Wang Zhenkang picked up the phone. A familiar woman’s voice came through the receiver.
“Wang Zhenkang, do you even care about this family?”
It was his wife, Tang Anhui.
Wang Zhenkang froze, then frowned.
“What’s going on? It’s so early. Who’s upset you?”
“You’ve got some nerve asking me that!”
Tang Anhui’s voice was thick with anger.
“Our daughter’s been acting strangely lately. Did you know that?”
“She’s shut herself in her room several times, refusing to eat or drink. Have you, her father, even asked her about it once?”
“What?”
Wang Zhenkang was taken aback.
“That’s happening? How come I didn’t know?”
“Of course you didn’t!”
Tang Anhui’s voice grew sharper.
“All you ever think about is work, day in and day out. Do you even care about this family anymore?”
“Have you ever tried to understand what’s on our daughter’s mind?”
“Besides telling people off, what else can you do?”
Wang Zhenkang was left speechless. For a moment, he didn’t know how to answer.
“I…”
“I what? You’re always like this. Whenever it matters, you let us down!”
Tang Anhui cut him off.
“Wang Zhenkang, I’m telling you—if anything happens to our daughter, you and I are finished!”
With that, she slammed down the phone.
Wang Zhenkang stood there holding the receiver, frozen for a long while.
Seeing this, Xiong He asked cautiously,
“Station Chief, was that your wife?”
Wang Zhenkang nodded, his face dark as thunder.
“Is something wrong at home?” Xiong He ventured.
“Ah, it’s the child again.”
Wang Zhenkang sighed and briefly repeated what Tang Anhui had just told him over the phone.
“I see…”
Xiong He didn’t know what to say.
You can’t judge a family matter from the outside, and as an outsider, there wasn’t much he could do.
Wang Zhenkang’s brow furrowed, his face full of worry and helplessness.
He was usually decisive and forceful, handling cases with no hesitation. But whenever it came to his daughter, even this steely man lost his bearings.
“Station Chief, try not to worry too much.”
Seeing him like this, Xiong He spoke gently to reassure him.
“I’ve met your daughter. She’s a well-behaved, sensible girl. Maybe it’s just adolescence; a little moodiness is normal.”
“Adolescence?”
Wang Zhenkang gave a bitter laugh.
“That girl’s been giving me no peace since she was little.”
“Her grades are good, but she’s so introverted. Whatever’s bothering her, she keeps it bottled up and never tells us.”
“Ah, it’s my fault. I’m so busy with work that I haven’t paid enough attention to her.”
Wang Zhenkang sighed, his words full of self-reproach.
“Don’t say that. We’re police officers—how could we not be busy?”
Xiong He said with heartfelt understanding.
“Look at me. I barely get home a few times a year. My kid’s almost forgotten who I am.”
“That may be true, but I can’t help feeling I’ve let the two of them down so badly.”
Wang Zhenkang shook his head.
“I want to spend more time with them, too. But you know what things are like here in Zhangshantou. Public order has never been good. There’s a constant stream of cases. As the Station Chief, how could I afford to let my guard down for even a moment?”
“That’s true. Things are complicated around here.”
Xiong He nodded in deep agreement.
“Just recently, there were several thefts alone, not to mention fights, brawls, and troublemaking. Every day, we have more calls to handle than we can keep up with.”
“And that’s only what we see on the surface. There are plenty of hidden criminal forces operating behind the scenes, stirring up trouble.”
As Wang Zhenkang spoke, his brow furrowed even more deeply.
“There are only a handful of us at this station, and we’re seriously short-staffed. How are we supposed to clean up this whole area?”
“Exactly. This place is like a powder keg. The slightest mistake could set it off.”
Xiong He agreed.
“That’s why I can’t let my guard down.”
Wang Zhenkang spoke with firm resolve.
“We have to stay on high alert at all times to keep our jurisdiction safe and stable.”
“You’re right. We carry a heavy burden.”
Xiong He looked at Wang Zhenkang with admiration.
