Chapter 67: Since You Won

"Team Captain Zhou, how have you been lately?"

"Thank you for your concern, I'm fine, fine; when I have time I'll definitely go visit Team Captain Lei."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lei Zhan'ge turned the conversation directly to Lu Cheng.

"Team Captain Zhou, Lu Cheng is from your Xizhimen Train Police Unit; his performance on this mission was good, but I wonder how he usually performs?"

Upon hearing Lei Zhan'ge's noncommittal words, Zhou Weihua's eyes suddenly widened.

Since they both work at the General Bureau, he naturally knows Lei Zhan'ge.

That old fellow passes up the chance to join a department, yet insists on working on the front lines, personally safeguarding the nation's Railway.

The older generation's dedication needs no mention; the key is that this old fellow has a despised trait—he likes to poach talent.

Whenever any Train Police Unit has a talent, he wants to pull them under his own command and cultivate them for the nation.

Is Lu Cheng considered a talent? At least in this mission, his performance was outstanding.

So when Lei Zhan'ge brought up Lu Cheng, he was immediately alarmed.

"Bad! His usual performance is terrible! As bad as it can be!"

"It gives me a splitting headache; honestly, I want to dismiss him. In this mission, he was like a blind cat hitting a dead rat."

"Team Captain Lei, you don't know—Lu Cheng this kid has a slew of flaws: no organization, no discipline, free‑wheeling, late arrivals and early departures, wants ability but lacks it, never focuses his mind on work…"

Listening to Zhou Weihua's anguished tone on the other end of the phone, Lei Zhan'ge remained expressionless.

"Since Xiao Lu is so incompetent, keeping him just gives you a headache, so just give him to me outright."

"Eh, no!"

"Why is this not following the usual script!"

Zhou Weihua blinked, and his brain completely crashed.

It took him a good while to react; Lei Zhan'ge had already recognized Lu Cheng as a pliable talent, and Zhou Weihua certainly was even less inclined to let him go.

"Team Captain Lei, you, you can't do this…"

Zhou Weihua was on the verge of tears; how can we go out on a mission and have the person disappear?

Had he known it would turn out like this, he would have never let Lu Cheng go to Beijing Station.

"Team Captain Lei…"

"No need to say more; Xiao Lu, I'm set on him. As for the General Bureau, I'll handle it."

"Team Captain Lei…"

"Besides, it's not that I'm poaching; Xiao Lu voluntarily asked to stay, ah, that's it, over."

"……"

Now even Lu Cheng couldn't stay seated: "Team Captain Lei, what you said earlier was fine, but adding that last sentence just threw me under the bus."

Lei Zhan'ge chuckled twice: "By any means necessary for the goal, that's what I learned from you."

Lu Cheng shrugged; fine, now he's truly a traitor, and he can't even go back.

Lei Zhan'ge cut off his way out completely.

"And what about Team Captain Zhou…"

Lu Cheng felt a slight guilt; after all, when Master Xu Erye was looking for him jobs everywhere, it was Zhou Weihua who first took him in.

Lei Zhan'ge didn't share that feeling; he jabbed another needle into Lu Cheng's heart.

"Seems like he's so angry he's slamming the table."

Lu Cheng fell silent; since that old fellow wouldn't let him have it easy, he couldn't let Lei Zhan'ge have it easy either.

"Team Captain Lei, you can let me stay, but I have four conditions."

Lei Zhan'ge lifted his eyelid: "Huh, you dare lay conditions before me, Lei Zhan'ge? You're the first. Speak, but I warn you, don't think that because I value you you can open your mouth like a lion."

Lu Cheng, of course, was self‑aware; Lei Zhan'ge fully regarded him as a moldable talent, which is why he wanted to cultivate him closely.

He also couldn't take advantage of the favor and throw out conditions recklessly.

"Since you're keeping me anyway, why not keep another person—let Comrade Liu Jian'an stay as well."

