都市沙雕 他為綠茶下鄉插隊，卻被無情拋棄凍死雪地。重生歸來，他找到了上一世為救他而死去的姐姐閨蜜，用一生去守護她。#沙雕動畫愛日更
Out of personal righteousness, I gave up my secure position as a railway police officer Only to transfer the position to a scheming woman While I was sent to the Great Northern Wilderness instead as part of the rustication program Shockingly, this scheming woman merely two months after I left Immediately married the son of a local Party official The news crushed me completely Too devastated to even work for my livelihood points I drowned my sorrows in constant drinking Once during heavy drinking when a snowstorm hit In an alcoholic blackout, I collapsed unconscious in the snow I was frozen solid when I was at death’s door My sister’s closest friend came to my rescue She stripped off her own garments to warm my freezing body But when I came to, my sister’s friend had already breathed her last Afterwards, I laid her to rest in the Great Northern Wilderness When national exams resumed, I got into the police academy I was posted to a small town as the local police chief I drifted through life for years after retiring I took to square dancing with other seniors My moves were simply unmatched All these elderly ladies are competing to bear my children. Luchang, I’ll have ten of your babies! Holy crap, Luchang stumbled and blacked out! He woke up—only to find himself transported back to 1975! Isn’t this that two-faced hypocrite? Luchen, cat got your tongue? You’re freaking me out by staying quiet. Luchen snapped back to reality with a mental scoff. Nervous? Bullshit! I treated you like royalty in my last life. And you repaid me by trampling on my heart. Haha, I’m okay. I just think these youtiao are really tasty. Could you get me a few more? I’d like to take some home for my family. Li Huiying flashed her trademark alluring smile. You’re so annoying! I thought you’d backed out. Lu Chen, you know what I love most about you? You’re so devoted to family—I know you’ll be good to my little brothers and sisters. At the mention of her brothers and sisters, Li Huiying feigned a look of utter misery. It was enough to break your heart. Lu Chen, you know I’ve got many younger siblings back home. We frequently go hungry. Now the local authorities have assigned me for rural re-education. Tell me, if I’m sent away, who’ll look after all my brothers and sisters? In his previous life, Lu Cheng’s heart had melted seeing Li Huiying’s desperate plight. Now reborn, Lu Cheng remained completely unfazed. Your siblings’ survival isn’t my fucking problem. I’m no father of yours, and sure as hell not responsible for your family. Mmm, these youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks) smell amazing. Could you grab a few more? I’m still hungry. Lu Chen, I know you have feelings for me. And you don’t need to worry, Once you transfer the job opening to me, I’ll wait for your return and marry you, I promise. I’ll look after your parents too, so you can leave without worries. Gotta admit, these youtiao today are incredibly tasty. Mind getting a couple more? My folks haven’t eaten breakfast yet. Li Huiying lifted her gaze to meet Lu Cheng’s eyes. Completely avoiding the topic of job vacancies. Was getting visibly annoyed. I’m discussing the job vacancy with you here. Why are you obsessing over those fried crullers? Oh wow, you’re losing your temper? Lu Cheng shoved all the leftover crullers into his mouth at once. Just tell me straight – yes or no? Can’t a grown man just make up his damn mind? I wouldn’t say no to giving it to you But before I’m sent down for rural work, I want you to be mine What kind of indecent talk is this in broad daylight? No wonder the neighbors all say Lu Cheng is a layabout I’d never marry a man like him If you don’t want to, forget it But trying to trade my job assignment for just a measly youtiao That’s too easy – I’m not someone who settles for so little Li Huiying gazed at him in utter disbelief Why does Lu Cheng seem like a completely different person today Things were different in the past. Used to hang on my every word. Would even swipe ration coupons from home to sell on the black market. Treat herself to the cinema. Whenever Lu Cheng showed signs of pulling away. Li Huiying would always know just when to turn on the charm. Lu Cheng would come running back every time. Lu Cheng, just give in to me this once. Please? I’m begging you here! Lu Cheng has decades more life experience after all. A few sweet nothings won’t ruffle my composure. The destination is crystal clear. My request remains the same: I want to have you. Come with me to the hillside—right now. Lu Cheng understands how things work in today’s world. Taking a woman by force. Crosses every woman’s line in the sand. Though he’s always been a ladies’ man. But he’s never gone beyond hand-holding and stolen kisses. This clearly crosses Li Huiying’s boundaries too. He never planned to marry Lu Cheng in the first place. If I sleep with him, no decent man would marry me later. Du Chen, you made a promise to me! How dare you break your promise? Hmph! You’re just leading me on here. Don’t think I’m clueless. Your mom arranged you with a party official’s son. But they’re rejecting you because you don’t have a job. Once I get you that job opening, You’ll just dump me for someone better. How on earth did you find out? Only my mother knew about this Lu Chen, who’s been spreading rumors behind my back? You’ve got it all wrong – that’s not what happened I truly care about you I’d give you my heart if I could Lu Chen had no patience left for explanations He seized Li Huiying by the jaw Shut your damn mouth Still playing me for a fool? Listen up, Li Huiying Get the hell away from me and don’t come back If I ever see your damn face again I’ll slash it up good Li Huiying jumped in fright Then flew into a rage out of embarrassment Shoved Lu Chen’s hand away Lu Chen, what the hell are you doing acting like a pervert in broad daylight I swear I’ll report you to the neighborhood committee Go ahead! You think I’m scared of you? I’m no longer a Lu, period! Lu Cheng coldly walked away without a backward glance Leaving Li Huiying hopping mad and stamping her feet Damn it! Meanwhile at the Lu residence When Mr. and Mrs. Lu heard their son wanted to give up his job opportunity They were beside themselves with anger Railways are top, electricity second, oil third The legendary prestige of the Railway Corps speaks for itself Rejecting this prime opportunity in the railway system He actually intended to give his job opportunity to a female candidate Just wait till that good-for-nothing Lu Cheng gets back I swear I’ll break his legs when he gets back How dare you call my son names If he’s a no-good son, what does that say about his father This is what happens when you spoil him – the boy’s learned nothing useful All he does is chase skirts all over town He’ll never amount to anything in life Chen Xianglan let out a heavy sigh She had to admit – this time Lu Cheng had crossed the line Elder Xu had used his connections to secure him a job placement How fortunate to be spared from rural resettlement! Yet this rascal took off at dawn. Left a note declaring his willingness to become a sent-down youth. Even gave up his factory job assignment to some girl named Li Huiying. On the way home, encountered Widow Sun, known locally as the Tofu Belle. She’s been raising two children alone since her husband passed away years ago. She’s had a hard time of it. She overheard the Lu family quarreling about Lu Cheng’s actions. Flushing slightly, she gently reproached Lu Cheng, “Where have you run off to this time?” Your parents are fuming in the backyard right now. You’d better get out there fast. Unless you want another beating. Don’t worry about it, Sis Yanhong. You know I’ve always been a tough cookie since I was a kid. Letting the old folks work out their frustrations is actually good for them. Oh you, Third Brother Lu. All you do every day is run your mouth. Nothing but a silver tongue. Can’t argue with that, Sis Yanhong. I’m all talk and no action. Tried and tested, loved by all. This little rascal even dares to tease Sister Yanhong. Sun Yanhong smiled outwardly but secretly felt stirred. Mom, Dad, I’m home. You little bastard! How dare you show your face! Get in here before I break your legs! A booming voice rang out. When he saw his parents looking young again. His eyes welled up with tears instantly. Tears started streaming down. Mom and Dad, your wrinkles have faded. You’re more beautiful than an angel. Second sister, you’re still not much to look at. But I still love you, sis. The unexpected scene left the three who were ready for a stern interrogation completely baffled. They exchanged bewildered glances. Given Lu Cheng’s usual behavior when he’s done something wrong, He usually comes home acting like he couldn’t care less, thick-skinned as ever. Why are you acting so different today? It’s driving me crazy! Son, what’s gotten into you? Don’t scare your mother! What nonsense – she’s the most easygoing person. Stand up straight! Don’t think your pathetic act will earn forgiveness. Put your leg out – I ought to break it right now! Let’s see where you’ll wander next time, you little brat! How could you do this? See how you’ve upset your parents! That Li Huiying was playing you. Yet you still chase after her like a fool – that’s Second Master’s… That job opportunity was hard to come by. Yet you gave it away! Dad, don’t get so mad – it’s bad for your health. I was just joking this morning! But this is no joking matter! Tell me honestly, did you give the job position to that girl? If you did, I swear you’ll be a head shorter by the end of today! Lu Beitang’s eyes are sharp as a hawk’s. When he says 10 cm, you can bet it’s exactly 10 cm – not a hair more or less. Calm down now, why so furious? Little San, be honest with your mother. Tell me truthfully, did you actually give her the job? No way, mom! Why on earth would I give it to her? Lu Cheng pulled the job assignment form from his pocket as proof for everyone to see. At least you did right this time – or how could you look your mentor in the eye? Still fuming, Lu Beitang let Chen Xianglan guide him inside. Lu Ying looked on gleefully—serves her right for getting scolded! You’re always slacking off! Lu Cheng knew from past experience how this would end. Dad gave him the silent treatment for months—he was furious. Don’t worry, sis—I’ll shape up for real this time. Seriously, you’ve made this same promise a hundred times already. I’m sick of hearing it—spare me the empty words. Soon after, Lu Ying emerged with an armful of winter coats. She loaded them onto the bike’s back rack. Dad, I’m borrowing your bike. Lu Ying wheeled the bike down the narrow lane. Lu Cheng hopped right on. Hey, what’s the idea? Get off now! It’s driving me crazy every single day. Sis, are you heading to Qingyan’s place? Count me in! Lin Qingyan is sis’s childhood bestie—they’ve been tight since day one. Lu Cheng knew that in just a week, Lin Qingyan would be shipped off to the countryside as part of the educated youth program. His mission? Stop Lin Qingyan from joining the rural assignment. Lu Ying was biking ahead on her classic Phoenix, her expression utterly downcast. You’re aware of how things are with your sister Qingyan’s family. Ever since Uncle Lin was assigned to labor reform down south, Due to their family’s political background, Qingyan has suffered the consequences. She’s been stuck in Beijing alone, with no job prospects. The local officials are urging her to join the sent-down youth in rural areas. Qingyan has given her consent. Rumor has it she’s being sent to the Great Northern Wilderness. The winters up there are brutal. That’s why I want to pack her plenty of warm winter clothes. Naturally, Lucheng is aware of all this. Actually knows more than her own sister In her past life, Lin Qingyan was sent down to the countryside for re-education a week later By coincidence, she was assigned to the same zhiqing station as Lu Cheng But due to her family’s political status Lin Qingyan was frequently dragged onto stages for public denunciation by the commune members Forced to wear stinking shoes around her neck and get a ‘yin-yang’ haircut (half-shaved) In my past life, I foolishly quit my job as a railway security officer Only to hand over the position to that scheming woman While I went to the harsh Great Northern Wilderness for re-education instead Little did I know, that schemer, just two months after I left was in such a hurry to marry the son of a local bigwig Lin Qingyan’s cheeks flushed crimson in an instant This journey is truly never-ending You’re just spewing out terrible ideas Ow, sis, ouch! That hurts—be gentle! You deserve the pain! I told you to keep your hands off my friend! You’re still at it, huh? You’re the type to fall for anyone at first sight And now you’re messing with your Qingyan jie You’re just a toad lusting after a swan (having unrealistic ambitions). Listen sis, I’m dead serious about this. Just imagine – when Qingyan gets sent down to the countryside, The neighborhood committee will surely confiscate her house. Honestly, I’m doing her a favor here. If she marries me then this house would be partly mine too. And with my position as a Railway Ministry worker, no one would dare lay a finger on this house. That way, I’ll essentially get this courtyard house (siheyuan). And it won’t cost you a penny On top of that, you get a stunning beauty like Lin Qingyan thrown in for free Imagine how sweet life’s gonna be from now on Oh, you’re something else, Lu Cheng When did you become so wicked Not only are you plotting against my friend You’re even eyeing their property now Who put these ideas in your head If I catch you messing around outside again You won’t need Dad to punish you – I’ll deal with you myself As the brother and sister were bickering A commotion erupted outside the courtyard Lin Qingyan tensed up instantly Someone must have reported us Sounds like the neighborhood committee is here You two better get out of here fast Or this could cause trouble for everyone Pfft, like camping isn’t suspicious enough Especially with Lin Qingyan’s current status Under surveillance 24/7 He’ll just make trouble here. The two had just reached the entrance. A group of people quickly closed in on them. Which neighborhood office are you two with? Don’t you know this area is off-limits? Who authorized your entry? Excuse us, officer. Master Qing is leaving soon. We’re just here to pay our respects. We won’t be any trouble. Let’s get out of here. The ringleader is Zhong Qingbao from the neighborhood committee. He’s acting all high and mighty. Scram! Come back again and we’ll haul you off. Lu Cheng instantly saw red. He rolled up his sleeves and strode forward. Lu Cheng, don’t make trouble! Stay out of this! Today I’m gonna give them what’s coming. Which district office do you work for? How dare you act so lawlessly? You have the audacity to lecture us? Which local administration do I represent? You don’t have the authority to inquire Now it’s my turn to question you Comrade Lin Qingyan residing here What crime has he committed? He’s committed no crime whatsoever, ha! If he’s innocent, then explain why You’re treating him like a criminal They’re constantly monitoring him, forbidding him from leaving the house. His father broke the law, but he won’t even acknowledge it. It’s ridiculous that he can’t go out freely unless he publicly denounces his father. Lin Qingyan’s grandfather was a revolutionary hero who helped build this country. Our ancestors gave their blood, sweat, and lives. So many lives were lost to get us where we are today. And now you’re just coasting on their sacrifices. And now you have the gall to harass a martyr’s granddaughter. How dare you disrespect everything our ancestors fought for? Save your speech—that’s completely irrelevant. Alright, you said let’s keep things separate. If his father broke the law, go after his father. Right now, he’s a law-abiding citizen. If I catch you spying on him again, I’ll smack you silly. Zhong Qingbao was furious but could only laugh. How dare you threaten the sub-district office staff? These days, sub-district offices in Beijing are a big deal. Their directors hold senior bureaucratic ranks. That’s comparable to a county magistrate. I’m with the local community committee. Go ahead, take a swing at me. Here’s my face – I dare you to hit me! Hmph! Lu Cheng instantly slapped him hard across the face. Hearing the commotion, Lin Qingyan rushed out from the yard. Lu Cheng, stop fighting! Get back inside! Don’t worry Sis Qingyan – stay out of this. Today I’m making sure justice is served! What?! How dare you hit us! You’ve crossed the line – you’re in deep trouble now! Go get the security team. Arrest this guy. One person scrambled to their feet and bolted to the nearest state-run factory. Nowadays, the security team carries guns. Lu Cheng, get out of here now! Once the security team arrives, they’ll arrest you. Yingying, get him out of here fast! Lu Cheng moved in and pulled him along. But Lu Cheng was dead set on handling this right then and there. He dug in his heels and wouldn’t budge. Soon, the runner arrived with a young officer. He had a gun holster at his hip. Liu, perfect timing. This asshole assaulted our community office staff. Arrest him. Were you assaulting people or attacking the community office? ‘You’re coming with me,’ Officer Liu said while tapping his gun holster. ‘Oh, and he’s armed too.’ Like I was born yesterday. Lu Cheng casually pulled out a job application from his pocket. Take note, I’m a railway cop from the Railway Bureau. They’re knowingly violating the law, using their authority to hold people under illegal detention. I’m fully justified in taking physical action against them. The fact that I didn’t haul them into railway police custody was me showing mercy. The moment I heard they were from the Railway Ministry… Young Liu began to tense up slightly. This is merely a provisional employment notice. Since you haven’t officially reported for duty, you’re not yet a sworn railway officer. Lu Cheng found himself at a loss for words. Truth be told, he doesn’t officially count as railway police at this point. What’s the big deal? As a regular citizen, it’s my duty to serve the people. Unlike you, aiding and abetting evil. Don’t think I won’t drag you to the railway police station too. We’ll settle this at the station. Even though I haven’t officially started this job, that job offer letter is legit. Bottom line—I’m practically Railway Ministry now. The Railway Ministry runs its own show. They stick together like family there. We’ve always handled our own business internally. Outside organizations have no say in our affairs. What’s more, Comrade Lujiang has a silver tongue. If this ends up at the Railway Police, I won’t get a word in edgewise. The neighborhood committee’s not my boss. No point getting tangled in this mess. Uh… I’ve got patrol duty back at the plant. Gotta go! Xiao Liu bolted without looking back. The neighborhood committee members, nursing their bruises. He watched in stunned silence as the armed security officer fled, utterly speechless. Director Zhang from your neighborhood committee You know me – tell him it was Lu San who taught you a lesson Let’s see if he’s got the guts to come after me Those usually cocky neighborhood officials Didn’t dare utter another syllable Lin Qingyan was taken aback when they hoisted their leader and fled But the surprise quickly gave way to understanding That hothead Lu Cheng’s been picking fights since he was knee-high He was always coming home with fresh bruises After apprenticing under Master Xu Er, mastered martial arts skills soon it was others who ended up bleeding Lin Qingyan’s grandfather and Master Xu Er were sworn brothers back in the day Lu Cheng, when you next see Master Xu Er give him my regards in my present circumstances I shouldn’t visit him once I reach the Great Northern Wilderness I’ll send him word that I’m safe ah, my master’s actually illiterate No way he could read that letter. Look, if you’ve got something to say Just tell me and I’ll pass it on Lin Qingyan leaned back All because Lu Cheng was practically whispering in his ear, hehe Listen up, Luying, I’m warning you You’re kicking a cop’s ass right now Cops are here to serve the people So you’re slapping all the people in the face Meanwhile, some neighborhood officials who’d run back They went straight to the higher-ups to complain However, the leadership’s decision came as a shock to them In my past life, I gave up my position as a railway security officer Only to hand the position to a scheming woman While I went in his place to the Great Northern Wilderness as a sent-down youth To my shock, that woman married a local official’s son just two months after I was sent down The news crushed me Devastated, I stopped working in the wilderness I took to drowning my sorrows in drink Once when I was drunk, a strong gust of wind came out of nowhere. Drunk and delirious, I passed out in the snow and froze solid. Just as I was hovering between life and death, my sister’s best friend came to my rescue. She stripped off her own clothes, and used her own body heat to warm me up. But when I finally came to, my sister’s best friend had already stopped breathing. Afterward, I laid her to rest in the Great Northern Wilderness. When the national college exams resumed, I was admitted to the police academy. Got posted to a backwater town as a local station head Drifted aimlessly for decades After retiring, I took to hanging out with the elderly crowd For some square dancing My moves were so fire on the dance floor The grannies were fighting to bear my children “Lu Cheng, I’ll have 10 of your babies!” Holy crap! Lu Cheng lost his footing And knocked himself out cold When I came to, I’d somehow time-traveled back to 1975 Lin Xinyan gazed at their retreating figures She couldn’t help feeling a mix of emotions He’s truly grown into a fine young man now And today he actually stood up to protect me Zhang Shoufeng, head of the local Revolutionary Committee His expression darkened as he listened to their reports Just who does this Lu San think he is How dare he attack our neighborhood officials And claiming even you wouldn’t dare cross him The sheer audacity! I know this Lu Sen’er is nothing but a good-for-nothing loitering around. He’s been hitting on plenty of young girls. Isn’t this just plain harassment? Then I’ll call the cops and have him locked up. This bastard thinks he’s above the law. Let it go, this guy is a real pain to deal with. I can’t even be bothered with him. Director Zhang, how can you just drop it like this? We got beaten up for no reason. Ah, you guys had some bad luck today. How come I bumped into him? It’s not like I’m scared of Lu Sener. There’s really nothing scary about him. But what you don’t know is that he’s got a master—Old Man Xu Erye. As for this Xu Erye, Wasn’t he just some acrobat performing under the city gates before Liberation? What’s there to fear about him? All he’s got are a few martial arts tricks. His fists might be tough, but are they tougher than bullets? You have no damn idea! He’s a man of honor who’s befriended all sorts of characters. Seriously, Director Zhang? It’s been decades since the country was founded. The folks he hangs out with are downright unsavory. Total lowlifes. You know what his 30 disciples are really like? Most of them hold positions in government agencies. Some have even risen to top leadership roles. A few are actually military personnel. These were all military veterans from the Anti-Japanese War. Yeah, he’s basically the bottom of the barrel among the disciples. Still, he’s the security chief at a state-owned factory. But that so-called final disciple, Lu San’er, he’s practically dragged Master Xu’s name through the mud. Master Xu’s illustrious reputation ended up with such a good-for-nothing disciple. Zhong Qingbao didn’t consider him a failure. Earlier, those five couldn’t lay a finger on Lu Cheng. and got their butts kicked. How can you call a disciple like that worthless? Just imagine how incredibly skilled Master Xu Er’s other apprentices must be Director Zhang, are we supposed to abandon this plan Are we sending Lin Qingyan down to the countryside for rural labor Absolutely not! We mustn’t abandon this Right now, numerous staff families in our district office can’t even secure housing Once we obtain that siheyuan property from the Lin family It’ll definitely help alleviate our housing crunch But what about that Lu San fellow Lu San doesn’t show up here daily anyway You’ve got to move quickly on this Convince Lin Qingyan to join the rural labor team immediately Meet all his demands if possible Ideally, have him depart within the next couple of days Got it, Director Zhang Tomorrow I’ll escort him to the train station by force if necessary Elsewhere, Lu Cheng and his elder sister cycled toward home Lu Cheng, quit scraping your shoes against the pavement! I’m almost too exhausted to keep cycling When she’s broke, she’s simply ‘sis’; when needing cash, she becomes ‘dear sister’ But when money’s involved, suddenly it’s ‘dearest elder sister’ Could you please not have such thoughts about your little brother? Our sibling relationship isn’t something money can measure, is it? I’ve got my own ambitions too, you know Stop looking down on your little brother all the time Honestly, you’re acting different today Still your playful self, but you seem more mature today At this thought, Luying braked her bike You really did well today So why did you call me over so quietly? I need to borrow some cash…get lost! Lu Ying shoved the bike aside Left Lu Cheng to make his own way back Heh heh, finally got rid of him Those guys won’t take this lying down With all the trouble I’ve stirred up They’ll probably accelerate their plans If Sister Qingyan leaves, the courtyard house will be seized I’d better pick up the pace Lu Cheng? Back so soon? Forget something? And where’s your sister? Well, you know, my sister is kinda like a loafer who hangs around the streets all day. Right about now, she’s probably biking around with no particular place to go. Sounds to me like you’re talking about yourself! Hey Qingyan, I’m kinda thirsty. Oh, come on in then. I’ll get you a cup of tea. Wow Qingyan, your room smells amazing. Not like my sister’s place – it always reeks. Any mosquito that flies in there would probably pass out from the smell. Hey now, don’t exaggerate like that. I’ve been to your sister’s place before, you know. It doesn’t smell bad at all You’re spreading baseless rumors out there Do you think any man would marry your sister with you spreading such rumors So, is Qingyan considering marriage Upon hearing Lu Cheng’s words, confusion filled Lin Qingyan’s almond-shaped eyes Because the Lu Cheng standing before her now showed no trace of his usual carefree attitude Instead, he exuded a mature masculine confidence You’re aware of my current circumstances Everyone’s afraid of associating with me for fear of consequences No man would dare marry me Qingyan, I’m not scared of consequences—I’d marry you in a heartbeat. Lu Cheng had made similar promises before. Lin Qingyan brushed it off as a joke. Besides, he was always such a joker anyway. Yet here he was, repeating those words once more. And the raw masculinity radiating from him… left Lin Qingyan utterly flustered. Stop talking crazy, Lu Cheng! There’s no way we could ever… You’re with the Railway Ministry now— You’ll definitely be popular with the girls when the time comes. If you’re unsure, I’ll vet them for you. Qingyan, can I ask you something? Go ahead. If I was freezing to death, Would you hug me to keep me warm? Hearing Lu Cheng’s sudden strange question, Her gentle expression showed complete bewilderment. Well, you are Yingying’s little brother after all. I’m close friends with your sister. And we’re friends too. So if you were in that situation Even knowing it would kill you from the cold Would you still come to my rescue? Lin Qingyan backed away until he reached the desk by the window Nowhere left to go “Answer me!” This was a side of Lin Qingyan no one had ever seen The Lu Cheng he remembered was always all smiles and jokes Never seemed to care about anything “Lu Cheng, what’s gotten into you?” “I… I don’t know.” You’re unaware, but I know the truth I knew you’d act like that Have you any idea how ridiculous you looked doing that? I’ve carried this guilt with me all these years What’s with all this nonsense from Lujing today? Sure, he often teases himself playfully but he’s never been this cutting before Qingyan, you’ve got to believe me I’ll look after you properly Lujing leaned in and planted an unexpected kiss Lin Qingyan’s eyes flew open as her mind went completely blank. Her entire body trembled as if struck by lightning. Lu Cheng, you… you shameless jerk! Lin Qingyan hastily wiped away her tears. She bolted out of the courtyard in an instant. Abandoning Lu Cheng to his solitude in the room. Absentmindedly, his fingers brushed against his lips. Savoring the lingering taste of that moment. Perhaps it was rash of him, but surely better than seeing Qingyan lose her life. The complicated quasi-sibling relationship between me and Lin Qingyan Sometimes you’ve got to tear down to rebuild But if Sister Qingyan misunderstands and overreacts and files a sexual misconduct complaint against me, I’m done for First, the railway rookie finished his orientation at the Railway Bureau about to go home and wed his childhood sweetheart when his sister broke the news that his sweetheart had been sent to the countryside under the youth re-education program The railway rookie was furious (continued) Hearing about his Railway Bureau perks Looking back, I was such a jerk in my past life. No wonder I handed the job opportunity to Li Huiying in my previous life. I ended up joining the rural labor force. My dad didn’t speak to me for months. Later, Captain Zhou led the way. We headed to the HR department to get onboarded. Hi there, Director Hu. Director Hu looks so young. She could pass for my sister. Hu Lihua isn’t exactly young. I’m in my 40s now. I’m not much to look at, to be honest. Lu Cheng deliberately said this just to make a good impression to smooth out the process later on. Oh please, I’m way past my prime! Don’t worry, Captain Zhou, I’ll make sure it’s done right. Once everything was settled, Lu Cheng, who hadn’t planned on coming to work today, Got pulled straight to sentry duty at Xizhimen Station All because of this crew of burglars making waves lately These guys aren’t just expert thieves They’re slippery as eels too The transit cops have had eyes on them for weeks with nothing to show Commuter complaints have been piling up because of it It even got the attention of Deputy Bureau Chief Tang himself He ordered the Xizhimen transit cops to crack this case ASAP and give the public some answers When I was posted outside the captain’s office earlier Lu Cheng overheard Zhou Weihua fuming over the issue. On the platform, Lu Cheng struck up a casual conversation with a fellow comrade. The man introduced himself as Liu Jian’an, another trainee like himself. They were roughly the same age. “They still won’t let me board the trains after a whole month here.” “There’s currently a gang of thieves operating on the trains.” “I’m itching to bring them to justice.” As Liu Jian’an described the thieves’ activities, the image of a woman abruptly surfaced in Lu Cheng’s mind. She was none other than the thief ringleader captured in his past life. Back then, he was already toiling with a hoe in the Great Northern Wilderness, earning work credits. His sister, fearing he might be lonely, frequently mailed him books to keep him company. Included among them were newspapers from Beijing. It was through these newspapers that he learned of the thief who was eventually apprehended. She appeared completely innocent, posing no threat to anyone. Even at the time of her arrest, many found it hard to believe. She turned out to be the mastermind behind the train thefts. While he was deep in thought, trying to remember, he was startled by someone in the crowd shouting his name. “Lü Cheng! Sister Lü Cheng! I’m here!” Excuse me, do you have an admission ticket? No admission without a ticket Auntie Ma, this is my sister. She’s here to have a word with me. Oh, it’s Comrade Lu’s sister? Please go ahead. Lucheng, can you come home right now? Qingyan has gone missing What do you mean missing? Sister, what’s going on? Yesterday you asked me to discuss wedding plans with Qingyan This morning after breakfast I went to see her But Qingyan wasn’t home I had a bad feeling, so I came straight to you. Something’s off. After Uncle Lin was reassigned, Qingyan has been keeping to herself. Where on earth could he be at this hour? Was Qingyan’s place locked up? No, and her bedroom was in complete disarray. Was anything out of place? I didn’t get a good look. Wait – the winter coats that were on the wardrobe are missing. The ones I gave Qingyan just yesterday. The place was ransacked, and the coats are nowhere to be found. Looks like the neighborhood committee took action ahead of schedule. Are you saying Jin Yan has been put on a train bound for the Great Northern Wilderness? That’s the only explanation. Lu Cheng checked with Auntie Ma about the train schedule from Jin Station. Jin Station is the central hub. So Lin Qingyan would definitely depart from Jin Station for the Great Northern Wilderness. Lu Cheng, what are we going to do? You said Jin Yan wouldn’t survive the harsh conditions if she was sent to the countryside! But she’s already been taken away. Don’t panic, sis. Jinhua County has just two bus departures this morning. The first