Chapter 1 - I Will Be Back!
- Military Region Hospital -
In the emergency room, five of the most elite doctors in the region were working together to operate on a young man covered in blood. His body was covered in tubes and needles. Other than the data on the electrocardiogram showing that he was still alive, the guy looked as good as dead.
Outside of the emergency room, two blood-stained miserable soldiers in rugged clothing were waiting like ants on a hot pan, finding it impossible to calm down.
Seeing how long the operation was dragging on, they could tell that the situation was becoming increasingly difficult.
After enduring through at least two hours of torment, the operation room's door finally opened. The two soldiers, the instructor, and the superior, all rushed over and surrounded the doctors.
"How about it?"
Amongst the five doctors, four of them sighed and left, leaving one behind to inform the group of the outcome. "We saved him."
The two soldiers and the superior all let out a sigh of relief, but from the doctor's face, the instructor knew that he wasn't done talking.
"What are the aftereffects? What is the expected extent of recovery?"
The doctor sighed, "The external and internal injuries aren't concerning, but what's most serious was that a genetic serum was injected into him during the battle that even we only saw for the first time. Strictly speaking, this genetic fluid belongs to the defective chemical category. Due to the late rescue, the serum had merged into his bloodstream, completely forcing the decline of his various physical capabilities."
"This…" The instructor and the two comrades both had a bad feeling.
"What do you mean by a decline in physical capabilities? You mean, it will affect his overall strength and performance?"
The doctor nodded. "And the effect isn't small. Later on, you can assess it. I'm very sorry, and it's a pity for such a great soldier!"
The two soldiers and the officers at the scene all didn't look too well after dismissing the doctor.
The soldiers covered their faces in grief. One of them couldn't hold back his guilt and punched the wall, cutting his knuckles and bloodying his gloves.
"It was all my fault!" he said with bloodshot eyes. "Brother Cheng told me to retreat, it was me who…"
It was fine if he didn't say anything, but the moment he started, the instructor grabbed onto his collar and said, "I've told you before every mission to completely follow Xu Cheng's orders, especially during big operations like this. Did the two words 'follow orders' go down your stomach?"
"I… I just wanted to grab a souvenir to commemorate the success of this operation, who knew there would still be a survivor!"
Just then, the superior in the chair across from them finally opened his mouth. "What really happened?"
The other comrade squatted against the wall and slowly said, "Brother Cheng told us to retreat, and when Luo Yi went back wanting to grab something symbolic, an old biochemistry researcher attacked him from behind. Brother Cheng pushed down Luo Yi but was injected by that old man with a large dose of unknown genetic fluid."
Hearing what happened, the superior looked at Luo Yi. "You can't absolve yourself from the blame."
Luo Yi replied, "I only feel sorry towards Brother Cheng."
The instructor harshly interrupted, "It's useless to say this nonsense, go in and look to see if he's fine."
The two comrades finally got up and entered the ward.
Staying behind, the instructor asked the superior, "Can he still join the Dragon Division like this?"
The superior answered a bit unwillingly, "The assessment mission was perfectly executed, and they did demolish the research base. However, many of Xu Cheng's physical capabilities decline, and you also know that the Dragon Division only takes the elites. We will still have to wait for the assessment team to finish testing out his overall strength, but you should prepare for the worst. Of course, you shouldn't be discouraged. You recommended the three of them to Dragon, don't you still have the other two? They also finished this mission so that they can join Dragon now."
The instructor didn't look too well, and he just leaned against the wall and smoked a cigarette.
Luo Yi who was leaning against the ward's door on the other side heard the whole conversation, tears rolling out from his bloodshot eyes.
The other good buddy of theirs sat quietly by the bed, already having guessed the result. He didn't say anything, but just quietly tucked a quiver under Xu Cheng's body. There was nothing else he wanted to say, and he had already beaten Luo Yi up in the corridor of the hospital earlier.
- On the next day -
Xu Cheng waited outside of the physical examination room, waiting for the assessment result. He waited quietly in the corridor, wiping the sweat off his body with a towel, while Luo Yi sat on the side with bloodshot eyes, not saying a word. He didn't dare to listen to the announcement of the result. What would happen if it declared the separation of the group? As the buddy team of three since day one of enlistment, it would never be the same anymore with the absence of Xu Cheng. Xu Cheng also didn't say a word as he took a seat.
The person in charge of the examination came out with a folder and said to Xu Cheng in the corridor, "The results are not ideal, do you still want to hear it?"
Xu Cheng nodded, smiling bitterly and saying, "Go ahead."
