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

Chapter 407 Unexpected!

"Don't move!"

Just as Gao Jie was about to raise his hand, he suddenly heard that familiar voice, and his tense shoulders instantly relaxed.

As he turned around, he chuckled and said, "A little something?"

Feng Xiaocai held a long-handled umbrella in her hand, using the tip of the fan to press against Gao Jie's back.

She laughed and said, "Master, you're not very alert anymore. I was right behind you and you didn't even notice."

"I'm getting old," Gao Jie chuckled, "What brings you here?"

“I’m a first-class police superintendent now, Master.”

Gao Jie nodded: "I know, congratulations."

"Master, you taught me well."

"It's not that I taught you well, it's that you benefited from Captain Yang's influence."

"It's half and half. If it weren't for you, Master, I wouldn't have insisted on returning to the Third Brigade, so you're partly to blame."

"Stop joking around, it's raining and cold outside, come inside quickly."

"Wait a minute, I'm going back to the car to get something." Feng Xiaocai ran towards the parking shed outside.

Gao Jie patted the raindrops off his trousers and waited for her.

Before long, Feng Xiaocai came over carrying a delicate cake in one hand and a plastic bag in the other.

Watching her petite figure running in the rain, Gao Jie felt a lump in his throat.

The image of Feng Xiaocai's shy and bashful appearance when she first called him "Master" comes to mind.

In the past, she would always follow behind me on every mission. I didn't dare to ask questions and spoke very cautiously. Her greatest strength was that she could remember things very quickly and was also good with computers. She was the top student in the team.

Feng Xiaocai ran to the front of the building: "Master, look what this is!"

"You still remember my birthday?"

"Of course I remember, it was the 18th day of the 11th lunar month."

"Thank you." Gao Jie took the things from her hands and led her into the office.

Zhao Peng, a young man from the same team, was tearing open a package of instant noodles when he heard footsteps. Without looking up, he said, "Uncle Gao, this instant noodle portion isn't enough. Should I go out and buy some more?"

"No need, we'll have an extra meal tonight."

Zhao Peng looked up and saw the girl next to Gao Jie, and his hand paused.

"This...is this?"

"My former apprentice, Feng Xiaocai, a criminal police officer from the Third Brigade of the Qincheng Detachment, a first-level police superintendent, isn't he impressive?"

“Now I’m your apprentice too.” Feng Xiaocai smiled and extended her hand to Zhao Peng: “Hello, comrade.”

Zhao Peng quickly wiped his right hand on his clothes, blushed, and extended his hand to shake hands: "Hello."

"Stop looking, you have no chance," Gao Jie teased.

"No, Uncle Gao, is Comrade Feng really from the Third Brigade?"

"Of course it's true! I used to be in the Third Brigade, didn't I?"

"That's different."

"You mean the old Third Battalion is inferior to the current Third Battalion?"

"Uh...that's not what I meant."

"Come on, that's what you mean. Not only you, but I think so too. Captain Yang Jinwen was transferred to the provincial capital last November, and he solves every case he encounters, and every single one of them is a major case."

Zhao Peng nodded like a chick pecking at rice, then glanced at Feng Xiaocai sheepishly. Only then did he notice the cake she had just placed on the table.

"Ah! Uncle Gao, is today your birthday?"

Feng Xiaocai nodded with a smile: "My master is 42 this year."

"Why didn't you say so sooner!" Zhao Peng ran behind the door and picked up a raincoat from the hook on the wall: "I'm going to buy some groceries."

Gao Jie waved his hand: "Don't bother, it's raining and snowing outside."

Feng Xiaocai opened the plastic bag, which contained some braised beef: "I bought some, and also pig's ears, which are Master's favorite. It's a pity we can't drink alcohol."

"No drinking while on duty." Gao Jie tidied up his desk.

Feng Xiaocai placed the cake and ingredients on the table.

"Master, would you like to make a wish?"

"No, I don't have any wishes."

Zhao Peng said, "Sure, if you really don't have any wishes, then just let us work night shifts from now on, so we can respond to fewer calls and have less trouble."

"Well."

Zhao Peng turned off the office light, leaving only the dim yellow light from the streetlights outside the window.

Gao Jie's desk was next to the window, outside of which grew an osmanthus tree that resembled an umbrella. The drizzling winter rain fell on the treetops and splashed onto the windowpane.

Inside the rain-soaked windowpane, the cake candles were already lit.

Gao Jie clasped his hands together and made a wish. The three figures gathered around the table and blew out the candles in one breath. Then, the office lights came back on.

Feng Xiaocai sat opposite Gao Jie and smiled, "Master, are you happy?"

Gao Jie smiled and said, "What do you think?"

"I will come to celebrate your birthday every year from now on."

"I've been taking advantage of you the most as your master."

"What does that matter?"

At this moment, Zhao Peng found three spoons, and he even wiped one of them repeatedly with a tissue.

"Comrade Xiao Feng, please don't mind."

"It's alright." Feng Xiaocai took the spoon, put it on the table, and didn't intend to eat it.

Gao Jie and Zhao Peng thoroughly enjoyed their meal, especially the braised beef, which was not only fragrant but also chewy, making it far superior to instant noodles.

Gao Jie asked, "By the way, has the Third Brigade had any cases these past few days?"

Feng Xiaocai shook her head: "Not yet."

"Wu Kai is so 'kind'? He's letting you guys go unused?"

