Just because you have always lived in the sunshine doesn’t an everyone in the world is as happy as you are.
Although there is no difference in nobility and ignobility among people, there is a difference between rich and poor. What you take for granted is sothing others dream of yet cannot attain.
So when the narrator described Jiang Yu as a woman who is both pitiable and strong, he knew that the opportunity to resolve Du Qiang’s conflict was here.
Although it might not make a huge difference, he wasn’t going to be stingy when he could lend a hand. After all, he and Qiang weren’t acquaintances for just a day; they were colleagues and comrades, having worked on cases and chased criminals together, so he was willing to help.
After learning his intentions, Lao Zhou didn’t make things difficult, and he directly had He Wendong and Yu Mingyuan bring Jiang Yu out and send her to a smaller interrogation room next door.
"Brother Su, need any help?"
"Yeah, Brother Su, Team Zhao and Team Lin told us to stick with you and learn well, see if there’s anything we can do?"
After bringing over the person, He Wendong and Yu Mingyuan spoke with so excitent.
They’re just newcors, mostly focusing on learning. Even when real cases co up, they observe more and do less, guided by the veterans on what to do and not do.
The only ti they handled a case was last ti when they followed and caught Xiao Ming’s classmate. Now, in the police station they were more like service personnel, not having opportunities to handle cases.
Even following the veterans on patrol was not an opportunity available to them, as Old Zhao and others wanted to train them in criminal investigation.
Upon hearing this, Su Qing glanced at the two and couldn’t help but sigh. How could they be so oblivious? Didn’t they see I called the person out alone, surely there’s sothing private? They had to co here as third wheels—so young, too young.
"No worries, you two can go back. I’m enough here; once it’s done, I’ll call you over!" Su Qing waved them off.
In response, the two had no choice. Since they started working at the station, they occasionally heard about consulting officers within the departnt, how things were, and combined with what they learned themselves, treated him as an idol.
After all, Su Qing was just one year ahead of them, yet had participated in several major criminal cases, with stories like bringing back a murderer single-handedly—he was quite a figure!
Coupled with his online influence, both were very eager to learn sothing from him.
Su Qing was well aware of their thoughts, yet he knew deep down he had nothing to teach them. Truly teach, and he’d likely produce two ineffectual individuals—that’s misleading them, so he chose to refuse and let Old Zhao worry about them.
Closing the door, Su Qing sighed, turned around, and looked at Jiang Yu sitting in the chair, a hint of unease in her eyes. He poured hot water and handed it over:
"It’s quite cold, have so water to warm up!"
Jiang Yu accepted the cup with both hands, softly thanking him. After a while, she asked, "I wonder why you’ve asked to see ?"
Seeing he wasn’t in police attire, Jiang Yu’s eyes revealed confusion.
"Uh...was entrusted to co see if there’s anything I could help with."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu’s eyes visibly reacted with emotion, and after a while, she asked in a trembling voice, "Is... is it him?"
Su Qing knew who she was talking about, so he nodded in response, which led to Jiang Yu’s eyes reddening imdiately, and she covered her face sobbing, leaving him stunned.
Sister, I haven’t even asked anything yet, you’re crying like this, I feel terrible here.
Despite this, he could vaguely hear Jiang Yu’s quiet muttering.
"I’m sorry... I’m sorry!"
No other words were spoken, just repeating apologies over and over—whether they were ant for herself or Du Qiang or both was unclear.
A while later, when she cald down sowhat, Su Qing took out a cigarette, lit one for himself, and handed one over: "Do you smoke?"
Jiang Yu nodded, perhaps in a bad mood, disregarding anything else. Soon, the room was filled with a faint white haze.
"Why... did you do this? Are there difficulties?"
Jiang Yu shook her head at this, smiling bitterly: "I don’t have any difficulties, just let down a lot of people’s expectations of ."
[Life has dealt her endless hardship, losing her father in high school, depleting the family’s savings, followed by her mother getting cancer in college. To treat her mother, she was kept by a man 20 years her senior, yet the family still owed large debts. She just wanted to earn money to maintain her mother’s condition, letting her mom live on, that’s all!]
Upon hearing this, Su Qing opened his mouth but found himself lost for words. He had considered all sorts of possible concealnts but didn’t expect the real situation to be this.
A young girl, with just a college diploma and no special skills, wanting to make a lot of money in a short ti, this path seems to be the simplest for her.