"Your explosiveness power, speed, strength, and other stats all exhibited drastic decline, dropping from grade A to C."
The physical stats and explosive strengths of ordinary people started from the E+ level to D for some of the more powerful ones, and professional athletes could usually reach the D+ level. Above that, there was C and C+, and then B, B+, A, , S…
But right now, Xu Cheng's current 'C' level basically indicated that he was only slightly above ordinary people, but it was far too big of a gap with the minimum entrance requirement of B to enter the Dragon Division. It was no wonder that the staff didn't have the heart to tell him.
Xu Cheng still had a smile on his face, but his heart was full of bitterness.
After the staff left, Luo Yi bent down and sat there crying.
Xu Cheng went over, tapped on his shoulder and sighed, "Learn how to take care of yourself once you get to the Dragon Division and remember to follow orders. Don't fool around anymore."
"Brother Cheng…" Luo Yi wept and gave Xu Cheng a big hug, "It was all my fault! I'm sorry…"
Xu Cheng patted him on the back and got out of the hug, proceeding to walk down the stairs. The bitter and sour feeling inside of Luo Yi surged as he watched Xu Cheng's back as he left. Xu Cheng saw the third member of their little group when he got to the front gate. He smiled, "Work hard and make me proud."
Li Wei nodded. "I will wait for you at Dragon Division."
More words would sound melodramatic; only a short sentence was enough to express his trust in Xu Cheng.
Xu Cheng smiled, he then went back to his dorm and packed up. He wasn't that kind of guy. Not meeting standards meant not meeting standards, and that meant disqualification. He wouldn't stay here anymore to be a burden or have his friends appeal to the emotions of their superior.
After packing, Xu Cheng looked at the framed picture of the three of them. Finally, he placed the photo into his suitcase and left the dorm.
- Inside the instructor's office -
"Xu Cheng, can I dismiss your request to leave? Although your stats went down, you can still stay behind as an instructor and help manage the recruits."
"Sir, I just want to enjoy some peace and take a break, you don't have to try to convince me." Xu Cheng bitterly smiled. "You know me, I only wanted to leave my best side at the military camp."
"But you are still an outstanding soldier!"
"But far from being enough!"
The instructor sighed helplessly. Then, he took out a reference letter and said, "I believe that you can overcome this obstacle and come back again. This is a position I've arranged for you with a friend of mine at the public security bureau in your home city Shangcheng. If you want a stable job, you need to go there with this letter and report in.
"Thanks." Xu Cheng saluted to his instructor. Then, he took the letter and left.
He left because he didn't want Luo Yi and the others to feel guilty. To get into the Dragon Division, all of them had trained very hard for the past few years. He didn't want them to decline the call of the Dragon just for him.
When he arrived at the military camp's gate, he took one last look at this basecamp he spent the past five years in. This didn't mean the end. He will be back and make it into the Dragon Division because becoming a part of it was his biggest dream as a soldier! If he were to give up now because of such an incident, he wouldn't be Xu Cheng anymore, nor would he deserve to be Xu Ren's son! His father had been his pride for his whole life, and his dream was to one day make it into the Dragon Division, fulfilling his dad's ambition in his place.
He grinned at the instructor and the others, "I will be back!"
Behind him, all the soldiers and instructors in the camp all saluted to show respect for all the glory he had brought to the 5th Military Region.
Chapter 2: He's My Husband
It already sucked to not be able to join the Dragon Division, and his physical stats and capabilities also significantly declined to the point of below normal soldiers. Was Xu Cheng really fine with all that?
He just didn't want to shed tears in front of his comrades, and his insistence to leave was just to protect the last bit of dignity he had left. He didn't need the pity and sympathy of others. There was nothing he wanted to say, because as a loser, whatever he says would be wrong. Reality was cruel, and the only option that laid before him was to recover in peace and make his return when he gets back to A level.
After returning to Shangcheng, Xu Cheng went out to a club to get drunk at night. The crowd on the dance floor was swinging and dancing to the chaotic electronic beat, but Xu Cheng was immersed in his own emotions.
Sitting by the bar, he took shot after shot, and it wasn't long before a gorgeously dressed woman came up to him and flirted, "Not going to buy me a drink?"
Xu Cheng pretended to be deaf. This woman took a closer look at his muscular 6'3 tall body. On top of the sexy lines that even clothes weren't able to cover up, the sharp and firm look from his eyes gave off an even manlier feeling.
