Chapter 8
On this rainy night, most people had already gotten off work and went home early.
Tan Shu put away his umbrella, carefully patted the raindrops off his shoulders, walked through the long corridor, and knocked on the door of the Public Security Department chief's office.
"Come in." Sitting behind the imposing desk was Cao Junmin, the chief who was reviewing documents.
He had a square face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, and smile lines on the corners of his mouth, looking majestic and elegant.
"Laoshi." Tan Shu stood at the table and called him.
*I chose to use the pinyin version Laoshi instead of Teacher
Tan Shu used to be a student he led when he was the principal of Sentinel Academy.
After Cao Junmin was promoted to the chief of the Public Security Department, he promoted several students that he personally trained to his side.
As a confidant, when there are no outsiders, Tan Shu always calls Cao Junmin 'Laoshi' to show his closeness.
Cao Jun wrote like flying* without raising his head, "What's the matter?"
*笔如飞, as fast as flying, describing doing thing quickly, like thinking and writing
"It's about Ni Ji." Tan Shu approached the table, "He has been imprisoned in the Military Control Office for several days."
"That kid, there will be such a day sooner or later. It’s good to let him suffer.” Cao Junmin picked up the signed document, blew it, and looked it over carefully before raising his head, “What’s wrong, you guys were in the same class back then, do you want to speak for him?"
Tan Shu hurriedly said: "No, no, I will follow Laoshi's orders."
Cao Junmin sat behind the large desk, crossed his hands, Looking at him with a smile. It's like the amiable principal in the school, caring for a certain student who was punished for copying the school rules.
Tan Shu's thoughts turned back and forth, trying to figure out what Cao Junmin was thinking, and didn't know what to say that would be more in line with his teacher's wishes.
If it was his own selfishness, he would be very reluctant to see Ni Ji appear again.
Ni Ji was almost the huge shadow of his student days.
Back then, when he was in school, that Ni Ji was so dazzling. In almost every league of the Sentinel Academy, he was able to bring back the title of King of Individual Combat Soldiers for the school. As long as there was a place for him, everyone else was covered up and dimmed.
For so many years, he had worked so hard that he almost gave up his dignity and flattered Cao Junmin like a dog. Only then he became Cao Junmin's number one confidant.
What if Ni Ji came back? Will he steal his current position?
He knew that Cao Junmin loved and hated Ni Ji in his heart, and he was always brooding over the fact that Ni Ji disobeyed him back then.
"As a teacher*, it's not that I'm being cruel. He is my student after all, just like you." Cao Junmin, who was sitting behind the desk, said slowly, his tone sounded like a principal who cared about his students, "As a person, it's always easy to be too arrogant when you are young. Especially a person with a little bit of ability like Ni Ji. He always feels that there is nothing in the world that is worth his knees. Only when he suffers and has his bones broken, will he understand that living in this world is not so easy thing."
*original text 老师我, literally 'teacher I' - I reckon it actually means he
is referring to himself as his teacher
He lowered his head and re-examined the documents, "Let him suffer for a few more days in the hands of those in the Military Control Office, and realize that he was wrong back then. Remember when he asked me, go and get him out."
Tan Shu carefully observed his subtle expression changes, and whispered: "But I* just heard that he was acquitted."
*there's an additional word here, 学生我, literally 'student I' - he is referring to himself as a student, being respectful
Cao Junmin raised his eyelids from behind the desk, and looked at him with a half-smile.
Tan Shu was startled. His back broke out in cold sweat, and waved his hands again and again to explain, "Laoshi, I really don't know. I have been paying attention to this matter according to Laoshi's instructions a few days ago. I heard it was a coincidence today, and someone just happened to prove that he was wronged. The evidence was released to the public, and those people in the Military Control Office had no choice but to let him go."
He has followed Cao Junmin for many years and knows that his teacher was a famous smiling tiger. Although at any time, he looks gentle and polite, speaking with a smile, in fact, his mind was extremely narrow.
He really wanted to use Ni Ji, but he wanted to break Ni Ji's bones first. Let Ni Ji put down his dignity and be as obedient as himself.
So, even if he know what kind of place the Military Control Office was, he know how those people would play with a tough guy like Ni Ji...
He still pretended not to know about it, and only waited for Ni Ji to be tortured to the end, and his will was broken, so that he would appear as a benevolent savior.
Tan Shu understood what his teacher was thinking, and immediately said, "Although he has been released, he has no place to go here in the capital. In addition, he has been tossed and injured all over at the military control office these days. He is still sitting outside the Military Control Office.”
Cao Junmin stood up from behind the desk, and patted Tan Shu’s shoulder, “Laoshi didn’t mean to blame you. After all, you were classmates, and you had a very good friendship back then.
"In that case, go and bring Ni Ji back, clean him up, and say that Laoshi has not forgotten him, and see what he thinks now."
Tan Shu nodded and agreed, feeling relieved but not reconciled as he left the office.
Cao Junmin looked at his leaving back and sneered in his heart.
He's still too young, with a little thought in his heart, he can see through it at a glance.
Back then when he left at the Sentinel Academy, this Tan Shu ran around beside Ni Ji every day. How many times the results of the competition were brought out by Ni Ji.
Now it seems that he has no affection for Ni Ji anymore. He didn't even hope that Ni Ji could survive this incident.
Otherwise, with Tan Shu's tactful personality, why won't he make some movement for his former classmate in a place like the military control office where money can be used to pave the way? Instead he let them hurt a person so badly that he couldn't walk.
The rain in the sky gradually became heavier.
Sitting in a dark alley, Ni Ji looked up at the raindrops falling from the dusty sky. The weather here in the imperial capital was still very hot. If it was in the north, it should be snowing by now.
If it was this time in previous years, they would have already built high walls, stockpiled supplies for the winter, and gathered around the fire.
He closed his eyes and stopped thinking about those he would never see.
The sound of footsteps stepping on the water sounded outside the alley,
Ni Ji smiled from the bottom of his heart, and finally, he came.
A non-commissioned officer in neat military uniform, holding an umbrella, trotted over from the other side of the road.
He had an unbelievable look on his face, showing worry and anxiety,
"Ah Ji, is it really you?" Tan Shu bent down to help the person sitting in the rain, anxious and complaining, "I just heard this news, I can't believe it. You really, why didn't you contact us as soon as such a big thing happened."
Ni Ji didn't say a word, letting him support himself.
He heard his best classmate from his school days, who was supporting him with one arm, talking constantly.
"You should really find Laoshi. After all, we are all his students. Although you and the teacher were not very happy back then, Laoshi still cares about you.
"Look, when he heard the news, he send me to pick you up right away. It's too much, those people in the Military Control Office have tormented you like this. One day, it's not over between me and them."
Ni Ji was seriously injured and could hardly stand up independently. He completely leaned on Tan Shu to support his body.
He listened to these words in his ears, and his eyes looked at the puddles where the rainwater gathered under his feet.
His eyes were very good. In the reflection of the water mirror, he could clearly see the face of this old classmate around him who sounded concerned about him.
On the surface of the dirty water, that face looked down from top to bottom, looking sideways at his scarred self.
Seeing him in such a state of embarrassment and despair, the corners of the former friend's mouth curled up, revealing a distorted, uncontrollable smile.
Ni Ji only felt it was ridiculous. But he didn't expose it, he just put his whole weight on this former classmate.
"Yes. I was thinking that you and Laoshi will definitely come to me."
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