Film and Television World Life Record

……

In the police station's break room, everyone was exhausted from the intense work of the past few days. There weren't enough beds in the break room, so some people rested by lying on the tables or leaning against the chairs.

Li Dawei wailed, "My God, these are the police! Am I having a nightmare...?"

Yang Shu didn't even have the strength to speak; he just lay on the bed staring at the ceiling.

Zhao Jiwei said, "It's alright. We can respond to calls every day, which is better than watching surveillance footage, but there aren't any major cases."

Li Dawei glared at Zhao Jiwei, wanting to say something, but then he remembered how the other man had worked overtime for 500 hours straight watching surveillance footage in order to find diapers. The words stuck in his throat.

Xia Jie forced herself to stay alert and said, "That's just how police officers are. Most of their cases involve trivial matters. You'll get used to it."

Li Dawei said sadly, "Speaking of habits, the one I'm most used to now is being scolded by my master."

Yang Shu asked in surprise, "Your master, Officer Chen Xincheng, is a really nice person!"

Li Dawei said, "Yes, it's great! But he doesn't like me! He prefers a cultured and obedient apprentice like you."

"Actually, I also like your master Cao Jianjun's straightforwardness. If I were to partner with your master, we would definitely have great chemistry. Unlike with my master... sigh, I would have to rack my brains to figure out how to please him."

Yang Shu said with admiration, "My master is really amazing, just like a policeman."

Xia Jie chuckled lightly, "Looks just like a policeman? Isn't he a policeman?"

Yang Shu said, "His demeanor when handling cases is very much in line with everyone's imagination of a policeman."

Zhao Jiwei chimed in, "My...my master is also very good, very capable."

Li Dawei said, "Of course, you don't know how impressive your master was when we went to catch that fugitive together that day and encountered a group of villagers blocking our way."

"And your master is exceptionally skilled. The other day when they were arresting the suspect, they needed to climb over a wall. You didn't see it, but he scaled that high wall in a flash, cleanly and efficiently, with very little noise. Jiwei, you've really hit the jackpot."

Zhao Jiwei said with longing, "My master is so skilled. I wish I could go on a police call with him that day."

Li Dawei said, "Now that you've become an apprentice, you should be content. Zhao Jiwei, I'm starting to envy you."

"Among us, Xia Jie is the only one who's a bit better than you."

Xia Jie asked, "Why am I the best?"

Li Dawei said, "Isn't it obvious? I heard that Director Cheng was originally your father's apprentice. How could he not treat you well? He would definitely treat you well."

Xia Jie didn't deny it, though she felt a little annoyed: "Yes. It's not just him, the whole police station has been very nice to me. I'm the most taken care of among us new recruits. So, are you jealous?"

Li Dawei said jokingly, "Jealousy!"

Xia Jie took a deep breath and said calmly, "The more this is the case, the more I need to achieve results to prove that I, Xia Jie, can also be a good police officer and live up to everyone's expectations."

Yang Shu advised, "Don't put so much pressure on yourself."

Li Dawei didn't like hearing this: "So what if there's pressure? Pressure is what makes a good policeman. It's what motivates you to work hard."

Yang Shu explained, "It might not be that easy for Xia Jie. Everyone in the institute is protecting her, but being protected too much is like having a shield, which makes her feel uncomfortable."

Li Dawei disagreed: "Xia Jie isn't an ordinary girl. She graduated from police academy and doesn't need anyone's protection at all."

Zhao Jiwei said, "I think Yang Shu makes sense. Once, when I mentioned Xia Jie, my mentor said, 'Don't be fooled by how much care Xia Jie receives in the institute and how many people envy her. It doesn't necessarily mean things are good. Sometimes you have to go through storms to see the rainbow. Being too protected and lacking necessary experience is not good for your growth.'"

"Moreover, people in this world are too complicated. Some people will envy you, and others will be jealous. If Xia Jie achieves something in the future, others will definitely say that the institute is taking care of her and will erase her efforts. If she wants to prove herself, she needs to put in more effort than others."

Li Dawei thought for a moment and said, "Your master is right, Xia Jie. I'm not jealous of you! What I just said was what I really felt. You don't need anyone's protection to succeed."

Xia Jie listened intently to Zhao Jiwei's words, which resonated deeply with her.

At this moment, she couldn't help but laugh and say, "I didn't say you were jealous. You're right. As a police academy graduate, I, Xia Jie, don't need anyone's protection."

For a moment, the lounge fell silent.

Li Dawei said, "Let's stop chatting and rest. We might be busy again this afternoon."

……

A few more days passed in the blink of an eye. There were fewer police incidents in the morning, so Zhao Jiwei strolled over to Li Mu's office and started cleaning.

While cleaning, he asked, "Brother Li, does our station just mediate disputes every day? Don't we have any cases that are even slightly bigger?"

Li Mu laughed and asked, "What would be considered a slightly bigger case?"

Zhao Jiwei said, "Arrest them, at least arrest one person."

Li Mu smiled and raised his arm to check the time.

"Alright, I'll give you five minutes to prepare. I'll take you to catch someone in a bit."

Zhao Jiwei's eyes lit up: "Really!"

Li Mu kicked him: "Alright, stop wiping, go back and get ready."

Zhao Jiwei put down the rag and saluted.

"Brother Li, I'll go prepare right now." With that, he rushed off.

……

Half an hour later, in front of a foot massage parlor.

