National Forensic Doctor-Chapter 1077 - 1008: Courtesies

"Jiang Yuan, this is as far as I can take you." Zhang Xiaoya stood up, shook Jiang Yuan’s hand, and then escorted him out of the gray Coaster.

In front of them was a massive Airbus A350. Boarding was just about to close, and the long boarding staircase extended down. Flight attendants were waiting at both ends.

"Thank you for organizing the celebration ceremony," Jiang Yuan expressed his gratitude to Zhang Xiaoya before leaving. Just yesterday, he, the Cold Case Squad members, and all the operatives involved had attended a grand commendation ceremony hosted by the Zhengguang Bureau.

Jiang Yuan was awarded a First-Class Merit, and the Cold Case Squad under his leadership was honored with a collective First-Class Merit as well.

As the highest form of recognition within the system, the First-Class Merit and the collective First-Class Merit were honors Jiang Yuan and his team undoubtedly deserved. However, the swift and efficient approval of these awards was thanks to the support of Zhang Xiaoya and others.

Zhang Xiaoya smiled and said, "You’ve earned it."

"Although I hate to admit it, nothing in life is truly deserved," Jiang Yuan paused and added, "We had to work incredibly hard to ensure that some individuals got the reckoning they deserved."

Zhang Xiaoya froze for a moment. "The way you talk reminds me of my grandfather. No wonder my dad likes you."

Tang Youyou, standing nearby, burst into laughter. "Then what should Grandpa call Jiang Yuan?"

"He should call him ’knock some sense into you.’" Zhang Xiaoya, who had a good relationship with her daughter, playfully poked her forehead with her finger as a light punishment.

The members of Jiang Yuan’s Cold Case Squad, along with other accompanying officers, began boarding the plane in an orderly manner.

Everyone was dressed in plain clothes, each pulling a carry-on suitcase. They cheerfully boarded the aircraft. Although it couldn’t match the luxury of a private jet, the journey from the vehicle to the plane, accompanied by the hospitality of the lovely flight attendants, was delightful nonetheless.

"I should board now," Jiang Yuan nodded to Zhang Xiaoya. Turning to Tang Youyou, he added, "Well, as a forensic doctor, I’ll skip the parting words. If you ever come to Qinghe, feel free to reach out and visit us."

Tang Youyou smiled. "You’re more likely to visit Beijing again, aren’t you?"

Jiang Yuan responded with a smile and nod, without adding much else. For a criminal investigator or a forensic doctor, saying "goodbye" never seemed quite appropriate.

Jiang Yuan boarded the plane and, guided by a stunning flight attendant, found his seat in the business class cabin.

Normally, based on their rank, neither Jiang Yuan nor his companions Huang Qiangmin and Liu Jinghui would be eligible for business class seating. This, too, had been arranged by Zhang Xiaoya.

Seasoned traveler Liu Jinghui stretched out comfortably and glanced around with satisfaction. "Ah, these reverse herringbone seats really are the best. Perfect for official trips."

Huang Qiangmin cast him a side glance. "Don’t get too used to it; we can’t afford seats like these."

"Come on, with Jiang Yuan leading the way, we can name our price anywhere," Liu Jinghui teased, clicking his tongue in admiration.

"Still, let’s not overdo it. We’ve got less privileged comrades," Huang Qiangmin said, then paused and looked at Liu Jinghui. "Jiang Yuan can sit in luxury; we don’t need to chase after this indulgence ourselves."

Liu Jinghui straightened up immediately. "Wait, now you’re endorsing preferential treatment?"

Huang Qiangmin clarified, "What I mean is... we’re older, more accustomed to hardships, and should bear more of them. Jiang Yuan’s a young guy, fresh out of university, went straight to work, and became a national expert. He hasn’t faced much hard times; it’s harder for him to adapt."

Liu Jinghui stared at Huang Qiangmin helplessly. "Do you even hear yourself? You should record this and give it a listen."

