City S is a first-tier municipality at the forefront of the economic and financial sectors. As the Deputy Director of the S City Public Security Bureau, Li Guoyi holds a position at the deputy provincial level. If he is fortunate enough, it is not impossible for him to be promoted to the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee before retirement.

A silver Lexus just pulled into a beautifully landscaped villa community. The security guard at the entrance recognized him and waved him through without question. Jiqiuhan parked the car in the garage and promptly rang the doorbell. Within three seconds, the door opened.

"Xiaohan! Let me quickly see if you've lost weight or not?"

The woman opening the door is elegant and beautiful, appearing to be only in her early thirties. She casually tied up her hair in a bun, and her exquisite face radiated even brighter when she saw him.

The nanny on the side chuckled and said, "Madam has been watching you in the garden for a while. She only came inside and waited after being scolded by Director Li."

"No, I haven't lost weight. It's Aunt Lan who should gain a little weight," said Ji Qiuhan as he reached into the inner pocket of his coat. Like performing a magic trick, he took out an exquisite gift box and presented it to the woman as if it were a gentleman's offering.

Dedicated to Ms. Helan, an internationally renowned dancer. When the student won a major international award, it was clear that the teacher's efforts were indispensable.

Ji Qiuhan's expression was unusually gentle. In order to cheer up the woman, he even mischievously blinked his eyes.

"Limited edition, my uncle doesn't know how to give this."

The exquisitely beautiful necklace has a fatal allure for women of all ages, especially when this gift is so perfect and satisfying. It was given to her by her own child, who she raised with great care and pride.

The woman happily tries on the necklace at the front door, and satisfied, she gently strokes the diamond pendant on her chest. She then says to him, "You're spending money recklessly again."

Ji Qiuhuan didn't mind and carefully tidied the woman's hair, laughing, "It's not bad, just three months' salary. Aunt Lan can make me a few delicious meals to make up for it."

"Jingpin, when did you ever shut your mouth? This time, I made the spicy beef, chopped pepper frog, and brought the chili peppers all the way from Sichuan, specifically for you."

Helan smiled and lightly slapped his back, noticing that Ji Qiuhan's gaze seemed to be looking backward. Mingran spoke clearly, saying, "..."

He, you know, always puts on airs like that director. I was waiting for you to go to the study and find him, Xiaohan. Your uncle told me that you got punished this time. What exactly happened?

Ji Qiuhan comfortingly patted her hand and said, "It's fine, I'll go and find Uncle first."

Li Guoyi's study is on the second floor. Jiqiu Han took a deep breath outside the door, waiting for his cheeks to regain some color before pushing the door open and entering.

Director Li, who often shuttles between various conference resolutions, is currently standing by the floor-to-ceiling window with his hands behind his back. The solemn expression on his resolute, square-shaped face is even more serious than when he is in a meeting.

Ji Qiuhan straightened his back and walked steadily to Li Guoyi's side. He lowered his head and apologized, saying, "Uncle, I was wrong. I shouldn't have acted impulsively during the last abduction case's arrest operation. I know I made a mistake."

But Li Guoyi became angry when he heard his apology and angrily picked up the newspaper in his hand, lashing out at him in rage.

"Do you realize your mistake?! Is this the attitude you have when admitting your fault?! You've caused such a huge mess while I was on a foreign visit! You have no idea of the seriousness of the matter at all! Impulsive actions! Have you even considered the consequences of a bomb exploding at the train station?! Are you still in your first day as a police officer?!"

The newspaper crumpled and deformed against his back, but compared to Jiang Zhan's belt, it was merely an itch. Ji Qiuhan stood straight as an arrow, without moving a bit.

"I'm sorry, Uncle. I won't do it again next time."

Obviously, a rolled-up newspaper cannot serve as a deterrent. Li Guoyi simply threw it aside. However, what truly infuriated him was when his secretary reported this matter to him in the afternoon after he came back.

Li Guoyi asked calmly,

"Where did you go this afternoon?"

As he heard the question, Ji Qiuh-an's eyes lifted for a moment, then immediately dropped down again.

It seems that the matter of going to the detention center couldn't be kept secret. However, with his yellow vest smashed like that, the injuries are on his head and face. With so many people in the detention center, even if Han Jin wants to help him cover up, it's probably difficult to escape everyone's attention.

He had no choice but to tell the truth: "I went to the detention center."

Li Guoyi took another deep breath, his fearless and sincere attitude exuding confidence. "Fine! Since you've grown wings, I can no longer teach you a lesson!"

Li Guoyi turned around in the room and searched for a handy tool. After looking around, he found that the paperweight given by Lao Liu was a semi-antique, the inkstone was too heavy to throw at someone, and the rattan strip had been hidden by his wife two years ago, without a trace to be found.

In the end, he didn't know where he pulled out a feather duster from the obscure corner. He swung it twice on Ji Qiuhuan's back and cursed him fiercely.

"You never lie! You privately interrogated and beat up the prisoner?! And you dragged that boy from Han family to join you in the chaos! Absolutely audacious!! Who gave you such courage?!"

"People have already reported everything to me! So many people wish for you to make mistakes, and yet, you go ahead and make them in front of their eyes?!"

The interpersonal relationships within the system are inherently complex. Furthermore, both openly and covertly, many people in the bureau are envious of his speed of promotion. Ji Qiuhan bears the pain on his back, but hasn't he been spiraling out of control recently?

