Era: Starting from the local police station

The group had just finished washing up and changing their clothes.

Chen Erya walked in through the hanging flower gate, greeting everyone with a smile: "Director Qiao, Deputy Director Jiang, good morning."

Qiao Fuping nodded.

Jiang Zhenghua greeted her with a smile, "Good morning, sister-in-law."

"Deputy Director Jiang, you can just call me Chen Erya. I don't deserve to be called your sister-in-law."

Chen Erya felt a little embarrassed.

Jiang Zhenghua waved his hand: "Whether you're a military wife or a police wife, you're a respectable person, and you absolutely deserve it."

Chen Erya asked, "Has everyone had breakfast? Should I cook some porridge?"

Qiao Fuping waved his hand: "No need, Baojia has already gone out to buy it."

He looked at Chen Erya and said, "Actually, you don't need to come so early every day. Just let them clean the offices themselves."

"It's nothing. I couldn't sleep this morning either. My comrades are working hard all day, so I just did it on the spur of the moment."

After saying this with a smile, Chen Erya walked towards the kitchen.

Jiang Zhenghua asked in a low voice, "Chief, this woman is at work, and the child..."

Qiao Fuping also lowered his voice and said, "Her eldest son is in his early twenties and is not married yet. He works in a food factory. Her second son does odd jobs, and her youngest daughter is in the fourth grade of elementary school."

Jiang Zhenghua nodded.

Chen Erya, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen with a broom and dustpan, and a rag in her hand: "Chief, does your office need cleaning today?"

"Clean up everything except the meeting room. While you're at it, tidy up the two dorm rooms too."

Chen Erya responded and quickly walked towards the director's office.

Jiang Zhenghua was sitting in his office, enjoying a large vegetarian steamed bun.

Zhang Chongguang pushed open the door and came in, smiling as he said, "Oh, what did you eat? The whole house smells delicious!"

Jiang Zhenghua pushed a steamed bun on the table towards him: "A large vegetarian steamed bun, want one?"

Zhang Chongguang put the food down, waved his hand and said, "You eat, I ate at home this morning. I'm going to wash my face, it's too hot today."

As he spoke, he walked outside.

After Jiang Zhenghua finished eating, he let out a satisfied burp.

This era is truly beneficial.

Three huge steamed buns cost only one or two grain coupons and one cent. In later generations, it would have cost at least ten dollars, and the taste wouldn't be as pure and fragrant as it is now.

Zhang Chongguang walked in: "Finished eating? Are you going straight to the machinery factory later?"

Jiang Zhenghua pondered for a moment and said, "Let's take two people to the machinery factory to inquire about the situation, and let the others proceed eastward according to the plan."

"Then let's take Qin Weijun and Zhang Yi with us. We'll ask the director if he wants to go."

"Let's go then."

Zhang Chongguang suddenly asked, "You don't have a bicycle yet, do you?"

Jiang Zhenghua nodded.

"Then let's ride a three-wheeled motorcycle today. But we rarely use three-wheeled motorcycles unless it's an emergency."

Zhang Chongguang paused for a moment and explained, "As you know, it's very difficult to get gasoline coupons these days. The institute used to have two public bicycles, but they're very old now, and we haven't been able to apply for new ones."

"It seems like everyone in the institute has a bicycle."

Zhang Chongguang smiled and looked at him: "You didn't think they were all new, did you?"

Jiang Zhenghua was taken aback, somewhat puzzled.

Zhang Chongguang explained, "New bicycles are expensive, and we can't possibly get that many tickets. Ever since the queues started last year, tickets have been incredibly hard to come by. So, the vast majority of bicycles are bought from the repair stall up ahead, from Dong Lao Er at the street corner, who collected them."

"Will this work?"

Zhang Chongguang laughed and said, "I know what you mean. This brother-in-law of Dong Lao Er works in the logistics department of the bicycle factory, so he can get parts, and his source is fine. His craftsmanship is also good; the quality is almost the same as the original, and he doesn't even need a receipt."

