Editor: Scarlet
Although Qiao Jia had asked for Guo Lin’s phone number, he never dialed it once, nor was he planning on doing so.
He’d sought it for a rainy day, but as it turned out, the skies were clear these days…
Recently, the market had been quite tumultuous. Alongside the issue of Black Dog, there had been a dramatic increase in the inflow of drugs on the city’s black market. Captain Shen Jun had applied for a joint operation to address the issue. For a week, Guo Lin and his colleagues had been occupied with raiding everywhere, from nightclubs to clubs to spas to even KTVs.
Even Geng Wei, who was not a member of the Drug Enforcement Unit, had been called in to assist in the operation.
The group of policemen was exhausted like hell.
“Damn it, if it goes on like this, I’ll be six feet under before the drugs get completely eradicated. Hey, Captain Shen, show some humanity, won’t you?” Geng Wei, who was slumped in the back seat and too weary to move, wailed bitterly for five minutes but was unable to draw the attention of Shen Jun who was seated in the passenger seat.
Guo Lin glanced at him from the rearview mirror and said, “You, can you man up a bit?”
“Man up?! I’m not even a member of the Drug Enforcement Unit. Taking me for a drug-detecting dog, you ordered me to help but didn’t even provide me with any field rations, and yet you’re telling me to man up? Have you ever seen a real man, huh? Have you ever seen a real man, huh?” Geng Wei shouted, still slumped. He gave Guo Lin the middle finger in the rearview mirror and finally succeeded in prompting a response from Captain Shen. “Don’t insult the drug-detecting dogs. They’re much better than you.”
He’d fallen after only six visits. One could not help but question how he’d passed the year-end performance appraisal.
Seeing that they were about to arrive at the next target location, Shen Jun signaled Guo Lin to pull over and stop, then turned around and asked Geng Wei, “Are you dead?”
“I am!” screamed the man in the back seat.
“If you’re dead, turn over your body. Don’t waste time; there are still five target locations to visit.”
Geng Wei reluctantly climbed out of the car and was pushed forward by Shen Jun. Guo Lin looked up at the gorgeous club and felt a headache thinking of the boss behind it.
“Captain, may I excuse myself from inspecting this club?”
Before Shen Jun could respond, Geng Wei next to him leaned over and said with malicious intent, “Yo, are you afraid that some bad luck will befall your future father-in-law and you won’t get any allowance later?”
“Shut up!” Guo Lin almost kicked him. “Don’t always keep yapping unfounded things.”
“She insists on marrying no one but you. Are you still going to abandon her despite that? Guo Lin, I had no idea you were such a jerk.”
Geng Wei swore several curses at him. It was unclear if he was genuinely directing them at Guo Lin or if it was just an act. Captain Shen Jun remained silent beside him. This high-end club was owned by Shao Dong, and they were familiar with each other. However, none of them desired to see each other again.
Shen Jun didn’t respond to Guo Lin’s request even after a long time. Guo Lin also knew that he couldn’t run away. He sighed and entered the club with Shen Jun and Geng Wei.
Shao Dong was a businessman from the north. His first business was said to be in the south. He started his business by making furniture. His company later grew and gradually ventured into entertainment and catering. There were three Dick’s Clubs in their city under his control, with the largest one located in the east, serving as a hub for both good and bad people to come and go and mingle. These establishments had always been the focus of police attention. It was just that Shao Dong was too good at covering his tracks. The police had never been able to grab onto any of his weaknesses. Despite several confrontations, the police had never achieved any meaningful results.
In fact…
They’d suffered a defeat, losing one of the best criminal policemen in their team while dealing with Shao Dong.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Guo Lin’s mood soured as he remembered that face. The three of them went to the reception desk and showed their IDs: “Random inspection.”
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“Dea sbe mjc’a ajxf atf fifnjabg ilxf atlr.”
To use the elevator, everyone had to swipe their cards—the membership cards that were assigned to each member.
Shen Jun gave a cold smile. “You can accompany us while we go up.”
The receptionist hadn’t expected him to be so tough, and for a while the two sides were at a stalemate. Just when they were about to lose their cool, a person came down from the elevator.
It was the last person Guo Lin wanted to see.
“Guo Lin!” Shao Qi’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. She quickly made her way over to him. “Did you come to find me?” She took his arm as she spoke. Guo Lin could not break free, nor could he continue letting her hold him. For a while, the situation was awkward. On the side, Geng Wei’s sly smile juxtaposed with Shen Jun’s frowning face.
