Chapter 473: The “Leftover” Bachelor
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
That single sentence covered everything.
Everyone had their own stance toward an issue or problem.
There were people who were really concerned, and there were also those who were there for the gossip. Some were simply there to see if they could benefit from it…
“Sis-in-law,” said Bai Muchuan, “if there’s anything that you need help with, please don’t hesitate to look for us, Tu Liang will always be a member of Serious Crime Division One…”
Shen Wenjing smiled politely. “I will.”
Although she said she would, just one look and they already knew that she wouldn’t do that.
“If you’re worried that you might disturb his work, you can look for me too. I’m always free since my time is more flexible. I’m usually at home, so I can certainly make time for you. If you need help or just wanted to talk, you can look for me.”
Shen Wenjing gave her a sincere smile. “Okay.”
Both of them exchanged their contacts.
After that, Bai Muchuan took out a sum of money he had prepared long ago to Shen Wenjing…
Just like the last time, Shen Wenjing refused to accept the money.
Bai Muchuan took a deep breath. “Sis-in-law, this sum of money… is what I owed Tu Liang.”
“You owed him?”
Obviously, she did not believe that.
Hence, Bai Muchuan told her what happened on that fateful day—that Tu Liang had gone on that mission on behalf of him.
“If you refused to accept this, I… really can’t get over it. Take it as you’re doing me a favor, is that alright with you?”
Shen Wenjing looked at him then took the money from his hands. The next moment, she smiled and puffed a sigh.
“Old Tu’s departure made me see through life and death, as well as all the bad and the good of people.”
Shen Wenjing’s sigh became a puff of white vapor that quickly dissipated in the cold air.
“Actually, I really wanted to know where one would go when one died? Can he still see me and our child? Will he know what kind of life we are leading now?”
“Sis-in-law…” Xiang Wan’s voice sounded as if she was about to cry.
Shen Wenjing glanced at her and showed a bitter smile. While she brushed her hair back behind her ear, she also lowered her head to wipe her tears away.
“I’m sorry for letting you two see me rambling on like this. I have been thinking about all these weird things about living and death. I know very well what I should do though. This is fate! When one pa.s.sed on, it spells an end to everything and there’s nothing left after that. So, Captain Bai, don’t blame yourself and do get over it soon.”
“Thank you, sis-in-law…”
…
When they left the neighborhood, Shen Wenjing stood at the guard post.
Xiang Wan and Bai Muchuan waved goodbye to her and walked to their car. Both of them remained quiet for quite a while.
Compared to people who were suffering in real pain, those who groan without experiencing what real pain felt like… was too insignificant.
“Just be safe and well. That’s the most important thing.”
“Mm… and stay healthy.”
Both of them held each other’s hands.
Xiang Wan leaned her head on Bai Muchuan’s shoulder and she would occasionally cuddle against him, as though she was a pet waiting to be petted. Maybe she felt that by doing so, she could find strength from him… Since she seemed especially adorable and obedient, he squeezed her hand, let go, and put his arm around her to let her lean on him when Bai Muchuan gave a sidelong glance at her.
“Xiang Wan, tell me something…”
“Eh?” Xiang Wan looked at him. “What is it?”
“Say you love me.”
“…”
Xiang Wan thought she had heard wrongly.
“Huh?”
Bai Muchuan looked at her seriously.
“… I want to hear it.”
The corners of her eyes raised upwards inquisitively when she looked at him for a moment. She concluded that he didn’t seem to be joking, and she suddenly halted her steps.
Standing in less than a meter away from the SUV, she looked at Bai Muchuan face to face. Then she stood on tiptoe, as she was trying to look at him at the same eye level.
“I love you, Bai Muchuan. I love you a lot.”
“Good!” Bai Muchuan ruffled the back of her head and winked at her. “You can ask for a reward.”
Xiang Wan puckered her lips and leaned in for a kiss. “A kiss…”
“Uh…” Bai Muchuan laughed then suddenly cupped her face and kissed her.
Xiang Wan did not close her eyes.
She was looking at the sky, the floating clouds… She was thinking about what Shen Wenjing had said.
When a person pa.s.sed on, it means an end to their relationship.
So, to stay together, one should strive to live well.
…
Bai Muchuan had arranged beforehand on their schedule for that day. After leaving Tu Liang’s place, Bai Muchuan drove directly to the hospital.
The detective from Jin City, who was Captain Zhang’s mentor, was Mr. Luo Senior. He had transferred to the Jingdu Hospital for two days already. Originally, the hope for securing a transfer to that hospital was very little since there was limited s.p.a.ce. Bai Muchuan had really helped them out big time on this. Thus, his son, Mr. Luo Junior, was very grateful towards him. When he knew that he was coming, he waited for him at the entrance of the hospital.
When they met, they shook hands and greeted each other.
