Chapter 7: Taking a Beating

"A-Cheng, why are you here?"

"If you can come here, why can't I?" Ji Mingcheng clearly saw nothing problematic about his presence.

Lu Jianian felt a rare headache coming on. "I came to the mainland because my grandfather is getting old, but you don't have any relatives here. If you come here, your parents will worry."

"Since when did you become such a nag?" Ji Mingcheng cast a sidelong glance at Lu Jianian. "I'm here specifically to make them worry, so they can reflect on whether forcing me into blind dates is more important than not being able to see their son."

Ji Mingcheng was inherently strong-willed and resolute; once he made a decision, not even eight horses could pull him back. It was likely that his family had truly infuriated him this time, prompting him to follow Lu here. Thinking about this, Lu Jianian felt a pang of guilt toward the elders of the Ji family.

Having grown up together, Ji Mingcheng could guess what he was thinking with just one look and immediately interrupted him. "Stop right there. Don't let your imagination run wild. My family issues only account for fifty percent of the reason for this trip. Try to guess the other half."

Lu Jianian frowned, feeling that something was indeed strange. Ji had become a sergeant in Hong Kong at a young age with a bright future ahead of him. To suddenly return to the mainland solely because of family drama seemed illogical. Even if his family pressured him hard, it would usually just go in one ear and out the other. If they pushed too far, they were the ones who would end up having to coax him. It seemed excessive to cross the border in a fit of rage over matchmaking.

"Was this a decision by the Hong Kong government?" Lu Jianian could only think of this possibility.

Ji Mingcheng snapped his fingers and tossed an ID card at him. Lu Jianian took one look and stared at him, stunned. Ji Mingcheng suddenly flashed a bold, triumphant smile. "Forensic Doctor Lu, please call me Inspector Ji from now on."

Lu Jianian recalled the details repeatedly, unable to believe his memory was wrong, and his tone finally lost its usual composure. "Didn't you just become a sergeant last year?"

How much time had passed, and he was already an inspector? He knew how many people never even reached the rank of sergeant by the time they retired. How old was he, and how short a time had it been? Even if it were only a junior inspector, the speed of his promotion was terrifying. Lu Jianian desperately wanted to know what had happened in the less than half a month he had been away to cause his rank to skyrocket like this.

Qiu Jiang watched as the usually composed Forensic Doctor Lu lost his cool. Even though she didn't fully understand how their official ranks translated to the local police hierarchy, she gathered that this "Captain Ji" was a big deal in Hong Kong and had just received a promotion. And that made sense—if he weren't impressive, the city's top leaders wouldn't have come to greet him with such warmth. What she didn't know was that it wasn't just the city leaders; provincial officials had actually hosted him, but he had brushed them off, using the excuse of wanting to start work immediately to drive here himself.

Although she had never been to Hong Kong, she knew it was a bustling metropolis far more developed than the mainland. So why would such a high-achieving Hong Kong police officer come here? It clearly wasn't because of the matchmaking. Qiu Jiang was young and couldn't curb her curiosity, so she eavesdropped while they spoke. She didn't dare be too obvious, keeping her cheek against the window as if watching the traffic, while her full attention remained inside the car.

For his childhood friend, Ji Mingcheng had nothing to hide. As he drove steadily, he remarked, "Although Hong Kong has returned to the mainland, the connection between the two sides is not deep. Neither the Hong Kong government nor the mainland can afford to ignore the importance of fostering communication. The Hong Kong police have previously conducted several joint operations with colleagues in the coastal areas of the mainland with great results. The higher-ups want to use this opportunity to build closer ties. Since the mainland has high-level criminal investigation skills, and the Hong Kong police have more scientific and advanced methods, it's a win-win situation to exchange knowledge. It serves as a political gesture while deepening our bonds—why not?"

Lu Jianian understood the political considerations immediately. "But why choose this place? Even if you came to the mainland, you should have gone to Beijing, Shanghai, or Shenzhen." Anxi City was halfway across the country from Hong Kong and was only a prefecture-level city; it hardly seemed like the optimal choice for a police exchange.

Ji Mingcheng curled his lips. "And what if no one else was willing to come? If someone finally signs up, shouldn't the higher-ups respect their choice?"

Lu Jianian: "..." He did not doubt for a second that Ji would dare to make such a demand to his superiors. He imagined poor Sir Ho must have been scolded quite a bit to get this approved. Now that the matter was settled, there was no use in arguing. Lu Jianian had to accept the reality.