Following Shao Qi out of the elevator was Shao Dong. He was not surprised to see Guo Lin and the others. He put on a polite expression and said, “Officers. Are you here on official business or for private entertainment?”
Shao Qi looked at his father reproachfully and exclaimed, “Dad!”
Seeing this situation, Shen Jun knew that they were one step behind this time. His expression darkened, and he let out a light grunt. “How can we police afford to spend money in your club?”
“Officer Shen, you’re treating me like a stranger. If you are really willing to do me the honor, the drinks will be on the house.”
After Shao Dong said this, he pulled Shao Qi gently but firmly. “Can’t you see that the police officers are busy? Don’t make trouble, let’s go.”
But Shao Qi was still unwilling. “I want to stay with Guo Lin for a while longer.”
Guo Lin finally broke free from her. “I’m on duty.”
“I’ll wait for you in the car.”
Shao Dong said this coldly, then passed Guo Lin and the others, leaving the club with two bodyguards.
Geng Wei felt his teeth itch as he looked at Shao Dong’s arrogant back and felt his teeth itch. Shao Qi didn’t dare to cling to Guo Lin anymore when she saw Shao Dong gone. She could only reluctantly remind him about their date this coming weekend. Then, she kept looking back every few steps before getting into Shao Dong’s car parked outside.
Shen Jun’s frown soured into a scowl as he watched the limousine roar off. “Shao Dong, sooner or later, I’ll figure out your ins and outs!”
Guo Lin felt like he was about to die from a headache. His mood was bad to the extreme.
They inspected all of the target locations and, as expected, came up empty-handed. Shen Jun gave them six hours to sleep, but Guo Lin didn’t even feel like sleeping. After coming out of the police station and strolling around, he unknowingly walked to the rice noodle shop where he often met with Qiao Jia.
At this hour of the day, there’d be almost no one inside.
When he pushed open the door, his ears caught the sound of movements inside. Then he saw a man who was sitting against the wall and was immersed in eating. Although he could only see the person’s side face, he immediately recognized that the person was Qiao Jia.
Fuck…
Why did he have to run into him in this kind of place?
Qiao Jia, on the other hand, was completely focused on eating until Guo Lin sat down next to him. Only then did he lift his head, his face showing a look of displeasure, as he spoke, “There are so many vacant seats here, why do you have to sit next to me?” To intentionally spoil my appetite?
Guo Lin raised his eyebrows. “Can your ears also function as eyes?”
“Don’t you know you smell like a police all over your body?” After giving Guo Lin a disgusted look, Qiao Jia turned back to his rice noodles. Until just a few minutes ago, he’d been accompanying that scoundrel Black Dog. He was feeling extremely sick after throwing up all the alcohol. If he didn’t eat something to pad his stomach, he was surely going to die in bed the next day.
Guo Lin ordered his usual rice noodles and then turned sideways before saying, “I thought you were sick of this stuff, but you’re still eating it.”
“I want to eat steamed buns all the time. But I’m starving right now, so I’m not picky about food.”
“This shop has been in business for more than ten years. I was first brought here by a friend of mine.”
In the past, he came here more frequently than he did now.
He used to be a small-time policeman and didn’t have much choice in the first place. Furthermore, this place was not far from his former office and the noodles were reasonably priced.
After finishing his bowl of rice noodles, Qiao Jia drank two sips of soup, then smacked his lips with satisfaction. “Tell me honestly, does this shop have your share?” The name of this shop was Guo Family’s Rice Noodles.
The policeman next to him rolled his eyes and said, “Why don’t you ask whether my family owns this shop?”
“You want it, don’t you?” Of course he asked whether his family had a share instead of asking whether his family owned the shop because why would someone want to be a policeman when their family owned such a large chain? Unless that person was completely insane.
The two men were bandying words with each other when the shopkeeper brought Guo Lin’s order. Qiao Jia placed his money on the table and stood up to leave, but Guo Lin grabbed him and said, “Stay with me until I finish eating.”
“Fuck…” Qiao Jia stared at him as if he was a monster. “You’re not going to talk to me next, are you?”
The two of them just couldn’t get along with each other. The reason they didn’t fight was simply because the crime of assaulting a police officer was not minor. What Qiao Jia felt about Gou Lin was disgust at first sight and endless suffering each time they met. It’d be a service to society if they spoke less with one another.
But Guo Lin just refused to let him go. Without saying anything, Qiao Jia stood still like a statue for a long time before sitting back because he had no other choice.
Policemen who were not in a good mood were generally more vindictive. Qiao Jia didn’t want to make himself suffer by making the other person unhappy.
