Rebirth 2010, the best

Chapter 329 Qingming Festival

Chapter 329 Qingming Festival
Today's camping trip was very enjoyable for Hu Li.

Drink tea, chat, and enjoy nature.

I also ate a lot of barbecue that my boyfriend grilled and had a wonderful drink.

It's simply amazing!

Throughout the afternoon, both Lu Yao and Luo Xuewei behaved normally. Even Lu Yao seemed somewhat confused, experiencing a strong sense of disorientation.

Luo Xuewei seems to still be the same Luo Xuewei.

Nothing has changed at all.

As night fell, it was time to end the camping trip.

It's getting dark, time to go home.

So, without further ado, after everyone worked together to clean up the trash, Hu Li washed her hands and asked Luo Xuewei:
"You still go to work at night?"

"Yeah, I'm not like you."

"hey-hey."

Hearing her friend's words, Hu Li shrugged with a grin:

"Then go ahead, you poor, chosen working-class guy. My baby and I are going back to our sweet time."

"Aren't we going to eat together?"

"I can't eat anymore, I ate too much barbecue this afternoon."

Touching her still-round belly, she shook her head firmly.

No, if I keep eating like this, I'll really get as fat as a little piglet.

Seeing this, Luo Xuewei nodded.

Lu Yao, having finished throwing out the trash, returned and asked:
"Let's go?"

"Walk."

Hu Li's words were concise and to the point.

So, they went their separate ways.

Sitting in the RV, Hu Li was quite happy throughout the journey, and she didn't even find the traffic jam annoying.

However, when the car arrived at Shengshi Garden, she got off the car alone.

There are no parking spaces here, so Lu Yao has to drive the car to Fortune Garden and then turn back.

She got off the bus first and went home.

After she left, Chen Xiaoqun sat in the passenger seat.

He glanced warily behind him through the rearview mirror before asking:
"What did you say to her?"

Lu Yao didn't answer, but instead dialed Zheng Xiaofan's number directly. Then, in front of the two of them, he recounted his conversation with Luo Xuewei that afternoon.

Zheng Xiaofan's response was concise and to the point:

"Okay, I got it. Go back and get some rest. If you can't sleep, go buy two sleeping pills. Everything will be over by noon tomorrow."

"……Sure?"

"what."

Sensing Lu Yao's uncertainty, Zheng Xiaofan chuckled softly.
"Lu Yao, it's the same thing I've told you countless times. Reality isn't a movie; there aren't so many twists and turns. Go back and get some rest. Oh, right, I forgot to tell you, after tomorrow, our people will go directly to your parents. They'll probably be staying in Yanjing for a few months... but it shouldn't interfere with your sister coming back for summer vacation so the four of you can reunite."

"……okay, I get it."

"Well, hung up."

Doodle.

The phone hangs up.

Lu Yao fell silent again.

Chen Xiaoqun showed no intention of driving for him, sitting firmly in the passenger seat like a rock.

However… after driving through several intersections, Lu Yao still felt somewhat uncertain and asked:
"Brother Chen, the National Security Bureau... is more powerful than the police, right?"

Chen Xiaoqun turned to look at him, thought for a moment, and said:

"It depends on how you look at it... Everyone's job is different... What? Are you worried about tomorrow?"

"Ah."

“That’s not necessary.”

Chen Xiaoqun thought for a moment and said:
“I understand how you feel, but like Captain Zheng said, you’ve been watching too many movies.”

"Uh……"

"Actually, it's like this: it's like asking whether the National Security Bureau or the Public Security Bureau is more powerful. The same applies to spies. Do you think spies are more powerful, or mercenaries?"

"...There seems to be no comparison."

Although he didn't know what he was going to say, Lu Yao really needed a way to relieve his stress at that moment.

So I chatted with him:

"A spy... to put it bluntly, is a traitor. Mercenaries fight wars, so they must be different, right?"

"That's right. That's also the difference between the National Security Bureau and the Public Security Bureau. For example, if they encounter a particularly difficult or major case, the Public Security Bureau will also deploy the Armed Police. So, who do you think is more powerful, the Armed Police or the Public Security Bureau?"

"...Definitely the armed police."

"Then why are the people maintaining order on a daily basis the public security officers instead of the armed police?"

"Uh……"

"See, that's the point. But similarly, broadly speaking, we're all part of the same system. Tomorrow's arrest operation, normally speaking, is also a collaborative effort between the public security and national security departments. The level of detail in the plans we devise before the arrests is beyond your imagination. For example, their escape routes, how to intervene if they resist in this situation, etc... If there are any flaws in this plan, then the entire line will be criticized. We all share the same fate. So, everyone must work together to complete the mission. And this kind of cooperation is merely our basic quality, the entry threshold. Do you understand this principle?"

Chen Xiaoqun is not usually a very talkative person.