“Oh, right. What’s keeping that Chu Jiang? Why hasn’t he arrived yet?”
Wang Zhenkang suddenly remembered, his tone turning stern.
“What time is it already? Does he have no sense of punctuality?”
“Let me see. It’s already ten thirty,” Xiong He said, checking his watch.
“Ten thirty? What does he think he’s doing, reaching for the sky?”
Wang Zhenkang flew into a rage.
“He’s this late on his very first day reporting for duty. What’s he going to be like later?”
“Station Chief, calm down first. Maybe something urgent really did hold him up.”
Xiong He hurried to soothe him.
“Urgent? No matter how urgent it is, that’s no excuse for being late!”
Wang Zhenkang was furious.
“We have to teach him a lesson and make him understand that Zhangshantou Police Station isn’t somewhere he can just come and go as he pleases!”
“What are you planning to do?” Xiong He asked cautiously.
“What am I planning to do? Follow the rules and regulations, of course!”
Wang Zhenkang gave a cold snort.
“Isn’t that a little too harsh?”
Xiong He hesitated.
“Harsh? Someone with no sense of discipline needs a harsh lesson!”
Wang Zhenkang wouldn’t be swayed.
“Otherwise, who knows what he’ll do next?”
“I’m making an example of him, to warn the others so they don’t pick up his bad habits!”
“Knock, knock, knock!”
A sudden knock at the door interrupted them.
“Come in!” Xiong He called.
The moment he spoke, the office door swung open, and a young figure appeared in the doorway.
It was Xiao Li, a police officer at the station.
“Reporting, Station Chief, Political Instructor—the new recruit, Chu Jiang, has arrived!”
Xiao Li stood at the door, saluted, and announced it loudly.
“That kid finally showed up!” Wang Zhenkang muttered angrily.
He shot to his feet, sending his chair crashing into the wall with a bang.
“Come on, let’s go see him! I want to find out how many heads this Chu Jiang thinks he has!”
“Let’s see what gives this little brat the right to ignore all rules and keep the two of us waiting like this!”
Seeing that, Xiong He quickly got up and followed him out.
They left the office one after the other and headed down the corridor toward the police station lobby.
Wang Zhenkang strode ahead.
Xiong He followed close behind, silently feeling sorry for Chu Jiang.
“This Chu Jiang really is a reckless young bull. He’s got some nerve showing off like this on his first day.”
He grumbled to himself, keeping his expression neutral.
……
The atmosphere in the lobby of Zhangshantou Police Station was somewhat tense.
A group of police officers stood in a circle, curiously sizing up the young man in the middle—Chu Jiang.
He was tall and straight, wearing a brand-new police uniform that made him look especially sharp.
Only his expression carried an apologetic look.
“Reporting, Station Chief, Political Instructor. I’m here to report for duty!”
When Chu Jiang saw Wang Zhenkang and Xiong He approaching, he quickly stood at attention and saluted, his voice clear and loud.
He was just about to explain why he was late when—
“You finally remembered to report for duty?”
Wang Zhenkang’s face was stern, his tone severe.
“Do you know what time it is? Hm? You’re late on your very first day. Do you have any respect for discipline?”
Wang Zhenkang launched straight into a scolding.
“Your complete disregard for rules and discipline brings shame on the police force!”
“I’m telling you, Zhangshantou Police Station has no place for a menace like you, with no sense of punctuality!”
The angrier Wang Zhenkang got, the louder he spoke, until everyone in the lobby could hear him clearly.
The officers around them were stunned. They hadn’t expected the Station Chief to get this angry.
Xiong He stood off to the side, looking awkward. He wanted to intervene, but didn’t dare.
Chu Jiang was getting torn to shreds.
He opened his mouth to explain, but Wang Zhenkang cut him off again.
“What? You still think you’re in the right?”
Wang Zhenkang glared at Chu Jiang.
“I’m telling you, this isn’t over! Just you wait!”
“I…”