After lighting a cigarette, Qiao Jia leaned impatiently against the chair next to him. “If you have something to say, hurry up. I want to go back and take a shower.”
“What are you doing hanging around outside and eating noodles at this late hour?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, officer.” Qiao Jia mockingly lifted the corners of his mouth. “The night is the time for people like us to work, okay? I suggest you direct this question to yourself.”
After he said that, Guo Lin smiled and shook his head. “Yes.”
The 9 to 5 job had always been for those who lived under the rules.
Qiao Jia smoked at a fast pace. Guo Lin had only taken two bites from the bowl of rice noodles when Qiao Jia had already finished a cigarette. He was about to light another cigarette when he noticed the cigarette box was empty. He pursed his lips and said, “I’ll go buy a box of cigarettes.”
Guo Lin didn’t say anything from beginning to end. The door behind him was opened, and a cool breeze immediately poured in. He wiped the sweat from his brow. He hadn’t even taken two bites when the door swung open again.
He turned around, looking slightly surprised.
Qiao Jia sat back in his seat in a natural manner. When he saw Guo Lin’s expression, he felt a little confused. “Did you eat stone or something?”
The policeman still didn’t speak, watching Qiao Jia as he lit a cigarette. After a moment, he smiled slightly and went back to eating his rice noodles.
When Qiao Jia finished smoking the cigarette in his hand, he finally realized the mistake he’d made. “…fuck me! Why the hell did I come back?!”
It was a natural course of action for him to leave immediately at the opportunity just now. But his return made it look like he was acquainted with this fucking policeman.
Qiao Jia began to puff out a cloud of smoke, feeling a little depressed. He then kicked Guo Lin’s stool with one foot and shouted, “Eat quickly!”
Guo Lin didn’t speed up because of Qiao Jia’s outburst. He took a sip of soup and casually inquired, “How’s the matter with Black Dog?”
“If I said it’s fine, then it’ll be fine…” Qiao Jia lazily exhaled smoke. “That kind of person, as long as you flatter him a little, anything can be done. Just pretend to be humble and it’ll be settled.”
For Qiao Jia, this kind of thing was as easy as pie.
“So you’re following him now?”
“I had to serve him this evening… After drinking at two different places, we went to the KTV and still continued drinking. The information you received is accurate. This guy must have made some golden connections, otherwise he wouldn’t be so generous.” Black Dog had been crazy all night. His need for a spanking had risen several levels compared to usual.
“You should also be careful,” Guo Lin warned, nodding.
“Save your breath. You are indeed the people’s nanny, but I’m not one of those people. Stop saying such things. They’re giving me goosebumps.”
As Qiao Jia was saying this, the cell phone nestled within Guo Lin’s pocket began to ring, prompting him to retrieve it. When he glanced at the caller ID, a wave of annoyance crossed his face before he casually tossed the phone aside.
The two people spent the next five minutes watching the phone vibrate and bounce around on the table, accompanied by Guo Lin’s strange ringtone, which seemed especially harsh in this small shop.
Qiao Jia was a bit irritated. He scanned the caller ID which read Shao Qi, and the gender of the caller was obvious from the name. “A woman?”
Guo Lin neither admitted nor denied it and let the phone continue to ring.
“If you don’t want to answer it, can’t you turn off the phone? This is called disturbing the people, don’t you know?” But the only person who was eating in the shop and being disturbed was Qiao Jia.
Following another brief pause, another round of bombardment began. Qiao Jia couldn’t take it any longer and threw the phone into the beer glass next to him, causing the beer to spill out by a large amount. That was the story of how Guo Lin’s mobile phone officially died…
Finally, the world regained its peace and quiet.
Qiao Jia watched with satisfaction as Guo Lin accelerated his eating speed. After Officer Guo finished drinking his soup, Qiao Jia took the rare initiative to say, “All right, this meal is on me.”
Guo Lin also didn’t stand on ceremony and let the other person pay for his meal. After paying the bill, the two people left the rice noodle shop and went their separate ways.
Three days later, Qiao Jia received a text message from Guo Lin.
Last time, the total informant fee was 3,500 yuan, which is just enough to cover the cost of my phone. But it still costs 50 yuan to reissue a sim card. Bring the money the next time we meet at the noodle shop.
Qiao Jia stared at the screen of his phone for a long time before splitting an unlit cigarette he was holding into two in rage.
Guo Lin, you are brutal!
RIP Phone. You’ll be remembered.
Oh god, they bicker so much hahaha
HAGSGSGSGSHSH bickering🥰
Lmao rip QJ’s bank account 😂
Hahahaha 😂 thanks for the chapter ❤️