Chapter 228: A New Beginning

“Xia Xiaodou, get up! We have to go to work today!”

“Lie Bro? Lie-Lie? Ling Lie! Did you hear me? It’s 7:30!”

“Yun Xiaodou! Kidney Bean!”

After a fulfilling Spring Festival, the Municipal Public Security Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Detachment started work. Ji Chenjiao got up early in the morning to build his captain’s image—Xie Qing was temporarily transferred to the provincial department to participate in higher-level work. Due to his important contribution to the “Floating Light” case and his diligent work in the Major Crimes Unit over the years, Ji Chenjiao was appointed as the acting captain of the Criminal Investigation Detachment. Naturally, he had to comb his hair well, adjust his attire, and look presentable.

But the presentable Captain Ji just happened to have a dog-like partner. Last night, they agreed to get up on time and go to work together. Now Ji Chenjiao had been shouting in the bedroom for ten minutes, calling all of Ling Lie’s nicknames, but this person still lay there like a dead dog, not moving an inch.

If it weren’t for the fact that his uniform was inconvenient to take off and easy to wrinkle, Ji Chenjiao really wanted to do something to Ling Lie that he did last night.

Ji Chenjiao looked at his watch anxiously and shouted, “Yu Ge!”

Only then did Ling Lie dawdle out of the quilt, looking at Ji Chenjiao sleepily, utterly disdainful. “Calling yourself early in the morning, shameless.”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie slowly rinsed his mouth and poured water. Afraid he would delay time again, Ji Chenjiao stared closely, almost sticking to his back.

Ling Lie shook the cup, followed Ji Chenjiao’s gaze, and was amused, rubbing his forehead against Ji Chenjiao’s cheek. “Captain Ji, what’s with you? Haven’t seen enough?”

Ji Chenjiao: “Do I care?”

Ling Lie nodded calmly. “If you don’t care, don’t look in the future.”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Finally cleaned up and ready to go out. Putting on shoes, Ling Lie slapped his forehead and ran quickly into the inner room. Half a minute later, he came out carrying an ugly plastic bag.

Blue veins popped on Ji Chenjiao’s forehead.

Ling Lie urged him, “Let’s go. Late on the first day, you acting detachment captain, aren’t you ashamed?”

On the way to the municipal bureau, Ji Chenjiao deliberately stayed away from Ling Lie. Ling Lie greeted everyone cheerfully, raising that ugly bag whenever he greeted someone.

Others asked, “Teacher Ling, what are you holding?”

Ling Lie: “Sigh, New Year gifts for the children.”

Ji Chenjiao couldn’t listen anymore, snatched the ugly bag, and carried it himself.

The ugly bag contained trinkets made from Ling Lie’s unused silk, satin, and wool, such as gloves, cup sleeves, stationery covers, etc.

After Ji Chenjiao bought the flattering compliments of his colleagues with heavy money, Ling Lie pushed his luck, asking if anyone wanted anything, saying he could make a little something casually.

Having said that, those who flattered really couldn’t say no.

During the holidays, there were no cases to solve. Ling Lie was energetic. Besides paying public grain (intimacy), he could also develop a side business, making a sack—no, a bag of junk in one breath.

Now Ling Lie was distributing the junk.

Liang Wenxian received an “old father” apron embroidered with “Our Boss.” Xi Wan received a lipstick bag that could hold twenty-four lipsticks. Shen Qi received a middle-aged man’s hat, said to be necessary for tech guys because they go bald in middle age. An Xun received a skeleton protective suit, although An Xun didn’t know when he would wear it—maybe when cosplaying a corpse?

Ji Chenjiao swept a glance over.

Everyone had taken money, understood tacitly, and praised Ling Lie to his face again.

Among them, Shen Qi’s praise was the most sincere because he recently received a signed book sent to him by the great author “Yan Xiao” and learned it was his Lie Bro who asked “Yan Xiao.”

Ling Lie became even taller in Shen Qi’s heart. Was there anything his Lie Bro couldn’t do? Probably not.

“Yan Xiao” wrote on the title page of the book: Wish Teacher Shen Qi becomes an invincible security expert like Liu Zhiqin.

Liu Zhiqin? Looking at this name, Shen Qi had a new goal.

Was Liu Zhiqin the pretentious hacker king under “Yan Xiao’s” pen? Fine, he would just strive toward Teacher Liu Zhiqin.

Although no cases occurred, Ji Chenjiao was busy all morning without touching the ground. Being the Criminal Investigation Detachment captain wasn’t easy; he had several departments to manage and had to report work upwards.

Around noon, Xie Qing called to ask how Ji Chenjiao was adapting. Ji Chenjiao said, “Senior brother, you dumped this burden well.”

Xie Qing laughed loudly. “Young man, have ambition. When I was your age, I had long shouldered the heavy responsibility of the detachment…”

Compared to the busy Ji Chenjiao, Ling Lie was an idler.

First, he was still a member of the Special Action Team, nominally not under the local police. He even had a separate office, same rank as Xie Qing.

Second, his identity in the Xiarong Municipal Bureau was inspector and consultant. Even Ji Chenjiao had to respectfully call him Teacher Ling when seeing him.

Teacher Ling could skip work or leave early if he wanted. Inspecting around when idle counted as completing a day’s work. What could you do to him?

Ji Chenjiao: I’m furious!

But such a Teacher Ling still had the ability to make people envious to death.

The cafeteria of the municipal bureau was very fragrant, so basically no one brought lunch. But at the beginning of the New Year, Ji Chenjiao brought lunch, two portions, complete with color, smell, and taste.

At mealtime, Liang Wenxian greeted everyone to go eat as usual.

Ji Chenjiao remained motionless. “I’m not going.”

Ling Lie: “We brought lunch, ha!”

