Considering that the suspect likely had firearms in his possession, the Major Crimes Unit, while setting up their surveillance net, had also called in Special Forces support.
Tan Shiming had emphasized repeatedly that since the bar was open for business, the situation on the ground would be extremely complex — under no circumstances were they to fire their weapons unless absolutely necessary.
For this mission, he had originally not planned to have Zhou Jin participate.
But Zhou Jin’s stance was resolute. She removed her gun and credentials and pressed them down onto Tan Shiming’s desk, declaring: “Even if you strip me of my rank, I’m still going. Unless you handcuff me right now!”
When Zhou Jin had first joined the Major Crimes Unit, her father, Old Zhou, had given Tan Shiming a heads-up: “This daughter of mine isn’t easy to manage — feel free to scold her, dress her down, don’t go easy on her.”
Tan Shiming hadn’t gone easy on her. But as it turned out, Zhou Jin, working under him, was both willing to endure hardship and quick to learn — whatever he asked of her, she carried out without a single complaint. By any measure, she was an outstanding student.
Only now did he truly understand what “not easy to manage” actually meant.
Tan Shiming was already a stubborn old thing — and he’d gone and run into Zhou Jin, who was an even more stubborn young thing than he was.
Tan Shiming: “…Why didn’t I just slap you back to your hometown when I had the chance?”
A smile drifted across Zhou Jin’s eyes and brows. “Too late to regret it now.”
……
Jiang Hansheng found it difficult to concentrate on his work. He decided to give up, tossed aside the paper he’d been working on, and turned to face Zhou Jin, who stood before the mirror.
“Are you sure you’ll be fine?” he asked.
Zhou Jin bent down, fingers hooking around the strap of her high heels, and answered with casual indifference: “My mentor won’t let me directly participate in the arrest — I’m only responsible for going room by room through the private booths to search. If I spot the suspect, I notify the operations team immediately.”
She straightened up, looking more slender and tall than ever. She wore a long black dress, with thin spaghetti straps resting on her shoulders, her delicate, beautiful collarbones on full display.
She said: “Don’t worry, there’s no danger.”
After a brief pause, Jiang Hansheng spoke: “The outfit — is that for the mission?”
Zhou Jin raised an eyebrow. “Of course. It’s not like I can walk in wearing a police uniform, can I?” She paused, then broke into a grin, crossed her arms in a half-joking manner, and teased: “…Professor Jiang, if I may ask — have you ever been to a nightclub?”
Jiang Hansheng seemed to let out a quiet sigh of indeterminate meaning, his gaze shifting away from her. “No.”
No smoking, no drinking, no vices of any kind.
“So what do you do for fun? People in a career as exhausting as ours still find time to play team gaming competitions with officers from other units.”
Jiang Hansheng replied: “Read.”
“…”
Zhou Jin pressed her lips together in a slightly deflated expression, suppressing a smile. “Oh. Quite the rich personal life.”
Zhou Jin stood in the entryway confirming the operation’s timing.
Jiang Hansheng glanced out the window at the evening sky and reminded her: “Take an umbrella — there’s one in the cabinet.”
He thought for a moment, then decided he’d better fetch it for her himself.
The cabinet where the spare umbrella was kept was mounted in the wall above and behind Zhou Jin. Jiang Hansheng reached up to open it, his chest unconsciously drawing close to Zhou Jin.
Zhou Jin felt the warm trace of his presence, and felt a little uneasy. She tilted her head up — and met Jiang Hansheng’s dark, ink-black brows and eyes directly.
The atmosphere became suddenly, indistinctly charged with something unspoken.
Her neckline was cut perhaps a little too low. Jiang Hansheng could easily see her clean, fair skin, the taut lines of her chest, and beneath the hem of the dress, her long, straight legs.
Though her personality still blazed and rushed about like a young girl’s, Jiang Hansheng understood clearly — what stood before him was a woman’s body.
His throat moved as he swallowed. His breathing grew heavy, his gaze burning, almost scorching against Zhou Jin’s skin.
Without quite knowing why, he understood this was a moment — a chance to make his appeal to her: “Zhou Jin, from now on, let’s live together. What do you say?”
“I need you.”
……
Phoenix Fire Bar.
Zhou Jin sat at the edge of the bar counter. The raucous music shook at the chambers of one’s heart; the dance floor swayed with a colorful crowd of men and women — chaotic, clamorous. Yet she couldn’t take any of it in.
Her gaze fixed on the bartender’s swinging arms, her thoughts entirely elsewhere.
She thought of Jiang Hansheng’s eyes — so still, so focused. A faint, tingling sensation still lingered at the tips of her ears, a feeling that wouldn’t fade. It was Jiang Hansheng’s cool breath that had drifted down toward her —
“I need you.”
“…………”
A test signal came through the tiny Bluetooth earpiece in her right ear. Zhou Jin propped her forehead in one hand and exhaled a long breath. “Zhou Jin, focus — focus on the job!”
According to the manager’s description, Lai San’er had a highly conspicuous dragon-head tattoo on his arm that wound all the way up to his neck.
Since the possibility that Lai San’er had already fled to evade arrest could not be ruled out, this search operation, beyond apprehending Lai San’er, also aimed to bring in the owner of Phoenix Fire — Lai San’er’s cousin — for questioning.
The owner of Phoenix Fire was called He Wu. He was notorious in this part of town; anyone who saw him would call out a respectful “Boss He.”
Rumor had it the businesses under his hand were far from clean. The police had had their eye on him many times, yet had never managed to find concrete evidence of criminal activity.
Lai San’er had in his possession a service weapon stolen during the “8·17 Major Case.” The Major Crimes Unit had no choice but to suspect that his cousin He Wu was aware of the matter of the firearm.
Tan Shiming had emphasized repeatedly: “Once you spot the target individuals, do not act rashly under any circumstances. You must wait for backup before moving to subdue the suspect.”
The plainclothes officers mingling inside the bar had already begun their sweep.