Chapter 25.1: Quick Drying Ink
“Really? That’s great.”
A hint of delight appeared on Jiang Xia’s face. After a moment’s thought, she said, “The portrait needs to be delivered to the printing factory anyway. Why don’t I take it over myself?”
“That works. Hmm… have Xiao Lu go with you,” Tan Bingyi said. “He knows where the printing factory is. If there’s anything that needs carrying, he can bring it back to the bureau afterward, so you won’t have to make another trip.”
Even better.
Jiang Xia still remembered the look the clerk had given her when she first arrived. Her curiosity was stirring again, eager for some juicy gossip. She immediately agreed.
“Sure. I’ll go after I report to Section Chief Liao upstairs.”
“No problem. Oh, right.” Tan Bingyi slapped his forehead. “The master engraver over there wanted to talk to you. He said he wanted to ask you about woodblock engraving?”
It was something related to her profession, so Tan Bingyi didn’t remember the details. But Jiang Xia understood immediately—they wanted to ask about the engraving technique she had used.
She nodded. “Got it, Captain Tan. I’ll talk with him when I get there.”
Perfect. She had been hoping to “learn” a thing or two about printing inks from the factory. Now she had a perfectly good excuse to chat with them at length.
With everything settled, Tan Bingyi didn’t say anything more and turned back to his work.
Jiang Xia finished drawing the woodblock engraving design in the reception room, closed her notebook, and carried it upstairs.
The door to the storage room next to the Technical Division was open. It sounded like someone was inside cleaning up, so curiosity got the better of her, and she stopped at the doorway to look in.
It was truly a storage room—everything imaginable was crammed inside. Stacks of tables and chairs, along with brooms, dustpans, mops, and all kinds of miscellaneous items, filled nearly half the room.
Two young men were busy tidying up while Section Chief Liao directed them.
“Take all the cleaning supplies downstairs. Leave the tables and chairs—we’ll definitely need them. And don’t move that wooden rack either. It’ll be perfect for storing tools.”
Watching the scene, Jiang Xia fell silent.
Once all the junk was moved out… was this really just half a room?
Why did it feel like the entire room was about to become the Technical Division’s?
Hearing someone at the door, Liao Zhongsheng turned around in surprise.
“Finished already?”
“Yeah.”
Jiang Xia nodded. “Captain Tan checked with the printing factory. They do have quick-drying ink, but they’re not sure if it’ll work with the mimeograph machine. They said it’d be best if I went over and took a look myself. I’d like to leave a bit early, since I can deliver the suspect portrait and check out their ink while I’m there.”
“That’s fine.”
Since it was official business, Liao Zhongsheng agreed without hesitation. Then he added, “Before you leave, go see Xiao Huang and collect your funds. That way you won’t have to come back first thing tomorrow just to pick them up.”
The Technical Division only had a handful of people—far too few to justify assigning a dedicated accountant—but someone still had to keep the books.
It was nothing but tedious clerical work with no perks whatsoever, so it naturally got dumped on the youngest member of the team.
Whenever Yang Lihua had free time, he was buried in anatomy textbooks with his mentor, memorizing them until his head nearly exploded. That workload spared him from the assignment, leaving Huang Xueling—who was usually less busy—to take it over.
As it turned out, Huang Xueling quite enjoyed the job. She had even spent her own money on a padlock to secure the cabinet containing the department’s funds. She kept one key herself, gave another to Section Chief Liao, and stored the remaining spare keys inside the locked cabinet.
After Jiang Xia explained why she had come, Huang Xueling removed the key hanging around her neck, unlocked the cabinet, and took out a stack of cash from the drawer, counting it carefully.
Jiang Xia’s gaze instinctively drifted to the padlock.
Not bad.
It was definitely more secure than an ordinary padlock… though it would still be pretty easy to pick. All she’d need to do was—
Stop.
She hastily yanked her wandering thoughts back on track.
Absolutely not. That is one lock I should never be opening.
After counting the money one more time, Huang Xueling finally handed it to Jiang Xia.
“Here, Jiang Xia. Eighty yuan. Keep it safe.”
Glancing at the rather small amount of cash left in the drawer, Jiang Xia asked, “Our department doesn’t have much funding?”
“Well… it’s not exactly that we don’t,” Huang Xueling replied as she returned the remaining bills to the drawer and locked it. “It’s just that technical work is expensive.”
“If we get a major case, Brother Zhao alone can burn through dozens of yuan. After that, there’s barely anything left.”