"No, that's not it." Gao Jie looked out the window at the rain, which was mixed with granular snowflakes.

Feng Xiaocai leaned closer and asked, "Didn't your teacher's wife and child call you?"

Gao Jie pursed his lips and shook his head.

"Why don't you find another one?"

"I don't have that idea."

“I have a great candidate. She is also divorced and has a five-year-old daughter. She works selling clothes in a department store…”

Gao Jie looked up: "Your dad's shopping mall?"

"Mm." Feng Xiaocai nodded.

While eating, Zhao Peng interjected, "Comrade Xiao Feng, does your family own a shopping mall?"

Gao Jie replied, "Xingye Department Store, have you heard of it?"

Zhao Peng nodded: "I passed by while on duty, but I never went in. The food inside is too expensive. There's also the first KFC in Qincheng that opened next door. A hamburger there costs more than ten yuan. Why don't they just rob us?"

"That's her dad's shopping mall, and the KFC there is also owned by her dad."

"Uh……"

Zhao Peng opened his mouth wide enough to fit an egg.

Feng Xiaocai glanced at him: "It's a small shopping mall, it doesn't make much money."

"Isn't this profitable?" Zhao Peng swallowed hard, the small flame that had risen in his heart immediately extinguished.

She's not only a third-level police superintendent, but her father is also a big boss. What kind of family is this?
“Master, if you’re willing, I can arrange for you to meet her. Sister Li is a nice person, and most importantly, she has her own house. If you’re with her, you won’t have to stay in the dormitory.”

Gao Jie glanced at her: "Xiao Cai, did you come here to celebrate my birthday or to set me up on a blind date?"

"The two things don't conflict."

"Let me think about it."

"Don't think about it for too long. Sister Li is only 30 this year, 12 years younger than you. She's beautiful and young, and many people are pursuing her. If you live with her, who knows, you might even be able to have another child..."

"What are you saying?" Gao Jie glared at her. "It's too late and it's raining. I'll take you home."

"No need, I drove here myself." Feng Xiaocai checked the time; it was already 10 p.m., which was indeed quite late.

Gao Jie stood up: "Let's go, I'll see you off."

"also."

Zhao Peng asked from the side, "Comrade Xiao Feng, what kind of car are you driving?"

"It's a very ordinary car, not worth much."

Gao Jie smiled and said, "Audi."

“Uh…” Zhao Peng clicked his tongue: “Even our branch chief can’t afford this car.”

"Is it that they can't afford to drive it, or that they dare not drive it?"

Gao Jie made a sarcastic remark, took a raincoat from the hook behind the door, and led Feng Xiaocai out of the office.

The rain outside had lessened, but the snowflakes were still falling, and the wet ground glistened under the streetlights.

Leaving the squadron's courtyard and passing through the corridor, you arrive at the front yard outside the brigade.

Gao Jie glanced at the duty room. Old Zhang was lying in a chair, wrapped in a military overcoat, with his feet up on the desk, fast asleep.

One look at his liver-colored face, and Gao Jie knew the other man must have been drinking.

When Gao Jie returned, he found a brand-new red Audi parked in the carport. He thought the car had been towed back by the brigade, but he didn't expect it to be Feng Xiaocai's car.

"Isn't this car cheap?"

Feng Xiaocai shook her head: "I don't know, my dad gave it to me."

"You shouldn't drive it to work anymore. It's more expensive than the boss's car. Isn't that just asking for trouble?"

“I know, I only drive it a few times a day. My dad usually drives me to work. Master, you can go back now, I’m leaving.” Feng Xiaocai opened the car door and got into the driver’s seat.

"Drive slowly and be careful."

"I know."

After inserting the car key, Feng Xiaocai instructed, "Master, remember what I told you. If you're willing, give me a call and I'll arrange for you to meet."

"Okay." Gao Jie helped her close the car door.

After the car drove away, Gao Jie returned to his office.

Zhao Peng had already finished eating. While drinking his tea, he asked, "Uncle Gao, how old is Comrade Xiao Feng?"

"24."

"He's a year younger than me."

"What? You're interested in her?"

"How could I dare? I come from an ordinary family."

"So what? Decades ago, everyone was from an ordinary family."

Zhao Peng immediately perked up: "You mean, I have a chance to pursue Comrade Xiao Feng?"

Gao Jie stabbed him in the back: "No, I was talking about decades ago, not now."

"Sigh..." Zhao Peng sighed, "Not only is his family rich..."

Gao Jie sat down in the chair and reiterated, "Yes, he is very rich."

"Still a third-level police superintendent in the criminal investigation division..."

Gao Jie added, "Don't you like reading the newspaper? The criminal police captain who solved the taxi driver murder case and this major insurance fraud murder case is her superior. Xiao Cai will be more than just a third-level police superintendent if she follows Captain Yang."

"Stop talking," Zhao Peng said, waving his hand. "Every word you say pierces my heart."

Gao Jie comforted him, saying, "It's not a big deal. We're just doing our jobs and serving the people in the same way."

"Alright, I'm just one of the people, who's going to serve me?"

"Alright, let's eat. Aren't you happy to be eating for free?"

"Of course I'm happy!" Zhao Peng picked up his teacup and said to Gao Jie, "Uncle Gao, happy birthday."

"Thank you." Gao Jie also picked up his enamel teacup and clinked it against his.

(End of this chapter)