departure is as early as 5 AM. Sister Qingyan wouldn’t possibly leave at such an ungodly hour. The next bus isn’t until 11:30 AM. If we leave now, we can still catch it. Jian’an, I need to take care of something. I need to take some time off. Taking time off on your very first day? If the higher-ups ask, Tell them I’ve got a stomach bug. Cover for me for now. I’ll buy you dinner later. Ticket checkpoint at the station. Lin Qingyan clutches her train ticket, unwilling to go through the ticket gate. Zhong Qingbao is growing impatient. Lin Qingyan, this train ticket was purchased for you by our community office. What more could you possibly want? Others aren’t getting this privilege. Lin Qingyan grips the train ticket tightly in her hand. Her eyes keep darting toward the crowd beyond. Watching the crowd ready to board the train on the platform, each had loved ones or friends bidding them farewell, yet she stood there all alone. Before departure, he longed for one final glimpse of his dear friend Lu Ying. Zhong Qingbao could tell he was expecting someone. A nagging worry gnawed at him – what if Lu Cheng showed up? At precisely 11:15, Lu Cheng burst into Beijing Station with his sister in tow, making it to the platform. Lu Cheng’s eyes instantly locked onto Zhong Qingbao, crouched in a cloud of smoke. Lin Qingyan? The train leaves in mere minutes. Once that train moves, there’s no turning back. Guess I’ll just have to grit my teeth and stall for a while. Saw nothing, saw nothing – what a blatant lie! Try me and I’ll beat the crap out of you! Hah! You’re one of those Xizhimen punks. This is Beijing Station – way out of your turf! Touch me and I’ll yell for the railway cops! Drop it, Lujiang – let’s just search ourselves. Lujiang saw the logic in that. No time for this nonsense right now. That Zhong Qingbao must be up to something. I’d rather take a beating than let time slip away. A traditional courtyard house is worth taking a beating for. Qingbao Zhong grew impatient at the whispered words. He wished time would move faster. He willed the train to leave sooner. Lin Qingyan’s heart leapt at seeing Yingying. He prepared to disembark and greet them. But the conductor barred his way. Sir, all aboard – we’re departing soon. We pull out in five minutes. Yingying, there’s no need for you to worry Just being able to see you one last time makes me truly happy Qingyan, you mustn’t go cut in line Hurry and get off the train, comrade We’re not taking the train anymore Just let him off, it’s perfectly fine Yingying, this place can’t accommodate me Cutting in line might at least give me a chance to survive Oh, just stand here for now I’ll go get Lu Cheng. What’s Lu Cheng doing here? Lin Qingyan looked uncomfortable. She recalled how Lu Cheng had kissed her against her will yesterday. Her face flushed with heat in an instant. How could that jerk have the nerve to kiss me! He was debating whether he should face Lu Cheng. At least he’d already said hello to Lu Ying. He was just turning to go back to his seat. Someone suddenly grabbed his arm. Comrade, it’s because Lu Cheng is also in uniform. The train officer spoke rather courteously. Hello comrade, I’m with the Xizhimen Train Station police unit. This is my sister; I’d like to speak with her. Fine, but hurry up. The train is about to leave. If you dawdle, you’ll miss the train. Lu Cheng, let me go right now! I have to catch that train! Sis, keep an eye on Qingyan for now. Whatever you do, don’t let him get on that train. On the road, he saw Zhong Qingbao approaching. He then gave Lin Qingyan to his sister. The city’s youngest train cop, on his very first day at the Railway Bureau, had his fiancée forcibly sent away to the local authorities in the Great Northern Wilderness. He thought his career as a train cop was over before it even began, but he never expected the Railway Bureau to have his back like this. Picking up from last time—fight! Fight! Officers! Get over here—someone’s throwing punches! Several train officers swiftly moved in and encircled the scene. What happened? Who gave you the authority to strike someone? Which department do you belong to? Lu Cheng got straight to the point. He once again produced his work identification. Greetings, officers. Here’s my official identification. Ah, we’re part of the same organization. Here’s your identification; please keep it safe. Upon discovering Lu Cheng’s position, their demeanor became considerably more courteous. Even though they belonged to different train police units, they all fell under the authority of the same railway administration. So they’re basically colleagues What’s more, police squads across Beijing frequently work together on operations Seeing how polite they were being, Zhong Qingbao, still lying on the ground was immediately upset Officer, he’s from Xizhimen Station police He’s not with Beijing Central Station police. Yet he assaulted me You can’t just let this go Enough! Let me get to the bottom of this first While they’re both police officers Lu Cheng was clearly wrong to assault someone Once more in such a public setting It’s really not acceptable not to provide an explanation Comrade Lu Cheng, what’s the real story here? As train police officers, we can’t use force if they’ve done nothing wrong We can’t just go around beating people up Here’s the situation – that girl is a friend of my sister’s She’s the sole survivor of her family She clearly doesn’t qualify for the rural resettlement program Yet the local officials forcibly boarded her onto the train Even if she had wanted to join the rural relocation program But we’re completely unprepared All I packed were some winter clothes The Great Northern Wilderness is freezing cold We need to be properly prepared first I see. Don’t worry about this anymore I’ll take care of it. Thanks No problem. Say hi to Captain Zhou for me when you can Sure thing! I’ll buy you dinner next time Soon after, he took Lin Qingyan away from the train station Zhong Qingbao lost his cool Officer, he has taken the person away. Hurry and stop him! I’ve got the full picture now. They aren’t ready yet. Even if you work for the community office, you can’t just force them out. Listen, officer, you can’t side with him just because he’s a fellow cop. and take his side. If you keep this up, I’m going to file a complaint. Alright, I’ll take you to the railway administration right now. Let’s settle this and see who’s really got the upper hand. Damn it, the railway bureau always unfairly protects its own. At the train station’s exit, Lin Qingyan pulled her hand free from Lu Cheng’s grip. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes. ‘Yingying, I… I really have to go.’ The train’s about to depart. ‘Don’t you dare leave!’ Lin Qingyan trembled. ‘You don’t go anywhere unless I give the word.’ At last, Lin Qingyan lifted her gaze. Tears had already welled up in her eyes. This bastard had the nerve to kiss me against my will yesterday. You still blocked my way today and wouldn’t let me go. Lu Cheng, you’re being way too bossy. Just for today, I’m going to put my foot down. Go ahead and try to leave – see if you can make it! Hey now, there’s no need to be so rough with Qingyan. You should get back to work – don’t you have your shift? Don’t worry, I’ve got Qingyan covered. Qingyan, your train’s already gone. Even if you’re determined to go, we should at least get things ready first. A couple of cotton outfits aren’t going to cut it. When Lin Qingyan fell silent Only then did Lu Cheng feel at ease Na-jie, I’m heading back—keep an eye on my wife for me If she escapes, I’ll skin you alive Scram! With that, Lu Ying dragged Lin Qingyan away back to Yu’er Hutong The street committee’s heartless as hell Wouldn’t even let us take blankets Shoved them onto the train with nothing Lin Qingyan sat on the bed, dead silent Lu Ying sits there holding a garment. Are you still mad at Lu Cheng? That boy can be a real jerk sometimes. But he cares about you. He’s worried you’ll get treated unfairly if you cut in line. You ought to listen to what Lu Cheng says. The Great Northern Wilderness is really far, you know. You won’t know a soul there. If anyone gives you trouble. Lu Cheng won’t be there to have your back. Although Lin Qingyan was furious about Lu Cheng’s impulsive actions yesterday but Lu Cheng was genuinely concerned about him and Lin Qingyan could sense that This very realization left him deeply conflicted He could no longer bring himself to treat Lu Cheng as just a younger brother Yingying, I’d never want to jump the queue but we’re left with no options here That’s not true at all Lu Ying then brought up the contract marriage Lu Cheng had proposed the previous night about the contract marriage proposal to Lu Cheng Just a marriage in name only Once you have the marriage license Then the neighborhood office won’t be able to bother you Plus, you won’t have to live with Lu Cheng Why would he go this far He claims it’s to repay Uncle Lin’s favor But I suspect there’s more to the story In any case, it’s weird Even I, as his older sister, can’t read him anymore This kid matured overnight Isn’t it just bizarre? But isn’t this just too harsh on Lucheng? This is the first time I’ve ever heard of someone tying the knot this way. It’s nothing but a sham marriage. Only a sly fox like Lucheng could come up with this. I raised this very question to him last night. But you know him inside out. That guy is thick-skinned and couldn’t care less. He mentioned they’d go their separate ways in two years. He simply wanted to watch over you for a couple of years. He also mentioned that Uncle Lin would certainly be cleared of all charges in two years. He also wanted me to tell you to stay strong. Father could be exonerated. This was what Lin Qingyan wanted most. He… he actually said that? Absolutely, would I ever deceive you? Well, has your opinion of my brother improved? Lin Qingyan flushed red when asked. Lu Ying sensed his softening stance. She seized the moment to put in a good word for her brother. To be honest, my little brother can be a real troublemaker most of the time. But deep down, he’s got a good heart. Plus, he’s actually got plenty of redeeming qualities. Like…okay maybe not that many good points, but he’s got loads of strong points! Like…um… Ah forget it, he really is just a troublemaker. You’re smiling at last! Anyway, this whole trip is for your own good. And once you’re part of our family, So you’re officially my sister-in-law now! Stop talking nonsense – we’re practically the same age! Since when am I your sister-in-law? Hold on – I never agreed to marry him! The thing is – you don’t really have a choice here! He’s already kissed you – full on the lips! And you know exactly how my brother is! If you refuse to marry him, he’ll absolutely broadcast it to the whole town! Good luck finding anyone else to marry after that! Just recalling how Lu Cheng got the upper hand over him Lin Qingyan would see red with rage That had been his very first kiss You’d better think this through carefully Right now, a marriage of convenience seems our best option Lin Qingyan gave a faint nod If he stayed in the capital, he could continue fighting to clear his father’s name But if he left now, who would champion his father’s cause? Alright… I’ll think about it Lu Ying felt the situation was now under control This thought pretty much signifies consent. It’s all just about getting married. Any girl would be too embarrassed to say it directly. After getting off work in the evening, Lu Cheng made his way back to Ganyu Alley. Quite a few folks were hanging around in the alley. Giving Lu Cheng a once-over in his blue uniform. Is this the Beitang family’s third son? Looks similar, but it can’t be him. What kind of guy is Lu San anyway? He’s not worthy of wearing that uniform. Absolutely not, no way. As soon as he got home, Lu Cheng headed straight to Hill’s place. So, sis, did Qingyan say yes? Nope, no chance. Does she still hold a grudge against me? Absolutely, she’s got issues with you. She’s a single young woman, you know. And you went and took advantage of her first. I was in a tight spot at the time. Come on, sis, you should hype me up more. Can’t you stop roasting me all the time? I’d love to give you compliments, but where are your redeeming qualities? Of course I’ve got some! Like my dashing good looks Tall, handsome, charming, and debonair See? Loads of great qualities! I’m no liar, Comrade Xing Mark my words, if you never find a wife, you’ll be stuck supporting me forever! Get back here right now! Sister Qingyan has pretty much given her approval. Lu Cheng’s face immediately lit up with a smile. See? I told you that with my sister on the case, there wouldn’t be any problems. Don’t worry, sis, once I get my paycheck, I’ll buy you a bike and a watch. Cut it out! You’re just feeding me empty promises. By the time you actually buy them, I’ll be old and gray. No way! When your brother says something, it’s as good as done. Wait, sis, what do you mean by ‘Sister Qingyan pretty much agreed’? Come on, you don’t get it? Even though it’s a sham marriage, you still have to get a marriage license. It’s pretty much no different from a real marriage. Since Uncle Lin isn’t around, we’ll need a matchmaker, won’t we? Otherwise, just marrying like this out of the blue would seem a bit… you know. But that’s easy to fix. We can just ask my master to be the matchmaker. Or even Xu Er. He and Qingyan’s grandfather go way back. He’s like family. I’ll go talk to my master tonight. Hold on, we haven’t even told our parents yet. I’ll tell you more over dinner. But when the couple announced Lu Cheng’s intention to marry Lin Qingyan Their parents’ reactions when told Left both siblings utterly dumbfounded Just how influential was the Railway Bureau back then The young railway cop punched neighborhood officials to defend his wife’s honor Under normal circumstances, the cop would’ve faced disciplinary action Demotion or detention – but shockingly, the Railway Bureau Instead threw the beaten officials in jail Followed by three days of ‘reeducation’ – continuing our story Mom, I’ve got some great news to share with you! This will definitely make you happy! Nothing could cheer me up these days. All I look forward to now is you finding a good match for marriage. And our youngest son getting married. That would make our family truly happy and complete. Well guess what? My news is exactly about Lucheng getting married! Our youngest now has a steady job and is already 19. It’s the perfect time to start looking for a bride. I’ll visit Aunt Hu in the next alley when I get the chance. Let her help arrange it Mom, no need to trouble Auntie Hu now Luchen’s already found himself a wife What kind of girl could he even get? He’s always yapping with people all day Puts zero effort whatsoever Now he’s got that railway police officer status I’ll have Auntie Hu scout a better match Worst case, we’ll just grease her palm extra So what’s your ideal daughter-in-law anyway? You’ve got a point there—I really should give this some serious thought. Our youngest has quite the fiery temper. We certainly shouldn’t pair them with another strong personality. Otherwise, it’ll end up like me and your father— both stubborn as mules, refusing to budge. Every day turns into a battlefield of bickering. Mom, I’ve got to hand it to you—you know yourself well. Oh hush—this is about you now! With your strong-willed nature, you’d do best with someone kind-hearted and patient. Above all, she should be kind-hearted and devoted to her family Her appearance isn’t really important Fine then, even a mother pig can be thoughtful Why don’t you just bring me one then Mom, about those qualities you mentioned I think they fit Qingyan perfectly Qingyan and Chen Xianglan immediately lost their appetite Hey, she’s actually a wonderful girl You should plan to visit her in the coming days And take some treats for her Poor kid, life’s been so tough on him. Yingying, here’s 10 yuan – make sure Qingyan gets this too. Uncle Lin was really good to us in the old days. Now his family’s going through tough times. We can’t possibly kick them when they’re down. Seeing how concerned her parents were about Lin Qingyan, Lu Ying felt relieved deep down. Since you’re both so worried about Qingyan, why not have her marry into our family? Don’t be ridiculous! What kind of prestigious background does their family have? Your Uncle Lin holds a high-ranking government position. But now he’s fallen on hard times. But Qingyan is absolutely stunning. Who should she marry? Surely not this worthless boy! As for their eldest son, let’s not even go there. Because he was dispatched to the southern countryside as part of the sent-down youth movement. A local family looked after him exceptionally well. Out of gratitude, the eldest son wed their daughter. Mom, what’s so bad about marrying me? Your son is quite impressive too. You’re pretty good yourself. But your temper isn’t something Sister Qingyan would admire. Moreover, she’s two years your senior. They say ‘a wife three years older brings prosperity,’ so two years is hardly anything. Naturally, I realize it’s inconsequential. Nothing would make me happier than to welcome her as my daughter-in-law. She’s simply the epitome of grace and intellect. Even if she considered everyone else, she’d never choose you. To outsiders, anyone who dares criticize my son— Chen Xianglan was prone to getting into arguments But deep down, she knew what her son was really like She was self-aware enough to know the truth They were clearly mismatched Yet Ma Qingyan had already given her consent Agreed to what? To marry your third son? You must be joking! No way, Mom! Lu Cheng wouldn’t say such a thing If you don’t trust me, surely you’ll trust him? Seeing the earnest look on her daughter’s face Chen Xianglan started to wonder Are you being serious? Lu Cheng, you’ve gone and upset Qingyan again! You’ve got some nerve bothering Uncle Lin’s daughter! This has gone too far! Dad… Lu Cheng is feeling defensive If dad actually finds out I kissed Lin Qingyan There’s no way this dinner will go smoothly Dad, calm down, okay? You’ve got the wrong idea The Qinyan family is struggling financially Wouldn’t marrying into our family give her a better life? I’m fully aware of the challenges. Can’t you just lend a hand financially? If all else fails, she can always stay and eat with us. I consider her like my own child. Dad, you know Qingyan’s temperament all too well. Just showing up at our place out of the blue. She’d think she’s imposing on us. Now the local authorities are forcing her to go work in the countryside. Marrying Lu Cheng is the only way out. The fallout from Uncle Lin’s actions. To be honest, my family were impoverished peasants for three generations. I come from a spotless background—my very urine is redder than their blood! So, Dad, are you saying you’re on board with this? It’s not up to me to say yes or no. Would Qingyan even be willing? I already told you—Qingyan’s already given her consent! I wouldn’t have mentioned it otherwise. Qingyan actually wants to marry Lucheng? She didn’t put it in so many words. Still, we ought to get a matchmaker involved, don’t you think? We should definitely go find Second Master Xu Chen Xianglan’s spirits lifted Who would’ve thought this rascal would have such luck Lin Qingyan had practically grown up under his watch Not only was she well-educated and proper She’d been a beauty since she was a child After the meal, Lu Cheng picked up some liquor and cigarettes from the provisions shop Then he set off to find Second Master Xu Second Master Xu lived in a dilapidated shantytown district The neighborhood had been there since before the Liberation The place is a dump with all sorts of shady characters. It’s a real mixed bag there, Lu Cheng’s warned us multiple times. Just have him move to the quadrangle residence – there’s plenty of space. But the stubborn old coot refuses to budge. Master, your top student’s here to visit. As I reached for the door to go in, A thermos came flying at me – “Get the hell out!” “You’re no student of mine!” “Master, what’s got you so worked up?” “Which granny’s been getting under your skin this time?” Perhaps Second Uncle is seventy this year But he’s still remarkably fit and sturdy Mention which widow is bathing tonight He’d still vault over the wall in a flash to peek, and dare anyone to stop him Tell me, how come I heard You handed the job to someone else Is that so So that’s why you’re upset Lu Cheng quickly pulled out his work ID No way! Don’t pay attention to idle gossip This would only strain our master-apprentice bond. Just as Second Master Xu was going to glance at the ID Lu Cheng swiftly pocketed it You can’t read anyway, being illiterate Why not check out the fine liquor and cigarettes your devoted apprentice brought you instead? At least you haven’t forgotten your old master The Railway Ministry is a plum assignment Make me proud in your new position For all the Railway Ministry’s prestige none holds a candle to you, Second Master Xu Every seasoned veteran in all of Beijing’s inner city knows you Who wouldn’t show proper respect to Master Xu the Second In his youth, Master Xu worked as an armed escort for security convoys When constant warfare forced security firms to shut down He moved to Beijing’s inner city and earned his keep as a street performer Being a man who cherished loyalty and honor He befriended people from all strata of society What’s more, every disciple he trained was skilled in martial arts During the Anti-Japanese War, he and his men performed countless heroic deeds To put it in modern terms – Master Xu had serious connections He’s got pull in both the straight and shady circles. Whenever Second Master Xu brings up the trips, he can’t help but shake his head. He’s the lousiest disciple the master’s ever had. The only thing he’s good at is hitting on chicks – otherwise he’s completely useless. But when it comes to being filial, even the master has to give him that. You’ve got nothing going for you but that silver tongue. Shifu, why don’t you just come live with us? It’d be perfect! I’ll take care of you in your golden years. Your filial piety warms this old master’s heart. But this place has grown on me – I’m set in my ways now. Got some old pals around here to chat and spar with. I’ll skip the crowd at your place this time. Fine then, I’ve got work now. My workplace will issue coal ration tickets soon. I’ll haul some honeycomb coal over to you. Don’t bother – this old body can’t handle coal stoves. Cold weather keeps you active and sharp. Once folks grow accustomed to easy living, they’ll lose their drive. That’s something you ought to keep in mind too. So, what’s the occasion for your visit today? No particular reason, just wanted to pay you a visit, sir. Hmph, stop kidding around. Every time you come, it’s because you’ve gotten into trouble somewhere else. That’s when you remember to come running to me. No, no, this time it’s actually good news. I’d like Master to help arrange a marriage proposal for me. You’ve been flirting with so many girls. I only have one mouth to speak with—which family should I approach first? Master, you make it sound like I’m some kind of playboy. This time it’s someone you’re familiar with—Lin Qingyan. Who? Qingyan? Second Master Xu immediately became alert. Seeing his disciple’s earnest look, he started to believe him a little. Huohuo, you little rascal, you’ve really outdone yourself. You’ve even managed to win over Old Dog Lin’s granddaughter. ‘Old Dog Lin’ is the nickname for Lin Qingyan’s grandfather. Since the two of them were close, they jokingly called each other ‘old dog.’ Master, you’re getting on in years, mind your manners. We genuinely love each other. Bullshit! You definitely did something shady. Otherwise, why on earth would she marry you? Come clean—did you lay a hand on her? Lu Cheng knew he couldn’t lie to his master even if he tried. Well… maybe a little. Hey, you little troublemaker! If Old Man Lin found out you laid hands on his precious granddaughter, He’d probably rise from his grave just to kick your ass. I wouldn’t be scared anyway. He has his master by his side. Even his grandfather must mind the owner when disciplining the dog. Alright, alright, kid, stop buttering me up. Master, as the saying goes, one should settle down before building a career. First comes marriage, then comes the career. You little troublemaker need someone to rein you in. I’ll go take care of it first thing tomorrow morning. Thanks a lot, Master! You lucky dog hit the jackpot! Qingyan’s an absolute stunner! Haha, Old Lin would never see this coming his precious granddaughter would end up marrying my apprentice Lu Cheng With formal matters settled a thought suddenly struck me Oh right Master, did you hear there’s a female-led theft ring operating Beijing’s top rookie transit cop just got assigned to the Railway Bureau Using his past-life experience as a police captain he took charge of cracking down on railway thefts Unbeknownst to him, these thieves were descendants of an ancient aristocratic house Our rookie cop is in hot water now. Picking up where we left off – Lujing couldn’t stop thinking about it during the entire journey today. About that ring of thieves. At the end of the shift, the station chief mentioned those thieves were still at large. Drawing on memories from his past life, Lujing could vaguely recall that woman, but crucial details stayed fuzzy in his mind. That female-led theft ring… they’re remarkably slick operators when it comes to theft. Our station chief told us that They’d stash the cash in their pants and slip away when exiting the vehicle, Even then, their pants would get slashed, And they’d lose their money without even realizing it, They were swift with their hands and experts with a blade, I’ve heard of a family like that from the old days, Back in his youth, Elder Xu from that family worked as a security escort, Whenever they traveled through busy marketplaces, And stopped to stock up on supplies, Their cargo would always get stolen, What’s more, the sack was slit open with a sharp knife. Master, what era are you referring to? Surely they can’t still be alive today, right? No, you don’t realize these people survive by stealing. They’ve been around since the Qing Dynasty. They’ve honed their thieving skills to perfection over time. Plus, it’s a family secret—never shared with outsiders. So you’re saying their offspring are also into stealing? Throughout history, easy money has always been a thing. It’s something everyone flocks to like ducks to water Master, where are their descendants living these days? It’s hard to tell at this point Back in the day, that crew used to operate frequently around the Shanjing region Now that you mention it today It just came back to me In any case, they were all remarkably adept with blades The Jingbao Railway Line at Xizhimen Station in Shanjing It runs right through Shanjing There might actually be some truth to that The family of thieves the master mentioned Lu Cheng began to grasp the situation He also remembered that female gang leader While traveling through the mountain pass He kept watch for anyone boarding or alighting Their chances of catching the thieves were good The next morning, master and apprentice went their separate ways Elder Xu approached Lin Qingyan about the marriage arrangement Lu Cheng went to headquarters to request leave from Captain Zhou While getting an official letter of introduction You’re asking for leave again? Stationmaster Wu already complained to me about this yesterday. He reported that you abandoned your post during work hours. That was an exceptional situation yesterday! I had diarrhea! Was I supposed to just soil myself at my workstation? I was stuck in the restroom for over two hours with diarrhea. What were you doing – taking a nap in the bathroom? No way! I was actually thinking hard about that theft case. I just lost track of time, that’s all. Well, aren’t you the dedicated employee? I suppose I owe you an apology then. No worries, no apology needed. We’re all in this for the greater cause. Enough already, cut the crap. Zhou Weihua knew Lu Chenggang was new. And wasn’t yet familiar with the station’s protocols. On top of that, he was Master Xu’s protégé. That’s why he cut him some slack. No leaving your post on the job. You know the headache these thieves have been for the entire station. This gang of thieves has been a real pain for everyone. We’re already short-staffed And now you’re asking for time off again today Captain Zhou doesn’t look too happy Probably chewed out by Commissioner Tang upstairs again Captain Zhou, I just need this afternoon off Tomorrow I’ll pull extra duty with the patrol unit We’ll nail that gang of thieves Take some weight off Captain Zhou’s shoulders Protect the good citizens from harm Forget about the patrol duty You lack the proper training You’re currently inexperienced All you need to do is perform your duties at the station Captain Zhou, I’m all set Explain why you’re requesting leave. Marriage? Really? Captain Zhou Weihua thought it over Couldn’t help but agree Marriage is a significant event I can’t possibly stop you from getting married. Thanks, Captain Zhou Concerns one of our team members getting married Zhou Weihua was very agreeable about it. He even went so far as to write a letter of introduction. The only hitch was his insistence on riding along for the patrol. Zhou Weihua wouldn’t budge on this. He had to get this chance one way or another. Lu Cheng had made up his mind to catch the train first thing tomorrow. That afternoon, he showed up at Lin Qingyan’s doorstep. Wh-what are you doing here? What else? We’re here to get hitched! Come on, I got the afternoon off just for this. I’m specifically in charge of this I even borrowed my father’s bike to come here When I heard we were actually getting married Lin Qingyan’s heart was racing But…will the local civil affairs office actually grant us a marriage license? We don’t need to go through your local office I’ve already got the referral letter ready We can register directly at my local office Alright…let’s see this through to the end Lin Qingyan finally held their marriage certificate He finally snapped out of his daze. She actually went and got married, just like that. And to think, she married her bestie’s little brother! Qingyan, sis, don’t just freeze up like that! Our folks have whipped up a whole feast for us tonight! Let’s head home and dig in! When Lu Cheng called them ‘our parents,’ Lin Qingyan still felt a bit awkward about it. The entire neighborhood was abuzz with chatter. The Lu family had thrown in the towel for good. Enjoying such lavish feasts two days in a row We’ll be broke as a joke by the end of the month Yesterday over dinner Lu Beitang and Chen Xianglan nearly came to blows Today Lu Beitang went above and beyond in prepping ingredients But even took to the kitchen himself Aunt Lan, let me give you a hand with the veggies So long as he isn’t one-on-one with Lu Cheng She instantly reverted to her elegant self again No no, Qingyan dear, go take a break inside No need to help with the vegetables, Aunt Lan, I’m not tired at all. Oh my, why are you still calling me Aunt Lan? Just yesterday we were talking about marriage. Who knew that today Lulu would go and get the marriage license? It left Chen Xianglan completely unprepared. As for the wedding, Lulu said it’s hard to keep taking time off work. They decided to have a proper celebration when they have more time. Mostly, he was concerned that Lin Qingyan would worry. A lavish wedding might negatively affect the Lu family. They figured it’s best to keep it low-key for the time being. Chen Xianglan was absolutely thrilled. Right away, she handed over the prepared 20 yuan as a symbolic gift for the name change. She pressed the money into Lin Qingyan’s hand. Lin Qingyan, feeling awkward, tried to refuse as Chen Xianglan insisted. Lu Cheng snatched the money from her hand. Mom, I’ll keep it safe for her for now. This gift isn’t even for you, why are you meddling? Shoo, go tidy up your room. Why do I need to clean my room? You silly boy, even though there’s no wedding yet, Now that you’ve got the marriage certificate, Qingyan is officially your wife. You’ll be staying overnight here. Of course Lu Cheng has to be mindful of Lin Qingyan’s emotions. Mom, Qingyan’s belongings are already placed over there. I’ll be on patrol duty for the next few days. How long until you’re back? For now, let’s have Qingyan stay there. Without her husband around, Lin Qingyan feels a bit awkward. Well, that’s alright. After supper, Lu Cheng and Lin Qingyan headed back to Yu’er Alley. Lu Beitang stepped out for a stroll. Even after getting home, Lu Cheng hasn’t returned yet. Yingying, where’s your brother taken him? Why isn’t he back yet? Has he gone out partying again? He’s a married man now. He shouldn’t be staying out like he used to. Dad, don’t bother waiting for Lu Cheng. He just told me he’s not coming home tonight. What? Not coming home? That live-in husband! Don’t worry Dad, my eldest brother’s already married into their family. What’s one more Lu Cheng joining them? At the mention of the eldest brother, Old Lu Beitang let out a sigh. Your big brother’s case is special. It’s all because we don’t even know if your brother will ever come back. That’s still up in the air. That’s exactly why our youngest must never become a live-in son-in-law. If he dares to even think about it, tell him I’ll despise him till the day I die! At Yuer Hutong, after seeing Lin Qingyan safely home, Lu Cheng showed no signs of leaving. We’re home now, Lu Cheng. Thanks for everything. You head back first and stay safe on the road. Lucheng had