Women at nightclubs loved this type of mature and strong man the most. Only insecure women would try to look for an emotional harbor in such a place, and this woman was clearly attracted by Xu Cheng.
"Give him a glass of whiskey, it's on me," said the woman as she gestured to the bartender.
When the whiskey was placed onto the table, the woman seemed to slip a pill into the drink and smiled at Xu Cheng, "Then I will buy you a drink."
"Although I'm a bit drunk, my brain can still function." Xu Cheng sneered at her actions and yelled, "Get lost!"
Unwilling to invite more humiliation onto herself, the woman snorted and walked away.
After consecutively taking a couple more shots, many unhappy emotions were gradually forgotten under the influence of alcohol, and his consciousness also slowly faded.
When the bar was about to close, the bartender came over and lightly shoved him, "Sir… sir? Wake up."
His head was against the table, and the batch of empty bottles in front of him was enough to give away the fact that he could not be drunker. The bartender couldn't wake him up no matter what, so with no better options, he asked two staff members to help hold him as he searched for a phone on his body.
Unlocking it with the drunk man's finger, he got to the contact list. It was pretty vacant, as only a few people were saved.
The first number to appear was one labeled as "Wife", and the bartender dialed it immediately.
The phone rang for awhile, but no one picked up. The bartender dialed again, and after a long wait, someone finally answered.
A very ethereal and beautiful woman's voice answered. Although the tone was quite cold, her voice was really soft and soothing.
"Hello?"
The bartender was dazed for a second, but then he quickly asked, "Hello, are you the wife of this number's owner? So what happened is, this gentleman got drunk in our bar, and we couldn't wake him up."
The other end of the line became silent for a moment.
"You got the wrong number," the voice spoke again.
"But…" the bartender took another look at the contact name and number and continued, "but this gentleman did save this number as 'Wife'… Anyways, I'm sorry for the inconvenience, maybe there's been a mistake."
Huadu Entertainment Company -
The beautiful woman at the company's annual cocktail party was wearing a beautiful long dress, and her wavy hair perfectly complimented her. Her name was Lin Chuxue, and she was recognized as the national goddess, both intelligent and gorgeous. Since her debut, that beautiful face of hers, which could pull the heartstrings of everyone in the country, gave her a big boost in attracting fans. Through her talents in acting and singing, she was able to capture the hearts of more and more fans, which allowed her to become one of the most famous celebrities in recent years. Coming from a mixed family of English and Chinese, another layer of mystery and nobility shrouded over her identity, and she was called the blue-eyed princess by her fans. Despite her foreign nationality, she chose to develop her career in Huaxia.
Originally, she was indifferent towards Xu Cheng's call, but hearing the last few words of the bartender, she sighed. Just before the bartender was about to hang up, she opened her mouth again and asked coldly, "Where's your bar?"
"Uh…" The bartender was obviously a bit caught off guard after the long pause, and then he immediately replied, "It's on 81 West Street, called the 'Old Place' Club."
Then, the call ended. The bartender pouted, feeling that the woman on the other end was acting a bit weird.
After hanging up, Lin Chuxue hesitated for a bit, and then she said to her assistant who was clinking glasses and entertaining guests in the corner, "Get the car, and come to a place with me."
The assistant nodded. She excused herself from the guests and left with the car keys. Lin Chuxue pushed off the party and followed her to their RV.
"Go to 81 West Street, to a pub called 'Old Place'."
The assistant nodded, turned the car on, and said to Lin Chuxue with a smile, "Sister Lin, many fresh celebrities signed by the company wanted to ask for advice from you, why did you decide to leave so early?"
"It's boring, aren't there already enough cocktail parties like this?" Lin Chuxue looked at the night cityscape moving past her window.
"Sister Lin, it's already pretty late. What are we doing going to a pub?"
Lin Chuxue didn't talk. Quietly, her face was turned to the window, and her slender eyelashes didn't move. She was that kind of quiet and elegant woman, where no matter which corner you put her in, her existence would be too dazzling to overlook. Whether it was in everyday life or in front of the public, she always gave off the feeling of a goddess who was not longing for anything in this world, content with staying silently as her beauty bloomed.
Arriving outside of the 'Old Place', it was not convenient for the public figure she was to appear, so she said to her assistant, "Lan, go inside and retrieve a gentleman named 'Xu Cheng'."
Lan was a bit shocked, but she still did what she was told.
Not long after she went in, she came out, struggling to help the unconscious and drunk Xu Cheng get to the car. It took a while, mainly since this Xu Cheng was too troublesome to handle, tossing himself left and right. In the end, Lin Chuxue had to get off the RV and help him onto the car together with her assistant, before throwing him onto a sofa.