As Jī Qiūhán remained silent, Lǐ Guóyì unleashed another fierce swing. Coming from a military background, his strength behind this blow was so powerful that it sent Jī Qiūhán stumbling forward.

"Stand properly!"

Ji Qiuhan quickly stood up straight, his posture even more rigid than before, appearing like a proper military stance.

I can see that you're just waiting for me to clean up this mess, aren't you? How audacious and delusional! Completely disregarding the law and order! Have you assimilated discipline into the pit of your stomach like a dog? Take a good look at what you've done. Does it resemble something a police officer would do?!

Li Guoyi's anger engulfed him, evidently proportional to the force exerted by his subordinates. With every curse word that flew out of his mouth, he harshly struck the young man's back with a chicken feather duster, each blow heavier than the last. The young man's military posture, which he struggled to maintain, had no solid grounds. He dared not make a single move, as the burning pain on his back intensified with each passing moment.

Li Guoyi hasn't been so angry in a long time. In the afternoon, when he returned to the country, he listened to the secretary's report on the recent series of mistakes and even serious misconduct by Ji Qiuhan. Li Guoyi slammed his tea cup on the table, making a thunderous noise that startled even the nearby secretary.

Li Guoyi delivered a final heavy blow and scolded:

"Since the promotion won't work as a punishment for you, just go ahead and get suspended! Suspend yourself until you learn how to be a police officer all over again! If you can't learn, then you might as well quit being a cop!"

"Uncle... I..."

Ji Qiuhan knew in his heart that compared to the serious mistakes he had committed, the "no promotion for three years" punishment imposed by Li Guoyi was trivial. He was well aware that his actions in the detention center that afternoon were too hasty and ostentatious. In fact, after leaving the detention center and regaining some clarity of mind, he regretted it. His impulsiveness had not only brought about serious consequences for himself.

But perhaps the words "not suitable for being a police officer" had too great of an impact on Ji Qiuhuan, his expression clearly showed panic.

Uncle...! I shouldn't have hidden the afternoon incident from you. I acted recklessly and I truly know I was wrong, but I can't give up being a police officer! I can't...!

"Can't?!"

Before he finished speaking, Li Guoyi's increasing rage interrupted him. With a renewed swing, he fiercely wielded the feather duster in his hand as if he wanted to break it.

"Now the Public Security Bureau is under your command, right? You can just beat up the criminals as you please, disregarding orders and refusing to obey instructions!! Or maybe I should just listen to your arrangements as well!"

"No, Uncle! I..."

Ji Qiuhan was criticized into speechlessness. He knew that all of this was his inescapable fault. He lowered his eyelashes, his throat rolled twice, and then he hoarsely said:

"... I'm sorry, Uncle. My attitude just now was bad, but I couldn't help it... I really couldn't control myself. As soon as I saw that face, I just..."

When Ji Qiuhan spoke the last sentence, he choked halfway through. His eyelids trembled twice, and he involuntarily closed his eyes. This pale face covered the final darkness, just like in his childhood memories when he would often hang his head with his eyes closed.

Because he couldn't see anything.

The anger in Li Guoyi's heart was instantly dampened by the young man's appearance, making it difficult for him to breathe. It felt as if a large stone was pressing against his chest.

The memories of years past surged up through the cracks.

At that time, he was still the captain of the criminal investigation team.

Even though they had experienced many cruel and brutal murder cases, the horrifying scene of the 5.23 serial killings still haunted most of the veteran police officers involved in the operation, causing them to have recurring nightmares.

Li Guoyi felt heavy-hearted as he wrote his work report. He picked up a cigarette and, as he passed by a window, caught sight of a little boy sitting inside. The boy was thin, sitting quietly on a chair, with the bones of his shoulder blades protruding through his thin clothing.

Li Guoyi remembered this child. He had led the team to rescue him during the operation five days ago. Thirty-six people died in the 5.23 tragedy, and he was the only survivor in that house.

But the boy, on the other hand, had forgotten everything. He suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder after the serious trauma, and all the memories of what happened in that cottage seemed to have been deliberately erased.

On the first day, only when a young police officer showed him the photo of the murderer captured from the surveillance footage, the boy trembled all over, and even emitted a painful, monster-like groan from his throat.

After that, no one dared to provoke this child again.

The mother of the siblings passed away early, and their father disappeared after getting into trouble. Li Guoyi and Helan have never had children. By some strange twist of fate, he brought this boy back home. Working late into the night, Li Guoyi received a frantic phone call from Helan, saying that the child seems to be unable to see anything.

The doctor in the hospital mentioned a lot of terms, and the general idea is that the child has developed hysterical blindness as a result of extreme mental stimulation. It is a complication caused by post-traumatic stress disorder, and this is a difficult-to-effectively treat psychological condition.

Through their conversation, it was revealed that they were not the parents of the child. They also subtly implied that this illness required long-term psychological treatment, which was costly and did not guarantee results.

He still remembered that night, in the hospital corridor, where Helan held the lost and desolate boy in his arms, quietly crying. And all he could think about was the scene of when he led the team into the room that day, a hell on Earth.

Ji Qiuhan, who is still young, has been completely blind for two years.

During those two years, this boy who was always lost in thought and silent, was always like this, silently lowering his eyes. The psychologist came time after time, guiding him, asking him,

"What can you see in front of you now?"

And every time, the answer is the same.

"Red."