<h4>Chapter 1007: Chapter 999: Traces of Struggle</h4>


    "It’s gettingte now, you should head back early. I’ll call you about when you can return to work. Take this time to reflect and adjust your mindset," the supervisor said.


    Initially upset about her suspension, Hua Xiangrong felt somewhat relieved after her supervisor’s encouragement. This period could be a good opportunity to help Xiao Yifei with something. Actually, it wasn’t bad. She had to wake up early every day for work, and Hua Xiangrong disliked getting up early the most.


    Now, she could finally have some time to rest. Hua Xiangrong packed her things and went home.


    Originally expecting her father to have dinner ready and sitting with Xiao Yifei waiting for her return, she found that when she was one street away from her home, the apartment lights were off, raising an unsettling premonition in her heart.


    Ever since Hua Xiangrong started working, she would see her home lights on from a distance, as her father rarely went out alone due to his leg condition. She always picked up groceries on her way from work. But what happened today?


    Thinking about her unexined suspension and the threat she received yesterday, anxiety welled up in her heart. She quickened her pace, cautiously opened the door, and carefully inspected the house. There were no signs of a struggle; everything appeared normal.


    On the table were two teacups, one full and another with half a cup of water left. It seemed a guest visited, and they stayed quite a while. The water had gone cold, but notpletely, suggesting these two persons left about two hours ago.


    Who could have taken her father away? Hua Xiangrong pulled out her phone and discovered a text from Xiao Yifei mixed among spam messages. Being busy all afternoon, she hadn’t checked her phone closely. Xiao Yifei’s text read: "We’re at the Police Department."


    She called Xiao Yifei, but his phone was off. She still didn’t know the current situation.


    Could her father have gone to the Police Department too? No way did she expect the police took her father there.


    With the day nearly over, what should she do? Meeting them wouldn’t be possible. Reluctantly, Hua Xiangrong called her supervisor, asking if he had any friends at the local Police Department and exined the situation.


    The supervisor didn’t hesitate, immediately contacting a friend and telling her to let him know if she needed any further help, promising to assist within his capacity.


    Thanks to a friend’s connection, Hua Xiangrong met her father and Xiao Yifei, but they were detained in an interrogation room at the Police Department.


    She often went to interrogation rooms for work back then, purely as a police officer for routine business, without any other feelings. But this time, she came as a visitor, looking at the two detained inside, feeling quite ufortable.


    "I’m sorry for dragging you into this," Xiao Yifei said as soon as he saw Hua Xiangrong.


    "Let’s not talk about useful things or not. Why were you arrested? What reason did they give?" Hua Xiangrong asked.


    "They have a warrant, beyond that I don’t know but it must be rted to the report I filed," Xiao Yifei replied.


    "Don’t worry. I’ll figure something out to get you out," Hua Xiangrongforted them, although she had no idea how, especially since she was currently suspended.


    "You haven’t encountered any danger outside, have you?" Xiao Yifei suddenly remembered to ask.


    "I haven’t encountered any danger, just temporarily suspended for some time. Being suspended is kind of good too, I can take a nice break. Don’t worry while you’re in there, I’ll definitely find a way to get you out," Hua Xiangrong said.


    Her suspension paled inparison to her father and Xiao Yifei’s encounter. But who was behind all this? Why wield such power?


    Hua Xiangrong’s father was looking silently at his daughter. They didn’t exchange many words; no need. Even without speaking, he understood what was on her mind.


    As visiting time ended, her father smiled at her, a smile warm and encouraging. Hua Xiangrong felt there was nothing more to say to her father.


    Returning home, Hua Xiangrong for the first time felt the weight of responsibility. No matter how big the problem, she was never worried as long as her father stood behind her. If she failed at something, her father would still be waiting at home for her return.


    But now, she had to face the battlefield alone for the first time, feeling nervous and isted. If she messed this up, who knows what situation her father and Xiao Yifei would face. So this is the feeling of being lonely and helpless.


    Back home, lying in bed, Hua Xiangrong couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t until her stomach growled from hunger past midnight that she realized she only had breakfast today, skipped lunch because of work, and lost interest in police cafeteria meals with her father’s cooking in mind.


    Because of this, her stomach was growling with hunger. She got up, fetched some food from the fridge. But after preparing it, she lost her appetite; the food seemed tasteless. In times like these, how could she manage to eat? She was overwhelmed with worry.


    She thought about all the people she knew. None seemed likely to help her against such powerful forces she had glimpsed. Even if they wanted to help, they couldn’t aid much.


    If she’d known, would she have chosen this path in the first ce? Hua Xiangrong didn’t know. Maybe back then, she would, even willing to devote her life to the police force, even sacrifice her life.


    But after hearing her supervisor’s words today, and seeing her father unjustly detained, she no longer dared act as impulsively as before. Recklessness, stubbornness, sacrificing for so-called justice seemed noble, yet maybe it was only self-serving sentiment all along.


    Before today, Hua Xiangrong believed all sacrifices were meaningful. But today, she redefined this, realizing not every sacrifice held meaning; some sacrifices might never be known to others.


    Sitting on the sofa, she turned on the TV to a si. The characters quarreled humorously, making oneugh every five minutes. Hua Xiangrong’s eyes were on the TV but her mind wasn’t engaged. Watching others’ happiness in sorrowful times was perhaps an unwise choice.


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