"Back to my condo."
"Sister Lin, you never bring men back to your place…" Lan was worried that it wouldn't be appropriate.
"Go." Lin Chuxue didn't want to repeat herself.
Lan had no choice but to start the car. On the way back, she couldn't help herself but ask, "Who is this man? I've never seen him before."
"He's my husband," looking at the drunk Xu Cheng, she said without a hint of emotion. "The type that's only in name."
"Husband?" Lan's eyes widened in shock. "Sister Lin, aren't you still single?"
Lin Chuxue replied, "It was arranged by our parents before our birth, so I couldn't reject it at that time. We've been married for three years now, but we have never lived together. To us, it is as if the other one doesn't exist."
There was a tsunami in assistant Lan's heart, as the revelation had completely dumbfounded her. How young was Lin Chuxue? She was only a little over 20, and as the assistant that had followed her boss since their debut three years ago, she had never heard about her boss being married!
If this piece of news was to leak out to the media and the fans, wouldn't they be heartbroken, and wouldn't her career be over? In the entertainment industry, especially actresses, youth was an important driving factor in popularity, and many celebrities were most afraid that they would marry too early and then lose popularity. As her assistant, Lan was very concerned.
Lin Chuxue knew what her assistant was worried about, and she said, "It's okay, we kept the secret from the public for three years already, so we shouldn't have a problem hiding it for any longer. If the public does find out then there's nothing we can do. We did register already, although it's only nominal."
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Chapter 3: The Most Familiar Stranger
- The next day -
Xu Cheng woke up, finding himself in a completely unfamiliar environment. Being vigilant, he immediately sat up straight and looked around.
Lin Chuxue was in a green home dress, and her hair was tied into a ponytail. She poured a glass of water, placed it on the table, and softly said, "You were here once before, remember?"
"Oh, it's you." Xu Cheng finally let out a sigh of relief and lightly massaged his temple, "I'm sorry to disturb you."
Then, he got up and prepared to leave.
"Drink some water first," Lin Chuxue said indifferently, then walked to an independent room that was designated for her to create music. She sat down in front of the piano, and her 10 slender and snow-white fingers began playing the repertoire from her new album.
After Xu Cheng drank all the water and was prepared to leave, Lin Chuxue spoke without even turning her head around, "If you leave right now, you will be caught by the paparazzi, and then our relationship will no longer be a secret."
Xu Cheng pouted as he walked downstairs and sat on a sofa. On the other side sat Lin Chuxue's assistant Lan. Xu Cheng asked Lin Chuxue, "Do you mind if I smoke?"
She didn't reply, just continuing to play her piano.
The music was very gentle and soothing.
With the music plus the cigarette, Xu Cheng's mood was much better.
After Lin Chuxue finished playing, she turned around, glanced at him, and asked, "You are out?"
Xu Cheng nodded, "Yeah, couldn't get in, so I got out. I'm going to be working in Shangcheng for now, but don't worry, we will live our own lives. I will stay by my promise before to not walk into your life."
"No need for the reminder, you've done well for the past 3 years." Lin Chuxue asked again, "What are you planning to do?"
"My higher-up arranged something for me," Xu Cheng replied. "It will start with just small patrolling police matters, but I won't give up on my dream."
"I envy that you still have your dream."
Xu Cheng knew that this woman was making an oblique accusation. It was unfair for Lin Chuxue to have to marry Xu Cheng just because it was arranged by their parents before they were even born. This also interrupted a lot of her previous plans for her own life, leaving her no choice but to come to Huaxia to be his wife.
"I've tried to convince Uncle Lin many times in the past few years, and I'm really sorry that you had to marry me. But don't worry, I will give you enough freedom and respect, and you can even disregard this whole marriage thing to look for your true love. I know that our marriage will sooner or later be exposed, which could harm your career, but give me some time to convince Uncle Lin and then we can immediately divorce," Xu Cheng sincerely said.
Lin Chuxue didn't say anything and just quietly looked at her sheet music.
Assistant Lan on the side clearly made a subtle scoffing sound after hearing about Xu Cheng's job. In her eyes, Sister Lin's potential marriage choices should be either the rich or the powerful, instead of a little policeman who doesn't have the looks nor the background. It was no wonder that Sister Lin was talking to him in such an indifferent tone. But speaking of being indifferent, Sister Lin seemed to act this way towards all the men they came across.
