Police officer Chen Shu

Chapter 111 Students in school
No. 289, Jiucheng Road, "Crossing King Internet Cafe".

The male internet cafe manager pulled out a photo of a boy leaving the cafe from the pile of photos, pointing to the large black backpack on his back: "I don't recognize the person, but I have a strong impression of this large black canvas backpack. I haven't seen such an exaggeratedly large and ridiculously tacky canvas bag in a long time."

When the cultural bureau officials came to inspect and chased the boy away, I stood behind and glanced at him a few more times, wondering to myself which family had taken out that over ten-year-old schoolbag for their child to use.

So, by this calculation, two of the reported internet cafes have already been connected to this boy. Although this is not direct evidence, it does provide some supporting evidence.

Chen Shu nodded upon hearing this. The boy's family income must be very low, which gives him a motive for committing the crime.

Too much time has passed; the surveillance footage is probably no longer available.

Seeing that Zhu Chaoran and the male internet cafe manager had gone off-topic, Chen Shu stepped forward and instructed Zhu Chaoran to copy the internet cafe's surveillance video and check the boy's registered identity information at the internet cafe.

He took out his body camera and paper and pen and made a statement on the spot.

After the matter was settled, Zhu Chaoran transferred 500 yuan to the other party.

Looking at the male internet cafe manager's satisfied, fawning expression, Chen Shu felt somewhat helpless. The real world was indeed different from what he had imagined during his student days. Let alone five hundred yuan, in all his years of working, he had even seen people betray others for a mere two hundred yuan.

However, problems that can be solved with money are not problems.

Besides, at this hour in the internet cafe, it would be good if someone could keep an eye on things later.

Chen Shu took a drag of his cigarette and squinted as he examined the business license for "Crossing King Internet Cafe" hanging on the wall.

……

No. 126 Baishan Road.

King of Time Travel Internet Cafe.

For some reason, Chen Shu, who has excellent social skills and a natural talent for making friends, just couldn't seem to get close to this female internet cafe manager.

This time, Zhu Chaoran will continue to be assigned to the task.

The two entered the internet cafe, and Zhu Chaoran spurred his horse forward. Seeing that there was only a female internet cafe manager at the front desk, he couldn't wait to flash his work ID in front of her and asked with a stern face, "I'm from the police station. I'm here to ask you something."

The female internet cafe manager looked up and saw a pair of very bright and intelligent eyes with a perfect ratio of pupil to white.

Zhu Chaoran was so engrossed in watching that he forgot to continue speaking.

"Ahem," Chen Shu interrupted.

Zhu Chaoran snapped out of his daze, his tone softening slightly: "Hello. Please take a look, has the boy in the photo ever used your internet cafe?"

The female internet cafe manager nodded, took a stack of photos from Zhu Chaoran's hand, stared at them with her beautiful eyes, and remained silent for a long time. Suddenly, she let out a soft "hmm," a look of confusion flashing across her face.

"This boy is strange. Why is he wearing a school uniform into the internet cafe? Nobody wears a school uniform these days."

Chen Shu's spirits lifted; he felt he had grasped the threshold of the case.

Yes, why is this boy wearing a school uniform? Is he afraid people won't know he's a student? Logically speaking, someone who's planning to sneak into an internet cafe should be as inconspicuous as possible.

After the investigation at the internet cafe is completed, the boy's identity information can be traced back based on his school uniform.

Zhu Chaoran asked, "Has this boy been here before?"

The female internet cafe manager handed back the photo: "I don't know, but I remember a few boys wearing school uniforms came by, but I don't know if it was him."

There is no need to take a statement.

Chen Shu arranged for Zhu Chaoran to copy down the recent surveillance videos from the internet cafe, and then the two of them left the internet cafe.

"Wait a minute!"

They had barely stepped out of the internet cafe and taken a few steps when they heard someone calling out behind them. Turning around, they saw the female internet cafe manager running out, panting.

She walked straight to Chen Shumen's door and handed him a cup of milk tea: "Hey, this time it's on me."

Last time, Chen Shu deliberately left a cup of milk tea at the front desk during the time when she was helping guests board the plane, and he didn't expect that she would remember it.

The female internet cafe manager didn't care what Chen Shu thought. She grabbed Chen Shu's hanging hand with her left hand and stuffed the milk tea in her right hand into his hand.

This woman's personality is cold and aloof on the outside, but she's actually quite domineering on the inside.
Thinking about it carefully, it's true that I haven't seen such a beautiful female network administrator for many years.

Several years? It should be more than ten years.

Zhifang Road, Dongzhou No. 13 Middle School.

Chen Shu, dressed in plain clothes, stood at the school gate, hesitant. He knew that as a police officer, once he intervened in the boy's school, the boy's future would be difficult.

Chen Shu never backs down when facing lawbreakers or criminal suspects, but he always has concerns when he encounters children or women.

For the police, some things may be just a routine investigation or inquiry, but for the person involved, they may be a major event that affects their life or career.

Chen Shu, who is usually decisive and efficient, often hesitates on these details. To put it nicely, he is cautious and careful, but to be honest, he is too long-winded.

"Ring ring ring!"

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the school bell rang on time.

Chen Shu made up his mind. Under the watchful eyes of the security guards at the school gate, he stood tall and proud, without revealing his identity, and prepared to wait for the child to come out.

The video is a bit blurry, and the person might not be easily recognizable. However, his uniquely styled canvas backpack is probably one in a million.

Half an hour later, as the crowd thinned out, the boy still hadn't appeared.

Chen Shu almost sighed, wondering where kids these days learn such amazing counter-surveillance skills.

Perhaps the school uniform was borrowed from somewhere, and the iconic big backpack was just a temporary prop.

Today is Monday. To make up for the weekend camping trip that was originally planned with Cheng Mian, Huang Siqian and others but was canceled due to the "Civilized City" campaign, we decided to have a good get-together at a newly opened popular mutton hot pot restaurant in Dongzhou tonight.

Chen Shu raised his hand to check the time, preparing to leave in about ten more minutes.

Just then, an enormous canvas backpack slowly slid past Chen Shu's eyes.

He was delighted and took a few steps to catch up with the boy, walking side by side with him.

The two were getting quite close. The boy didn't stop walking, but looked at the adult man who had suddenly appeared beside him with a suspicious gaze.

Chen Shu stepped past and softly uttered a few words: "Police. Keep going."

The boy paused, then followed, but the fear in his eyes did not escape Chen Shu's notice.

The two remained silent and walked to a corner a few hundred meters away, where there was no one else nearby.

As Chen Shu pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket to light it, he caught a glimpse of the boy's youthful face and quickly stuffed the cigarette back into his pocket.

He glanced at the boy's worn-out school uniform and shoes, flashed his work ID, and asked directly, "Did someone pay you to go to an internet cafe a while ago?"

The boy bit his lip, his eyes glistening with tears, and lowered his head.

It was almost certain. Chen Shu sighed deeply, then a surge of indignation welled up inside him.

I both lamented the student's naiveté and was furious that the people behind it were using a minor as a pawn for profit.

(End of this chapter)