“Hey! How is that my fault?” Zhao Zhengwu protested immediately. “Even the cheapest Lucky film costs fourteen yuan a roll, and you only get around thirty shots out of it. Then you have to pay to develop it, and the whole thing comes to nearly thirty yuan. Film is what’s expensive—what does that have to do with me?”
Jiang Xia couldn’t help sighing inwardly.
Photography really was expensive these days. No wonder the Technical Division spent money so quickly.
“Oh, I wasn’t blaming you, Brother Zhao.” Huang Xueling waved her hand. “It’s just that our department costs a fortune to run, and we don’t have much to show for—”
She stopped herself mid-sentence.
Picking up the ledger, she dipped her nib pen into the inkwell, wrote down the date and the amount disbursed, then slid the book over to Jiang Xia.
“Here, Jiang Xia. Sign here.”
Jiang Xia tucked the money into her pocket first, glanced over the entry, and quickly signed her name.
She pushed the ledger back.
“I’m done. See if everything looks right.”
Huang Xueling lowered her head for a quick look.
“No problems.”
“Then I’ll get going.”
Adjusting the strap of her shoulder bag, Jiang Xia turned and headed for the door. She had just reached it when she suddenly exclaimed,
“Oh!”
“The pen, Xueling—I forgot to give your pen back.”
She hurried back and placed the dip pen on Huang Xueling’s desk.
“Sorry. I have a habit of absentmindedly keeping a pen in my hand.”
“It’s fine. It’s just a pen. As long as you brought it back.”
Huang Xueling smiled and waved it off.
“Come to think of it, my sister-in-law works at a hospital, and she’s the same way. Whenever she’s busy, she forgets to return the pens and just walks off with them.”
“Really? What a coincidence.”
Seeing that Huang Xueling had already come up with an excuse on her behalf, the smile on Jiang Xia’s face widened.
She waved her hand.
“All right, now I’m really leaving.”
First day on the job, and I’ve already established my absentminded habit of walking off with pens. Mission accomplished.
With her shoulder bag slung over one shoulder, Jiang Xia headed downstairs and immediately spotted Lu Yixing waiting for her.
The moment he saw her, his body stiffened slightly before quickly relaxing again.
“Congratulations.”
He took the initiative to congratulate her.
“I thought it’d take a few more days. I didn’t expect you’d be transferred to the Municipal Bureau today.”
“I didn’t expect it either.” Jiang Xia laughed helplessly. “Captain Tan didn’t even give me a chance to catch my breath. I barely got here this afternoon before he dragged me off to draw a suspect portrait.”
She said it jokingly, but from how urgently everything had happened, it was obvious just how intense the Criminal Investigation Unit’s workload really was. After that brief complaint, she let the matter drop and motioned for Lu Yixing to head outside with her.
The moment they stepped out of the building, however, she instantly switched into full gossip mode.
“Hey, what happened today? Section Chief Liao looked like he was walking a little funny.”
Lu Yixing fell silent for a moment, looking as though he didn’t quite know how to explain it.
“Yesterday, when I said the department heads were fighting over you… I was joking.”
After a brief pause, he added with a resigned expression,
“But today it actually happened.”
“Huh?!”
No wonder the clerk in the main office had looked at her like that.
Even though she was technically the cause of the whole incident, Jiang Xia firmly believed that even gossip about yourself should be enjoyed in full.
“So… how did they end up fighting?”
“Section Chief Liao was… less honorable—well, let’s say more resourceful.”
As he spoke, Lu Yixing reached over and moved the bicycle parked beside Jiang Xia out of the way.
“He went to Deputy Chief Gao and asked him to speak to Deputy Chief Lin. Meanwhile, Captain Tan and Captain Zhao were still arguing in front of Division Chief Duan. By the time the phone call came, they realized Liao had stolen a march on them. The two of them were so furious that they teamed up, dragged Section Chief Liao behind the building, and settled it with a wrestling match.”
“Oh, so that’s how they fought.”
Jiang Xia looked a little disappointed.
She had been hoping for a full-blown bloodbath.
Ahem. Then again, they were government employees, not rival street gangs. If they had actually come to blows, it would’ve become a major incident. Calling it “wrestling practice” at least gave everyone a fig leaf to hide behind.
“So, who won?”
At that, Lu Yixing let out a long sigh.
“Captain Tan lost. He couldn’t throw Section Chief Liao.”
“But Section Chief Liao couldn’t beat Captain Zhao, either.”
Ah…
Jiang Xia quietly shut her mouth.
Captain Zhao was only thirty-two, right in the prime of his life. Section Chief Liao was already in his forties, so losing to Zhao wasn’t exactly embarrassing.