Bai Muchuan asked, “How’s your dad doing?”
“He’s doing well. It’s all because of Captain Bai… We are so lucky to have you helping us out…”
“No problem. That’s what I should do!”
Mr. Luo Senior’s full name was Luo Zizhang. His son was Luo Sheng, who worked as a teacher in a secondary school. He donned a pair of black-framed gla.s.ses, and he was of a thin stature. While they chatted, he led them upstairs to his father’s ward.
“If you were to come yesterday, I don’t think my dad could talk with you. His condition was terrible earlier. All of us thought… Aye, so, we still owed it all to you, Captain Bai.”
Bai Muchuan just returned a smile.
While they walked to the ward, Xiang Wan saw a tabby cat outside the ward.
It was resting under the chairs outside the ward, but with a swish, it ran out of sight when it saw them approaching.
This startled Xiang Wan, and she ended up halting her steps.
Bai Muchuan held her shoulders. “What’s up?”
Xiang Wan: “I saw a cat.”
Bai Muchuan replied, “You must be missing Blackie, right?”
“Mm.” Xiang Wan nodded and smiled.
Luo Sheng looked, but he didn’t see any cat. Nevertheless, he continued the topic. “There are quite a number of cats in the hospital. Occasionally, there would be sounds of cats mewling at night too…”
“There are too many stray cats nowadays that it’s getting out of hand…”
Before he could finish saying that sentence, the door to the ward suddenly opened, and Luo Sheng’s wife ran out.
“Doctor, doctor! Come quickly… my father’s not doing well… not well at all…”
Luo Sheng was shocked and dashed into the ward.
The doctor and nurses also came quickly to the ward. Mr. Luo Senior’s ECG monitor was now a straight line.
After an emergency resuscitation effort, they still couldn’t revive him.
“…”
A heavy atmosphere filled the ward.
Mr. Luo Senior had pa.s.sed away a minute before Bai Muchuan arrived at the hospital.
It was so unexpected. When the attending doctor did a check, he said that it was a normal phenomenon for patients like him. Of course, that explanation couldn’t convince Luo Sheng and his wife. Luo Sheng’s wife claimed that Mr. Luo Senior was still in good condition in the morning and even drank a bowl of soup. He also said a lot of things to them. They insisted that there could be a problem with the hospital’s treatment… When the doctor heard this, he blamed them for feeding the old man food even though they instructed against it, and they didn’t follow the doctor’s advice at all.
“…”
Xiang Wan looked dumbfounded.
“It’s too much of a coincidence.”
Since Bai Muchuan had helped to secure Mr. Luo Senior’s transfer to the hospital…
… He also tried to find out more about Mr. Luo Senior’s condition and could confirm that the hospital had nothing to do with his death.
First, for his illness, there was a possibility that his condition could get worse anytime. Second, the doctor had told the family members not to feed the patient any food. The patient’s family had refused to listen, who could they blame on this?
It was a dispute between the doctor and the patient’s family…
Bai Muchuan could only try to mediate between the two parties.
The end result was Luo Sheng having a quarrel with his wife. That was all.
Xiang Wan suddenly felt sad when she saw the brooding face of Bai Muchuan.
Mr. Luo Senior might offer clues on the cold case that year, and he left just like that!
Bai Muchuan had never given up on the investigation on his mom’s case.
However, why did the heavens keeping pranking him like this?
One could say that a bowl of soup Mr. Luo Senior had taken, had cut off their only clue…
Bai Muchuan stayed in the hospital for about two hours to help them sort out the aftermath. When Luo Sheng was calmer about his father’s death, Bai Muchuan then told him the reason he had made this trip.
He had gotten affirmation from Captain Zhang that Mr. Luo Senior was the detective in-charge of the cold case…
Nevertheless, Luo Sheng was actually studying in another city then and could not supply any information on the matter.
Not to mention the details of the case, he had not even heard of the name of the case.
“My apologies, Captain Bai, for having troubled you so much and caused you to make a wasted trip here…”
“Don’t say that…” Bai Muchuan gave a few pats on his shoulder. “Take care of yourself and your father’s funeral. My condolences!”
It seemed that they had said similar things several times that day.
Xiang Wan had a wry smile as she listened to that.
Luo Sheng walked them till downstairs.
When Bai Muchuan was about to leave, Luo Sheng suddenly recalled something. “After my dad retired, he had been keeping a notebook, and he told me that it was some notes about his experiences of being a detective for many years. It’s locked up in the study. If you’re interested, I can send the notebook to you via courier…”
Bai Muchuan’s eyes lit up at that information. “Courier is too troublesome. Why not do this? Once you’re back in Jin City, call me, and I’ll get someone to pick it up from you.”
Luo Sheng didn’t expect that he would be so anxious. After a momentary pause, he quickly agreed to the arrangement. “Sure, no problem.”
