Ren Jie heard the news and instantly tensed up.
This was the first case he had been involved in since joining the police force. The criminal was particularly vicious. After receiving the ransom, the perpetrator hadn’t released the victim as agreed, instead choosing to kill them brutally. The blood-covered cri scene had left an indelible impression on him as a rookie officer.
After the incident, the criminal had fled, and valuable clues were scarce. It wasn’t until last winter that there was a breakthrough in the case. That night, in the suburbs, they had caught a group of car thieves. One of them, attempting to get a lighter sentence, admitted to being involved in the kidnapping. Besides the July 23 kidnapping, there were several other cases in which almost no one involved had survived. This was why the police had found no leads.
Now, hearing there was news of the criminal, Ren Jie sprang to his feet and asked, "When do we leave?"
Sui Fusheng said, "Go back and pack your bags; we’ll set off in two hours. Rember to go to the armory, register, and collect your handgun... I’m sorry, Xiao Jie, for ruining your date, but getting involved in cases like this is good for you."
Ren Jie was aware of this. Among so many people in the squad, he had been the one called, which in itself was a sign of being valued.
He thought for a mont and said, "I don’t have much to pack; everything’s in the dorm, ready to go at any ti... I’m going to the shop first to pay for the sesa flatbreads I got last ti, and I’ll buy a couple of roast chickens while I’m at it. We might be going to catch a criminal, but we still need to eat, right?"
At the ntion of roast chicken, Sui Fusheng imdiately said, "Okay, okay, you go. A few days ago, your sister-in-law lined up to buy one, and it was truly delicious."
Ren Jie straightened his clothes and strode out, shoebox in hand.
He had wanted to find a quiet coffee shop to talk things over, but now it looked like he would have to wait until after this trip. Hopefully, the case wouldn’t take too long and wouldn’t interfere with the little sous chef’s birthday celebration on October 23.
He arrived at Yingchun Street, shoes in hand, and walked into the store.
The store was still quite busy with custors, and Ren Jie noticed small steam pots on many tables. Is this a new dish they’re offering?
"Hello, Officer Ren, what would you like to eat today?"
Upon seeing Ren Jie, Shu Yun greeted him with a smile.
"I’ve already eaten at the station... Is Chef Chen back yet?"
"Her plane should have just landed. It’ll be a while before she gets back, considering how far Daxing is from here; it’s quite a long drive."
Hearing that the little sous chef wasn’t around, Ren Jie subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
He placed the shoebox he was holding on the service counter and said to Shu Yun, "I was supposed to et her for coffee this afternoon, but I suddenly got called away on an assignnt, so I won’t be able to make it. I hope you, Manager Shu, can pass these shoes on to her."
So, Cinderella’s Crystal Shoes have arrived? Shu Yun thought as she took the shoebox.
"Sure, I’ll make sure she gets them..."
Having delivered the shoes, Ren Jie felt as if he had completed an important task.
If I can make it back, I’ll confess everything to the little sous chef—everything, including my family’s attitude. If I can’t return... then these shoes will be my paynt for the company she’s given .
While he was reflecting, Dundun, who had been sleeping soundly nearby, suddenly stirred, got up, ambled over lazily, and with a light leap, hopped into Ren Jie’s arms.
"Manager Shu, this..." Ren Jie was startled, and his sentintal thoughts dissipated.
"Dundun only lets a select few people hold him. The fact that he ca to you on his own ans he likes you."
"Really? Thank you for liking , little guy!"
As Ren Jie spoke, Dundun sat up in his arms and gently patted his forehead with a fluffy paw.
After the pat, Dundun hopped down and went back to his nap.
What did that an? All that effort just to pat ? Such a playful little creature.
Ren Jie scratched Dundun’s chin, then pulled out the shop’s mbership card and said, "I’ll buy two roast chickens and so other braised items. Please add the cost of the sesa flatbreads from last ti too. I feel that accepting free food isn’t in line with the code of conduct for a police officer."
"Chef Chen would be heartbroken to hear you say that! She’s been quite concerned about you. Last ti, when I told her I’d prepared eight sesa flatbreads for you, she even grumbled that I didn’t pack two more to make it a perfect ten."
Chef Chen, oh Chef Chen, I’m working so hard to score points for you with Ren Jie. If you two end up together, don’t forget to thank for the assist! Even though everyone in the group chat is all sarcastic and confrontational, at tis like these, an assist is an assist. Getting even one of us settled is a win. Even if it ans enduring their PDAs every day, at least it’ll be a change of ’flavor’ from always witnessing the boss and boss-lady’s.
Ren Jie felt warmth in his heart, but he still insisted on paying.
Because he felt his return wasn’t certain, he figured he shouldn’t be concerned about trivial material possessions.
The roast chickens were quickly packed, still steaming hot. They also packed a generous amount of other braised dishes for him.
After paying with his card, Ren Jie said, "See you later," and left the store, purchases in hand.
Once he was far enough away, Shu Yun took a photo of the shoebox, sent it to the group chat, and tagged Chen Yan:
"Chief Chen, your Officer Ren just delivered the Crystal Shoes. He said he’s going on an assignnt and won’t have ti to take you for coffee."
What? Chen Yan, who had just collected her large suitcase at the airport, was surprised. Just as she was wondering how to reply, the conversation ended? But what kind of major assignnt would a junior officer from a local police station be sent on? Don’t they usually just handle disputes and other trivial matters?
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