Originally, she was planning to suck up to Xu Cheng a bit, thinking that he might be from a stunning background. However, after finding out what he really did, Lan suddenly took it upon herself to think that she must evaluate the risk this guy could pose to her boss's career. It was known that Lin Chuxue's fame was still on the climb, and each minute of her daily schedule could be compared to the value of gold. In terms of both net worth and pay, she was top tier in the celebrity circle, and Lan couldn't help but suspect whether the little policeman Xu Cheng would blackmail her later. So, after suppressing her intention for awhile, she finally took out an agreement and placed it onto the table.
Xu Cheng looked at the table and asked, "What is this?"
Lan replied, "Sister Lin, this is from your agent, Sister Lei."
Lin Chuxue frowned, and so did Xu Cheng.
Lan looked at him and said, "Mr. Xu, although it's very rude, but for the sake of Sister Lin's acting career, we want you to sign a confidentiality agreement to keep all of your relationship with Lin Chuxue confidential. It also outlines that in the future, you cannot interfere both in her career and personal life."
"Lan!" Lin Chuxue was a little dissatisfied.
"Sister Lin, I have no choice… Right now you are the signature of our company, our number one celebrity. If news of your marriage leaks out, it will be a major blow to your acting career, You are now in the ascending slope of your career, and we must eliminate all possible risks that could bring a detrimental impact," Lan bitterly smiled and then said in a concerned tone.
Xu Cheng laughed, and then his face sank, "You don't have to point fingers in the matter between me and her. I'm always very conscious about it and I stand by my words. In the past three years, I wasn't interested in anything that was related to her, and this is only my second time coming to this apartment. You and the company behind you can relax, I won't be stepping into her life."
Then, he stood up and left the condo.
Lan was very pissed, and she immediately spoke to Lin Chuxue, "He's clearly feeling guilty. We can't leave things like this, Sister Lin! If he's not signing this, he might come back to blackmail you when you are at the peak of your career."
Lin Chuxue didn't speak, as she continued on with playing her piano.
She wasn't worried, but her assistant Lan couldn't be more worried. If there was one thing that the celebrity circle didn't lack, it would be men like this.
"Sister Lin, I don't know what to say… Why would you not tell the company about your marriage? And if he doesn't sign the agreement, how will the company be confident to continue investing resources in you for you to grow?"
Lin Chuxue was peacefully playing another new song, just letting Lan going off as if the world was about to come to an end. She was enchanting herself in her own music, as beautiful as silent fireworks.
After she finished the song, she looked up at her assistant and asked, "Lan, do you think I'm pretty?"
"Of course, Sister Lin is the most beautiful woman I've seen. Even in the mixed-blood circle, you are high-up on the international list. Which man with status or wealth doesn't want to meet you? Right now, the offer to have a candlelight dinner with you has increased to 20 million! The headhunter companies directly contacted our company already, and Sister Lei rejected them all. It's obvious how high your net worth is for just one meal. Some of the List female celebrities don't even get paid 10 million for a movie."
Lin Chuxue smiled gently. "Oh right, didn't you hear what he said before he left? For three years, he promised that he will not step into my life. He did it, he didn't put his nose in any matter related to me. He's been here once, and he doesn't care about me to the point that he doesn't even remember his last visit. Lan, I believe that he is a man of his words. Let me ask you, how many men can marry me and still respect me like a guest and treat me like a stranger after three years?"
Lan was speechless.
That was also true. If it was someone else, they would indeed lose their calm and try to force things with Lin Chuxue.
"But Sister Lin, I'm scared that he might come back to ask for things when you are at the peak of your career." Lan frowned.
"He won't, don't worry." Lin Chuxue didn't seem nervous at all. She closed the cover for her piano, stood up, and said, "Do you know why you, the reporters, and the media couldn't find my marriage status information?"
Lan shook her head.
Lin Chuxue slowly said, "In fact, it was him that pulled some strings and made it confidential. He seemed like he really doesn't have any feelings for me. When we first got married, he also didn't force anything. I thought he was playing the trick of loosening the reins only to grasp better, so I chose to enter the entertainment business to probe him."
Speaking of this, Lin Chuxue bitterly smiled. "But it turned out that he really doesn't care. In the past few years, he was in the army but even when he did come out occasionally, he had never called me once. We were like the most familiar strangers. But that's also good, at least we won't hate each other, and that's good for both sides."
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Chapter 4: Are You Stupid
After leaving Lin Chuxue's apartment, Xu Cheng returned to the top floor of his high-rise apartment. Standing on the balcony, he could see more than half of downtown and the rural lakeside.
