You're supposed to be a security officer, what case are you solving?

Chapter 358 The Taxi Driver Working the Night Shift.

It was just past 10 p.m. on November 12, 1998.

Jianing District, south bank of the Weihe River, Section 3 of Xuqiao Road.

The winter rain, fine as needles, fell from the dark night sky onto the windshield.

Because the rain was too light, it made no sound.

Summer rains come and go quickly, but winter rains are fine and persistent, lasting for days on end.

Within a minute, the area in front of the windshield was completely covered in a gray haze.

The windshield wipers clattered and clanged.

The car headlights illuminated the road ahead, breaking through the darkness.

The taxis, like wild beasts in the night, drove along the road on the south bank of the Wei River.

Tao Junpeng held the steering wheel with one hand and turned on the car radio with the other.

A piercing electronic noise came from the radio.

Next came the voice of the male radio host.

"...This year's summer floods in southern China triggered geological disasters, resulting in a death toll..."

Tao Junpeng didn't want to hear about these upsetting things. This summer, the south was hit by a major flood. His company organized a fundraising event, and he donated a month's salary. He even almost abandoned his job to go to the south for disaster relief.

But his wife stopped him, saying that those soldiers were jumping into the river, which was too dangerous, and that he wasn't a soldier and wasn't allowed to go!
Tao Junpeng was young and had always dreamed of joining the army, but his wife begged him to stay, and they also had a two-year-old child who had just learned to call him "Dad."

Forced by circumstances, he ultimately did not make the trip.

For more than a month, he would watch the news whenever he had free time, but he felt powerless to do anything about it.

Some people choose to escape from things they cannot control because their conscience won't allow it.

Tao Junpeng is that kind of person; although he has a lot of passion, he always has to face the realities of life.

At this moment, Tao Junpeng turned the rotary button half a turn.

After switching to a different radio station, some soothing music started playing, and a few seconds later, a female host's voice came through the radio: "...Hello, dear listener, what's troubling you that you can't talk about? Is there anything I can do to help you?"

This is clearly a radio connection.

Tao Junpeng likes to listen to this whenever he has free time, after all, it reflects the lives of ordinary people, and many of these things happen around him.

Tao Junpeng often listens to this program. The female host's name is "Ru Meng," such an artistic name. She speaks so beautifully and is so gentle.

"Hello, Rumeng..." a gruff man's voice rang out.

"Hello, sir, may I ask your name?"

"My surname is Fu."

Are you happy?

"No, my surname is Fu."

"Which deputy? Sir, please speak Mandarin."

"Oh, so rich! So incredibly rich!"

"Oh, Mr. Fu, is there anything you need to talk about?"

Hearing this, Tao Junpeng smiled happily.

Then, there was a few seconds of silence on the radio, and Mr. Fu said, "Ru Meng, I have erectile dysfunction..."

Tao Junpeng burst out laughing.

He believed that some listeners on the radio right now were probably laughing so hard they almost passed out, just like him.

Ru Meng's voice remained gentle as she comforted him, "Sir, erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation can be treated at the hospital..."

"It's no use, I've tried everything. I'm not calling because of that, it's because I've discovered my wife is cheating on me!"

Tao Junpeng exclaimed "Ah!"

On the radio, Ru Meng also exclaimed "Ah!" and then said, "Mr. Fu, you can't doubt your lover because of this..."

"Rumeng, if your husband were impotent and couldn't give you happiness, would you cheat on him? Please answer me honestly..."

This was a tricky question, and Tao Junpeng pricked up his ears, wanting to hear how Ru Meng would answer.

A few seconds later, a burst of electronic interference came from the radio, followed by Ru Meng's voice: "...Hello? Hello? Mr. Fu...please speak..."

Listeners, for some reason, Mr. Fu hung up the phone.

Ru Meng couldn't answer Mr. Fu's question. If any men suffer from erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation, she hopes they will seek treatment actively and not be suspicious or doubtful of their partners.

It's already 10:30 p.m. on November 12th. Most of our listeners are drivers. While sitting for long periods, it's also important to exercise.

Here, let's start with some music, the theme song "Dang" from the TV series "Princess Pearl," sung by Power Station..."

Then, a piece of soothing music began to play: "When the mountains have no edges, when the rivers no longer flow, when time stands still and day and night are indistinguishable, when heaven and earth turn into nothingness..."

Tao Junpeng listened to music while tapping the steering wheel.

His wife talks about this song all the time, and even their two-year-old child can hum it.

I heard that because of the popularity of this TV series, the sales of TV sets across the country have doubled.

Tao Junpeng watched a few episodes with his wife, and they were indeed quite good.

However, he prefers TV dramas like Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin, which better reflect the will of men.

At this moment, when the taxi reached Section 4 of Xuqiao Road, a woman was standing on the road, hailing the taxi with one hand and holding a child in her arms with the other.

She wasn't using an umbrella; fine raindrops were clinging to her hair, and she looked extremely anxious.

Tao Junpeng turned the steering wheel and parked the car in front of her.

The woman ran over quickly, opened the back door of the car, and climbed into the back seat.