"You... seem very tired, I can feel it," Su Qing finally spoke after a long, speechless mont, taking a deep drag on her cigarette.
Even at this mont, he didn’t know how to comfort or persuade this girl.
Despite her line of work, for so reason, he didn’t find this girl dirty at all—in fact, he found her very good, exceptionally good.
Upon hearing his words, Jiang Yu was montarily taken aback, and instantly, an incredibly peculiar feeling flooded her heart.
Although she had never t this boy who looked even younger than herself, she could feel he seed to understand her very well. Being understood is quite a magical thing, almost like sitting in a dark corner when soone walks over carrying a dim lantern, asking her, ’May I sit here?’
Although it was just a sentence and the lamp was not bright at all, it sohow ward her, giving her strength and sothing to rely on.
In an instant, Jiang Yu’s eyes, filled with initial astonishnt, quickly glazed over with a layer of moisture. Her whole being seed incredibly vulnerable, with tears continuously falling, yet she bit her lip tightly, stamring, "I... I’m sorry, I can’t con...control it, I’m sorry!"
"It’s alright, actually everyone shares a common affliction of having quarrels with the people they love, yet confiding in strangers, fearing that loved ones won’t understand them but are surprised when strangers offer to listen. I, well, I’m not a police officer; see, I don’t even have a police uniform. I’m rely a criminal investigation consultant, and Qiang Zi, I an Du Qiang, is sort of a friend of mine. Through him, I’ve heard about you and him; he’s really worried about you. I didn’t let him co over. I wonder if you’d be willing to share your story from your point of view?" Su Qing spoke softly, trying to keep his voice even.
We have no way of choosing our own birth circumstances, but we can’t deny that strong people will shine even if they’re stuck in the mud, earning genuine admiration.
In response, Jiang Yu rubbed her hands ssily on her face, yet her tears stubbornly refused to dry.
He had a natural advantage in this aspect, knowing what words could stir the other’s resonance and open her heart.
And at this mont, Jiang Yu felt this way, as if there was an understanding from this man who seed younger than herself.
After a long while, she finally spoke, although her face was still tear-streaked, she still managed to smile brightly and said, "He and I, we were high school classmates. My family has always been in poor condition since I was young. When I was in elentary school, during winter, each student had to pay five yuan for coal fees, but I couldn’t afford it. The teacher moved to the seat farthest from the stove. I couldn’t afford the exercise books, so I copied from my deskmate. During high school, when my father was seriously ill, I went out to work odd jobs myself. Every day, I could only spend two yuan to buy four buns, eat pickles, and drink the free soup from the cafeteria.
Although his family was also ordinary, it was much better than mine. One ti he saw always eating buns and offered a al. It was delicious, with at and a bottle of soda. That was the first ti I tasted soda, and it was so sweet.
From then on, whenever he got a chance, he would like to share his als with . I knew he seed to like , and I liked him too, even wanting to be his girlfriend, but I didn’t dare because I felt inferior. I feared I wasn’t good enough for him and that my family’s situation would burden him.
Even though I have had many lavish als later, I still miss the taste of that al, only now do I understand it’s not the al I miss but the love it represented.
During college, I worked hard and studied, thinking that life would gradually get better, and then I would go find him. I slept on park benches, drank water from bathroom taps, and ate others’ leftovers, but I didn’t find these hard, until this ti, when I t him again, I...
But now...how could I possibly be worthy of him!"
By the end, Jiang Yu’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s. She didn’t ntion her mother’s issue, nor did she speak of her past. She had always gritted her teeth and persisted, never thinking of giving up, but when she saw Du Qiang again last night, she felt she suddenly had no hope at all, as if her heart had turned to ash.
Just then, the door to the room opened, and standing there was Du Qiang with red eyes.
"Why are you here?"
"Why are you...here?"
Though their intonations were different, the sentences were identical, yet the anings they conveyed were completely different.
One was questioning why she was doing those things, while the other, sowhat panicked, asked why he suddenly appeared.
One couldn’t accept it, and the other was too ashad to face it.
In response, Su Qing couldn’t help but look at Du Qiang, rolling his eyes at him, thinking, couldn’t you wait a little longer? Suddenly barging in, all my efforts have gone to waste.
"Why couldn’t you have told earlier? I thought you didn’t like !"
As Du Qiang slowly walked toward Jiang Yu.
Instead, Jiang Yu panicked and stepped back: "Don’t... don’t co over!"
"Why?"
"I’m filthy"
...
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