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On the interview van, Jiang BeiBei received a phone call from Huang Yuanbao, who got straight to the point: “Which of your brothers is a retired soldier?”
“What’s the matter?” Jiang BeiBei asked. “If you’re talking about a retired soldier, that would be my fourth brother.”
“Did he retire because of an injury?” Huang Yuanbao pressed. “Were all his compensations properly handled? Is he living comfortably now?”
Jiang BeiBei seemed to understand her intention and asked, “Is this for some production request from the station? What are the conditions? A retired soldier?”
“Yes, someone who retired due to injuries but has since built a successful career and remains optimistic and cheerful,” Huang Yuanbao explained. “We’re doing a special feature on bringing warmth during the New Year. The station requires interviews. What kind of injury did your fourth brother sustain when he retired?”
“…He grew taller.”
“Huh?”
Jiang BeiBei repeated, “Because he grew taller.”
Not only Huang Yuanbao, but everyone else in the van fell into silence.
Jiang BeiBei explained, “My fourth brother used to be a national Sanda athlete. Later, he joined the military and underwent special forces training. He injured himself during training. The external injuries weren’t too serious... but he hit his head, and the aftereffect was... he suddenly grew nearly twenty centimeters taller in just six months. That disqualified him from being a special forces soldier, so... he retired.”
Huang Yuanbao took a long pause, unable to find the right words to express her reaction.
Jiang BeiBei cleared her throat and suggested, “Why don’t you look for someone else who fits the criteria? Although, yes, he was seriously injured during training—he was unconscious for a long time—but retiring because of growing taller... I think it might make people laugh if we broadcast that, right?”
Huang Yuanbao simply replied, “Alright, let me think about it. I’ll give you an update by the end of the week on whether or not we’ll proceed. For now, send me his contact information and the address of his bubble tea shop. Talk soon.”
________________________________________
The team was interviewing a small restaurant in the suburbs that was embroiled in legal disputes. The landlord had become entangled in a family property dispute, which affected the restaurant owner’s business. Out of desperation, the restaurant owner sought help from the media.
After interviewing the landlord’s family, they moved on to the restaurant owner. By lunchtime, the owner invited them to eat while discussing the landlord’s issues.
“The old man was quite capable. This entire row of storefronts, including the internet café next door with its underground ninety-square-meter warehouse, were all left by him. He passed away early, leaving behind three sons and two daughters. All of them have jobs, but now that their mother has passed away, the siblings are fighting over the properties. I’m just a small business owner. The rent has always been paid to the eldest daughter, but now the youngest son’s family wants me to pay back dues and start paying them instead—or else they want me to leave and vacate the place... How can this be? My contract hasn’t expired yet... I signed it with the eldest daughter, but the youngest son claims the property deed is under his name. He’s even posted ads for transferring the property and insists that I move out...”
The restaurant owner hunched over, looking honest and downtrodden as he poured out his grievances to the film crew.
“Eat up, young lady over there, try this. The pickled garlic is homemade. Go ahead...” The owner pushed the plate of pickled garlic toward Jiang BeiBei. “You look so young to already be a journalist... Are you twenty yet?”
Jiang BeiBei peeled a clove of pickled garlic, eating it with her noodles, and replied, “Almost twenty-four.”
“Two years older than my daughter...” The owner chuckled bashfully, scratching his head. “But you look like a kid.”
At that moment, a commotion erupted from next door. A group of men shouted as they ran in and out, creating quite a racket.
Jiang BeiBei turned her head while chewing on her chopsticks, leaning her stool backward to peek outside.
A half-new, rugged-looking SUV was parked by the roadside. Its imposing size made it clear that trouble was coming.
The cameraman remarked, “A fight? Internet cafés like these often see brawls...”
The restaurant owner stood by the doorway watching the scene unfold. “It’s not frequent, though. When I first took over this space, there was a clothing store next door. A few years ago, it became an internet café. At first, I worried the fights at the café would affect my business, but things actually improved. Many of the kids there are too lazy to do anything—they just text me when they’re hungry, and I bring over a bowl of noodles... Fights aren’t common; you hardly see them throughout the year...”
Before he finished speaking, several stern-looking middle-aged men—not typical thugs—dragged two thin individuals out. Their clothes were pulled over their heads.
“Hey! Those are cops!” the owner exclaimed, noticing the bulges at their waists that resembled guns.
Jiang BeiBei also went over to take a look. “They’re probably arresting suspects. Lots of suspects hide out in places like these...”
Her sentence trailed off as she saw someone bend over, carrying another person on their back while moving quickly. Several others surrounded them, their expressions tense.
The young man carrying the injured person cursed as he walked, “Damn it! Xiao Lin! Call a car! Hurry! Take off your shirt! Use it to cover him up! Hold him steady, damn it!”
