Always by your side

Ch 36. Preparations

Past

Wei Ying POV

"So which one is of your liking?" I ask, and Wen Ning becomes a tomato. I can't help but grin. "Ah, please, how am I supposed to choose between wedding invitations?"

He smiles. "The one at the left. I like the little details in the paws of the dragon. Have you finally chosen the menu?"

I sigh. "Before this. I didn't even know that wedding menus existed. I left that to Madam Yu. So they will be the ones choosing the catering service."

"what about the flowers?"

I look into the window. "Do we need flowers?"

Wen Ning grins. "I invited my sister. She will be here. So, yes, those little arrangements for the tables are a must. she will take home at least two as a souvenir."

I shrug, though smiling. Everything for the bravest girl I have met in many lifetimes.

Wen Ning keeps asking, "What about the Cake?"

I smile. "That was already decided. It will be chocolate cake with a cover of chocolate cream and small details of white and dark chocolate."

"Why?" asks Wen Ning, a bit puzzled

"Because we have a dangerous job, police officers risk their lives every day, so if something happens, we should eat as much chocolate as possible", I wink.

"Mmm. Guys, I love to participate in the planning of such a joyous occasion, but can we focus on the surveillance?" said the man that is accompanying us.

"Sorry, Detective Shen, this is Wei's first surveillance mission," says Wen Ning

"Sshh, someone is entering the department, but I can't see his face."

We got silent, and each one of us took our position. Wen Ning has brought me to surveillance of the department of Wen Chao's girlfriend, Wang Lingjiao. According to him, it is safest to observe Wen Chao and Wen Ruohan. Also, Qiren won't approve of letting me do something dangerous before the wedding.

As far as Wen Ning level up with me, they have been tailing her for at least a month and a half now. Detective Shen, a former companion of Detective Luo, is leading this part of the case. He is still salty that Luo is so far from him. So far, they know that a few local gangsters have stopped in her apartment for a "drink" and get more than what they hoped for. Also, two small politicians appeared here to get some bribes. This woman is something. 

Our setup is simple microphones on the apartment above her and a camera in the apartment in the building in the front of hers. We are hiding there. 

"Shit. It is that bastard," said Shen

"What?"I ask

"I guess this explains why Xiangcheng has fewer cases than the ones we got. I mean, it was also strange how everything else was so well-timed," laments Shen. Now that I got close to what he is seeing, I can spot some rage in his eyes too. Wen Ning clenches his fists. "We got played"

I look at the man on the camera while Wen Ning whispers angrily, "Detective Su betrayed the police."

There he is, a man in uniform happily drinking and flirting shamelessly with Wang Lingjiao and then receiving a briefcase with money.

I sigh. "We got evidence. That is all that matters now. We will bring him down".

"It happens more than I want to acknowledge," says Shen "departments like the ones in the frontier are always understaffed, and it is easy to get carried away by small, simple favours from politicians and entrepreneurs until..."

"Until they aren't small anymore," says Wen Ning

My phone rings. "Hello?"

"Hi. It's me," a cheerful, feminine voice rings in my ears. "Yanli?"

"Yes, hi, would you like to hang out with me to buy the clothes for the wedding. I have a list of places that will get us great discounts" A list? Isn't she sweet?

"Sister... thank you." 

"No problem, hey, you seem a little bit sad. Is there something wrong?" 

She sensed it. I collect myself. "Nothing so grave, sister. It cheers me up that we can spend time together."

"Bye, then, see you tomorrow."

I look at Shen. "Sorry, detective"

"This time, to hear something happy, it reminds me why I keep going, why I didn't get corrupted even without Luo by my side."

For people like her, the innocent, I know the feeling.

"We have evidence on Su now. He will be put behind bars at the end," says Ning

We call it a day about four hours later and change places with the next team. I realize that I can see the resort from the alley when I leave. 

"You know Wen Ning. I haven't found a place to settle with Lan Zhan. Do you think there will be apartments on sale around this neighbourhood?. It is quite close to everything and everyone."

Wen Ning grins. Yeah, he knew it.

"We will look for ads later. So let's go home."

As days went by, we got invited to the first stone ceremony for the new police university—a step forward to professionalize the police force. Besides the government, actually half of the constructions will be financed by donations of the Jin family and a little of the Jiang's. So I have to admit that the peacock's public campaign to become a vital entrepreneur and recover the shared image from his father's shadow is getting good.

However, it is not only that. This place will be genuinely excellent. It will have some exhibits of the art collection of the Jiang family and the Jin family along with state of the art laboratories and a medical facility to save the life of officials injured in the line of duty.

I feel that this is a labour of collective thoughts and dreams. However, I also think that Jin Zixuan is saying something similar to fuck you, Wen Ruohan. You are not the only big family here.

It has been three months since Yanli and I went shopping, and the wedding date is getting close. As the giant heads of the department come forward to have his faces in the pictures, too, I look at her from the crowd. She is so stunning as always. Her husband holds her hand and looks at her pridefully. I wave her from afar, and she seems to notice me too and smiles.

Lan Zhan holds my hand. Only half a month left. "let's go home. I am tired. Would you like me to cook?"

"Mnm. It seems a good time for a lotus rib soup."

We head home. We also drink some wine before going to bed.

That's all for the update. I never really disclosed where Wei Ying was recovering in the first chapter. Now you know it. The next chapter will have more preparations for the wedding.