NOS Chapter 21
by VolareChapter 21: Huangsha Ridge (7)
These words caused the others around Yu Zhenshan to whisper amongst themselves. Han Chen couldn’t help but call out in a low voice, “Chunming…”
Yu Chunming ignored him and continued, “The suspect recognized me, and the car door wasn’t closed at the time. If I hadn’t acted, he would have immediately gotten out of the car and fled.”
“Really?” Yu Zhenshan retorted, “How did you determine that?”
Because of that letter, because he sent me a letter, no, more than one, Yu Chunming said in his heart.
However, when he raised his head and saw the gazes fixed on him from all around, and saw Yu Zhenshan’s cold eyes, the words he had originally wanted to say suddenly vanished like smoke. Yu Chunming replied, “I don’t know.”
“Don’t know?” Yu Zhenshan seemed to be smiling.
Yu Chunming tried to salvage the situation, explaining, “He ran first.”
“But that’s not what the surveillance video shows,” Yu Zhenshan said, still unforgiving.
“Impossible,” Yu Chunming didn’t believe it. “I saw it in his eyes…”
“Saw what?” Yu Zhenshan questioned, “Saw fear? Panic? Or confusion? Maybe nothing at all, and you just presupposed the answer again.”
The result was already clear. The failure this afternoon, no, the Task Force’s failure these past few days, was all caused by Yu Chunming alone.
He was headstrong and acted arbitrarily. He didn’t consider the consequences, and he was even suspected of forging evidence, implicating the entire Linchang (Forest Farm) Police Station.
And all of this was personally defined by Yu Zhenshan for him.
“Alright, it’s getting late. You can all go back,” Yu Zhenshan finally decided to end this long meeting. He stood up, his gaze returning to Yu Chunming’s face, then added, “You stay.”
Why did he have to stay? Guan Yao wanted to ask, but it was clearly not his place to speak at the moment.
Han Chen, who had come here with the two of them, felt as if he had been granted amnesty. Ignoring Yu Chunming standing beside him, he turned and squeezed past the others, as if afraid some ferocious beast would appear behind him.
Soon, the small conference room was left with only Yu Chunming and Yu Zhenshan.
“Resign,” Yu Zhenshan said once everyone had left.
Yu Chunming looked up, thinking he had misheard.
“You’re not suited to be a police officer. I’ve said that before,” Yu Zhenshan said as if stating a minor fact. “Resign.”
Yu Chunming stood there, rooted to the spot, suddenly feeling a sharp pain as if the back of his neck and his entire head had been cracked open.
“If someone posts this afternoon’s events online, it won’t be as simple as you resigning. You might even get your administrative position revoked,” Yu Zhenshan looked at him, his expression unchanged. “Resign yourself and save face.”
Yu Chunming’s eyes flickered, and he softly replied, “Is it saving my face, or saving yours?”
Yu Zhenshan raised an eyebrow slightly, but said nothing.
Yu Chunming inexplicably laughed, nodding his head, as if talking to himself, yet also as if responding to Yu Zhenshan’s words, “I understand, I understand everything.”
“It’s good that you understand,” Yu Zhenshan didn’t want to say more.
But Yu Chunming said, “I won’t resign. If you want to fire me, then fire me. I can accept whatever punishment you give me, but I won’t resign. But you should also know that, strictly speaking, my mistake this time is insignificant. If you want to force me to resign by revoking all commendations and awards for the Linchang Police Station for this year, you can try.”
These words instantly darkened Yu Zhenshan’s face.
That night, when Yu Chunming returned to the Linchang Police Station, Guan Yao was surrounded in the first floor office lobby by Meng Changqing, Li Xiaotian, Fang Wang, and several others, who were peppering him with questions.
When he had first returned, Meng Changqing had kept craning his neck to look outside: “Where did Officer Yu go?”
Guan Yao pressed down on his head and pushed him back into the room: “I waited for him outside the conference room for almost half an hour. That officer told me not to wait anymore, saying being scolded was the least of it, so I came back. Or do you want to go inspect the situation at the Branch Bureau?”