Everyone: “…”

On the way to the cafeteria, Shen Qi: “Was I just shown off to my face?”

An Xun patted him. “Who told you to be single?”

Shen Qi: “.”

Ji Chenjiao and Ling Lie ate in Ling Lie’s leadership office. Although Ling Lie’s performance had been extremely poor since opening his eyes today, Ji Chenjiao decided to forgive him for the sake of this meal.

But in the afternoon, Ling Lie started dancing on Ji Chenjiao’s patience again.

As the only idler in the Criminal Investigation Detachment, Ling Lie’s dozing off and playing with his phone really drew hatred. Ji Chenjiao wanted to find something for him to do, handing over what he didn’t have time to do to Ling Lie.

Ling Lie looked at Ji Chenjiao inexplicably. Ji Chenjiao said it again.

Ling Lie cupped his hands behind his ears, squeezing out a bitter face. “Ah? What did you say? Why can’t my ears hear again? Oh dear, something happened, something happened!”

Ji Chenjiao was most worried about Ling Lie’s hearing. His first reaction was a sinking heart, but he soon realized this guy was pretending again!

Ji Chenjiao’s hands itched with anger, wanting to pull Ling Lie’s ears, but although he reached out, he didn’t really pull, just gently pinched Ling Lie’s earlobe, sighing, “Are you trying to anger me to death?”

Ling Lie played deaf and dumb, humming left and right.

Never mind, Ji Chenjiao looked past it. If he didn’t want to work, then don’t work. Anyway, their family still had him as the pillar. As for Ling Lie, that was a wild cat. What reason did humans have to force a wild cat to work hard?

Ji Chenjiao convinced himself like this.

A week later, the life of the Major Crimes Unit commuting on time and bringing lunch ended. A homicide occurred in a mall in the East City District; three male bodies were hidden in a display window.

The Major Crimes Unit dispatched immediately. Ji Chenjiao opened the car door, the corner of his eye lifting slightly.

Ling Lie: “Sit tight!”

Ji Chenjiao smiled and closed the car door.

Their family’s sleep-loving, gluttonous wild cat had turned back into the reliable elite Teacher Ling at this moment.

The police car sped through the bustling city, pouncing on evil, just like always.

(End of Text)

Author’s Note:

Little Theater: Wild Cat and Ragdoll

Winter arrived. Domestic cats curled up in plush blankets by the fire, while stray cats could only shiver outside the glass window.

Ragdoll Ming Ming sat upright by the French window, watching the wild cat Lie-Lie jumping up and down in the yard. Lie-Lie was the cat he unilaterally raised. He fed delicious food to Lie-Lie, shared fun things with Lie-Lie, and repeatedly lured Lie-Lie to visit his home, but Lie-Lie ate his food and played with his toys, yet just wouldn’t enter his house.

Could be called an ingrate cat.

Today, Ragdoll Ming Ming tempted the wild cat Lie-Lie with canned cat food again. To Ming Ming’s surprise, Lie-Lie actually entered the house.

It’s so warm inside! thought Lie-Lie, used to wandering.

Just as Lie-Lie lowered his head to eat the canned food, Ming Ming pressed a paw on his head. “My house is big; don’t go out and freeze anymore!”

Wild cat Lie-Lie finished this meal and rolled around by the French window with Ragdoll Ming Ming. Ming Ming invited him to sleep in his nest, but Lie-Lie pawed at Ming Ming’s long fur.

At first, Ming Ming thought Lie-Lie was playing with him, but later found Lie-Lie had pawed off a lot of fur from him!

Lie-Lie balled up the fur and hid it in the corner.

Every afternoon after that, wild cat Lie-Lie would come to eat Ragdoll Ming Ming’s canned food, play with Ming Ming for a while, and then paw at Ming Ming’s fur.

Until a week later, Lie-Lie brought a pair of knitting needles in his mouth.

Ming Ming was shocked.

Lie-Lie dug out the considerable amount of fur he had saved, diligently knitted them into a scarf, and wrapped it around his neck.

Ming Ming was indignant. “Don’t you have your own fur!”

Lie-Lie: “I have fur, but my fur is short.”

The wild cat’s fur was indeed short; it looked cold. Ragdoll Ming Ming was magnanimous. Forget it, forget it.

Lie-Lie ran away wearing the scarf. Ming Ming thought he would come again tomorrow.

However, several days passed, and Lie-Lie didn’t come again.

Ming Ming stomped his foot. The ingrate cat was still the ingrate cat. So coming to play at home was just coveting his fur!

Boss Xiao picked Ming Ming up, petting him twice. Don’t be angry, don’t be angry.

It snowed. Winter reached its coldest time. Ming Ming saw Lie-Lie by the window again.

The wild cat ran happily in the snow, seeming to play with a furry thing.

Ming Ming looked closely. Wasn’t that the scarf knitted from his fur? Why did the scarf move?

Ming Ming rubbed his eyes. That was a small snake!

The cat he raised was actually playing with a small snake!

Wild cat Lie-Lie met Snake Xiao Ji in autumn. They went to many places together. After the temperature dropped, Lie-Lie felt Xiao Ji was bare and cold, but his fur was short and couldn’t be shared with Xiao Ji.

But that beautiful Ragdoll had very long fur.

He played with the Ragdoll, ate the Ragdoll’s canned food, let the Ragdoll enjoy the fun of being a father. As a reward, he plucked the Ragdoll’s fur and knitted a scarf for Xiao Ji to crawl completely into.

Xiao Ji’s inner thought: Actually, we aren’t afraid of cold. This scarf is so troublesome; I can’t breathe crawling inside!

Never mind, as long as Lie-Lie is happy.

---

Here, “Heart Box” is completely finished. Thank you readers for your company over the past half year.

(End of Book)