But at this moment he could see that Lu Yao was indeed under a lot of pressure... Even though this pressure had nothing to do with him, he still chose to help Lu Yao in his own way.

When there were people to chat with, Lu Yao's mind was not so tense.

After hearing his explanation, he nodded subconsciously, then asked:

"What happens after we catch her?... What if she doesn't talk?"

"Does she need to speak?"

Chen Xiaoqun smiled and asked in return.

Then, he paused, thought for a moment, and suddenly said:

"You've seen it in the news, haven't you? News about leaders in various departments suddenly being investigated by the disciplinary committee."

"Yes, I see it often."

"Do you know that the moment a case is filed against this person, it means that the officers on the other side already have a clear grasp of the facts of the crime, rather than discovering clues and starting to investigate?"

"...So, from the moment this person was investigated, he was already deemed a criminal?"

"correct."

Chen Xiaoqun nodded:

"The logic of Luo Xuewei and her group is the same. When they were arrested, it meant that whether they spoke or not, the evidence in their hands was enough to put them in jail."

"...If all else fails, just use the Great Memory Restoration Technique."

"Haha."

Chen Xiaoqun smiled and shook her head:

“Absolutely not. And don’t think that this kind of interrogation can cross the line of the law. It won’t, because it will cause a lot of trouble later. For example, what if the suspect insists in court that they tortured him to extract a confession? What do you suggest then?”

"...What should we do?"

"It's simple, the prosecution provides evidence. Prove there was no abuse. Nowadays, when interrogating criminals, the higher the level of the crime, the stricter the rules and regulations. For example, interrogations must be monitored, conducted in pairs, and no one can have a chance to contact the prisoner alone. The entire process is recorded, etc... Criminals also have human rights, and if they don't follow the law, the punishment is very severe. So, your so-called 'great memory recovery technique' doesn't exist, at least not for high-level crimes, and no one dares to do it. That's their future..."

"Tsk..."

Lu Yao couldn't help but feel a little emotional:
"What kind of human rights are we talking about with criminals...?"

“If the law is disregarded, the country will descend into chaos. The law is the bottom line of morality. So, you don’t need to worry about tomorrow… Just like Captain Zheng said, if all else fails, buy two sleeping pills and sleep until noon… When you wake up, everything will be over.”

"What about her video..."

"Before the arrest, the signal and internet were simultaneously cut off. Then, during the arrest, the criminal was physically isolated from any electronic devices, etc. She didn't have time."

"That's fine..."

"Yes, so there's no need to worry. These people are nothing in the face of the state apparatus, so you can rest assured."

"……Um."

Regardless of whether it's useful or not.

At least, Chen Xiaoqun said what she needed to say.

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Lu Yao.

What he really didn't understand about this mission was... why a young man in his early twenties was put in charge of such an important part of it.

Although it's clear from the mission briefing and other aspects that he is an excellent person.

but……

He's just a child after all.

Ugh……

Thinking of this, Chen Xiaoqun sighed silently.

Perhaps this is the price of growing up...

he said in his heart.

Just then, he saw someone light a fire at the crossroads.

Qingming Festival is here.

The rain falls in torrents during the Qingming Festival, and some people... are heartbroken.

……

After parking the car, the two returned to Shengshi Garden.

When he got home, he found his girlfriend folding paper money into paper ingots.

"Is this for Uncle to burn tomorrow?"

"Correct."

Hu Li's face showed no sadness. Just as she was about to say something, her phone rang.

After glancing at it, she waved her hand:
"My mom... Hello, Mom... Um, I'm in Die... Ah?... Okay, I'll go back now."

"?"

Amid Lu Yao's confusion, she hung up the phone and said:
"My mom is calling me back to prepare offerings for my dad..."

"……go home?"

The "home" he was referring to was not Fortune Garden, but rather her old home with which she had a very poor relationship.

But Hu Li remained calm:
"Yeah. My mom's over there, it wouldn't be good if I didn't go back."

"That's...ok."

Lu Yao nodded:
"I send you?"

"No need, I'll drive away. Are you going back to your aunt and uncle's?" "No, I'll meet up with my mom first thing tomorrow morning."

"Okay... then I'm off."

"Ah."

Visiting the graves of the deceased during Qingming Festival is a major event, and Lu Yao naturally wouldn't stop it.

After helping his girlfriend tidy up the yellow papers, he personally delivered them to the parking lot and watched her get into her car.

"Drive carefully."

Hearing Lu Yao's words, Hu Li smiled slightly:
"Ah."

Then she waved to her boyfriend:

"Let's go."

"it is good."

Lu Yao nodded and watched his girlfriend leave. He didn't turn back until the car's taillights were completely out of sight.

After walking a few steps, he thought for a moment and said to Zeng Ming beside him:

"Brother Zeng, how about... I go home tonight too?"