Meng Changqing shrunk his neck: “Master, how would I dare to go? This afternoon, when the big leaders came, they gave us a tongue-lashing, and told Leader Liang to move the Task Force’s office to the Branch Bureau. Now the conference room and Research and Evaluation room upstairs are practically empty.”
Guan Yao craned his neck to look up. Sure enough, the small Linchang Police Station had returned to its usual tranquility.
Li Xiaotian was sprawled out on the sofa, looking completely relaxed. Hearing Meng Changqing’s words, he sneered and said, “It’s good they left. It’s quieter now, and we don’t have to be dragged out to work every other day.”
Meng Changqing pursed his lips, looking unhappy.
The kind-hearted Fang Wang interrupted, “Don’t discourage the young comrade’s enthusiasm.”
Li Xiaotian jumped up, indignant, and said, “What do you mean, discourage his enthusiasm? I’m telling the truth! If this case continues, it’s hard to say whether our Linchang Police Station will even exist anymore.”
“Tian-ge,” Guan Yao gave him a look, signaling him to stop talking.
But Li Xiaotian refused. He twisted his head, put his hands on his hips, and loudly said, “I think it’s all because of that Yu Chunming. I’ve been a police officer in Za Mu Er for almost twenty years, and I’ve never encountered a case like this before. How come as soon as Yu Chunming arrives, such a big incident happens? I’m telling you, Lao Guan, you weren’t there this afternoon, you don’t know. The leaders from the Branch Bureau pointed at us and said we can forget about any year-end awards.”
Guan Yao silently sighed, bent down to pull out the medicated wine that Fang Wang had made from the cabinet, and lowered his head to rub his red and swollen wrist.
“To be honest, we’re not unreasonable people. When Yu Chunming was doing a good job before, did we ever say anything bad about him? But now the Linchang Police Station has been scolded, and he’s as carefree as ever. I say, these kinds of ‘connected’ people shouldn’t be allowed to stay,” Li Xiaotian said, then changed the subject, mysteriously winking his eye, and asked, “Hey, do you know what mistake he made before that he was transferred from Songlan to Za Mu Er to be a police officer?”
“What mistake?” Meng Changqing seemed to be a single-celled organism, completely unable to understand his master’s warning look. He asked blankly, “Xiaotian-ge, how do you know he made a mistake?”
Li Xiaotian coldly snorted: “This afternoon, a colleague from the province mentioned it casually. He said that just last year, during an investigation, Yu Chunming knew there was a risk of explosion at the scene, but not only did he not lead people away, but he insisted on staying there to collect evidence, which directly led to the sacrifice of personnel.”
“Stop spreading rumors,” Guan Yao said displeased, “If he really did that, would he still be able to wear his police uniform?”
“Why not?” Li Xiaotian shouted, “Don’t you all know? Officer Yu is the son of Deputy Director Yu. It’s said that he was born to Deputy Director Yu’s ex-wife and isn’t very well-liked, but at least he has that relationship…”
“Xiaotian-ge, Xiaotian-ge!” Meng Changqing suddenly interrupted Li Xiaotian’s words in a hurry.
Li Xiaotian’s back was to the hall, so how would he know that Yu Chunming was about to enter? He continued to raise his voice: “That Yu, relying on his connections, and being a graduate of the police academy with some knowledge of criminal investigation, just makes a mess here. I say, maybe the person who came to make trouble that day wasn’t wrong, he’s having an affair with someone’s wife!”
“Li Xiaotian!” Guan Yao immediately shouted to stop him, “Shut your mouth.”
Whether he shut his mouth or not, Yu Chunming, who had just walked into the room, had heard everything he had said. But it was as if he hadn’t heard anything, just glanced back at the group of people gathered together, and then turned and went upstairs.
“Xiaotian-ge…” Meng Changqing looked lost, “What do we do?”
Li Xiaotian crossed his arms, unwilling to lower his head, but his bluster had faded. He shouted, “What do we do? Is that Yu kid going to beat me up?”
Guan Yao glared at him fiercely, shook off the medicated wine from his hand, and got up to go upstairs: “Alright, those who should go home, go home. Those who should be on duty, be on duty. Stop gathering here and causing trouble. I’m going to go check on him.”
