Chapter 84

My name is Li Shangwu.

I lied.

On May 22, 2010, my colleague and I received a task to stake out a fraudster.

This fraudster's name is Zhang Huanan.

He is extremely cunning and has a criminal record.

More challenging is that Zhang Huanan has an extremely high level of counter-surveillance awareness, having escaped police capture several times. In this fraud case, Zhang Huanan was quickly listed as one of the key suspects, and my colleague and I were assigned to stake out day and night.

"Captain Li, do you want one?"

Xiao Liu took out my favorite Cordyceps sinensis cigarettes from his pocket. He isn't a rich man, but he always carries cigarettes that cost over fifty yuan, and he doesn't smoke them himself, often offering one to me.

"Xiao Liu, how much do you earn each month?"

I didn't take the cigarette but instead took out my own Red General cigarettes, which cost eight yuan per pack, cheap and strong.

"2,700 yuan," Xiao Liu said, "Captain Li, don't you know?"

"You earn 2,700 yuan a month and smoke Cordyceps sinensis?" I put a General cigarette in my mouth, and Xiao Liu quickly handed me a lighter.

"Captain Li, what are you talking about..." Xiao Liu hurriedly smiled, "I can't bear to smoke Cordyceps sinensis; I keep them for you..."

I shook my head helplessly and said to him, "We are detectives; whoever can solve cases is the best. Don't learn those office politics."

"Yes, yes, yes... Captain Li, you're right." Xiao Liu put the Cordyceps sinensis back in his pocket and took out a pack of Changbaishan cigarettes that cost six yuan. "I'm learning how to solve cases from you, right?"

To be honest, Xiao Liu is very smart and has a good understanding. He was always at the top of his class in police school, but I don't know how his parents raised him. At a young age, he learned a lot of bureaucratic skills, which made us, his seniors, very frustrated.

"Captain Li, do you think we can catch Zhang Huanan?"

"This..." I thought for a moment, "Why do you care so much? The higher-ups told us to stake out here, so we just need to follow orders."

We parked the car across the street from Zhang Huanan's house, focusing intently on the only entrance and exit.

Stakeouts usually involve two people per team, making it easier for one to rest and switch shifts. However, we didn't know how long we would be staking out, and this uncertainty would increase our nicotine cravings.

"I should have brought a pair of shorts..." Xiao Liu said.

"What for? Are you going to change your shorts here?"

"Ha ha!" Xiao Liu laughed carelessly, "Just kidding, Captain Li. Want another one?"

We smoked one cigarette after another in the enclosed space. Since we didn't dare open the car windows, the car quickly filled with smoke.

Xiao Liu opened the air conditioning periodically to change the air; otherwise, in such an environment, the risk of lung cancer would be almost 100%.

A full day passed, and neither of us had slept.

I, who often stayed up late, felt I could still hold on, but Xiao Liu was already drowsy.

"Rest for a while," I said, "I can watch by myself."

"Captain Li... Is that okay... You haven't rested yet, how can I sleep first..." He was trying to be strong, but his eyelids were already drooping.

"It's fine, go to sleep. I'll wake you up tonight."

"Okay... I'll just rest for half an hour..."

Less than twenty seconds later, Xiao Liu's snoring began, and it seemed this kid was exhausted.

After confirming he was asleep, I slowly took out my phone from my pocket and checked the unread messages.

Three of the four messages were from Xuanxuan.

"Dad, are you coming home for dinner tonight?"

"Dad, Grandma said you're on a mission these two days. Be careful!"

"Dad, there's a parent-teacher meeting next Friday afternoon. Can you come back then?"

I frowned slightly and replied to Xuanxuan.

"I'll be home in a couple of days. Eat well."

After sending the message, I opened the fourth unread message.

The unknown number had sent only three words: "Still staking out?"

I glanced at the sleeping Xiao Liu, then moved to the other side of the car and quickly replied, "Shut up, I'm hiding."

After doing this, I put my phone away and slowly reclined the seat to take a short nap.

The new car the team bought was a bit high-end; the seat reclined slowly, unlike the old cars that would suddenly drop and cause back pain.

As for staking out Zhang Huanan...

Don't joke. With me here, he won't show up.

I don't know how long it was, but I was suddenly woken by a violent shaking.

I hurriedly opened my eyes and saw Xiao Liu looking at me nervously, "Captain Li!! How could you fall asleep too?!"

"Huh?" I was still groggy from sleep and took a while to understand what was happening, "Oh... you're awake?"

"Trouble! Captain Li, we both fell asleep. What if Zhang Huanan shows up?"

"It's fine, he won't get away." I rubbed my eyes and adjusted the seat back to its original position.

"He won't get away?"

"Ah... I mean I just fell asleep, it shouldn't be that coincidental..."

"Ah..." Xiao Liu still looked worried. He slapped his cheeks and said, "I shouldn't have slept. Now I've made a mistake on my first mission."

"It's okay, kid." I patted his shoulder, "If anything happens, I'll take the blame."

Strangely, from that moment on, Xiao Liu seemed to be energized and didn't sleep for two days.

I slept several times, but every time I woke up, I saw Xiao Liu staring intently at the building across the street.

"Are you trying to die of exhaustion?" I asked, somewhat worried, "I'm awake now, go to sleep for a while."

"No." Xiao Liu had dark circles under his eyes and looked very haggard, "Captain Li, I won't rest this time. I must wait for Zhang Huanan to show up."

Just then, my phone in my pocket rang again.

Even the Nokia 6300 was almost out of battery.

I opened my phone and saw that Zhang Huanan had sent me another message.

I subtly moved my body to see what he had sent, but Xiao Liu suddenly asked from behind, "Did the team give an order?"

"Oh, no." I smiled and moved my phone to the side.

"If not the team, who sent it?" He stared at the phone in my hand.

I knew that a normal person wouldn't ask such an impolite question, but Xiao Liu, due to lack of sleep, was somewhat dazed.

Seeing his state, I had an idea.

I reached into my pocket, moved the cigarettes to the side, and showed him the empty cigarette box.

"Xiao Liu, go buy a pack of cigarettes."

"Buy cigarettes? There's no convenience store nearby." He was taken aback.

"But I don't have any cigarettes left." I put the cigarette box and phone in my pocket and said, "If there's none nearby, go a bit further. It's impossible to stay up all night without cigarettes. Also, the mineral water and bread in the car are almost gone. If it's convenient, buy some of those too."

He thought for a moment, then nodded, "Okay, Captain Li, I'll be right back."