…
They were late, and they were so close.
It was such a regrettable instance.
Xiang Wan did not feel good. It felt as if they left her heart hanging in the air. Bai Muchuan, on the other hand, was much calmer than her.
“You’re not feeling vexed at all?” Xiang Wan asked.
“I’ve gone through too much of such stuff over the years, I can’t be feeling vexed at each and every one of them!”
“I see! Very experienced already, huh?”
Bai Muchuan pinched her nose and smiled. “If I have the time to feel vexed and bad about it, I might as well think about my work—”
“Aye! Yes, Sir!”
…
Operation Heaven’s Wrath was first on his list of priorities.
However, even after all the investigation all this while, they only had the information which Cheng Zheng’s junior, Miao Zichen, had brought them.
The minions of the Dark Clan that they caught, no matter which stage they caught them, none of them had heard of the word “Heaven’s Wrath” before. Regarding that word, they were more confused than the police officers.
Immediately after that, the superiors gave Serious Crime Division One, and various relevant units, tasks to eradicate all drug syndicates in the country once and for all with Serious Crime Division One taking the lead.
Thus, the mission of busting drug syndicates was a priority.
At the same time, in the building of Serious Crime Division One.
It was lunchtime; a group of people were eating at the canteen together.
The team had been investigating Operation Heaven’s Wrath. There was not a day that they could go back home on the dot, and everyone seemed somewhat exhausted.
Their stress level increases as the Lunar New Year approaches.
Quan Shaoteng, Tang Yuanchu, Salimu, Ding Yifan, the few of them had taken part in the 121 case and had been through life and death together. Although they may seem to diss each other at times, they were actually closer compared to other colleagues. Of course, Cheng Zheng and Mei Xin were also a.s.sisting in the case. Nonetheless, this pair of master and disciple looked like they were cut from the same cloth; they were silent and wouldn’t say an extra word unless they had to.
Occasionally, when the detectives saw these two and sat together, there were always instances of silence in a meal.
Since it was difficult to get close to them, the detectives could not talk to them about other stuff besides cases.
Gradually, there was less activity seen in the “Gossip” WeChat group.
Firstly, Tu Liang’s death had a part to that as they somehow felt an unspeakable feeling of sorrow in the group chat.
Second, they were all caught up with the mission. If they had any free time, they only wished to have as much sleep as possible.
Feeling the recent difficulties at work, Salimu started to complain.
“Seriously, I can really sleep immediately if there’s a bed beside me right now. Even if the organization gives me a beautiful girl, she certainly won’t be able to get me to open my eyes once I slept…”
“As if that will happen!” Tang Yuanchu glared at him while a green vegetable clamped between his lips which he slurped into his mouth, then chewed and swallowed it. After that, he looked at Captain Quan with a grin. “Do you think you are our Captain Quan, who had lots of girls willing to throw themselves at him… but he never looks at them!”
“Scram!” Quan Shaoteng swept a glance at him lazily. “Never guess what I’m thinking!”
Pffft! “Do I even need to guess? Who doesn’t know what you’re like?”
After working together during this period, he did not exaggerate when he said he knew how Captain Quan was like.
In fact, with Quan Shaoteng’s age, his kind of background, his level of good looks, and his own personal achievements, it was hard to believe that he never had a girlfriend. Consequently, someone gave a conclusion on the reason. This guy had not reached a stage where he would have an interest in the opposite s.e.x. He didn’t think there was much difference between them and the opposite s.e.x. In his eyes, s.e.xy beauties were not as attractive as a new weapon or a new game…
He had too many interests in other stuff, except for women.
“You’re not young anymore,” remarked Tang Yuanchu earnestly, “You shouldn’t learn from hot young studs like myself and Salimu. You should learn from idol dramas. If that still can’t help, there are still two young, single ladies in our division…”
“You can shut up now!”
Quan Shaoteng glared at him while pointed his chopsticks at him.
“One more word and you will return to the hospital again. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you!” Salimu held a hand up. “Captain Quan’s the best! You’re a role model of us youngsters!”
“D*rn!” Quan Shaoteng threw something at him. “Role model of youngsters? When did I become an ‘old’ and ‘leftover’ bachelor?”
“You have… always been one!”
Salimu started giggling.
“…”
The few of them then laughed heartily.
Two colleagues sat down at the table next to them.
They chatted while they had their lunch.
“… Someone broke out of the detention center last night…”
“Where did you hear that from?”
“… When I came over, I heard Captain Bai talking on the phone…”
“What? D*rn! This will be a big issue!”
“…”
Quan Shaoteng, Tang Yuanchu, and the rest of the team looked at each other. The news also stunned them.
It was difficult to break out of a detention center. They would definitely consider this a major incident.
However, they were all wrong.
This matter did not spark off much reactions at all…