The others didn’t object and immediately scattered. Only Li Xiaotian was still shouting in place, “What are you checking on him for? You should criticize him properly, let him realize how serious his behavior of disregarding the overall situation is!”
“Tian-ge, please shut up,” Guan Yao said helplessly, standing on the stairs.
But thankfully, Yu Chunming wouldn’t be so rude. When Guan Yao walked into the office, he was sitting quietly on his side in his seat, his head lowered, as if he was trying to find something in the drawer.
Guan Yao had just unilaterally lectured this person this afternoon, so it was a bit awkward to speak first now. But Yu Chunming just didn’t look up, not even realizing that Guan Yao was about to approach him.
“That…”
*Pa!* Before Guan Yao could say the words, Yu Chunming suddenly closed the drawer. He suddenly looked up, seemingly a little flustered, and also a little scared, as if there were some shameful things in that drawer.
“You, what’s wrong?” Guan Yao originally wanted to ask what Deputy Director Yu had kept him behind to talk about, but when he saw that pale and somewhat frightening face, Guan Yao suddenly swallowed back the words he had originally wanted to say. “Are you feeling unwell?”
Yu Chunming didn’t know if he had heard clearly, he supported himself on the desk, his eyes somewhat unfocused, and cold sweat was seeping from his forehead. When he realized that Guan Yao was preparing to reach out to help him, he quickly backed away.
“No, I’m fine,” he answered vaguely.
But he didn’t look fine at all.
Guan Yao carefully thought about it. Bouncing around all day, Yu Chunming seemed to have only eaten two bites of breakfast before leaving. He couldn’t help but kindly ask, “You… is your low blood sugar acting up?”
Yu Chunming pressed hard on his temples, still denying it: “No, I’m fine, you don’t have to worry about me.”
Guan Yao’s kindness was misplaced, and he didn’t want to ask a third time, but he still couldn’t help but worry: “Or, should I make you a cup of sugar pear water?”
Yu Chunming sat there without saying anything, but the hand clutching the corner of the table was clenched so tightly that it had turned blue.
“Alright, alright, I won’t bother you,” Guan Yao stood up, a little irritated.
But he still couldn’t stop worrying, and he especially turned back to look at the doorway, only turning to leave after confirming that Yu Chunming was just sitting there motionless.
Who knew that just as he was about to step out of the office, a “thud” came from behind him.
“Yu Chunming?” Guan Yao was startled.
The person who had been sitting in the chair had suddenly fallen down, along with the water glass and several official documents that were on the table.
Guan Yao rushed forward, pushed away the chair, and knelt beside him, shouting several times, “Yu Chunming, Yu Chunming!”
But it seemed that the person who had fainted had not completely lost consciousness. He half-opened his eyes and looked around blankly, following the sound: “Guan Yao?”
“This, you this…” Guan Yao didn’t dare to move him at will, and pulled out his phone to call for emergency help.
But Yu Chunming grabbed him and struggled to get up.
“Hey, I’m telling you, don’t move around…” Guan Yao quickly went to help him, but Yu Chunming didn’t seem to hear and insisted on getting up from the ground.
After helping the person back into the chair, Guan Yao anxiously asked, “Really don’t need to go to the hospital?”
Yu Chunming supported his forehead, leaned against the corner of the table, and said in a low voice, “Just a bit of a headache, do you have any painkillers?”
“Painkillers?” Guan Yao was stunned.
“I think I’m out,” Yu Chunming looked like he was even confused by the pain. He fiddled with the keys stuck in the drawer and said annoyedly, “Or maybe I lost them.”
Guan Yao supported his shoulder with one hand, afraid that if he relaxed even a little, this person would fall down. “You, why don’t you go lie down on the sofa, I’ll go downstairs and look for some.”
After a long time, Yu Chunming slowly responded, “Okay.”
Guan Yao took a long breath, bent down and put one of this person’s arms on his shoulder, and then, with that still intact hand, half-supported and half-carried him to the small leather sofa.
