Li Zhenliang hadn’t expected that a freshly graduated police officer could possess such impressive interrogation skills.
Especially the sharp slam of her hand on the table accompanied by that roar—it made even his own heart race.
Li Zhenliang had been working at the police station for ten years, mostly handling civil disputes: marital quarrels, sibling feuds, neighborhood conflicts. These trivial matters had gradually dulled his edges.
Jiang Ling, however, was different. She faced the Qian family with sharp determination and unwavering resolve. Seeing Qian Darong finally settle down, Li Zhenliang couldn’t help but wonder whether his previously mild approach had inadvertently encouraged such bad behavior.
With this in mind, Li Zhenliang paused his note-taking and said to Jiang Ling, “I’ll go get the two previous mediation records so they can properly reflect on why Qian Darong keeps repeating the same mistakes.”
Jiang Ling nodded. “Good.”
Her memory was excellent; any files she had carefully read were firmly etched in her mind, so she didn’t really need the paper copies. But now that Li Zhenliang suggested it, it showed he was taking an active role in handling this case, and that deserved acknowledgment.
Li Zhenliang stepped out of the interrogation room and, standing in the corridor, suddenly chuckled to himself. What was happening? Facing a rookie, he inexplicably felt a sense of obedience. But he quickly shook his head and jogged down the hall to retrieve the case records and hand them to Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling placed the two mediation records on the table and tapped the papers forcefully with her index finger. “Take a good look!”
September was still hot, and the interrogation room was stifling. Sweat began to bead on Qian Jianshe’s back and forehead.
He raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his temple. “Y-Yes, yes, we’ll go back and properly educate Darong. Nipping problems in the bud… we won’t let him repeat the same mistakes.” Just moments ago, he had been instructing Jiang Ling to “nip problems in the bud,” never imagining it would so quickly apply to him.
Jiang Ling continued in a cold voice, “Liang Jiushan has called the police three times, each time with increasingly severe injuries. Is this how you educate him?”
Liang Qiqiao’s eyes brightened. She realized that Officer Jiang was standing up for her and her brother.
Liang Qiqiao had been present at the last two mediation sessions. She believed it was best not to confront the Qian family directly or offend them. If she could hold back for a little while, and then for a year until she went to university and Jiushan started boarding at Yan City No. 1 High School, she could finally get out from under the Qian family’s control.
She knew the police officers were good people. When her parents had died, the station director sent a collective donation, and the community police officers visited every year to check on them. She didn’t want to cause them any trouble.
Unfortunately, her patience had not brought peace.
Now, Officer Jiang was taking a strong stance, openly defending the siblings, which moved Liang Qiqiao in a way she couldn’t describe.
There were still good people in the world.
Seeing Jiang Ling stand up for them, Liang Qiqiao finally found a trace of courage and whispered, “Qian Darong promised he wouldn’t bully my brother… but he didn’t keep that promise. H-He often harasses me too.”
In the past, Liang Qiqiao could never bring herself to say this, but today was different. She had to speak out. She couldn’t let her brother threaten the Qian family with violence, nor could she let Officer Jiang fight alone.
Liang Jiushan chimed in immediately, “Yes! Qian Darong shamelessly said he’d pin my sister to the bed right in front of me…” Out of shame and anger, his face turned pale, and his voice trembled.
Qian Jianshe stared at his son in disbelief. “You really said that?” At only fifteen, he already had thoughts about women?
Zhao Yanhong stepped in front of her son. “Old Qian, what are you saying? Darong is still a child. He was just joking around.”
Qian Darong hadn’t expected the Liang siblings to bring this out into the open. His eyes darted around as he scrambled for an excuse. “Y-Yeah, I-I was just joking.”
Jiang Ling narrowed her eyes, studying the robust Qian Darong up and down, then glanced at Zhao Yanhong. “Looks like the one who developed early is Qian Darong. As parents, you need to guide him properly—otherwise he could go astray in the future.”
Zhao Yanhong’s face twitched as she cursed Jiang Ling inwardly. Damn it! She had just mocked Liang Qiqiao for developing early—big chest, wide hips—never expected Jiang Ling would remember so well and use it to mock her back. Annoying.
Qian Jianshe’s face turned red with embarrassment. He suddenly stood up, dragged his son over, and smacked his backside twice. “Not learning at your age and already teasing girls? I’ll beat you to death!”
Qian Darong howled in pain, dodging, “Dad, why are you hitting me? I didn’t tease anyone! I didn’t! Don’t believe them… Mom, Mom!”
Hearing her son call for her, Zhao Yanhong’s heart ached. She rushed forward and grabbed Qian Jianshe. “Old Qian, Darong is just a kid. Why are you hitting him? We’re at the police station—deal with this at home.”
Qian Jianshe, usually sedentary and overweight, was panting heavily after just a few blows. Hands on his waist, he pointed at Zhao Yanhong. “Too much motherly love spoils the child! Keep protecting him like this, and you might raise a wolf cub.”
Zhao Yanhong shot him a sharp look. “Hmph! Liang Jiushan is the wolf cub here. My Darong is very obedient. Besides, it’s normal for boys to be interested in girls as they grow. Why hit him?”
