Lu Qingqing’s visit was mainly to confirm two matters: the time for the reorganization, and the conditions required to become a team leader.
“It’s being prepared now. The reorganization of the police department is not a small matter. Personnel transfers and adjustments, police district demarcation, and whether to establish new sub-bureaus all require preliminary investigation, research, and final approval. It will take at least another six months.”
Six months? Six months was enough.
Lu Qingqing had four months left of her study period at the research institute. By then, obtaining one or two outstanding student certificates would add to her competitive edge.
“As for becoming a team leader, it definitely requires a certain number of years of service, rich case-solving experience, prominent major cases, and additionally, the recommendation of one or two people.”
Hearing this, Lu Qingqing’s confidence soared.
Although she hadn’t worked in the city for a long time, she had previously served as the captain of the criminal investigation team in the county.
Whether it was years of service or work experience, she could present them. As for her involvement in major cases, let alone her past, in the three months she had been here, every case she had solved was commendable.
As for recommenders, Hmph! If Ouyang Wen and Hu Jia didn’t write them for her, she’d skin them alive.
Seeing Lu Qingqing’s spirited and confident demeanor, Ouyang Wen couldn’t help but show a slight smile.
He was happy that Lu Qingqing had ambitions to move up. At the same time, he felt a little smug, knowing that Lu Qingqing would soon be under his direct command, and wouldn’t be sticking so close to Xiao Jia anymore.
After all, it wasn’t good for an unmarried woman to be constantly entangled with an unmarried man.
…
Lu Qingqing paid special attention to the afternoon class, wishing she could prick up her ears. She didn’t even notice when Tong Meng appeared outside the classroom.
“Hmph.” Tong Meng looked at the woman through the glass window, her eyes filled with unconcealable hatred. “Lu Qingqing, you snatched my Hu Jia away, and I won’t let you have an easy time.”
Tong Hua glanced at Tong Meng with disdain. Ha, delusional. When was Hu Jia ever hers?
Perhaps sensing Tong Hua’s contemptuous gaze, Tong Meng shot him a sharp look. “Don’t forget what Sixth Master instructed you to do.” Kuai Shu Ge.
Upon hearing this, Tong Hua quickly suppressed his dissatisfaction with Tong Meng. “You don’t need to worry about my business. You should focus on how to befriend Lu Qingqing.”
Tong Meng turned and left expressionlessly.
Watching Tong Meng’s receding back, Tong Hua clenched his fists. He knew that Sixth Master had ordered Tong Meng to befriend Lu Qingqing.
But what was the purpose of this friendship? He didn’t know.
This made Tong Hua increasingly uneasy. He felt he was drifting further and further away from Sixth Master’s inner circle.
…
Lu Qingqing was completely unaware of the Tong siblings’ appearance. She was more looking forward to what awaited her after school.
Based on past experience, Hu Jia would wait for Lu Qingqing at the school gate every Monday.
Today was no exception.
However, Lu Qingqing’s feelings had changed slightly this time. Previously, she saw herself as playing a role. Today, however, she saw herself as living it.
But she soon realized that things were not that simple.
It seemed that now she needed to test her acting skills even more.
Because she had to pretend that she and Hu Jia had been in a relationship for a long time, and that she was already his fiancée.
Since she was already his fiancée, she had to act naturally.
“You’re here,” Lu Qingqing tried to sound as natural as possible.
“Mmm,” Hu Jia replied, but his eyes couldn’t help but drift towards her.
Previously, Lu Qingqing hadn’t noticed, but now she was particularly sensitive.
“What? Am I different from the photos at home?” Lu Qingqing tried to sound playful.
“No, no,” Hu Jia said, a little awkwardly. “I’m just looking.”
Just looking, Lu Qingqing scoffed inwardly.
Lu Qingqing understood Hu Jia, who woke up every morning, at least seventy to eighty percent, if not completely.
He was simply curious about her.
Furthermore, a sense of responsibility, etched into his bones, drove him to act as much as possible like a fiancé.
For instance, picking her up from school.
Thinking of this, Lu Qingqing felt much relieved. Since Hu Jia could quickly adjust his state and correctly position himself, why couldn’t she, Lu Qingqing?
Fiancée…
Simple!
Lu Qingqing reached out and took Hu Jia’s arm. As her arm passed through his wrist, she clearly felt him flinch, followed by stiffness in his body.
“Heh heh. Relax, this isn’t the first time.” Lu Qingqing tried to sound nonchalant, but her heart was also racing.
She had held Hu Jia’s arm before, but back then, she had treated it as a task.
But today was different; she was doing it as his fiancée.
Seeing Hu Jia’s stunned expression, Lu Qingqing found it a little amusing. Had she rushed things too quickly? Had she startled this kid?
Little did she know that Hu Jia felt like he had been struck by lightning. The moment Lu Qingqing took his arm just now, a scene flashed in his mind.
It was a scene of Lu Qingqing holding his arm.
He was a little surprised. Didn’t they say he couldn’t remember anything? Why were there fragments of memory?
Although it was only for a second, perhaps less than a second, he could clearly distinguish that it was a scene of him and Lu Qingqing together.
“Let’s go, hurry home. We’re making sweet and sour pork ribs tonight.” Lu Qingqing thought Hu Jia was uncomfortable with her initiative, as they had always been very formal when they first met every Monday.
Hu Jia walked passively. He even initiated conversations with Lu Qingqing, asking about their past.
But no matter how Lu Qingqing tugged his arm or talked about past experiences, the feeling of memory flashes never reappeared.
Hu Jia was baffled and had to dismiss the experience as a hallucination. However, after this incident, a gentleness appeared in Hu Jia’s gaze towards Lu Qingqing.
He had a fleeting feeling that he had known this girl for a long time, and that he inexplicably felt a fondness for her.
Their figures appeared so harmonious in the setting sun. Not far away, in the research institute, a group of people wielding wooden clubs rushed into the small second-floor building and proceeded to beat Li Yongqiang.
“Tell us, where is Feng Si?”
“I don’t know any Feng Si. I’ve never even heard the name.”
Li Yongqiang’s lips were bleeding, and the pain in his chest made every breath a torment.
“You don’t know?” The dark-faced man landed another punch on Li Yongqiang’s stomach. “Such lies won’t fool me.”
The intense pain distorted Li Yongqiang’s features. Seeing the other party swing a fist again, he dodged with all his might, but unfortunately, he couldn’t avoid it.
“The person who came that night must have been Feng Si, right?” the masked man looked down at Li Yongqiang.
Li Yongqiang glanced at him contemptuously. “I really didn’t expect that a small fry like me would be of such interest to so many of you.”
“Slap,” the masked man slapped Li Yongqiang across the face. “You? You’re not worth our effort.”
“Heh heh!” Li Yongqiang chuckled. “You want to know where Feng Si is, right? Come closer, and I’ll tell you.”
The masked man showed a contemptuous smile. Indeed, even the hardest bones feared the stick.
But just as he leaned his head closer, Li Yongqiang suddenly reached out and tore off his mask.
“It’s you?” Li Yongqiang was greatly shocked.
“You could have lived, but you really didn’t cherish the life your father exchanged for you,” Tong Hua said with demonic eyes.