Han Huaixiao drove to the hotel Wen Yu had sent him to. Wen Yu had already arrived and was waiting for him in the hotel lobby. When she saw him, she came over. “Captain Han.”
Han Huaixiao took the computer bag and equipment bag from her, asking, “Where is Old Mr. Ji?”
Whenever they went out, whether it was Han Huaixiao or someone else from the team, they knew her bags were not light and would help carry them. Wen Yu never refused, answering, “Room 1105.”
As they were speaking, a young man came out of the elevator and approached them. “Captain Han and Officer Wen, right? Please follow me. Old Mr. Ji is waiting upstairs for the two of you.”
Han Huaixiao thanked him and went upstairs with Wen Yu. When they arrived at 1105, they saw an elderly man with graying hair and reading glasses waiting at the door. Han Huaixiao quickened his steps and went forward to shake his hand.
“Old Mr. Ji, long time no see! How have you been?”
Ji He greeted him and Wen Yu with a smile and replied, “Thank you for asking. I’m doing quite well. The last time we met was eight years ago. You were still an intern back then, and now you’re already a captain. Time really flies.”
“You remember me?” Han Huaixiao was somewhat surprised.
“Back then, your performance in that case was in no way inferior to that of veteran detectives who had worked for years,” Ji He said. “You were both brave and resourceful. I remember you very clearly.”
“You flatter me, Old Mr. Ji. I’m sorry to disturb you so late at night. I hope you’ll forgive us.”
“It’s no trouble. The case is what matters. Where is the thing? Let me have a look.”
“Here.” Wen Yu took the note from the evidence bag and handed it to Ji He.
Ji He looked at the note for a while before saying, “I need more information. Are you able to tell me more?”
Wen Yu looked at Han Huaixiao, who nodded, so she replied, “Recently, we’ve been investigating a criminal organization. They abduct young, good-looking men and women from different places. First, they sell them to certain private clubs, then transport them overseas and sell them to various places around the world. Some of the victims have even had their organs stolen on the high seas and ended up dying in the ocean. The person who left this note was a sailor who frequently went out to sea. We suspect he was involved in transporting the people in this trafficking operation.”
Ji He nodded and took out paper and a pen. “Let me study it.”
Ji He’s assistant brought in three cups of tea and then left. Han Huaixiao and Wen Yu sat quietly to the side, watching him write and draw on the paper. It took nearly half an hour before he finally stopped.
Ji He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Han Huaixiao poured him another cup of warm water and handed it to him with a “Old Mr. Ji, have some water first.”
Ji He took the cup and drank a sip, then picked up the note left behind by Liao Yongqing along with the paper he had just written on.
“I’ve more or less figured it out.”
Han Huaixiao looked over and saw that he had rearranged the chaotic string of numbers and letters left by Liao Yongqing. Next, Ji He explained them one by one: “These two should be coordinates. These should be the date and the number of people. And these two should be the names of cargo ships.”
Han Huaixiao looked at Wen Yu. She understood immediately and began searching each item.
“These coordinates are the locations of two ports. One is Shunda Port in Harbour City, and the other is in Thailand. As for the date and number, one of the dates and the number of people match what Manager Liu told us earlier. And these last two cargo ship numbers belong to two cargo ships under Taiyi Shipping. Their routes are consistent with the work routes of Liao Yongqing and Xin Rong.”
“Old Mr. Ji, you’re still as impressive as ever.” Han Huaixiao looked at Ji He. “You’ve helped us enormously.”
Looking at him, Ji He remembered something from the past and sighed. “Eight years ago, if I could have deciphered that code this quickly, perhaps Officer Xia wouldn’t have had to sacrifice his life.”
Han Huaixiao also thought of that respected senior and comforted him. “You did everything you could back then. I’m sure Officer Xia wouldn’t want to see you still dwelling on what happened all those years ago.”
Ji He waved his hand. “The younger generation surpasses the older. Seeing how outstanding you young people are now, I’m sure he would be very happy.”
“You should get some rest.” Han Huaixiao glanced at the time. “I’ll come find you for a meal tomorrow.”
