Five Cases – Chapter 9: Case Closed

“Today is the last day.” Director Gao walked into the squad’s office, a lively-looking Chang Hui following on his heels. 

Ji Fanyang stood: “Director Gao, Captain Chang.”

“How’s the case?” Director Gao asked affably. 

“After a little paperwork, the case can be closed.” Ji Fanyang answered. 

“It was a suicide?” Chang Hui could not stop himself from asking. 

“Murder.” Ji Fanyang answered. The young man’s handsome countenance could not help but reveal his esteem before everyone, “Yesterday, Chief Lu discovered a small discrepancy. From this, the contents of the case can be deemed a murder.”

“Oh?” Director Gao’s excitement was stirred up. He sat on the sofa and accepted the tea Rao Feifei passed to him, “Explain it to me?”

“Understood.” Ji Fanyang related a polished version of the inferences he discussed with Lu Hui before dawn to Director Gao. 

Ji Fanyang finished his explanation, and after his words ebbed, a period of silence followed. 

Director Gao took two sips of his tea, then sighed with feeling: “Truly worthy of being the Provincial Bureau’s preeminent master sleuth. Looks like going to his door to personally invite him was not in vain.” His eyes squinted, contented with himself. 

Chang Hui sighed: “I can’t compare to him.”

“Chief Lu is so amazing.” Rao Feifei’s eyes were filled with adoration. Ji Fanyang nodded, as if the two glasses of water a few hours prior had transformed into a tide of admiration that swelled in his heart. 

“So it’s like this. How about I let Xiao Lu remain with team seven?” Director Gao asked in passing. 

“Don’t.” / “No.”

Two voices sounded at once. Everyone raised their heads; Lu Hui stood at the doorway. 

“Xiao Lu, you’ve come.” Director Gao waved a hand in greeting, “Here, let’s talk it over.”

“There’s nothing to discuss. I’m not following another team.” Lu Hui sat in his usual position behind the desk, not bothering to spare a glance at anyone else in the office. 

However, Director Gao was not aggravated. If he was one to be angered easily, he would have already been infuriated by Lu Hui locking him outside and refusing to see him prior. His gaze turned in Chang Hui’s direction: “Can you explain why you do not want Xiao Lu to help out in team seven?”

“I can’t wrangle him.” Chang Hui smiled wryly, “If something happened, I wouldn’t be able to manage it.”

Lu Hui shot a contemptuous side-eye at Chang Hui. 

Director Gao nodded slightly: “True. Let me think for a moment about how to deal with this matter.”

“Director Gao, you can’t have Lu Hui follow another team. I don’t think anyone can wrangle him.” Chang Hui said. 

Director Gao suppressed a smile: “There is someone who can.” Just as he finished speaking, the sound of clacking high-heels entered the office. 

Lu Hui sat up straighter, his gaze shifting to the door. His brow creased in annoyance, and he muttered to himself under his breath, like a kid caught skipping class. 

“Lu Hui.” A slender woman appeared at the doorway wearing a formal suit and tie. She had a trim waist, red lips, and curly hair, with looks quite similar to Lu Hui. 

While Lu Hui’s appearance was cold and gloomy, the woman’s was outspoken and sharp. 

“…Sis.” The single syllable sprang off the tip of his tongue. 

Everyone who heard the sensitive intel lifted their heads, and their admiring gazes fell on the woman. 

A woman who could wrangle Lu Hui. Tut tut, the crowd could only marvel. 

“Miss Lu.” Director Gao nodded at her, “I’ve troubled you by asking you to come here.”

“And I’ve troubled you with my younger brother.” Miss Lu smiled lightly, her pretty lips curling upward, “I’m Lu An.”

“Then, please come speak with your brother. I have a little paperwork to sort out.” Director Gao stood. 

“I also have something to do.” Chang Hui took the hint. 

“I’m going to pick up the report from the forensics department.” Rao Feifei said. 

“I…” Ji Fanyang frowned. All of the excuses he could think of were already taken by that crowd in front of him.

“You stay.” Lu Hui threw a look at Ji Fanyang, “Have you finished the case write up?”

“No…” Ji Fanyang bore the joint stares of the two members of the Lu family. He wished nothing more than to throw himself behind the sofa to hide. 

“Then keep working on it. It has to be done before noon.” Lu Hui, with a solemn expression, oppressed his subordinate. As soon as he turned his head, his ear was seized by Lu An, who had walked over, “Sss…not so hard.”

“You’ve really progressed, huh.” Lu An gave a surface-level smile, “Little bastard.”

“Then you’re a bastard’s sister.” Lu Hui could help running his mouth, but his ear was still in the hand of said bastard’s sister, “Sss…”

“Xiao Wei found you a director who’s too mild in temper. Don’t think you can take advantage of that.” Lu An released him, and Lu Hui hurriedly retreated two steps to escape her range. 

“If I wasn’t here, this case would have been ruled a suicide.” Lu Hui defended himself forcefully, “We would have let a murderer run free. I acted correctly, for justice and truth.”

“Fuck your justice and truth, have you ever really thought of those things?” Lu An put down this excuse ruthlessly, “I didn’t even mention the shit you pulled at the Provincial Public Safety Bureau. If Xiao Wei hadn’t recommended you to the City’s Bureau, you’d have already been fired.”

“Oh, then I’m really fortunate.” Lu Hui shrugged his shoulders. 

“You ingrate, turning your back on Xiao Wei. The last time you saw him, did you even give him an honest ‘hello’?” Lu An asked. 