To avoid arousing suspicion, Deputy Director Cheng Hao led several plainclothes police officers inside first.

Thirty meters away, Li Mu led more than twenty police officers and auxiliary police officers, waiting quietly in two ordinary-looking Jinbei vans.

After checking the time, Zhao Jiwei, who was sitting in the back, suddenly stretched his neck and said, "Brother Li, why don't we just rush in and take them? With so many police officers, they definitely can't escape."

Li Mu said, "So what if you can't escape? The hardest thing to do when catching prostitutes is to get evidence. Once you're inside, they press a button, and by the time you get to the back, it's all over."

"Only by sending someone in first to scout ahead, seizing a good opportunity, or taking control of the guards, can we rush in and catch them red-handed, achieving twice the result with half the effort."

Zhao Jiwei suddenly realized and said, "I see. So when do we make our move?"

Li Mu glared at him: "Get ready, and stop talking nonsense."

Zhao Jiwei shrank back and said "Oh".

Li Mu turned to Xia Jie beside him and said, "Your master just handed you over to me and repeatedly told you not to go in for a while, but to stay here and watch the car."

Xia Jie retorted, "Officer Li, why can't I go in with everyone? You can't just listen to my master. I'm also a police officer at the police station. I don't need to be taken care of. I have an obligation to act with everyone."

"Besides, didn't you say before that my current state of being protected is actually not good for me? I will miss a lot of opportunities to gain experience. I hope you will treat me equally and not listen to my master."

Seeing her serious expression, Li Mu smiled.

"Alright, since you put it that way, we'll go together with Zhao Jiwei in a bit."

Xia Jie's face lit up with joy, and she saluted, "Yes, Chief Li!"

Li Mu received a message from Cheng Hao after his phone beeped twice. He opened the car door, jumped out, and waved, saying, "Let's move out."

More than 20 police officers and auxiliary police officers jumped out of two Jinbei vans in single file and, led by Li Mu, rushed into the foot massage parlor at a 100-meter sprint speed.

Soon, police officers escorted the prostitutes and their clients out of the building in single file. The women all covered their faces with their long hair, and the clients also tried to keep their heads down.

As they were being led into police cars one by one, Xia Jie suddenly noticed a woman in her thirties, dressed plainly, with a simple and unassuming appearance, and without makeup. She didn't look like a prostitute at all. Behind her was a girl of about three or four years old, crying and tugging at the woman's clothes, repeatedly calling for her mother. The woman hugged the child and cried as well.

This scene reminded Xia Jie of herself. She had relied on her mother since childhood and had once been just as pitiful and helpless, which made her feel a little soft-hearted.

After the others were put into a police car, Xia Jie stepped forward and said gently, "Little sister, don't cry. What's your name?"

The simply dressed woman's eyes lit up when she saw Xia Jie's expression: "Officer, my name is Xiang Cuihua. Officer, I'm innocent! I just work here and I don't know anything."

Xia Jie glared at her: "What kind of mother are you? You can't even pick a good place to work, and you're bringing your child with you. Is this a place a child should be in?"

The woman cried, "Officer, I have no choice. I have a child with me, and many places don't want to hire me. Farming in the countryside doesn't yield much, and my whole family is waiting to be fed. What can I do? Please let me live. My child is so young; what will happen to her if I go to jail?"

As soon as she said that, the child started crying loudly, and the woman hugged the child and cried.

Xia Jie was a little flustered: "Don't cry. Don't worry, we won't wrong an innocent person. But you have to come back with us now, explain the situation, and cooperate with the investigation. As long as the investigation proves you're alright, you can come back."

The woman said, "But if I go with you, who will take care of the child for the next few days?"

Xia Jie asked, "Is there anyone else in your family? Let them take the child back."

The woman covered her face, cried, and refused to answer.

Then two more people were forced into the car, a policeman closed the door, and started heading back to the police station.

Xia Jie glanced sympathetically at the woman crying in the back seat through the rearview mirror and comforted her, "Don't cry. Go to the station and explain the situation. If you're truly innocent, you'll definitely be able to get out and reunite with your child. Now, you need to tell me, who will take care of her these next few days?"

The woman pleaded, "Officer, I can tell you're a kind person. You have no idea how hard it is for us country folk to come to the city to earn money..."

Xiao Qian, the auxiliary police officer sitting next to her, couldn't stand it anymore and shouted, "Behave yourself! I've heard about terminal cancer so many times! Officer Xia, don't pay attention to her, she's just playing the victim to gain sympathy, not a single word of it is true."

The car became much quieter immediately.

When the police car returned to the police station, the clients and prostitutes who had been arrested earlier were all squatting in the police station courtyard. Li Mu and Cheng Hao were busy taking people to register and question them one by one.

Xia Jie got out of the police car and said to the woman, "Get out of the car and go with them. Register your personal information first."

The woman got out of the car, grabbed Xia Jie, and cried, "Sister, please, please help me. My child is only three years old, what am I going to do... If all else fails, could you please help me call my husband? He's never taken care of a child before, I really don't trust him with my child."

Xia Jie hesitated and said, "This... I can't help you with this. You can't communicate with anyone until the matter is investigated."

The woman said pitifully, "Sister, I don't want to make things difficult for you, but my daughter... she's just so pitiful. Could you call and ask her for me?"

He then recited a string of phone numbers, repeating it several times.

Xia Jie was in a dilemma: "It's not that I don't want to help you, it's the rule."