After Descending the Mountain, Seven Big Brothers Spoil Me - Chapter 998

Chapter 998: Will You Come Back?
As soon as the spirits saw the person they were looking at, they froze in place. It was only for a second, but Zhouzhou and Qin Xu quickly shifted their gaze.

Zhouzhou smiled innocently at them, as if nothing had happened, and waved her little chubby hand in greeting, “Hello, uncles, aunts, big brothers, and big sisters!”

“Hello, Zhouzhou!” The others were happy to see her, patting her little head. Suddenly, as if realizing something, one of them exclaimed, “Zhouzhou, have you grown taller?”

At the mention of this, Zhouzhou’s eyes lit up, and she gave him a thumbs up. “Brother, you have a keen eye!” she said, throwing a smug little look at Jing Bai. “See? I’ve grown a lot!”

Jing Bai didn’t respond. He knew if he did, he would end up speaking the truth, and Zhouzhou would get angry. He knew her too well.

If Zhouzhou had known his thoughts, she would have pouted and thrown a tantrum.

After a bit of gloating, Zhouzhou remembered what they were here for. She looked around as if nothing had happened and curiously asked, “Who’s buried here? Why are there so many gravestones?”

When the topic was brought up, everyone’s smiles disappeared, and their expressions turned serious. After a deep sigh, one person spoke in a low voice, “It’s the tombs of our former chief and his team.”

The voice carried a hint of nasal tone, tinged with sadness.

Many of them had been working here for years and had known the former chief personally. He had given them guidance, and even those who hadn’t worked with him had heard stories about him. The former chief of the Criminal Investigation Department had been a towering figure in the field. Many of them had hoped to join the department just to meet him.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. The former chief and his team had all been wiped out in a disastrous operation. It was a pain they would carry for the rest of their lives.

When Zhouzhou heard this, her face instantly grew solemn. “Did you catch those bad guys?”

At this question, their faces became even darker, and they shook their heads. “No.”

That was the most frustrating part. Five years had passed, but they had still been unable to deliver justice for the former chief and their fallen colleagues. Every time they thought of it, it gnawed at them.

“These people are like slippery eels. Every time we almost catch them, we always end up a step too late,” one person muttered.

After so many failed attempts, it almost felt like the criminals were deliberately toying with them. They couldn’t help but feel that the criminals were too confident, almost as if they knew every move the team would make.

Zhouzhou blinked in confusion and repeated, “Every time, you’re a step too late?”

She particularly emphasized “every time.”

Qin Xu, out of the corner of his eye, noticed the man Zhouzhou had been looking at earlier. Sure enough, the man’s face showed a moment of unease.

Seeing this, others started to look at Zhouzhou in surprise. “Zhouzhou, what do you mean…?” they asked, confused.

It almost felt like she was implying they had something to do with it.

The truth was, they had all wondered the same thing. The coincidences were so perfect that it was hard not to suspect there was a mole among them. But they had never voiced their suspicions, because every person in the department had been through thick and thin with them. Regardless of who the traitor was, it was hard to make such an accusation without hurting someone. So they had kept their doubts to themselves.

Now that Zhouzhou had mentioned it, they couldn’t help but think back to those suspicions.

Zhouzhou innocently looked at them and said, “What I mean is, do any of the bad guys know how to tell the future? Otherwise, how could their luck be so good?”

At her words, everyone burst into laughter. “There can’t be so many people as talented as you,” one of them joked.

“That’s right!” another chimed in.

Zhouzhou proudly placed her hands on her hips, puffing out her chest with a smug expression.

She was really something else.

The others couldn’t help but laugh along.

After finishing the ceremony, they returned to the department. Since the Hills case was already settled, there was no need to worry about Jing Bai’s safety, so Zhouzhou followed Qin Xu back.

When she told Jing Bai about it, he seemed a little upset. His face darkened as he asked, “Are you coming back?”

Zhouzhou thought about how hungry she had been the night before and unconsciously touched her stomach, shaking her head. “No, no,” she said quickly. “I won’t stay at your house anymore.”

Upon hearing that, Jing Bai’s mood worsened. He could see through her, and with a sigh, he said, “If I prepare something delicious at home, will you come?”

This time, Zhouzhou looked up at him. She saw a flicker of expectation in his eyes and felt a pang of guilt. However, she still replied with hesitation. “Brother, I still have to go to school. How about you come stay at my house instead?”

When Jing Bai heard this, he shook his head, his expression growing dimmer. “Forget it.”

He didn’t like staying at other people’s homes. He preferred solitude.

But then Zhouzhou rushed over and grabbed his hand. “Come, will you? My grandparents, dad, and brothers are all really nice! And my big brother—you know him too—maybe you two could even work on something together!”

Jing Bai hesitated for a moment, then lowered his eyes to look at Zhouzhou’s chubby little face. Finally, after a long pause, he nodded.

Zhouzhou instantly beamed with happiness. “Then my place, after work! See you there!”

“Mm,” Jing Bai responded with a slight nod.

Once she finished speaking with him, Zhouzhou left.

On the way back, Zhouzhou quietly scratched Qin Xu’s palm and glanced back at the person she had been observing earlier. They happened to be in the same car, with him as the driver.

Qin Xu suddenly closed his hand, enclosing her little chubby hand within his. Zhouzhou looked down and noticed their hands entangled, as if they were playfully teasing each other.

The man in the rearview mirror looked over, and upon noticing them, he sighed in relief.

The little girl’s words had been casual, right? Judging by Qin Xu’s reaction, it didn’t seem like he had noticed anything.

Relieved, the man let out a quiet breath, but a flash of pain crossed his eyes. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.

Qin Xu, seemingly unaware, continued chatting with Zhouzhou as if nothing was wrong.

After a long while, the car finally pulled up in front of the police station.

Zhouzhou hopped out of the car excitedly, and just as she did, the police chief had returned from outside.

As soon as he saw Zhouzhou, his eyes lit up. “Zhouzhou!”

She was his little treasure!

Whenever she was around, their precinct solved more cases. Sure, it cost a bit, but it was all worth it!

He quickly walked up to Zhouzhou, took off his hat, and smiled warmly. “Zhouzhou, what have you been busy with lately? Why haven’t you come to visit us?”

Zhouzhou stared at him eagerly and said, “Uncle Chief, my second uncle says you’re almost bankrupt.”

Upon hearing this, the chief’s face stiffened, then he cleared his throat. “Ahem, that was ages ago. I’ve already gotten some new funding! You can earn as much as you want! As long as you can take it!”

It was nothing! If they could catch bad guys, he would even use his own savings to pay her!

He had a whopping 100 yuan and 8 cents in savings!

Zhouzhou’s eyes lit up as she grabbed his hand and started running towards the inside of the building. “Let’s hurry and get to work!”

So eager?

The chief was a bit taken aback but then smiled happily.

Not bad, not bad. That’s the spirit.

Qin Xu shook his head and said to the people next to him, “Go ahead and keep working.”

The man smiled and left.

However, Qin Xu’s smile faded slightly as he walked towards the chief’s office.

The chief had just picked up a list of wanted criminals and was about to introduce it to Zhouzhou when her little chubby hand pressed down on the top of it.

He looked up and met her bright, eager eyes.

Zhouzhou asked, “Uncle chief, if I catch the bad guys here, what will my reward be?”