Jiang Zhenghua nodded: "How about the price?"

"It's assembled from brand new parts. Others would pay around 130 yuan for it. We can get it for 100 yuan. If it's made with used parts, it depends on its condition."

"When I have some free time, I'll get two more, and buy one for the family too. It'll be more convenient to go out with a bicycle."

As they spoke, the two arrived at the door of the director's office.

Before he could even knock, Qiao Fuping opened the door and came out: "I was just about to look for you to go to the machinery factory together. Since you're here, let's go."

Zhang Chongguang drove the motorcycle, with Jiang Zhenghua sitting on the back, gripping his waist tightly.

Qiao Fuping sat in the sidecar, his hands gripping the sides tightly.

"Creak..."

The brakes screech, and the three-wheeled motorcycle stopped not far from the machinery factory.

Qiao Fuping jumped off the vehicle, stretched a few times, and said, "Sitting in the sidecar is too uncomfortable; it's much more comfortable to ride a bicycle."

Zhang Chongguang said with a smile, "There's nothing we can do. Zheng Hua is too tall, so it's even more uncomfortable for him to sit inside."

Jiang Zhenghua took out cigarettes and handed them to the two men: "Have a smoke, wait for them, they should be here soon."

Qiao Fuping took the cigarette: "You seem quite confident today, do you have some news or something?"

Jiang Zhenghua lit a cigarette and said in a deep voice, "I asked my dad about it last night. The head chef was complaining to him yesterday evening that the purchasing department couldn't get any pork, so it'll be difficult to prepare today's banquet."

Actually, it's still information provided by the system evaluation.

If his deduction is wrong, he probably won't get an S-level rating.

Upon hearing this, their eyes lit up.

"So, it's basically safe to say those two are lying?"

Jiang Zhenghua nodded: "Yes, but this information was obtained by my father from the head chef. What if the purchasing department received the meat but didn't deliver it to the kitchen, and instead put it away? He might not know. So we have to come and confirm it."

After listening, Qiao Fuping agreed: "We must ensure the accuracy of the information, otherwise we will take many detours."

Zhang Chongguang asked, "Zhenghua, yesterday you mentioned that the victim might be connected to the machinery factory. Should we inform them about that?"

Jiang Zhenghua didn't answer immediately, but looked at the two of them and asked, "What do you think?"

Qiao Fuping took two deep drags on his cigarette before speaking slowly, "I think we should raise this issue on the spot if we confirm there's no wild boar involved, and ask them to cooperate with our investigators to check if anyone is missing."

Zhang Chongguang took a deep drag of his cigarette, exhaled, and then said, "Then let's do it that way. By the way, has the machinery factory replied regarding their assistance in finding the victim's identity?"

Qiao Fuping shook his head: "Not yet. When I called Cheng Mingli, the head of the security department of the machinery factory, this morning he mentioned it briefly, saying that they were sending someone to verify it."

Jiang Zhenghua snorted and shook his head slightly: "You can't completely trust what these people say. As far as I know, there are nearly a thousand people in the Hongxing Machinery Factory now. Without going deep into the workshops to investigate, it's impossible to find out the truth."

Zhang Chongguang nodded: "That's true. There's no concrete evidence to prove that the victims were employees of the machinery factory, so how could they possibly investigate thoroughly? I reckon it's just that the head of the security department casually mentioned it, and the people below agreed and reported back when the time came."

Qiao Fuping threw away his cigarette butt: "Let's go, the other two are coming too."

Jiang Zhenghua turned his head and glanced at it.

Qin Weijun and Zhang Yi pedaled their bicycles furiously, speeding towards this direction.

Zhang Chongguang jumped onto the three-wheeled motorcycle and started it.

Jiang Zhenghua and Qiao Fuping walked towards the factory gate.