“I came to Lang City at the invitation of the provincial department,” Ji He said. “I’ll be staying here for a while. You gotake care of your work. We can talk after you’re done.”
“All right. Get some rest. We’ll be leaving first.”
After leaving the hotel, Han Huaixiao drove Wen Yu home. On the way, Wen Yu asked, “Captain Han, who was the Officer Xia you and Old Mr. Ji were talking about just now?”
“I don’t know his full name either,” Han Huaixiao said. “I only know his surname.”
“Was that case back then related to drugs?” Wen Yu understood. “Was Officer Xia a narcotics officer?”
“Yes,” Han Huaixiao replied.
Thinking about how Old Mr. Ji had said that Officer Xia had died in the line of duty, Wen Yu felt a deep sense of sadness. After dropping her off, Han Huaixiao received a call from the detention center.
“Captain Han, Shen Bing’s wife came here with a knife and insists on seeing Shen Bing. She’s been making a scene for several hours. No matter how we try to reason with her, she won’t listen. We’ve already taken the knife away, but she refuses to leave. She keeps saying she wants to die. Do you think you could come over and take a look?”
“…”
Han Huaixiao understood. Shen Bing’s wife had probably accidentally found out about the situation while running around trying to help him. She couldn’t accept it and had come to see Shen Bing at the detention center. By the time this matter was dealt with, the sky was already beginning to lighten.
……………………..
When Xia Hang woke up, it was not yet seven. The aftereffects of his hangover made him clutch his head and groan in pain. When he opened his eyes, he discovered that he was in the guest room of Han Huaixiao’s home, and he was a little dazed. He remembered going to a bar with Xiang Kaicheng after eating hotpot, then drinking a lot. He couldn’t remember anything after that.
So how had he gotten back last night?
Had Xiang Kaicheng brought him back? But Xiang Kaicheng didn’t know he lived at Han Huaixiao’s place…
He sent Xiang Kaicheng a message, but Xiang Kaicheng was probably still asleep and hadn’t replied. Xia Hang looked at the time. Usually, Han Huaixiao would already be up exercising at this hour.
But thinking of Han Huaixiao so early in the morning, and then thinking of him and Zhong Boxuan, Xia Hang’s heart hurt.
Some hazy memories from last night surfaced in his mind. Besides the scene of Han Huaixiao and Zhong Boxuan chatting happily together, there was also the scene of him throwing up in the bathroom, and Han Huaixiao helping him change his clothes.
Could Han Huaixiao have been the one who brought him back last night?
Xia Hang lowered his head and saw that his clothes had indeed been changed.
So it was true.
Xia Hang felt a surge of happiness. He knew Han Huaixiao. If he had a boyfriend, he would keep his distance from other men and wouldn’t do something like helping…
A thought suddenly occurred to Xia Hang.
Why not just make his feelings clear to him and ask Han Huaixiao to consider him too?
At the thought, Xia Hang’s spirits immediately lifted. He abruptly turned over and got out of bed, went to the guest bathroom to wash up, and tidied himself up. Then he planned to go to the gym to find Han Huaixiao.
But when he opened the door, he saw two unfamiliar people in front of him and froze.
Deng Shu’an and Han Mingxiao heard the door open and looked over.
“Xiao Hang, you’re awake?” Deng Shu’an was the first to react.
Xia Hang said, “H-Hello!”
Compared with Xia Hang’s bewilderment, Han Mingxiao was much calmer as he continued, “Xia Hang, hello. I’m Han Mingxiao, Han Huaixiao’s cousin. This is my grandmother.”
Xia Hang hurriedly greeted them again. “Hello, Grandma Han. Hello, Mr. Han.”
Deng Shu’an smiled and gestured for him to come over and sit down, asking, “You drank quite a lot last night. Does your head hurt?”
Xia Hang thought about how his drunken state last night might have been witnessed by this elderly lady and became even more awkward.
“No, it doesn’t hurt.”
Deng Shu’an could see how nervous he was. She wasn’t in a hurry to spend more time with him either, and instead pointed to a suitcase in the living room.
