Chapter 316: Delayed Justice and Hidden Motives

Chapter 316: The Webnovel Tropes from a Decade Ago

The next day, the young couple went back to their parents’ place.

Xiao Yu glanced dismissively at his dad, mom, and even his mother-in-law.

He orbited around his sister like a devoted worshiper.

What is happiness?

Perhaps it’s simply watching everyone around you smile and feeling happy yourself.

Everyone eagerly awaited the arrival of the baby.

Yet this would be a long, drawn-out phase…

“Sister Bai, do you have a child too?”

Retracting his gaze, Xiao Yu smiled as he looked over at Bai Ting, the female bodyguard lounging on the sofa.

Now, Bai Ting had become an integral part of their lives,

forming a family of sorts.

She was both like an older sister and a respected elder.

Every day, as long as Xiao Yu wasn’t around,

she would stick by Mu Qingwu’s side around the clock.

“Thirteen years old.”

When speaking of her own child, Bai Ting’s face softened with both affection and resignation. “She’s quite a handful! ‘627’”

“Haha.”

Xiao Yu burst into laughter and nodded. “I was like that at her age too… Sister Bai, you must be happy.”

“Not bad, though sometimes I do envy you young couples,” she replied.

Bai Ting glanced toward Mu Qingwu not far off and said with a smile, “My in-laws used to disapprove of my career, but they eventually came around. My husband may be a bit reserved, yet he’s honest and treats me well.”

That was bliss… a thought that only deepened the smile on Xiao Yu’s face.

He loved seeing those around him happy—it felt wonderful.

“I have a question for you,” he said.

Bai Ting fixed him with a deep, searching look.

“What is it?” Xiao Yu asked, surprised.

Bai Ting, who usually spoke little, was unusually talkative today.

And now she even had a question?

“Well…”

Bai Ting smiled and asked, “What do you think of the saying, ‘Justice may be late, but it never fails to show up’?”

That quote was coined by a foreign official named Hoonit.

“Is justice still justice if it arrives late?”

Xiao Yu couldn’t help but scoff at the saying.

“That’s why I had to ask you,” Bai Ting laughed.

“Since it’s justice…”

Xiao Yu grinned and asked, “Sister Bai, do you believe it should be prompt or delayed?”

“Prompt,” she replied without hesitation.

“Then…”

Xiao Yu shrugged. “You’re always late yet you boast about it. Who’s going to take you seriously?”

“No one will,” Bai Ting shook her head firmly.

“See? The logic is simple.”

Xiao Yu laughed, “If you’re always late and still bragging, what’s your endgame?”

“I have my reasons,” Bai Ting chuckled softly.

“Isn’t it all pretty straightforward?” Xiao Yu asked with a smile.

“Yes,” Bai Ting nodded.

“Who made you ask me that, Sister Bai?” Xiao Yu grinned playfully.

“It was…”

Her ingrained habits almost made her blurt it out.

But she held back her words, a resigned smile in her eyes: “Too clever—it’s dangerous!”

“I often say that to my own sister as well.”

Watching Mu Qingwu chat with the elders nearby, Xiao Yu snorted, “People are like that. If someone harbors hidden motives, you instinctively become cautious and try to decipher them. And if you don’t, it becomes even scarier. Those people are just like Old Silver Coin!”

“Haha,” Bai Ting softly laughed.

“Did Big Boss have you ask that?” Xiao Yu’s smile faded as he inquired.

Bai Ting hesitated briefly before nodding.

Xiao Yu fell silent.

What did Big Boss mean by that?

Questions like these were clearly some kind of psychological test.

Or perhaps even a trial?

Xiao Yu felt increasingly puzzled.

Was it because I did something wrong?

If I had, you should tell me face-to-face.

But anyway, I won’t change—don’t bottle it up and get sick!

Shaking off the stray thoughts, Xiao Yu decided not to make a fuss.

The bigwigs’ minds were mysteries that a small fry like him couldn’t fathom.

Puzzling over them would only waste brainpower.

After all, it was far more fun to spar mentally with his own older sister.

Looking at the carefree, younger brother-like figure, Bai Ting couldn’t help but laugh.

Living simply really is wonderful!

But soon, Bai Ting’s expression grew strangely serious.

Can someone like that really lead National Security?!

What did Sister Bai’s gaze mean…? Xiao Yu wondered.

It was such a bizarre look.

It felt part pity and part schadenfreude.

A sudden chill ran down Xiao Yu’s spine.

He felt as if someone was plotting against him…

……

On a bright, sunny morning,

Xiao Yu waved goodbye to Mu Qingwu, who was already in the car heading to the office.

He himself drove his beloved Red Flag Car to the Criminal Investigation Team.

However, the uniform he wore still marked him as a first-grade inspector.

Remember, National Security’s uniform is unique, but a police uniform is still a police uniform…

Such was the benefit of holding two positions.

Now, his record at National Security was sealed and confidential—ordinary folks couldn’t access it.

This was a form of protection!

To everyone else, Xiao Yu was just a police officer.

The Criminal Investigation Team’s… deputy captain!

Xiao Yu’s elusive reputation had long become the norm in the team.

Deputy Captain Zhao Changshan grumbled as he saw Xiao Yu, “Get it together. Stop moonlighting for National Security and focus on our own team!”

Haha… Big Boss finally had something to complain about?

Xiao Yu was thoroughly amused.

It proved he still had a strong presence in the team.

He quickly offered a cigarette, not at all resembling a National Security leader,

but rather looking like a little minion under the boss’s command.

Zhao Changshan smiled warmly and nodded.

He was very pleased with the little brother’s performance.

Xiao Yu himself beamed with satisfaction.

This was the Criminal Investigation Team—it truly felt like family.

The boss and Big Boss were the eternal heads, and everyone else was family.

And that was exactly why Xiao Yu loved his team.

“What’s going on?”

Big Boss must have had his reasons for complaining, Xiao Yu said with a smile.

If it were one of those ten-year-old webnovel tropes,

then soon a little incident would occur in the team and his character would make a dazzling entrance.

“Tsk.”

Deputy Captain Zhao Changshan looked pained as he explained, “When you were with National Security, our team took on a minor case that turned out to be quite tricky. We old detectives couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard we tried.”

A minor case? Yet tricky?

A case so small that even veteran detectives couldn’t crack it?

Xiao Yu was utterly puzzled.

Suddenly, he wondered if his Chinese was just not precise enough.

So, what kind of minor case could really stump the Criminal Investigation Team?

This case had truly baffled them all.

It all began nine days ago.

A prisoner in a certain jail accused a cellmate of committing murder and dismemberment years ago—an accusation that hinted at an incredibly bizarre terror case.

The guards interrogated him and filed a report…

After that, the case was handed over to Bincheng and then transferred to the Criminal Investigation Team.

The case landed with the team because it had taken place in Bincheng!

Murder and dismemberment—surely that was a major case?

So why call it minor?

Because everyone believed no death had actually occurred.

Instead, it was just a prisoner pulling a fast one on everyone!