Chapter 7: Conflict

MARCH 1, 2022 GENZANYDANMEIFIVE CASES

Chapter 7

Once he walked to Director Gao’s office, Lu Hui stopped and turned to ask his two shadows: “You two want to go in too?”

“Of course.” Ji Fanyang shrugged his shoulders, “How big could it be?”

“Yeah.” Rao Feifei echoed. 

Lu Hui’s expression shifted subtly, then he lifted a hand to knock. 

“Dong, dong, dong.”

“The door isn’t locked, come on in.” Director Gao’s voice came through. 

Lu Hui pushed open the door and entered, Rao Feifei and Ji Fanyang following behind him. 

Director Gao was sitting behind the desk, the captain of the seventh team, Chang Hui, standing in front of it. 

Director Gao’s eyes squinted as he smiled: “Xiao Lu’s here. Come sit down.”

Lu Hui didn’t decline the offer, straightforwardly sitting down. He didn’t say anything, and no one else said anything. 

A period of silence. 

“Xiao Lu, the case in your hands, have you just about finished investigating it?” Director Gao sipped his tea, then spoke. 

“I have the main outline.” Lu Hui said. 

“Main outline? It’s definitely not a suicide?” Director Gao asked.

“Yes and no.” Lu Hui answered. 

“What do you mean?” Chang Hui couldn’t hold himself back, his tone carrying anger. 

Lu Hui gave him a side eye and didn’t answer. 

“We’ve already concluded the majority of our investigation.” Ji Fanyang attempted to ease the tension. 

“And you haven’t even found out if he killed himself or not?” Chang Hui refuted. 

“Three days.” Lu Hui raised an eyebrow, “Give me three more days.”

“Two days.” Director Gao’s tea cup knocked on the table, releasing a clear ‘click’ sound, “At most two days. If you can’t find anything useful within two days, the case will be ruled a suicide.”

“Fine.” Lu Hui got up off the sofa, pulled open the door, and exited the office. 

Chang Hui, Rao Feifei, and Ji Fanyang said: “Then, we’ll take our leave.”

“Go.” Director Gao sighed, vexedly kneading his temples. 

The three of them followed Lu Hui, and Chang Hui spoke first: “You’ve mismanaged this thing from the very beginning.”

“Oh, I should have let the murderer remain at large.” Lu Hui said expressionlessly. 

“Who have you identified? If it wasn’t a homicide, all you’ve done is waste police resources and reduce efficiency.” Chang Hui said. 

“Aren’t you just looking to bear no responsibility?” Lu Hui turned into the group’s office. 

Qi Zhou, who was sitting inside, was struck dumb by the throg of people who entered. 

“I don’t want to take responsibility? Lu Hui, you can’t tell the good from the bad at all.” Chang Hui’s voice raised in fury, “Do you even know how to write the word ‘discipline’?”

“I don’t want to know.” Lu Hui said. He faced Chang Hui, his even voice permeated with scorn and insult, “If you don’t want to bear responsibility for this case, then I’ll be in charge of it.”

“Perfect, be sure not to involve me.” Chang Hui blustered incoherently, “I don’t know what Director Gao was thinking, but as long as I’m here, don’t think that you can get away with anything!”

“Sorry, I really don’t want to work under you.” Lu Hui said, “Since I’m responsible for this case, we have a clear difference in scope, and my group no longer belongs to the seventh team.”

“Chief Lu.” Qi Zhou stood up to disagree, “In the beginning, Director Gao had us follow the seventh team to investigate cases…”

“Oh, so what? Did I sign myself away?” Lu Hui opened fire, willing to unload on anyone he could catch, let alone Qi Zhou, who he did not get along with, “I felt that the case had a problem, I went to get to the bottom of it. If anything happens, I’ll be responsible for it, don’t worry needlessly about each and every thing.”

“You! You’re really a fucking bastard!” Chang Hui finally busted out the foul language. 

“You figured it out too late, the provincial Bureau of Public Safety already knows this nickname.” Lu Hui’s expression was unperturbed, “Is there anything else? If not, then I’m going back to the crime scene.”

Chang Hui firmly smacked the desk, leaving in a huff. 

Qi Zhou said: “Lu Hui, you want to investigate the case independent of the seventh team?”

