Chapter 424: Stalling Time

Lu Cheng first glanced sideways through the car window, then opened the door, walked over, and kicked the front of the car twice.

"Hey hey, what are you kicking for!"

Qin Shou frowned and said something, and Lu Cheng laughed, clapping his hands.

"It's not a big deal, it's just an iron shell. Besides, when driving, bumps and knocks are normal, it doesn't affect the drive."

Qin Shou's eyebrows were twisted into a tight V shape.

Is this damn thing even human speech?

"What nonsense, 'not a big deal', 'bumps are normal'—did I cause this myself? Clearly you hit it, it's dented in, and you're being way too casual about it."

"Look, you're impatient again…"

Lu Cheng scratched his head and said, "If that really doesn't work, I'm not the type to shirk, so just drive the car to our Railway Branch and I'll have them fix it."

Lu Cheng said while looking at the driver still retching by the roadside, "Hey, who are you? Stop vomiting and drive the car away quickly."

In this way, taking Qin Shou and his group to the Railway Branch is like bringing the enemy into a trap; if Qin Shou doesn't release them, they can't leave.

But Qin Shou, eager to return to Capital City quickly, outright rejected it.

"No need, as long as you admit it. As for the repair, we'll handle it ourselves; later we'll send the bill to your Traffic Police Unit."

That would certainly be the most time‑saving method, but Lu Cheng is determined to stall, so he can't just go along with it.

"That won't do, I think it's improper. You say you'll repair it yourselves—how would we know how much it costs? What if you submit false invoices?"

Qin Shou got angry: "What do you mean? We're a Public Security department, servants of the people—how could we fabricate false invoices!"

Lu Cheng wasn't hurried at all: "That's hard to say; who doesn't know your father is Deputy Bureau Chief? And as for you, the section chief of this area, I bet you got the position through a backdoor."

"Hey, that's not— you…"

Qin Shou hadn't finished speaking when the angry Yang Yin walked over and interrupted him.

"You still have the nerve to talk about others? I heard from Xiao Piqiu and the others that you also used your Master to get in through a backdoor."

Yang Yin's face turned ashen from retching, probably still nauseated, and she even sabotaged the scene in public.

Lu Cheng hurriedly pushed her aside, glaring, "Too many words…"

Xiao Piqiu and those bastards really... they spilled all the off‑the‑record stuff onto Yang Yin.

"Hmph, you drove so poorly that my stomach feels like it's about to vomit out."

Lu Cheng pointed a finger, "Shut up!"

Qin Shou, standing nearby, laughed: "So you got into the Traffic Police Unit through a backdoor? I tell you, with you like this, how could you work for the Railway system?"

Lu Cheng didn't mind Qin Shou's mockery at all; he was just looking for a topic to stall.

"Sigh, it's true I used a backdoor. There's a saying—if you have resources and don't use them, you're a bastard!"

"Using a backdoor doesn't matter; what's important is whether I can do the job and live up to the leaders' trust, right…"

"I don't believe you became this area's section chief just because of your father's face. That's the logic, and none of us should mock anyone…"

Listening to Lu Cheng's sophomoric rambling, Qin Shou quickly reached out to stop him.

"Fine, fine, I don't have time to argue with you! As for the car, I consider myself unlucky; I won't ask you to fix it nor demand compensation, okay?"

Qin Shou, not wanting to waste time, immediately called people to board and prepared to continue the journey.

He thought that if nothing was disputed, they could leave peacefully, but Lu Cheng grabbed his arm.

"That won't do, Section Chief Qin, what do you think I am? It's my deed, I must take responsibility, otherwise how will the Masses view me? How will future generations write about me? My parents will…"

Qin Shou, nearly brought to tears by the nagging, yanked Lu Cheng's hand away: "What exactly are you trying to do? I already said I won't let you fix the car, what more do you want?!"

"I'm telling you, I'm on official duty this time, transporting an important suspect in the car. If you dare block me again, that's obstruction of official law enforcement, and I have the right to arrest you."

Qin Shou laid down the harsh words outright.

Lu Cheng still didn't care; as long as the Railway Troops arrived, Qin Shou would have ten reasons not to touch him.

But when could they arrive? Lu Cheng anxiously glanced backward.

Qin Shou thought he was looking at the Educated Youth in the car, and immediately stepped forward: "Don't stare around, move the car quickly."

Lu Cheng finally shifted his gaze back: "Section Chief Qin, you just said you were transporting an important suspect—who is it? What crime did they commit?"

Qin Shou exhaled: "It has nothing to do with you."

Unlike Lu Cheng, who deliberately says nonsense, Qin Shou's reply was brief, leaving Lu Cheng at a loss for how to keep the conversation going.

"Section Chief Qin, don't you think the weather is nice today?"

Qin Shou looked up; the sky was gray and overcast, no sun at all, indicating the weather was far from nice… wait, why bring up the weather again?

What does the weather have to do with him?

"Hey Section Chief Qin, look at that cloud—doesn't it look like a sheep? To me it does, except it has no tail. If we wait here a bit longer, will a tail appear…"

"Hey hey, Section Chief Qin, you seem impatient again; don't get in the car, let's chat a bit longer…"

Qin Shou could no longer tolerate the endless chatter, got into the car, and was about to tell the driver to start, when Lu Cheng also climbed aboard.

"No, why did you get on!"

"Aren't you heading back to Capital City? I'm hitching a ride; after all, we're both fellow townsfolk. There's a saying—when fellow townsfolk meet, tears well up in both eyes…"

"Get out, get out!" Qin Shou shoved, stubbornly forcing Lu Cheng out of the car.

Lu Cheng realized this wouldn't work; Bureau Chief Qian hadn't arrived yet, so he needed to keep stalling.

Seeing Yang Yin nearby, Lu Cheng got another idea.

He hurriedly pulled Yang Yin aside, whispering, "Well, Bureau Chief Qian hasn't come yet, and your reporter identity could be useful now—go interview him and delay him a bit longer."

"People who are useful go forward, those who aren't go back; why should I obey you?"

Lu Cheng inhaled: "I was driving too fast earlier and didn't consider your feelings; I'm sorry, can we make that okay?"

"No, I've already vomited everything, and I still feel sick."

Lu Cheng planted his hands on his hips: "What you vomited was also my food; you've been taking my food and drink all the way. Now you can't even handle a simple task? Are you no longer a communist successor, able to live up to your duties as a reporter?"

"I'm an impostor…"

Yang Yin glared, but still walked toward Qin Shou.

A spat is still a spat; she can't just watch Lu Cheng fail the mission.

"Hello Section Chief Qin, I am a reporter for our Capital Daily, my surname is Yang, pleased to meet you today…"