Chapter 66: You Can

Below the hospital, Lei Zhan'ge sat in a jeep, and from a distance saw Lu Cheng limping toward him, feeling very satisfied.

The young man isn't pretentious; that's the kind of person he values.

Lu Cheng got into the vehicle and asked, "Captain Lei, is there still any mission?"

Lu Cheng couldn't understand; logically the mission was over, and his fate with Lei Zhan'ge should end here.

After a period of recuperation, he would return to the Xizhimen Traffic Police Unit.

If Lei Zhan'ge has other missions, he should first inform Team Captain Zhou.

Lei Zhan'ge tapped his fingers on his leg: "Your leg injury hasn't healed; even if there's a mission, I can't let you go."

"Then, Captain Lei?"

Lei Zhan'ge signaled Wang Fengshi to drive: "Tell the unit back."

Lu Cheng always felt a bit uneasy; Lei Zhan'ge is straightforward and usually speaks plainly, so why is he now being cryptic?

During the ride, Lu Cheng recalled carefully: besides framing Broadcaster Jiang Mengmeng's pair of shoes, forcibly stripping Director Tang's son Qin Shou of his pants, and making an ordinary citizen pretend to be a victim of a Human Trafficker and get beaten…

Aside from those actions being against regulations, he hadn't done anything else too excessive.

Lu Cheng leaned forward: "Captain Lei, if I've done anything wrong, I'll reflect on it; then we don't have to return to the unit, right? I still want to hurry back to Xizhimen to rejoin the unit."

If we really go to Beijing Station, we won't even have a speaking assistant, so whatever Captain Lei says will just be taken as is.

Hearing Lu Cheng's rather uneasy voice, Lei Zhan'ge and Wang Fengshi exchanged a glance but said nothing, leaving Lu Cheng even more uncertain.

Arriving at the Beijing Station captain's office, Lu Cheng gave a quick look; the setup was very simple, and at the entrance stood a wooden rack with a washbasin.

The washbasin was already rusted, the towels' age unknown, several with holes; as an old man of Deputy Department-level rank, it was just overly frugal.

The room contained a table, two chairs, plus a single marching cot, and two portraits of great figures hung on the wall.

Although there was no stove, the area had central heating, and it was warm as soon as one entered; Lei Zhan'ge took off his coat and hung it beside the washbasin.

He then opened the desk drawer and unpacked a pack of internally supplied cigarettes.

Lei Zhan'ge first lit one for himself, flicked a match, and then gestured to Lu Cheng: "Want one?"

Lu Cheng had smoked in a previous life but wasn't heavily addicted; seeing the special‑issue cigarettes once reserved for senior cadres in the 1970s, his mouth twitched, and he wanted to try.

Just as he reached out, Lei Zhan'ge tossed the whole pack to him: "Take it and smoke."

Lu Cheng felt a bit helpless, as if he were being given a sweet date first and a stick later.

After Lei Zhan'ge sat down, puffing clouds of smoke, he casually asked, "I heard Director Tang say you just arrived at Xizhimen Station not long ago and are still an apprentice."

Having not smoked for a long time, Lu Cheng inhaled the cigarette rather hard, coughed twice, and had to admit the premium tobacco tasted excellent.

"Yes, Captain Lei, after a year I can become permanent."

Lei Zhan'ge nodded: "How do you find staying over there?"

Lu Cheng didn't understand at first; why is he now making small talk? If I've erred, at least give me a clear answer!

"Hmm? It's fine, Team Captain Zhou treats me quite well."

Lei Zhan'ge nodded again, exhaling a plume: "Have you ever thought about developing at our Beijing Station?"

Lu Cheng looked up and instantly understood what Lei Zhan'ge meant; no wonder he had been so courteous since getting in the car, making him feel uneasy.

He just said it; Lei Zhan'ge didn't seem like someone who would nitpick over trivial matters.

But to say whether he's interested in developing at Beijing Station, that fool wouldn't.

Compared to Xizhimen Station, Beijing Station is the Capital City's main station, carrying many national Railway lines, offering many opportunities.

People strive upward, water flows downward; of course he wants to come to Beijing Station.

Although he wanted it in his heart, he showed no expression; agreeing so readily makes people think he's a fence‑sitter.

"First, thank you, Captain Lei, for your esteem; I'm just an ordinary apprentice, truly not worthy of your high regard."

"Also, previously I gave a guarantee to Team Captain Zhou: born a man of Xizhimen, die a ghost of Xizhimen, never a traitor."

The more Lu Cheng said this, the more Lei Zhan'ge's resolve to take him solidified.

"Hey, we're all part of the same Railway system; you can't call that treason."

Lu Cheng still shook his head: "Sorry, Captain Lei, Team Captain Zhou treats me well; I cannot hurt his feelings."

Such loyalty and righteousness! Lei Zhan'ge was even happier.

As long as it's someone he values, nothing is unattainable.

"Xiao Lu, there's something you must understand: I'm not soliciting your opinion, I'm notifying you."

Seeing that polite words wouldn't work, Lei Zhan'ge simply adopted a hardline attitude.

Lu Cheng knew that once it got to this point, he definitely couldn't leave.

The rest was to use this chance to discuss conditions, but Lei Zhan'ge had already prepared.

Seeing Lu Cheng silent for a while, Lei Zhan'ge thought his earlier words were too heavy, so he reverted to a friendly tone.

"I'm not that overbearing; you might as well first listen to the terms I propose…"

Lei Zhan'ge took a drag, and out of the corner of his eye saw Lu Cheng still quite interested, which eased his mind as he said,

"You're currently on a 27th‑level salary standard; I'll directly promote you to the 23rd level, with a monthly salary of 49.5, not including allowances—this is the standard only a university graduate can obtain when first employed."

Being regularized and even raised four grades, though still a clerk, the next step up would be a junior Section Staff.

Honestly, given Lu Cheng's current situation—no seniority, no background, no degree—directly regularizing him and promoting him to a sixth‑level clerk shows Lei Zhan'ge's regard for him.

Of course, with nothing else, all this is something Lu Cheng has to fight for.

Lu Cheng was certainly pleased, but he still had a concern: no matter how good the talks here were, if Team Captain Zhou wouldn't release him, it would be useless.

"Captain Lei, you value me, and I'm grateful, but…"

Lei Zhan'ge signaled him to stop, then picked up the desk telephone: "Connecting to Xizhimen Traffic Police Unit, Zhou Weihua… Team Captain Zhou, this is Lei Zhan'ge."

This successful capture of enemy spies has already been reported to all units; the most delighted was Zhou Weihua himself.

The Xizhimen Traffic Police Unit can be said to have achieved great merit in this mission; the General Bureau has issued a document to commend their unit.

No need to say that; Lei Zhan Ge specifically called, and it must have been to commend him.

Zhou Weihua held the microphone, his face beaming: "Ah, it's Captain Lei, you can just call me Xiao Zhou."

Zhou Weihua was already prepared to be praised, and his excitement was unmistakable as he spoke.

Director Tang's move turned out to be the right one; originally he had objected to Lu Cheng, an inexperienced trainee, taking part in joint law enforcement, but unexpectedly it was his side that captured the enemy spy and earned a first merit.

He had thought that reaching the division chief rank would be the limit of his life.

The next step up is Deputy Hall; it looks like just one level, yet that single level is a chasm that many spend a lifetime trying to cross without success.

Not only must you have the opportunity, you must also have the ability to seize it; both are indispensable.

Now he no longer thinks that way; with Lu Cheng as a capable assistant scoring merits for him, rising another step in the future is not impossible.