Chapter 205 - 147: Li Jianye: I Vaguely Remember, It Was a Bright Afternoon...

Xu Huo took advantage of the break in eating to quickly explain the situation.

"The welfare home’s funding comes directly from the welfare foundations of Linlan City and Jiangsan City, plus government subsidies, so you don’t have to worry about money."

Chu Xi said it wasn’t a problem. She was overjoyed; he was like a kindred spirit.

Niuniu’s stomach was like a bottomless pit.

Chu Xi was having a wonderful time feeding her.

Seeing this, Xu Huo breathed a sigh of relief.

’So it’s her maternal instincts at work...’

If she hadn’t agreed, he would have had to find another arrangement. Luckily, Chu Xi seemed to really enjoy feeding children.

’Wait a minute...’

’Then what was she feeling when she was feeding me?’

Watching the adult and the child having a blast, Xu Huo suddenly found himself pondering this very serious question.

A moment later, he stopped thinking about it.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t figure it out. He just didn’t see the need to make things awkward for himself...

After a little while, she came back to her senses. Looking at Niuniu, who still wanted to eat, she said:

"No more."

She paused, then looked at Xu Huo.

"Xiao Fu is amazing. She can make a lot of things."

"How much can she make?"

Xu Huo pondered this, wondering if he should find a few chefs to watch the shop while they were away.

"About eighty percent?"

Chu Xi thought for a moment and said uncertainly:

"But the taste might be slightly off. The average person probably won’t notice."

Generally speaking, most people are gluttons, not gourmets.

People forget what something tastes like after just one day and can only label it as ’good’ or ’bad’.

As long as the flavor isn’t too different, it’s generally acceptable.

"Besides, she’ll only be taking over for a day or two. Tomorrow and the day after are holidays, so it’ll be fine!"

Chu Xi said happily.

She had never been to the Capital City and was now quite looking forward to it.

’A day or two, huh...’

Xu Huo’s mouth twitched.

’I hope we can make it back in a day or two...’

With that, he picked up the gluttonous Niuniu and walked out.

"You all watch this kid... twenty bucks extra for everyone today."

Xu Huo placed the human cub on a sofa against the wall, and several young people immediately gathered around Niuniu.

He walked outside.

The time was three in the afternoon.

Xu Huo didn’t head for his hotel, but turned in the other direction...

He walked toward the police station.

He had to go to the Capital City.

But he couldn’t just go empty-handed. After all, if something really happened... it would be a huge problem without backup.

A while later.

...

"Old Li, Old Li! The case is wrapped up. Interested in a little trip?"

Inside the Linlan City Criminal Investigation Bureau.

Li Jianye, who was still handling the final details of the case, lifted his eyes. His gaze, framed by dark circles, fixed on Xu Huo.

He didn’t speak, just stared gloomily.

"Spit it out, kid."

Xu Huo’s head peeked in through the doorway. An idea sparked in his mind, but his expression remained unchanged.

"Hey, I just saw Captain Li working so intensely and figured it couldn’t be good for your health."

"And what do you know, I happen to have a few plane tickets. Thought we could take a trip to the Capital City for fun."

As he spoke, he winked suggestively.

"How about it? It’s the Capital City, you know, the pinnacle for anyone in the system. Don’t you want to go have some fun, Captain Li?"

Li Jianye was completely unmoved. The corner of his mouth twitched.

"Fun?"

"We’re running all over Linlan City right now. The caseload is piling up like a mountain. Who has time for fun?"

"Nope, not going."

Li Jianye had thought that once this case was over, he could finally have a few easy days.

But...

He never expected... that the follow-up work would be so convoluted!

First, there was the matter of dealing with the homeless adults and children, which was a huge hassle.

Second, there was the shady business involving the welfare home director and the human traffickers.

They hadn’t just trafficked one person... over more than ten years, God knows how many they sold!

And then there were those city enforcement officers.

All of these were major issues!

Compared to the investigation phase, he was even busier, just without the same sense of urgency...

Every night, Li Jianye mourned the hair he’d lost from staying up late.

"You’re really not going?"

"It’s on me! My treat!"

Xu Huo continued to tempt him.

Hearing this, a self-deprecating look appeared on Li Jianye’s face.

"Kid, have you forgotten? I’m the captain of the Jiangsan City Criminal Investigation Division, not the Linlan City captain."

