Police officer Chen Shu

Chapter 208 Follow Procedures
Zhengming District Public Security Bureau, Deputy Director's Office
The room was filled with smoke. A stack of documents was on the coffee table. On the top right of the document was a two-inch photo of a person. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that it was Yang Haifeng from Dongming Police Station.

Executive Deputy Director Zhang and Political Department Director Luo sat on the sofa next to the door, each smoking a Blue Liqun cigarette, silently ignoring each other.

"Boom boom boom!"

There was a gentle knock on the door three times, and the liaison officer, Xiao Li, quietly walked in.

Director Zhang frowned and said in a hoarse voice, "What is it? Can't you come in later?"

The two had been arguing heatedly in the office, and Xiao Li, who worked in the next room, couldn't possibly be unaware of it. However, the matter at hand was very important, and after much deliberation, he reluctantly went in to report.

He placed two identical documents, printed out in his office, in front of Director Zhang and Director Luo respectively: "Director Zhang, Director Luo, these are Yang Haifeng's resignation reports."

"what!"

Director Zhang immediately spat out the cigarette from his mouth and grabbed an A4 sheet of paper from the coffee table to look at it.

Director Luo merely glanced at it, remaining completely still.

"Hey!"

Suppressing his frustration, Director Zhang patiently asked, "Old Luo, why is this kid so stubborn? A disciplinary action is one thing, but at least he's still wearing his clothes."

Director Luo: "You're more stubborn than him. This kid is a smart guy. He knows that after this incident, his life in the bureau is pretty much over. It's better to end it quickly than to suffer for a long time."

Director Zhang: "Hey!"

Director Luo glanced at Xiao Li, who was standing to the side with his eyes closed and seemingly oblivious to everything, and advised, "Zhang Xu, Director Zhang, hundreds of people in the entire bureau are watching this matter. Even if you are the executive director, you can't suppress it!"

Director Zhang: "Hey!"

Xiao Li glanced at Director Zhang, who was staring at the ceiling and sighing repeatedly, and went straight to the point: "Director Luo, what do you suggest we do?"

Director Luo said firmly: "Follow the procedures!"

"Hey!"

Yangyi Subdistrict, Dongming Police Station, second-floor office
Deputy Director Xu Chaofan looked extremely haggard and was also extremely depressed. His hair, which hadn't been styled for weeks, covered his head like a bird's nest.

He sat up limply, pulled out a crumpled pack of "555" brand cigarettes from under his buttocks, took one out, and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Chen Shu, you've arrived?"

This scene left Chen Shu with a particularly unpleasant feeling.

He sat opposite Xu Chaofan and said in a low voice, "What exactly happened to Xiao Yang?"

Xu Chaofan suddenly snatched the cigarette from his mouth and smashed it hard at his feet.

He lowered his head, staring at his feet, and after a long while, he slowly said:

"Xiao Yang is too naive! Last time when we were handling the EME case, he met one of the girls inside. After talking with her, he thought she was a troubled girl struggling to survive, and even used his own salary to subsidize her 'difficult' life."

The two continued to contact each other frequently. Xiao Yang even tipped off some less strictly managed anti-pornography and anti-corruption operations for her, and even investigated the family background of her sugar daddy, explaining that she was afraid of being deceived in love.

Chen Shu sighed softly at the blatant, overwhelming attack. He regretted not informing Xu Chaofan about Xiao Yang's unauthorized release of the person.

Xiao Yang may be punished afterward, and Xu Chaofan, who led the team, may be implicated, but at least it will serve as a warning and prevent them from making any more serious mistakes later.

How did this incident come to light?

Xu Chaofan bent down, picked up the cigarette he had thrown on the ground, blew off the ash, and put it back on the coffee table.
"This young lady does indeed have a sick younger brother. The family is struggling financially because of his medical treatment, but her parents still managed to send her to college, hoping she could get a job and improve their situation. However, she resolutely went into business, indulging in a life of luxury, and hasn't sent a single penny home since graduation."

"The 'truth' came to light because her mother wanted to visit her but couldn't get in touch. Fearing she'd been scammed into a pyramid scheme, her mother traveled hundreds of kilometers from her hometown to find her and eventually came to us to report it to the police. The name and appearance matched perfectly. This supposedly promising girl in her mother's eyes is nothing but trash, utter garbage! She's a whore trying to maintain a virtuous image! And she's even trying to ruin my brother's life!"

Chen Shu, still hopeful, tentatively asked, "Brother Xu, what's the Bureau's intention in handling Xiao Yang's matter?"

Xu Chaofan sighed: "Before the next step of the bureau came out, Xiao Yang submitted his resignation himself."

This kind of punishment will follow a police officer's resume for life. Even in the best-case scenario, Xiao Yang might retain his public office, but his future would be completely ruined. He's still young; resigning from his public office and trying his luck elsewhere might offer him some hope.

However, his dream of becoming a policeman, the result of ten years of arduous study, was shattered forever with the resignation letter he submitted.

"Clang."

The teacup fell onto the coffee table, then slid to the floor and shattered.

Xu Chaofan looked at Chen Shu, the deputy director of the security station from the brother unit with whom he had worked on a case. His face was ashen, and his eyes were vacant, like a lifeless puppet.

"Chen Shu, what's going on?"

Chen Shu sighed and recounted how he had seen Xiao Yang secretly letting people leave through the back door of EME, as seen in the surveillance video.

"Snapped!"

Xu Chaofan slammed his fist on the coffee table, stood up, and shouted angrily, "Chen Shu, you're not helping him! You're clearly harming him!"

Chen Shu lowered his head, not daring to meet Xu Chaofan's eyes, and clenched his fists, but remained silent.

If he could turn back time, he would love to go back and slap his foolish past self! Such womanly compassion!
At this point, no amount of explanation would be of any use.

"Xiao Yang just graduated from police academy. Society is so complicated, how would he know right from wrong? Maybe he's an insignificant person this time, but next time he might be the main culprit pretending to be pitiful!"

"Sigh, there won't be a next time."

Xu Chaofan slumped onto the sofa in despair.

After a long while, he weakly comforted me, "Brother, don't blame yourself. If you had told me about this back then, I would have made the same choice as you."

Enforcement at the grassroots level is not as absolutely fair, just, and correct as people imagine. Sometimes, even the police who frequently walk along the riverbank get their shoes wet.

At this point, most colleagues watching from the sidelines would choose to lend a helping hand or turn a blind eye, as long as the person involved hadn't crossed the line.

The office fell silent instantly.

"Chief Xu, there's an emergency here. Please come to the duty room."

The walkie-talkie on the desk rang.

Xu Chaofan got up, walked to his desk, picked up the walkie-talkie, pressed the call button, and said weakly, "Received."

He dragged himself down the corridor, and as he closed the door, he muttered, "Being a policeman is no human being; it's his fate."

After the door closed, the office fell silent.

Chen Shu sat there with his head down, a huge feeling of exhaustion washing over him, as if it could pierce a hole in his heart.

"Hello, senior brother!"

In his mind, he seemed to hear again the scene from their first meeting, when Xiao Yang greeted him with a cheerful salute.

(End of this chapter)