The reason behind this is mainly that that woman Meng Li likes to nitpick; last time, he and Liu Jian'an broke regulations by sneaking onto a train, though Team Captain Zhou didn't say much.

But Meng Li has never liked him and might even give Liu Jian'an a hard time again.

Moreover, if they could actually get to Beijing Station, other units would be eager, and Liu Jian'an would certainly be pleased.

Lei Zhan'ge nodded: "Hmm, your condition isn't unreasonable; after all, I'm already a bad guy in Team Captain Zhou's eyes, and I don't mind being bad again. Tell me the second condition."

Seeing Lei Zhan'ge agree so readily, Lu Cheng's thoughts broadened.

"Then you, give me an official post!"

"What? Become an official?"

"A minor official will do."

Lei Zhan'ge shook his head slightly: "Your tone's still big; you just got regularized and already think about becoming an official! Still, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general isn't a good soldier, so fine, I can arrange you a Squad Leader position."

"Squad Leader? How many people can I command?"

Lei Zhan'ge thought for a moment: "The exact number is uncertain for now; I'll arrange it. Next year Beijing Station will add several Train Service Lines, and I plan to implement One Car One Police. For now we'll split into multiple Small Group Assessments. If you truly have the ability, assigning you as a Police Chief later won't be a problem."

Either way, there are more opportunities at Beijing Station; he probably won't get a chance to become Police Chief if he stays at Xizhimen for years.

Lei Zhan'ge took another drag: "Tell me the third condition."

"The third? Your special‑supply cigarettes are good; can you get me a few more packs?"

Lei Zhan'ge laughed, then pulled out a few more packs from the drawer and tossed them: "That's all four packs; any other conditions?"

"This is a Work Injury; you, you must grant me ten days of leave."

It's almost year‑end; he wants to use the leave to take a train and visit his older brother.

"A hundred days for bone and muscle injuries; I'll give you twenty days, take a good rest."

……

Lu Cheng was sent back to the hospital, and Director Zhang transferred him to a Single Room Ward with a bathroom; usually only top leaders can stay in such a special ward when ill.

He leaned against the window and lit a cigarette.

Outside, the setting sun had not yet faded, and a thin crescent moon hung in the sky, faintly.

Lu Cheng exhaled a puff of smoke and, for no reason, thought of his older brother Lu Feng.

Taking advantage of this leave, he could go see his brother.

Counting it, his brother had been in the queue for five years up to now; although he frequently wrote letters home to report his safety, he never opened his mouth to utter a word of hardship.

But Lu Cheng knew his brother lived in extreme penury.

Every day he earned those few worthless work points; at year‑end accounting, he still owed the team money and could barely get enough to eat.

In fact his brother was quite capable; in his previous life he never returned to the city, but after the People's Commune was abolished, his outstanding ability led him to be elected village chief, and later he gradually rose to become town secretary.

Honestly, with no background and no patronage, relying solely on himself, reaching the position of town secretary is already the ceiling for an ordinary person.

Now that Lu Cheng has been reborn, he must have some ambition, otherwise he'd be too ungrateful for this chance.

His goal in this life is clear: to make the Lu family wealthy and powerful, to expand its branches and root it firmly.

Thus Lu Cheng decided to raise his brother's starting line for officialdom; he couldn't begin as a small village chief—it would waste too much time.

Ideally he could enter the Commune now, gain grassroots experience, and if an opportunity arises after two years, transfer his brother back.

Then the two brothers would stick together and advance, making the Lu family shine and opening a new page in the family genealogy.

But how could his brother get a job in the Commune? As an ordinary Educated Youth now, there must be some opening.

Lu Cheng smoked while desperately searching his mind for memories of his past life.

When the cigarette was finished, burning his finger, a fragment of memory suddenly flashed in his mind, and he instantly had a solution.

At that moment the ward door opened, and a graceful figure stepped in.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, the figure was draped in a veil of golden silk, stunningly beautiful beyond description.

"Qing Yanjie, you're here?"