Chapter 506: What

"You successfully captured the Escapee and earned a reward—Pure Gold Mooncake ×10,000!"

Good fellow, this reward is quite fitting...

After receiving this reward, Xu Mo thought that the so‑called sky‑price mooncakes on the market were utterly weak compared to the ten thousand Pure Gold Mooncakes he got!

After finishing all the work at hand, the time had already reached 11:57; in three more minutes, the Mid‑Autumn Festival would be over.

Three minutes isn't enough for the officers to rush home and reunite with their families; this Mid‑Autumn Festival, they still couldn't celebrate it.

"Sigh, it's already the 16th, and my parents are still saying they'll wait for me to come home for Mid‑Autumn… there are only a few minutes left, and it's too late to go back now," Wang Dachuan shrugged; although he complained, a smile that wouldn't melt lingered on his face.

For him, although he couldn't spend Mid‑Autumn with his family today, the festival was still very meaningful.

After all, with his help and that of his Police Station colleagues, over twenty families were reunited, and the child‑trafficking Human Traffickers had already been brought to justice.

Putting the small family aside for the greater good is the awareness a police officer should have; it's just a holiday, missed it, missed it.

"The moon is full on the 16th, who says that after the 15th it's no longer Mid‑Autumn? Today's moon is even rounder, right?" Han Fei said with a smile.

"Exactly! And Mid‑Autumn comes only once a year; missing it isn't a big deal, we can celebrate next year. Missing one Mid‑Autumn means there's another one, and besides, we did something so meaningful today—much more fulfilling than eating mooncakes at home."

"Yeah, seeing those parents' grateful looks makes me feel today was truly fulfilling, far better than eating mooncakes at home!"

"Speaking of mooncakes, the ones the Police Station gave out two days ago I haven't taken home yet, and it's still not noon. How about I go fetch that box and we can share it?" Li Chen suggested.

The suggestion received unanimous approval.

"Sure, sure, even though we can't rush home before noon, eating mooncakes and watching the moon together with the gang at the Police Station is a fine alternative," Han Fei nodded.

As he spoke, Li Chen lifted the box of mooncakes he hadn't managed to bring home and handed it out to everyone.

At 11:59, the officers gathered with mooncakes, looked up at the round moon hanging in the sky, and began eating amid laughter.

This Mid‑Autumn Festival, though he couldn't be with his family, celebrating with the colleagues he spends every day with was still extraordinarily meaningful.

After finishing the mooncakes, everyone went home separately.

Qingyuan Community.

After parking his car in the spot, Han Fei didn't rush upstairs; instead, he lit a cigarette in the car and looked up at the nearby residential building with only a few scattered lights on.

He hesitated to go up, because he had once again let his family down.

After finishing a cigarette, Han Fei instinctively wanted another, but when he felt the pack, he realized it was already empty.

He crushed the empty pack, opened the car door, got out, tossed the pack into the trash, and walked into the residential building.

Room 802, 8th Floor.

"I'm back; why aren't you asleep yet?" Han Fei said after entering, glancing sheepishly at his wife sitting on the sofa waiting for him.

"What do you think? Look at the time yourself, how late is it?"

"It's a bit of a special situation today… something at the Police Station held me up," Han Fei explained.

"Another special case—there are 365 days a year, which one isn't special? Today our daughter was to perform at the school's Mid‑Autumn gala; I told you about it half a month in advance, remember? How did you promise? You said you'd definitely be there… and then? You didn't show up again. How many times has this happened? Her eyes were swollen from crying; I barely managed to coax her to sleep."

"I know you're busy with work, I understand, but could you at least find time to call and explain? You should at least make our daughter feel you value her, right?"

Facing his wife's nagging, Han Fei didn't show impatience nor explain; he simply listened silently, nodding occasionally.

Similar situations have happened before; because of the nature of his work, Han Fei hasn't been able to fulfill his duties as a father and husband, and he has missed many moments in his daughter's upbringing. ωωw.. net

Seeing her husband silently listening to her rambling without a word, Han Fei's wife softened.

"Have you eaten? If not, the kitchen has dishes ready and still hot; I'll bring them out for you."

"I haven't, I'll get it myself; it's quite late, you go back to the room and rest," Han Fei replied honestly.

He only ate one breakfast and a mooncake the whole day.

Han Fei's wife simply ignored him, walked straight into the kitchen, and in no time placed several pre‑heated dishes on the table.

It was evident the dishes had been reheated many times.

After quickly scooping two bites of rice, Han Fei washed his bowl and chopsticks, and before sleeping, visited his daughter's room.

"Dad is a big bad guy…" As soon as he entered, Han Fei heard his daughter's sleep‑talk; her cute little face bore two streaks of tears, her eyes were red—clearly she had been crying.

Feeling guilty, Han Fei kissed his daughter's little cheek, then gently tucked the blanket over her to keep her warm, and only then left her room.

…

The situations the other officers faced after returning home weren't much different from Han Fei's.

Basically, married officers came home to wives' complaints, while unmarried officers returned to parents' complaints.

Missing this family‑reunion holiday inevitably sparked some resentment among family members.

But Xu Mo, also a police officer who missed Mid‑Autumn due to duty, didn't have such an experience.

He has no such worries, because his four daughters have already seen the trending topic; they all know Xu Mo missed Mid‑Autumn because of something.

They also know that what Xu Mo did today was very meaningful; he's a hero, and thanks to his help, over twenty families were reunited.

Xu Mo sacrificed his small family to secure everyone's reunion!

"You're back; we deliberately skipped dinner and have been waiting for you."

"We prepared crabs and mooncakes, and made a few of your favorite dishes—come eat!"

"Let me interview our great hero: you helped more than twenty families reunite on this family‑gathering day; at this moment, what are your thoughts?"

"Hold on, hold on, I haven't started filming yet. Wait until I start, then you can ask again. I'm starting now, ask again."

Yang Jingxuan raised her phone, pointing the camera at Xu Mo and Zhou Qiaoqiao, who was interviewing him.

"I don't really have any thoughts; I only have one idea… I'm damn starving, where's the crab? Bring it over so I can gnaw a couple."

"No, no, say at least a couple of words! Quickly give a comment on helping others, I'm recording a video."

"I want crab."

"No, you have to give your remarks before you can eat crab."

"I want crab."

"Later we can eat, okay? First say a couple of lines of your thoughts."

"I want to eat crab."

Zhou Qiaoqiao: "......"

Unable to argue with Xu Mo, she eventually carried that pot of crabs out.

Just as Xu Mo lifted his chopsticks, opened the pot lid, and thrust the chopsticks into the pot ready for a big meal, he was dumbfounded.

The crabs in the pot actually clamped onto his chopsticks...

Xu Mo: "???"

"Is this some brand‑new way of eating? Air, air‑marinated crab?"

Seeing this, the four women were also stunned.

Good heavens, the crabs were forgotten to be steamed!

"Um... no, no." Zhou Qiaoqiao's face turned red, she stuck out her little tongue: "These are just ordinary steamed crabs, but we forgot to steam them... We thought we'd steam them when you got home quickly, the crabs just out of the pot are fresher, we called you a few times to ask when you'd be back, but you didn't answer any..."