Chapter 316: The Clichés of Web Novels Ten Years Ago

The next day, the young couple visited their parents.

Xiao Yu watched as everyone—his father, mother, and even his mother-in-law—completely ignored him and fussed over his wife as if she were an empress dowager.

What is happiness?

Maybe it’s just seeing everyone else so joyful that it makes you feel happy too.

Everyone was eagerly awaiting the baby’s arrival. But it was going to be a long wait.

“Big Sister Bai, you have a child too, right?” he asked with a smile, sitting on the sofa.

Retracting his gaze, Xiao Yu turned to Bai Ting, the female bodyguard standing nearby. 

By now, Bai Ting had become part of their lives, almost like family. She was like both an older sister and a senior figure. Whenever Xiao Yu wasn’t around, she would stay by Mu Qingwu’s side 24/7.

“He’s thirteen now.” Speaking of her child, Bai Ting’s face softened with both love and a hint of exasperation. “He’s a handful.”

“Haha.” Xiao Yu laughed and nodded. “I was just as troublesome at that age. Big Sister Bai, you must feel very blessed.”

“It’s okay,” Bai Ting said with a smile, glancing at Mu Qingwu in the distance. “But sometimes, I envy you two as a young couple. My in-laws didn’t like my job at first, but they’ve come to accept it. My husband is a bit dull, but he’s honest and treats me well.”

‘How happy she must be.’ Xiao Yu’s smile deepened.

He enjoyed seeing those around him happy. It felt good.

“I have a question for you.” Bai Ting gave Xiao Yu a deep look.

“What is it?” Xiao Yu asked, surprised.

Bai Ting rarely spoke much, and it was unusual for her to say so much today, let alone bring up a question.

“It’s just…” Bai Ting smiled and asked, “What’s your opinion on the phrase, ‘Justice may be delayed, but it will never be absent’?”

This quote comes from a foreign chief justice, Hueston.

“Delayed justice, can it still be called justice?”

Xiao Yu didn’t think much of the statement.

“That’s why I’m asking you,” Bai Ting said with a smile.

“Well, if it’s justice,” Xiao Yu asked with a grin, “Big Sister Bai, do you think it should be on time or late?”

“On time,” Bai Ting answered without hesitation.

“Exactly.” Xiao Yu shrugged. “If you’re always late but still claim to be just, who’s going to believe you?”

“No one,” Bai Ting said, shaking her head.

“See? It’s a simple principle,” Xiao Yu said with a smile. “If you’re consistently late and still boast about yourself, what’s your real intention?”

“An ulterior motive,” Bai Ting said with a soft chuckle.

“Doesn’t that make sense?” Xiao Yu asked, smiling.

“It does.” Bai Ting nodded.

“So, who asked Big Sister Bai to pose this question to me?” Xiao Yu asked, his tone playful but sharp.

“It’s…” Bai Ting almost blurted it out instinctively but stopped herself, a wry smile flashing in her eyes. “Being too clever isn’t always a good thing.”

“I say that to my sister all the time,” Xiao Yu scoffed, glancing at Mu Qingwu, who was chatting with the elders not far away. “But that’s just how people are. When someone approaches you with a motive, your mind naturally becomes cautious, analyzing, and even exposing them. If you don’t call them out, that’s even scarier. Those people are the real sly foxes.”

“Haha.” Bai Ting chuckled lightly.

“Was it the big boss who had you ask this?” Xiao Yu’s smile faded.

Bai Ting hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly.

Xiao Yu fell silent.

What did the big boss mean by this?

That kind of question was obviously some sort of psychological test or maybe a kind of evaluation.

Xiao Yu felt a bit baffled.

Did they think he’d done something wrong?

‘If I’ve done something wrong, why not just tell me directly?Whatever, I’m not going to change. Don’t stress yourself out over it.’

Brushing away the stray thoughts in his mind, Xiao Yu didn’t take it seriously. How could someone like him possibly figure out what those big shots were thinking?

Trying to guess would just waste brainpower.

Instead, wouldn’t it be better to spend that energy sparring with his wife?

Watching the carefree little brother acting so nonchalant, Bai Ting couldn’t help but chuckle to herself.

Living life so simply—it must be nice.

But Bai Ting’s expression gradually shifted to something more complex. 

Could someone like this really lead the National Security Bureau?

‘What’s with that look.’ Xiao Yu wondered, feeling puzzled.

It was a strange expression. It looked like pity but also carried a hint of schadenfreude.

A chill suddenly ran through Xiao Yu’s heart.

Why did it feel like someone was plotting against him?

***

The sun was bright that morning.

Xiao Yu waved goodbye to Mu Qingwu as she got into her car to head to the company. He, too, climbed into his beloved red Hongqi and drove to the Criminal Investigation Brigade.

Even so, he was still wearing his police uniform—rank: Senior Superintendent.

The National Security Bureau uniform was for the bureau; the police uniform was for the police.

That was the advantage of holding two positions.

Currently, his records with the National Security Bureau were sealed and classified, accessible only to those with clearance. It was a form of protection.

To everyone else, Xiao Yu was just a police officer. Specifically, the deputy captain of the Criminal Investigation Brigade. 

His constant comings and goings had long ceased to surprise his colleagues.

However, Captain Zhao Changshan seemed a bit annoyed. When he saw Xiao Yu, he grumbled, “Take it easy, will you? Stop running off to handle stuff for National Security all the time. Take care of your own unit too.”

‘Ha… The boss finally complained.’

Xiao Yu found it quite amusing.

At least it proved that his presence in the unit hadn’t gone unnoticed.

He quickly and eagerly handed Captain Zhao a cigarette, showing not even a hint of the lofty demeanor one might expect from a National Security Group leader.

Instead, he looked more like a lackey under a big boss.

Zhao Changshan smiled and nodded, clearly pleased with his junior’s attitude.

Xiao Yu, too, grinned with satisfaction.

This was the Criminal Investigation Brigade—practically a family.

The captain and the chief were always the heads of the household, while the rest were like family members. That sense of camaraderie was exactly why Xiao Yu enjoyed being part of the brigade.

“What’s going on?”

If the boss was complaining, there had to be a reason. Xiao Yu asked with a smile.

If this were the plot of a web novel from ten years ago, the next step would surely involve the unit running into a tricky situation, and then he, the protagonist, would make a stunning entrance to save the day.

“Tch.” Zhao Changshan made a face like he had a toothache. “During the days you were off at National Security, we got saddled with a trivial little case. It’s been a real headache. None of us old detectives could figure it out, no matter how hard we tried.”

Trivial? A headache?

A case that a group of seasoned detectives couldn’t crack… Was that a trivial little case?

Xiao Yu was puzzled.

For a moment, he wondered if his Chinese comprehension wasn’t quite up to par.

What kind of trivial little case could stump the entire Criminal Investigation Brigade?

***

The case began nine days ago.

A prisoner in a local jail reported that a fellow inmate had committed a murder years ago—killing someone, dismembering the body, and leaving behind an utterly baffling and horrifying crime scene.

The prison guards brought the informant in for questioning and filed a report.

Eventually, the case was transferred to Bincheng City and ended up with the Criminal Investigation Brigade.

The reason the case landed with the brigade was simple: the crime allegedly occurred in Bincheng.

Murder and dismemberment—wasn’t this a major case?

Why call it trivial?

Because everyone believed there wasn’t actually a murder. They thought the prisoner was playing a prank on them.