Their walkie-talkies buzzed noisily amidst the chaos.
“Huh?” Jiang BeiBei said. “Isn’t that Deputy Xiao?”
The one cursing earlier was Tang Xizhou’s deputy... Had someone been injured?
Before Jiang BeiBei could process the situation, someone behind them spoke into their walkie-talkie: “The suspects have been apprehended. Team Three is wrapping up. Captain Tang is injured... Yes, Captain Tang is injured!”
As the coat slipped off, Jiang BeiBei saw the figure on Deputy Xiao’s back—covered in dark blood, with a fruit knife embedded in his left arm.
When Jiang BeiBei recognized the familiar face, her heart skipped a beat.
It was Tang Xizhou!
Her pupils contracted sharply, and trembling, she fumbled with the door handle and rushed out, shouting, “Second Brother!!”
“Brother!!”
Stumbling awkwardly, Jiang BeiBei tripped repeatedly over the short distance.
Chaos reigned.
Complete chaos.
Jiang BeiBei seemed to lose memory of this chaotic period. When she came to her senses again, she found herself in the hospital, accompanied by a colleague. She blinked in confusion, looking around.
Several of Tang Xizhou’s colleagues were also present, though their expressions weren’t overly grim.
Jiang BeiBei looked down at her hands. Her sleeves were smeared with dried blood.
She remembered now. She hadn’t stayed calm, rushing over impulsively. Deputy Xiao must have recognized her and bundled her into the car. The TV station’s driver had taken them to the hospital in the interview van.
During the operation... the suspect resisted arrest, and Tang Xizhou was struck by a chair in the internet café... then stabbed in the upper arm with a knife...
Lost in thought, Jiang BeiBei listened as the doctor rapidly summarized the situation.
There was enough blood.
No rush.
Surgery would depend on the circumstances; they were currently removing the knife.
Money... there was enough money. Everything would be fine.
Jiang BeiBei’s colleague patted her shoulder. “Jiang BeiBei, your phone.”
“Oh...” Jiang BeiBei fished out her phone, but her hand was limp, nearly dropping it.
Seeing Chu Yao’s name on the screen, tears immediately streamed down her face. Trembling, she answered the call, breaking down before she could speak. “Yao Ge...”
Chu Yao had merely called during his lunch break to hear her voice, never expecting to hear her crying on the other end.
Through sobs, Jiang BeiBei recounted how Tang Xizhou had been injured while responding to a call and apprehending a suspect. Chu Yao’s calm voice brought her some comfort. Unlike her panic, he remained composed, instructing her to call Song Lang and have him bring money over.
“Don’t worry, everything will be fine. I’ll request leave and come over right away... BeiBei, don’t cry. It’ll be alright. Second Brother is strong, and if the doctor says he’s fine, then he’s fine.”
“Second Brother was crying...” Jiang BeiBei choked on her words again.
She clearly heard Tang Xizhou’s sharp intakes of breath—”Hai, hai.” How could it not hurt? How could it not hurt?
After hanging up, Jiang BeiBei curled into a ball against the wall, sobbing uncontrollably. Every time she thought of Tang Xizhou’s voice, her tears wouldn’t stop flowing.
Her second brother was still conscious—how much pain must he be in?
Whether Jiang BeiBei closed her eyes or opened them, all she could see was the knife embedded in Tang Xizhou’s arm and his blood-soaked face.
That knife piercing Tang Xizhou felt like it had pierced her own heart—it hurt unbearably.
She felt as if she had lost her anchor, lost and pitiful, crying helplessly. Her colleagues and several police officers who stayed behind to handle payments and care for their captain tried to console her, but Jiang BeiBei’s ears felt stuffed with cotton. She couldn’t hear a word they said. No matter what they said, the overwhelming feeling of mountains collapsing and the universe imploding inside her wouldn’t subside.
After wiping her nose, she called each of her brothers one by one. Almost every time, she managed only to say “Brother” before tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t even finish the sentence: “Second Brother is in the hospital undergoing emergency treatment.”
________________________________________
Huang Yuanbao arranged a meeting with Song Lang during her lunch break, sitting in his shop to learn more about the situation.
As expected, Song Lang was easy to talk to—a straightforward and honest man, just as Jiang BeiBei had described him.
“Forget about the interview,” Song Lang said. “I wasn’t injured in battle—it’s too embarrassing. I slipped during training and fell flat on the concrete, knocking myself unconscious. All my unit’s comrades and our instructor were there—it was mortifying. That day happened to be a drill demonstration, so there’s video footage of it. It’s cringeworthy. After I got out of the hospital, I watched it once but couldn’t bring myself to watch it again—it was like a nightmare.”
Song Lang prepared a cup of bubble tea for Huang Yuanbao. True to Jiang BeiBei’s description, his Husky was hilariously clueless. From the moment Huang Yuanbao entered, the big dog began prancing around her in circles.
