Cui Renwang was convinced.
Moreover, the other party truly seemed terrified that he might issue a refund.
Cui Renwang sighed, as if heading toward his doom, and opened the chat window with Xie Chongyang. He replied, “The gift was the foxtail grass.”
Xie Chongyang replied, “?”
“Then what about the roses?”
Cui Renwang replied, “They were a free gift that came with the foxtail grass.”
He closed the chat window.
After a moment of silence, Cui Renwang rolled over and sent a message to Xiao Tao, “Did you not say that the 72 hours of solitude phase would be awkward?”
Xiao Tao replied, “Yes. As soon as I find a place and move in, I will immediately cut off all real-life social contact for 72 hours.”
“Boss, you are awake! Do you want to come out and eat something?”
Cui Renwang remained silent. He asked again, “Can 72 hours truly eliminate the awkwardness?”
Xiao Tao’s typing speed was fast. “No, Boss. Awkwardness cannot be eliminated. It will ambush your toes during every defenseless, quiet night for the rest of your life. You can never escape it.”
Cui Renwang was speechless.
At the police station, Xie Chongyang stared at the bouquet of roses on his desk with a solemn expression, as if facing a great enemy.
What did he mean by “the roses were a free gift with the foxtail grass”? Which shop would run such a loss-making business?
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Captain Lu looked Xie Chongyang up and down. “Not bad, Xiao Xie. When did you find a partner? This girl is quite passionate.”
Xie Chongyang said, “It is not a gi,”
Du Like was slumped in his seat as if dead. “I conducted interrogations all night only for you to show me this? Xie Chongyang, you traitor! You are betraying our Serious Crimes Unit Single Dog Organization!”
“This heart,” Jiang Ding leaned in and pinched the fluffy love, “it seems to be made of foxtail grass. It is quite creative.”
Du Like covered his face and let out a loud cry. “How hateful!”
Qian Song was cheerfully holding his thermos. “Who exactly sent it? Tell us! You kid, keeping it a secret?”
Xie Chongyang opened his mouth but could not bring himself to announce Cui Renwang’s name.
“Shameless!” Du Like pounded the table. “Showing off your affection in our workplace!”
He snatched a small bun from Xie Chongyang’s desk and pointed at him fiercely. “I, I wish you happiness!”
Then he stuffed the bun into his mouth and stomped off in a huff.
Xie Chongyang was speechless.
Captain Lu was still laughing when a newcomer ran in. “Captain Lu, Director Zhao is looking for you!”
“Understood,” Lu Zheng responded and left with a smile.
After about half an hour, he returned with a complex expression and tapped lightly on Xie Chongyang’s desk. “Xiao Xie, do you have plans for tonight?”
He glanced at the bouquet.
“No,” Xie Chongyang clarified immediately. “This should be a joke. I really do not have,”
“Good.” Lu Zheng smiled. “If not, come home with me for dinner tonight. Your sister-in-law asked me to buy ribs. You like ribs, right?”
“Oh, okay.” Xie Chongyang agreed honestly, understanding that the captain likely had something to discuss.
Lu Zheng always acted this way; he would not discuss important matters in public but would take them home to chat slowly. He was not actually that old, not yet forty and without children, but he acted like a patriarch to them. He was perhaps a bit too mature for his age. He usually looked after the children in the unit, even treating Qian Song, who was over fifty, like a child.
That evening, at Lu Zheng’s home in Tai’an Community.
“Alright, the dishes are served.” Sun Liya, wearing a helmet on her head, brought out a large plate of ribs. “Oh, I told you to start eating already. Why wait for me?”
Xie Chongyang widened his eyes, staring at her unique headgear. “Uh, sister-in-law, what is this?”
“An article she found on a health public account recently.” Lu Zheng handed him chopsticks, clearly accustomed to it. “It said that kitchen fumes are as bad as secondhand smoke. Since I am banned from smoking here, we have to pay attention to kitchen fumes too.”
