Tang Tang felt that since she was eight years old and was scolded by Tang Gu in front of Zuo Mu for stealing lollipops, she had never been so embarrassed.
A row of people squatted in the corner with their heads in their hands, looking just like criminals.
From time to time, two or three cicadas chirped outside the window. Tang Tang moved her feet. The numbness in her feet traveled along the nerves to her brain, making her fully awake.
Tang Tang let out a hiss, swayed a bit, and quickly propped herself up with her hands.
The policeman sitting in front of the computer finally had time to glance at them. He picked up his thermos, took a sip of water, coughed, tapped on the table and said, "Have you all reflected on your mistakes?"
Zhao Shi raised both hands high and said to the policeman sincerely, "Uncle policeman, we all know we were wrong. Really. And it's not our fault. They were the ones who harassed Xiao Li first."
A crew - cut guy who was also squatting over there heard this, put his hands down, and expressionlessly pointed to his bleeding forehead. "I just asked a little girl how to get to the bookstore. How the hell is that harassment?"
Zhao Shi gave the crew - cut guy a sidelong glance. "The word 'little girl' is so easily misunderstood."
"I just..."
Before the crew - cut guy could swear, the policeman impatiently tapped on the table with his pen. Frowning, he looked at the two of them and said, "You young guys, are you getting too much nutrition? Is your adrenaline too high? You fight at the drop of a hat. Call your parents here! Let them feed you some cornmeal buns and stewed potatoes with cabbage to balance your nutrition!"
When everyone heard that their parents were going to be called, they all instinctively cowered. Zhao Shi looked at the policeman pitifully. "Uncle policeman, can we make a deal? We'll write you a guarantee that we'll never do it again. Please don't call our parents."
A chubby policeman sitting next to the other policeman laughed when he heard this. "Hey, does this kid think the police station is a school? Does he think writing a self - criticism will solve everything?"
The policeman who had been interrogating them impatiently glanced at the chubby policeman again, pursed his lips, and looked at everyone. "Call your parents or guardians. If they don't come to pick you up, it's fine. There's plenty of food in the cafeteria today and enough beds. You can just stay here until they come."
Everyone, "..."
When Tang Tang heard that her parents were going to be called, she was secretly glad that her mother was at a book signing and her father was on a business trip, so she wouldn't be embarrassed.
But then when she heard what the policeman said, she immediately became dejected. After much thought, Tang Tang walked over to the policeman pitifully and said, "Uncle policeman, my father is on a business trip and my mother is at a book signing. They really can't come. Can I make a video call instead? It's like they're here."
The chubby policeman laughed when he heard this. Just as he was about to say something, the other policeman gave him a sideways look, and he scurried away with his thermos.
The policeman frowned and looked at Tang Tang. "So you live alone now? Are you an adult? How could your parents leave you alone at home?"
"I'm an adult," Tang Tang promised. "I just had my eighteenth birthday."
"It's not safe for you to be at home alone. What's your father's phone number? I'll call him."
As he said this, the policeman took out his phone and looked up at Tang Tang, indicating for her to give him Tang Gu's phone number.
Tang Tang quickly waved her hands to stop him. "No need, no need. Thank you for your concern, uncle. I'm staying at my brother's place."
When the policeman heard this, he put his phone on the table, nodded and said, "That's good. Then ask your brother to come."
Tang Tang made a bitter face, frowned, and nodded reluctantly.
She came up with the idea of making a video call just because she didn't want Zuo Mu to know.
Zuo Mu was Tang Gu's only favorite student. Back then, Tang Gu gave up his position as a director and went to teach at a university. He took a fancy to Zuo Mu at first sight and said that Zuo Mu was born to be a doctor. From being Zuo Mu's teacher in his freshman year to his doctoral supervisor when he graduated, it was always Tang Gu who mentored him.
Later, when Zuo Mu graduated, he smoothly went to the same hospital as Tang Gu. Tang Gu taught Zuo Mu everything he knew, and Zuo Mu respected and loved Tang Gu very much.
Tang Tang still remembered the first time she saw Zuo Mu. She was only eight years old then. She was beaten by Tang Gu for stealing candy, which became a black mark in her history.
The past was unbearable to look back on, and things weren't much better now. Tang Tang covered her face. It was so embarrassing.
By the time Zuo Mu arrived, most of the people had left. Zuo Mu had just come off the operating table and hadn't even had time to change his clothes. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants. When he saw Tang Tang squatting in the corner, he couldn't help but smile and waved to her. "Come here."
Tang Tang walked over with her head down, putting her hands behind her back. She looked as obedient as could be.
Zuo Mu reached out and ruffled Tang Tang's hair. His voice involuntarily softened. "Are you hurt?"
Tang Tang shook her head and whispered, "No."
Only then was Zuo Mu relieved. He walked up to the policeman, bowed slightly, and smiled. "Hello, I'm Tang Tang's brother. I'm really sorry for the trouble we've brought you."
"It's nothing," the policeman waved his hand. "We have to deal with a lot of people every day. These kids aren't really bad. They're just impulsive. They're too hot - headed."
"Yes, they're in their adolescence, the rebellious stage,"
Zuo Mu reached back and ruffled Tang Tang's hair. "I'll talk to her when we get back. But I'd like to know what happened today. I'm busy with work, and my girl is usually quite well - behaved."
