My Youth Began With Him (Web Novel)

Taking off his jacket, he sat down beside her and threw an arm around her shoulders.

Zhu Lingling shrugged his arm off, showing her displeasure for his late return.

“Hon… Listen to me…”

“I don’t want to listen. I’ll just ask you: are we going for a vacation or not?”

Zhu Lingling was frustrated. She had thought Gao Ran would be less busy after he was promoted to be the bureau chief

But she was surprised that Gao Ran was even busier than before since he dealt with many cases in person.

Zhu Lingling knew he worked so hard not because he wanted to be promoted to a higher position but because he loved his job.

When he was still in high school, Gao Ran had set the goal of becoming a policeman just like his father. His ambition wasn’t as noble as serving people, but he wanted to get rid of criminals who harmed innocent people.

After he was promoted, he had less time to go out with his family during the weekends, not to mention taking his wife and son to see the aurora borealis in northern Europe or vacation in Hawaii as other families did.

Gao Boyuan was still young and didn’t complain, but Zhu Lingling was resentful.

She envied other women whose husbands spent lots of time with them.

“Of course. I promised you and I’ll keep my promise.”

“When?” Zhu Lingling asked immediately.

“Um… After the current case, okay?” Gao Ran felt guilty.

“Another case… do you live your life with cases or with me? Have you forgotten you have a family?”

“Of course not. Lingling, don’t be angry. You must understand me…”

Gao Ran felt helpless; after all, someone must do the work.

Hearing his words, Zhu Lingling got even more furious.

Standing up abruptly, she pointed at him and said with red-rimmed eyes, “Gao Ran, ever after I married you, how much concession have I made for you? Don’t you know? When other women enjoyed steaks with roses in their arms on Valentine’s Day, you were working overtime; when other couples watched movies to celebrate Women’s Day, you were working overtime; when other couples cuddled together during wedding anniversaries, you were still working overtime. You even came back late in the night on my birthday after the cake melted and dishes went cold… How many times were you still working overtime in the bureau while I drove our feverish son to the hospital in the middle of the night? You’re the busiest man in the world, huh? Are you the President of the United States or the UN Chairman?”

Zhu Lingling exploded with all the frustrations that had been suppressed in her heart like a volcano.

Gao Ran felt bad. He understood his wife’s frustration, but what could he do?

Did she want him to be a bureau chief who only drew salaries but did no work?

It wasn’t his style…

Woken up by their argument, Gao Boyuan walked out groggily.

“Mom, Dad. Are you fighting?”

Zhu Lingling turned her head away with red-rimmed eyes and didn’t speak.

Lovingly, Gao Ran picked up his son and kissed him.

“It’s fine. We’re not arguing. You mom is reprimanding your dad. Your dad totally agrees with what your mom said.”

“I think… you guys should give me a younger sister.”

Gao Boyuan’s words rendered Zhu Lingling and Gao Ran speechless.

“Who told you that?”

“Grandpa and Grandma said if I have a younger sister, the atmosphere in our home will be better. Mom will be busier taking care of my sister and won’t have time to think of your busy schedule.”

“How could your grandparents tell you this?” Zhu Lingling rolled her eyes in anger.

“Haha. What if we give you a younger brother?” Gao Ran laughed out loud at his son’s words.

Obviously, Gao Boyuan didn’t like younger brothers; he only wanted a younger sister.

“What if we gave you a younger brother?” Interested, Gao Ran continued to tease his son.

“Then I’ll toss him into the toilet.”

Gao Ran: “…”

Zhu Lingling: “…”

“I think we won’t have more babies.” Gao Ran was exasperated.

“I hope you guys don’t fight. Little Bean told me that if a kid grew up with arguing parents, the kid would become quick-tempered. You guys don’t want me to become a hot-tempered man when I grow up, right?”

Zhu Lingling: “…”

Gao Ran: “Son, you’re right.”

“No. Little Bean told me this. They’re reasonable words. You guys think about it.”

Like a little adult, Gao Boyuan eased the tension in the family.

As his parents remained silent, Gao Boyuan asked, “I want to pee. Can you take me to the washroom?”

Zhu Lingling wiped off her tears and carried her son into the washroom.

Rescued by his son from his angry wife, Gao Ran still felt heavy in heart as he read on the cellphone the latest developments of the case sent to him by his colleagues.

The two kids were still missing; their parents and the kindergarten still didn’t receive calls for ransom.

It was a bad sign.

Gao Ran picked up his cellphone and sent a few voice messages to Qin Chu on WeChat, telling him about the case.

He asked finally, “Chu, are you sure Jing De is dead? Is it possible he came back to life? I think the criminal’s method in this case is similar to his.”

In a little while, Qin Chu typed his reply, “I killed Jing De personally and burned his body into ashes.”

Gao Ran trusted Qin Chu; when Qin Chu said he did it, then there was no doubt of it.

But if Jing De was dead, then who took these missing children?

It was really a tough question…

C City, which had been peaceful for 100 years, was now full of panic.

Gao Ran wasn’t concerned about the pressure from above, but he was a father and could relate to the anxiety of the parents who lost their children, which was why he worked tirelessly to crack the case. Unfortunately, he found no clues; as if the kids had been taken by an monster, there were no traces left for them to investigate.

– South Hill Manor –

Sitting in his study, Qin Chu had become suspicious after receiving WeChat messages from Gao Ran.

Jing De was dead; it was a fact.

It left only one suspect which was the woman living in his home.

She had enough time to do it, but why did she and Jing De keep killing children in this cruel way?

Qin Chu hadn’t asked Jing De why he did it, but Jing De was a monster who drained blood from those kids’ bodies, which caused the rumors of vampires.

Did it mean that this woman was also a…

The more he thought about it, the more unsettled he felt. He opened the door and walked downstairs.

Huo Mian had just returned with an exquisite food box in her hand.

“Mommy, you’re back.” Little Bean called out sweetly.

Pudding glanced at her but didn’t greet her.

“I saw Wanhezhai had new cakes today, so I bought some. The fun part is that one can choose ingredients and they make cakes with these ingredients. The cakes made in this way are healthier.”

“Wow. We have goodies. Thank you, Mommy.”

The little eating machine Little Bean opened the food box immediately and saw colorful cakes inside.

“Sis, come and eat with me.” She called out to Pudding.

“Mommy, I want to talk to you about something,” Pudding looked at Huo Mian and said meekly.