Chapter 100: Shock

Chapter 100: Shock

"The meeting is starting! Everyone, head to Conference Room No. 2 for the meeting!" The Second Team Captain of the Public Security Police Brigade stepped out of the office, knocked on the door, and announced loudly.

"Another meeting? I still have a report to finish!" Bai Xiaoling scratched her head irritably and muttered under her breath.

"Today, we have a new Security Consultant arriving. Don’t even think about skipping it," the Captain said sharply, glaring at Bai Xiaoling. "Anyone not assigned to a case, get out and attend the meeting!"

Bai Xiaoling quickly lowered her head in fright, grabbed a notebook and pen, and followed her colleagues to the conference room.

"I really envy those Martial Artists!" Bai Xiaoling sighed. Not only did they earn high salaries and benefits, but they also didn’t have to work regular hours. As for risks, they weren’t much different from what Public Security Police like them faced.

"Don’t envy them. Do you think Martial Artists just appear out of thin air? It’s all earned through blood and sweat. Every Martial Artist has trained since childhood—the sweat they’ve shed could probably fill a swimming pool," a middle-aged police officer with the strength of a Martial Artist Apprentice shook his head and said.

Bai Xiaoling gave him a bored look.

"I was just expressing envy, okay? Do you think I don’t know? If I hadn’t given up because I couldn’t endure the hardship, I might’ve even gotten into the Martial Arts Academy back then."

...

About ten minutes later, after everyone had taken their seats, the Bureau Chief entered the conference room accompanied by a young man.

"Let me introduce everyone to our new Security Consultant at the branch bureau—Chen Shouyi. Let’s give him a warm welcome!"

The conference room immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause.

The Bureau Chief raised his hands to quiet everyone and continued with a smile, "You might be thinking Consultant Chen looks quite young, right? He is indeed very young. In fact, he’s only seventeen. But in the Martial Apprentice Examination, he achieved perfect scores across the board. Talent like this is probably unmatched in all of Hedong City. Having him join our branch bureau is an honor for all of us. Let’s welcome him again!"

The conference room exploded into even more fervent applause.

The gazes of everyone present were filled with shock, astonishment, and excitement.

Seventeen years old!

At that age, even passing the Martial Artist Apprentice Examination was already exceedingly rare, let alone becoming a full-fledged Martial Artist. In a few more years, could he even become a Great Martial Artist?

If their branch bureau had a Great Martial Artist, they could brag about it for years whenever they ran into other branches.

Chen Shouyi wore a faint smile, though inwardly he felt somewhat helpless.

Wearing this suit had been pointless. He had originally intended to conceal his age, but after the Bureau Chief’s introduction, everyone knew now.

Bai Xiaoling clapped excitedly, her face alight with enthusiasm.

This new Security Consultant was handsome, young, tall, and slender. His crisp black suit and cool smile perfectly accentuated his aloof, extraordinary aura. Compared to the other older, less attractive Security Consultants, he stood out like a crane among chickens.

But as she clapped, her hands gradually slowed.

The more she looked at him, the more familiar he seemed, as if she had seen Consultant Chen somewhere before.

Wait, what was his name again?

Shouyi... Chen Shouyi.

The name was quite memorable—just a surname away from a well-known condiment.

Oh my god!

She suddenly covered her mouth and instinctively stood up, knocking over her chair in the process.

At that moment, her sluggish mind finally remembered.

"This... isn't this the student from my best friend's tutoring class that we ran into while shopping the other day? Didn't she say she was going to tutor her?!"

The Bureau Chief, who had been all smiles just moments ago, immediately darkened his expression upon seeing the commotion below:

"Bai Xiaoling, what's going on? Have you forgotten meeting discipline?"

"I... I..."

Bai Xiaoling's joy turned to misery as fear blanked her mind—this was the Big B! Offending the Big B meant nothing good would come her way in the future.

Chen Shouyi also noticed Bai Xiaoling at this point. She looked familiar, and after a brief moment of recollection, he recognized the somewhat scatterbrained female officer. Turning to the Bureau Chief, he whispered, "My apologies, she's a friend of mine. I just never told her about my identity as a Martial Artist, so seeing me here must have shocked her."

Though they had only met once, to him, it was just a small favor.

As for whether it would help, that was beyond his concern.

"No wonder!" The Bureau Chief nodded in understanding. "Sit down. Don’t make a scene next time."

Bai Xiaoling slumped back into her seat, her face alternating between pale and flushed.

...

The meeting soon concluded.

Back in the office, Bai Xiaoling collapsed into her chair, groaning in distress. "I'm done for. I should've just said I had my period in time."

"Then why didn’t you?" a close female colleague asked with a laugh.

"My mind went completely blank from fear—I couldn’t react!" Bai Xiaoling tugged at her hair in frustration.

"I haven’t even asked yet—why did you stand up during the meeting?"

At this topic, Bai Xiaoling forgot her misery. Scooting her chair closer, she leaned in with a mix of excitement and disbelief. "Let me tell you, I actually know that Consultant Chen..."

Before she could finish, the team leader stepped out of the office. "Bai Xiaoling, the Bureau Chief wants to see you in his office."

Her face immediately fell. "Team Leader, is this really necessary for such a small thing? Are you sure you didn’t mishear?"

"Just go when you're told. How should I know? Asking me won’t help—hurry up."

With no choice, Bai Xiaoling reluctantly got up. Soon, she stood outside the Bureau Chief’s office, steeling herself internally:

"It’s no big deal. At worst, I’ll get scolded and have to write a self-criticism. It’s not like I’ll lose a piece of skin."

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

Hearing a "Come in," she pushed the door open and entered, trembling slightly. "Bureau Chief, you wanted to see me?"

"Sit, don’t just stand there!" the Bureau Chief said with a smile.

The expected storm didn’t come. She exhaled slightly in relief, feeling somewhat flustered by the unexpected kindness. "Bureau Chief, I’d rather stand."

"Bai Xiaoling, you know Consultant Chen, don’t you?"

"I do!"

Having met once still counted as knowing him.

"Good. I was originally planning to assign someone from the General Affairs Division, but since you two are acquainted, that’s even better. From now on, you’ll be Consultant Chen’s Dedicated Liaison."

...

Even after returning home, Bai Xiaoling still felt dazed.

"Mom, I’m back! I’m heading to my room first."

After a quick greeting to her mother, who was busy in the kitchen, she hurried into her bedroom and immediately picked up the phone to dial her best friend’s number.

After a few rings, the call connected on the other end.

With a mysterious expression, she said, "Ruyue, you definitely won't guess who I ran into today!"

"Who? Some handsome guy?"

"You’d be shocked—Chen Shouyi, you know him?"

"Chen Shouyi? My old tutoring student? Of course I know him. Did you see him again today?"

"Well, you definitely don’t know what his status is now!"

"What status? Some official’s kid or a rich heir? Stop dragging it out and just say it. I still have training to do." The voice on the phone sounded indifferent and impatient.

Bai Xiaoling flashed a mischievous grin, no longer holding back. "Of course not that. Guess where I saw him? At our bureau branch—he’s the new Security Consultant."

Wang Ruyue was momentarily stunned, taking a while to process it before asking again, "Security Consultant? For what?"

"The kind you’re thinking of—a Martial Artist!"

"That’s impossible!"