"Is there a place for me to sleep?"

Hearing Zeng Ming's words, Lu Yao thought for a moment and shook his head:

"Forget it, just pretend I didn't say it."

After returning to Shengshi Garden, looking at the empty house, he suddenly felt like he didn't know what to do.

Faced with the empty room, he pondered for a moment and then took out two cans of beer that he had left over from yesterday.

The duck parts in the refrigerator were a bit cold, but thankfully there were still peanuts.

He placed two cans of beer and half a plate of peanuts on the table, randomly picked a program on TV, and then his eyes gradually became vacant.

After two cans of beer, the hangover returned to him.

He shook the empty beer can, thinking to himself, "Could it be that I bought fake beer?"
That's a bit too much force.

Two cans and you're already drunk?

"belch."

He let out a silent burp and glanced at the time.

It's only a little past 9 o'clock.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to go straight into the bathroom.

After taking a hot shower, I felt even more dizzy.

In a daze, he lay down on the bed.

But I couldn't fall asleep, tossing and turning.

I felt very dizzy, but I just couldn't fall asleep.

This is very annoying.

I tried counting numbers and taking deep breaths... but I still couldn't feel sleepy at all.

I checked my phone repeatedly, and it was only a little past 10 o'clock...

He was speechless.

But I still tossed my phone aside and forced myself to close my eyes again.

But even though I usually have excellent sleep quality, I feel uncomfortable right now and can't fall asleep at all.

I'm not sleepy at all.

And so... slowly, slowly, in this struggle against his conscious mind, he finally felt sleepy.

Finally, consciousness faded into darkness.

But he couldn't even be sure if he was really asleep.

I always feel that my consciousness is clear, but it's somewhere between being confused and clear-headed.

Finally, after an unknown amount of time, he inexplicably opened his eyes.

I subconsciously picked up my phone and glanced at the time; it was 4:50.

It's not even 5 o'clock yet.

But as soon as he opened his eyes, his drowsiness vanished without a trace.

There was even a strange sense of excitement.

"..."

He hesitated in the darkness for a moment, but ultimately decided to get up.

I just felt dizzy and lightheaded.

I felt a little better after washing my face.

Then, a little after 5 a.m., he got dressed, went out of the house, and knocked on the door.

Before he could even knock on the door across the hall, he heard footsteps.

The door across the hall opened abruptly within seconds of him stepping out, revealing Zeng Ming's face.

"wake up?"

"...Yeah, I'm planning to go home."

"Okay, I'll go with you."

Lu Yao glanced at him and, noticing that Zeng Ming showed no sign of fatigue, nodded.

"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Zeng."

"It's alright, let's go."

"Brother Chen, over here..."

"It's okay, let's go."

"it is good."

So the two of them went straight downstairs and headed towards Lu Yao's house in the dim light of Shanghai.

Zeng Ming was driving, while Lu Yao sat in the passenger seat, lost in thought.

When they arrived home, Lu Yao looked up at the balcony and saw that it was dark. She thought that her parents probably hadn't gotten up yet, so she took Zeng Ming to the door to have breakfast.

By the time we finished breakfast, it was almost 6 o'clock.

The two walked back again, and the balcony light was already on.

When she got home, Ms. Chen was a little surprised to see her son up so early.

Then she called out to Lu Yuanshan, telling him to get up quickly. After pouring Zeng Ming a cup of tea, she asked Lu Yao to go to the kitchen to help.

Now that the couple knows about their son's job, they generally avoid asking about it in conversation.

So when Lu Yuanshan saw his son and Zeng Ming, he just nodded and then took out all the yellow paper he had bought, while Ms. Chen had finished tidying up the offerings.

Finally, after a quick bite to eat, the four of them drove to the cemetery together just before 6:30.

No one spoke much on the way. Lu Yao and Zeng Ming sat in the back, looking at the long line of cars already formed at the cemetery. After thinking for a moment, they sent a message to Hu Li:
Have you arrived yet?

Hu Li did not reply.

I don't know if I didn't see it when I got up, or if I was just in a bad mood...

Anyway, after parking the car, amidst the smell of burning paper money filling the air, the family of three, along with Zeng Ming following behind, headed to the graves of their maternal grandparents.

Standing before the tombstone, Lu Yao was once again somewhat dazed.

He remembered... last year, he asked his grandfather: Am I doing the right thing?

But this year, he has no interest in anything.

His gaze was simply vacant.

I would occasionally glance at the time.

I just felt that... time was passing incredibly slowly.

He stood there stunned for a long time, then heard his mother's reminder:

"Yaoyao, kowtow to your grandparents."

"okay."

Lu Yao suddenly realized what was happening and quickly knelt down.

After his head banged to the ground three times, when he got up, he felt a little dizzy.

I shook it subconsciously.