Chapter 13: Like a Complete Fool

The compartment door slid open, and a middle-aged man in a railway police uniform stepped inside.

“Comrade Zhang Ling, what are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to be guarding outside?”

“Uncle!” The attendant jumped up excitedly, pointing at Lu Youyou. “I asked her questions, but she kept dodging them. There’s definitely something suspicious!”

The man’s face grew stern. “Watch your language while on duty!”

The young girl tried to argue, but the officer immediately ordered someone to take her away.

Lu Youyou watched with mild amusement, wondering whether this man was truly impartial or just putting on a show.

The officer sat down, his expression relatively gentle. Before speaking, he smiled briefly. “Comrade Lu Youyou, there are some details we’d like to clarify with you…”

After the man inquired about her identity and whereabouts, Lu Youyou realized that the bag search process had surely already taken place.

There was no privacy to be expected at a time like this, but fortunately, she had been cautious—there was nothing inappropriate in her bag.

She nodded. “That comrade just now kept pressing me to recount the crime, but I had nothing to say.”

The man then understood why his niece seemed so unreliable. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he said, “Sorry, she just started working recently and is very eager.”

Lu Youyou continued to nod, uninterested in arguing. As long as those handling official matters kept a clear head, she didn’t want to waste energy dealing with greenhorns.

The officer questioned her about the details of her interactions with the female thief and, of course, didn’t forget to ask about the three “hidden weapons.”

Although carrying a bunch of pens was indeed unusual, the law didn’t prohibit it, so Lu Youyou remained quite straightforward.

“One last question, Comrade Lu Youyou—have you studied martial arts?”

“My grandfather and mother are both doctors; they taught me acupuncture. Unfortunately, I wasn’t talented enough to learn needle insertion, but I’m good at throwing things. Back then, I only had a pen handy, so I had to throw that.”

The officer took careful notes of everything she said, and the inquiry came to an end.

“Some details can only be verified after we arrive at the station, so we’ll need you to stay here for the rest of the journey. We hope you’ll cooperate with us.”

Lu Youyou didn’t expect such a surprise. “No problem. I will definitely cooperate!”

A private compartment—she was thrilled. With someone guarding outside, it was just perfect.

As the man was about to leave, Lu Youyou spoke up, “Please wait. I want to ask, how is that elderly lady? Is she injured?”

The officer smiled. This information didn’t need to be kept secret. “Just some minor abrasions. She’s already been treated.”

Lu Youyou relaxed completely, then smiled brightly toward the door, shutting out the powerless rage of her connections. She could vaguely hear voices in the corridor.

“Uncle, what happened? Is there a problem? I knew she wasn’t a good person!”

“How many times have I told you to stay calm? First day on the job and you nearly caused a mess. You’re an attendant, not railway police. Focus on your duties!”

“Uncle…”

The voices gradually faded as Lu Youyou drifted off to sleep.

——————

Southern Province, An City

A small southern town and the final stop of this train journey.

Lu Youyou no longer had to endure the crushing crowds. Surrounded heavily by officers, she was escorted to the railway police station.

After another round of questioning—same questions, same answers—Lu Youyou, well-rested, was probably the most relaxed of all involved.

She had just seen the man in the Zhongshan suit. Though no longer looking like a whirlwind had passed him by, he still appeared utterly haggard.

Since the case was still open, no one could return his briefcase to him. He could only stare longingly at the bag in the railway police officer’s hands, wishing he could hold it forever.

Indeed, the case was serious. Inside the bag was a hundred-yuan Shanghai-brand watch. At current prices, the stolen goods were worth over ten thousand yuan—undeniably a major case.

Lu Youyou, exiting the reception room, happened to pass by. The man in the Zhongshan suit, startled like a frightened bird, recognized her as his savior and tremulously thanked her.

“Thank you so much, comrade. If you hadn’t stepped in, I’d be finished. I have elderly parents and young children at home, uh…”

Halfway through, the man started wiping tears from his eyes. He was just a purchasing manager; if he lost his job, he couldn’t afford to compensate!

Lu Youyou was dumbfounded. She wasn’t good at comforting people. This was awkward.

“Comrade Lu!”

Lu Youyou quickly turned around to see the middle-aged railway police officer beckoning. She immediately left the weeping man and approached.

“Hello, is there anything else?”

“We’ve contacted the military and verified your identity. Soon, the military’s procurement vehicle will pass by. You can leave with them.”

Lu Youyou hesitated. “Before coming here, I sent a telegram to my fiancé. He should be coming to pick me up. I wonder if he’s arrived yet.”

“Then I’ll have someone take you to the station exit to ask.”

Lu Youyou nodded gratefully and followed him to the exit.

An City Station was small, visible from end to end. After waiting half an hour, no sign of anyone appeared.

“Comrade Lu, should we head back? The military vehicle should be arriving soon.”

Lu Youyou said nothing, feeling like a complete fool.

Back inside, the junior officer poured her a glass of water and kindly reassured her, “Comrade Lu, don’t worry. The military personnel are much like us police—always busy, day and night.”

Lu Youyou forced a smile. She didn’t want to think about Gu Qingye anymore. Not only was she mentally exhausted, but she was about to sour.

After a while, a military truck stopped at the door. A woman in her forties hurried inside, scanning the hall until her eyes settled on one direction.

“Are you Comrade Lu Youyou?” Seeing her nod, she smiled. “I’m Li Sanhua, the wife of a company commander.”

Before Lu Youyou could respond, she continued, “Commander Gu was suddenly sent on a mission. Before leaving, he specially asked me to come pick you up.”

Leaning in, Li Sanhua whispered, “I heard there was a train robbery? You must have been scared. Don’t worry—I’ll talk to them!”

Lu Youyou remained silent throughout the exchange, watching as Li Sanhua stormed off to negotiate with the police at the station, her voice loud as she declared that the military wives must never be wronged.

A faint smile curved Lu Youyou’s lips—her first since arriving in An City. Remembering the unfortunate elderly lady on the train, Li Sanhua seemed even more enthusiastic.

Before leaving, Lu Youyou was informed this was part of a major chain case. Details must not be disclosed until fully solved.

That was understandable, and Lu Youyou accepted it. But the family members traveling with the military procurement team might not be so restrained.

No one wanted to deal with the police, and military families were no different. Maybe they weren’t afraid, but once inside the police station, everyone felt uneasy.

When word spread that the person being picked up was Commander Gu’s fiancée, the gossip started.

Gu Qingye was renowned in the military district—young and highly decorated. Whether his fiancée was bullying others or being bullied herself, it was all fodder for conversation.