Chapter 12: The Night’s Work

“I’ll pay the medical bill for him first. Once his parents arrive, I’ll let him pay me back later.” Wang Jian said to the colleague beside him.

“That works. We can’t find his family right now, so we’ll let him pay you back once they do.” The colleague nodded in agreement.

Wang Jian found a nurse and explained that he wanted to pay the medical bill. Then, he was led to the front desk, where he temporarily covered the cost.

“It’s so late. I’m going to head home and come back tomorrow. What about you?” Wang Jian’s colleague yawned and said.

“Sounds good. Let’s come back tomorrow. I’m heading home to sleep now.”

They both got into the police car and returned to the police station.

Back at the station, Wang Jian told Captain Yan everything that had happened on their trip.

“It’s probably just like you thought. This kid likely ran away from home because of family violence. We need to find his parents and talk to them.” Captain Yan sipped his tea and said.

“Right. I’ll go talk to them when we find the parents.” Wang Jian responded.

“Alright, kid. Go get some sleep. You’ve got a lot to do tomorrow.”

“Got it, Captain. I’m heading back to the dorm now.” He said as he prepared to leave.

“Remember to get some rest.” Captain Yan reminded him.

“I will.” And with that, Wang Jian left the office.

He clocked out and walked towards the police dormitory, which was just next to the station. It didn’t take long to get there.

Entering the dorm building, Wang Jian felt much warmer. He shook off the snow from his coat.

Climbing the stairs to the third floor, he found his room in the hallway.

Opening the door with his key, he stepped inside and hung his thick jacket and police cap on the coat rack.

He flopped down on the bed and sighed. Today’s work had left him exhausted.

After resting for a while, he started to get ready for bed. Once he finished, he took out his phone and played a couple of games, but his skills were terrible, and his teammates were screaming at him. After two games, he lost confidence and turned off the light to sleep.

But the recent work pressure made it hard for him to fall asleep.

He couldn’t help but think about his own situation.

He was Wang Jian, a new police officer. Since starting work, he had truly felt the pressures of adulthood. The overwhelming workload left him struggling to keep up.

Before joining, he had been a passionate young man, dreaming of solving serious cases and becoming a hero in the eyes of the people. But reality was harsh. In his first year, there were no major cases, and he couldn’t participate in the few that were.

Most of his work involved dealing with trivial matters for citizens. He couldn’t understand why people called the police for such minor issues. Maybe it was because dialing 110 had become second nature to everyone, but it definitely increased his workload.

In just a short year, the passion in his heart had been worn down by the mundane routine.

Currently, his life was good, and his colleagues were friendly. His captain was very supportive, and the station felt like a big family. If this life continued, it would be quite nice, even if it was a bit too peaceful.

Wang Jian suddenly remembered the child he had taken to the hospital. The child was likely a victim of domestic violence who had run away from home. Captain Yan had tasked him with handling this case.

Thinking about the child who might have been abused and that he was finally working on a meaningful case, rather than arguing with nosy neighbors, Wang Jian closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. He needed to be well-rested for the case the next day.

****

In the hospital bed, Hao Yang slowly opened her eyes. The air around her wasn’t cold anymore, and something kept rubbing against her body. She gradually opened her eyes, but a voice stopped her from sitting up.

“Little one, stay still. The nurse is cleaning you up.” A gentle female voice came from beside her.

Hao Yang turned her head to see a beautiful nurse in a nurse’s uniform, holding a clean towel and rubbing it against her body. Hao Yang was naked, and the nurse was gently cleaning her with the towel.

Hao Yang’s face turned red, and she instinctively tried to find something to cover herself with.

“Little one, I told you not to move, why aren’t you listening?” The nurse held her down with a hand.

Hao Yang’s mind finally started to clear, and she looked around, asking softly, “Is this a hospital?”

“Yes, this is a hospital.” The nurse added a cute lilt to her voice to make the conversation more child-friendly.

Hao Yang felt like she was being treated like a little kid and sighed inwardly.

“Why am I in the hospital? And where’s my backpack?” Hao Yang finally remembered to ask.

“Two police officers brought you here. If it weren’t for them, you might have gotten into trouble. When they come, make sure to thank them. Ask them about your backpack; it should be with them.”

Hearing the word ‘police,’ Hao Yang’s mind snapped into focus, and she remembered the last moments of the homeless man’s life.

“Police! Where are the police?! I need to find the police!” Hao Yang jumped out of bed, but she felt weak and dizzy, as if she might pass out at any moment.

“Hey, little one, what’s wrong? Let’s talk about this tomorrow. The police will come then. Come on, you just got over a fever, so stay in bed and rest. I’ll take care of you.” The nurse gently guided her back to the bed, speaking soothingly.