“This is our first time meeting. I should properly have a meal with you, but the old man at home caught a cold, and I’m worried about him. I have a flight back to B City shortly. Just now, I was saying that I didn’t know whether you were awake yet. If I left without meeting you, I really wouldn’t have wanted to go.”
Following her words, Xia Hang asked, “Is Grandpa Han’s cold serious?”
“Not serious,” Deng Shu’an said. “It’s just that he’s old now, so even a minor illness needs more attention.”
Xia Hang really wasn’t good at interacting with elders, so he mumbled, “…Please take good care of yourself too.”
Han Mingxiao could also sense Xia Hang’s discomfort and helped him out with a “Grandma, it’s about time. We need to head to the airport.”
“I’ll take you to the airport.” Xia Hang stood up as well, but Deng Shu’an said, “No, no. You have a good breakfast. Mingxiao can take me.”
“…”
In the end, Xia Hang still accompanied them downstairs. Before leaving, Deng Shu’an smiled at him, saying, “Huaixiao told me there’s someone in his heart, and when the opportunity comes, he’ll bring that person home. Xiao Hang, see you next time!”
But when Xia Hang heard her say that there was someone in Han Huaixiao’s heart, his heart sank. He didn’t pay attention to what she said afterward, forcing a smile and waving goodbye.
Watching the car disappear into the distance, Xia Hang felt a dull pain in his heart as his heart sank lower and lower. With numb legs, he mechanically went back upstairs and collapsed onto the sofa, completely drained of strength.
There was only one sentence in his mind:
Han Huaixiao said there was someone in his heart!
At first, he was sad. Then came shame. Someone who had just met him for the first time couldn’t possibly casually tell him that Han Huaixiao already had someone in his heart.
Was Grandma Han saying this to warn him?
Han Huaixiao already loved someone and was going to date them. It wouldn’t be appropriate for his ex-boyfriend to keep living in his home, right?
At that thought, Xia Hang couldn’t sit still anymore, so he returned to the room and packed up his things. Fortunately, he didn’t have much, so he finished quickly. As he carried his things downstairs, he felt exhausted. His body was tired, and so was his heart.
He sent Ling Yue a message, asking what he was busy with today.
Ling Yue: [Last night, Captain Han and Wen Yu found the code-breaking expert Ji He and deciphered the note Liao Yongqing left behind. Today we should be following the information from the decoded message and tracking things down while collecting evidence. What’s up? Are you thinking of taking the day off?]
Xia Hang: [No. Just asking. I’m on my way.]
Xia Hang had originally wanted to ask for leave. His heart was a mess, and he didn’t know how he was supposed to face Han Huaixiao. But he was a police officer, and his sense of responsibility told him that he couldn’t let his personal feelings affect his work.
So in the end, he still went to the city bureau.
……………………
After dealing with Shen Bing’s wife, Han Huaixiao dozed in the car for more than two hours before driving back to the city bureau. On the way, he called Xia Hang, but no one answered. Then he called Han Mingxiao.
“Has Xia Hang gotten up?”
“He’s up.” Han Mingxiao said.
“Where is he?”
“He was at your place when we left,” Han Mingxiao replied. “I’m on my way to take Grandma to the airport now.”
“I just called the doctor back home. Grandpa’s health is fine. Tell Grandma not to worry.”
“Okay.”
Han Huaixiao was about to call Xia Hang again when, just before he dialed, a message from Xia Hang came through:
Xia Hang: [I got up late. I might be half an hour late.]
While waiting at a red light, Han Huaixiao replied:
Han Huaixiao: [It’s fine. Does your head hurt after drinking this morning?]
After waiting a while without receiving a reply, he didn’t think much of it and continued driving back to the city bureau. Thinking that he would be able to see Xia Hang soon, he was like an inexperienced young man, both excited and expectant.
When he returned to the city bureau, however, he learned that Xia Hang had gone to the hospital first.
“What did he go to the hospital for?” Han Huaixiao asked.
“The informant who went undercover to investigate Yuyou Welfare Institute last time was retaliated against and injured,” Xia Ling replied. “Director Yan knew that he was Xia Hang’s friend, so he asked Xia Hang to go to the hospital and check on the situation.”
