couldn't help but speak that way.
Around the dining table, everyone enjoyed the spicy Sichuan hot pot to their satisfaction. Halfway through the meal, Ping An suddenly produced a "Rental Agreement," saying he wanted to set some rules for the household.
"Article 5: Tenants living on the first floor are strictly forbidden from going to the second floor, no matter what. Article 6: Tenants living on the first floor must have a sense of shame and should…" After hearing Ping An's rules, An Jing's face turned as black as ink. This wasn't a "Rental Agreement" at all; it was practically announcing to everyone that it was a "No dating my sister" agreement!
Mei Qian, however, didn't take the agreement seriously. He knew that there would be plenty of time in the future. Most importantly, he didn't believe that Ping An would be unmoved by a girl as fresh and tender as Lin Dang! The emotions forged between life and death were the most genuine. He and An Jing's love was stronger than gold, so it was natural. But Mei Qian had personally witnessed Ping An holding Lin Dang and playing with a slingshot at that time. That young girl Lin Dang, in such a stimulating environment, had such close contact, hehe, something was bound to happen sooner or later.
Overall, the hot pot meal was satisfying for everyone, especially Mei Qian. Since arriving in Hechuan, he had unexpectedly approached the family and life of his beloved in this manner, and he was quite content.
"Lin Dang, the holiday is almost here. Are you going back to your hometown?" An Jing suddenly asked after dinner, as everyone sat on the sofa eating fruit.
"I don't plan to go back. It's too far, and the high-speed rail tickets are expensive!" Lin Dang said.
"It's okay, we paid you your salary in advance," Ping An said casually.
"Oh, if she's not going back, she can just stay. Let my brother take you around Hechuan," An Jing said with ulterior motives.
"What's there to explore? Lin Dang went to university in Hechuan for four years, she must have seen everything already," Ping An said.
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"Pretty much," Lin Dang replied honestly.
"Oh, what kind of exploration is that? Here, these are four circus tickets given to me by a student. You can use them any day during the National Day holiday. Brother, let's go together," An Jing took out four circus tickets and placed them beside Ping An.
"A circus? It's not very interesting. I'd rather rest at home," Ping An said, then glanced at Lin Dang and continued, "However, Lin Dang, have you never seen a circus before? If you want to go, I'll take you."
"Okay!" Lin Dang said with a look of longing.
While Ping An's family was happily enjoying their holiday time, Gao Xiaofei, who had used the excuse of being blocked by his mother for a blind date, was currently in a police car, directing an important arrest operation. Mei Qian was injured, Su Xia was dismissed, and Gao Xiaofei was hastily appointed to lead the entire series of cases from behind the scenes to the forefront.
"Bull Head! Bull Head! This is Bull Eye, I'm monitoring. Target C is still in the 'Delicious Fried Sauce Noodles' restaurant. Should we proceed with the arrest?" Lai Xiang's urgent voice came from the walkie-talkie. Target C was, of course, Chen Nairong, this cunning old fox. He had disappeared for such a long time, and now he risked capture by appearing at this small eatery. The opportunity for arrest was fleeting, but Gao Xiaofei, the overall commander, still hadn't given the order.
"Gao Xiaofei, why haven't you given the order to arrest yet?" Yan Qing, sitting in the municipal public security bureau's command center, stared at the restaurant on the screen, muttering to herself.
"Monitor closely. Plainclothes inside be vigilant. Brothers outside retreat another 500 meters and pay close attention to any suspicious vehicles," Gao Xiaofei suddenly ordered over the walkie-talkie.
"Received!" The voices of the heads of each action team came from the walkie-talkie.
"Team Leader Gao, Director Yan is on the phone!" a police officer said to Gao Xiaofei, holding out his mobile phone.
"Give it to me!" Gao Xiaofei took the phone. "Director Yan, I suspect he's taking such a big risk to come here for a reason. We need to observe if there are other criminal groups."
"I understand what you mean, but the opportunity is fleeting. Capturing Chen Nairong is the top priority. Proceed with the operation!" Yan Qing said after a moment's thought.
"Alright!" Gao Xiaofei hung up the phone and raised his binoculars.
"All teams, listen up, prepare to act!" Gao Xiaofei was about to give the order.
"Report, Bull Head, a beige sedan with no license plate has been slowly circling the intersection for two laps. It's very suspicious," Bull Stomach, who was guarding the perimeter, suddenly reported.