Not long after, the manager of the management company personally came up and handed him a report. "This is the list of guests who have settled in during the past three years. We were afraid that you wouldn't have the confidence in letting us manage this building for you, so we organized the data and made it all transparent to you. Our boss really attaches great importance to your property business, Mr. Xu. After all, no boss in Shangcheng would dare to hand over such a big property for our company to manage."
Xu Cheng took a smoke and nodded. "I didn't intend to take back the property, don't be nervous."
The manager of the intermediary management company let out a sigh of relief.
"I just want you to revoke the highest floor's rent information. I will be living in Shangcheng for the next little while, and I will use this floor myself."
"Oh that's a relief. I thought you planned on cancelling our cooperation." The manager was finally relaxed.
Xu Cheng smiled. "I don't want to deal with the troubles that comes with managing the building. Inform the guests on the highest floor, negotiate with them, and ask them to move if they can."
The manager replied immediately, "No problem, although condos along the lakeside area are high in demand, most people will still happily accept the compensation for a breach of contract and move out."
Xu Cheng nodded. "Then I will thank you in advance."
"No trouble at all, Mr. Xu. If you need anything, just give me a call." The manager handed Xu Cheng a business card and then left the balcony.
Xu Cheng put out the cigarette, and then he went to the city's Public Safety Bureau with the recommendation letter.
With Xu Cheng's past in the army, it was more than enough for him to qualify for a position at a local police station.
After reading the letter, the director didn't give him too much trouble and directly told a supervisor to lead Xu Cheng to get his uniform.
"This is your ID card and your identification number is M8757. From now on, you are with me, and we are responsible for the lakeside area," the supervisor handed him the uniform and ID and said.
Xu Cheng nodded. "Yes sir, my pleasure."
"No problem, just be smart in the future. Our area is a bit different than the rest." The instructor sighed and continued, "Before you are issued a firearm license, you will be patrolling with other colleagues during the day. Oh right, are you still familiar with the city?"
"Although I was away for three years, I still grew up here, so I can naturally adapt to it."
"Oh, the three-year change can be drastic. Right now the country is booming and there are big changes every year, especially for big cities like Shangcheng. The financial district in the city changes every day, and there are people across the nation that come here to work. So, there is a lot of traffic here, and there are all kinds of people. Normally, the number of lawsuits and the size of our workload can bury us. You will also be confronted with a lot of things, especially at night. It's a city that never sleeps, and we also function 24/7. Although this job is quite tiring, Shangcheng's compensation and benefit policy treats us pretty well. Do a good job, and with a good record, you will have a lot of room for advancement."
Xu Cheng nodded.
After changing into the uniform, he took a look at the mirror and smiled, "Both are jobs serving this country, just treat this as a chastening period while my stats sit at C. The day when I get back to A level will be the day I join the Dragon Division."
After putting on the hat and sorting himself out, Xu Cheng went to the hall of the bureau. With the supervisor's introduction, Xu Cheng greeted his colleagues that would be managing the district with him.
However, a patrol policeman who might be exhausted from last night's shift came out from the backstage lounge. There were some bruises on his face and he complained to the supervisor, "Sir, I would like to ask for a day off."
The supervisor frowned and said after he let out a deep sigh, "Then who's going to take your night shift to patrol?"
"Whoever wants to go can go, I'm fed up with it anyways." The guy was clearly very emotional. "How about I take the day shift?"
"How can that work out? Your assigned patrol area, the lakeside district, is already a place that warrants more attention. Who is going to take your place if you take a break?" The supervisor was getting a little angry and asked the others, "Which one of you wants to take his night shift?"
The other four immediately shook their heads.
The policeman asking for a day off pointed at the bruise on his face and said, "Look, these people dared to publicly assault police, and they cause trouble every day! Last night, the complaints did not stop, and I just tried to intervene on a few cases, but was still beaten up like this. Some people even said that they will get me fired. Those bunch of bastards think they can do anything just because they have money!"
The supervisor sighed. He patted him on the shoulder and said, "I understand it's hard, but you also know that young people now just have a bad temper, and those that have no manners wouldn't listen if you lay any logic on them. Just bear with it for a few days, I will request the director and the general administration board to send over more men to help relieve the pressure."
Judging by the emotions exhibited by the officer and how the others were all terrified to pick up this hot potato, it seemed like never-sleeping city of Shangcheng had taken a quite deviant path.
At this moment, Xu Cheng spoke, "Would you like me to exchange for his place?"
