Chapter 208: Owing Someone a Favor

How many roads must a boy walk down before he becomes a man?  

Maybe it takes a lifetime. Or perhaps it happens overnight.

Another sleepless night, and Xiao Yu was left with panda eyes, bloodshot and tired, yet filled with an overwhelming sense of excitement. He looked like a fool, grinning stupidly while making breakfast.

Mu Qingwu quietly watched him. Whether her brother had grown up, she wasn’t sure, but if he kept this up, he might just turn into a complete fool.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

Xiao Yu looked up, frowning.

Wasn’t he supposed to have a week off?

He glanced at his sister, picked up the phone, and was about to turn it off without even checking who was calling.

“Answer it!”  

Mu Qingwu’s hand rested gently on her flat belly, her smile warm and radiant.

Xiao Yu, “…”

What’s that supposed to mean? Now that there’s a baby, I’m just a third wheel, huh?

He was feeling a bit salty.

Mu Qingwu walked over, took the phone from him, and answered, “Hello?”

“Hey, sister-in-law, it’s Zhao Changshan. Is Xiao Yu around?” Zhao Changshan’s cheerful voice came through the phone.

“Boss, what’s up?” Xiao Yu took the phone his sister handed back to him, sounding annoyed. “Just so you know, I’ve got five more days of vacation.”

“There’s a little problem at the station.” Zhao Changshan’s tone was casual. “We’ve got a case and I was wondering if you’d take it. But if you’re still on break, no worries.”

“You’re already bringing it up. How can I not at least hear what the case is about?”

Xiao Yu wrapped his arm around his sister’s waist, placing his hand on her belly. Even though he couldn’t feel the baby yet, he was still over the moon.

“Someone came in to report that three years ago, he killed his girlfriend.” Zhao Changshan explained, “He said after he killed her, he stuffed her body in a suitcase and buried it somewhere. But when we went to the burial site, we did find a suitcase, but inside it wasn’t a human body, it was a dog’s body.”

“A human body turned into a dog’s?” Xiao Yu’s mind was full of question marks, but he chuckled. “That’s an interesting twist. What about the victim? Have you looked into it?”

“Three years ago, she went missing, right around the time the guy confessed to the murder.” Zhao Changshan continued, “But without a body, you know what that means, right?”

‘Oh, he knew all too well.’ Xiao Yu nodded.

If someone’s claiming a murder, it wasn’t just about confessing. You needed the body. Without it, you couldn’t prove a thing.  

If someone was alive, you had to find them. If they were dead, you needed the body.

Before the body was found, the person who turned himself in could only be considered a suspect, not convicted. The fact that the suspect confessed to burying the body, and yet the body in the suitcase turned out to be a dog, raised too many questions. The case definitely needed further investigation.

Bottom line. If there really was a murder, the body must be found. If not the body, then at least the ashes. If not the ashes, then every detail of what happened must be uncovered.

“Uh…” Xiao Yu was feeling a bit down about the case and said reluctantly, “It’s not that I don’t want to cut my vacation short, but my wife’s pregnant.”

“What?” Zhao Changshan’s shocked voice came through the phone. “Congratulations, congratulations!”

“Haha!” Xiao Yu laughed like an idiot.

Before he could finish the call, Mu Qingwu took the phone from him. “Captain, don’t worry about it. Xiao Yu will head over in a bit. Bye now.”

“Sis…” Xiao Yu’s expression changed as he looked at Mu Qingwu, who had just hung up the phone.

“I’ve got our baby to keep me company.” Mu Qingwu tilted her head, looking at her brother with a gentle smile. “Go to work, finish up, and come home early.”

Hugging her softly, Xiao Yu rested his chin on her shoulder. “Sis, I’ll be happy, right?”

“Of course, you will be happy.” Mu Qingwu’s voice was tender. “Every wish I make with my hands clasped together includes you.”

“You’re getting sillier,” Xiao Yu mumbled. “What am I going to do with you?”

“If the day ever comes when I really am silly,” Mu Qingwu whispered, “remember, don’t let go of my wheelchair.”

“Okay!” Xiao Yu laughed, “And you can’t hide my dentures either.”

The couple laughed together, full of joy and love.

We’re going to live the way we want.   Born free, loving fearlessly.

***

At the Criminal Investigation Unit.

After greeting his colleagues, Xiao Yu headed to the captain’s office. When he knocked and walked in, he found both the captain and the instructor already there.

“Bosses, you’re both here?” Xiao Yu walked over with a cheerful grin.

“Congratulations!” Zhou Tinghu beamed at Xiao Yu. “Old Zhao told me your wife is pregnant?”

“Yep!” Xiao Yu grinned ear to ear, the happiness on his face obvious to anyone with eyes.

Zhao Changshan and Zhou Tinghu exchanged a look and chuckled, shaking their heads.  

As men who had been through it, they knew all too well—when your wife is pregnant, the real challenges for a man are only just beginning. This kid is still grinning like an idiot. But then again, it’s a blissful kind of suffering.

Though, to be honest, back when they first heard their wives were pregnant, weren’t they just like Xiao Yu was now?

Soon, the expressions on Zhao Changshan and Zhou Tinghu’s faces turned a bit strange.

Zhao Changshan opened his office drawer, took out a new pair of epaulets, and handed them to Xiao Yu– Second Superintendent!

“Senior Section Officer, level one.” Zhou Tinghu looked at the stunned Xiao Yu with a complicated expression. “Your position is still our unit’s deputy captain.”

This must have come from the higher-ups at National Security. 

Xiao Yu cheerfully accepted the epaulets, put them on, and shamelessly admired them. 

“Not bad at all!”

“Aren’t you going to say something to us?” Zhao Changshan looked at Xiao Yu with a puzzled expression.

A Criminal Investigation Unit with three Senior Section Officers? Who’s ever seen that?  

And a Senior Section Officer as a deputy captain? Was this a joke?

“I don’t know either.” Xiao Yu feigned ignorance, grinning. “Maybe I offended someone?”

Zhao Changshan, “…”

Zhou Tinghu, “…”

Now, in the entire municipal police department, the whole law enforcement system, even including the chief Yun Xiangguo, who would dare to offend you?

Who would dare cross someone who could command a team of National Security officers in an investigation?

Setting all that aside, who would dare to mess with someone who has four first-class merits and an honorary title to boot?  

If anyone did that, they’d have to be utterly brainless.

But the strange thing was, Xiao Yu was now a Second Superintendent, Senior Section Officer, and still just a deputy captain in the Criminal Investigation Unit.

Yesterday, Chief Yun Xiangguo personally came to the Criminal Investigation Unit, totally baffled, and left just as confused. If even the head of the city’s police system didn’t know what was going on, how could they, the foot soldiers, have a clue?

“Let’s get to work on the case.” Xiao Yu didn’t want to explain further and changed the subject.

Still… 

He now owed the big boss at National Security a favor. He’d have to repay it someday.