Looking at the whole affair, Section Chief Liao had come out ahead in every way—he got both the practical victory and the bragging rights. As for Captain Zhao, although he hadn’t managed to recruit Jiang Xia into his own team, he’d only learned about her after everyone else had. He’d been late to the competition from the very beginning. Besides, he could still ask her to draw suspect portraits in the future.
So… who was the one who’d lost both face and the prize?
Hard to say~
Still…
Maybe this dragon-and-tiger battle wasn’t over yet.
Jiang Xia shot Lu Yixing a thoughtful glance.
After all, they were just delivering a suspect portrait to the printing factory and picking up some ink. There was no real need for two people to make the trip.
Then again, having someone tag along wasn’t a bad thing.
You never knew when an extra pair of hands might come in handy.
She stepped onto the pedal and pushed off. With a powerful stroke, the bicycle shot forward like an arrow released from its bow.
…
The Printing Factory.
“This is incredible. I thought someone with your skills would be an old master. I never imagined you’d be this young!”
Standing at the entrance, Section Chief Ye circled Jiang Xia several times, openly astonished.
At her age, people in their factory were still apprentices, spending every day practicing their drawing with pen and paper.
Yet here she was, already producing work better than masters who were on the verge of retirement.
Could it be a family craft? Some kind of childhood training passed down through the generations?
Then why had he never heard of it?
Though puzzled, Section Chief Ye didn’t let it show.
“Master Liu has been waiting for you. Come on, I’ll take you over.”
With that, he led the way.
Jiang Xia and Lu Yixing followed behind, taking in the sights of the printing factory as they walked.
The printing factory was the largest state-owned printing plant in the city. In recent years, demand for printed materials had continued to rise, and business had been booming. As a result, the factory was exceptionally well built. Rows of concrete buildings lined the grounds, with enormous glass windows installed every couple of meters.
Through the windows, Jiang Xia could see the machines clattering away inside. Production lines churned out large cardboard packaging boxes, brightly colored cigarette packs, books, newspapers, and all kinds of printed materials.
Section Chief Ye led them past the massive workshops until they arrived at an older brick building.
He pushed open the door.
“Master Liu, I’ve brought the engraver you wanted to meet.”
Already?
Master Liu looked surprised.
He set down the tool in his hand, patted the dust from his apron, and got to his feet to greet the visitor.
But when a young woman and a young man walked in one after the other, he frowned in confusion.
“Section Chief Ye, where’s the person you were talking about?”
Section Chief Ye smiled helplessly and pointed at Jiang Xia.
“Comrade Jiang is the one.”
Master Liu stood there frozen, his face caught somewhere between believing it and not believing it, unable to say a word for quite some time.
Well…
People tended to trust experience. It was difficult for most to believe that someone so young could possess extraordinary skill. Even Jiang Xia was no exception. When she went to the hospital, she instinctively felt that doctors with gray hair or bald heads were probably more capable.
Of course, it wasn’t easy to judge a doctor’s ability at a glance.
But proving her own skill to a fellow professional?
That was simple.
Without saying another word, Jiang Xia looked around, spotted some paper and a pen nearby, picked them up, and casually drew a single line. Handing the paper to Master Liu, she said,
“It really was me. If you don’t believe it, have a look.”
Still skeptical, Master Liu accepted the sheet.
It contained nothing more than a single winding, uneven line.
Yet with a single glance, it was unmistakably the profile of a human face.
The line began at the forehead, dipped inward at the brow ridge, curved out to form the bridge of the nose, then flowed naturally into the nose tip, the base of the nose, the philtrum, the lips, and finally the chin.
That level of draftsmanship…
It was absolutely masterful.
As the saying went, an expert could tell another expert’s skill at a glance.
The moment he saw the drawing, Master Liu’s doubts vanished.
Holding the sheet in his hands, he narrowed his eyes and studied the line carefully.
“Hmm… This even looks like a middle-aged man. Comrade Jiang, how did you manage that?”
Jiang Xia explained, “I’m sure you already know this, Master Liu. A man’s facial contours are generally more angular. But once he’s past thirty, his skin gradually starts to lose its firmness. So I softened the linework a little and made slight adjustments to the spacing of the facial features. That naturally gives the impression of a middle-aged man.”
Master Liu understood the first part well enough, but the word “softened” completely stumped him.
He pondered her explanation, shaking his head repeatedly.
“I see… But that’s incredibly difficult!”
This kind of “softness” couldn’t distort the original facial structure. On paper, it might amount to no more than a millimeter or two of difference. Without exceptional talent and years of practice, it simply couldn’t be done.
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Thank you for the chapter :DDD