Chapter 915: Night Run

“…local geologists pried open the stone slab and finally discovered the substance causing the mysterious heating. It’s called limestone!”

“Damn it!” Lin Dongxue laughed in frustration.

“No more watching these shows; they’re too deceptive.” Chen Shi took a sip of his drink.

“Honey, let me have a sip too.”

Chen Shi brought the whiskey with ice to her lips. Lin Dongxue sniffed it and said, “It smells like chocolate.”

“That’s because it’s 18-year-old Chivas. I don’t usually drink it.”

Leaning against Chen Shi, Lin Dongxue took a sip and smiled. “I still can’t handle alcohol,” but she took another sip, coughing as she stuck out her tongue.

“If you can’t handle it, why drink?”

“This is the taste of our first day of marriage. From now on, whenever we drink this, we’ll remember today. I’m so happy.”

The room was dark, the couple cuddling on the sofa, enveloped in a warm, cozy atmosphere. Chen Shi heard a rustling sound outside and said, “It’s raining!”

“Should we go to bed early?”

“You can’t sleep this early.”

“We can do something else.”

“Like what…”

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Chen Shi recognized the pattern immediately. “Yueyue? No way, why would she come back suddenly?”

Opening the door, he found Yueyue standing there, drenched like a little wet chicken. Seeing Chen Shi, she burst into tears. “Uncle Chen, I don’t want to stay at that horrible police academy anymore.”

“What happened? Did someone bully you? Come in quickly!”

Chen Shi grabbed a towel to dry her hair while Lin Dongxue poured her a cup of hot tea. Sitting at the table with the cup in her hands, Yueyue looked around and noticed some new furniture. “These…”

“Your Uncle Chen and I got married, so I moved in. Take care of us from now on,” Lin Dongxue said.

Noticing Lin Dongxue was still wearing Chen Shi’s shirt, Yueyue asked, “Am I interrupting you?”

“No, not at all,” Lin Dongxue said, patting her head. “What happened at the police academy? You’ve been in training recently, right? Is it about that?”

Yueyue nodded, tears welling up again. “The instructor is unreasonable. I think he’s venting his frustrations on us. If one student messes up, the whole row gets punished. We miss meals, and train on empty stomachs. Today it rained, and he wouldn’t let us go back to the dorms. Someone whispered something, and he made us all stand in the rain for an hour. This isn’t training; it’s punishment. I hate him!”

She gripped the teacup tightly, making it creak.

“Your instructor sounds very strict, but we’ve all been through this. Police are like half-soldiers, and training is essential,” Lin Dongxue said.

“I don’t see the point. Are we supposed to kick criminals to death with our marching steps?” Yueyue retorted.

Chen Shi smiled wryly, taking a cola from the fridge. Lin Dongxue complained, “It’s so cold.”

Yueyue immediately perked up at the sight of the cola, drinking half of it in one go. Chen Shi said, “Training isn’t about the physical activities themselves. I had the same complaints during my training. The purpose is to teach you obedience because the police force is a unit. Every officer must learn to follow orders, and that starts with training.”

“Did you become obedient?” Yueyue asked.

“Some people learn obedience, while others learn to hide their individuality. Both outcomes serve the purpose of training. I’m the latter. You don’t have to take it to heart, but you need to learn to control your temper. It’s a necessary skill for any career, not just being a cop.”

“But I’m already obedient. I follow every order, and I ranked ninth in long-distance running among the girls. It’s not fair that we all get punished for one person’s mistake!” Yueyue argued.

Lin Dongxue said to Chen Shi, “This instructor does sound excessive. Should we visit the academy and give some feedback?”

Chen Shi firmly said, “We can’t set that precedent. Before, I was just a driver, an ordinary person. Now, I’m a police captain. Most of the academy instructors rank below me. If I complain, it would seem like I’m abusing my power.”

Yueyue was furious. “I’m being tortured to death, and you won’t help me?”

“This is a challenge you must face on your own. I can’t help you. Pampering you now will harm you later.”

Yueyue looked ready to storm out. Lin Dongxue said, “I’ll go tomorrow. I’m just a low-ranking officer, so it won’t seem like an abuse of power.”

Yueyue pouted, about to cry. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“Then I’ll teach you a trick. If you really can’t stand it, you can faint or cry. Girls need to know how to show weakness. Most instructors have never dated. Seeing a girl cry, they’ll be at a loss. When I was in training, I used this trick. On the hottest days, I said I had a stomachache and cried my heart out. The instructor let me rest.”

Yueyue’s frown turned into a shy smile. “Will it work?”

“It always works. Haven’t other girls taken sick leave?”

Yueyue thought for a moment. “I guess they have. I’ll try it tomorrow.”

“Great, problem solved,” Chen Shi sighed with relief.

“You didn’t solve anything, why are you so smug?” Yueyue retorted.

“Brat, I was worried about you too.”

“I couldn’t tell.”

“How did you get out? Did you climb over the wall?”

“I’m not the only one sneaking home. Can I sleep here tonight? There’s a girl in my dorm who’s the mayor’s daughter. I can’t stand her. If you don’t help me, I’ll deal with her myself.”

Chen Shi chuckled, seeing his younger self in her. Collective life was a nightmare for someone with a strong personality.

Lin Dongxue said, “You should assert yourself. Let them know you’re the police captain’s child. Girls can be very subtle. I don’t like to speak ill of others, but my roommates gave me a hard time when they knew I was an orphan. Things improved when my brother became a captain.”

“If they knew you were the daughter of a war hero, they’d have carried you on a palanquin,” Chen Shi joked.

“You’re crazy. Don’t mention that man,” Lin Dongxue punched him playfully.

Yueyue stood up. “I’m going to take a shower…” At the bathroom door, she turned and asked, “Will I interrupt your midnight activities?”

Chen Shi said, “We’re beyond embarrassment. You won’t disturb us.”

After Yueyue entered the bathroom, Lin Dongxue blushed and said, “I’ll need time to adjust to this family’s culture.”