absolutely no plans to return. It is, after all, their wedding day. Qingyan, I won’t be coming back tonight. You’re staying over? Not going home? What? You’re not going back? It reminded him of just two nights ago – the same as tonight. Just the two of them alone in the room again. He couldn’t suppress a wave of nervousness. Lucheng gazed at Lin Qingyan’s delicate features. In a flash, Lin Qingyan was pinned down on the bed You tease Ni Qingyan, ‘Sister, the night is long and lonely…’ What’s a couple supposed to do on their wedding night? Lu Cheng, you’re going back on your word! You can’t do this to me! Why not? We’re legally married now—certificate and all! Nothing I do to you counts as taking advantage—we’re married! After wrestling with her thoughts Lin Qingyan finally gave in Oh well… when you marry a chicken, you follow it; when you marry a dog, you follow it. As a wife, she believed it was her marital duty to be intimate with her husband. But as Lin Qingyan fearfully closed her eyes, Tears welled up beneath her quivering eyelashes. There there, I was just teasing you. The neighborhood committee (residential administrators) might visit again soon. I’ll stay in the side room. You get some proper rest. With that, Lu Cheng left the bedroom directly. Never once looking back. The door creaked shut. The next morning, Lu Cheng got out of bed. Suddenly, loud banging echoed from the front door. Who’s there? Ha! I knew you were in there! Open up! It’s Zhong Qingbao from the local committee. His voice was a mix of anger and glee. He’s definitely not here for a friendly chat. Outside, Zhong Qingbao kept yelling at the top of his lungs. Two officers stood behind him. The junior cop had just married his sweetheart. Then suddenly, police were at his doorstep. Ready to pin something on him. The historical offense of hooliganism (charge for illicit sexual relations) [Continuing from previous] Open this door right now! You can’t run from your sexual misconduct! I’m standing guard right outside your door! Hold on— Lu Cheng shouted back Barged straight into Lin Qingyan’s bedroom Qingyan-jie, wake up now! The neighborhood committee is here! Moments later, Lu Cheng appeared shirtless at the entrance Zhong Qingbao froze momentarily at the sight Geez, didn’t even have time to get dressed properly Well that’s because you were pushing me too hard! You nearly gave me a heart attack! So I interrupted something important, huh? It’s not that bad, but next time Do me a favor and give me a heads-up first Don’t just show up out of the blue like this What if the shock causes me real harm? I might end up impotent for life! Stop with the ridiculous talk already! He tipped you off beforehand How was I supposed to catch you red-handed Officers, you witnessed this yourselves He wasn’t even wearing pants Here’s your proof Proof of illicit affairs He must be arrested and publicly paraded Subject him to harsh criticism After the struggle session, send him for reeducation through labor Officer, let me explain Wait, let me explain The cop had a grim expression gestured at his disheveled clothes What’s there left to explain There’s definitely an explanation Otherwise how are we gonna handle this Zhong Qingbao Officer, I’m innocent You can’t just hear one side of it Innocent? My ass I had my men staking out here all night You can’t seriously claim you just walked in. Well, I did spend the night here. But you can’t just go around saying that we’re having some illicit affair. There’s more than one room in this courtyard, you know. Zhong Qingbao was left speechless. We all saw you two sharing a bed. And you’re still trying to deny it? We’ve got to pin this on him. What exactly did you see? They caught us in the act Officer, have you ever seen anyone as shameless as him? While we were… occupied, he was sneaking a peek over the wall He’s the real pervert here He’s the one you should be arresting The two cops looked at each other Then at Zhong Qingbao, his face beet red Quit your nonsense I was just doing my job You’re the one fooling around, and you dare play innocent? Just then, Lin Qingyan stepped forward. Realizing he was no match for Lu Cheng in debate, Zhong Qingbao turned his attention to confronting Lin Qingyan instead. Out with it! Did you two share a bed last night? Lin Qingyan’s face twisted in disgust at the sight of Zhong Qingbao. If not for her father’s downfall, these people wouldn’t dare look her way. They used to grovel before her family. Lin Qingyan was on the verge of revealing the truth. She suddenly caught Lu Cheng giving her a sly wink. Although he was a bit puzzled, he went along with what Lu Cheng had in mind. Sure, we shared a bed—big deal! Wow, you’ve got some nerve! Flirting around and bragging about it like it’s nothing! Officer, this one’s clearly a seasoned player! No shred of decency left in you! As they say: like father, like daughter. When leaders set bad examples, subordinates follow suit. This deserves severe condemnation! Look who’s talking about shamelessness! Who’s been having improper affairs here? Don’t let someone like this upset you – they’re not worth it. Just listen to this guy – what unbelievable nerve! Now he’s calling you ‘daughter-in-law’ already?! This officer has no shame whatsoever! Officer! He’s saying you have no shame! No no no! I would never insult you officers! He twisted my words. Drop it already. Now that you’ve confessed you’ll need to come with us now When the charade was over, Lu Cheng signaled Lin Qingyan with a glance Moments later, Lin Qingyan produced an item presenting it to the policemen “Marriage license? So you’re actually married?” At the policeman’s revelation Zhong Qingbao was momentarily stunned “Married? No damn way!” Our local community office hasn’t given the green light. There’s no way he can get married. This isn’t stamped by your local office. They’re not in the wrong for registering at the husband’s local office. There’s no way these two could be married! Zhong Qingbao slumped to the ground in dismay. That’s it, no chance of getting the house now. What’s wrong with you? They’re married, and the situation hasn’t been fully looked into. You filed a false report without checking—what a waste of police time! Hey comrade, you’ve got your marriage license right here. Why didn’t you show this sooner? You’ve been way too aggressive about this. We never even gave you a chance, did we? Plus, I really wanted to see him get humiliated. Getting revenge without humiliation is like wearing your best outfit in the dark – pointless. Remember how arrogantly Zhong Qingbao was acting before? Well look how far he’s fallen now. Showing it earlier would’ve spoiled the whole dramatic effect. Lu Cheng’s comeback totally stumped the two officers. Turned away in a huff and stormed off Zhong Qingbao, left behind, was terrified of getting beaten He scrambled to his feet and bolted as well Lin Qingyan, must you always behave like a child in your own home? There’s no point talking to someone like that He meant they should have shown their marriage certificate earlier Yet Lu Cheng couldn’t resist teasing Zhong Qingbao Before the words had even left his mouth, he was abruptly yanked back onto the bed Who are you calling childish? Shall we put that to the test right now? Lu Cheng stood there, propping himself up with both hands. His face, mere inches away, still wore that same devil-may-care expression. Yet his eyes held an unfathomable depth. Especially the warmth of his breath against her skin. It made Lin Qingyan too flustered to meet his gaze. You missed your chance last night—no take-backs now. Xizhimen Railway Station. When they finally saw Lu Cheng show up for work. Liu Jian’an looked as if someone had run off with his bride. The picture of utter dejection. Lu Cheng, you’ve finally shown up for work today. I’ve been swamped without you here. Just yesterday, the station manager gave me an earful. Lu Cheng couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed hearing that. Jing’an, I really appreciate your hard work. I’ll buy you dinner sometime. You still owe me that meal you promised last time. He actually remembers that. Looks like it’s your turn to treat me this time. Liu Jian’an clearly didn’t get it. Lu Cheng glanced around cautiously and only spoke after confirming they were alone. I’ve got great news for you. I got clearance for field patrol duty! Seriously? You’re on patrol after just three days? No way! I’ve been here a whole month and I’m still not cleared for vehicle duty. Some ‘good news’ huh? With my forceful endorsement, I vouched that Comrade Liu Jian’an shows exceptional initiative. It’d be wrong to dampen his drive. After I went to bat for him, Captain Zhou gave you the green light to ride along today. There’s no way Zhou Weihua would let him on that train. Lu Cheng was dead set on stowing away on that train today. That’s against the rules. If we’re gonna break the rules, we might as well do it together. That way when Captain Zhou chews us out, at least I won’t be taking the heat alone. Noticing how furtive Lu Cheng was acting, Liu Jian’an looked utterly bewildered. Don’t give me that nonsense! I never lie. If I lie, I blush. Well, you’re not blushing. Then, Liu Jian’an unexpectedly became emotional. Comrade Lu Cheng, thanks! Let me buy you lunch. I owe you one! Nah, no need—we’re comrades, after all. I’ll go brief Captain Meng first. Lu Cheng suddenly panicked and blocked Liu Jian’an. After two days on the job, he’s already figured out Captain Meng’s temper. She’s totally going through menopause. Jian’an, skip the approval from Captain Meng. That won’t do! If we both board the train, who’s gonna man this platform? Don’t you get it? Jian’an, this is a covert operation we’re on Covert operation indeed. This is strictly between you and me and Captain Zhou’s in the know. Otherwise why do you think two rookies like us would be assigned train duty? This is Captain Zhou putting us to the test Hmm, good point. I’m ready to prove myself If the mission requires it, I’m fully committed, no matter the cost Good. Let’s move out and board Two plainclothes officers are on the train Blending in with the civilians during the trip So, what’s our next move? Lu Cheng glanced at Liu Jian’an and shook his head discreetly No wonder Captain Zhou kept him off the train for a whole month He really needs guidance from a veteran train officer But Lu Cheng’s a different story In his past life, he spent decades as a local precinct captain He knows petty crime like the back of his hand Take it easy, Jian’an With passengers just boarding, thieves wouldn’t strike right now. Out of nowhere, a familiar train cop showed up. He spotted them right away. Damn, busted before we even began. When the rookie cop boarded the train without authorization, And decided to nab the fugitives on his own. But before he could even start, his fellow cop caught him in the act. Talk about failing before you even begin. Picking up from last time, you two have some nerve. Without mine or Captain Zhou’s go-ahead. Who gave you permission to get on this train? This is completely undisciplined and unprofessional You two will face consequences for this When Liu Jian’an heard about the punishment, he started crying immediately It had been so difficult for him to get this railway job Now he might lose this job after just one month Officer Meng, he’s just a kid Don’t frighten him like that And we were only trying to help out Both Jian’an and I work as train security officers Surely you can’t spend your whole life doing platform patrols? All revolutionary work is equally valuable regardless of rank You two don’t have any train patrol experience Focus on mastering platform duty first Sergeant Meng, it’s exactly because we’re inexperienced That’s why we want train duty – to learn the ropes Don’t be ridiculous! Experience isn’t gained overnight You’ll need seasoned rail officers to guide you Becoming sergeant took me years of hard work Not like you who won’t keep your feet on the ground Wishing for instant success without effort Do you even know how to be a sheriff? Why not give it a try? Meng Li was so mad she had to take deep breaths I can’t be bothered to deal with you At the next stop, you two are going back on the return train If we go back now, we’ll definitely get an earful We have to catch these thieves, no matter what it takes Return with some accomplishments under our belt Even if Captain Zhou chews us out a bit Well, that still counts as a compliment. Chief Meng, I’ve got an idea. We’re bound to nab these crooks. Ha! You? With a plan? There are plenty of seasoned cops like us. Taking shifts day in and day out. We practically live on the train at this point. And still, no luck catching those thieves. Just goes to show how slippery these repeat offenders are. If you can’t nab them, that’s just plain incompetence. Every day you fail to catch them Face financial losses Naturally, these things must remain unspoken Or that menopausal woman will absolutely go ballistic Chief Meng, in my opinion Why you can’t catch them You’re going about it completely wrong We’ve mobilized countless officers Round-the-clock patrols Public announcements are broadcast every thirty minutes Encouraging citizens to safeguard their belongings, They’ve really put in the effort—you can’t accuse them of slacking. But these thieves are slick—they’re not easy to nab. Chief Meng, you’ve really gone above and beyond. Yet the thieves remain at large. Why not try a different angle? Switch tactics? Lu Cheng’s suggestion made them pause. Meng Li shot a look. Captain Zhou had mentioned this guy Lu Cheng knows his way around a fight and with the right training, he could be a real asset to the squad. Do you have any bright ideas? The solution is actually quite simple It’s police entrapment – but what does that mean exactly? It means we’d deploy some plainclothes officers from our railway police unit Wearing regular civilian clothes instead of uniforms Carrying a briefcase with some cash as bait To draw the thieves out Then catch them red-handed with the evidence Meng Li listened with a frown While the plan could work Yet she resolutely refused. This is unacceptable—it’s against the rules. Every individual has their own dignity. This violates people’s rights. It’s practically corrupting the innocent. I wouldn’t stoop to such tactics. Lu Cheng was taken aback. The dream figure had quite the temper. Yet they had strong principles. But those principles were downright pointless. Different situations call for different approaches. Captain Meng, I know you’re from the army. Rules are meant to be followed. But I believe rules are rigid, but people can adapt. No matter if it’s a white cat or a black cat, If it catches mice, it’s a good cat. Meng Li gave the young man another glance. She lowered her head in thought. Lu Cheng noticed his hesitation. Captain Meng, I know what’s troubling you. But you need to realize they’re hidden while we’re exposed. What’s more, these thieves are highly skilled. They’re no common pickpockets. By the time passengers report missing items, we’re already playing catch-up. They’ve already vanished into thin air. That’s why we need to make the first move. As Lu Cheng laid out his reasoning, Meng Li looked mildly astonished. She’d assumed the inexperienced Lu Cheng was only fit for platform duty at this stage. Chief Meng, I believe Comrade Lu Cheng’s approach could work. If it stops the public from losing more property, we can bend the rules a little. You’re quite enlightened. Then you can be the decoy. Entrapment is inherently against regulations. If we nab the thief, it’ll be easier to justify. At the very least, the good cancels out the bad, so it should balance out. At least no one behind your back thinks you messed up. Instead, they see you as a hero. But if we fail to catch or arrest the wrong person, If this gets reported to the Railway Administration, We’re bound to face disciplinary action. Chief Meng, I… I could play the role if needed, The thing is, I look too upright and honorable, Thieves might not fall for it so easily. What kind of talk is that? Who doesn’t have an upright face? Xiao Qin glances around. In the end, all eyes were locked on Lu Cheng Hey, what are you staring at me for? What makes you think I lack moral uprightness? Calling him ugly is one thing, but labeling him as creepy… There’s no way he’d ever own up to that Xiao Qin gave Lu Cheng another once-over With his couldn’t-care-less attitude Not an ounce of decency in him Didn’t you say you wanted to better yourself? Well here’s your golden opportunity to redeem yourself Lu Cheng is no pushover. So Chief Meng is on board. I never agreed to that. Whatever you do next is none of my business. No wonder he made it to chief—he’s as sharp as a tack. He’s already covered his bases. Alright, since Chief Meng’s hands are clean. If I end up getting the credit. Don’t go stealing my thunder, Chief Meng. If you’re trying to dodge responsibility, I’ll call your bluff. Meng Li’s face visibly paled. I’m above stealing credit from a rookie like you. If we manage to nab these thieves, I’ll personally put in a good word for you with Captain Zhou. With that assurance, Lu Cheng could finally relax. Right away, he dragged Liu Jian’an out of the dining car. Lu Cheng, you deceived me. How could you lie to me? You have no idea how much I trusted you. I can endure physical humiliation. But you have no right to disrespect my dignity. Her words, dripping with bitter resentment. Why does this sound so off-putting? Lu Cheng keeps sensing judgmental stares from those around him. Tsk, what has the world come to? Jian’an, mind your public image. Don’t say things that undermine solidarity. Liu Jian’an gave him the cold shoulder, turning away. Sulking like a jilted bride. Had I known he’d be so thin-skinned. I won’t personally bring him to hop on trains. Jian’an, I need to give you some advice. You shouldn’t get discouraged by minor setbacks. Consider what our revolutionary forebears endured. Scaling icy peaks and traversing vast grasslands. They endured the grueling 25,000-li Long March. Did you ever hear them complain? Did you ever see them shed a single tear? True bravery isn’t about never crying. It’s about keeping going even when the tears are falling. Now that’s what a true hero looks like The more people underestimate us The harder we must work to prove them wrong We’ll show them what we’re made of We’re no pushovers As the journey’s hardships shaped his mind Liu Jian’an’s eyes gradually regained their spark Hang in there, Comrade Jian’an Our revolutionary cause remains unfinished We must push on with all our might We’re determined to catch these thieves no matter what. We’re no pushovers. Affirmative, Comrade Licheng. Good, we’re standing our ground. I need to discuss something with Comrade Jian’an. Jian’an, about our next move – you got any cash? What’s the money for? Don’t expect me to buy you dinner. If anything, you should be buying me dinner. Relax, it’s not something I’d forget. I figured we could use cash as bait. Bait the thief to come here Why not use your own cash then? If the plan fails, my money might get stolen too Those thieves are real pros at pickpocketing Many victims don’t even notice they’ve been robbed Putting up your own cash as bait is too risky How come whenever money’s involved He suddenly gets so sharp-minded Comrade Jian’an, I’ve got to call you out on this People shouldn’t put money above everything else Money is just worldly possessions—you can’t take it with you when you go. You should treat money like worthless dirt. You think I don’t want to spend my own cash? For the triumph of our revolutionary mission What’s a little financial sacrifice in the grand scheme? I’m actually doing you a favor by letting you shine. If you can’t muster even this small sacrifice Then you’ll never amount to anything in life. Fine, fine! Don’t say I never gave you A chance to redeem yourself through good deeds. I’ll just use mine. Lu Cheng reached into his pocket as he spoke. Liu Jian’an quickly intercepted him. Then produced all the cash he had on him. I want to redeem myself by contributing. Lu Cheng, you’re really kind to me. The city’s rookie railway cop on his first assignment nabbed the one who’d been a thorn in the railway bureau’s side the train pickpocket but couldn’t find any evidence on the suspects The falsely accused young train officer In a flash, he leaped from the moving train Continuing from last episode: My cash has been lifted My money’s on that guy who bumped into me just now Luchang appeared to be gazing out the train window Yet in truth, he was watching via the window’s reflection Keeping tabs on every movement in the compartment Not Jian’an – it was the dude in the Lei Feng-style cap A middle-aged bloke in military green trench coat What caught my eye about him was It’s still pretty hot inside the train. Someone dressed this heavily must be either just a regular passenger getting ready to get off or a thief about to make his move We’re approaching Meidu Station soon after which we’ll be out of Saibei territory What’s more, he clearly saw the guy slip past Liu Jian’an with a knife suddenly in hand If you saw that, why didn’t you nab him right then? Easy now, thieves never work solo They surely have partners in crime We rarely get this fishing opportunity Snagging just one fish won’t cut it We’ve got to take down their whole operation Lucheng’s already got the suspect’s face memorized As long as this operation’s ongoing, there’s no way he’s slipping away Never thought Lucheng would stay so cool under pressure If it were up to me, I’d have nabbed every suspect I could get my hands on He’s no ordinary rookie cop He puts even the seasoned officers to shame Lulu: If I don’t get my money back Next month I’ll be broke Don’t worry, you’ll get your money back Meanwhile in the dining car Many train officers had already gathered Several passengers reported stolen wallets Meng Li frowned helplessly Xiaoqing, how soon until we reach Meidu Station Meidu is a coal mining town and a major train stop We’ll be stopping here for 15 minutes The railway maintenance crew will conduct another inspection of the train. They’ll also refuel the locomotive’s coal supply. Chief Meng’s got less than 10 minutes till the train pulls into the station. Those troublemakers are back at it again. Do they take us railway cops for fools? When we pull in, nobody gets off. Move fast with the sweep. We’re nabbing these thieves for sure this time. Chief Meng will deliver justice to the people. Hey, wasn’t Lu Cheng planning to go fishing? Ask him if he got anything. If he didn’t get anything, Just wait till I get my hands on him when we’re back. The junction between carriages 7, Lu Cheng, I saw him give a nod to someone else. They’re definitely in cahoots. Should we nab them now? Hold your horses. We’ve got 10 minutes till the next stop. Just wait. The guy in the Lei Feng cap is bound to Reach out to others. Lu Cheng, just a small fry. He couldn’t care less about anything else – his only thought was apprehending that notorious female pickpocket ringleader. But there hasn’t been even a glimpse of her. How bizarre – those ten minutes vanished in the blink of an eye. As the train rolled into the station, the passengers who’d been robbed finally exploded: You worthless good-for-nothings! Regular citizens get pickpocketed, and you can’t even nab a single damn thief! We’re pulling into the station any minute and I’ve got to get off! You owe me my money back! The railway police hung their heads in shame under the barrage of criticism. Conscious of having failed in their duty to protect passengers, they stood by helplessly. They’ve arrived at their stop and are getting ready to leave. Should we make the arrest or not? Lu Cheng stayed silent. His eyes were constantly scanning the passengers preparing to exit. Lu Cheng, who are you really searching for? We’ve spotted four suspects already. Catching these four alone would be a huge success. That’s four suspects! Sergeant Meng went through all that trouble to deploy so many officers, yet didn’t nab a single one. Now, Lu Cheng and I are about to score a major victory. Right at that moment… After searching several compartments, Xiao Qin finally found Lu Cheng. Before she could ask, Liu Jian’an had already spilled everything. With all the facts laid out, there was no time to lose – they had to act! As the train doors opened: ‘Xiao Qin, you go with Jian’an’ go after those two. I’ll deal with the other suspects. Are you sure you can handle two alone? I’ll get backup. Just then, Lu Cheng spotted the hatted man reaching into a nearby beggar’s pocket. These thieves are utterly heartless. They even swiped a beggar’s money in the blink of an eye. Quick, get over to the beggar right now. Sir, your money’s been stolen, but rest assured. I’ll make sure to get it back for you. Huh, this guy’s got some pecs. They feel pretty soft. The beggar stayed silent. He kept his head lowered the whole time. Lu Cheng didn’t think much of it. Right now, catching those four thieves is the priority. Due to Sheriff Meng’s strict ‘entry-only, no exit’ policy. The station was completely locked down. So nabbing four suspects was still a piece of cake. Before long, Liu Jian’an and Xiao Qin. Each hauled in a suspect. Only Lu Cheng was left wrestling with the other two. “Lu Cheng, quit throwing punches and kicks!” “Who gave you permission to beat them like this?” “I had to—no other way!” “I’m outnumbered here.” Unless you take one down How are you supposed to apprehend two people simultaneously That doesn’t justify assault You were explicitly told not to act without authorization You were instructed to inform us beforehand Assault! He’s assaulting someone! Officer, this man assaulted me You’d even stoop to stealing from a beggar? Have you no shame? Lu Cheng, don’t cross the line Officer Meng, these two are thieves Your compassion shouldn’t extend to thieves Even if they’re thieves The law will handle this Besides, we can’t be sure yet That they’re actually thieves Fine fine Well you’re the officer Take them to the car for questioning Clear my name quickly Four suspects in the dining car They were all put in handcuffs You four, stay put and don’t try anything Hand over the stolen money right now The four looked at each other Then they looked utterly baffled Stolen money? Officer, I have no idea what you’re referring to We don’t even know each other Don’t resist, it’s pointless If you’re innocent We wouldn’t be detaining you Confess and get mercy, resist and face harshness. You’d better cough up the cash willingly. and the tools you used. Then we might go easy on you. Officer, maybe there’s a mix-up here? I honestly don’t get what you’re talking about. That’s right, Comrade Chen Jing, how can you accuse us of stealing? We’re law-abiding citizens, honest! You can’t just pin this on us! Seeing several people swearing earnestly Meng Li also grew suspicious Had they apprehended the wrong suspect She glanced at Officer Xiao Qin who had made the arrest Xiao Qin quickly shifted blame, saying I only detained him after Comrade Liu Jian’an pointed him out Liu Jian’an knew he was in trouble Truth be told, he could’ve pinned it all on Lu Cheng Even though it was his money that went missing He never actually saw the thief All the accusations were based on Lu Cheng’s testimony. Yet, he chose to trust Lu Cheng. I admit I said it. But I’m convinced we got the right person. You witnessed them stealing money. I didn’t see it myself. But Comrade Lu Cheng witnessed it. There’s no way they were falsely accused. I trust Lu Cheng. Your trust doesn’t mean squat. Meng Li was beginning to suspect Lu Cheng was overly eager for recognition had deliberately arrested innocent people but now the suspects wouldn’t confess the situation was at a standstill Just as everyone was at their wits’ end Lu Cheng came back Is interrogating someone really this hard for you? No wonder you can’t catch anyone Just frisk them already Once we locate the murder weapon No amount of excuses will save them Lucheng, don’t go rogue on us We’ve got no eyewitness accounts We can’t just frisk people without cause I’m your eyewitness right here I witnessed it firsthand This entrapment operation of yours is completely improper On top of that, Lucheng’s a train marshal Catching them in the act would’ve made this much cleaner That’s all water under the bridge now. What’s the point of testifying again? He meant well. To prevent Lu Cheng from suing later. But Lu Cheng pretended not to hear. He immediately started searching. But after the search, nothing was found on any of the four. The stolen goods. How could they not be there? Chief Meng, I witnessed it firsthand. This is the thief right here. No doubt about it. Since he won’t talk Today I’ll make him spill the beans. Stop it Lu Cheng, you’re crossing the line! Even if you beat a confession out of them They’ll still turn against us. Lu Cheng knows better than this. But he saw it happen This guy’s the thief. Seeing absolutely no results He simply couldn’t accept this defeat I’ve only got my own greed to blame Should’ve arrested him the moment Lei Feng Hat made his move But we got greedy and tried to take down the whole operation Chief Meng, what’s our play now? No choice – we have to cut them loose Look, if I spring you guys, you won’t make trouble for us later, right? Absolutely not, no way You were just trying to nail the criminals too To make it easier for us common folks to grasp It’s odd how some folks readily agreed despite being beaten Even Meng Li sensed something fishy But with no concrete evidence She had no choice but to release them Once the train was checked at the depot It continued its journey northwest Before long, they left the mountains behind and reached Saibei The thief got away Everyone was feeling down An abrupt shout claimed the route was wrong Snapped everyone’s focus toward it What’s the problem You should worry about how we’ll return How to justify this to Captain Zhou It was that beggar When we passed Meidu Station earlier I distinctly saw him board So why isn’t he in our car now Xiao Qin shot a confused glance If you don’t pull some strings to protect yourself now What good would finding a beggar do Ah, you’re talking about that beggar I’ve actually seen him around a few times All he does is buy a platform ticket hops on the train to panhandle some change and gets off when the train leaves – simple as that Who’d have thought a beggar would buy a platform ticket to panhandle on the train If he runs into generous folks, he’s good The real worry is if the change he collects doesn’t cover the ticket cost Wait, he’s not a beggar. Then Lu Cheng leaped off the moving train. Said the rookie train officer had missed capturing the escapee Filled with regret, he jumped from the speeding train Little did he know, the young officer recalled A VIP passenger aboard His daring leap was actually to pursue the suspect quicker Previously on: ‘Chief Meng, expect good news from me’ Safe travels, Lu Cheng Don’t you dare run away Let’s talk things out calmly. That damned Chief Meng. Maybe we should stop the train. Are you kidding? The train can’t just stop! Tell Captain Zhou he’s not getting away. Later, Lu Cheng caught a ride along the way. A kind man gave him a lift back to Meidu Station on his tractor. Fortunately they’d just reached Saibei, which wasn’t far from Meidu Station. At Meidu Station, they learned Lu Cheng had come from the capital. The deputy chief of the Railway Police Division personally greeted him. If someone like Zhou Weihua were to show up, Even the district police chief would personally serve tea. Even though they technically hold the same rank (Division Director level), Officials from Beijing are automatically regarded as ranking half a tier above. Officer Lu, you jumped from the train, Are you hurt? Maybe we should take you to the hospital for an examination. If this were one of our regular officers who got hurt, We wouldn’t be making such a fuss. But since Officer Lu is from Beijing, Thank you for your concern, Chief Qin. It’s nothing serious. I’m here as Captain Zhou’s representative. Time’s of the essence, let’s cut to the chase. About that gang of thieves running amok in Meidu. At these words, Qin Feng’s face visibly tensed. Lu Cheng kept insisting he spoke for Beijing authorities. Surely he’s not here to point fingers? These thieves Beijing’s Railway Ministry had been calling Shanxi Railway Bureau who then alerted its regional offices, to provide full cooperation on this matter. Coming all the way from the capital city for a personal visit Naturally, Qin Feng was quite nervous I see, Officer Lu Our Meidu Railway Division does have considerable experience Whenever trains from Jinbao County pass through our jurisdiction I’ve always instructed Captain Wu to provide full cooperation However, these thieves are extremely crafty It’s given me terrible headaches – just look at my condition I’ve lost several pounds recently First, Qin Feng aired his grievances Lu Cheng could easily see why Qin Feng was airing his grievances first. He was concerned that the job hadn’t been handled well. He feared he might have to escalate the issue to higher-ups. There was no way he could take such action. Even if the local team’s work was completely inadequate. After all, they still needed the local precinct’s cooperation to catch the thief. If he threw his weight around just because he was from Beijing. And nitpicked their every mistake. Even if they played along outwardly. Behind his back, they’d surely sabotage his efforts. Director Qin’s dedication is truly remarkable. Even Chief Meng has remarked, Whenever we pass Meidu Village, Director Qin’s efforts shine above all. Back in the