In the face of absolute power, sophistry is the most useless foolish act.
Zhang Jian looked at the young man before him, his heart pounding like a drum.
There were no useless people in the security department.
This youngster must have had solid evidence in his hands.
Thus, under such circumstances, passing the buck was the best option.
In two interrogation rooms in the provincial city and the city, hundreds of kilometers apart, two individuals exhausted all their abilities to sling mud at each other.
Company Commander Zhou and Sun Jun’s pens were nearly sparking from friction.
Page after page of manuscript paper was filled, the ink in the pens refilled over and over.
From dawn to dusk, and then to dawn again...
At noon the next day, Su Yuncheng walked into Sun Bo’s office with a stack of statements: "Report."
Sun Bo looked up and seeing it was Su Yuncheng asked, "How did it go?"
"The interrogations are over, the investigation still needs some time." Su Yuncheng replied, "I came to use the phone to report on the work."
"Alright, go ahead." Sun Bo consciously stood up to leave and even closed the door behind him.
Su Yuncheng put down the statements, picked up the phone and dialed Mr. Lin’s number.
"Hello, I am Lin Binghui."
"Hello, Minister Lin, this is Su Yuncheng," Su Yuncheng said, "The interrogations of Zhang Jian and Shi Chengkun have ended. There are some discrepancies in their statements, and we need to further verify the facts."
Mr. Lin fell silent for a moment, then said, "First, arrest all the involved personnel, spare no one. This matter is extremely vile, handle it with the utmost severity! Moreover, make sure the compensation and consolation of the victims are not neglected. Those who are sick should all be sent to the military district hospital for treatment. I will immediately issue you an order."
"Hmm..." Mr. Lin pondered for a moment, then added, "Stay in the provincial city a bit longer, and thoroughly investigate all cases handled by Zhang Jian. If there are any cases of injustice or wrongful convictions, they must be redressed quickly."
He frowned and reminded, "Minister, Zhang Jian has been a leader in the provincial city for nearly ten years. It might take me two or three years to investigate all by myself."
Mr. Lin: "Oh, didn’t Sun Bo assign a company to assist you? Isn’t that enough people?"
Having him investigate the cases was indeed for real, as was keeping him away from Lin Nianhe.
Comrade Old Lin added another line: "Given the circumstances, it’s no longer appropriate for you to be stationed at the Lan County Police Station. I’ve issued a transfer order for you, head back to Hei Province Military District first."
"Alright, get back to work. Verify the facts quickly, provide consolation quickly, and advance the investigation. Report to me at any time."
After hanging up, Su Yuncheng, filled with irritation, picked up the statements and left.
Sun Bo was waiting at the office door, noticing his troubled expression, he asked: "Yuncheng, what’s wrong?"
Could Su Yuncheng say that he had just been outmaneuvered by his significant other’s father?
He replied, "It’s nothing."
Sun Bo, smoking a cigarette and watching the scene with interest, asked, "Really nothing?"
"Really, it’s nothing." Su Yuncheng steadied himself and said, "Brigade Commander Sun, I need to make a trip back to Lan County."
Sun Bo, trying to hold back his laughter at his life’s sorrows, generously told Su Yuncheng: "You’re short on time, take my car back then. Come back quickly and bring Shi Chengkun with you."
Lin Nianhe, upon learning that Zhang Jian and Shi Chengkun had both been detained for investigation, first breathed a sigh of relief, then felt something was amiss.
A chilling sensation.
This feeling was a bit familiar; Lin Nianhe had felt it before when Comrade Old Lin tried to arrange for her to join the Cultural Troupe.
Lin Nianhe furrowed her brows and rubbed her arms.
It so happened that Wang Shumei was beside her, and seeing this, she asked, "Are you wearing too little?"
"No, I just have a bad feeling."
Wang Shumei became anxious: "Could there be some kind of mishap?"
"I can’t put my finger on it, but I feel like it’s unrelated to this matter."
Lin Nianhe soon found out what it was.
That evening, while Lin Nianhe was eating fried chicken behind closed doors, she suddenly heard a commotion outside, bustling as if there was some celebration.
She quickly tucked the remaining half of her chicken box back into the space, wiped her mouth clean, and ran out.
It wasn’t a celebration, but another jeep had arrived in the village.
Seeing the Hei Province Military District’s license plate, Lin Nianhe’s heart sank slightly.
Su Yuncheng got out of the car, squeezed through the children crowded around the car, and upon seeing Lin Nianhe by the Educated Youth Corps door, he unconsciously stopped, with a hint of remorse in his eyes.
Lin Nianhe grimaced with a vague guess, smiled and said, "Brother Yuncheng, haven’t eaten yet? Come to my place."
"Okay." Su Yuncheng nodded and followed Lin Nianhe to the backyard.
Once the door was closed, Lin Nianhe rolled up her sleeves to prepare dinner and asked, "Is something wrong? Not going smoothly?"
"No, the investigations that needed to be done are complete," Su Yuncheng responded, his gaze constantly on Lin Nianhe.
Lin Nianhe cast her eyes down and picked up four eggs.
After a moment of silence, Su Yuncheng finally said, "Uncle Lin asked me to re-investigate the case handled by Zhang Jian. I’ve been called back to the military district."
She had guessed that Su Yuncheng was probably leaving, but she hadn’t expected such a reason!
She stopped her egg-cracking hand, soothed her heart, and comforted herself: "Well, investigating is mostly just mentally exhausting, not too dangerous."
At this point, that was all she could think.
Su Yuncheng suddenly took a step forward and stretched his arms to embrace Lin Nianhe.
Lin Nianhe was startled, then obediently leaned into his embrace.
Su Yuncheng gently embraced her, and his voice softened, "I’m sorry, Nianhe, I can’t be with you anymore."
Lin Nianhe smiled, raised her hand to hug his waist, and said, "It’s nothing, you’re just going to the provincial city. I’ll ask Uncle Team Leader to write a recommendation letter for me to visit you during holidays. He spoils me so much, he surely won’t make it difficult for me."
She looked up at him with a beaming smile and continued, "Go, Brother Yuncheng, Zhang Jian is so bad, he must have wronged many good people... please help them."
"Okay." Su Yuncheng nodded, his eyes filled with reluctance, "I’ll come back to see you when I’m free."
"Alright, I’ll wait for you," Lin Nianhe said, then buried her face back into his chest.
The reluctance was real, but Lin Nianhe wouldn’t stop him.
The mess Zhang Jian left behind was too chaotic. Who else would have the patience to dig up decade-old cases and re-investigate? And during the investigation, might they be biased due to personal feelings?
Probably in Comrade Old Lin’s mind, at least ninety percent was considering these factors, with only ten percent wishing for the lovers to separate.
Su Yuncheng softly called Lin Nianhe’s name.
He was very reluctant to leave her, but he couldn’t neglect those wronged souls.
Lin Nianhe lifted her head, saw the difficulty in Su Yuncheng’s eyes, and smiled as she gently tiptoed, trying to get closer to him.
Trying to get closer... continuing to try... and continue...
She grabbed Su Yuncheng’s collar, pulling him down to bend.
Lin Nianhe tilted her head and planted a light kiss on Su Yuncheng’s face.