The patrol officer with bruises immediately replied as his eyes lit up with joy, "Sir, if someone is willing to take my place, then I will take the day shift for now."
"No, Xu Cheng just came today and he's not very familiar with many things in the area. I'm going to have him take care of the logistic side for now." The supervisor frowned.
"But with this injury I need to go to the hospital. It really hurts, and I need to go and get myself checked out."
"Sir, it's fine. I have to manage this kind of stuff sooner or later, so it's all the same. I will just take his nightshift," Xu Cheng said.
The colleague with bruises was very touched. He came over and patted Xu Cheng on the shoulder. "Brother, when I get better, I will take you out and treat you to a good meal."
Xu Cheng smiled and then said to the supervisor, "I'm quite familiar with Shangcheng, I will be fine. Besides, I'm not the only one on that night shift, right? I won't have any problem under the care of my colleagues."
"Alright." The supervisor was no longer entangled in this matter, but he still reminded the other cops on the same night shift who were more street-smart and experienced, "Xu Cheng is new and doesn't know a lot stuff, so take care of him."
The others nodded.
Then, the group was dismissed, and those that needed sleep went to take a nap and those that were hungry went to eat. Xu Cheng just sat in the backyard smoking. At this moment, a cop on the logistics team came over and looked at him as if he was looking at a monster. "Xu Cheng, are you pretending to be dumb or are you dumb for real? In a city like Shangcheng, where each square foot of land can be measured in gold, there are all kinds of people that live here. To be honest, these people would either go to work or stay home during the day and play the role of a good kid. But at night, one by one, they will all reveal their true characters. Any random character can be someone with money or power that we can't afford to offend, and that's why night shifts are the most difficult. I really don't know what's going on in your mind, why would you volunteer to take the night watch?"
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Chapter 5: Roommate
Maybe the supervisor didn't want the timid staff member on the logistics team to instill some negative thoughts into Xu Cheng and scare him off from taking the night shift, so he came over and patted on Xu Cheng's shoulder. "Hey buddy, you don't have to take the day shift anymore. Just come over at 9:30 tonight and take the shift until 8:00 AM tomorrow."
Xu Cheng stood up and nodded.
The supervisor appreciated and respected those that weren't afraid of trouble, and he said to Xu Cheng with a warm and caring voice, "If there's trouble, then we just need to tackle them head-on, otherwise why bother being a police officer, right? Our country's society is run by the law, so who can be higher than the law? With the law backing us up, if someone looks for trouble, just arrest them and let them talk to the law."
Xu Cheng nodded. "Alright, I will come back in the evening."
The supervisor smiled and nodded.
Now, Xu Cheng no longer had anything to do during the day. To be honest, he was happy about that, because he could use this time to exercise and hopefully recover faster. If it was a day shift, he might not have time for training anymore.
He went back to his condo, got out of the elevator on the top floor and saw a back-view killer level woman. A so-called back-view killer is when the back image of a lady's beautiful body was enough to grab onto your heart and make you think that she was at least a 7 out of 10. Of course, there were also back-view killer level women that could turn around and make your eyes bleed instead of making your mouth drool.
Perhaps hearing the elevator opening, the woman with a slim back view who was waiting in the hall with her luggage turned around. That gorgeous face of hers could get a 9 out of 10.
The woman wasn't eager to talk, but seeing Qingfeng pull out his keys and about to open the door, she spoke in astonishment, "You are the new resident that's moving into this floor, right?"
Xu Cheng looked at this woman with an odd expression. Jean shorts to better accentuate her long, slim, and snow-white legs, plus the slightly slender and loose shirt, the outfit complimented her looks very well. She looked like the soft-type of little girl that enjoyed staying home.
"That's me," he replied.
Right after he finished, this soft-looking pretty girl immediately came up, grabbed onto Xu Cheng's wrist. With a fast over-the-shoulder throw, Xu Cheng, who was completely unguarded, was dropped onto the floor.
Holy f*ck. He was indeed very surprised. He didn't expect a vulnerable-looking woman could throw a 6'3 man like him over her shoulder.
Xu Cheng decided to just simply lay on the ground until he figured out what's going on. The technique used by this woman just now was definitely a melee-combat technique used by the police or army. It seemed like this woman shared the same profession as him.
The woman bent down and said while gritting her teeth, "I was having a good time staying here until you came. Do you think you are all high and almighty and can do whatever you want just because you have money? Don't you know that it's really tough to find a place to live right now in Shangcheng? There should be a first come first serve order in everything. If anyone's going to move, it's going to be you. Otherwise, I will be standing here by the door every day. If you have the guts to move in in peace, I will take care of you once every time I see you. You got it?"
