Early in the morning, the heavy rain smashed against the window frames, and the whole town was shrouded in a gloomy mist.
In the conference room of the County Public Security Bureau, the backbone of the criminal police sat around a long black table.
The operation was quite fruitful. In the past few days, they had arrested more than 30 suspects and rescued more than 40 victims. However, "Brother Lu" was still like looking for a needle in a haystack, she was nowhere to be found.
The Public Security Bureau issued an order to issue a warrant of arrest throughout the province and carry out a large-scale manhunt. As for the operation team led by Ji Bai, their mission had come to an end for the time being. They would be disbanded today and would return to their posts to await further instructions.
After Ji Bai finished his brief summary report, he invited Director Liu to speak to everyone.
Director Liu had always been swift and decisive and was well-known in the province's Public Security Bureau. This time was no exception.
After confirming the results and value of this operation, she changed the topic. "But this operation can't be said to be a success. It could even be said that it fell short at the last moment. Brother Lu, the criminal who was named by the Ministry of Public Security, managed to escape right under our noses due to some of our comrades' negligence. "
The sound of the rain was as dense as drumbeats, and the entire office seemed even quieter.
Yao Meng sat up straight, her face red and white.
Director Liu's gaze stopped on her and she said bluntly, "Yao Meng, I made an exception to let you and Xu Xu, two police trainees, participate in the operation because I hope that you can play a professional role. However, you didn't even notice that Brother Lu was in your car. You even let her enter the toilet alone and easily escaped. I cannot tolerate this kind of mistake. When I go back, I will ask your director to punish the person responsible for this matter. I also hope that you will reflect on this and improve your professionalism in the future. You can't let similar mistakes happen again. "
Yao Meng burst into tears and lowered her head. "… Yes, Director Liu."
Director Liu had always been a person who only cared about the matter and not the person. After she finished criticizing the young lady, her anger dissipated when she saw the aggrieved look on the young lady's face. She then said to Ji Bai, "I have no more comments, the meeting is adjourned."
Ji Bai looked up at her and said in a low voice, "I don't agree to punish Yao Meng."
Everyone was quiet except for the sound of rain outside the window.
Yao Meng raised her head absentmindedly and looked at Ji Bai with teary eyes. He sat not far from her, his face calm and steady with the darkening sky behind him.
Director Liu's face darkened and she did not speak. Ji Bai acted as if he did not see it and continued to speak calmly, "Yao Meng was indeed negligent in this matter. However, she was still a trainee police officer and lacked actual combat experience. Based on her overall performance in this operation, I think her performance is basically outstanding. "
The room became even quieter. Many of the young police officers didn't even dare to breathe loudly. On the other hand, the old policemen's expressions did not change, as if they could not feel the tense atmosphere at the scene.
At this moment, Da Hu coughed softly and muttered, "I agree with Captain Ji." Xu Xu nodded. "I agree too." Her voice was clearer than Da Hu's.
Yao Meng sat between the two of them and lowered her head.
Director Liu glanced at them, then stared at Ji Bai. "According to what you're saying, we're just going to let go of the responsibility for letting Brother Lu escape?"
Ji Bai said, "I'm the commander-in-chief of the operation. If anyone is to be held accountable, I'll take responsibility."
Director Liu slammed the book in her hand. "Ji Bai! You really think I can't punish you? "
Ji Bai remained silent with an indifferent expression. No one else made a sound, and the atmosphere in the office instantly became extremely tense.
Suddenly, Yao Meng sobbed and raised her head. "It's my responsibility. If you want to punish me, punish me. It has nothing to do with him … with Boss."
The room became even more silent, and only Yao Meng's extremely soft sobs could be heard.
At this moment, another cadre from the provincial office laughed. "Look at how scared the little girl is. Don't cry … Ji Bai, Director Liu is only being strict to improve the quality of your team in Lin City. In the provincial office, Director Liu is usually the one who praises you the most. Why would she really punish Little Junior Brother? "Ji Bai and Director Liu both graduated from the Criminal Investigation Department of the People's Public Security University of China, so they could be considered fellow students.
He looked at Director Liu again. "I think what Ji Bai said makes sense. Why don't we go back and discuss it again?"
Ji Bai nodded. "You're right. I was too impulsive and didn't pay attention to the way I spoke. Director Liu, calm down. "
Director Liu was also angry just now, but now that she met Ji Bai's calm gaze, she could not vent her anger anymore. She could only say with a straight face, "Meeting dismissed!"