Yu Chunming said that he didn’t have low blood sugar, but Guan Yao felt that it didn’t seem like it when he touched his forehead. After all, there wasn’t a trace of color on his face, but he was sweating a lot, and his hands were as cold as ice, and he wasn’t very conscious. Guan Yao stared at him for a while, and after confirming that if he asked again, this person would only say that he was fine, he helplessly got up and went downstairs.
“Xiaotian?” Guan Yao called out, “Is there anything to eat?”
“What to eat?” Li Xiaotian was still immersed in the anger just now and couldn’t free himself. He asked with a raised eyebrow, “Who wants to eat something?”
Guan Yao was too lazy to talk nonsense with him, brushed aside this obstructing person, and went up to rummage through the storage cabinet.
“Is it Yu Chunming? He still has the nerve to ask you for food?” Li Xiaotian blew his beard and glared, “Your hand is already injured like this, and he still has the nerve to order you around?”
“Say less, my Tian-ge,” Guan Yao found a box of painkillers from the medicine cabinet in the storage cabinet. He looked at the time on the instructions and casually replied, “Yu Chunming looks like he’s sick.”
“Sick?” Li Xiaotian still used the same old words, “He still has the nerve to get sick?”
“Alright, can you have a little humanitarian concern?” Guan Yao reached out, “Is there anything to eat?”
Li Xiaotian reluctantly dragged over Meng Changqing, who was about to fall into a deep sleep: “Go, find something for your master to eat.”
When he returned to the office, Yu Chunming was still leaning on the sofa, still in the same position Guan Yao was in before going downstairs.
Guan Yao went up and brushed away the wet hair on his forehead, tried his temperature, and then softly called out, “Are you feeling better? I asked Changqing to find you two small bread rolls, why don’t you get up and eat some? It’ll be better to take medicine after eating something.”
Yu Chunming responded in a barely audible voice.
Guan Yao put down the medicine and went to pour water, holding the cup. But who knew that by the time he returned, Yu Chunming had actually sat up in a daze, picked up the box of painkillers, and swallowed two pills dry.
“Hey, you…” Guan Yao didn’t have time to stop him, so he could only try to remedy the situation by offering hot water. “Those things hurt your stomach if you eat them dry, you should at least eat some food first.”
Yu Chunming didn’t need water to take the medicine. By the time the cup was handed to his mouth, he had already swallowed the pills. “No need, I’m much better.”
Guan Yao looked at him, unconvinced.
Perhaps that box of painkillers really had a magical effect, or perhaps it was a placebo effect, but after taking them, his originally scattered eyes had focused a lot, but his face was still frighteningly pale.
Realizing that Guan Yao was staring at him, Yu Chunming said evasively, “Deputy Director Yu didn’t say anything, it was still those things about the case.”
Guan Yao was speechless: “At this time, why are you still talking about the case?”
Yu Chunming rubbed his temples hard, and caught a glimpse of Guan Yao’s red and swollen wrist out of the corner of his eye. He paused, then said, “This afternoon… I didn’t do things right. I caused the whole station to be scolded. It’s really my fault…”
“Alright, alright,” Guan Yao began to get a headache from what he said. “Eat something first.”
Yu Chunming sat still: “Your hand, do you need to go to the hospital to have it checked out?”
Guan Yao laughed: “Go look in the mirror, take a look at your own face, and analyze who between us should go to the hospital, okay?”
Yu Chunming stubbornly replied, “I’m fine.”
“Okay, you’re fine,” Guan Yao looked at the person sitting there teetering, went up and picked up a cotton coat and put it on his shoulders. “Where’s your home? I’ll take you back.”
“No need,” Yu Chunming’s body sank down a little. “You go back.”
“What, are you still going to analyze the case here? This case can’t go on without you?” Guan Yao pulled his arm without any explanation, “Let’s go, I’ll take you.”
“Do you hate me a lot?” Yu Chunming asked a question for no reason.
“What?” Guan Yao was stunned.
“Do you hate me a lot?” Yu Chunming looked at him and repeated it.
Guan Yao had never thought of putting this question on the table to discuss, so naturally he hadn’t thought that Yu Chunming would directly bring it up, and suddenly his whole body was at a loss.
But Yu Chunming didn’t delve into it anymore. He sighed and said, “Never mind, you go back, don’t worry about me.”