“That is right.” Sun Liya took off the helmet and shook her wavy curls. “If you do not pay attention, then I have to be the one who does, right?”
“Xiao Xie, you have to help me watch him at the station. Do not let him sneak any cigarettes.”
“Yes!” Xie Chongyang nodded quickly in agreement.
“No need to be so serious. Eat, eat!” Sun Liya had a cheerful personality. “It is just home-cooked food, do not be picky!”
The three of them chatted and ate happily. Once full, as per habit, Xie Chongyang took the dirty dishes and followed the captain into the kitchen to wash them.
The kitchen was a bit cramped with both of them inside. Lu Zheng put on an apron and stood at the sink. After Xie Chongyang threw away the food waste and handed the plates to the captain, there was not much left for him to do.
Lu Zheng scrubbed the dishes like a diligent househusband, his back to Xie Chongyang as he spoke. “Regarding that previous case, what is your impression of those three special consultants?”
“Do you mean Zhang Buxu, Lin Xiatao, and Cui Renwang?” Xie Chongyang confirmed.
“Yes.” Lu Zheng spoke somewhat vaguely. “Those three have some real talent. That Mentor associated with Luo Feng has committed many crimes using various methods. The higher-ups intend to pursue the investigation with full force.”
“In a couple of days, the storage room on the west side of our station will be cleared out to serve as their office. A Quantum Mechanics Technical Department will be established to specifically investigate cases related to the Mentor and this cult.”
Xie Chongyang was stunned, doubting his own ears. “Is it the ‘When in doubt, use quantum mechanics’ Quantum Mechanics Technical Department?”
“Probably.” Lu Zheng did not understand those internet memes. “Director Zhao has met them. Generally speaking, there should be no problem.”
“Is your intuition not quite accurate? Do you think these people are trustworthy?”
Xie Chongyang answered without thinking, “Their words are untrustworthy, but their character is trustworthy.”
“The moment they open their mouths, it is all about ghosts and gods; it is all nonsense. However, they seem like good people.”
Lu Zheng laughed. “Well, you will see for yourself in time.”
“Director Zhao’s intention is that this Quantum Mechanics Technical Department still needs one of our own.”
“It is not that we do not trust them. It is mainly that those people are too free-spirited. They need someone reliable to keep an eye on them.”
Xie Chongyang thought of Cui Renwang’s behavior and perfectly understood Director Zhao’s arrangement. He nodded in agreement.
He realized why Lu Zheng had specifically mentioned this and asked, “Do you want me to go over there?”
“That is the idea.” Lu Zheng did not beat around the bush. “You have dealt with them before and get along well. It is a good fit to keep working together.”
“However, sending you there is not just to monitor them. It is also because we are concerned for their safety. After all, they are ordinary people without police training: an old man, a young girl, and the only young man is quite frail.”
Lu Zheng placed a plate on the drying rack. “Of course, this is not a mandatory task. It depends on your preference. If you do not want to go, I certainly will not force you.”
Xie Chongyang said without hesitation, “I will go!”
Lu Zheng turned to look at him.
Xie Chongyang had a serious expression. “This case is not over yet.”
“For many serial cases, once the clues are lost, who knows how many years it will take to pick them up again. Since we are going to investigate thoroughly and have a chance to close this case, of course, I am willing!”
He asked curiously, “But do they have any special clues? Do they have a direction for the investigation?”
Lu Zheng remained silent.
How should he put it? It was said that Daoist Zhang had calculated through divination that the place to break this case was in Fengcheng, so he brought his team here to wait. In the future, any cases in Fengcheng related to ghosts and gods would be sent to their department; perhaps then they could catch the Mentor’s foot in the door.
To be honest, Lu Zheng was half-skeptical of this reason himself. He could not fully convince himself, so he certainly could not convince the stubborn Xie Chongyang who did not believe in the supernatural.
He cleared his throat. “I suppose they have some.”