Director Liu took a bus back to the province that afternoon, and Ji Bai personally sent her off. Director Liu did not give him a good look along the way, but in the end, she still smiled. "Alright, I accept your suggestion and won't mention any punishment. However, you'll have to go to the provincial office and report this matter yourself. "
"No problem, I'll listen to you. Once I return to Lin City, I'll go to the provincial office and ask for forgiveness. "
"You brat … Tell Yao Meng that this is how I am. My tone today was a little harsh, so tell her not to feel burdened."
As soon as the provincial leader left, the atmosphere of the remaining people immediately became a lot more relaxed. Su Mu suggested that they treat Ji Bai and the others to local specialties for lunch. After a night's rest, they would send them back to Lin City the next morning.
The location was set at a restaurant by the river, which was very close to the police station.
The rain did not stop. When Yao Meng arrived, only Su Mu, Ji Bai, Da Hu, and two other criminal police officers were sitting by the window. The others had not arrived yet.
After Yao Meng was criticized today, those who were slightly familiar with her comforted her. Most of the criminal police officers who were not familiar with her had gentle and comforting looks in their eyes. However, this was not important to her. What was important was Ji Bai. Although she was sad, when she thought about his attitude today, the sadness became sweet.
With the Xiangchuan police officers treating them, everyone from Lin City was seated. The chair on Ji Bai's right was still empty. Yao Meng's heart raced as she walked around Da Hu. Unexpectedly, as soon as she walked behind Da Hu, he reached out and pulled her to his side. "Hey, that seat is taken, you sit here."
Before Yao Meng could react, the other men laughed as if they had a tacit understanding. Ji Bai smiled faintly without saying anything, but he did not deny anything.
Yao Meng's mind was a little muddled, and her temples throbbed uncontrollably.
After a while, Xu Xu arrived. She looked calm and naturally sat next to Ji Bai. Since Da Hu had warned them not to make a scene, everyone stopped laughing and pretended not to see anything.
The meal was a joyous one for both the host and the guests. During the meal, a young criminal police officer drank too much and said to Xu Xu, "Sister-in-law, to you!"
Xu Xu wanted to explain, but Ji Bai pulled her sleeve. "They're all drunk. Let them be, we'll be going back tomorrow anyway."
Yao Meng could not hear their conversation, so she did not eat much during the meal. She did not speak much either, but she had a smile on her face the whole time.
In the afternoon, the rain became heavier and the sky was as dark as night.
This time, they stayed in a hotel in the county, and each of them had their own room. A group of criminal police officers found a room to play cards and kept making a ruckus. Xu Xu drank a glass of white wine and fell asleep as soon as she returned to her room.
Yao Meng sat in front of the window in her room and looked at the heavy rain while listening to Ji Bai's quiet room. After a while, she got up and went out.
Ji Bai opened the door and was slightly stunned when he saw Yao Meng.
She was dressed very thinly in a thin white shirt and simple trousers. She seemed to have been drenched in the rain as her long wet hair draped over her shoulders and her face was pale. As she looked at him, her eyes were filled with silent but surging emotions.
"Ji Bai." She called out softly.
The sound of the rain was pitter-patter, and the police compound in the small county seemed even more empty and silent in the heavy rain.
Ji Bai stared into her eyes and said, "Yao Meng, you're a very well-rounded and outstanding person. As your superior and colleague, I'll spare no effort to help you achieve greater achievements in your work in the future. Other than that, I don't have any other thoughts about you. "
Yao Meng looked at him in a daze and felt a little humiliated. However, she asked a question that was even more humiliating. "Do you … have someone in your heart?"
"Yes."
After closing the door, Ji Bai walked into the house.
Da Hu had been watching the football match in his room, so he heard most of the commotion outside the door but did not say a word. After a while, he said, "Yao Meng is a good girl, but she has too many thoughts and is too roundabout. Actually, there's no need for that."
Ji Bai nodded and said, "Don't mention what happened just now to anyone."
"I know." Da Hu understood that Ji Bai wanted to protect her reputation.
The two of them watched the football match for a while, then Da Hu suddenly hummed a song. "There's only you in my heart, not her. You have to believe that my sincerity isn't fake …"
Ji Bai burst out laughing.
When dusk fell, everyone gathered in the courtyard to stroll around Xiangchuan City at night. Da Hu went to knock on Yao Meng's door, but she said that she was tired and did not want to go.
The air was fresh after the rain, and although the ground was still wet, there were more and more pedestrians on the street. A group of energetic, tall and sturdy men surrounded Xu Xu and Ji Bai, which attracted a lot of attention from passersby. Ji Bai looked indifferent. Xu Xu was slightly embarrassed, so she lowered her head and walked quietly, slowly losing her sense of existence.
After walking for almost ten minutes, everyone was very lively, but Ji Bai and Xu Xu had not said a word. He glanced at her and stopped walking. "I'm going to buy some local specialties for a friend, do you want to come?"
