Siheyuan (courtyard house): My father, Li Yunlong!

Just then, Zhao Gang's tightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed a little, as if he had remembered something, and he gently tapped his temple with his finger.

"Now that you mention it...it really reminds me of someone."

he mused.

"His name is Ma Xiaowu. He used to be one of my soldiers. He was quick-witted and daring, a master at reconnaissance and interrogation. He specialized in dealing with enemy agents and was quite skilled in that area. Later... well, because of some mistakes, he was demoted and is now the head of the police station in your area."

Li Zhenhua's eyes lit up.

"Police station chief? That's the perfect rank! Professional enough, but not so noisy as to disturb the factory!"

"Um."

Zhao Gang nodded.

"I think it's a good idea. It's perfectly reasonable for him to intervene under the guise of a routine safety inspection by the local police station or to cooperate with the factory's work. I'll give him a call right now, and you can go directly to him. This kid, although he made a mistake and was demoted, he's really capable, and he'll definitely do his best to help you out of respect for me."

"That's great! Thank you, Uncle Zhao!"

Li Zhenhua felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders; with professional foreign aid, the direction became much clearer.

With the matter settled, Li Zhenhua prepared to take his leave.

He stood up, but his steps were hesitant.

His gaze swept over the documents on the table that had angered Zhao Gang, and as he thought of the storms this upright elder might face in the future, and the angry rebuke he had heard when he entered the room, an indescribable worry welled up in his heart.

He stopped, turned around, and his expression became unusually serious, even carrying a heaviness that was incongruous with his age.

"Uncle Zhao."

Li Zhenhua's voice was deep and earnest.

"If I may say something, when I came in just now, I heard you were so angry... Are there some things... that don't need to be taken so seriously? Or perhaps, out of sight, out of mind?"

Zhao Gang was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, seemingly not expecting Li Zhenhua to say such a thing. He was about to speak when Li Zhenhua seemed to have made up his mind and continued speaking.

"Uncle Zhao, I know you can't tolerate any wrongdoing, and you have principles and a strong sense of the big picture. But some trends... perhaps can't be changed overnight or by one person alone. If... if you really feel stifled, and seeing things too clearly only causes pain... perhaps you could consider taking a different path?"

He paused, carefully observing Zhao Gang's expression, before finally speaking frankly.

"For example... a career change? Going to a local job might actually make you more comfortable and help you avoid a lot of trouble."

After he finished speaking, the office fell into a brief silence.

Zhao Gang's expression was very complex, showing surprise, deep thought, and a subtle, almost imperceptible fluctuation.

He didn't immediately refute or lecture Li Zhenhua, but just gave him a deep look, his gaze seemingly trying to penetrate something.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger, but rather a deep weariness and a certain persistence.

"You're quite thoughtful, kid. Some things can't be avoided just because you want to. Where you are, there's responsibility. Alright, Uncle Zhao understands your intentions. Go back to your case. I'll contact Ma Xiaowu."

He did not directly answer the suggestion about changing careers, but his thoughtful expression indicated that Li Zhenhua's words had indeed taken a toll on his mind.

Li Zhenhua knew that he could only hint at the point; it would be inappropriate to continue.

He nodded respectfully.

"Hey! I'll be going now, Uncle Zhao. Take care of yourself and try not to get angry."

After saying that, he turned and left Zhao Gang's office, gently closing the door behind him.

Inside the office, Zhao Gang didn't immediately pick up the phone. Instead, he sat alone in his chair, his gaze once again fixed on the window, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table. Clearly, Li Zhenhua's words before leaving had plunged him into deeper contemplation.

Li Zhenhua, having made up his mind, rode his bicycle and sped off towards the police station where Ma Xiaowu was.

Li Zhenhua rode his bicycle all the way and soon arrived at the police station that had jurisdiction over the Nanluoguxiang area.

As soon as you step into the police station, a busy and chaotic atmosphere hits you.

In the small courtyard and corridor, a number of people were squatting or standing, most of them looking dejected. They were the same group of people who had been arrested at the black market the night before, and it was clear that their case had not yet been closed.

The police officers on duty were so busy that they didn't have time to rest. They were shouting loudly to maintain order and register information, and no one noticed Li Zhenhua who had just come in.

Li Zhenhua stood at the door for a while, but seeing that no one paid any attention to him, he had no choice but to go inside himself, hoping to find a police officer who seemed to be free to ask.

Just then, a young policeman carrying a stack of case files hurried past him, and Li Zhenhua quickly stepped forward to stop him.

"Hello, comrade, is Director Ma here?"

The young police officer looked up impatiently.

"Looking for the station chief? What's the matter? The station chief's busy, can't you see it's a complete mess?"

Li Zhenhua put on a polite smile and introduced himself.

"I am Li Zhenhua, the head of the security department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. I have some work-related matters to discuss with Director Ma."

He made a point of introducing himself, hoping things would go more smoothly.

"Li Zhenhua? Head of the Security Section?"

The young police officer repeated himself, his tone softening slightly, but he remained busy.

"Wait a minute, the director is interrogating someone over there, I don't know when he'll be done..."

However, Li Zhenhua didn't notice that just as he gave his name, the door to an office not far away was pushed open, and a tall and lithe figure walked out. It was Lin Taotao, who had just finished her interrogation.

"Li Zhenhua?"

These three words seemed to have a magical power, instantly entering Lin Taotao's ears.

She stopped abruptly, turned around abruptly, and her gaze immediately locked onto the tall, upright figure standing in the corridor.

Even though it was just his back, his height, his physique, and especially the voice he used to speak...

You can't go wrong!

You absolutely can't go wrong!

That bastard!

It was him in the alley outside the black market last night!

A surge of emotion, a mixture of shame, anger, and the thrill of finally finding something she'd been searching for, rushed into Lin Taotao's heart.

Well, I was just looking for you, and you actually dared to deliver yourself to my door!

She gritted her teeth and whispered, almost squeezing them out from between her teeth.

"You bastard, you dare come to the police station!"

At that moment, Lin Taotao didn't care about anything else. She rushed behind Li Zhenhua in a few steps, stretched out her right hand, and patted Li Zhenhua's shoulder with considerable force, while coldly shouting.

"What are you doing?"

Li Zhenhua was talking to the young policeman when someone suddenly tapped him on the shoulder from behind. He instinctively turned around in confusion.

Eyes facing each other.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Li Zhenhua's expression instantly changed from confusion to extreme astonishment. His eyes widened, his mouth slightly open, and he froze on the spot.

He never expected that the pretty "policewoman" he had tied up and slapped a few times on the buttocks last night was actually... actually in this police station.