“Is he seriously injured?” Han Huaixiao frowned.
“He’s already had surgery. He should be out of danger.”
“What exactly happened?”
Meanwhile, Xia Hang was also looking at Su Cheng lying in the hospital bed and asked the same thing. “What happened?”
“When I went undercover to investigate Yuyou Welfare Institute last time, didn’t I find out that a doctor was working with Shen Bing and the others, helping them remove organs?” Su Cheng said. “After you arrested him, that idiot son of his found someone to lie in wait for me. When I got off work, he caught me off guard and stabbed me.”
Xia Hang asked, “What did the doctor say?”
“The surgery went very well,” Su Cheng replied. “I just need to take good care of myself.”
“Then listen to the doctor and recover properly.”
Su Cheng’s superior had arranged a private room for him. There were only the two of them in the room at the moment, so Su Cheng glanced toward the door before lowering his voice.
“Were you also working on a case when we met back in Myanmar before?”
Previously, he hadn’t understood. When Xia Hang had been in Myanmar, he had thought Xia Hang was working there. But after seeing Xia Hang come to Lang City and join the city bureau, he had figured out what Xia Hang had actually been doing in Myanmar.
Xia Hang looked at him without saying anything, and Su Cheng continued, “I know you have rules and can’t just tell people whatever you want. It’s fine. There’s just something I need to tell you. I have a colleague who works in Myanmar. Yesterday, he told me that a few days ago in Yangon, he saw someone who looked very much like Rui Wen, the trusted aide of the former drug lord Sheng Jun.”
So Sheng Jun really had cooperated with He Qi.
Xia Hang’s heart sank, but nothing showed on his face, only saying that he understood. Xia Hang chatted with Su Cheng for a while. After waiting until he fell asleep, he left the hospital room.
But in the crowded emergency department lobby, someone bumped into him. Xia Hang instinctively took a step back. When he looked up at the person, he recognized him.
He didn’t make a sound and followed the man to the parking area.
The man took him to a teahouse. When he pushed open the door to a private tea room, Xia Hang saw Deputy Minister Mu Zhan inside.
“When did you arrive in Lang City?” Xia Hang was surprised.
“Not long ago,” Mu Zhan said. “Have you had your follow-up examination? How is everything?”
“I had it. I’m fine. Why did you come to Lang City?”
“I’m here on a business trip. I thought I’d come see you while I was here. How’s work?”
“Pretty good. Everyone on the team is excellent. I’ve learned a lot from them.”
“That’s good.”
“There’s still no news about Sheng Jun’s whereabouts?” Xia Hang asked.
“He’s not in the country. A lot of things are difficult to handle.”
“I got information that his trusted aide Rui Wen appeared in Yangon a few days ago.”
“My informants also noticed signs of his movements. We followed him all the way to North America, but after he entered the country, we lost track of him again. All the signs now indicate that Sheng Jun has indeed cooperated with He Qi. It seems he wants to use He Qi’s power to make a comeback.”
Xia Hang asked, “Would it work to start with He Qi and break apart their cooperation?”
“That’s one of the reasons I came to Lang City.”
“Do you have a specific plan yet?”
“We’re still discussing it. All right, enough about work. It’s lunchtime. The owner of this teahouse is particularly good at making tea snacks, and they have a distinctive flavor. Come have lunch with me.”
The tea room wasn’t far from Huixian Residential Compound. After eating with Mu Zhan, Xia Hang carried his luggage and planned to go home, drop off his things, and then return to the city bureau.
But as soon as he arrived home, he received a call from Han Huaixiao.
“Xia Hang, where are you?”
“At home.”
“Wait there. I’m coming to pick you up. Come with me to Harbour City.”
Xia Hang wanted to ask whether he could go with someone else instead, but Han Huaixiao had already hung up.
Han Huaixiao drove home, but when he entered, he didn’t see Xia Hang.
He went to Xia Hang’s room and looked inside. The quilt, which Xia Hang normally just haphazardly pulled up after getting out of bed, had been folded neatly. The charger on the bedside table was also gone, and Han Huaixiao suddenly had a bad feeling.