When the policeman heard Zuo Mu's words, he raised his eyebrows. Zuo Mu's words were basically asking if his girl had been bullied. The policeman shook his head and laughed. "It was just a single sentence. They harassed one of the girls, and then they started fighting. When we got there, the two groups were in the middle of a fight. Your well - behaved girl was even swinging a stick at people."
"What about their injuries? If there's any compensation involved, we'll cooperate."
The policeman waved his hand. "It's just kids fighting. There's no need for compensation. A bit of fighting will teach them to behave."
Zuo Mu nodded, took Tang Tang's hand, and said sincerely, "Then we really troubled you today. The kids are naive. Tang Tang, go and thank the uncle."
Tang Tang obediently walked over and bowed. "Sorry to trouble you, uncle."
The policeman nodded and waved his hand. "It's okay. Just don't be so impulsive next time."
Zuo Mu promised with a smile, then took Tang Tang's hand and turned around. Before they reached the door, a person came in. He was fanning himself with his hat in one hand and gasping with his mouth open. "I've had enough. Isn't it 119's job when a cat gets stuck in the chimney?"
The chubby policeman laughed while munching on cookies. "You've done 119 a favor. Go and ask Chief Li to claim credit later. You'll be famous!"
The young policeman gulped down a big bottle of water, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said, "I won't be famous. I'll be on fire. When Chief Li goes there, it won't be just about claiming credit. He'll be looking for trouble."
When the chubby policeman thought about the fact that Chief Li didn't get along well with the people over there, he immediately slapped his thigh and laughed. He even stopped eating cookies and pulled the young policeman to daydream.
The young policeman couldn't shake him off. He pointed vaguely at the door and shouted, "Hey, good day, Chief Li."
The chubby policeman immediately stood up straight, threw the cookies aside with a clatter, and turned around while smiling. "Oh, Chief Li..."
"Where is Chief Li? Where?"
The chubby policeman was about to kick the young policeman. "You little brat, you..."
"Here,"
The chubby policeman froze in mid - action. Embarrassed, he looked back at Chief Li and smiled. "Hahaha, Chief Li."
Chief Li gave the chubby policeman a sidelong glance. His peripheral vision caught Zuo Mu and Tang Tang. When he saw Tang Tang, he paused, sized her up, frowned, and then turned to the policemen. "Get back to work. A female student from Experimental High School has gone missing under mysterious circumstances. It happened near the school, probably the night before last."
Seeing that they were about to discuss the case, Zuo Mu closed the door with Tang Tang. "Experimental High School is your high school, right?"
"Yeah," Tang Tang frowned. "But I haven't heard of anyone going missing these days."
"I'll pick you up from school from now on."
Tang Tang nodded. Suddenly, Zuo Mu pulled her, and she couldn't help but let out a hiss.
Zuo Mu frowned and rolled up her sleeve, revealing a large red mark.
"Nothing? Hmm?"
Zuo Mu held up Tang Tang's arm so that she could see it more clearly.
When Zuo Mu touched Tang Tang's arm, she instinctively flinched, but quickly regained her composure.
Tang Tang was too good at enduring pain. You could say she was patient, or rather, she was too independent. She always wanted to solve things on her own and didn't like to trouble others.
If he hadn't noticed today, Tang Tang would have hidden it until her arm got better.
Tang Tang lowered her head guiltily and didn't say a word.
Zuo Mu had been in surgery all day and didn't have much patience left. He pursed his lips and said, "Anywhere else?"
Tang Tang bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, then pulled up her pants. "There's another mark on my calf."
"Anywhere else?"
Tang Tang shook her head, then thought about it and looked up to explain. "It doesn't hurt at all."
Zuo Mu squinted his eyes and deliberately scraped the red mark on her arm. Tang Tang instinctively flinched. After that, she opened her mouth but didn't say anything. She felt quite embarrassed.
Zuo Mu was so angry that he laughed. "Doesn't hurt?"
"… It hurts a bit."
Zuo Mu was so angry that he didn't know what to do. He reached out and ruffled Tang Tang's hair. "Next time, speak up. If it hurts, just say so. How many patients don't tell the truth when seeing a doctor, and then their condition gets worse? You have to be honest."
"Also, there's nothing wrong with fighting. They harassed first, so they deserved it."
Tang Tang looked up at Zuo Mu in surprise. Zuo Mu walked and laughed. "What, do you think this isn't something I should say?"
"Um..."
Zuo Mu shook his head and laughed. "We reason with reasonable people. There's no need to waste our breath on unreasonable people."
"But before you fight, you have to weigh whether you can win. If you can, fight. If not, don't be reckless. Find someone else to beat them up."
Tang Tang burst out laughing and followed Zuo Mu into the car to go home.
Chief Li briefly explained the situation. He took a sip of water from his thermos, sat down, frowned, and looked at Shen Hao. "What's the name of that girl just now?"
Shen Hao had been keeping a straight face with the kids all day. While flipping through the files, he said, "Huh? The one who just left? Her name is Tang Tang."
Chief Li's eyes darkened. He squinted and took a sip of water. "What a coincidence."
Shen Hao let out a sound and looked up at Chief Li. "What coincidence?"
Chief Li shook his head, swirled the water in his thermos. "Get back to work. We'll go to the scene later."