Huang Qiangmin chuckled, letting the topic slide.

Commuting standards, after all, were an expense he had no intention of justifying.

The plane taxied onto the runway and smoothly took off.

After the safety demonstration, a stunning purser picked up the microphone and began an in-flight announcement:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I’m your purser, Wang Qian, for today’s flight. We have some special guests on board. I’d like to introduce them to you. These are individuals who have recently been awarded First-Class Honors—Forensic Expert Jiang Yuan and the Cold Case Squad under his leadership, which was also collectively awarded First-Class Honors. Jiang Yuan and his team recently solved a 20-year-old murder case and apprehended a spy who had been undercover in our country for 30 years. Details of their case will be featured on tonight’s evening news."

"On behalf of the flight crew, I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Jiang Yuan and his Cold Case Squad colleagues. Thank you for your tireless efforts, your intellect, courage, determination, and unwavering pursuit of justice. Thank you."

Purser Wang Qian finished her announcement, smiled in Jiang Yuan’s direction, then walked over and crouched down, handing him an envelope while looking upward. "Mr. Jiang Yuan, this is a letter from our entire crew to our hero. Thank you for all that you’ve done."

"Ah... thank you." Jiang Yuan accepted the letter, a bit unsure how to react.

The purser adjusted her skirt and stood with a smile. She glanced warmly at Huang Qiangmin and Liu Jinghui, then returned to her duties.

Hesitating, Jiang Yuan pulled out a soft sheet of stationery from the envelope he had just received.

The contents of the letter mirrored the purser’s announcement. The flowing handwriting showed subtle connections between the strokes, typical of cursive script, indicative of at least a Level 2 proficiency in penmanship.

Examining the strokes’ transitions and consistent width variations, Jiang Yuan deduced that it had been written in a stable environment and that the writer was relatively calm, not rushed.

Jiang Yuan couldn’t help but shake his head. It dawned on him that his occupational habits had flared up—using his Level 3 document examination skills to analyze a thank-you letter...

Opposite him, two flight attendants noticed Jiang Yuan’s head shake and turned to discuss quietly:

"Did we make a mistake in our letter?" ƒгeewebnovёl.com

"Could something we wrote be incorrect?"

"I don’t think so; we double-checked it. Do you think he dislikes such high-profile attention?"

"At his age, could he really stay low profile?"

"But to be this accomplished so young... I looked him up online. His Cold Case Squad is often in the news for cracking major cases."

"He’s also quite tall."

"And his looks aren’t bad."

"But it’s his height—he’s really tall. If he were in uniform, he’d look even more dashing."

"Oh, right, he’s a forensic doctor."

"Wouldn’t that make him even more appealing?"

...

The plane landed at Changyang City Airport. Two Toyota Coasters picked them up as soon as they disembarked and drove them directly back to Ningtai County.

An hour and a half later, Jiang Yuan stepped onto the ground of the Ningtai County Criminal Police Team.

Clap clap clap clap!

The detectives on duty gathered as a group, applauding warmly with big smiles.

Then, someone draped a red cloth over Jiang Yuan’s neck, resembling a ceremonial khata scarf.

"No need for all this... it’s just a First-Class Merit," Jiang Yuan said modestly.

The seasoned detectives around him simply chuckled, watching him with amused smiles.

In the police force, Third-Class Merits weren’t uncommon, but a Second-Class Merit would leave people salivating with envy.

As for a First-Class Merit? Anyone who could return to work as usual afterward was instantly the object of everyone’s admiration.

"The evening news is starting!" someone yelled from within the crowd. Soon after, a prearranged projector lit up.

The detectives, many of whom hadn’t touched a TV in ages, waited through ten minutes of broadcast before Jiang Yuan’s name and image finally appeared on the evening news.

Clap clap clap clap!

The joyful applause erupted once again, as the feelings of pride and shared honor swirled heavily in the air at the Criminal Police Team.