capital, I’ll make sure to highlight Director Qin’s exemplary methods, to Director Tang at the Railway Administration Bureau. So others can follow his lead. When Lu Cheng namedropped Director Tang Qiusheng – a high-ranking official, Qin Feng instantly perked up. He knew damn well nearly everyone in Beijing’s railway sector has powerful backers. Oh my, Comrade Lu, I’m truly embarrassed. I wouldn’t dare bother Director Tang, the honorable senior. Director Qin, shall we now talk about catching this gang of thieves? Comrade Lu, say no more. Just name what you need – manpower or resources. I’ll put all branch personnel at your disposal. Even if we have to search every nook and cranny, we will catch these thieves and place them under Lu Cheng’s authority. Qin Feng was smart enough to leave himself an out. He thought he struck just the right attitude. Given Lu Cheng’s youth and inexperience in worldly matters, he’d surely be none the wiser. Unbeknownst to him, Lu Cheng had spent a lifetime in government offices in his previous life, and could see right through such petty schemes. Many thanks for Director Qin’s generous support. I won’t let you down. Qin Feng was taken aback. He never thought Lu Cheng would actually take the bait. Was he truly skilled or just cocky? Comrade Xiao Lu, why don’t you head to the reception room and take a break? I’ll coordinate the details with Captain Wu. Inside the deputy chief’s office, Captain Wu Sanbao of the Railway Police Unit was visibly annoyed. Bureau Chief Qin, that kid’s still wet behind the ears! How could you put this rookie in charge of our 20-plus squad? Does he even know what he’s doing? That kid’s got a real attitude problem! And now he’s talking big about completing the mission! Does he actually believe catching those thieves will be a walk in the park? Don’t you know your own limitations? I had no other choice This route comes down from the capital Came in person to apprehend the thief If we fail to catch him in the end, they can’t blame us We’ve done everything required of us Just think of it as humoring him If we don’t catch anyone, he’ll have to return empty-handed In the lobby, Lu Cheng handed over portraits of the four suspects who had been briefly detained and then released To the railway police at Meidu Station These four individuals are the train thieves. I want all of you to memorize their faces thoroughly. Interrogate anyone who even remotely resembles them. Leave no suspicious individual unchecked. From now on, we’ll operate in teams of four. You four, head to the bus station right now. Cut off their escape routes. The other teams will fan out across the streets and conduct a thorough sweep. The remaining two will hold their position at the train station. Is that clear? Crystal clear! A greenhorn comrade But surprisingly good at delegating tasks Are capital city interns really this damn competent? With Lu already handling everything How about I take you to the lounge for tea? We can just sit back and wait for results Appreciate it, Cap’n Wu No time for tea – we’re on the clock Lu’s got no time for tea breaks He’s itching to nab the perp and haul ass back to the capital He decided to use that beggar as his lead. Starting at the train station ticket counter. Lu Cheng pulled up the day’s platform ticket registration data. A quick scan showed 15 people in total. Fifteen people should be easy enough to check. Hello there. About those people who bought platform tickets… Was there anyone dressed like a beggar among them? Oh, you’re talking about that panhandler? Then that would be Ji Yue’s person. Yeah, she used to buy platform tickets all the time. Panhandling on the train What a pitiful woman, isn’t she? Poor thing, probably this Ji Yue She’s the ringleader of those female thieves Got hold of Ji Yue’s personal details Lu Cheng made a beeline for Ji Yue’s place By evening, Lu Cheng had reached the address on record Slipped into the living room The beggar’s outfit was lying on the table Lu Cheng searched through them thoroughly Just as anticipated, Lu Cheng managed to recover the stolen cash, and even uncovered the four knives used in the robbery. Now that we’ve got the evidence, let’s see them try to talk their way out of this. All of a sudden, Lu Cheng felt something cold press against his skull. As he turned his head slowly, he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun. I’ll bet that gun of yours isn’t even loaded. Care to test that theory? Easy now – don’t do anything rash. You’re still young – life’s just beginning for you. Don’t you dare go down the road of crime. Listen to me, bro, and put the gun away. Watch out—don’t let it go off. Lu Cheng cautiously reached to push the gun barrel away. Don’t move, or I’ll blow your head off. I’m not moving, I’m not moving—just stay calm, okay? Think about your loved ones—your family, your friends, your brothers and sisters. If you kill someone, you’ll end up in prison or face the firing squad—just stay cool. Cut the crap—who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my house? I—I’m Lu Cheng. No way I can reveal who I really am. If you claim you’re here to arrest them They won’t hesitate for a second And put a bullet in his head I was just passing by and lost my way That’s nonsense; the door was locked How the hell did you wander into my house? Wait, I saw you on the train—you’re a cop! The so-called top rookie train cop Risked everything to apprehend armed criminals Only to be framed by the next precinct over Attempting to hog the credit by forcefully detaining the criminal What the young cop did next left everyone stunned Picking up where we left off – No, I’m not… I’m really not Just look at my shady appearance Do I look like a cop to you? Okay, that’s actually a fair point Wait no – I’ve seen you on the train before Just who the hell are you? I’m one of the good guys, honest! A good guy? You sure don’t look like one Don’t judge a book by its cover! I noticed your money got stolen on the train. I made a point of coming here to let you know. So you were the beggar all along! No wonder you’ve got such massive pecs! Ji Yue’s face turned red with embarrassment. At that very moment when Ji Yue was distracted. Lu Cheng moved like lightning and grabbed the gun. Hey kid, you’re too young to be playing with guns. Guns are no toys. To everyone’s surprise, Ji Yue remained completely calm On the contrary, she gestured for Lu Cheng to look downward slowly A razor blade had mysteriously appeared at his throat Impressive moves you’ve got there I’ve clearly underestimated you But tell me – which is quicker: your blade or my bullet? At this range, they’re equally deadly Besides, that gun of yours is empty Lu Cheng couldn’t afford to take him lightly now After all, his master had told him they came from generations of blade masters Just who the hell are you? Talk, or you’re not going anywhere today. Lu Cheng kept one eye on that razor of hers. Gotta distract this woman somehow. That’s my only shot. Check my pants pocket – my work ID’s right there. No funny business. Or I’ll slit your throat right here. Lu Cheng stood frozen, hands in the air. Ji Yue’s free hand inched toward his pocket. You hit the nail on the head—you’re a goddamn filthy cop. Well, technically, I’m railway police. The woman shot Lu Cheng a murderous glare, her eyes blazing like fire. Not even trying to deny it now, huh? You must know exactly what crime you’ve pulled. We’ve got you dead to rights—any last words? I swear to God, I’ll kill you once I’m out. Heh, save the scare tactics. If I feared threats, I wouldn’t wear this badge. Lu Cheng secured the scene and collected the evidence. Along with it, the pistol was confiscated. Let’s head back to the capital together. My job is just to apprehend suspects. Conviction is entirely up to the court’s ruling. Back at the Railway Bureau compound, Lu Cheng returned with a woman in tow. Wu Sanbao was taken aback. Comrade Lu, I’ve got some great news for you. Thanks to the sketch you provided. All four suspects were at the state-owned diner. Our team nabbed them right then and there. See, my team isn’t just sitting around idle, right? Well done everyone I’ll make sure you all get proper recognition for this We’ll discuss the royal chambers matter later But what’s this about you bringing back a woman? However eager you are to catch thieves, you can’t just arrest people indiscriminately Lucheng pushed the woman forward forcefully Then flung the beggar’s clothes onto the table Those you caught are mere underlings This is the ringleader These are the stolen money and the tools used in the crime And a gun Wu Sanbao stood there dumbfounded, jaw dropped in shock The mastermind was actually a woman Now it makes sense why those four we caught Came up empty during the search No idea how Luchang managed to nab her But the proof is staring us in the face Whoa, a Nambu pistol This piece has seen better days You’ve got some serious guts They’ve got a gun and you still went for the tackle? Lu Cheng looked completely unfazed It’s just for show – no bullets Really? It does look pretty beat-up Doubt it could even fire properly A bullet whizzed past Lu Cheng’s ear Everyone at the scene freaked out They all exchanged wide-eyed glances Meanwhile, Lu Cheng stood completely still His legs just wouldn’t stop trembling. Hey Little Lu, you alright there? Wu Sanbao was the most terrified of all. Lu Cheng was an official dispatched from the capital. If they’d actually killed him, just injuring him would have ruined his life forever. Lu Cheng blinked rapidly and felt his ears, making sure he was still in one piece. A wave of post-fear hit him. What really scared him was realizing he’d been carrying that gun in his pants the entire time. If someone accidentally discharges their weapon on this road, You might lose more than just your dignity. Glancing at the woman beside him with that eerie smirk, Lu Cheng was itching to give her a good kick. Thank goodness you’re alright, thank goodness. You nearly gave me a heart attack! Someone get Comrade Xiaolu settled at our Railway Bureau’s guest quarters. so he can get some proper rest. That won’t be necessary, Captain Wu. I’m planning to make haste and return to the capital tonight. Wu Sanbao instantly started scheming. Hold on, Xiao Lu. It’s pitch dark outside. You’ve come all this way. Why not stay a few more nights at our guesthouse? I’ll get you a room with your own bathroom. You’ll be guaranteed a comfortable stay. The Railway Bureau will cover your meals. I appreciate Captain Wu’s hospitality. But I really should be getting back. Chief Meng surely told Zhou Weihua about his train-jumping stunt. He’s already informed Captain Zhou. Right now, Captain Zhou’s probably banging his desk in anger. But if I haul these five criminals back it’ll be a major feather in my cap. Captain Zhou won’t stay mad for sure. Yet Wu Sanbao doesn’t seem too keen about this. Xiaolu, I’m not stopping you from leaving, See how late it’s gotten already, there aren’t any trains running back at this hour. Stay with us for a couple of days. Lu Cheng could tell this person was holding something back. Captain Wu, just speak your mind if you have something to say. Didn’t think this kid would be so hard to bluff. He could tell right away there was a reason they weren’t letting him leave. Decided to come clean and tell the truth. I apologize, Comrade Lu. Our Director Qin gave explicit instructions. If you wish to return, I can have a car take you back right away. However, these five burglars will need to remain in our custody at the Railway Bureau. Taking all the credit huh? So this is how you want to play it Undermining my efforts Comrade Xiao Lu, you’ve truly done a great job today So now you’re going to give me the ‘honorable mention’ Listen up Captain Wu These thieves are coming with me to the capital Not a single one gets left behind Now that we’ve come clean Wu Sanbao stood his ground Comrade Xiao Lu, let’s not burn bridges here After all, we caught these criminals right here in Meidu City This matter should rightfully be left to us locals. Without the sketch I provided, Captain Wu wouldn’t have… been able to nab the culprit. If you were capable, you’d have caught him long before this! Wu Sanbao squirmed uncomfortably. He’d only been putting on a show. Never dreamed they’d actually nab the guy this easily. A major success dropped right in his lap. No way was he handing this glory to Lu Cheng. Relax, kid, you’ll get your share of the credit… The railway authorities have noted your conduct. Commissioner Qin has made it clear In view of your contributions You’ll receive a civil bravery award I’ve given you every chance to cooperate You leave me no choice Since they’ve thrown decency out the window Lu Cheng released one of her cuffed hands And attached the loose cuff to his own wrist Then dramatically swallowed the key in full view of the crowd Xiao Lu, my friend, what on earth are you up to? If you’re determined to detain this person then you’ll have to detain me too But let me remind you – our Captain Zhou has given explicit orders regardless of whether we apprehend the suspect that I must return within two days, no exceptions He’s made his position crystal clear If you prevent him from taking the suspect then you’ll be locking up both him and the woman we’ll see who cracks first Ji Yue gave a sidelong glance at her hand touching Lu Cheng’s mentally branding him as a shameless scoundrel This bore no resemblance to how a police officer should behave Even Wu Sanbao was caught off guard by Lu Cheng’s stunt left momentarily at a loss I might be bold enough to hold these thieves since we caught them red-handed here, we have grounds but I wouldn’t dare lay hands on someone like Lu Cheng from the capital This… this is pure mischief! I learned this from your prestigious bureau. That one remark left Wu Sanbao speechless. Your bureau is wonderful – so much to learn from you. Never seen you show any real skill in making arrests. But your talent for snatching people? No other bureau in the country comes close! Wu Sanbao hung his head in shame from the tongue-lashing. Why’s this punk cursing like a fishwife? Qin Feng stayed hidden in the office. He just wanted Wu Sanbao to get rid of this nuisance quickly. Little did he know – this one was the real deal. And just like that, the shouting match began. If you play dirty, don’t blame me for fighting fire with fire. The city’s top junior train officer didn’t hold onto the credit. He had no choice but to swallow the handcuff key. All because the junior officer risked his life to nab the thief. Yet the officer at Meidu Station tried to steal the credit. Picking up from last time—whoa, what’s happening here? Wait, wait, wait—this isn’t just a misunderstanding, is it? Director Qin, I’ve always had your bureau’s best interests in mind. You helped nab the guy, so I owe you one… We’ll consult Director Tang about recommending you for commendation But you—oh my dear Comrade Deer This was truly a misunderstanding—please don’t take it personally We were only teasing you We’ll arrange a car right away—guaranteed safe transport To send you back to Beijing—not me! Yes, exactly! We’ll send all five thieves with you Qin Feng glared at Wu Sanbao and barked Why are you standing there? Arrange the car now! Director Qin observed Lu Cheng calmly donning Five burglars boarded the vehicle. Qin Feng was so furious that he stomped his feet, never saw this coming. With all the manpower at the Railway Bureau, they still couldn’t outwit him. Some brash kid actually swallowed the key. What kind of lunatic is this? From Beijing’s Xizhimen, no less. Zhou Weihua from the Railway Police Unit gripped the phone tightly. You’re still on duty? This is outrageous! How could you let this happen? Lu Cheng leapt from the train, and now the whole Railway Ministry. Everyone knows. If he’d been injured from that fall. That would’ve been on you as the captain. Hearing Tang Qiusheng’s angry reprimand on the phone Zhou Weihua held his breath, not daring to utter a word Have you gotten in touch with Lu Cheng? Is he alive or not? Surely you must know, Director Tang? Sergeant Meng said Lu Cheng got back on his feet after jumping from the train He’s probably okay. I instructed him to remain at his post in the station. Who could’ve guessed he’d chase a thief? Isn’t it all because you’re so useless? Even an intern was fed up. That young guy, honestly, He’s still upholding justice—reach out to him immediately. He lacks experience—what if those thieves Desperate criminals might lash out—this mission could turn perilous. A single casualty could escalate this into a major incident. You—the squad leader—wouldn’t escape reprimand either. This is Director Tang—you have my word. I’ll crack down hard—*click*. Zhou Weihua smacks the table in renewed rage. Lu Cheng’s recklessness knows no bounds. He’s hijacking freight cars yet playing vigilante? There’s no way he could’ve done it alone. Late at night, a Jeep 212 With its two bright headlights, it came to a slow stop at Xizhimen the entrance of the Railway Bureau compound Port police officers on 20-hour guard duty Spotting an unknown vehicle approaching, they signaled for it to stop Comrade Lu Cheng, you’re finally back Captain Zhou was worried sick about you I’ll go get him right away They watched as the port police rushed into the compound in a panic Lu Cheng braced himself for an inevitable scolding. Luckily, he didn’t return empty-handed. When the Hong Kong police told Zhou Weihua that Lu Cheng was back, Zhou Weihua stormed in, cursing all the way. Lock him up! Throw this kid in the brig! No discipline, no respect for authority. Where is he? Captain Zhou, still working this late? Rest? I’ve been searching for you the whole damn day. You even had the nerve to stow away on a train? Stowing away on a train is one thing, How dare you jump off a moving train! If you’d gotten yourself killed How would I ever face your master Zhou Weihua bellowed Then he noticed the woman standing behind Lu Cheng Recalling Lu Cheng’s marriage announcement yesterday He hadn’t even met the bride-to-be This must be his fiancée Didn’t expect you’d bring your better half And what are you two doing out so late What kind of act are you putting on with those handcuffs? Young folks sure know how to play around. But I’m warning you, Don’t think bringing your sweetheart to beg for mercy will get you off the hook. You’re not getting out of this without consequences. Who’s his sweetheart? He’s not worthy, no way. We had a fight—I mean, Lu Cheng here. You’re way too hot-headed. I just got married recently Even your wife is upset with you Captain Zhou, there’s been a misunderstanding I wouldn’t dare marry a thief Just then, the railway police arrived with four others Handcuffed men were brought before Zhou Weihua This is Captain Zhou These are the five notorious thieves from Jinbao County The five infamous thieves I managed to apprehend all of them Aren’t you worried about Captain Zhou getting concerned Hurried back to Beijing overnight Zhou Weihua froze momentarily Skeptically eyeing the petty thieves You basically nabbed them yourself, didn’t you Thanks to my coordination efforts with the local railway authorities That’s how we managed to capture all the thieves You’re telling me you coordinated with the railway authorities Zhou Weihua looked utterly unconvinced He’s merely an intern – why would railway authorities take orders from him Yet there they were – five burglars standing right in front of us. These petty thieves had been giving us nothing but headaches throughout the entire department. And now Lu Cheng had single-handedly nabbed them all. Chief Zhou’s initial anger melted away upon seeing this. Facing Lu Cheng’s return, the chief found himself in a dilemma. How could he reprimand someone who’d just pulled off such a feat? Yet ignoring the protocol breach would set a bad precedent. You’ve got some nerve, kid. Going after thieves all by yourself? Don’t assume this is the end of it. I’ll have to brief Director Tang on this. What are you standing around for? Get those cuffs off and secure these suspects immediately. Come with me. Inside. Captain Zhou, I’ll need your help with these cuffs. Where’s your cuff key? I swallowed it. You swallowed what? Lu Chengdian proceeded to brief them on the arrest procedure. He also mentioned how the local police station wouldn’t let him take the suspect with him. About that distance you traveled, I’m completely at my wit’s end with you. Still, you made the right call this time. Why should we hand over our arrest to their local precinct? Captain Zhou, get someone to uncuff me right away. These cuffs are digging into my wrists. Oh, so you can feel pain? Well, you’ll just have to tough it out then. Our squad’s cuffs aren’t the standard issue ones. One handcuff and one key. So, what am I supposed to do now? I can’t stay handcuffed to a thief forever. Well, there’s no good way out of this. Your only option is to get some laxatives from the hospital. Maybe that’ll help you get it out. Thus, the public restroom in the compound had to shoulder the burden. Ah, what a relief. Jiyue averted her head. She covered her nose with one hand, her face twisted in disgust. Haven’t you finished yet? It reeks! Admittedly, I am a burglar You may kill me, but you shall not disgrace me Once I’m released, I swear I’ll take his life Zhou Weihua was at his office desk Phone in hand, he was briefing Tang Qiusheng on the developments Commissioner Tang, my apologies for this late-night interruption No trouble at all – at my age, I don’t need much sleep Has there been any progress regarding Lu Cheng? Affirmative, Commissioner Tang I was about to brief you on this very case Lu Cheng has returned unharmed but also captured 5 thieves It was confirmed that they were the gang of thieves operating on the Jingbao railway Oh, this young officer is remarkable I thought his safety alone was blessing enough Never expected him to pleasantly surprise me Heh, well done indeed Director Tang, you’re being too generous You don’t know the ordeal of their capture Zhou Weihua recounted how Lu Cheng forcibly took someone away. Tang Qiusheng burst into laughter on the phone. This young fellow is quite clever, isn’t he? Desperate times call for desperate measures. Even though it’s not the most honorable approach, as long as we can bring the thief back, it’s still worth acknowledging. Just then, Ji Yue, who had been taken by Hong Kong police, suddenly yelled in the yard: ‘I’m going to sue him!’ ‘He groped me on the train!’ I’m going to report him for public indecency. The more Ji Yue thought about it, the angrier she became. If he was going down, he’d drag Lu Cheng down with him. From the conversation between the captain and Lu Cheng just now. Clearly, Lu Cheng broke the law. This is the perfect chance to report him. Cut the nonsense and speak up. Someone will be assigned to question you. Zhou Weihua in the office clearly overheard. What a headache—listen to Director Tang. Instead, they’re threatening to charge him with indecent behavior. I’m completely at a loss with this situation. I’ll leave it to your discretion. Heh, I caught that. No big deal. As long as we nab the guy. Forget just groping his chest— I’d go straight for his pants if I had to! Little did Lu Cheng know, but with Director Tang’s arrival, She got punishment instead of a reward. Beijing’s finest young cop escorted five thieves back to the city. The police department disciplined her for recklessly jumping off the train. Weighed her accomplishments against her misconduct. They even attempted to recruit her for counterintelligence work. Continuing from last time: Get Lu Cheng on the line. I’ll speak with him. Yes, Commissioner Tang. Commissioner Tang is outside requesting to speak with you. Be respectful. Commissioner Tang, I’ve erred. I await your discipline. Beside them, Zhou Weihua stood stunned. Tang Qiusheng burst into laughter at his earnest attitude. Hahaha! Well then, tell me what wrongs you’ve done. I shouldn’t have stowed away on the train without authorization. And I definitely shouldn’t have jumped from the train, causing Director Tang such concern. Now that you’re fully aware of your misdeeds, what do you think should be done about it? I’ll abide by whatever decision Director Tang makes. But I must say, even if I had another opportunity, I’d still do the same thing, you know. So you still refuse to acknowledge your wrongdoing, is that it? Though not serving as a railway police officer To serve the people and protect citizens from harm Is both my duty and honor Even through the most perilous circumstances I will stand firm against criminals Fearless of sacrifice or bloodshed in fighting crime Hearing Lu Cheng’s passionate declaration Zhou Weihua standing nearby was utterly amazed Young comrade, you’re quite young Yet possess such admirable principles I wouldn’t presume to call myself awakened My steadfast belief is that a people with conviction make a nation with power With the vigor of our youth, I pledge to safeguard our prosperous homeland Without thinking, Zhou Weihua snapped to attention as well even Tang Qiusheng at the other end of the line though seated moments before, he now found himself rising to his feet these words carried such tremendous power as though transporting him back to those artillery-roared days when he battled fiercely for revolutionary liberation Such a young comrade possesses such profound insight If I make a fuss now, it would seem petty Captain Zhou must have been a bit harsh with you earlier Not at all. The leader’s criticism shows he values me It means I still have potential Nearby, Zhou Weihua drew a deep breath At this moment, he felt a pang of guilt Well spoken, young comrade You’ve done a great service this time I’ve made a mental note of this for now. No, it’s just my duty. Such a small contribution isn’t worth Director Tang’s attention. To avoid burning out from overwork. Please, Director Tang, don’t give it another thought. Really, don’t worry about it, enough already. Are they supposed to remember this or forget about it? Instead of owning up to his mistake, he launches into a rousing monologue. If we don’t give him credit for a major achievement, it’ll somehow end up being someone else’s fault. Director Tang, regarding Lu Cheng’s case We’ll hold off on any formal disciplinary measures for now In fact, we should nurture his potential It’d be a shame to waste such a talented officer Zhou Weihua nodded in agreement The fact that Lu Cheng apprehended the thief this time was truly a remarkable achievement His minor shortcomings pale in comparison I see, Director Tang My apologies for troubling you at this late hour You should get some rest now. Tang Qiusheng was just about to end the call. But then something occurred to him. Oh, today the Metallurgy Department and the Coal Ministry Called a meeting with our ministry. Reliable sources say that recently A Japanese spy Is planning to smuggle a piece of industrial slag back to Japan. A spy smuggling slag back to his country. Why would a spy take that back to his country? Some crucial construction documents? Why would someone want to take a piece of slag? Indeed, this slag sample originates from Steel City. Regarding the exact reason We’ve conducted preliminary analysis But we’re still in the dark Yet Diet is pulling out all the stops to smuggle it home There’s definitely something fishy going on Commissioner Tang, how can I assist? Here’s the deal – we’ve tracked the spy’s escape route Heading back home by switching trains along the Beijing-Guangzhou Line. After discussions among the three ministries Our Railway Ministry is to apprehend this spy This operation is top priority for the ministries Every railway bureau in Beijing needs to assign Top officers to collaborate with Beijing Railway Bureau on this operation Don’t worry Director Tang I’ll deploy our top railway cops to assist Beijing Station Good, that’s exactly what I needed to hear Include Officer Luchang in the team as well Director Tang Lu isn’t exactly top-notch, is he? I know you value him highly But today’s thief capture was pure luck He’s practically green Right now he’s only an intern Plus he’s kind of a loose cannon I worry he might jeopardize this operation Now, now, that’s not fair to say If we’re talking luck You guys have been chasing this for weeks Seems like luck isn’t on your side either. We should recognize others’ genuine abilities when they’ve got real talent. As for this enemy agent, All we’ve got is the vehicle’s travel route. We’re completely in the dark about everything else. Frankly speaking, we’ve hit a dead end. That’s exactly why we need someone like Comrade Lu Cheng. Sometimes shaking things up can yield surprising results. Now I get it, Director Tang. Upon hearing his name being brought up. Lu Cheng peeked over Captain Zhou, do we have a mission? I’ll give it my all We’ll crush crime and won’t let Okay, okay, save the slogans Save them for Director Tang He’s not interested Actually, there is a mission Director Tang didn’t punish you—in fact, he values you and wants you to represent We’re from the Xizhimen Railway Police Unit We’re assisting Beijing Station in apprehending a spy A spy? What kind of spy? This is a top-secret operation You’ll get full details once you reach Beijing Station Got it. Only ask what’s necessary And avoid prying into things you shouldn’t In other words – know what questions to ask and which to avoid Remember, you’re representing our entire Railway Police Unit Don’t you dare embarrass us We mustn’t let Jingzhan look down on us We must strictly follow the rules and orders No reckless behavior whatsoever Rest assured Captain Zhou I won’t let you down Lu Cheng’s prompt agreement Captain Zhou remained unconvinced nonetheless But Lu Cheng was Director Tang’s handpicked candidate Now get yourself home and rest This exhausting day has completely worn me out Captain Zhou, it’s already well past midnight. My family has long been asleep. Maybe I can crash at your place? You can’t crash here with me. There’s only room for one person to sleep here. There’s no way two people can sleep here. If we sleep sideways, we might just fit. Two grown men sleeping side by side? Are you kidding me? Well…can you at least book me a guesthouse? I’ve done such a huge favor Staying at the guesthouse again isn’t asking too much, is it? What? You want to stay at the guesthouse? I’d love to stay at the guesthouse too! Get out of here and hurry back! It’s an hour’s ride Be at Yu’er Hutong Since his rebirth, he’s treated this place like his own private property Lu Cheng kept knocking on the door for ages Finally, Lin Qingyan opened the door Lu Cheng, what are you… Lin Qingyan was about to ask Why are you back again Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already past midnight She couldn’t bring herself to send him away Besides, he was already her partner Him coming home was completely normal Why are you back so late? I had to work some overtime Qingyan-jie, hurry and come inside Let me get you some warm water to soak your feet and relax. Lin Qingyan was soaking her feet in the room. The warm water for soaking feet. It felt incredibly soothing. Are your feet cold? Want to soak them together? No, thanks. It’s getting late, and there’s nothing else to do. I think I’ll head to bed now. Hold on, let me finish soaking my feet first. Take a seat and let’s chat for a bit. It’s been a whole day since we last saw each other. Did you think of me? Lu Cheng’s blunt words Caused Lin Qingyan to lower his head Was at a loss for words It might be a stretch to say I missed you But throughout the day, Lu Cheng Kept popping up in my thoughts What did you have for dinner Sorghum flour cornbread For lunch, sorghum flour cornbread Then it goes without saying In the morning, you were given money for sorghum bread again Why don’t you buy some standard flour Here they are still lovey-dovey When the head of the Lu family heard Others talking about their youngest son Was also a live-in son-in-law Couldn’t keep his composure The capital’s youngest police officer had just started work two days ago Made a great achievement but upon returning home, heard the crowd at the doorstep He admitted to being a live-in son-in-law, settling into his wife’s family home immediately after tying the knot. Unbeknownst to him, the junior officer was eyeing that 200-million-yuan courtyard house. Back then, no one had a clue about its true worth. Picking up where we left off, Lu Cheng’s voice was laced with irritation. For a brief moment, Lin Qingyan felt a flutter of nervousness. I’m well aware of how kind your family has been to me. But as I can’t earn a living now, even coarse grain is more than enough for me. I’m truly content with what I have. Now that you’re my wife, having to eat cornbread day in and day out, others might think I’m treating you poorly. Honestly, no. I visited the community center earlier today. I was checking for job leads. If something comes up, then I won’t need to rely on your support anymore. No luck? Next time something comes up, Don’t go pleading with the community center again, or you’ll regret it. The community center’s already upset about Lin Qingyan’s unsuccessful rural placement, they’d never help him find work now. His woman’s not so desperate she needs to beg. But I can’t sit around doing nothing forever. It’s really tough to assign jobs these days. Every neighborhood committee is approaching families with multiple children Convincing them to join the rural resettlement program This problem will intensify when millions of educated youth return years later The situation will become dire with 400,000 jobless youths in Beijing How can we possibly create that many jobs To employ these people, every government office and institution Were forced to hire masses of temporary workers Frequently, three workers would share what was originally one job Food meant for two had to feed five Otherwise these jobless young people with nothing to do would either wander aimlessly or get into fights which is really bad for social stability Don’t stress about finding work, I’ll figure something out What can you possibly do about it? Don’t you have faith in your man? No…that’s not what I meant Silence fell over the west wing room for a moment Neither one picked up the conversation Why aren’t you in bed yet? Waiting to warm up my bed No way Back in the bedroom, the bed had turned cold Yet somehow, Lin Qingyan felt warmth in his heart The next morning, Lu Cheng bought two portions of breakfast to bring home Knowing his frugal wife wouldn’t spend on herself He skipped his own meal and saved it all for her As for himself, he’d just mooch a meal at home By the time Lin Qingyan awoke He was just about to warm up last night’s steamed buns Yet gazing at the kitchen stocked with tasty morning treats Tears instantly welled up in his reddened eyes After his parents were reassigned, he had to stretch every dollar to its limit Life was a constant struggle to make ends meet Even basic white flour was too precious to consume Let alone dining out – that was completely out of the question Mom, I’m home! Is breakfast ready yet? Almost done! I made congee for us Your father went to get youtiao – he should be back any minute now No sooner had she spoken than Lu Beitang reappeared from around the corner Lu Cheng was on his way to get the youtiao (fried dough stick) but Lu Beitang acted as if he didn’t notice him and headed straight back to the main room with the youtiao Hmph, you only come back when you’re hungry What kind of talk is that? Isn’t it common for someone to visit their parents’ home? Hmm, there’s more to this than meets the eye Why am I the one visiting their parents’ home? Dad and Mom, you two are playing good cop, bad cop What are you two getting at? It’s nothing, dear. Let me get you some porridge. Have some more later. Did you have a hard time at your in-laws’? Don’t you dare call me Dad. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a son anymore. What’s going on with you guys? I was only gone for a day, and now the family’s fallen apart? You’ve got your own home—it’s in Yu’er Hutong. Look at you, all grown up—missing for two nights straight. What’s your plan? To become a live-in son-in-law? Listen up, Lu Cheng—if you dare to marry into her family… Stay out of this house from now on. Lu Cheng got the message loud and clear. No wonder his parents gave him the cold shoulder the moment he walked in. It’s not dad who’s the live-in son-in-law, is it? I only noticed that Sister Qingyan’s place is a standalone house. It’s peaceful living there, huh? Even a dog doesn’t despise a humble home. That’s their home, not the Lu family’s. Dad, these fried dough sticks you bought are a little too crispy. If you’re not eating them, just feed them to the dog. Dad’s got zero respect in this household. As Lu Ying came for breakfast while still fixing her hair. Lu Cheng handed her the youtiao from the table. Here sis, have this youtiao. Why aren’t you having any? I’m not hungry – I’ll just have some congee. Just looking out for you, sis. Not bad – little bro’s finally growing up! Dad, these youtiao you got today aren’t fresh. Next time get them from that place in Dong’an Market – theirs are way better. Sis, you’re way too picky about food. We’re lucky to have anything to eat at all. Do you realize how hard our parents work to earn every penny? Yet you’re still nitpicking over everything. I was just throwing out a casual suggestion. Do you really need to blow this out of proportion? Can’t even make an offhand comment without this drama? A single kind word can warm the coldest winter. Cruel words chill the hottest summer day. Think how much this hurts Dad’s feelings. Pfft – as if he doesn’t miss you every day. Enough! You two always bicker the moment you see each other. San, why didn’t you bring Qingyan for breakfast? I already got her breakfast. Once I’m done eating, I’ll head straight to work. That’s why I didn’t bring her. So what are you planning to do from now on? What are you talking about? I go to work as usual every day. I don’t go out messing around. Mom’s not talking about your job. She means where you’re planning to live from now on. I find it really serene living solo in that courtyard. If not for work, I’d sleep like a baby every night. I’d be full of energy every single day. This courtyard is valued at a whopping 200 million. Living there is like lounging on piles of cash. Listen to this nonsense—how can anyone say such things? I’ve been living here for 19 long years. You never once mentioned it being noisy before. Now suddenly the noise bothers you. Seems like you’re angling to be a kept man. I despise you. Didn’t you just get a second chance at life? If I’d been reborn earlier, I would have moved to a private courtyard house by now. A cramped tenement can’t compare to the comfort of a private courtyard house. Lu Cheng was getting a headache over this. He’d never really thought about it before. He thought one place was as good as any other. Never imagined Mom and Dad would be so hung up on this. Lu Beitang’s argument left Lu Cheng without a comeback. He gave his sister a pleading look, begging for help. Unfortunately, Lu Cheng wasn’t around yesterday. My parents grumbled about this nonstop at home all day. Bottom line – they’re dead set against Lu Cheng becoming a live-in son-in-law. They’ve made their position crystal clear. Lu Ying could only give her younger brother a helpless shrug. I’m done eating. Heading off to work now. Hey Mom, I’m off to work too. Hey! Get back here! We’re not done talking about this! Enough already, he’s got work to get to. What are you stopping him for? Work can wait right now. My son from Lubetang is about to become a live-in son-in-law. That’s what truly matters. You might not know, but word’s already spread all over the place. I’ve got a daughter-in-law now. It’s okay that they know. No idea who started the rumor. They’re saying our Licheng is about to become a live-in son-in-law. It made me feel ashamed to even show my face in the neighborhood. No doubt it was that gossipy Aunt Wang from the back house. She’s such a blabbermouth, always spreading rumors. Don’t blame them for gossiping. The fact is, that’s exactly how things are in our family. What the hell is that jerk trying to pull? He got married but won’t bring his wife home. What’s his problem? If all else fails, I’ll have a word with Qingyan. So long as Qingyan agrees to move in. The path naturally found its way back. Actually, that’s a pretty good idea. Then go talk to Qingyan about it today. Tell them to move back as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Luchang had just arrived at the station. A railway police officer escorted him to the courtyard for a briefing. The team must assist Jingzhan in apprehending enemy agents. The General Bureau has ordered a joint operation this time. Support Jingzhan in apprehending an enemy agent. The three of you are with our Xizhimen Railway Division. The top railway police officer Representing our team this time Captain Zhou, if I may – there are actually four Our team’s top four officers Very well, we’ll say four Regardless, your group represents Our railway police unit Upon arrival at Beijing Station, demonstrate Our unit’s ethos: undaunted by hardship And fearless in battle We absolutely cannot allow other railway police squads make fools of us Is that clear? Crystal clear? Captain Zhou, if I may interrupt again Sir, considering we’re not from Beijing Railway Station being deployed there for joint operations Shouldn’t Beijing Railway Bureau provide some allowances Like meal allowances for instance Subsidies would certainly be appropriate I’ll submit a formal request to headquarters later The other three officers on the train quietly gave Lu Cheng a thumbs-up in approval. They had the same thought but didn’t have the courage to speak up. See, speaking up actually makes a difference. Captain Zhou, I’ve got one more tiny favor to ask. Could the squad maybe cover the cost of the round-trip tickets? Isn’t that asking for a bit too much? Come on, it’s not that big of a deal. If that’s a no-go, how about the squad hooks me up with a jeep? Seriously? They’d actually assign you a vehicle? Back in his past life, Beijing’s top rookie cop only had eyes for one girl at a time. After his rebirth, driving a Jeep, he instantly hooked up with 10 girls in one go. Can’t help it—the girls would rather cry in a Jeep. Than laugh on a clunky old bicycle. Picking up from last time—Captain Zhou, hey, don’t get worked up. I figured this mission is pretty high-stakes. Taking the bus would just mean getting stuck in traffic. What if we end up wasting precious time? Wouldn’t that make our Xizhimen Railway Police Unit look bad? Plus, if we get a car, we can roll up to Jin Station in style. Now that’s how you flex Xizhimen’s clout. Truth be told, I didn’t really expect a company vehicle. I was mostly worried about showing up looking too poor. Everyone would notice I didn’t even have my own ride. Captain Zhou clearly doesn’t care about his team’s needs. I was just trying to save you from getting chewed out. Hmm, you might have a point there. Fine, you four can take the department jeep when you leave. Thanks Captain Zhou! – the trio responded instantly. Thanks Captain Zhou! No need to stand on ceremony. Zhou Weihua remained quiet for a moment. Looking back, I regret impulsively agreeing to be the designated driver. After being reborn, I eagerly took on the role of driver for the return trip. Everyone agreed that his driving skills were top-notch. Back then, owning a Phoenix bicycle was a big deal. It was something to brag about. And driving a Jeep? That was next-level. Cruising around in it was the height of cool. If you took it out to impress the ladies, You could easily score a dozen. No wonder I struck out so often back in the day. Those privileged kids from elite compounds just can’t compete with others’ resources. Girls would rather shed tears in a luxury Jeep. Than laugh while riding an old bicycle. Beijing Railway Station is still the real deal. If I could get transferred here as a railway officer. My mom would be overjoyed. Eddie told us to assist with police work. How could you turn traitor on us? Sure, our Xizhimen Railway Station isn’t as impressive as Beijing Station. But hey, every dog loves its own home. You think they’d take you? Dream on! There’s a saying: ‘A loyal dog never scorns its humble home’ Luchang somehow felt personally offended We’d better go find Captain Lei at the gold mine ASAP Captain Lei’s full name is Lei Zhange (literally ‘Big Brother Thunder Combat’) His call sign ‘Thunder God’ reflects his military origins He’s got a notoriously short fuse So the moment they reached the mining camp They rushed to check in, terrified of another tongue-lashing for being late Luchang, however, took his sweet time Captain Zhou told us to get there by half past nine before we left. It’s just nine now—no need to hurry, we’ve still got thirty minutes. Mind if we look around the area for a bit? Word is Captain Lei’s got a really short fuse. He flies off the handle over nothing. If we show up late, we’ll probably catch hell from him. If we’re on time, he can’t rightfully blow up at us. Come on—we went to the trouble of coming all this way, might as well check things out and call it a learning experience. Armed with our refined skills, we returned to meet Captain Zhou. He inquired about what we’d picked up. And we did have something to share, right? The trio locked eyes for a moment. They unanimously agreed it made perfect sense. Deep down, all three held genuine respect for Lu Cheng. How on earth was he so darn persuasive? It was just plain fun and games. Yet after his spin on it, he’d turned it into a mission-driven learning experience. Hey, I suddenly feel completely guilt-free. Large bowl tea – tasty and budget-friendly Only 2 cents per bowl While Lu Cheng was conversing with the police officer When he heard the female vendor’s bold cry It suddenly seemed familiar to him The female vendor selling large bowl tea by the road was Big Huang She was Lu Cheng’s middle school classmate Huang Chunjiao Nicknamed Big Huang – Lu Cheng had once accidentally groped her breasts Huang Chunjiao had nearly bitten his arm off in response That’s how she earned the nickname ‘Goldie’. I heard recently that Huang Chunjiao was supposed to join China’s rural sent-down youth program. What’s she doing selling big bowl tea (traditional roadside tea) here instead? Spotting a former classmate, Lu Cheng deliberately tipped his hat low and walked straight past. Hey comrade, this big bowl tea properly brewed? Huang Chunjiao froze momentarily before looking up at the speaker. She couldn’t make out the face, just the distinctive blue uniform. Huang Chunjiao called out politely but loudly. Officer, we only use properly boiled water here. We specially steep it in these big pear-wood barrels. It must be boiled water. Since you vouch for it, I’ll take a bowl. Sure, just a second. This so-called tea is actually just the leftover crumbs from state-owned tea stores. Known as ‘high-grade fragments’, it’s the cheapest scrap tea available. Despite being crumbs, it brews into a tea with a lovely jasmine aroma. So even common folks can enjoy it without breaking the bank. Careful, mate – it’s piping hot! Lu Cheng tasted it – a refreshing jasmine fragrance greeted his palate. Delicious! And easy on the wallet too. Yet no matter how delightful, he’d never admit it openly. Yuck, this isn’t even ripe. See ya! Hey you, hold it right there! Despite her delicate-sounding name, Huang Chunjiao is a total tomboy. With her booming voice, everyone sees her as just one of the bros. So Huang Chunjiao grew up with a tough-guy attitude. She wasn’t fazed even when Lu Cheng showed up in his police uniform. Hey officer, you can’t skip out without paying. This stuff’s not even ready – why pay? Not ripe? What’s wrong with you? You drank the tea, you pay – cop or not! If not, I’m reporting you to your boss. Go ahead and complain – it won’t do you any good. Everyone here knows I never pay for my tea. Huang Chunjiao was stunned – what sort of policeman is this? What a shameless rascal – Zhao Bin! Everyone come quick! We’ve got a dine-and-dasher here! Seize him! Hold him down! Zhao Bin (nicknamed Binzi) had been her middle school classmate. Back then, they’d sat right in front of each other. Who the hell thinks they can dine here without paying?! I’m gonna mess you up! Lucheng recognized Zhao Bin’s voice Huang Chunjiao quickly rushed over to see No way! It’s really Lucheng! Old Huang, you haven’t changed – still the same wild one Cut it out! Who’s making fun of me here? So it’s you after all! Who else but me would dare mess with you without fear of retaliation? Stop your nonsense! She’s changed into a proper lady now – get lost! Ah, that’s the Old Huang I remember! Hey Lucheng, where’d you get that fancy uniform? Gotta admit, you clean up pretty well in it Let me borrow it for a few days I wanna look sharp like that too Borrowed? This is mine – quit messing around I’m dead serious I’m officially a railway cop now Cut it out – you were always the class clown Still got that annoying habit, huh? Guess I’ll have to prove it then Lu Cheng decided to show his official work ID with the red seal. Hmph, impressive. You’ve even managed to get fake IDs. But you’d better watch your step. Forging fake IDs is against the law. Lu Cheng had no option but to pull out the handcuffs once more. Zhao Bin swallowed hard—this was dead serious. Lu Cheng gestured toward the Jeep parked on the curb. See that? My boss hooked me up with a company car. Most folks don’t get perks like this. Zhao Bin drew a deep breath. After exhaling slowly He instantly dropped to his knees and clung to Lu Cheng’s leg Burst into loud, dramatic sobs How could you become a train security officer? That’s the railway system we’re talking about! We came from the same junior high school Why am I stuck here selling cheap tea? You shouldn’t have become a train security officer! We promised to go rural together, endure hardships, and conquer nature How did you manage to become a train security officer? Just quit already! Hey, toss it right into my mouth! Alright, alright, man, things are looking up now. You should be happy for me, you know. Whoa, no way you can be a train cop! We promised to tough it out together. How come you got into the Ministry of Railways? You better quit! Lu Cheng was sweating bullets. Hey, you’re one to talk! Weren’t you the one who said you were going to the countryside? What’s with the tea stall here? You’re pulling my leg, aren’t you? Lucky I didn’t go rural. Who’s tricking you? I was all set to join the rural sent-down youth program back then. Then my uncle mentioned the station was starting a collective business. To serve tea to travelers passing through. That’s why I didn’t end up going rural. Zhao Bin’s uncle was a deputy logistics chief at the train station. He used connections to get his nephew into the collective business. That’s how he avoided the rural sent-down youth program. What about Dahuang? Zhao Jiaojiao was also set to join the rural relocation program. But I worried she’d have a hard time. So I pulled some strings with my uncle to get her assigned here too. Lucheng glanced at Huang Chunjiao’s blushing face. Already using pet names, huh? So when did you two become an item? Lucheng bantered with them. While eyeing their tea stall’s potential. The Japanese official smuggling out slag samples Had somehow become a top-secret Blue Seal matter in Great Xia. When top brass discovered the Japanese were attempting to covertly return via Jingzhan Station, The major police squads across Daxia swiftly issued alerts to apprehend and bring them to justice Picking up from last time, check out your itinerary You still have a way with words—and not in a good way Zhao Bina and I are comrades in arms We pledged our loyalty to the red handbook Oours is a love forged in revolution A revolutionary power couple, tested by time and true to our cause Well said, Comrade Dahuang! I’d like to follow your example. Cut it out, will you? Haha. Lucheng gazed at the tea stand, lost in thought for a moment. Hey Bing, are you guys still hiring? With Zhao Bing as our mutual classmate, it’d be a shame not to use that connection. Absolutely! We’d love to have you if you’re interested. I’d step down myself just to make room for you! You won’t rest until you’ve knocked me, Cheng Jing, off my pedestal, will you? Damn right it bothers me! I’ve been so upset I can’t even eat these days. You’re strutting around like a peacock. All those ladies must be dying to get their hands on you. Unlike poor old Zhao Bin here. Watch your revolutionary mindset. You’ve got some serious ideological issues right now. Don’t be greedy—content with what you’ve got. Lu Cheng saw Zhao Bin getting picked on. And it was Big Huang, the same dog that had bitten him, dishing it out. He was absolutely thrilled. Seriously, Binzi, do you need help or what? We’re definitely not hiring anyone. Our little tea stand just opened two days ago. Yet they’ve already assigned us 10 staff members. At least half of them have nothing to do. Go ask your uncle to help figure this out. Even if I needed someone, who exactly are you trying to push on me? He’s very driven – you’ve met him. Lin Qingyan – a friend of my second sister. Now she’s my wife. Wait – Lin Qingyan? And she’s your wife now? She’s an absolute knockout, that one You’ve got some unbelievable fortune going on Noticing Huang Chunjiao giving the stink eye again Zhao Bin quickly stifled his envy With other women being that close already In the past, I’d have pulled strings to get you in But now it’s just not possible You’ve no idea There’s ten of us now, each making just 22 yuan a month Profit or loss, we all share the outcome equally Your tea stand isn’t profitable at all. You’ve hit the nail on the head – that’s the issue. Since we’re in this profit-and-loss sharing arrangement. Even without profits, management still has to pay our wages. Still, it’d be great if we could turn a profit. Management would be much happier paying us then. The bosses are seriously pissed off about the lack of profits. How am I supposed to ask my uncle to assign more staff now? Lujing nodded in sympathetic understanding. Despite the huge crowds at the train station… Ever since he walked in only a handful of customers have bought the jumbo tea With all this foot traffic from the train station these sales figures are pitifully low I know how to get your business back in the black in return, help me track down your uncle and hire one more person – deal? If you can actually deliver on those profits heck, forget just one Lin Qingyan I’ll bring you a whole team of ten The problem lies in the heating process. I just tried it, and it’s scalding hot. It’s too hot to even take a sip. Zhao Bin doesn’t see this as an issue. On the contrary, it’s a plus. It’s winter now, and it’s freezing outside. Naturally, you’d want a hot drink to warm yourself up. We’re actually concerned it might not be hot enough—good service is a given. If you’re at the entrance to the Summer Palace or the Qianmen Arrow Tower. A piping hot cup of tea is just what you need. They’ve got all the time in the world for leisure. But you should realize we’re at a train station. That remark snapped me out of my daze. Actually, someone did ask if the tea was too hot. I’d always reply, ‘If it’s not piping hot, it’s on the house.’ No wonder they turned on their heel and walked away. Zhao Bin was waiting for Lu Cheng to go on. But Lu Cheng just looked away without saying a word. Fine, fine! I’ll go plead with my uncle. If you want Lin Qingyan brought in, then spit it out already! You don’t even have a simple bench for workers to take a break. These little service touches can be added in no time to improve things. And you shouldn’t limit yourselves to just selling tea. Why not offer some snacks like roasted sunflower seeds or peanuts too? With the colder weather, how about serving some roasted sweet potatoes? Since you already have tea suppliers, why not also make some tea-infused eggs? Lu Cheng’s suggestions caught the attention of the other eight employees. They looked on with a mix of curiosity and bewilderment. Wow, brilliant! All we’ve been doing is selling plain mugs of tea day after day. How come I never thought of this angle? Lucheng, you’re always the one with brilliant schemes. Even back in our school days, you topped everyone in resourcefulness. Lucheng, you’re a born entrepreneur. Join us selling penny tea? As if! Me? Selling roadside tea with you lot? I’ve got bigger ambitions than that! Just then, our comrades who’d been milling about came back. Lucheng, time’s up—we need to head to the Beijing Railway Bureau. Meanwhile, back in Beijing Station’s conference room… Aside from the four officers stationed at Xizhimen All other patrol teams are already in position It’s well known that Captain Lei places utmost importance on work efficiency And has zero tolerance for tardiness Station Chief Lei’s Xizhimen patrol unit Shows sheer disregard for their duties Since most are already here, we should get started Regarding the Xizhimen patrol unit We’ll compile a report of their assignments And forward the documentation to Captain Zhou At that very moment, a sharp screech of brakes rang out from outside. This was immediately followed by the sound of rapid footsteps approaching. Talk about being flashy! Driving here in a car! The Xizhimen team sure has some grand airs about them. What kept you four so long? You’re late! Do you not realize we have a critical meeting today? Xiao Zhou, is this how you lead your team? You were fully aware yet chose to be late? Respectfully reporting Captain Lei, we’re not actually late. Should we in fact be late, we’ll fully accept whatever disciplinary measures you deem appropriate, Captain Lei. Lei Zhan checked his watch It was precisely 9:30 This operation is crucial We should’ve assigned veteran railway officers Why would Zhou Weihua dispatch such an inexperienced officer This shows utter disregard for the operation’s importance Return to formation immediately – this briefing is critical The trio visibly relaxed In that brief moment Their foreheads were already beaded with sweat To make matters worse, Lu Cheng refused to admit his fault from the get-go. He even doubled down and talked back to Captain Lei. The three of them were practically shaking in their boots at that moment. Team, I’m sure you’ve all heard some rumors before arriving. You likely got wind of the situation already. Correct. Our Jin Station is preparing to apprehend a hostile agent. The fact that your respective police squads assigned you here means you’re the cream of the crop in your units. As Captain Lei reached this point in his speech, his gaze briefly lingered on Lu Cheng, who seemed distracted. Everyone is sitting ramrod straight. Only this young comrade is sitting without proper posture. Xiao Wang, please brief everyone on the details first. A blue classified stamp. A minor hostile agent. Merely absconded with a chunk of industrial waste. Is it really that significant? First, per credible intelligence reports. This hostile agent who penetrated our organization. Hailed from Japan and sought to smuggle a fragment of industrial waste back home. Recently, a Japanese delegation visited a steel mill in Steel City however, they showed no interest whatsoever in our obsolete production machinery yet they were particularly fascinated by a heap of gleaming waste slag at the entrance With goodwill for bilateral technological cooperation the Steel City authorities agreed to provide them with everything and even proposed selling them all the slag produced across the country yet they adamantly requested slag solely from this factory They took the waste slag back and reported their findings to the Metallurgical Bureau However, considering our current industrial capabilities There was no way to identify anything unusual about the slag. Thus, the delegation was temporarily pacified. However, within days, intelligence agents intercepted a coded transmission. The message indicated the delegation planned to transfer a file. along with a slag sample to a spy for smuggling back home. The Japanese operatives attempting to smuggle slag overseas. was elevated to Blue Seal classified status in Daxia. Top agents from every precinct were mobilized for the operation. Yet the rookie cop dozed off in the task force meeting. Enraged, the supervisor snapped—stay tuned for the next episode. Hmm, I just don’t get it. What on earth does that tiny place want our slag for? Hmm, maybe they’re planning land reclamation. Well, since it’s waste material, it’s dirt cheap. If they’re serious about land reclamation, we could supply them with as much as they want. Then why the sudden cutback in orders? There’s definitely something shady going on. You’re spot on—there’s foul play here. Recently, seeing we’re standing firm, The delegation is getting restless now. They’re offering to trade rice or steel with us. This smells even fishier. Our top priority is to apprehend this enemy agent swiftly. According to intel, the secret’s hidden in that file. Once we secure that file. We’ll blow the lid off the delegation’s scheme. Team, you’re the cream of the crop. As elite officers, you’re capable of nabbing this spy. The ball’s in your court now. Being praised by Captain Lei as the finest railway officer All present wore expressions of pride Captain Lei, since the suspect plans to board the train He’s walking right into our trap I recommend deploying multiple officers at the ticket gates And conduct thorough inspections of all passengers Intercept the enemy agent before they can board Actually, I believe screening should begin at the ticket counters Prevent him from even entering the station premises Cut off all possible escape routes Everyone started chattering excitedly. They grew increasingly enthusiastic as the discussion continued. They seemed convinced that with their meticulous trap in place, the enemy agent wouldn’t stand a chance. Everyone’s showing great initiative. But remember, this is a stealth mission. This is also classified as a Level 2 operation. We need to keep our investigations low-profile. If we draw too much attention, we risk alerting the enemy agent. Most likely switching to other transport options The moment Leizhan made his remark So those earlier suggestions about checking at ticket counters Or screening at boarding gates Would no longer work Everyone looked troubled But just then Suddenly, the ill-timed sound of snoring Echoed through the conference room Who’s sleeping here? Who dares to be so bold to doze off during a meeting presided over by Boss Lei When Boss Lei heard the snoring his expression darkened instantly To everyone’s shock, Lu Cheng was fast asleep on his feet The loud snores were unmistakably his He was drooling so much it trickled down his chin This outrageous sight made everyone’s blood boil They were seething with rage, barely restraining themselves from teaching him a lesson Here they were, giving their all to accomplish the mission Everyone’s enthusiastically contributing ideas Yet this fellow stayed completely silent throughout How dare he take a nap here He’s completely disregarding the importance of this mission Lucheng! You’re actually sleeping? Wake up! We’re in the middle of a meeting The Xizhimen trio stared at the dozing Lucheng Their hearts were pounding with anxiety If Captain Lei loses his cool in a moment He might even chew out all three of us Even Captain Zhou got dragged into this mess despite being innocent. Damn it, Yanhong, why’d you pinch me? You were the one who touched me first! Lu Cheng was lost in a delightful dream. In his dream, he saw Sun Yanhong from the tenement courtyard. She pulled him into her room. Then she started massaging his shoulders. Just a dream—so close, yet so far from actually touching her. For a moment, the atmosphere was so quiet it was almost creepy. All because of what he’d just blurted out. It was obvious to everyone that this fellow had been daydreaming. And definitely not an innocent one. How on earth could the Xizhimen Police Squad recruit someone with such questionable behavior? Meanwhile, a colleague from another team was desperately signaling him with their eyes. Lu Cheng caught on fast. Captain Lei, you can count on me. I’ll get the job done, no matter what. I won’t back down, no matter the cost. Apologies, Captain Lei. Lu Cheng didn’t mean to fall asleep. He was on patrol duty with the vehicle yesterday. He apprehended a gang of thieves. He didn’t get back to the station until the early hours. He was back at the station first thing in the morning. He barely got a few hours of sleep the entire night. No wonder he couldn’t stay awake. Lu Cheng nabbed a gang of thieves. How could you not know this? Word has traveled far and wide across the entire Ministry of Railways. Rumor has it they busted a theft ring. What’s amazing is he nabbed all five suspects by himself. No way! How’d he take down five guys single-handedly? Heard he pulled some crazy stunt like leaping from a moving train. Jump from a train? That guy’s got a death wish! You’re telling me! The kicker is he hauled them in solo – no backup! Even Commissioner Tang’s personally putting him in for a commendation! What’s more, I heard the ringleader was packing heat during the takedown! They knocked his family jewels clean off That’s right! That’s totally me! But the crown jewels are still intact That part is just baseless gossip No need for everyone to plan any victory celebrations for me Just a minor accomplishment, nothing major Definitely don’t take me out to dinner And especially not to government-run establishments That’s enough, Lu Cheng Captain Lei’s about to blow his top Despite his rage, Captain Lei managed to keep his cool. So you’re Lu Cheng Captain Lei, it’s Lu like in Lu Cheng, Cheng like in the name Lu Cheng “Meeting adjourned.” The abrupt dismissal left everyone exchanging puzzled glances. To everyone’s surprise, not a single reprimand was uttered. That was definitely out of character. At the traditional tea vendor’s stand Huang Chunjiao proved to be quite cooperative She decided to follow Lu Cheng’s suggestion Starting with a trip to the grocer’s for some sunflower seeds Lu Cheng was casually munching on sunflower seeds at the counter killing time while waiting for Zhao Bin to come back Just grabbed 20 cents’ worth as a trial run Holy cow! You’ve devoured almost half already When did you turn into such a cheapskate? Just sampling them for ya – tastes kinda weak Bet they skipped the star anise – we should switch shops We’d save money roasting our own Plus we could sneak some home if we DIY Zhao Bin finally showed up over 20 minutes later Lucheng’s already gulped down nearly five bowls of tea. If Binzi’s got bad news I’m staying put right here today Then I definitely won’t stop you Look! You’ve nearly finished it all Relax, my uncle loved your idea He was thrilled and agreed to take on one more Thanks! Dinner’s on me soon It’s been ages! When exactly is ‘soon’? Uh…just sometime soon Saying ‘in a few days’ actually means ‘in two days.’ Delaying to tomorrow or the next day just means the day after tomorrow. So, is it lunchtime or dinnertime? Lu Cheng chuckled in resignation. Zhao Bin grinned back at him. They knew each other’s games all too well. They could predict each other’s next move blindfolded. Alright, alright—just wait till payday. Soon after, Lu Cheng hopped in the jeep. He headed to tell Lin Qingyan the great news about getting back to work. He made the other three teammates take the bus back. Zhou Weihua waited till the end of his shift, but the jeep never returned. Furious, Zhou Weihua kept pounding on the table. Oddly enough, the entrance to Yu’er Alley was locked. Where’d everyone go? Couldn’t find a soul. Lu Cheng took the jeep to his sister’s tailor shop. Hey sis, I was just at Qingyan’s place. She wasn’t home, so I came to ask you instead. Qingyan? No need to look any further. She’s at our place. What’s she doing there? What else is there to do now that you’re married? Of course you’ll be living with us from now on. What? Live with us? That’s impossible! There’s no way he’s moving in with us. What about my privacy in the separate courtyard? Lucheng sped home in his jeep without delay. Oh, Granny Liu, I’m knocking off work early today. Need to rush back home right away. With my brother in this state, there’ll definitely be trouble when he gets home. Beijing’s top junior cop comes back home. He cuffed his own wife to the bedpost without hesitation. Confronted by the young train cop’s intimidating demeanor. Yet his wife remained eerily composed. Picking up from last time: ‘So you’re into this kind of play?’ ‘Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy it?’ ‘A privileged compound princess like you’ ‘All that proper upbringing must make you crave something wild.’ ‘Mmm… thrilling, isn’t it?’ ‘Want me to turn up the heat?’ ‘I could always slip into that train cop uniform…’ But trust me, it’ll be way hotter on you. You’re such a child sometimes. Your sister told me you were quite the ladies’ man. Damn it, does my sister have to spill all my secrets? Lu Cheng starts undressing. He keeps stealing glances at Lin Qingyan on the bed. Whatever – ancient history. No time to waste – the night’s young. Hold still – this might sting. He’s dying to see Lin Qingyan’s reaction. Acting all jittery and timid like a scared little lamb But unexpectedly, Lin Qingyan remained completely composed You wouldn’t dare lay a finger on me Because I’ve figured out your real reason for marrying me What? What do you think you know? Last night when I was darning your socks in the wee hours I overheard your sleep-talking Lu Cheng jerked upright with a sharp intake of breath Did I accidentally blab about being reborn in my sleep? Not that anyone would believe such nonsense even if I did What was I saying? Nothing much You were shivering and begging me to hug you tight Do you dream like this a lot? Good thing Lin Qingyan thought it was just a dream I was at a loss for words anyway Remember when you asked if I’d still save you, knowing I might freeze to death? Would I still save you Back then, I couldn’t find the words Now I know my answer—I’d save you, no question Memories of that journey resurfaced from his past life. That bone-chilling winter when the blizzard howled. Wasting away in depression on death’s doorstep. Lin Qingyan bared his chest, pressing his feverish body against him for warmth. Lu Cheng’s eyes grew misty. So lame! This is totally lame! I’m already stripped down and you’re hitting me with this sappy crap? ‘Sleep time!’ Lu Cheng declared, then flopped onto the floor and passed out. Lin Qingyan could only watch, his expression a portrait of resignation. In the dead of night, Lu Cheng watched Lin Qingyan’s peaceful slumber. Qingyan, you’ve got to hang in there for two more years. By then, your parents’ names will be cleared. Then, you’ll have someone watching over you every single day. The next day, they found out Lin Qingyan had willingly handed the key over to the Lu family. Refusing to give up, Lu Cheng decided to swipe the key. He’d move into the courtyard house himself. Well, if Qingyan won’t leave, he might as well move in himself. That courtyard house is going to be mine, no matter what. It’s my old man, Uncle Zhao, calling you for a game of chess. Oh, sure, I’ll be right there. Lubeitang sauntered out of the room. Lucheng took advantage of the moment and began rummaging through the room. He was on all fours, digging around under the bed. Out of nowhere, a foot landed on his backside. Who’s there? Quit bugging me, I’m in the middle of something! Whatcha digging for, old man? You’re back from chess already? Don’t give me that crap! Old man Zhao wasn’t even there. What the hell are you doing under there? Uh… nothing, just, uh, doing some cleaning down here. Are you really just cleaning, or are you searching for this? Come on, Dad, it’s only a key. Why the fuss? Are you keeping it on you like you’re guarding against thieves? No, it’s to guard against you—I’m afraid you’ll run off with it. You—hand it over. I want my own place, away from you. Alright then. Go grab a knife from the kitchen. First, I’ll chop your feet off—then you can crawl your way out. Lu Cheng sighed in resignation and hung his head. At dinner, since Lin Qingyan had moved into the Lu household on her own, Mrs. Lu had been beaming all day. As he gazed at his family before him, a sigh escaped his lips. How wonderful it would be if your eldest brother were here with us. With a big family like ours, the more the merrier! Oh, by the way, Third Son. You mentioned you’d secured a job for Qingyan. Do you think you could look for work for your eldest brother too? Even a state-owned enterprise would do. The salary doesn’t matter at all. What truly matters is keeping our family together. We’d be happy even if we had to live on scraps. Mom, right now the problem isn’t about whether Eldest Brother can find a job. His situation is quite unique. He’s both a former sent-down youth and still holds rural residency status. According to current urban repatriation policies, unless he abandons his wife and daughter. Do you really think he’d ever do that? Of course Xianglan understands her own son. Her eldest is thoroughly decent – honest and kind-hearted. And stubborn? That boy’s stubborn as a mule. We tried everything to stop him marrying in the countryside back then. However, my eldest brother held onto his gratitude for someone’s past kindness was determined to marry a country girl It wasn’t that he had anything against country girls he was just concerned his son might never make it back to the city Rest assured, mom once the policies loosen up in a couple years I’ll figure out a way to bring big brother back to town We’ll have big brother come back with his wife along with my little niece – the whole family returning together even if sis-in-law isn’t eligible for food rations Everyone in our family is employed Can’t we take care of sister-in-law and her child You three are as stubborn as mules Mentioning elder brother Chen Xianglan always puts her in a bad mood Lu Cheng and Lu Ying are afraid of getting involved Quickly bow their heads and focus on eating Unexpectedly, Lu Beitang chose this worst possible moment to speak up Just eat when it’s meal time Why keep bringing up these pointless matters All you ever think about is food I haven’t even gotten to you yet. What’s up with your family genes? Ended up with three hard-headed troublemakers. Why are you bringing me into this again? After breakfast, Lu Cheng took the complimentary jeep for a drive. Took Lin Qingyan to the charming little tea stand. Hey Da Huang, get us some of that hearty tea in big bowls! Had way too many pickles this morning. When are you heading back to Xizhimen? If you don’t hurry back, all we’ll have left is this plain tea. Xiao Qi, you’re being too extravagant. Lu Cheng noticed the sweet potato stall they had set up. The tea eggs were thanks to our pal Dahuang. You guys worked fast—great job, deserves praise! Lu Cheng, I have to say— A few people already stopped by to ask about it. We told them we’d be selling snacks like sunflower seeds and sweet potatoes. They even urged us to hurry up because they wanted to buy some right away! See? Told you my idea would work! In a few days, you won’t even have enough people to keep up! So I’ve brought everyone along To lighten your load a bit The Youth Association welcomes you aboard Alright, I’ll let you get back to work I need to head back to the Railway Bureau The enemy spies won’t board the train for another three days Lu Cheng seized the chance to go back to Xizhimen Railway Station Because Train No. 127 By my calculations, it should be on its way back Xizhimen Railway Station Lu Cheng noticed Liu Jian’an stepping off the train looking downcast. Trailing behind him was Chief Meng, clearly still seething with anger. He must’ve caught an earful from Chief Meng during the trip. Just days prior, while chasing down that ring of thieves, Behind Liu Jian’an’s back, They totally threw him under the bus. I’m not one to leave a brother hanging, Credit where credit’s due—half the glory’s yours. Chief Meng, glad you made it back in one piece. As for Meng Li, she shot Lu Cheng a look that could kill. Immediately pulled out handcuffs Whoa, Captain Meng, what’s going on? Let me explain No excuses needed Breaking regulations to sneak onto the train was bad enough But you actually had the nerve to jump off the train! You’re coming with me to see Captain Zhou There’s no way we’re letting this slide The whole thing is over already This rigid woman just won’t drop it Captain Meng, since you just arrived by train, you’re not aware yet I’ve already briefed Captain Zhou on the situation What’s more, I’ve already apprehended the burglar Director Tang gave me glowing praise He even mentioned putting me in for a commendation Lu Cheng intentionally name-dropped Director Tang As expected, Meng Li’s stern expression softened somewhat Be that as it may Your issue is outside my jurisdiction But Liu Jian’an here deserves disciplinary action Liu Jian’an looked utterly devastated. He was absolutely heartbroken. He had placed such faith in Lu Cheng. Yet Lu Cheng ended up being commended. Yet he was the one facing disciplinary action. Indeed, disciplinary measures are warranted. Sergeant Meng, I’ve been assigned to bring Comrade Liu Jian’an. Back to headquarters for disciplinary review. So you’re his escort? This was Captain Zhou’s direct order. See? I went as far as driving a jeep here. The top rookie train cop in Beijing just got reborn (a fresh start). He even jumped off a train just to fool his coworkers into abandoning their duties. He went rogue arresting bad guys, then dozed off during a big-shot meeting. Yet this train cop, with a rap sheet longer than a train, somehow bagged a third-class merit medal from headquarters. Picking up where we left off: this lady takes her job deadly seriously. While he and Thunder Battle Bro are ex-military like, their dedication plays out in totally different ways. Meng Li’s all about that tunnel vision focus. Lei Zhan takes his work seriously and prioritizes efficiency. Chief Meng, there’s no need to check. This is definitely Captain Zhou’s vehicle. You’d recognize it anywhere, wouldn’t you? Meng Li shot a glare at Captain Zhou’s vehicle. He recognized it immediately. He was skeptical about how trustworthy Lu Cheng’s statement was. Chief Meng, why the skepticism? If Captain Zhou hadn’t sent me, There’s no way I’d have his car right now. What’s more, Captain Zhou mentioned You’ve been putting in long hours on vehicle patrol duty Now that we’ve apprehended the burglars He insists you take some well-deserved time off No need for rest Any exhaustion is worth it for the job Inspector Meng summed it up perfectly Something I should learn from Particularly with your astute guidance Our Xizhimen Railway Police Unit has successfully nabbed this burglary ring All credit goes to Chief Meng. If not for your brilliant leadership, there’s no way we could’ve captured Hey Chief Meng, you should get some proper rest. Meng Li’s face instantly flushed with embarrassment and she quickly turned away and left The capture of these thieves had absolutely nothing to do with him What’s more, he’s the one who ordered those 4 suspects released on the train even if it was due to lack of evidence at the time They were forced to let them go. But the truth is, those four were clearly thieves. If they had stuck to the rules rigidly. If we were to look into it in detail. They would have ended up sharing some of the blame. This is where Director Tang Qiusheng’s wisdom came into play. As long as no disciplinary action was taken against Lu Cheng. Then no one would be held accountable. When it came to apprehending the thieves. It was all about the glory, with no blemish whatsoever. After the others had gone, Lu Cheng gazed at Liu Jian’an, who stood with his head bowed. He looked so wronged he was on the verge of tears. Lu Cheng was genuinely feeling embarrassed now. Are you still mad at me, Jian’an? No, I’m just frustrated with myself. Look, Captain Zhou didn’t actually send me to get you. I was just in the neighborhood and fibbed to Sheriff Meng on purpose. I won’t let you take the heat for this. You’re pulling people’s legs again? Haha, gotta keep up the act! Just look at Chief Meng’s demeanor Catching that thief was such an achievement Everyone from top to bottom at the ministry is celebrating Yet he has to spoil the mood for everyone Liu Jian’an is still wet behind the ears As naive as they come There’s no way he could grasp Lu Cheng’s intentions Officer Zhou Weihua from Xizhimen Police Squad His eyes brimming with grievance He actually looked more aggrieved than Liu Jian’an So you’ve decided to grace us with your presence I was beginning to think you’d moved into Beijing Station As if that would ever happen Xizhimen will always be home I wouldn’t turn traitor even if he were the best in the world Word has it that during the meeting You were catching some serious Z’s That was Captain Lei’s special meeting! Have you got a death wish? I hadn’t slept well the night before Oh, Captain Zhou About catching those thieves earlier wasn’t just my doing Without Comrade Liu Jing’an’s help we wouldn’t have cracked the case so easily, I know that As Director Tang mentioned you’d be commended for it So about sneaking onto the train and breaking the rules let’s just drop it Pushing it further would only make our unit look bad Thanks a lot, Captain Zhou. Thank you, Captain Zhou. I promise I won’t repeat this mistake. During the rest of the trip, I briefly updated Zhou Weihua about the meeting’s content and my thoughts I believe this mission may very well affect national interests So you’re excused from team reporting for the next few days Instead, go to Beijing Station to get familiar with the situation – that’s Captain Qiu’s order Oh, and one more thing Can you arrange for Liu Jian’an to join us as well? We’ve worked together before and had great synergy. Without Liu Jian’an, I’d feel incomplete. What’s the purpose of bringing Comrade Liu Jian’an along? Lu Cheng is mainly doing this out of guilt. Captain Zhou, in my opinion, Comrade Liu Jian’an has great potential. This rare opportunity for joint law enforcement Would be perfect for him to gain some field experience. You’re cultivating talents for our team Captain Zhou found the reasoning quite sound Very well, you may take them with you Coincidentally, Jin Station mentioned we’ve dispatched insufficient personnel It would reflect poorly on my commitment My gratitude, Captain Zhou I shall proceed to Jin Station to acquaint myself with operations Lucheng escorted Liu Jian’an directly to the jeep Hold on! No more driving for you That’s no way to handle a vehicle! You take it and never bring it back Acting like it’s your personal car Captain Zhou, this is an official vehicle No way I’d treat it like my own You have no idea—yesterday I took it home All the neighbors were singing your praises Everyone said Captain Zhou is such a kind and outstanding leader Always so considerate of his team Anyone who works under Captain Zhou Is truly lucky You should see your good deed through to the end If you stop halfway All the neighbors would be talking about you What? They’d criticize me too? Alright alright, go ahead and drive Come on, I’ll take you for some authentic local tea It’s really good – drinks are on me I shouldn’t impose Meeting for the first time today Lu Cheng’s thoughtful gestures Left Liu Jian’an feeling quite touched Jiaojiao, for Lu Cheng’s tea expenses going forward Just take it out of my paycheck Don’t worry about it We go way back – we’re old classmates It’s just tea – no big deal We just like to mess around with each other I wasn’t trying to get money from him We should just deduct it After all, this is a collective organization There are other staff members to consider It could set a bad precedent Huang Chunjiao was well aware of this principle Lucheng was mooching off his old classmates’ connections When other employees noticed They might not say anything out loud But they’d certainly feel resentful Qingyan, you’re always so considerate Lucheng is so shameless What incredible luck he had to marry you Who are you calling lucky Couldn’t it be my personal charm If I refuse to marry her She wouldn’t stop crying and even threatened to kill herself She was adamant that I marry her Oh please, quit acting innocent when you’ve clearly benefited I bet you pulled some strings to get your way Don’t assume I’m clueless about your schemes When the Lu family found out Lu Cheng was going on a business trip Lu Cheng’s mom was packing his suitcase Xiao San, you’re heading to Jingzhan for your assignment Which train line are you taking—the Beijing-Guangzhou one? Mom, please stop asking. If you keep asking, I might slip up. No, Mom, it’s not about the mission. If you take the Jingguang line, you won’t pass by your brother’s place. Mom thought if you passed by, If you have time, take some things to visit your brother. Your brother was sent to a very remote place for rural work. I haven’t even met my granddaughter. Don’t worry, Mom. When I have time, I’ll take the train to visit my brother. No matter where I travel by train, it’s always free for me. With the weather turning colder, Coal shops in the capital become the liveliest spots. Every day, queues stretch outside the door. All waiting to purchase honeycomb coal briquettes. Chen Xianglan hasn’t begun preparing the meal. She gazes at the dwindling coal supply, her worries growing. The current allocation of coal ration coupons averages around 120 to 150 kilograms per household monthly. Given that his family owns multiple homes. We get around 350 kilograms of coal per month That’s roughly 280 honeycomb coal briquettes But given how things are at our place now We’ve got three rooms needing coal heating all at once It’s nowhere near enough Old Lu, your steel mill’s coal ration tickets came so late this year I’m scared to even cook these days If push comes to shove, I’ll scrounge up some IV bottles At least they’ll keep our feet warm at night Other than the neighborhood committee’s annual ration As per state policy, households receive allocated coal coupons. When winter came, these state factories also issued coal coupons as employee benefits Go ahead with your cooking You’ve got to eat Rest assured, they’ll be distributed this month Meanwhile, one family anxiously awaits their coal ration Meanwhile, Japanese intelligence operatives were en route to Beijing Station Try me – my father’s Li Gang After rebirth, the top young railway cop in Beijing First time seeing someone stand up to the railway cops A few clever moves, and they were all handled Picking up from last time, mom really can’t take it anymore I might as well squeeze into the master bedroom Why cram in? Save a room Won’t save much space anyway After all the effort to raise the kids Now they have their own rooms, we can finally have some us time Lu Beitang doesn’t mind a bit of chill Lu Ying fell silent. He was employed at a tailor shop run by the neighborhood committee. Such collective enterprises often struggle financially. They primarily serve to employ people. Hence, they rarely issued extra coal ration tickets. My father, Lu Cheng, worked as a railway officer. He was frequently assigned to train patrols. During his absence, Yingying and I bunked together. Lin Qingyan’s remark prompted Lu Beitang and Chen Xianglan to share a look—she’s such a thoughtful daughter-in-law. Come on, don’t look so wronged. The perks in our railway system are top-notch. We’re sure to receive plenty of coal vouchers by month’s end. The trip brought Chen Xianglan a bit of solace. Landing such a great job We owe it all to Second Master Xu. Lin Qingyan kept this matter close to her heart. That night, Lu Cheng went back to the west wing. I know you get cold, so I’ve warmed up the bed for you. Go on in now. Lu Cheng froze in surprise slipped into the toasty-warm bed nice and cozy with a hint of fresh scent lingering Before sunrise the next day Lu Cheng was up at the crack of dawn hopped in his jeep and headed to Jing Station Lin Qingyan purchased some discounted coal hauled it to the southern shantytown Qingyan’s here! Why did they haul over so many honeycomb briquettes? Indeed, Elder Xu, winter’s come around Lu Cheng made special arrangements Had me deliver these honeycomb briquettes to keep you warm Just let us know if you need more – we’ll bring another load Next delivery’s earmarked for you, Elder Xu But that’ll have to wait till payday Elder Xu couldn’t shake his bewilderment Nobody knew Lu Cheng’s protégé better than he did The lad’s devotion was beyond question We still need to take care of him when he retires. But concerning these little thoughtful gestures in daily life, given Lu Cheng’s laid-back personality, how would he ever consider it? I told him not to bother sending it over, I’m not accustomed to using coal stoves. what’s the point of him sending it now? Even if we don’t need it for warmth, we’ll still use it for daily cooking. It’s the thought that counts from Lu Cheng. This rascal actually remembered me with kindness. Still remembers this old man who’s nearing the end of his days. Over 20 railway police officers from Beijing Railway Station Bureau Gathered in the courtyard, all visibly tense Because they had no other information about this enemy spy Whether male or female, what age What distinguishing features Comrades, the time has come to prove our worth to the nation It doesn’t matter which police unit you’re from Show us if you’re heroes or just cowards Today’s the day we see what you’re made of. As I said before Anyone who dares to neglect their duties and fails to make every effort to capture the enemy agents Even if I can’t have you face a firing squad I’ll make sure you rot in prison forever This is Captain Lei Zhan’s promise today – and I always keep my word We will not disgrace our mission Good. Capture those enemy spies and the credit goes to the whole team We’ll be waiting to celebrate your victorious homecoming Brother Lei Zhan’s got premium smokes and drinks waiting for you Heading to the dining car Over twenty people crammed into the carriage Serving as makeshift office space Leading this operation was Chief Ding Hanzhen He was highly skilled at his job And held in high regard by Brother Lei Zhan As for Brother Lei Zhan himself No one caught sight of him Looks like he missed the train. Everyone is chiming in eagerly. Thoughts and ideas on this assignment. Lu Cheng was the only one standing aside, eyes shut. Hey, you there, young man. Officer Ding, I see you’ve been lost in thought, gazing out the window. Everyone’s engaged in lively discussion. Do you have any ideas? Feel free to share, no matter what you think. Let’s all work together on this Lu Cheng was clearly lost in thought But he was actually brainstorming ways to apprehend the spies Though admittedly, Lu Cheng hadn’t come up with any viable solutions yet Inspector Ding, our officer from Xizhimen station mentioned That systematic carriage-by-carriage search approach sounds solid I endorse this approach A disdainful train officer who had it in for Lu Cheng snorted So you WERE zoning out – you didn’t even catch half the conversation As Inspector Ding just pointed out, we lack probable cause Who asked us to conduct a random search You should just go back to sleep We never expected you to catch any enemy agents anyway Your presence makes no difference No idea why Captain Zhou sent someone like you Listening to the team ostracize one of their own Ding Hanzhen felt a twinge of annoyance but kept a straight face Keeping the team together is what matters now If you’re feeling worn out, go ahead and take a break This mission is really tough I can see that everyone is on edge. I appreciate all your hard work. Hearing Ding Han’s heartfelt words. Lu Cheng suddenly recalled Police Chief Meng. Both are police chiefs, but the gap between them is huge. Lu Cheng felt guilty for not contributing more, unworthy of their concern. Thank you for your concern, Police Chief Ding. I share the same feelings as everyone else. I, too, want to apprehend this spy quickly. Regarding the body search, we need a valid reason. It seems someone may have misplaced belongings. By conducting individual searches, we can minimize disruption while avoiding alerting any enemy agents. You’re suggesting we fake a lost item incident, then use it as pretext to search everyone aboard. The train’s current calm is like undisturbed waters, we need to create disruption to stir things up, so we can catch our targets unaware. This provides plausible justification for searches, though strictly speaking, it’s somewhat unethical. Honestly speaking, a lot of folks these days are law-abiding citizens who genuinely prioritize public service putting the people’s needs above all else Clearly, Officer Ding Hanzhen is one such person Officer Ding, your dedication to the people is an inspiration to us all but I fear our nation could suffer grave consequences no nation means no homeland so when it’s just a minor breach of protocol apprehending this spy must remain our top priority Lu Cheng’s blunt words stopped Ding Hanzhen in his tracks. It also swept away all his lingering doubts. Indeed, being overly cautious like ‘fearing wolves ahead and tigers behind’. Had our revolutionary forebears been so hesitant, would we even have our new China today? You’re absolutely right – I’ve been overthinking things. I stand corrected. Let’s implement this young comrade’s plan. We’ll mobilize at once. We must thoroughly inspect every individual and every package. Everyone was visibly stunned. To everyone’s surprise, the leader went ahead and accepted Lu Cheng’s proposal. The passengers in the public carriage stared at the space packed with railway officers. They were momentarily thrown into panic. What’s with all these officers showing up out of nowhere? This is freaky – no idea what’s going on. Are there really troublemakers hiding among us? Just how dangerous must this guy be? That they’d send this many officers after him? Ding Hanzhen observed the tense crowd. She hurried forward to give an explanation. Everyone, there’s no need to panic. We’ve just been informed. One of our passengers has lost a belonging. They’re quite distressed about this. We suspect there may be a pickpocket aboard. Therefore we’ll be conducting a brief check. We appreciate your cooperation. Oh! So it’s just about a thief? All this commotion scared the life out of me! I thought we were hunting a murderer! Apologies for startling this lady. No worries, go ahead and search me first. And here’s my luggage—feel free to take a look. Other passengers also started asking the train police to search them. To clear their names. Seeing everyone being so cooperative. Ding Hanzhen froze for a second. To his surprise, Lu Chen’s method worked like a charm. The train police conducted a thorough, carpet-style search as planned. But when they searched the compartment of a high-ranking official. The railway officers found themselves in a tough spot Go ahead and try searching us My father is Li Gang (a powerful official) The Japanese were attempting to smuggle rare minerals out of Kyoto by train The railway police deployed a massive force to intercept them To their surprise, when the officers reached the officials’ carriage they were abruptly halted from conducting the search All because he claimed ‘My father is Li Gang’ Previously on: ‘My father is Li Gang’ Go ahead and search if you dare. Ding Hanzhen took a quick look at the person’s credentials. It gave him an instant headache. The first two carriages they searched were filled with common folks. Everyone cooperated without issue. But this carriage was packed with high-profile officials. This was a real predicament. But who could be sure the spy wasn’t right among them? So they had no choice but to search. The train officer who previously had a grudge against Lu Cheng Once again mocked him verbally Oh, where’s the lazy cat snoozing now Still figured it out Weren’t you saying I make no difference Now you’re out of ideas, huh Alright, if you’re so clever, go ahead and search yourself I’d like to see you dare to search With just one sentence, Lu Cheng was put on the spot Searching would piss off these officials If he refuses the search, it’ll prove he’s spineless. They’ll just think even less of us after this. Officer Ding shook his head disapprovingly. The conductor’s being unnecessarily difficult about this. We’re on the same side here – no need for this hostility. Chief Ding, may I take temporary command? Command? What exactly are you planning? Let me explain – I’ve got a plan. To get them to consent to the search. But as a junior officer, my word doesn’t carry much clout. We’ll still need your approval on this. I’ve got another trick up my sleeve. These officials are a different breed from regular folks – they’ve got their principles. Kept shouting about their civil rights being violated. Flat out refused to permit the search. That’s easy to say. But when it came to this young officer before him. He couldn’t help but be impressed. I’ll agree to it – as long as you don’t do anything foolish. You can count on me, Officer Ding. From now on, everyone should follow Comrade Lucheng’s instructions. People exchanged bewildered glances. Nobody could figure out what Lucheng was up to. Listen up, everyone—get your paper and pens ready. What’s your plan? Are you seriously going to search us by force? Let me make this clear—you’re infringing on our rights. I’ll take legal action against you. Relax—we’re all fellow revolutionaries. I trust you’re all clean. But we’ve got our own duties to handle. Please kindly follow the instructions. We need you to provide your name and affiliation. Why are you collecting our personal and professional details? We have no choice in this matter. Let me be honest with you, Earlier we claimed a passenger had lost something, but that wasn’t the real story. In fact, we’re investigating the loss of a priceless national treasure. Claiming it was just a passenger’s lost item would downplay the seriousness. You’re not dealing with ordinary civilians here. Reluctance to cooperate is inevitable Unless it becomes a major incident Will these people finally take it seriously National treasures are of utmost importance No wonder they’ve deployed such heavy police presence Very well, since you refuse to cooperate You’ll need to provide your details Let me make this perfectly clear All of you are now considered suspects Special investigators will follow up We’ll investigate your organization. If this ends up affecting you negatively, you’ll have to handle the fallout. “Name and organization?” The official hesitated. He wasn’t concerned about any subsequent investigation, but an investigation would mean people would inevitably start talking. not to mention the wasted time. “Y-you don’t need my name,” “just proceed with the inspection.” Frankly, I’ve never even heard of these artifacts you mention I haven’t laid eyes on them Search all you want, be my guest After rummaging through everything Sure enough, nothing fishy turned up Any other volunteers for a search? If not, just leave your details and be on your way Nah, go ahead and search if you must We’re all in this revolution together Given that artifacts have gone missing We ought to comply. People in the carriage began changing their tune one by one. Humbled their proud demeanor. It finally dawned on the train police. Lu Cheng instructed officers to take down names with pen and paper. This was just to intimidate them. Yet the loudmouth who started it all. Still resisted letting the train police conduct their search. So you’re police department. And daddy’s Li Gang, huh? You’re called Qin Shousheng, right? That’s correct, I am Qin Shousheng. I use my mother’s family name. My father is the bureau director. I’m not allowing any searches today, period. Very well, Sergeant Ding. We’ve concluded a thorough search of the premises. No contraband was located. Recommend concluding the operation at this time. Despite failing to achieve our objective, Now there’s finally a scapegoat. Ding Hanzhen was inwardly gleeful. He completely grasped Lu Cheng’s implication. Stand down. Perfect outcome. We’re finally off the hook. They’ve found their scapegoat. Qin Shousheng went pale. He knew exactly who’d be the fall guy. Everyone submitted to the search. He alone escaped the search. From now on, even with a solid case, it’ll be tough to prove my point. I swear I’m completely clean! If you’ve got something to say, save it for the higher-ups. Qin Shousheng drew a sharp breath. I’ve never been this choked up in my entire life. Alright, alright! Go ahead and pat me down—happy now? Forget it, I’m done with this. Your dad’s got connections, huh? Who am I to mess with