Unfortunately, Ji Mingcheng wasn't finished. "From now on, you'll have to put in some extra effort to expedite the autopsies for our team."

Lu Jianian felt speechless more times than he could count that day. He paused for a long moment before asking, "Are you the captain of the municipal criminal investigation team?"

"No, the deputy captain. The captain's position is vacant, temporarily held by the bureau chief in charge of the criminal police."

That arrangement made sense. Ji wouldn't stay in the mainland forever, and his special status made him unsuitable for the captaincy, but being an ordinary officer was out of the question. This was indeed the best compromise.

"Which team?"

"The Fourth Team."

"…I recall that Anxi City only has three criminal investigation teams."

Ji Mingcheng raised an eyebrow. "What, can't I form my own?"

Lu Jianian, familiar with his style, remained silent for two seconds.

"And the personnel..."

"I don't care about the others; the bureau handles that. But I will select the core members. The bureau will issue an announcement tomorrow, and I will decide who stays after the applications are in."

His standards were always high. Even here, he wouldn't lower them. Could he really gather a team? And would others even be willing to apply? Lu Jianian was worried he might face rejection.

Ji Mingcheng smirked. "That's why you're only suited for dealing with corpses; you have no political sense. It's impossible that no one will apply." He held up a finger. "First, the leaders here won't allow such a problem to occur; they will do everything in their power to find the most excellent candidates."

He held up another finger. "Second, as long as they aren't fools, no one would refuse to join. Having a stint on my team is equivalent to being noticed by both Hong Kong and the high-level political circles on both sides. Once I leave, the captain of the Fourth Team will surely be chosen from among them. Moreover, it's a huge highlight for their future promotions. As long as they don't make any major mistakes, their career trajectory will surely surpass everyone else's. Such an opportunity to jump ahead is rare. How could no one apply?"

Ji Mingcheng looked completely confident. "Anyone who can understand this isn't an idiot. At the very least, their IQ is fine. Selecting core members from that pool who meet my requirements will be even easier."

Promotion? Qiu Jiang, sitting in the back seat, drank in every word, focusing entirely on those two words. If she joined, she wouldn't just become an official police officer with a permanent position; she might even replace him as captain after he left. Such a golden opportunity—how could anyone let it slip by?

"Captain Ji, I want to apply. Can I?" She rested her delicate hands on the back of the seats. Through the rearview mirror, her eyes sparkled, though her breathing became light, as if she feared hearing a negative answer.

Ji Mingcheng raised an eyebrow. "And here comes a smart one."

Lu Jianian was momentarily speechless.

Qiu Jiang's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Captain Ji."

"Did I say yes?" Ji Mingcheng glanced at the girl who was adept at climbing the social ladder through the rearview mirror.

"Because Captain Ji likes smart people." Since he had just called her smart, that revealed everything. Qiu Jiang smiled, looking like she fully understood the leader's intentions.

It was the first time Ji Mingcheng felt slightly stumped. Lu Jianian watched Ji's thwarted expression and couldn't help but laugh. "You're right; she is indeed smart."

*Screech—*

The sound of the sports car tires gripping the road as it came to a halt seemed to reflect the frustration in someone's heart. Knowing she had reached the limit of her welcome, Qiu Jiang was quick-witted; she said her goodbyes and hopped out of the car in one fluid motion.

"Qiu—" As Ji Mingcheng rolled down the window to say something, a woman of about thirty-six or thirty-seven, dressed in grey work clothes, walked toward them. Her expression carried a hint of worry, but it softened into a smile the moment she saw Qiu Jiang.

"Jiangjiang, finished work?"

"Sister-in-law, I'm back—" The girl skipped over to the woman, wrapping her arms around her and acting spoiled. "Hehe, I'm back early today, thanks to Captain Ji and Forensic Doctor Lu for the ride."

Shi Yuexiu saw the expensive car and the men sitting inside, and she thanked them repeatedly. Ji Mingcheng and Lu Jianian nodded, exchanged a few brief words, and then drove off. As the car turned around, Qiu Jiang remained arm-in-arm with the woman, chattering incessantly about the day's events.

"I was so impressive today. Captain Ji even called me smart just now."

Ji Mingcheng, whose ears were sharp, heard this and glanced once more through the rearview mirror at her retreating figure, which was bouncing with such excitement she seemed to have lost all restraint.

*What a girl, always climbing the ladder.*