Xu Cheng smiled and shook his head.
"What are you smiling about?" the woman asked in disdain.
Xu Cheng suddenly forced strength into his two feet, springing himself up a couple inches before her and throwing her over his shoulder. Since she was his peer, he decided to return her the favor. The woman wanted to resist when she felt her wrist being grabbed, but she suddenly realized that Xu Cheng's strength and technique was a lot stronger than her. In shock, she found herself losing balance and falling to the ground. Xu Cheng did control his power a bit; otherwise the woman would've gotten smashed into the floor like what the Hulk did to Loki.
Xu Cheng patted the dirt off of his clothes and replied, "If you want to beat me up every time you see me, I don't mind returning the favor."
Then, he pushed open the door and went in. Just when he was about to close the door, the woman shoved her whole arm between the door trying to stop him from closing it, "Are you still a man? You dare to hit a woman?"
Xu Cheng thought the woman would pull back her arm to avoid being clipped by the door, so he continued to close it. The door caught the woman's arm, and she screamed in shock.
But, she just didn't pull her arm out, and Xu Cheng couldn't close the door.
"I'm only responsible for moving in, not responsible for anything related to you. If you have something to say, then talk to the management company," Xu Cheng said.
"But…" The woman was anxious. "It's really too difficult to find a place in Shangcheng. I was finally able to find a place here and have already lived here for a month, how can I move again right away? Isn't this a bit too cruel?"
"If I'm wrong, the property management company paid you double the monthly rent in compensation? It's still not enough?" Xu Cheng replied.
"I don't want the compensation, just don't make me move. It's really not easy to find a place to live right now, and this place is also very close to where I work… Besides, at least don't give me such a short notice… I mean, what is wrong with you? There are four units on the highest floor, and you wanted to vacant all four and connect the units? Are you going to need 10 thousand square feet just for yourself? Isn't that a bit too lonely? How about this, you just give me one room, and I will pay you the market price," the woman said.
"Not interested, I don't need money," Xu Cheng replied.
The woman's eyes became wide open. "HUH?! Are you still a man or not? Other men would spare no means just to initiate a conversation with me, and you are turning down the opportunity to room with me? It's your fortune, alright? If it was someone else, they would've invited me in without charging a single cent."
"Then you can go to someone else," Xu Cheng said and prepared to slam the door shut. Perhaps sensing the danger and seeing his emotionless face, the woman got scared this time and pulled back her arm.
After Xu Cheng shut the door, the woman outside said with anger, "Is it easy for a little girl to be far from home by herself? I was just assigned to Shangcheng's Criminal Police Department, I'm not familiar with the city or have any friends, and now I have to deal with some serious cases these days. How can I squeeze out the time to find a place?"
After hearing that she was also recently assigned to Shangcheng, he stopped his footsteps, turned around, opened the door for her and asked, "Show me your documents."
The woman stood up and habitually took out her ID and said, "I'm not lying."
Xu Cheng sighed, and then he said to her, "You don't know me, yet you dare to live under the same roof as me? With a strange dude living so close to you, are you not scared?"
The woman was not stupid too. She faintly smiled, "That's why I showed you my police ID. Even if you are stupid, you wouldn't mess around with a criminal police officer right? Besides, we are just sharing an entire floor, not a single room. I'm really out of choices here, but I will find a place once I solve the cases on my hand."
"Come in." Xu Cheng pulled open the door and walked away.
The woman was overjoyed, and she snorted, "Did you finally admit defeat before my beautiful face?"
Xu Cheng saw that she came in but didn't close the door, so he laughed and replied, "Are you scared?"
"Who is scared?" the women sneered.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Ran Jing. What's yours?"
"Xu Cheng," he replied as he looked at her with a half smile. "If you are not scared, why not close the door?"
Crap, this guy has a sophisticated mind. He was not simple, being able to detect this seemingly insignificant clue.
As a criminal police officer, she felt a bit embarrassed and awkward, seeing how her little scheme was directly seen through by the guy before her.
She raised and straightened her leg backwards and immediately shut the door. Then, she looked at him with mockery and said, "So what? I closed it now."
Xu Cheng announced, "You can move in, and you can pick a room after me. You don't need to pay rent, you just have to do the cleaning after you get home from work."
Xu Cheng was not lazy, he just didn't want to take time out of training to do chores.
Now the million dollar question is: Who is going to be wearing the pants in this house?
5 more chapters coming out tomorrow!
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