South to North: A Prison Guard at the Beginning

The next morning, in the Criminal Police Team meeting room.

Captain Jiang still sat in the first seat, with Yuan Mu and the instructor sitting on his left and right respectively.

"The purpose of today's meeting is to discuss the case of theft of railway fasteners." Captain Jiang started and then looked at everyone.

"Here's what happened. Recently, we received a report that someone was stealing the connecting fasteners on the railway along the way. This is very dangerous. If the fasteners are loose, it may directly cause the vehicle to overturn."

"And this thief was quite bold. He stole for dozens of kilometers along the railway line! He was very mobile, which brought great inconvenience to our investigation work."

"The department has issued an order, requiring us to solve the case as soon as possible. Comrades, please speak out your ideas as soon as possible. Let's all study it." After Captain Jiang finished speaking, he picked up the teacup next to him and took a sip of water.

"If you ask me, there is no other good way to deal with this kind of thing. We can only work hard and keep watch! The criminals' whereabouts are unpredictable, so we need to expand the scope of investigation. I suggest that we form a group of two, so that we can be divided into many small groups." At this time, the captain of the second team spoke.

"I agree. Each team should disperse along the railway line and guard a section each. There will be two people in a group, and they can take turns at night." Another team leader also spoke at this time.

"Hey, Xiao Yuan, tell me what you think." Captain Jiang nodded, then looked at Yuan Mu next to him.

"Actually, I don't have anything else to say. This case just requires hard work. There is no perfect solution. I also agree with what everyone said about two groups of people squatting and waiting."

"But I want to add one thing. Let me ask everyone, do you all think that this thief will act at night?" Yuan Mu looked at everyone and spoke.

"The thief who stole the fasteners must have done it at night. I guess he wouldn't be brave enough to do it in broad daylight," said Lao Ma.

"What about you?" Yuan Mu looked at the others again.

Others also nodded in agreement with Lao Ma's point of view. In their opinion, in this type of case, the thief should have acted stealthily at night.

"Actually, I don't think so. Have you ever thought about the possibility that it is darkest under the lamp?" Yuan Mu shook his head and spoke slowly.

"It's darkest under the lamp?" Yuan Mu's words stunned everyone, and then they began to ponder.

Captain Jiang frowned, picked up a cigarette and looked at Yuan Mu.

"You mean to say that this thief could have committed the crime in daylight?"

"Hey, it's very possible. We are criminal police, so we need to think in reverse. The more unlikely something is, the more likely it is to happen. For a case like this, most people would think that stealing at night is the most reasonable, right?"

"What if the thief thinks the same way, and he does the opposite? Then all our night wait would be in vain? Think about it, isn't this the truth?" Yuan Mu said, looking at everyone.

Everyone thought about it for a while, then nodded, thinking that what Yuan Mu said made sense.

"Then Old Yuan, what if the thief steals at night?" Old Ma said.

"So, we have to prepare for both situations and split into two teams during the day and at night. But it may be hard for everyone. It may take some time. We should try to catch the thief as soon as possible." Yuan Mu nodded.

"Well, I think what Comrade Yuan Mu said makes a lot of sense. As police officers, we should think of two possibilities for everything, and what Comrade Yuan Mu said is very likely to happen."

"So, Team One and Team Two will work during the day, and Team Three and Team Five will work at night. Everyone should work hard, okay?" Captain Jiang made the final decision.

Everyone nodded in agreement. This was their line of work, so it was definitely hard work.

After the meeting, everyone started to move, setting off in groups of two. Wang Xin and Lao Ma also set off in a group of two.

As for Yuan Mu, he didn't need to go there at all. He was the deputy captain and he didn't need to do this kind of work of squatting and waiting.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

In the evening, everyone in the compound gathered in the center of the compound again. The TV was still placed in the same position. Everyone sat in a row with small stools, talking and laughing, waiting for the TV program to begin.

At this moment, Uncle Cai walked out of the crowd and came to the front to look at the people sitting below. For a moment, everyone looked at Uncle Cai quietly, not knowing what he meant.

"Well, before the TV show starts, I'd like to come out and tell you all a happy news. Our Xiaonian is getting married." Uncle Cai said with a smile.

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd below was excited, and everyone was discussing the matter with smiles on their faces.

"Oh my god! Xiaonian, you're so quick!"

"Xiao Nian, you can do it!"

"Oh, Xiaonian, you're going to get married now!"

Everyone also sent their blessings.

But then Uncle Cai's words made the scene quiet down, because the girl's family asked us to prepare forty-eight legs and eight Phoenix brand bicycles.

Let’s talk about the forty-eight legs first. That is to say, the number of legs of the furniture in the newlyweds’ home must reach forty-eight, such as beds, wardrobes, chests of drawers, dining tables, bedside tables and so on.

It was still difficult for an ordinary family in this era to get forty-eight legs together, but for a working-class family, it was still possible to get together enough.

But this is not the difficult part. The most difficult thing is the eight Phoenix brand bicycles. Phoenix brand bicycles of this era are no less than luxury cars of later generations and are considered luxury goods in that era.

If there were only one or two, it would be fine, but if there were eight, that would be too difficult. For example, in their compound, there were only two or three Phoenix brand bicycles in total. Yuan Mu had one, Wang Xin had one, and Lao Ma had one. No other family had any.

There is a gap of five platforms all of a sudden. Where can we fill it?

"Xiao Nian, the forty-eight legs are easy, but the eight Phoenix bicycles are a bit difficult. Where can we get them?" Wang Yongge said with an embarrassed look on his face.

"That's right, can't it be some other brand? It's like permanent. This brand has a great meaning, long-lasting." Wang Xin also spoke.

"Xiao Nian, why don't you discuss it with your mother-in-law?" Lao Ma also spoke up.

"This..." Cai Xiaonian looked embarrassed.

"Xiao Nian, you are always so good at talking, but why are you so bad at the critical moment? Even your mother-in-law can't handle it?" Brother Wu followed.

"Oh, I don't know what's wrong. I feel scared when I see Yanhong's mother." Cai Xiaonian looked bitter.

But then he became determined.

"Okay, I'll talk to Yanhong's mom tomorrow and see if we can change to another brand!"