Xu Huo paused, then looked at him sheepishly.

But Li Jianye wasn’t finished. He pressed on:

"I seem to recall, it was a bright afternoon."

"The city bureau called and suddenly told me to take a vacation. A paid vacation!"

"Heh, how could I agree to that?"

Detectives have it rough. They’re busy as hell from dawn till dusk with no time to relax. After all, even if there isn’t a murder case at the moment, they still have to work on cold cases.

They wish they could split themselves in two to get more work done!

How could they suddenly give you paid leave...

"Then, my boss said it was a paid vacation with accommodations provided, so I came."

Li Jianye smiled, but as he did, his expression turned a bit tragic.

"Yep, I was assigned to handle the interviews for a case about a body in a well."

Xu Huo’s gaze darted about.

Li Jianye ignored him and continued:

"I seem to recall, the well case was solved in two or three days."

"Mhm, wrapping up the interviews took nearly two months!"

"During that time, a few other cases of similar magnitude came up, like the Zhaozhou apple case."

"The feeling was just fantastic."

Li Jianye stared at Xu Huo, his face devoid of expression.

"It allowed me, during my ’paid vacation,’ in less than two short months..."

"...to enjoy more work than I usually get in an entire year!"

With that, Li Jianye took a sip of tea.

The bitter liquid steeped his taste buds.

But.

Li Jianye felt his life was far more bitter than this tea!

"But it was the well case, wasn’t it!"

Xu Huo said stubbornly.

Li Jianye laughed and was about to retort, but Xu Huo didn’t give him the chance.

"Besides..."

"Captain Li, the case is solved anyway, and we’re not from Linlan City."

Xu Huo said enticingly:

"The moment we leave, who has the authority to give us assignments!?"

Li Jianye was about to argue, but he froze the next second, a look of hesitation on his face.

’That’s right!’

He wasn’t a Linlan City officer, nor was he on official secondment. He was only handling the wrap-up out of his own professional ethics.

It’s one thing to be diligent during an investigation.

But why be so diligent about cleaning up someone else’s mess...

His own Jiangsan City was doing just fine!

In a daze, Li Jianye had an epiphany. He looked at Xu Huo in shock.

"I guess..."

"...you have a point there."

Xu Huo nodded eagerly.

"Exactly. Plus, this whole case was a Linlan City screw-up to begin with. It has nothing to do with us."

"Captain Li, just look at yourself. You’ve been worked so hard you look completely haggard."

"When you go home, I bet your daughter won’t even recognize you!"

"Let’s take a break."

Xu Huo’s expression was utterly sincere.

Li Jianye hesitated for a long time, and finally,,,,,,

"You said the Capital City?"

"That’s right, the Capital City!"

Xu Huo struck while the iron was hot. "We’ll go there for fun, do whatever we want. I’ll book business class. We’ll fly there and back in comfort!"

Li Jianye wrestled with his conscience for a good while before finally sighing.

"Fine."

"I’ll take a few days off then."

"Great!"

Xu Huo quickly sealed the deal.

"Then it’s settled!"

With that said.

He didn’t give the other man any chance to change his mind, beat a hasty retreat, and vanished in a flash.

Li Jianye felt that something was strange, but he couldn’t put his finger on what.

In the end, he could only shake his head, go find Qian Hua, and hand over his work.

Then he returned to his lodgings early to pack his bags.

...

「The next day.」

At Linlan City Airport.

Xu Huo first took Li Jianye through security, and they waited to board in the departure lounge.

Li Jianye hadn’t flown many times. The last time was for the Shen Yang matter.

So there was still a sense of novelty, but not much.

Of course, it wasn’t a total lack of novelty... or maybe not novelty, it should be...

"Tsk, it should be snowing in the Capital City by now."

Li Jianye said this to Xu Huo on the plane.

"Who knows? Probably. It’s pretty cold over there..." Xu Huo said distractedly.

Li Jianye was about to say more, but the next second...

"Captain Li, excuse me, let me just put my luggage away."

A familiar voice sounded. Li Jianye subconsciously said, "Sure," and made way for the person.

But, immediately after...

Li Jianye froze and looked up.

A familiar face appeared before his eyes.

It was...

Wang Chao!

Staring at this face, Li Jianye was stunned.

Li Jianye: ?

"What are you doing here!?"

A shocked voice cried out.