"Excellent! Suspend operations! All teams, maintain concealment!" Gao Xiaofei excitedly ordered. "Bull Stomach, you and Bull Steak, keep a close eye on that car. Don't worry about what happens over here."
"Received!"
"Report, Bull Head, Target C has come out of the back door of the restaurant, wearing a yellow windbreaker. Should we arrest him?" Bull Eye, who had been closely monitoring the key target, suddenly reported.
"Keep an eye on him, and have Bull Horn prepare for the arrest!" Gao Xiaofei nervously wiped the sweat from his forehead and continued, "Bull Stomach, report the situation!"
"The target vehicle is still circling in place!" the leader of the Bull Stomach team said over the walkie-talkie. "Should we control it?"
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"Can you see who is inside the car?" Gao Xiaofei asked calmly.
"No, the person inside is disguised," the Bull Stomach team replied.
Just then, an urgent report came from the Bull Eye team over the walkie-talkie: "Target is awake and heading towards Route 4. Should we arrest him!"
"Arrest him immediately!" Gao Xiaofei felt a sense of impending failure and reluctantly gave the arrest order.
The small road, designated "Action Route 4" by the police, was actually an alley leading to a factory. Shortly after Gao Xiaofei gave the order, the members of the Bull Horn team responsible for the arrest moved swiftly.
"Report! Target lost! Target lost!" Less than 3 minutes after the arrest order was given, the dejected voice of Bull Stomach team members came over the walkie-talkie.
"How is that possible? Weren't you keeping a close eye on him? He slipped away right under the noses of over a hundred people?" Gao Xiaofei shouted furiously, holding the walkie-talkie.
It turned out that after Chen Nairong entered the alley, the six members of the arrest team dispersed in a net formation, waiting for the order to swiftly apprehend him. However, after the arrest order was given, these six members suddenly found that the Chen Nairong they had been intently watching had vanished as if he had evaporated on the spot.
The individuals participating in the arrest were all veteran detectives. As soon as they entered the alley, they kept a close eye on Chen Nairong, who was wearing a yellow windbreaker. They swore they were still watching the target at the moment of the arrest. But as soon as the operation began, the target, in an instant, disappeared without a trace.
"Are you eating rice? Hurry up and go look for him!" Gao Xiaofei, unwilling to give up, appeared in the alley with a long string of followers.
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"This is weird!" Gao Xiaofei rubbed his head, muttering to himself.
The vast police force, which had arrived in haste, withdrew just as quickly. After the police had all left, a middle-aged diner who was diligently eating fried pancakes in the alley dared to quietly lift his head and look.
"Master, why don't you hang your clothes on the hanger? They're dirty sitting on them," the shop owner said kindly.
"No need, no need, I'll be done eating soon. Let's go!" Chen Nairong replied politely.
Cornered by the police, Chen Nairong, who had no escape, managed to get away. Did he have invisibility? The method was actually very simple: squeeze into a place with the same or similar colored clothing as his own. Chen Nairong, a former police officer himself, sensed he was being watched as soon as he entered the alley. With no other option, he suddenly saw a noodle shop with a yellow flag. Even better, the waiters in the shop who were greeting customers wore the same yellow uniforms as him. Seeing this, Chen Nairong's mind suddenly recalled a "boast" Ping An had made to him. He quickly sped up, circled the flag once, then quickly circled the waiters, and then took the opportunity to quickly take off his top, place it under his buttocks, and sit down nearby, transforming himself into a diner. He didn't care whose fried pancakes were on the table and just ate voraciously with his head down. This way, he cleverly concealed himself. One has to admit, even the police can make mistakes. If leeks fall into a pile of scallions, won't they also have trouble finding them?
…
"Old Chen, there's a psychological principle called 'visual deception.' If you stare intently at a moving object, a very detailed stare, and then that object suddenly blends into a pile of other objects of the same color, can you still guarantee you'll keep your eyes on it?"
"Don't underestimate this trick. As you get more and more out of line in society, if you're ever chased, you can try using it!"
"Forget it, let's not talk about such unlucky things. Let's drink, let's drink!"
…
Memories of the past flashed before his eyes. Chen Nairong, who once valued friendship above all else, looked up at the sky, which was about to rain, and muttered, "Brother, you've saved me again. I'm a dog for betraying you, and I wanted to kill you! Now I truly have no desire to live. Dying sooner or later is the same. But, my dear Ping An brother, I have to give you a heads-up about this matter. My worthless life is just that, I can die. You are a good person, and good people live long. You cannot die, you must not die!"