Chapter 17: Unexpected Heroics at the Police Station

These two had indeed committed offenses and were being pursued by the police.

Today, they ran into Xie Bingran, Xu Chen, and the others, only to be subdued and taken straight to the police station.

From this perspective, Xie Bingran and Xu Chen truly had a hand in aiding the police to capture the suspects.

Yet, their act of “kidnapping” Xie Bingran alone was enough to convict them.

……

Around nine that evening, Xie Bingran finally finished the interrogation. He stepped out with his hands in his pockets.

The female officer who’d accompanied him emerged alongside him.

When “Bing Ge” appeared, Li Rui and his crew immediately stood up.

But since this was a police station, they didn’t shout. Instead, they naturally gathered around him.

The Discipline Office director rose and said,

“Fortunately, nothing went wrong today. But you still need to conduct a thorough self-examination…”

He launched into a long lecture, then politely thanked the police officer.

The female officer approached and pulled out two contact cards.

“These are police–civil liaison cards. My number is on them. Contact me if you need anything.”

She handed one card to Xie Bingran and the other to homeroom teacher Huang Aiying.

Xu Chen thought for a moment, then smiled and asked,

“Officer, could I have one, too?”

The officer smiled back. “Of course.”

She’d been with Xie Bingran throughout the questioning and knew Xu Chen’s role in the incident.

She pulled out another card and handed it to him.

Xu Chen took it with both hands and glanced at it.

District Officer: Chen Xinlan.

A mobile number followed.

Xu Chen: “Thank you, Officer Chen!”

……

The station wasn’t far from the school. The students trailed behind the three teachers as they walked back.

The teachers led the way, with Xu Chen and Xie Bingran shoulder to shoulder and Li Rui’s gang behind them.

Li Rui licked his lips, craving a cigarette. He dug into his pocket for a pack and offered smokes to his buddies.

The teachers heard the rustle and turned, frowning.

Li Rui let out two dumb laughs and took two steps forward.

“Teacher, you smoke, right?”

He held out a cigarette.

Homeroom teacher Huang Aiying’s face twisted in anger—but then she saw the Discipline Office director and Zhang Liqun each pull out a smoke and tuck it between their lips.

Huang Aiying stared at the two male teachers in disbelief.

The Discipline Office director, embarrassed, tried to look stern and whispered,

“Just this once. But put those out before we return to school.”

Li Rui chuckled twice, solemnly promised, then lit their cigarettes with his lighter.

Huang Aiying rolled her eyes in disgust.

……

Xu Chen couldn’t help but smile. Li Rui really was smart—both streetwise and adaptable.

From today’s events, it was clear that although Li Rui seemed impulsive, he got things done reliably.

Xu Chen thought Li Rui might be a valuable asset.

His father’s business could use someone like him.

He had that tough “gangster” image but was also flexible and sharp.

With graduation approaching, Li Rui’s grades probably wouldn’t get him into a top university. If that happened, he’d be worth keeping an eye on.

Dad ran a business in a county town—anything could come up. Having someone like Li Rui could quietly solve many hidden troubles…

Unaware of Xu Chen’s thoughts, Li Rui silently fell back.

“Bing Ge, smoke?”

He held out half a pack to Xie Bingran.

Xie Bingran reached for a cigarette but abruptly remembered something and returned it to the pack.

“I’ve quit.”

Li Rui: “??!”

Li Rui and his gang exchanged stunned looks.

Bing Ge actually quit smoking?!

After all, many in their crew had learned to smoke from him…

Xu Chen glanced at Xie Bingran and grinned.

Li Rui then offered a cigarette to Xu Chen.

“Chen Ge, have one.”

Xu Chen waved him off politely. “No, thanks.”

In his previous life, Xu Chen had been a heavy smoker—at least a pack a day.

By thirty-five, his health declined sharply.

Even a mild cold would turn into an endless cough.

Reborn, he’d give up cigarettes early…

Fifteen minutes later, led by the three teachers, the group staggered back to school.

It was only around nine and boarding students still had an hour of evening self-study.

Everyone returned to their classrooms.

Xu Chen then learned that Xie Bingran’s “droogs” were also boarding students, mostly from rural towns.

He followed Zhang Liqun back to the door of Class 5.

As Xu Chen turned to enter, Zhang Liqun stopped him.

“I need to have a word with you.”

Zhang Liqun folded his hands behind his back, wearing a serious expression.

Xu Chen pouted but obediently stood to attention.

Zhang Liqun adjusted his brown glasses, cleared his throat, and began lecturing in his slow drawl.

It was all the same old talk.

Xu Chen let it go in one ear and out the other, not paying attention.

Still, he nodded occasionally and tossed in a few “yes, ssirs” to save face.

Although his body faced Zhang Liqun, his toes pointed toward escape.

Fifteen minutes later, Zhang Liqun—parched—delivered his concluding remarks.

Xu Chen stifled a yawn, nearly dozing off.

Zhang Liqun cleared his throat again and added a final remark:

“Next week is the mock exams—your last rehearsal before the college entrance test. Study diligently and gauge your true level.

I still believe in you.

When it comes time to choose a school, I’ll advise you on your options.”

Xu Chen nodded seriously, though he cursed under his breath.

“Advise my foot!”

“Last time I followed your advice, I only got into a second-tier college.”

“That bald old goat ruined me. I won’t fall for it twice.”

Of course, Xu Chen kept his inner thoughts to himself, appearing obedient and attentive.

Yet he knew he had to take this mock seriously.

After being reborn, he needed to see if he could perform normally.

Zhang Liqun finally finished his ramble. Xu Chen’s legs were already weak.

Feeling pardoned, he turned and slipped back to his seat.

Deskmate Chen Dahai looked at Xu Chen with a gossiping expression:

“Where did Xu Shao go? Get in trouble? Why did the homeroom talk to him so long? Weren’t you and Bing Ge eating together? What did you guys chat about? Have you decided whose surname the kid will take?”

Faced with Chen Dahai’s endless questions, Xu Chen simply replied:

“Mind your own business.”

Chen Dahai: “……”

Small eyes, big confusion.

……

……

At ten, just before lights out, Xu Chen finally put away his workbook and left the classroom.

He nearly bumped into Li Rui waiting outside the door.

“Chen Ge, Bing Ge wants to see you,” Li Rui said.

“Now? Where?”

“He’s on the field. I’ll take you there.”

Xu Chen nodded and followed Li Rui downstairs.

They cut through the moonlit campus toward the athletic field.

Li Rui chatted nonstop, filling the silence.

“I just found out you and Bing Ge went to the same middle school.”

Xu Chen smiled and briefly recounted how he and Xie Bingran had once sat side by side.

He couldn’t help but ask,

“How did you and Xie Bingran end up together?”

Seeing no teachers around, Li Rui slipped a cigarette into his mouth and drew a deep inhale.

“We country kids from poor towns got looked down on and bullied. Back then, Bing Ge stood up for us.

After we followed him, no one dared mess with us…”