He opened the wardrobe. It was empty too.
Xia Hang had moved out of his home.
Han Huaixiao closed the wardrobe and left immediately, driving toward Huixian Residential Compound, but when Xia Hang opened the door, he didn’t even look at him. Instead, he was already wearing his shoes to go out.
“Let’s go.”
Han Huaixiao looked at him without moving. Confused, Xia Hang looked up, asking, “Aren’t we leaving?”
“Let’s clear something up before we go.” Han Huaixiao placed both hands on his shoulders and pushed him back inside.
“…What?” Xia Hang was pushed backward into the living room.
“You’re moving out of my place?” Han Huaixiao stared at him.
“Yes. Given my relationship with you, it isn’t appropriate for me to keep living at your place,” Xia Hang said.
“What relationship?”
“What’s wrong with you?” Xia Hang looked up at him and frowned.
“Why isn’t it appropriate for you to live at my place?” Han Huaixiao refused to let him change the subject.
Being pressed by him, Xia Hang became somewhat irritated, answering, “You’re going out with Zhong Boxuan. Do you think it’s appropriate for your ex-boyfriend to keep living at your place?”
“Xia Hang, there are things from the past you can’t tell me about, so I don’t ask,” Han Huaixiao stared directly at him. “But now I’m only asking you one thing. Do you want to get back together with me?”
“…What did you say?” Xia Hang stared at him in astonishment.
“I asked if you want to get back together with me.” Han Huaixiao repeated.
“But isn’t there already someone in your heart? Zhong Boxuan?”
“Who told you there was someone in my heart?”
“You said last time that you had a good impression of him and wanted to spend more time with him. This morning, your grandmother said there was someone in your heart. Isn’t that person Zhong Boxuan?”
“I said those things deliberately to provoke you. When I told my grandmother there was someone in my heart, I was talking about you.”
Xia Hang still felt as though he were floating among the clouds, unable to quite believe it. Han Huaixiao stepped closer, lightly pinched his chin, and raised it slightly so that Xia Hang had to meet his eyes.
“Quickly, tell me. Do you want to get back together with me or not?”
Looking at him, Xia Hang’s eyes grew wet despite himself as he answered solemnly, “I do.”
Han Huaixiao pulled him into his arms. He had asked so casually, but in reality, his heart had been tense the entire time, afraid that Xia Hang would say no. Only after hearing Xia Hang say yes did the tension throughout his body finally ease a little.
Xia Hang hugged him back and punched him once in the back with a clenched fist.
“I was practically dying of sadness, and you deliberately provoked me!”
“You were practically driving me crazy too,” Han Huaixiao said. “How many times did I ask you why you came to Lang City? You never told me and kept saying it was an arrangement from above.”
“When I first came here, you were so fierce and wouldn’t even give me a friendly look,” Xia Hang argued back. “What if, after I disappeared for eight years, I came back saying I wanted to be with you? …I was afraid you’d throw me out of the city bureau. I thought I’d slowly pursue you first, and once you’d gotten over your anger, I’d find the right opportunity to tell you.”
“Slowly pursue me?” Han Huaixiao let go of him and raised an eyebrow. “Have you ever actually pursued me?”
“I have. Whenever we went out on assignments, I tried to get onto the same team as you. I deliberately went to the training ground so I could run into you. And this time, when Chief Yan asked me to live with you, I agreed immediately. I grabbed every opportunity I could to spend more time with you.”
“…This is how you pursue someone?” Han Huaixiao ground his teeth.
“Slowly work my way in,” Xia Hang said. “And look, didn’t I get you in the end?”
Han Huaixiao was momentarily speechless and changed the subject, asking, “So you came to Lang City because of me?”
“Yes. I had a lot of choices, but I chose Lang City because you were here.”
Han Huaixiao said nothing more. He looked at Xia Hang deeply for a while, then lowered his head and kissed him. Xia Hang responded willingly.
The two hearts that had lain empty and desolate for eight years were finally filled with the happiness of finding each other again.
……………………
T.N: Finally, some development after 50+ chapters! I was grinding my teeth in here :))
……………………..
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