He glanced at Xie Chongyang again. “So, you are agreeing?”
“Yes!” Xie Chongyang nodded readily.
“Good. I did not even have time to appeal to your reason or emotions.” Lu Zheng shook his head with a smile. “Actually, it is not a bad thing. Going there counts as a promotion for you; you will be the captain.”
“What?” Xie Chongyang was shocked. “Why?”
“Because the three of them are special consultants, which makes them unofficial temporary workers.” Lu Zheng shook the water off his hands and shrugged. “Regardless, the captain of that department must be an official civil servant.”
“And that is just you.”
Xie Chongyang was speechless.
“What, are you unhappy?” Lu Zheng pointed at him with a laugh. “You will soon be at the same rank as me!”
“Oh, you heartless boy. I was worried you would be reluctant to leave our team,”
“Oh? Well, I am reluctant.” Xie Chongyang scratched his head. “Captain, I,”
“Save it.” Lu Zheng laughed. “Grasp the opportunity when it comes.”
“There is one more thing.”
Xie Chongyang looked earnest. “Please say it!”
Lu Zheng wiped his hands and asked gossipingly, “Who exactly sent those roses?”
Xie Chongyang hesitated, feeling inexplicably embarrassed. He stammered for a while under Lu Zheng’s smiling gaze before finally managing to speak, “Cui Renwang.”
“Who!” Lu Zheng’s voice suddenly rose in pitch. His eyes widened. “The one from that day? The one with the long hair and the face like a young girl?”
Xie Chongyang scratched his head. “He does not look that much like a girl.”
Though he was indeed very beautiful.
“No, why would he send you roses!” Lu Zheng suspected his subordinate might be missing a few brain cells. “Wait a moment. I think we need to consider this matter further. Wait, does Director Zhao know about this?”
The more he thought about it, the more he felt Xie Chongyang might be getting scammed. His voice grew louder. “I mean, Zhao Jiankang surely cannot know about this, right? He is not planning to have you use some honey trap, is he? Could you even pull that off?”
Outside the kitchen, Sun Liya peeked in curiously.
She usually avoided them when Lu Zheng was discussing obvious business, but she had heard enough to be genuinely curious. She could not help but lean in at the door and ask, “What is it? Is Xiao Xie going undercover at a nightclub to use a honey trap?”
“What nonsense are you talking about!” Lu Zheng glared at her. “I am going to call Director Zhao!”
“Wait, Captain! I did not,” Xie Chongyang tried to stop him but was pulled back by Sun Liya. “What exactly is happening, Xiao Xie? Tell your sister-in-law.”
Xie Chongyang’s expression was strange. “Sister-in-law, why are you smiling so happily?”
“It is nothing.” Sun Liya quickly suppressed the corners of her mouth and coughed, assuming a serious face. “I am just worried about you.”
“What kind of honey trap is it?”
Xie Chongyang was speechless.
He finally caught up to Lu Zheng and, under the combined pressure of Captain Lu and Director Zhao, explained the subtle joke about the roses being a free gift with the foxtail grass.
Regardless of how much Captain Lu worried, the decision for him to join the Quantum Mechanics Technical Department was finally finalized.
Ten days later, the storage room on the west side of the Fengcheng Public Security Bureau was cleared out, and the Quantum Mechanics Technical Department was officially established.
At 7:30 AM that morning, Xie Chongyang was the first to arrive at the office to report.
He had already planned how he would explain the situation to the three surprised consultants, but after waiting for a long time, he was still the only one in the office.
Seeing that working hours had passed, Xie Chongyang stood up and paced the room.
He remembered he had Cui Renwang’s contact information; the chat history was still stuck on the Roses incident.
After much hesitation, Xie Chongyang knit his brows and tapped the phone screen forcefully, “Why are you not coming to work?”
The message was met with total silence.
Xie Chongyang was speechless.
So, they were going to start being free-spirited from the very beginning!