Jiang Ling slowly sat back in her chair, quietly observing the couple’s argument.
Li Zhenliang leaned closer and whispered, “Are you just letting them fight like this? The last two times were the same—Qian Jianshe would put on a show criticizing the child, Zhao Yanhong would stubbornly defend him, making the station unbearable. Only when Qian Jianshe suggested compensation could the mediation finally end, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.”
Jiang Ling shifted slightly to the other side, putting some distance between herself and Li Zhenliang.
Perhaps because she grew up in an orphanage, Jiang Ling was averse to physical contact and didn’t like getting too close to people. Even during four years at the police school, she had never become fully close with her dormmates.
Because of her introverted nature, Jiang Ling had not married or had children in her previous life.
Did she have regrets? Yes, a few.
She liked children and longed for a stable relationship and a warm home—but when she looked at herself, strong and calm on the outside but timid inside, she didn’t dare.
She didn’t believe in eternal love, nor did she believe she could be a good wife or mother.
Li Zhenliang noticed her resistance and awkwardly shifted slightly away.
Jiang Ling had already lived a lifetime and her mindset had matured considerably. She explained earnestly, “I’m sorry. I grew up in an orphanage, so I’m not used to being too close to people.”
She had once always felt ashamed of being abandoned by her biological parents, unwilling to talk to anyone, rejecting all warmth, and therefore had very few friends. But now, having decided to step out of the archives room and work on criminal investigations, she inevitably had to interact with all kinds of people. Showing a bit of vulnerability appropriately could help gain her colleagues’ understanding—it wasn’t a bad thing.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll be more mindful from now on,” Li Zhenliang, naturally kindhearted and warm, said sympathetically. He thought it was impressive that she had made it into the police school from the orphanage, and her usual quietness and distance from others now made sense.
After speaking with her colleague, Jiang Ling turned her attention to the Qian family. “Quiet!”
Her tone wasn’t hurried, but it carried a cold, commanding authority. That one word alone was enough to silence the bickering Qian Jianshe and Zhao Yanhong.
Jiang Ling picked up today’s mediation document and pointed to the compensation terms written on it, speaking bluntly: “Qian Jianshe, are you trying to play tricks at the police station? Do you think we officers are easy to fool?”
Qian Jianshe leaned in to study the document carefully. “No, no, how could we ever play tricks on the police?” As the saying goes, it’s easy to deal with the King of Hell, but hard to deal with little devils. Though he had wide connections and influence in the textile factory, he dared not offend grassroots police officers.
Jiang Ling sneered. “Do you have the authority to waive tuition at Yan City No. 1 High School? Are you paying the textile factory’s living allowance out of your own pocket? You don’t even know the exact amount. You’re just treating us like fools!”
Originally, Qian Jianshe had only drawn up some vague promises to appease the Liang siblings. Now that Jiang Ling had exposed him, his face flushed. “Well, I was just trying to help the Liang siblings with practical difficulties. The exact amount—I’ll try my best, but I can’t say for sure yet.”
Jiang Ling looked at Liang Jiushan. “Tuition at Yan City No. 1 High School is directly tied to the entrance exam ranking: top three get rewards, top twenty are free, and top fifty pay half. If you want to ease your family’s burden, then study hard and aim for a good result.”
Qian Jianshe tried to act calm. “Impossible… I didn’t hear about this.”
Inwardly, he was cursing. The principal of Yan City No. 1 High School was on good terms with him and had mentioned at last week’s dinner that the school was discussing ways to attract better students. Tuition might be tied to exam rankings. It was supposed to still be under discussion, so how did Jiang Ling know already?
Liang Jiushan’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
If this was true, then as long as he worked hard and made the top twenty, he wouldn’t have to bow to Qian Jianshe!
Jiang Ling nodded firmly. “It’s true.”
Liang Jiushan grabbed his sister’s arm excitedly. “Officer Jiang says it’s true, so it must be true. Sister, I’ll study hard, I promise!”
Liang Qiqiao flinched as her brother grabbed her arm, sensing some pain. After a moment, a smile appeared on her face. “Okay.”
Jiang Ling noticed Qiqiao’s flinch, her gaze lingering on her arm for half a second before continuing.
“As for living allowances… According to our investigation, the textile factory’s union already had a hardship allowance program. Liang Jiushan’s parents both passed away, leaving two children dependent on each other. The factory had a written policy to give the siblings a hardship allowance of 200 yuan per year until they turned eighteen. Using this money as compensation, Qian Jianshe… don’t you feel guilty?!”
At this point, Liang Jiushan understood everything. He spat at Qian Jianshe in anger. “Shame on you! Bullying the weak—you’re shameless!”
The siblings had never actually received the hardship allowance, even though the factory was supposed to provide it. Someone had clearly embezzled it. And now Qian Jianshe was using that same money as a condition for compensation—it was completely outrageous.
Qian Jianshe’s face went pale, his body stiff.
Every year, Zhao Yanhong had secretly pocketed the 200-yuan hardship allowance. How did Jiang Ling know about this?
…
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