“BeiBei mentioned you started growing taller after the injury?”
“That… something-something about the pituitary gland.” Song Lang waved his hand, gesturing with his fingers to indicate a distance. “I grew this much in half a year—it was sudden. I used to be 173 cm tall, the shortest in our unit. In six months, I shot up to 191 cm. My skin couldn’t keep up; it split open. I have stretch marks all over my thighs and butt—they look like whip marks.”
“Didn’t the military arrange something for you after your discharge?”
“They did, but I felt awkward accepting it. I hadn’t achieved anything significant, and besides, my condition hasn’t affected my life.” He explained, “At first, I wanted to open a nail salon—I even attended a beauty school for half a month—but my sense of aesthetics wasn’t great. BeiBei kept making fun of me, so I gave up that dream. I don’t have the talent. Opening a bubble tea shop seemed like a better fit...”
“Hmm...” Huang Yuanbao sipped her bubble tea, which was quite delicious.
“I’m really good at running a bubble tea shop,” Song Lang boasted. “Almost all my customers are regulars. The girls love me. They even bring me food when they come. With someone like me standing at the door, no one dares to cause trouble—it’s super safe! My buddies and teammates, along with BeiBei, hang out here all the time. They’ve turned this place into their base.”
Huang Yuanbao: “Hmm, I noticed you’re really easy to talk to—not in that way, but… chatting with you feels effortless. You’re such a simple person.”
“Right? Call me dumb if you want.” Song Lang slapped his thigh and laughed. “Hold on, let me take a call.”
The call was from Jiang BeiBei. Huang Yuanbao saw Song Lang’s smile vanish instantly. His small eyes narrowed, and his brows furrowed as he said, “BeiBei, stop crying—I can’t understand you. Which hospital are you at? What? Second Brother is injured?”
Huang Yuanbao couldn’t drink her bubble tea anymore. She tensely stared at Song Lang, holding her breath. In her daze, she noticed that Song Lang’s dog, Da Miao, was also sitting quietly, its blue eyes fixed on its owner as its tail occasionally brushed against her high heels.
As soon as the call ended, another one came in. Huang Yuanbao heard Song Lang say, “Yao Er... BeiBei just called me. I know. Don’t worry—I’ve got it. There’s enough money. I’ll head over right now.”
After hanging up, he turned to Huang Yuanbao and said, “Uh, my second brother got injured while on duty. Sorry about this—I need to go to the hospital.”
“Are you closing the shop?” Huang Yuanbao asked. “Is there anyone to help you manage the business?”
“No, I run it alone.”
“I can watch it for you—you go ahead.”
“You won’t know how to handle it,” Song Lang replied. “Little Huang, you have work to do. We’ll catch up next time.”
________________________________________
Chu Yao’s mother returned home from grocery shopping. As she passed by the first floor, she noticed the door slightly ajar and the washing machine making a loud racket.
Pushing the door open, she called out, “Xizhou, are you back? Did you finish the case from December 6th?”
Yan Qingming emerged from the laundry room, his hands covered in soap bubbles, stammering, “Auntie... My washing machine broke, so I came to Xizhou’s place to wash my clothes.”
Though Tang Xizhou had told him that Chu Yao’s mother suspected their relationship, Yan Qingming and Tang Xizhou had an unspoken rule: if others didn’t ask, they wouldn’t say anything.
Chu Yao’s mother glanced around and spotted the police uniform soaking in the sink. Realizing Yan Qingming was covering for him, her gaze softened. “Oh, I thought Little Tang was back—I wanted to ask about the case. Never mind, go ahead and wash. Have you eaten lunch?”
“Yes.”
The phone on the table vibrated.
Yan Qingming, with wet hands, hesitated to wipe them on his clothes in front of Chu Yao’s mother. Glancing at the screen, he muttered curiously, “What does this girl want?”
Chu Yao’s mother said, “Is that BeiBei? Let me answer.”
Yan Qingming dried his hands with a towel and overheard Jiang BeiBei crying on the other end of the line.
Yan Qingming asked, “What’s wrong?”
Chu Yao’s mother gently hung up the phone and looked up at Yan Qingming. “Qingming, Little Tang got injured and is in the hospital.”
The moment those words left her mouth, Yan Qingming’s face turned pale. For a fleeting moment, he seemed disoriented, but upon realizing Chu Yao’s mother was still there, he quickly steadied himself. However, his subsequent actions were chaotic—he hadn’t taken off his apron or switched from slippers—and he rushed toward the door.
A minor injury wouldn’t elicit such a reaction. He knew because Jiang BeiBei had been crying.
For a brief moment, Yan Qingming looked as though he might cry.
Chu Yao’s mother sighed deeply, her heart aching for him.
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