After leaving the state-run restaurant, Li Yi didn’t go to the supply and marketing cooperative to restock; instead, he drove the big black horse-drawn cart straight to the county bureau.
To be honest, if it hadn’t been for his conversation with Liu Jingshan today, which unexpectedly brought up Huang Lixing, Li Yi would have completely forgotten about this murder case involving a Hong Kong businessman that had shocked the entire nation.
As far as he knew, Huang Lixing was due to arrive in Ning City in a few days. If Wang Anguo were to take up his post there at this time, it was hard to say whether that would be a good or bad thing.
So, he decided to go have a chat with Wang Anguo!
At the county bureau, Wang Anguo was packing his things, and his wife, An Hong, was there as well.
It had been three days since Wang Anguo’s transfer order was issued, and all the formalities for taking up his new post at the Municipal Bureau had been completed, so An Hong had come over today to help him move his belongings.
The office door was wide open. When Li Yi arrived and saw the two people inside, he knocked on the door.
Wang Anguo looked up and, upon seeing Li Yi, exclaimed with delight, “Gangzi just told me you were back. I was actually planning to stop by your place this afternoon—I never expected you’d come here!”
Li Yi walked in and greeted her first: “Hello, Sister-in-law!”
“Hello. He was just talking about you a moment ago!”
“Hehe, Li Gang told me yesterday that Brother Wang was taking up a new post in the city, so I just had to come by today. Let’s grab lunch together and hang out for a bit!” Li Yi said.
“Let’s skip going out for lunch today—just come over to our place!” An Hong said.
“Is that okay?” Li Yi asked with a smile.
Wang Anguo immediately replied, “What’s there to be inconvenient about? I’ll go get Gangzi and my senior brother in a minute. Let’s just consider this a farewell meal before I leave!”
“Sure!”
Right then, Wang Anguo asked An Hong to help pack up, while he picked up the phone and called Liang Yukui.
After that, he went personally to Li Gang’s office to tell him about the lunch plans.
After taking care of these matters, Wang Anguo and An Hong carried the office belongings one by one out to the jeep, preparing to take them home.
Li Yi, of course, wasn’t idle either; he pitched in to help carry the items.
Before long, all of Wang Anguo’s personal belongings were loaded onto the vehicle, and by then it was nearly 11:00 a.m.
They then called Li Gang, and the group headed straight for Wang Anguo’s home.
As for Li Yi’s horse-drawn carriage, they didn’t bother bringing it along; they left it in the courtyard of the county bureau.
After all, no one would dare come here to steal anything!
Wang Anguo’s home was located in a courtyard not far behind the county bureau. The house itself wasn’t large—just three rooms—but the courtyard was quite spacious.
The yard was filled with all kinds of vegetables—cucumbers, tomatoes, water radishes, green beans, and small melons—giving it a distinctly rural feel.
Wang Anguo’s home was rather modestly furnished, much like most households of that era. The only difference was perhaps the 14-inch black-and-white television and a radio that was still in excellent condition.
Clearly, even in the county seat, few families owned a television or a radio.
Once inside, An Hong busied herself with buying groceries and cooking, while Wang Anguo immediately poured tea and water for Li Gang and Li Yi.
Since it was still early for dinner, the three of them sat in the living room and chatted.
After taking a sip of tea, Li Yi said with some surprise, “Pu’er?”
“Brother Li Yi, you know your tea?” Wang Anguo asked, also somewhat surprised.
It’s important to note that people in the northern frontier regions are accustomed to drinking brick tea; as for other varieties—whether black or green tea—they generally know little about them.
As for Pu’er, most people had never even seen it, let alone tasted it.
“I know a little, just a little!”
Wang Anguo and Li Gang had long since grown accustomed to Li Yi’s claim of “knowing a little”—in reality, that “little” was quite telling!
In their eyes, Li Yi was simply being modest!
“This Pu’er was sent to me by a comrade-in-arms; apparently, it’s already twenty years old!” Wang Anguo said.
However, Li Yi shook his head and said, “It’s more than twenty years old. I’ve had twenty-year-old Pu’er before, and it didn’t taste this strong!”
Hearing this, both men present were taken aback.
The fact that Li Yi had actually tasted twenty-year-old Pu’er tea was truly beyond their comprehension.
“Haha, that’s just you. I don’t know much about tea—it all tastes the same to me!” Wang Anguo said.
Li Yi smiled and said, “Then you’re really wasting a gem—it’s a shame for this thirty-year-old Pu’er!”
“Thirty years?”
“Yeah, at least thirty years. Looks like your comrade really does treat you like a brother—this stuff isn’t exactly cheap!” Li Yi said.
“Brothers for life!”
“No wonder!”
Then Li Yi asked again, “Have you made up your mind? Are you really planning to go to the city and make your mark?”
“Yeah, you said it yourself the other day: ‘Follow your heart!’”
Wang Anguo continued, “After you left that day, I locked myself in my office and lay awake all night, staring into the darkness. I asked myself over and over again: Should I give it a shot?”
“If I stay in Qing Shan County, I might end up like Bureau Chiefs Qian and Yang—spending twenty years climbing from my current position as Criminal Investigation Team Captain to Deputy Bureau Chief, then Bureau Chief, and finally retiring in peace.”
“But that’s not what I want. So, after careful consideration, I finally decided to accept the city’s transfer order and go take a shot at that den of tigers and dragons!”
Li Yi looked Wang Anguo straight in the eye and said earnestly, “This assignment might not go smoothly for you!”
Hearing Li Yi speak with such gravity, both Wang Anguo and Li Gang sat up straight, their expressions turning serious.
“Brother Li Yi, have you sensed something again?” Wang Anguo asked in a low voice.
“Yes. I won’t go into details, but once you take up your post in the city, you’ll encounter two homicide cases that will have a significant impact on your career!” Li Yi said.
“Two… two cases, and both are homicides?” Wang Anguo asked, his face filled with shock.
“That’s right. One is an old cold case, and the other is a new one—both are major cases that will shock the entire nation!”
Li Yi continued, “If you handle these two cases well, you’ll have firmly established yourself in the city. If you don’t, well, that’s another story!”
Wang Anguo nodded immediately and said, “Mm-hmm, I understand!”
At that moment, Li Gang spoke up: “Brother Li Yi, since you’ve figured this out, could you give Brother Wang some guidance so he doesn’t end up completely in the dark?”
However, Li Yi just smiled and said, “Since I’ve brought it up, I’ll certainly help him—but not right now!”
“Then when?”
“After he takes office. Once a case actually arises and they can’t resolve it, that’s when I’ll step in.”
Li Yi then added, “That said, there are plenty of leads in that old case. If they search carefully, it shouldn’t be too hard to crack.”
Hearing Li Yi’s words, Wang Anguo immediately nodded and said, “Brother Li Yi is right. I’m a police officer—I have to rely on myself for everything. I can’t keep counting on Brother Li Yi to help me!”
Li Yi smiled and said, “If you really run into trouble, there’s no harm in asking me for help!”
“Hahaha, you’re right…”
Just as they were speaking, the sound of the front door creaking open suddenly came from outside.
Everyone immediately looked out and saw Liang Yukuai walking in from outside, carrying a briefcase!