Xu Xu wanted to buy some, so she said, "Yes."
Ji Bai looked up and asked everyone, "I'm going to buy local specialties with Xu Xu. What about you guys? "He looked around one by one. When everyone met his gaze, they shook their heads.
"No, we're not going. You guys go. "
"What's the point of buying local specialties?"
Su Mu said, "Captain Ji, I recommend a shop to you. The products are very good, but it's a little far."
It was not just a little far, but it took them more than half an hour to reach their destination.
However, both of them were secretly very satisfied with Su Mu's recommendation. 'It's fine to walk with him (her) quietly and undisturbed for the whole night.'
After coming out of the specialty shop, the two of them were silent for a while. Ji Bai quickly looked around and finally decided on the riverside. "Let's take a walk there."
The small town was surrounded by a blue river, and the newly built embankment along the river looked like a grayish-white jade belt that extended in the night. The two of them walked for a while before they heard lively music in front of them. At the end of the embankment, an open square appeared.
Due to the rain, there were not many people along the way. However, the rain could not dampen the passion of the small town's people for life. "Summer, summer leaves quietly, leaving behind sweet honey …" The song echoed above the river embankment. Dozens of men and women, most of them middle-aged and elderly, were dancing under the lights.
To young people like Xu Xu, this scene was warm and cute, but it was also a little frustrating.
Ji Bai also thought that it was quite frustrating to dance with a group of middle-aged men and women in public. However, he was silent for a few seconds, then he turned to look at Xu Xu. "Do you want to dance?"
Xu Xu replied, "… Whatever."
Ji Bai casually threw the local specialties that he had just bought on the ground and did not even think about it until he left.
Xu Xu had only danced with Xu Juan at home. She gave one hand to Ji Bai and the other to his shoulder. Then, she lowered her head and her face began to warm up.
Ji Bai grabbed her sweaty little hand tightly, then he used his other hand to hold her slender waist that he had seen many times before.
The moment his hand touched her waist, his heart surged with calmness and joy. Xu Xu's body also trembled slightly. He felt it, but he silently tightened his grip, causing her body to stick closer to him.
The music was right next to their ears, but it felt like it was very far away. There were many people around them, but like the night, they all became an insignificant background. Xu Xu's entire body was in his arms, and she felt a slight dizziness that she had never felt before.
She thought, 'This is what it feels like to be confused. I'm a little confused. '
Both of them were not good at dancing, and their dance moves were not very well coordinated. Although Xu Xu did not step on his leather shoes, from time to time, she would move in the opposite direction and exert force. Every time this happened, she could always feel Ji Bai retracting his hand, causing her to fall back into his arms, and the distance between them did not change at all. This time, he seemed to be a little more powerful than usual. Xu Xu looked up at his dark and quiet eyes in the night, wanting to look straight into his heart. However, even though she was only a little dizzy, she could not think clearly and calmly.
One song after another.
From "Pink Memories" to "The Hottest Ethnic Trend", then to "The First Snow of 2002".
When Dao Lang sang "You're Like a Flying Butterfly", Xu Xu suddenly felt Ji Bai hugging her waist even tighter. His warm breath seemed to be approaching the short hair on the top of her head.
…
"It's raining!"
"It's raining again! Let's go home! "
The music suddenly stopped, and the dance partners in the square scattered in all directions. Ji Bai slowly let go of Xu Xu, and they stared at each other.
The raindrops fell on their feet and on top of their heads.
"Boss! You're here! " Da Hu's hearty voice came from the curtain of rain behind them. "Get in the car quickly, there's going to be another storm later."
In the blink of an eye, the rain gradually became heavier.
Ji Bai glanced at Xu Xu. "Get in the car first."
It turned out that Su Mu had taken the car and was taking everyone for a ride along the river embankment when they happened to bump into them.
The group of people returned to the police compound in a lively manner. Ji Bai stood under the porch and was surrounded by a few young criminal police officers to express their respect before they parted. Xu Xu walked to the door of the room and looked at him through the crowd. He seemed to have noticed it immediately, and he looked up at her with a calm and deep gaze.
After taking a shower, Xu Xu sat cross-legged on the bed and looked at the heavy rain outside the window.
Just now, when they were about to dance, she felt Ji Bai lower his head, and then the top of her head was gently touched.
Was it Ji Bai who kissed her short hair, or was it the first drop of rain that fell on her head?
When she thought of this, her heart beat faster again. She decisively opened the window, and immediately, raindrops floated in and fell on her head in twos and threes.
She did not know how long it took, but when her hair was half wet, she finally retracted her head. She rested her chin on one hand and smiled.
'How depressing. I have no experience, so I can't tell the difference no matter what.
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