Lu Hui guiltily looked at the wall on his right: “I greeted him.”

“I said an honest hello.” Lu An was well-acquainted with Lu Hui’s mannerisms. She patted Lu Hui’s head, somewhat disappointed, “Xiao Wei is generous, he doesn’t sweat the small things, but you’ve angered him for years now. Furthermore, you’ve made another young person run off. What happened?”

“He chose to leave by himself.” Lu Hui wrinkled his eyebrows, “Mud-slinger”

“Little brat!” Lu An was so angered that she hit Lu Hui’s chest, “You can’t go a day without attacking people with your words. Young people are proud and ambitious, what else can they do if they can’t handle it?”

“Oh, then I should really thank him for teaching me about discipline.” Lu Hui refuted obscurely. 

Ji Fanyang finally experienced Chief Lu’s childish side, so he did not dare to even breathe loudly, throwing himself into his paperwork with both ears perked up like two top-secret satellite dishes. 

“In a bit, you’re going to go give that young man an apology, regardless if you mean it or not.” Lu An said. 

Apologize? Ji Fanyang’s pen stopped moving. 

Lu Hui immediately turned around and glared at Ji Fanyang, like a rich landowner oppressing the working class: “Keep working!”

“…” Ji Fanyang lowered his head, diving into his sea of paperwork. 

“Did you hear me?!” Lu An’s fingers drew near Lu Hui’s ear. 

“Mm…” Lu Hui agreed perfunctorily. 

“So well-behaved.” Lu An mussed her little brother’s hair, “I heard that that young man returned to team three. I’ll wait for you outside their office.”

“…” Hearing the rustling sound of writing behind him cease once again, Lu Hui felt that he had been forced into an impasse. He nodded, slanted a look at Ji Fanyang, then turned around and left the office. 

“Hff…” Ji Fanyang let out a relieved sigh. 

Team three’s office. 

Yang Jie saw Lu Hui push open the door, and she greeted him warmly: “Xiao Lu, you’re here?”

“Mm, Sister Yang.” Yang Jie and Lu An were about the same age, so Lu Hui’s expression was more respectful, “I’m looking for Qi Zhou.”

“Mm?” Qi Zhou, who had just been filling out a report, lifted his head, “What is it?”

“Come out here for a second.” Facing Qi Zhou, Lu Hui put away his good manners and resumed being an out-and-out scoundrel. 

With no other alternative, Qi Zhou put down his pen and followed Lu Hui out of the office. 

They came to a relatively quieter stairwell. Lu Hui glanced at Lu An, who was standing further away, out of the corner of his eye. An annoyed light flashed through his eyes, and he lifted his head to say to Qi Zhou: “How about this, I’ll apologize to you so you can listen to it. Feel free to publicize it, I won’t deny it.”

“Oh?” Interest manifested in Qi Zhou’s eyes, “You’re being forced to apologize to me? Why?”

“Mud-slinger.” These three syllables slipped out of Lu Hui’s throat. 

“You’re calling me a mud-slinger?” Qi Zhou’s eyes widened, “Immature!”

“But I solved the case, it was a murder.” Lu Hui was immensely proud of himself. His scornful gaze raked over Qi Zhou, “Your so-called ‘discipline’ didn’t find the truth.”

“Alright, you won. Now what?” Qi Zhou spread his hands, “You haven’t apologized yet?”

“…” If Lu An hadn’t been standing nearby, Lu Hui may have lifted a hand to beat him. 

“Xiao Lu.” Yang Jie walked up to them, “Have you two finished your discussion?”

“Fine, I accept your apology.” Qi Zhou patted Lu Hui’s arm, “I’m going, there’s paperwork to do.”

“…” Watching Qi Zhou’s back as he left, Lu Hui felt unusually dejected. 

“Finished your apology?” Lu An walked over and said with gratification, “I think that young man is really sensible.”

“Tch.” Lu Hui clicked his tongue. 

Afternoon. 

Lu Hui, Ji Fanyang, and Rao Feifei walked into Director Gao’s office. 

Yang Jie was standing in front of the desk. 

“Everyone’s here. Have a seat.” Director Gao smiled, “Beginning today, Yang Jie and you all will form a squad.”

“Then team three’s captain position?” Rao Feifei asked. 

“I have my own arrangements.” Director Gao stated assuredly, “Your squad won’t need to follow any one team. Rather, you will form a separate serious crimes investigation team that I will manage directly. If another team encounters a difficult case, you all will go help that team.”

“Um…is this compliant with regulations?” Ji Fanyang asked. 

“Xiao Lu was the one I hired directly against regulations.” Director Gao smiled, “Xiao Lu, any objections?”

“One.” Lu Hui said, “When we go help out another team, are we leaders or partners?”

“Partners,” Director Gao replied, “If a team captain has a complaint, have them come to me, but you can’t overstep either.”

Lu Hui, who had just received Lu An’s education, was still quite agreeable. He reluctantly affirmed: “Mm.” 

Thus, Linhua City’s serious crimes investigation squad was established. 

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This is the end of the first case! The next four cases will be much longer (~15-18 chapters instead of 7). 

I have a few things I want to edit in this case + prologue before moving onto the next case. A few changes I’m making:

• Lu Hui’s group -> Lu Hui’s squad
• City/Provincial Bureau of Public Safety -> City/Provincial Public Safety Bureau
• Third team -> Team three

And other smaller ones. Sometimes I forget what I called things lol, so I want to straighten everything out before moving on.