“What, was I not clear enough?” Lu Hui frowned, “Should I write it down on the whiteboard for you?”

Qi Zhou, on the receiving end of this series of shots fired, felt his hands tremble. He calmed down for a moment, then said: “Then I apologize, but I cannot work with you. I cannot tolerate someone who disregards discipline.”

“The door is over there.” Lu Hui waved his hand randomly in the direction of the door, “Bye.”

Qi Zhou directly left the office, flinging the door closed with a ‘peng’. 

With the two people gone, the office was suddenly much quieter. 

Ji Fanyang spoke: “Uh…”

“Rao Feifei, did you have the phone number from just now?” Lu Hui said. 

“Ohhh, it’s here.” Rao Feifei was shaken by Lu Hui’s aura. She took out a piece of paper from the dossier in a flurry, “I printed a hard copy of the number and the text messages.”

“Mm.” Despite going through a heated squabble, Lu Hui was not anxious at all. He was still as he usually was, cold and gloomy, a ridiculing smile hanging on his lips, “Rao Feifei, use the landline.”

“Understood.” Rao Feifei picked up the receiver, her index finger dialing the number. 

“Ring…”

“Ring…”

“Hello?” A gentle, female voice picked up. 

“Hello, this is the criminal investigation division of the Bureau of Public Safety. Are you Miss Hu XX? Would you be able to come down to the Bureau to complete a statement? At present, you have been involved in a criminal case.” Rao Feifei said. 

“Yes, I’m Hu XX. Criminal case? Excuse me…” The woman’s voice hesitated slightly, like she had suddenly realized something, “You said someone died?”

“Yes, we are currently investigating a case.” Rao Feifei said, “Why don’t you come down to the Bureau so we can discuss it?”

“Okay, okay, can I come this afternoon?” The woman said. 

“Of course you can, Miss Hu.” Rao Feifei said. 

Both sides hung up, and Lu Hui said: “Looks like we’re waiting until the afternoon.”

“Chief Lu, about Qi Zhou. Is it really okay?” Ji Fanyang asked uncertainly. 

“He would have left sooner or later, it’s best he leave now.” Taking advantage of the available time, Lu Hui gathered together his tolerance and provided an explanation to the youngsters, “When we first met, I could deduce from his bearing that he was a good student, a teacher’s pet, someone who is eager to outdo others. Of course he has a superiority complex.”

“A good student, better once polished.” Lu Hui said.

“But, he left.” Rao Feifei pointed out the crucial point. 

“Yup, but I’m not his homeroom teacher.” Lu Hui said naturally, “Why should I go polish him.”

“…” The logic seemed to make sense, but something seemed off. 

“Bzzz.”

“Bzzz.”

Lu Hui pulled out his phone, looked at the screen, then dismissed the call directly. 

“Bzzz.”

“Bzzz.”

Lu Hui dismissed the call again. 

“Bzzz.”

Rao Feifei’s phone rang⸺An unknown number. 

“Dismiss it.” Lu Hui said. 

Rao Feifei swiped the screen to dismiss the call, puzzled. 

“Bzzz.”

Ji Fanyang answered his phone: “Hello?”

“Put that son of a bitch on the phone.” The voice of a clearly aggravated woman came through the speaker. 

Ji Fanyang was stunned, and the phone was immediately snatched by Lu Hui. 

Lu Hui glared at Ji Fanyang, reluctantly putting the phone up to his ear: “Hello?”

“So you can talk!”

“…Sis.” Lu Hui ‘hmph’d’ a single syllable. 

Ji Fanyang almost dropped the dossier, and Rao Feifei held her breath, listening attentively. 

“You’re really something, aren’t you, daring to ignore your sister’s call?” The woman spoke overbearingly, “What did you do?”

“Sought justice.” Lu Hui said. 

Ji Fanyang/Rao Feifei: “…”

“Bullshit. How could you bully other people’s kids? Explain it to me in detail.” Her voice was filled with menace, “One wrong word, and I’ll break your legs.”

“…” Lu Hui swept a look over the two youngsters in front of him, who were listening with ears perked up. He put away the mocking smile on his lips, expressionlessly standing and walking out of the office, “This really isn’t my fault.”

“Like hell I’d believe you.” The woman spat.