Chapter 420: Can We Keep Counting Sheep Tonight?

That night, the group counted sheep all night until four o'clock in the morning, the tally had reached a five‑digit number, and the four women finally drifted into dreamland.

Thanks to Xu Mo's System Reward Turtle Breathing Technique, he can get by on just two hours of sleep a day and stay fully energized; otherwise when he went to the Police Station the next day he'd surely be sporting dark circles.

The next morning.

Xu Mo arrived at the Police Station on time.

At the Police Station entrance, he ran into Han Fei.

Unlike before, today Han Fei was a bit listless, sporting dark circles, and it was obvious he hadn't slept well the night before.

Upon seeing Xu Mo, Han Fei was incensed.

If it hadn't been that Lao Liu, he wouldn't have had to stay up so late last night.

He left the Police Station at 12:20 a. m. last night, got home at 1 a. m., and after washing up didn't fall asleep until 1:30 a. m.

Being older, his body isn't what it used to be, and after years of pulling all‑night shifts for investigations, his physical condition can't compare to his younger days; a single all‑night stay almost takes half his life.

"Morning, Team Han, have you eaten?" Xu Mo said with a smile, as if he hadn't seen Han Fei's dark circles.

Han Fei couldn't help giving Xu Mo a cold stare and lamented, "Why did you leave so early yesterday? Those three colleagues came to discuss case‑solving techniques with you! Weren't you supposed to receive them? Why did you run off so fast? Do you know how late they kept me talking last night? My old bones almost fell apart from staying up!"

Since Xu Mo joined the Police Station, almost every case gets cracked on the same day, and as a result Han Fei hasn't had to pull an all‑night shift for some time.

Now, having to stay up once, he truly finds it hard to bear.

Xu Mo let out a chuckle.

"I was just watching you have a good chat, and besides I couldn't interject, so I just left… I suddenly remembered the flowers in my office haven't been watered yet; I'm going back to water them, or they'll die of thirst."

After that, Xu Mo slipped away.

"A good chat? That's all you kid caused! If you hadn't pushed the pot onto me, would they have come to talk to me!?"

Han Fei was just about to call out to Xu Mo when, suddenly, he felt a burst of force on his shoulder.

Turning around, Han Fei's face involuntarily tightened.

The three officers who had kept him up last night were back.

Unlike Han Fei, they were all young, healthy; not even eight hours of sleep, let alone a sleepless night, didn't faze them. Their faces were flushed, full of vigor, showing none of the signs of having pulled an all‑night shift.

Each of the three held a small notebook and a pen, staring eagerly at Han Fei.

"Team Han, the cases you discussed with us last night, we've been racking our brains over them and they're very enlightening! So we decided to come back today to seek more guidance!"

Han Fei: "???".

"Team Han, you haven't eaten yet, we got you breakfast; how about we eat while we talk?"

"If you're not into fried dough sticks and soy milk, we can go get something else for you."

The three swarmed around Han Fei, entered the Police Station, and headed to his office…

It's not that Han Fei refuses to engage them; he's simply too tired, can't summon any energy, his head is hazy, and he thought of a clever ploy: passing the buck!

"The case‑solving techniques I could share were already given to you last night; why don't you go find Team Leader Xu? He's the backbone of our Police Station, all the case‑cracking depends on him."

At this point, Han Fei thought that being regarded with respect by his peers was no longer important; he was afraid the three would again cling to him and chat until midnight, his body truly couldn't take it.

However, the three didn't believe a word of it.

"Team Han, last night you said all of Team Leader Xu's case‑solving techniques were taught by you; isn't asking Team Leader Xu the same as asking you?"

"Yeah, yeah, yesterday Team Leader Xu also openly admitted that, saying his case‑solving techniques were all taught by you; you're his master, so we naturally take wisdom from the master, not from a disciple."

Han Fei was at a loss for words.

Yesterday the bragging got out of hand!

The remarks Xu Mo made yesterday directly set him up.

Men are all about saving face, and it gets worse in middle age, so after Xu Mo said that, he smoothly claimed: Xu Mo's case‑solving techniques were indeed learned from him.

The advantage of saying that was the admiring glances from his peers, which he greatly enjoyed.

The downside was that his bragging got out of hand, and he built a trap for himself he couldn't get out of.

Today, the Police Station didn't receive any reports.

With no cases to investigate, Xu Mo wasn't very busy, idled away most of the day, and after the shift ended, he was the first to slip out.

It was a torment for Han Fei; from the moment he stepped into his office in the morning, the three officers clung to him, demanding he recount cases he had solved, hoping to glean some experience.

That talking went on for the entire day.

From sunrise to the sun high in the sky, from noon to the sun leaning west, and then to sunset…

All the officers throughout the Police Station were practically idle, except Han Fei who never got a break, his mouth nearly sparking, talking from nine in the morning until ten at night.

He never wants to show off again in his life; it's fun, but truly a torment.

Fortunately, the three officers felt they had gained a lot and planned to head back tonight, not linger.

Otherwise, Han Fei's old bones would truly be worn out.

…

The reason for last night's villa blackout was exactly what Xu Mo thought—a tripped breaker.

The next day the property management arrived and fixed it shortly, so tonight they probably won't be forced to count sheep again.

After dinner and a shower, he watched some TV in the living room, and at ten p. m. Xu Mo retired early to his bedroom.

But shortly after, his bedroom door was knocked again.

"What's the matter?" Xu Mo asked through the door.

"Nothing much, we just think the method of counting sheep works well; could you accompany us in counting sheep again tonight?"

Xu Mo: "???".