She called out hurriedly, "Master, to the hospital."

Tao Junpeng noticed her pale face and anxious tone, and turned to look at the child in her arms.

"what happened?"

The woman said worriedly, "The child has a fever, is vomiting and has diarrhea."

The baby in her arms had a flushed face and was still convulsing.

Tao Junpeng reached out and touched the child's forehead; it was burning hot.

He was startled: "Sit still and hold the baby securely."

Tao Junpeng turned around, stepped on the gas, and thought about where the nearest hospital was and how to get there as quickly as possible. He himself had a two-year-old child, and as a father, he knew all too well how anxious parents were when their child was sick.

The yellow taxi sped into the dark night like a wild beast.

When he encountered a red light, Tao Junpeng sped across it.

He ran three red lights in a row, and his mood became increasingly agitated.

Eight minutes later, the taxi arrived at the hospital.

Tao Junpeng opened the car door, jogged around the front of the car, and opened the back door.

He asked, "Comrade, where are your family members?"

As the woman got out of the car, she replied, "My husband works in another province, and I live alone at home."

Give me the child.

Tao Junpeng took the child from the woman's arms, turned around and ran up the steps toward the hospital gate, with the woman quickly following behind him.

"Doctor, doctor, emergency help! Someone, come quick!"

Tao Junpeng could sense that the child was about to go into shock; his breathing had become very weak.

Two nurses ran over, glanced at the child, and immediately took him away, shouting as they ran towards the emergency room, "Family members, go pay the bill."

Tao Junpeng hesitated for a moment, then called out to the woman, "Do you have any money on you?"

The woman nodded: "I brought it."

"Is it enough?"

"I...I don't know."

Tao Junpeng thought for a moment, then untied the military green fanny pack around his waist, took out a hundred yuan and gave it to her: "Here you go."

The woman didn't answer. She raised her face, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Tao Junpeng, biting her lip tightly.

Tao Junpeng stuffed the money into her hand: "Take it, the child is more important."

"How...how can I repay you?"

Tao Junpeng said, "I'll drive at night, and I'll come back at dawn."

"Okay! You must come. I have money, I'll pay you back!"

“Okay, you go quickly, the child is the priority.” Tao Junpeng nodded in agreement.

"Thank you!" the woman bowed to him.

Watching the woman run towards the emergency room, her frail figure stumbled along, carrying a child's blanket with four words embroidered on it: "Peace and Joy".

Tao Junpeng let out a long breath and strode towards the hospital entrance.

Outside the hospital.

Dark night sky.

Dim yellow light.

The rain was drizzling.

His yellow taxi was parked at the bottom of the hospital steps.

Tao Junpeng didn't get into the car. Instead, he stood on the steps, looked at the rain, and smoked a cigarette.

After finishing his cigarette, he walked to the car, opened the door, and got into the driver's seat.

Just as Tao Junpeng was about to drive away, he saw two young men helping a girl out of the hospital. Judging from their age, they looked like students who had just graduated from school.

The girl walked cautiously, her face pale, clutching her stomach, seemingly in great discomfort.

One of the young men, with dyed blond hair, saw the taxi below the steps and waved it down.

Tao Junpeng nodded to him and drove the car forward a little to make it easier for them to get in.

The three men walked down the steps. The blond-haired man helped the girl into the back seat, while the other, slightly taller young man opened the passenger door.

However, when he got into the car, he pulled his hood down a little.

After the three people got into the car, Tao Junpeng asked, "Where are you going?"

The girl in the back seat replied, "Ningshou Road..."

Before she could finish speaking, the young man in the passenger seat interrupted, "Driver, to Yang'an."

"Yang'an?" Tao Junpeng frowned. "That's in the northern suburbs, a bit far. Where are you going?"

"Let's go to Yang'an. Isn't there a brick factory over there? Let's go there."

"Okay." Tao Junpeng turned on the timer and stepped on the gas.

The drizzle continued to fall, and the swishing sound of the windshield wipers rang in the ears of the group.

After driving for a while, Tao Junpeng's cell phone rang.

He unzipped his fanny pack, took out his phone, glanced at it, and saw it was his wife calling.

"Hey?"

"Junpeng, it looks like it's raining outside. Are you cold?"

"I'm driving, so I won't get wet. Is the child asleep?"

"I went to sleep, and I also took a nap. I suddenly woke up and thought I'd give you a call."

"Yes, it's cold, and the blanket on the bed is too thin. Add another blanket to make it thicker. Feel the child's forehead and make sure he doesn't get a fever."

“I know. By the way, when you hand over your shift this morning, go to the farmers' market and buy half a chicken. I'll make you chicken soup.”

"Okay, is there anything else you want to buy?"

"Hmm, I can't think of it right now, let's leave it at that for now. Be careful driving at night, don't go too fast."

"I know, you should go to sleep early."

"Ah."

With that, the wife hung up the phone.

Tao Junpeng put the mobile phone into his waist bag and zipped it up.

At that moment, the young man sitting in the passenger seat glanced at him sideways...

(End of this chapter)