Chapter 723 — There's Official Business to Discuss
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"No. I have a lot of cases, and I don't want to waste time." Qiu Lingshan turned down Chen Yuxuan's offer outright. "Besides, I'm in uniform and would have to change—too much trouble."
"Actually, I came to see you because there's official business to discuss as well." This time Chen Yuxuan was full of confidence. He had come to Songshan City on assignment, originally to carry out a confidential mission, but because one part of it required cooperation with the local police, Chen Yuxuan had reported to his superiors and was now preparing to make contact with Qiu Lingshan.
Still, when it came to making contact, procedure dictated that Chen Yuxuan first touch base with the local police chief. But he had already given Yang Huaijun advance notice, and since Qiu Lingshan was the head of the Criminal Investigation Unit and happened to be in charge of this matter, it made for a perfectly legitimate reason.
"Official business?" Qiu Lingshan was slightly taken aback. "If it's official business, then let's talk in my office. Forget about dinner."
"It's about dinnertime now. Surely we can't discuss matters on empty stomachs?" Chen Yuxuan said with a bitter smile.
"Fine, then. We'll just have two fast-food meals," Qiu Lingshan said flatly. "There's a cafeteria here in the hospital."
"All right..." Chen Yuxuan had no choice. Fast food, at least, still counted as eating together, though any hint of romance was certainly out of the question.
The two of them went to the hospital cafeteria. Although Qiu Lingshan was in police uniform and Chen Yuxuan in his armed police uniform, no one paid them much attention, since many officers from the police bureau had been stationed at the hospital lately and it was perfectly normal to eat work meals in the cafeteria.
Chen Yuxuan wanted to reserve a private room and order a few dishes, but Qiu Lingshan simply bought two fast-food meals, so decisive that she left Chen Yuxuan no room to object. He could only smile bitterly.
"If there's something on your mind, just say it." Qiu Lingshan found a quiet corner with few people, set the fast food on the table, glanced at Chen Yuxuan, and asked, "If you're here to see me about official business, you should have contacted my supervising chief first."
"I've already given Yang Huaijun advance notice," Chen Yuxuan said, naturally not about to give Qiu Lingshan any excuse to refuse him.
"Very well, Major Chen. Is there anything you need us to assist with?" Qiu Lingshan nodded and asked.
Hearing her tone, Chen Yuxuan felt rather helpless. Could Qiu Lingshan not speak to him as she would a friend?
"While on border patrol, we discovered a cultural-relic smuggling ring. They exchanged heavy fire with us while crossing the border. The ringleaders are the infamous husband-and-wife pair of thieves from the black market in antiquities." Chen Yuxuan briefly explained how it had begun.
"That should mean cooperating with the local police and cultural-relic authorities, not with the Songshan police, shouldn't it?" Qiu Lingshan had of course heard of this "husband-and-wife duo of thieves"—a notorious gang of tomb robbers led by a man and a woman, hence the name.
In fact, wanted notices for the husband-and-wife thieves had long since been issued, but no one knew their true faces. The two always wore masks, no matter the occasion, so their real identities remained a mystery.
"In theory, yes. But we found a work notebook on the husband-and-wife thieves." Chen Yuxuan lowered his voice. "It records the plan for their next operation..."