you? No, you’ve got to search. How else can I prove my innocence? After saying this, Qin Shousheng started stripping off his own clothes. After searching Li Gang’s son, the train police officers headed to the next carriage. Along the way, they searched several passengers. As they prepared to search the next elderly man sitting by the window, they suddenly recognized him. Ah, so he’s traveling incognito. We initially believed this arrest operation Captain Detray wouldn’t be directly involved Over an hour later The train came to a halt at a station They had combed through all the carriages But there was no sign of Dete anywhere The railway police officers wore disappointed expressions At his wits’ end, Officer Lu Cheng approached and took the seat next to Captain Lei Chief Ding fabricated a story about losing something Conduct a thorough search of every train car This was your terrible suggestion, wasn’t it? He knows Ding Hanzhen as a man of integrity He consistently operates strictly by the book As for Lu Cheng, from what he knows, this guy is really playing dirty Captain Lei, I wouldn’t call this a terrible idea Even though we didn’t find Dieter after searching every car We did make some unexpected discoveries Like catching a pickpocket, three smugglers Plus a wanted fugitive – pretty impressive results overall Under normal circumstances, catching so many criminals at once would count as a major success. Is the intelligence incorrect? The enemy agent didn’t get on the train. Right now, there are only two possibilities. First, as Captain Lei mentioned, the agent may have never gotten on the train. The second is that the agent is exceptionally good at hiding. Which one do you think is more likely? He thinks this method, while unconventional, is exactly what’s needed in this tricky situation. I still believe the second scenario is more probable. Hold on, explain your reasoning. The harder it is to catch the spies, the more it proves— how crucial that document must be. If that’s true, the spies came prepared for anything. Even with body searches and baggage checks, we’d never spot it. You want us to comb through everything again? That’s a massive waste of time. We were thorough the first time. We nearly strip-searched them. But forcing passengers to undress is out of the question. While most passengers comply with these security checks without complaint, but quite a few still voice their discontent. A full-body search would encounter strong resistance from ninety percent of people. Commander Lei Zhan knows this all too well in his heart. Retirement is just around the corner for me now. This botched operation means the enemy operatives got away once again. An irreparable black mark now tarnishes my military service record. For this battle-hardened veteran with decades of service, having enlisted at just fifteen years of age, his military career spanning countless engagements from skirmishes to full-scale battles. Though wounded multiple times, he still carries shrapnel in his chest. This decorated war hero Never imagined he’d be bested in the end by a lowly enemy operative. Captain Lei, maybe we haven’t hit rock bottom yet. There’s one desperate trick we could try. Japanese Jade Belt: Dragon Nation’s rare ore Assigned as lead junior constable to Japan’s capital Three operations to flush out Japanese infiltrators hiding among civilians But when they finally located them, they hesitated to make arrests Picking up where we left off: What’s your latest hair-brained scheme? Captain Lei, don’t always view me with such bias. I’m just trying to improve myself. Wanting to improve is commendable. That’s exactly the right attitude young people should have. Our generation has already fought all the battles there were to fight. The noble task of nation-building. Now falls to you younger generation to carry this torch forward. Show us what you’ve got. Captain Lei, do you know Morse code? What makes you ask that? I’m from the military. I’m not a trained telegraph operator, but I know my way around a telegraph. That’ll do. When Captain Lei answered, Lu Cheng’s face lit up with excitement. Here’s the thing, Captain Lei, This spy was communicating via encrypted radio with the delegation. Which means the spy knows Morse code. Yeah, what’s the issue? Our current proactive approach hasn’t yielded any results. In that case, we can simply use messaging. To lure out the enemy spies. Get him to reveal himself. Noticing Captain Lei’s puzzled look. Lu Cheng quickly added. Let’s just use the simplest approach. Like tapping with our fingers. The enemy spies will surely notice and take action. The person with fixed gaze is eight out of ten our prime suspect Lei Zhan’s face instantly hardened with gravity It was downright intimidating I get your drift Even with basic Morse code tapping civilians can’t decipher it Only our spy target would get it Perfect perfect Your approach is definitely worth a shot I’ll brief Chief Ding on next steps immediately Let’s not involve too many people. Just the two of us should do. Trying to hog all the glory. Lucheng gave a sly chuckle. No denial, no confirmation. Fewer hands make lighter work. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Captain Lei’s presence alone suffices. You’re worth all of them combined. Leizhan was overjoyed inwardly. He doesn’t appreciate it when others say the same thing. But when this young comrade speaks, he somehow feels at ease? Afterwards, Brother Leizhan showed Lu Cheng some basic finger techniques, Lu Cheng practiced while Brother Leizhan watched closely. After all, Brother Leizhan is a battle-hardened warrior, his keen eyes never miss a single enemy. Captain Lei, what did those finger techniques mean earlier? Please give me the document. Captain Lei is such a sly old fox. The two of them made their way into carriage number 10. After Lu Cheng knocked, Lei Zhan was waiting at the connecting area of the opposite carriage. Gave him a quick shake of the head. Next, they moved on to carriages 9, 8, and 7. By the time they reached carriage 6, Lei Zhan finally gave a nod. Great, we’ve finally got you. But as he glanced up at Lei Zhan. Lei Zhan signaled for him to stand down. Lu Cheng was completely baffled. But he was certain Captain Lei wouldn’t act without good cause. Left with no choice, he had to act like everything was normal. He followed Captain Lei to carriage number five. Captain Lei, did you see the spy earlier? Captain Lei nodded, but his expression remained grave. His face was etched with concern. No doubt about it – in carriage six by the left window. While you were finger-tapping your coded message, he glanced your way three times. Then why wait? It’s definitely him! I’ll arrest him immediately! Hold your horses, the spy’s already spotted my surveillance. Our cover’s blown. He’s sending coded messages through finger taps. He got his message across to me. His message was clear: don’t make any sudden moves. He then gestured to a mother with child seated next to him. Making it clear: any move from us, the kid gets hurt. That’s the play. Taking down spies is crucial, but not with a child’s life on the line. We should take our time and come up with a win-win solution. Lei Zhan waited a while but got no response. He looked over and saw Lu Cheng approaching a middle-aged man. Hello there, officer. Here’s my ID, take a look. What’s the problem, officer? Eating a pancake isn’t a crime. Nobody said you broke any laws. See that window seat in car 6? There’s a woman with a baby. That one? Yeah, I see her. What’s up? We’re currently conducting an exercise aboard the train focused on capturing human traffickers that requires cooperation between police and civilians You’ve been chosen as our lucky participant You’ll be asked to role-play as a human trafficker shortly to assist us with the drill Playing a trafficker? No way I’m doing that! This is about helping our officers with their training Alright, what exactly would I need to do? Should I get into character with some special attire? Keep it simple Just head straight to carriage number 6 When you get there, keep quiet Grab the kid and bolt to another carriage Think you can pull it off Piece of cake, I’m on it The middle-aged man casually strolled up to the woman Acting like he was just passing through In the blink of an eye He snatched the kid right out of her arms He bolted straight for the other train cars. Haha, I’m a child snatcher. Come get me! This is so thrilling! The woman froze in shock. It never crossed her mind that on a moving train, someone would actually try to kidnap a child. My baby! My baby! Someone’s kidnapping a child! Nowadays everyone’s a good Samaritan. Their sense of justice is through the roof. Five or six brave men immediately stepped forward They lunged at the man No matter the time or place Human traffickers are universally despised They didn’t hold back when attacking the trafficker Hey, take it easy on him I thought this was just a drill! Why are you actually hitting him? As the middle-aged man’s screams echoed Lujiang acted as if nothing was amiss He walked over to Lei Zhan Captain Lei, with no hostages left, let’s move in now. Lei-Zhan sighed and shook his head in frustration. He’d thought this would be a real challenge to handle. Yet Lu Cheng handled it effortlessly. That poor middle-aged man really got the short end. Doubt that 10 bucks will cover his medical bills. Suddenly—glass shattering. They bolted to Carriage 6. Gone! This guy’s got skills. No way he jumped. No chance. He must have hooked his legs over the window ledge and flipped himself up. We must catch him—don’t let him get away! Lu Cheng then scoured the train roof for Diet. Diet clearly realized he was being tailed. Just as they closed to within 10 meters of each other, the spy abruptly shoved his hand down his pants. What the hell? Couldn’t hold his bladder? But Lu Cheng’s eyes went wide in an instant. When the man yanked his hand from his pants, he was suddenly clutching a pistol. Damn it! There’s a gun! How sloppy was that body search by the team? Though you can’t really fault them They only gave him a quick pat-down during the search Who’d expect that sly spy would stash a gun in his damn underwear? Easy now! Don’t do anything rash! Think about your family back home – your parents, your siblings No response… Guess he doesn’t understand, that bastard Kameda Back home, the cherry trees are in bloom Your old mom’s still waiting for you to come home Save your breath – tell it to the Grim Reaper! Lu Cheng narrowly avoided the bullet with a lightning-fast dodge. Yet he found himself dangling precariously over the carriage edge. Hanging on by just his fingertips. When we get underground, play dumb about knowing me. Look behind you! You expect me to buy that? I wasn’t born yesterday! Damn it! I warned you about the ambush but you wouldn’t listen! See? Had to have this old timer bail you out, eh? Get up here, Lei. That was bad judgement call. Priorities wrong, Captain. Should’ve secured the spy before extraction. Lei’s eyes narrowed as he snapped his head around. The enemy agent who had been lying down suddenly leaped off. Captain Lei, looks like I’m jumping off the train one more time. But Captain Lei, with your aging limbs, You can just stay here. I’ll make sure to bring him back to you. With that, Lu Cheng kicked off the train car with both feet. He smoothly flipped down below. That young man’s got guts. But this old man’s no coward either. The train car had already descended into chaos. Ding Hanzhen was shocked when he saw Lu Cheng and Captain Lei both jumped off the train—he was utterly stunned Captain Lei, being no spring chicken, what was he thinking jumping from a train? They were in hot pursuit of a suspect A radio order stopped the train through the depot Beijing’s rising police star captured a suspect transporting slag To their surprise, the suspect’s documents contained the slag concealed valuable rare elements These materials are primarily utilized in the aerospace industry for aircraft. They are also used in manufacturing components for satellites, rockets, and missiles. Picking up from the last episode, he had to jump off the train while hanging on. His landing posture was awkward, making it hard to land properly. In the process, he ended up spraining his ankle. Even so, he swiftly pursued Dieter. Dieter wasn’t faring much better, tumbling down as he leaped off the train. Struggling to his feet, he ran with a noticeable limp. Go ahead and run! Just stay right where you are! Leizhan soon caught up with them. Captain Lei told you to just sit tight. This is such a trivial matter, no need for you to bother. Enough about that, you did great today. Who knew Captain Zhou had troops like you? Leizhan couldn’t help but admire your skills. Captain Lei, thank goodness you showed up when you did. Otherwise, my head would’ve been toast today. Next time we’re on a mission like this, you gotta give us guns. That was seriously close. Just then, the train screeched to a sudden halt. That must be Chief Ding and his crew arriving. Get him on board first. What happened to your foot? It’s fine. Must’ve twisted it jumping from the train. Pretty sure it’s broken. Weird thing is, I didn’t feel a thing earlier. Now it’s killing me. This definitely counts as an on-the-job injury. Better play it up as serious. When the time comes, the leader will surely pay a visit. Everyone went to see him. They can’t show up without a gift. He’s got broken bones. Despite his injuries, he managed to catch up with the spy so swiftly. He’s quite resilient for someone so young. Leizhan couldn’t help but admire him even more. Later, Ding Han ordered the enemy agent to be escorted onto the train. Despite his fracture, he insisted on continuing the journey. Earlier, he made the condescending train officer carry him aboard. Just think about the accomplishments made this time I couldn’t be happier The Japanese guy caught in the dining car Kneeling on the ground, his face twisted in rage Damn it! I’m a Japanese citizen! You’re violating my human rights! Don’t you care about international repercussions? Aren’t you afraid you’ll start a war? War? I’d love nothing more than to take the fight to your homeland! If war does break out Lei Zhan was the first to charge ahead with explosives. Lei Zhan shouted fiercely, his eyes blazing with intensity. Everyone understood Lei Zhan’s passionate outburst. Those from the older generation They spoke of war without fear Only excitement and burning passion Minutes later, someone handed over A top-secret document retrieved from his trousers And passed it to Lei Zhan Lei, place it on the table Don’t point it at my nose. Brother Leizhan was the first to take the slag. He held it in his hands and examined it carefully. The surface was rough and covered in bumps. The only noticeable difference was. Certain spots gleamed brightly. But honestly, it’s nothing more than. A leftover slag from steel production. Obviously worthless. Yet the delegation went to great lengths to obtain it. The solution lies within this file. You’ve all worked hard on this assignment. Each of you played a part in this success. I’ll put in a commendation for everyone with the higher-ups. Regarding what’s in the file, We’ll need the ministry’s approval first before it can be shared with the team. I appreciate your understanding on this. The team couldn’t hide their disappointment. But it’s a matter of national security. Like it or not, you’ll have to accept it right now A commotion erupted at the dining car entrance Sir/Madam, you can’t come in here We’re in the middle of a meeting Is this some drill meeting or what? Where’s your supervisor? I demand to speak to your supervisor You said it was just a drill! How’s this real? Look what you did to me! I insist on seeing your supervisor A burly man forcibly stormed right in That’s him! He’s the one who said it was a drill Made me play the damn kidnapper Nearly got me beaten to death No no you’ve got the wrong guy Wrong guy? Impossible! I’d recognize you even if you were burnt to ashes Didn’t you say this was a damn drill? Why throw real punches? Maybe there was a slight mishap That’s right, this is Chief Ding. He’s the one in charge. He has full authority over everything. Just talk to him and he’ll handle it. You’re the one calling the shots. Then you’d better explain yourself. Sir/Ma’am, please calm down. What’s this all about? If one of our officers mistreated civilians, I promise we’ll make it right. The middle-aged man fumed with rage and confessed how he ended up becoming a human trafficker So that explains everything There was never any training exercise – they were catching actual spies While it did keep the children safe this was still a downright despicable approach Only someone like Lucheng would come up with such a scheme Just look what they did to me My back feels like it’s broken in two So what are we going to do about this This was supposed to be a drill, but I nearly died for real. We’ll do whatever we can to meet your demands. I sincerely apologize for what happened. I won’t let this beating go uncompensated. Your training exercises are too intense for regular folks – you ought to pay extra. We’ll certainly give you extra compensation. The middle-aged man then accepted the money pooled together by the entire train police squad and departed contentedly with less than 10 yuan. Ding Hanzhen could only sigh in resignation. He wanted to reprimand and discipline Lu Cheng. The crucial aspect this time was catching the enemy agents. Once again, he has made a significant contribution. Luckily, Lu Cheng isn’t highly skilled. He couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Captain Zhou. Inside the train’s small rest compartment. This time, you’ve made a great contribution to our Railway Ministry. You’ve prevented a significant loss for the nation. Perhaps you should look at the document first. Noticing how solemn Lei Zhan’s tone was. Lu Cheng took the document and began to read. As I examined the findings, my astonishment grew deeper This slag should have become worthless after iron extraction It ought to have turned into mere waste rock Yet astonishingly, it harbored rare precious metals including yin nie fan tai gu These precious metals are of paramount importance They’re vital for producing components in aerospace, satellites, and missile systems As well as other critical industrial and medical applications But what truly staggered Lu Cheng was The astonishing 20% concentration of these precious metals Lu Cheng’s fists tightened involuntarily He came to realize the hard truth: if you’re weak, you’ll get bullied. This delegation is acting downright inhumane. Trying to snatch our national treasures dirt cheap, eh? Even the Metallurgy Bureau suspected it might contain other metals. But despite all our efforts using current smelting technology, we came up empty-handed. We must face the fact that our industrial tech still lags behind theirs, by quite a margin. Thank goodness we caught those spies this time, or the nation would have suffered devastating losses. Captain Lei, don’t be too concerned. Our vast nation is teeming with talent. Though we may be poor now, our greatest wealth is our unyielding spirit. One day, our nation will undoubtedly rise to the pinnacle of the world. Well spoken! Our Huaxia nation’s greatest treasure is its unyielding spirit. No one can ever take or steal it from us. Indeed, we are growing old, the future must be entrusted to your generation. We only hope you never forget. The selfless sacrifices of our forebears Speaking of which, how’s your injured foot It’s nothing serious – light wounds won’t keep me off duty Whenever Captain Lei requires I’d leap off the train again without hesitation We absolutely can’t risk you taking another leap Once we reach the next station I’ll arrange for the railway division to dispatch a vehicle We’ll travel back to Beijing together by official car Captain Lei insists on getting your injury properly treated Later, I’ll return to the Xizhimen City Police Department to debrief Captain Zhou about the operation As Lu Cheng walked away Though Lei Zhan kept silent he’d already resolved on a course of action Trying to leave? Not this time Beijing’s top railway cop twisted his ankle catching enemy agents yet insisted the doctor put him in a cast All because his home was running out of heating fuel He was angling for extra fuel rations as compensation Doc, can you cast me up? (continuing from previous episode) Don’t need to – I checked already, just a sprained ligament. Just rest at home for a few days – it’ll heal on its own. Nah, I’m telling you – my bone’s fractured! Fractured! The doc sighed and gave me another thorough check. Can’t find anything broken, but man, you’re in serious pain. Hey, nobody knows my body better than me! Just slap a cast on me, will ya? What if I end up crippled? That’d be just great! Captain Lei gave strict orders about this, remember? Lei Zhan took him to the hospital He had intended to come along But Lu Cheng insisted on prioritizing the enemy agents So he told Lei Zhan not to come along But Lei Zhan made it clear To look after young Lu properly And fulfill any request he might have And so, Lu Chengbei ended up with his foot in a cast As Lu Cheng mused about when the higher-ups would show up bearing gifts Director Zhang’s voice rang out from the hallway Director Tang, please come this way. This is the ward where Comrade Lu Cheng is staying. Four people entered the room all at once. Lu Cheng cheerfully said he hit the jackpot. Lu Cheng, let me introduce you to everyone. This is Deputy Minister Hu from the Coal Ministry. This is Deputy Director Gao from the Metallurgy Bureau. I don’t need to introduce this person. Xiao Lu, we’ve talked on the phone before. Hello, Director Tang, Minister Hu, Director Gao, and President Zhang. How serious is his foot injury? Dr. Sun has briefed me on his condition. Comrade Lu Cheng might have a fractured foot. They’ve just cast it to stabilize the injury. Make sure to use the best medication available. We must heal our comrade at all costs. Understood Director Tang, I’ll get it arranged right away. Lu, we came here in such a rush, we didn’t have time to bring anything, please don’t hold it against us old-timers. How are the people doing? The three elders looked at each other Instantly filled with reverence Young comrade, you should eat first The people will get their share Old Tang, your Railway Ministry has a fine recruit This young man’s dedication puts me to shame Truly both red and expert Of course, our Railway Ministry doesn’t take weaklings Xiao Lu, you’ve really outdone yourself this time Major losses were recovered for the country. Our three ministries have decided to jointly award you a commendation letter A commendation letter is a formal document issued by an authority to honor an individual for outstanding achievements that warrant public recognition Furthermore, the recipient is not permitted to refuse or decline it Lu Cheng held the commendation letter, feeling a surge of excitement Unlike the last time when he apprehended the thief Director Tang had only acknowledged his merit privately This time, it’s an official document in writing It carries legal weight and gravitas That goes without saying Director Tang is being too generous with this award I could have done better Tang Qiusheng was quite pleased with Lu Cheng’s humility No need for modesty, young man Credit where credit’s due Or we’ll discourage those striving to improve As for Minister Hu’s part – perhaps you should explain Captain Lei has already briefed me This young colleague has shown great courage and wisdom. If not, the enemy agents would have escaped back home. We would have lost more than just those slag residues. But our entire nation’s mineral deposits. This incident serves as a wake-up call for our Coal Ministry. It has sounded the alarm for us. Precious metals in iron ore are not a rare occurrence. Our Coal Ministry is committed to a thorough inspection of all mineral deposits. Launch a comprehensive investigation. What are the next steps for your Coal Ministry? That’s your call. The Railway Ministry’s job is done. Can we get to the point? Oops, we’re getting sidetracked. I’ve put you up for a third-class commendation from the ministry. Lu Cheng was thrilled once more. This award is like an extra shield. Put up the third-class merit plaque on Lin Qingyan’s private courtyard. The local office won’t dare to mess with the house after this. Thanks, Minister Hu. Anything more? Minister Hu visibly froze for a moment. Tang Qiusheng was the first to snap out of it. Since you’re injured, to make it up to you, the General Administration resolved to give you 500 yuan as consolation. Only the Ministry of Railways would be this lavish. But money alone won’t get you tickets. Tang Qiusheng expected Lu Cheng to jump for joy at getting 500 yuan. and leap to his feet. But Lu Cheng stayed perfectly composed. Comrade, any troubles back home? You’ve really outdone yourself this time! If you have any requests, don’t hesitate to mention them. Lu Cheng quickly adopted a deliberately sorrowful expression. If not now, then when? Well… it’s just some minor family issues – hardly worth mentioning. But please, feel free to speak up. Merits aside – you’re family at the Railway Ministry. Even without any particular achievements, whatever difficulties you’re facing You can always count on our Railway Headquarters for support. I’m a bit embarrassed to mention this – you might find it silly. You know how the weather’s been getting colder… We’re running desperately short of coal at home. My sister got three toes frostbitten last winter. Now she waddles like a duck. No one would marry her now. Dad’s trying to arrange a matrilocal marriage for her. But the groom’s family asked for a sky-high dowry. They wanted ration coupons—for bikes, watches, radios, even grain, cooking oil, and meat. Save your breath, Minister Hu. Just get us coal ration tickets from your Ministry. No problem at all, right? That goes without saying. Who needs coal vouchers anyway? I’ll arrange for someone to send 10 tons of coal to Xiao Lu right away. The Ministry of Coal has coal to spare. These 10 tons will keep Lu Cheng’s family warm for years. Director Gao, surely your Metallurgical Bureau can chip in too. No worries, I’ll handle the other industrial vouchers. Does Xiao Lu’s family have any other problems? I’ll take care of everything. No more, no more, this is already more than enough. Ultimately, it was the director of the Metallurgical Bureau who approved it. Shortly thereafter, the relevant industrial vouchers were promptly delivered by courier. As evening fell, three more people had appeared at the hospital room door. Lu Cheng was idly munching on an apple, completely at ease. Relishing a rare day of paid leave. Upon recognizing the visitor, he instantly cried out in alarm. Mom, don’t be rash! Please, stay calm! Wait, let me explain—there’s a good reason… Chen Xianglan strode in with a stern expression. But as she approached, her face was filled with sorrow. Mom, you’re…not scolding me? Why do you always make me worry so much? I told you not to push yourself too hard. If anything were to happen to you, it would break my heart. Mom, why are you crying now? I’m okay, really. Old Lu, could you go get some hot water from the end of the hallway? Let the kid have some water. Hold up on the water – first confess what mischief you’ve gotten into this time. Then we’ll see if you’re getting any water today. Well Dad, if you’re going to be like that, Then I suggest you grab some water and hurry to check on our family graves. Why would I need to visit the graves? Because they’re billowing smoke like crazy right now! You’d better hurry with that water to put out the flames! You little rascal – you set our family graves on fire! No no Dad, that’s not what happened! Realizing the misunderstanding, Lu Cheng quickly produced the commendation letter desperately trying to save his own skin When I joked about ancestral luck shining, this is exactly what I meant Lu Beitang was in disbelief that his son could ever achieve such greatness You rascal actually pulled off something remarkable There’s no way this could be fake Don’t get too carried away though It’s only a minor third-class commendation There was no way Lu Beitang could contain his excitement The Lu family has finally produced someone outstanding. No, this is no small feat. Our family’s ancestors must be smiling down on us. From the looks of it, my son Lu Cheng is on the path to success. What good is that? No achievement is worth sacrificing my son for. Typical woman’s talk—you don’t know squat. Oh, you’re so smart? Then why don’t you go jump in front of a train? You can have all the credit. I refuse to see my son end up in a hospital bed. The consolation money from the General Administration isn’t substantial. Just 500 bucks. Great job dancing! Next time something like this happens, bring your dad along to dance too. Mom, no wonder Dad says you’re not very principled. You’ve been bribed with just a bit of cash. You’re always accusing your brother of making empty promises. This time he actually delivered. Haha, you really did dance well. You got a lot for just injuring one leg. What about two legs Meanwhile, the Lu family is happily together Meanwhile, Captain Zhou is whining like a jilted lover Dingcheng’s finest junior officer nabbed a spy, earning major accolades Received a third-class commendation and a 500-yuan bonus A slew of vouchers and coupons Plus enough coal to last a decade Just when the family was overjoyed An even greater surprise landed on the junior officer Picking up from last time, this is just the tip of the iceberg We’ve got other tickets as well. Oh right, Minister Hu of the Coal Department promised to deliver 10 tons of coal to our household. Ten tons? That’s fantastic! Now we won’t have to worry about running out of heating fuel. What a relief – I won’t have to fret about this anymore. Speaking of which, Mom, while we’ve got some free time… I’d like to go see my eldest brother. Could you swap those unused ration coupons for national ones? I’ll take them to my brother. But your foot is still hurt right now. How can you go that far? Don’t worry, mom, this little injury is no big deal. Lu Cheng hadn’t finished his sentence. Someone entered through the ward door. Lu Cheng, this is Director Wang. The visitor was none other than Wang Fengshi, Lei Zhange’s secretary and director. But everyone was used to calling him Secretary Wang. Unbeknownst to them, he also held his own official position. When Lu Cheng addressed him as Director Wang. Wang Fengshi couldn’t help but feel a bit more appreciative. Lujun, can you walk now? Team leader Lei would like to meet you He’s just had the plaster cast applied He shouldn’t be moving around Where are you taking him this time? My apologies, I wasn’t thinking straight I’ll get a wheelchair Chen Xianglan remained reluctant The kid has done such a remarkable service Now he’s injured and you won’t even let him rest properly They’re even assigning work for me If it’s work-related You’d better go check it out Even though Lujing has no idea what this is about But Brother Leizhan is all about efficiency He’s the impulsive type who acts immediately Don’t worry mom, there might be other perks You’d better hurry and not keep the boss waiting Lujing was utterly speechless Seriously, this is my family? Captain Lei was in the Golden War meeting room Is there another mission assigned You’re still recovering from your foot injury Even if there were a mission, we couldn’t send you Lu Cheng was feeling a bit unsettled Lei Zhan was always straightforward He never minced words So why was he being so cryptic now Lu Cheng thought back to what happened on the train Even though he’d distinguished himself But I admit some actions may have been over the line If Captain Lei was at fault in any way, I’ll take responsibility I’m eager to get back to my unit at Xizhimen station Chief Tang mentioned you’re still new to Xizhimen station That’s correct Captain Lei, I’m still in my probationary period I’ll be eligible for full status after a year Have you considered transferring to our Beijing Central Station? Lu Cheng looked up as sudden understanding dawned on him Captain Lei, what are you suggesting? He was asking if I’d be interested in transferring to the Central Station Only an idiot would say no to it. Unlike Xizhimen Station, Jingzhan is the primary railway hub of Beijing. It serves as a key junction for numerous national rail routes. With so many opportunities, people aspire to climb higher. Water always seeks the lowest point. Naturally, he’d prefer to work at Jingzhan. Deep down, he’s eager to go. But he kept a straight face. Agreeing without hesitation. It might make you seem like a flip-flopper. First of all, I’m grateful for Captain Lei’s appreciation and trust. I’m just a regular intern. I really don’t deserve Captain Lei’s special attention. Besides, I’d already given my word to Captain Zhou. In life, I belong to Xizhimen. In death, I’ll remain loyal to Xizhimen. I’d never turn traitor. The more Lu Cheng insisted, the more determined Brother Leizhan became to bring him on board. Hey, we’re all in the same railroad family. I wouldn’t call this betrayal My apologies, Captain Lei Captain Zhou has been kind to me I can’t bring myself to break Captain Zhou’s heart Now that’s true loyalty This pleases Brother Leizhan even more Anyone who catches my eye has never escaped my grasp Xiao Lu, you need to understand something I’m not requesting – I’m telling you This is to officially notify you Your current salary is at Grade 27 level I’m directly confirming your permanent status and promoting you four grades to Level 23 salary ¥4,950 monthly (before subsidies) This is normally the entry-level salary for university graduates You’re getting both permanent status and a four-grade promotion simultaneously You’ll remain a clerical officer for now but your next promotion would be to junior officer rank Captain Lei, I’m truly grateful for your confidence in me However, Captain Zhou currently commands the Xizhimen Urban Police Unit Captain Zhou, it’s your old pal Lei Zhan calling. We’ve notified all squads about the successful arrest of the enemy agents. Naturally, Zhou Weihua was over the moon about it. The Xizhimen Railway Police Squad really pulled their weight in this operation. The Bureau has officially recognized their squad with a commendation. Needless to say, Lei Zhan went out of his way to call. No doubt to give him a pat on the back. Oh, Captain Lei! Just call me Zhou – no formalities needed. Director Tang really played his cards right this time. Who would’ve thought they’d be the ones to nab the enemy agents and steal the show? He once believed making it to deputy director would mark the pinnacle of his career. But now he’s changed his perspective. With Luchang as his competent assistant, he can accomplish more. There might still be room for further promotion. Captain Zhou, Luchang is from your Xizhimen Railway Police Unit. His performance in this mission was commendable. I’m curious about his day-to-day performance. Hearing Leizhan’s carefully measured words, Zhou Weihua’s eyes suddenly widened. This old fellow is letting a prime opportunity for advancement slip by. He insists on working at the forefront. He personally ensures the safety of the nation’s railway operations. The dedication of the older generation speaks for itself. The problem is, this old-timer has a really annoying habit. He loves poaching people. Du Hao’s performance is consistently terrible. It’s downright awful—gives me a constant headache. Honestly, I’ve considered firing him. This mission was pure dumb luck. If Xiao Lu’s this useless, keeping him around is nothing but trouble. Well then, why don’t you just hand it over to me? Hey, wait a minute—this isn’t how things are supposed to go! Captain Lei, you can’t possibly do this! How did we lose someone just by going out on a mission? Enough talk—Xiao Lu is coming with me, no arguments. Don’t worry about headquarters—I’ll deal with them myself. And just to be clear, I’m not poaching anyone here. Xiao Lu chose to stay—this wasn’t my call. With that bombshell, even Lujing couldn’t stay seated. Hold on, Captain Lei—what you said before wasn’t really a problem. Adding that line afterward would completely implicate me, wouldn’t it? Are you really willing to go to any lengths to achieve your goal? I learned this from you, didn’t I? Now I’m really a turncoat, aren’t I? There’s no turning back for me now. Captain Lei, I’ll stay if you insist, but… I’ve got four demands. You’re the first to dare bargain with my buddy Lei Zhan. Let’s hear it. But fair warning. Don’t get cocky just because I took a liking to you. Since you’ve already kept me here One more person wouldn’t hurt Why not let Comrade Liu Jian’an stay as well Actually, this whole thing stems from Meng Li She’s the kind who holds grudges Remember when she made Liu Jian’an break rules by stowing away on that train Even though Captain Zhou let it slide Meng Li’s had it in for him ever since She might make his life difficult Your request is reasonable No matter what, Captain Zhou already sees me as the villain. Might as well make it worse one more time. Tell me about your second condition. Then get me a government position. Fine, even a minor position will do. You’ve got quite the nerve. Just got promoted and already dreaming of a leadership role? But a soldier who doesn’t aim to be a general isn’t worth his salt. Alright, I can make you a team leader. Third, I heard your bosses get specially supplied cigarettes. Can you spare me a few more? I’m down to my last 4 packs. Are there any strings attached? This is a work-related injury. You owe me at least 10 days off. With the year almost over, he wants to use the vacation time. To take a train trip to see his big brother. It takes 100 days to recover from a serious injury, but I’ll give you 20 days. Get some proper rest, and mind the journey. Captain Lei approved it—what more can I say? Lu Chen found some peace of mind in the hospital. He sat on the bed, lost in thought, reflecting on everything since his rebirth. Not having met his big brother yet fills him eager to finally meet his sibling In his past life, his brother never came back to urban areas not until the dissolution of the People’s Commune did he become village head thanks to his exceptional skills and gradually rose to town committee secretary Without any connections or mentors he made it to town leadership entirely on his own merit which was remarkable achievement for someone with humble origins Now reborn, he ought to aim even higher First, let’s ensure the Lu family gains wealth and power to prosper and multiply. Suddenly, Lu Cheng remembered a turning point from his past life. A golden opportunity to fast-track his older brother’s promotion. The capital’s top junior railway officer intentionally deliberately left his Beijing Railway Police badge at a rural county’s railway police station because his brother doing volunteer teaching in the countryside was being ostracized for being an outsider. He planned to use his railway police position to intimidate the local village tyrants. To be continued. Qingyan, you’re here! Come join us for a meal first. How’s your foot doing? Nothing too serious, I hope? Just take some rest and you’ll be better in no time. Have you had your meal? What would you like to eat? What are you trying to say? You’re planning to eat my leftovers again? How many times do I have to tell you? Stop putting yourself through this in the future. Hey, don’t be so harsh. Chen Xianglan wanted him to stay home. He was supposed to eat first and then come to the hospital, but he was worried Lu Cheng might get hungry on the way. In the end, he came straight to the hospital to bring food. The following day, Lu Cheng picked up the luggage he’d prepared ahead of time. I took the train to my big brother’s town. Before leaving, I’d sent a telegram to my big brother. So my big brother would be there to meet me. A few hours later, I saw my big brother again along the way. Tears welled up as memories from my past life flooded back. They overwhelmed me. Who would’ve thought I’d see you again in another lifetime? Hey, kid! You’ve grown taller and tougher, I see! But you’ve gotten tanned, big bro. Well, I’m out in the fields every day, working under the sun. Bent over the soil, back to the sun—no wonder I’m tanned! The farmers were left with no other options. At last I got to see the family members I’ve been longing for. Lufeng couldn’t hold back his overwhelming excitement. Why did you pack so much stuff? Planning to settle in for good? Absolutely! What’s wrong with staying a couple of days? Trying to kick me out already? Don’t say that – this is your home too. When your sister-in-law heard you were visiting, She went and slaughtered our only chicken specially for you. How could you go and slaughter the chicken? Keeping chickens is such a hassle these days I’m sorry my coming here has put you out Having chickens these days is a real treasure Terrified of being accused of capitalist tendencies We didn’t have the guts to keep more Hey what’s with all the hesitation now, buddy? That’s not like you at all It’s just a chicken – aren’t we bros? Lucheng knew exactly what was going on This isn’t merely a chicken. This is unmistakably sister-in-law’s affection for him. Once out of the station exit. Lu Feng came over pulling the ox cart. Big bro, you actually came here by ox cart. Yeah, the way to Yushugou is all narrow trails. There’s no car access—getting home takes five hours. We’d better hurry back. Otherwise, sis-in-law will lose her temper with me. Big bro, in your last letter you wrote. You wanted to be team captain, didn’t you? Did I get the position? Don’t even ask We’re just educated youth outsiders There was no chance it would come to me Basically they still see Big Brother as an easy target I really should have worn my police uniform At least then I could’ve backed Big Brother up But my credentials as railway police are legit Lucheng took a quick look at the station exit And suddenly had a plan Hey bro, hold up a sec. I’m gonna nab a little thief. Hey, where are you off to? We gotta go, why are you bothering with some thief? Train stations are always packed with people. And a prime spot for pickpockets to strike. The train just pulled in. The exit’s jam-packed. On the surface, everything seems normal. Just regular folks. However, upon closer inspection you’ll notice certain people acting rather suspiciously Lu Cheng was standing by himself without bothering to conceal himself since he wasn’t in police uniform anyway just dressed like any regular person he wouldn’t attract any attention after scanning the crowd for under ten minutes suddenly his eyes lit up with recognition Hey! What gives you the right to stop me? Lu Cheng firmly grabbed the pickpocket by the arm to stop him from getting away and shouted at the guy with glasses who was walking away Hey buddy, you’ve been pickpocketed At this, the man frantically checked his pockets Wait – where’s my stuff? Where is it? You! I bet it was you who took my stuff! I didn’t take anything! I’m an honest person! Don’t accuse an innocent man! The guy with glasses looked like an educated man Looking bookish and naive Watching the pickpocket make a scene Glancing at Lujing fearfully, like pleading for help Comrade, start by listing what’s missing The wallet had two 50-catty national ration coupons Plus two yuan in bills and three fen in change I’m a skilled worker from the factory, here traveling for work If I lose those ration coupons, I’m done for What wallet or coupons? I never laid eyes on them Lujing had no patience left for his nonsense Grab his wrist firmly The pickpocket yowls in pain Seizing the moment, Lucheng slips his hand into the thief’s pocket That’s it! That’s mine! Thank you, officer! You’re truly kind But instead of returning it to the man with glasses Let’s go. This man stole from you We’ll need you to come to the station to make a statement Oh, that’s really not necessary I’m actually in a bit of a hurry The bespectacled man traveled alone to an unfamiliar city. He wanted to avoid unnecessary complications. The reason Lu Cheng nabbed a thief wasn’t just out of boredom but served his own agenda Alright, if that’s what you want then be my guest and leave At these words, the glasses-wearing man had to follow Lu Cheng to the nearest railway police station Once at the station, Lu Cheng knew his boss was getting impatient He didn’t linger around He gave a brief account of what happened Then turned the pickpocket over to the railway police officers at the station Your precinct’s patrol efficiency leaves much to be desired With that, he walked away leaving the young officer utterly perplexed Who the hell does this guy think he is? Acting like some big shot who can criticize our work? What nerve! Lu Chengquan ignored the remark On his way out, he deliberately let his badge and credentials fall Lu Cheng! Where’d you go? Vanished into thin air! No worries, bro, I spotted a pickpocket just now. So I nabbed him and handed him over to the railway police. Oh silly me, you’re a railway cop now! Look how far you’ve come! Let’s go, bro, we’ve got to get moving. Right, right, your wife must be worried waiting for us. Back at the railway station, that police officer With Lu Cheng’s deliberately left behind railway police badge Rushed to the chief’s office Chief Li, I’ve found a police badge I think it belongs to that guy who caught the thief earlier. I’ve warned you countless times about being so impulsive! Could you try to be more composed? Why are you making such a fuss over a simple work ID? Just drop it off at the guardhouse – he can come get it himself! Actually, Director Li, I think you should check this out. This is a Railway Bureau ID – same as ours! And get this – it’s from Beijing! The name Lu Cheng from Beijing… rings a bell. I think I’ve heard that name somewhere. Wait – could this be the same Lu Cheng from that commendation order? Since he came all the way from the capital, this must be reliable. What on earth did he come all this way for? Surely he didn’t come all this way just to nab a pickpocket. He brought a letter of introduction stating he’s here to visit family in Yushugou. Nabbing that pickpocket was likely just a side mission. On his way out, he even remarked that our work was subpar. Director Li instantly got restless. Hold on, is he possibly here on behalf of the capital? Is he conducting an undercover inspection of our bureau? That’s entirely possible. This route just performed exceptionally well. Even the ministries and commissions gave him personal commendation. His prospects are bright. They must be grooming him for extensive learning and inspections. Along the way, he’ll check which railway branches aren’t performing well. Otherwise, why would he have made that remark earlier? What do we do now? Will the higher-ups reprimand us? There’s still a chance to turn things around. Since he accidentally left his work ID in the compound. It’s like the heavens are giving us a second chance. You, get in the car and take some people with you right away. Go and bring Lu Cheng back. Regardless of whether he’s here for an undercover mission from the capital, He’s a hero, so we’ve got to show him proper hospitality. Director Li, I’ll get on it right away. Quick, even if we have to track him all the way to Yushugou, we’ll get him back. No, I think I’ll head over there myself. Meanwhile, Lu Cheng was chatting with his older brother while stealing glances behind him now and then. What’s taking them so long? I’m counting on you guys to help me look cool. Are Mom and Dad doing alright? Dad’s in good shape, as energetic as ever. His hits still pack a punch. Mom’s voice is still booming as always. Just the other day, she got into a shouting match with the neighbors in the compound. It’s a relief to know Mom and Dad are doing well. I’ll never be able to repay them in this life. I’m sorry, Mom and Dad. Please look after things at home. Don’t worry, big bro. Everything’s fine at home. How’s Yingying? You haven’t been picking on her, have you? What? Me? Bully her? Just then, the sound of an approaching car came from behind. The jeep came to a halt right in front as it passed. Here comes the fun part! The finest young railway officer from the capital visits the countryside. Coming to see his older brother, a sent-down youth in the countryside. When the rogue village head found out the young officer brought lots of nice stuff, he actually tried to seize them for himself! The young officer lost his temper. Picking up from last time, This road led to Yushugou village. Yushugou was an impoverished little mountain hamlet. Not a single vehicle comes through here the entire year. Though word has it the commune officials are coming for an inspection soon. At least they haven’t completely forgotten about Yushugou Brigade. Hello there, comrade. Looks like the ID I purposely dropped did the trick. Here’s what happened, You caught a pickpocket earlier, and brought him to our station, Think you might have left something behind? Did I? Don’t think so. Oh no, where did my work badge go? The letter of introduction is gone too! Lu Feng is starting to get worried. If we’ve lost the letter of introduction, we won’t even have a place to stay when we get to the team. Check your bag again, maybe it’s in there. Haha, don’t bother looking. A young colleague from the railway bureau picked it up. Sorry for making you come all this way. I’m really sorry about this. No no, it’s our duty. I’ve checked your credentials. We’re all railroad family. You didn’t identify yourself. And we ended up slighting you. Hey, I didn’t mean to bother you. I’m just visiting family. Just passing through… oh never mind. My apologies, Director Li. Some things are better left unsaid. His abrupt braking caused quite a stir This just wound up Director Li even tighter And whatever else he’s up to isn’t something we can openly discuss Remembering Lu Cheng’s remarks about our subpar performance This is clearly another undercover inspection Got it, got it – sensitive operations and all that Here’s the deal, Comrade Lu Cheng You don’t visit often Besides, it’s nearly lunchtime Let me arrange for the bureau canteen to whip up some dishes How about we share a drink or two? Much obliged, Director Li. I’ve got some homemade pancakes with me. Please don’t go to any trouble. Director Li’s brow furrowed. Comrade Lu Cheng recently solved a high-profile case. He’s been honored by the Railway Ministry for his heroic deeds. And you’re serving him plain pancakes? Isn’t this rather disrespectful? Lu Feng was momentarily at a loss for words. No matter how heroic one is, he is still his brother first. Director Li, let me introduce my elder brother. He was an educated youth sent to Yushugou during the Cultural Revolution. Director Li’s face immediately turned serious. Then he quickly switched his demeanor. Ah, elder brother, how do you do? Lu Feng wasn’t bothered by it. He understood that Director Li’s sudden politeness towards him was still due to his brother’s influence. People are like that, treating others differently based on their status. My mischievous little bro has really turned out great. Thanks for your kindness, Director Li. I really have to hit the road. You can see for yourself, the ox cart moves at a snail’s pace. It’ll be a five or six-hour journey back. Plus, it’s all rugged mountain paths. We need to take advantage of the daylight while we can still see. If we’re late, those mountain paths get treacherous. Who knows what could go wrong on the way back? No way am I letting anything happen to you! If you insist on not staying for dinner Let me have my driver take you home Wouldn’t that be too much trouble No need for formalities between us You’re family here – just tell us what you need We’ll arrange proper transportation – no ox carts for honored guests But what about the ox cart Leave the ox cart to us You two ride with me Our staff will bring the ox cart along afterward That would be perfect. In less than two hours. They reached the entrance of Yushugou Village by jeep. We’re here. This stone bridge is now the deciding factor for Big Brother’s job at the commune. Why is there a car in our village? It must be some official, but that can’t be. A few days ago, the educated youth got into a fight with the villagers. The brigade secretary said a commune official would visit in a few days. Look! Isn’t that Lu Zhiqing, Old Yan’s son-in-law sitting there? Is that his younger brother sitting beside him? Yesterday he mentioned he’d be going to the train station today to meet his visiting brother So what does his brother do for a living? to deserve a special car ride? Though Lu Cheng in the car couldn’t hear their exact conversation but their expressions told him he’d already made an impact, but wanted more Director Li, would you mind walking a few rounds in this brigade with me? Why do we need to walk around a few times? Whenever I see these kind-hearted folks, so diligent and so compassionate, I’m reminded of the food on our tables. Director Li, our duty is to serve the people. We owe our lives to these hardworking farmers. Wherever life takes us, we must never forget their generosity. Allow me to gaze a little longer upon this land of deep affection. Let me take in the sight of these seasoned farmers. Take a look at these adorable folks I’ll cherish them always and hold them dear to my heart They inspire and motivate me The heartfelt words almost brought Director Li to tears I’d spin ten times if I had to Lu Feng, familiar with his brother’s ways, stayed calm He understood his brother was showing him up He was well aware Lu Cheng had always been this way Anyone buying his tall tales was bound to be duped Yet he also realized The younger brother is protective, fearing someone might mistreat him. Going out of his way to help him save face. On the way to Lu Feng’s home, he said, ‘This is your sister-in-law.’ Sister-in-law, your brother-in-law is here to visit you. Sorry for being late, sister-in-law, please don’t be upset. Yan Baoyue was completely taken aback. Her face turned beet red in an instant. Other than her father and husband Lu Feng. She’d never been embraced by any other man until now. Auntie, your big nephew is here to visit you. Oh my, even the old lady is baffled. What in the world is happening? Lu Feng gives a resigned shake of his head. Mom, this is my kid brother. He’s saying hello to you. He’s always been this way since he was a kid, loves pulling people’s legs. Oh I see, that’s nice, very nice indeed. Well, what do you expect from someone from the capital? Even the way you say hello is out of the ordinary. Next up is Old Man Yan making his appearance. When he realized this was the local greeting custom He instinctively opened his arms too How are you doing, uncle? Oh, I’m doing just fine Lucheng then turned his gaze to the Two-and-a-half-year-old toddler With two cute pigtails on her head This was his elder brother’s daughter His beloved niece Qing’er Do you remember me? I’m your uncle I had shown Qing’er our family pictures earlier. She remembered it right away. She was even pestering me yesterday, asking when you’d visit. Well, you’re pretty sharp then. Come see what goodies Uncle has for you. It’s candy—White Rabbit Creamy Candy! Like it? The whole pack is yours! But don’t overdo it! Otherwise, you’ll get cavities! Thanks, Uncle! Lu Cheng was taken aback once more. The elder brother did a great job raising the child. The child was well-behaved and courteous. Next, Lu Cheng unpacked the items he had brought along. Included were two packs of premium cigarettes he had procured from his buddy Lei Zhan. In the midst of their conversation, brigade secretary Qi Baoguo showed up. Old man Yan was startled as well. His son-in-law Lu Feng had long aspired to become a squad leader. But Qi Baoguo had been the one standing in his way. The two families had never gotten along. What brings you here today? When Lu Feng saw Qi Baoguo at his doorstep, he assumed About borrowing the brigade’s ox cart today – the railway police haven’t returned it Don’t worry Secretary Qi, the ox cart will be returned later The railway officers are escorting it – the ox will be fine No problem – Director Li from the Railway Bureau already informed me If Railway Bureau staff are returning it, of course I trust them If not about the ox cart, then why is Qi Baoguo here? Qi Baoguo first looked around Soon spotted who among them was from the capital His eyes eventually lingered on the assortment of Beijing delicacies spread across the table. He involuntarily drew a sharp breath. Who would’ve guessed Old Man Yan had such good fortune? A crowd of nosy commune members buzzed with gossip by the doorway. Go on, get lost! What’s so interesting to gawk at? He’s not some circus act—quit gawking and pointing like fools! Once the crowd thinned out, Qibao Guo finally got to the point. Boss, you had visitors and didn’t bother to tell us? Makes the whole team look bad, don’t you think? No need for formalities among family. It’s best not to bother Secretary Qi. Her two married daughters and their husbands When they usually visit, Qi Baoguo hasn’t even bothered to say a word And this is only the brother of the third son-in-law Frankly speaking, it all depends on who you are Your grandpa has made it big now He’s even smoking premium-grade tobacco reserved for special supply I’d advise you not to smoke it Otherwise, you’ll get too used to the good stuff Of course, I’m definitely not like that Beijing’s finest young railway cop comes bearing gifts for the rural visit When visiting the sent-down youth comrade The village chief brazenly tries to grab them As the crowd debates offering appeasement gifts To placate the greedy official The young cop swiftly kicks the gifts aside As established previously, these were Lu Cheng’s tribute for his father To regift them so casually Would be downright disgraceful Secretary Qi, us country folk can’t appreciate these fancy smokes Have a puff of this year’s freshly harvested tobacco leaves. Wow, your vintage tobacco is so smooth it doesn’t even give me a buzz. I’ve been considering that in a few years, I could make you a squad leader among the educated youth. Those words struck right at Old Yan’s soft spot. Contrary to village gossip, his son-in-law wasn’t at all what people said. some lazy freeloader afraid of hard work. who married into the Yan family just for an easy life. The truth was, their daughter genuinely admired educated men. Lu Feng was a man of integrity and kindness. He was well aware that Lu Feng possessed both knowledge and competence. He had long harbored the idea of securing a squad leader role for his son-in-law. Yet, every attempt was blocked by Qi Bao Guo. Using the excuse that Lu Feng was an outsider. If trading these cigarettes could secure a squad leader post, it would be a worthwhile deal. Reluctantly, he glanced at Lu Cheng, seeking his approval. Lu Cheng, as you’ve witnessed, Secretary Qi’s visit was aimed at extracting some favors. That’s just the way he is. He’s the big shot – the village party secretary. As little people, there’s nothing we can do. Here’s what the old man is thinking. Since he wants those smokes, maybe we should just let him have them. We’ll figure out the cost later. After next year’s harvest is sold, the old man will find a way to repay you. He believes Lincheng has been exceptionally good to his big brother. he surely wouldn’t begrudge these cigarettes. But he couldn’t be more wrong. Lu Cheng had no intention of handing it over. A mere production team leader is nothing. Lu Cheng couldn’t care less about him. Old man, I get how you’re feeling. You treated my big bro as if he were your own. On behalf of my folks, I wanna thank you for looking out for us. But like you mentioned earlier, This branch secretary is only in it for the perks. Today, you can bribe him with a few packs of smokes to get him promoted as a team leader. Someone else can bring over a few bottles of wine tomorrow. Push aside the elder brother’s squad leader position. Old Man Yan was rendered speechless by these remarks. Uncle, these cigarettes are a humble gift for your esteemed self. I’m grateful for your family’s kindness towards my elder brother. You should keep these for your own enjoyment. When it comes to my elder brother, I know him well. He’s exceptionally talented. A mere squad leader position can’t fully showcase his abilities. In my past life, according to my elder brother’s letters. This Qibao Guo is a total scumbag. Back when educated youth were returning to the cities, he abused his minor authority blocked their residency permits and sexually harassed two female educated youths. It wasn’t until years later, during China’s Reform and Opening-Up, that his crimes finally came to light. He was reported and investigated by the commune authorities. This gave the elder brother his chance, to be nominated and become village head. Lucheng nonchalantly unwrapped a pack of premium ‘special supply’ cigarettes. As he approached, Qibao Guo instinctively reached for a cigarette. Secretary Qi, can I borrow a light? Qi Baoguo hesitated, ‘Uh, sorry, I don’t have a lighter.’ Who the hell do you think you are, making me light your cigarette? What the hell are you doing? Listen here. If you even think of disrespecting me, your brother’s team leader position is history. So what if Lu Cheng’s from Beijing? Lu Zhiqing answers to him anyway. He’s got him right where he wants him. Lu Cheng has to toe the line too. Secretary Qi sure throws his weight around. The squad leader got his position through bribes, not votes. No wonder you shooed everyone away earlier. You didn’t want them to see this, did you? Don’t go spreading rumors. I never asked for any bribes. If you offer, it’s out of goodwill. If you don’t, I’ll just stick to the rules. Quite the ‘by-the-book’ approach, isn’t it? From what I recall, in both previous instances my brother topped the polls for squad leader elections Explain to me how this counts as ‘fair play’ Seven Treasures Guo’s eyes bulged in disbelief but it instantly clicked Lu Feng must’ve been the leak Lu Zhiqiang, team elections are confidential affairs How dare you blab about it to outsiders This was completely out of line This is a smear campaign against our brigade. Tarnishing the reputation of our commune. Lu Feng froze momentarily in surprise. The reason was that whenever Sijia penned letters, she would meticulously describe the local lifestyle, culture and geography thereby broadening her younger siblings’ horizons This was how the three siblings always corresponded No detail was too trivial – even Lu Cheng’s fart two days ago or how he trapped the smell in his hands – all found their way into letters Lu Cheng, though sincere, was never eloquent Lu Cheng was just about to defend his older brother. But to everyone’s surprise, sister-in-law Yan Baoyue was the first to lose her temper. Who’s been badmouthing our brigade? Aren’t we just stating the facts? It’s obvious Lu Feng received the most votes. What gives you the right to hand it to someone else? Is it just because you’re the brigade leader? You think you can just hand it to whoever you please? Then what was the point of holding a vote? Get out of my house! Go away! Just leave! The seemingly gentle sister-in-law Who would have thought she could be this fierce when angry But it’s good that the elder brother is so kind-hearted With such a strong-willed wife He won’t get pushed around in this village You’re awesome, sis! He was just too furious In the heat of the moment, I forgot you were still here Lucheng, sorry you had to see that I’m usually not like that, really Sis, I actually admire you for being like this Why should we take insults lying down? If they hit first, we hit back harder I’ll always have your back, kid Yan Baoyue flushed with even greater embarrassment Qi Baoguo, on the contrary, flew into a rage When he first heard Lu Zhiqing’s brother had arrived Loaded with gifts He’d planned to exploit Lu Zhiqing’s ambition for team leadership To squeeze some benefits out of him But ended up empty-handed He was literally driven out the door with a broom Mark my words, Yan family! You’ll regret this! When the commune calculates grain allocations this year Your family will be dead last in the distribution queue And when they run out before your turn – don’t come crying to me! With that final jab, he stormed off without giving the Yans a chance to plead Qibao Guo turned on his heel and stormed away While the immediate confrontation was over The ominous threat he’d made Hung over them like a dark cloud Nowadays, the village party secretary holds sway over everything in the village. But Lu Cheng couldn’t care less. Don’t fret, big bro. No point in sucking up to someone like that. A small team leader is no big deal. They still have to toil in the dirt for a living. I’ll land you a gig at the commune. Then he passed over a bike voucher. Lu Cheng, what’s with the bike voucher? I’ve got no use for a bike. If I promise you a job in the commune, then I’ll make sure it happens. Also, here’s 200 yuan and some national ration coupons. I kept them hidden earlier with so many people watching. Once more, the family was stunned. The gifts Lu Cheng had already brought were more than enough. They’d make the whole brigade green with envy. But the best was yet to come. Lu Cheng, this is far too generous—we can’t accept it. Thank you, but I really can’t accept this. Could you come visit your sister-in-law Your sister-in-law is already overjoyed Lu Cheng, listen to your sister-in-law Put it away, big brother This isn’t for you two It’s meant for my little niece I don’t care if you two go hungry But my little niece won’t suffer Look how pale and sallow her little face is And she’s so thin and frail Mom would be devastated if she saw this. Lu Feng was at a loss for words. He knew Lu Cheng was scheming about something. To get him to take the money. Big bro, today the villagers told me. Communal leaders will be visiting for an inspection soon. What’s going on? Lu Feng recalled Lu Cheng’s recent words. About securing him a position in the commune. What are you up to? You think your words have that much influence? the commune leader would assign me work that easily I’m definitely not that influential I was just making small talk This whole dispute stems from the grain ration calculations Qibaoguo shortchanged the educated youth on their grain allocation Of course the educated youth objected Just recently they went to the brigade to protest So Qibaoguo gathered some commune members And soon enough, they came to blows The riots by educated youth are no small matter. Rumor has it the commune officials will come for inspection in three days. for an inspection visit. Lu Cheng had no interest in the brawl. Upon confirming the exact timing of the officials’ visit, he knew his chance had finally arrived. Hopefully my reincarnation won’t trigger unforeseen consequences.
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8 Comments
毛匪唯一做對的事……就是逝世
幹畫的很白吃重生的人也跟白吃不是很啦嘰嗎你不要畫了很丟臉
说实话还不如熊猫头呢
好拖
啥智障 鬼劇 大陸編輯 就是這種水準 沒啥張力 的 劇情 流水劇 看過就忘了 托托拉拉 毫無重點
不是 白癡 只要有影音 就能看 廢劇
跟敵特有屁關係，生意上的事自己要賣的東西，人家科技高能在提取那裏就變敵特了😅😅😅😅
感觉主角就是二百五一个
写这些的作者咋都是个脑残呢没有一个是符合逻辑点的