Chapter 922: Clothes Make the Man

As soon as Wang An heard Zhang Shuya's words, he immediately put on a bitter face and asked her

"Big Sister, you've set this whole thing up for me... I don't have to come to work every day, do I?"

Hearing this, Zhang Shuya rolled her eyes at Wang An and said

"When you have time, just come to the bureau to check in. And when training comes around, you'll follow along and practice for a couple of days. Otherwise, with your meager skills, if you get beaten up again one day, we'll be the ones who have to back you up."

Wang An cheered up instantly upon hearing this; not having to work every day was exactly what he loved most.

Otherwise, having to show up every day for a salary of 40 cents a day would have been truly unacceptable to him.

Thus, Wang An said with a grin

"Big Sister, as a neighborhood security officer, are there any special privileges? For example, if I run into some petty thief, can I just beat the crap out of him, or even kill him without having to pay with my life?"

Zhang Shuya and Sun Nian were momentarily stunned, and then Sun Nian couldn't help but let out a series of "giggles."

Zhang Shuya, however, said irritably

"Get the hell out of here! Kill people without paying for it? Why don't you just fly up to heaven while you're at it?"

Before Wang An could respond, Zhang Shuya continued crossly

"This is just to give you an identity so that things are more convenient for you in the future. Let me tell you, if you dare use this identity to bully people, just see if I don't beat you to death."

To be fair, Zhang Shuya's words were spot on, because the neighborhood security officers of this era were completely different from the auxiliary police of later generations.

The main difference was that security officers at this time could work independently, unlike the auxiliary police of the future, who had to be accompanied by a formal police officer regardless of what they were doing.

As for the matter of bullying people, Wang An wasn't that kind of person to begin with, so Zhang Shuya's reminder was purely redundant.

Wang An replied with a chuckle

"That's impossible. We're siblings through our foster parents. You know what kind of person your little brother is, hehehehe."

As she spoke, Zhang Shuya pulled out a few sheets of paper and a small green booklet. Throwing them on the table, she said to Wang An

"There's a pen on the table. Hurry up and sign your name, then fill in your details on this security officer's ID."

Wang An took a quick look at the papers and found they were personal files and such, so he began writing.

Soon, Wang An finished filling in all his personal information. Zhang Shuya checked it over and then picked up a stamp to mark the booklet.

Just like that, Wang An transformed from a militia member into a neighborhood security officer.

Afterward, Zhang Shuya gave Wang An a hat, leather shoes, and two sets of clothes: one set of short-sleeved shirts and pants for summer, and another set of thicker clothes and pants for spring and autumn.

As for the undershirts and underwear that formal employees received, there were none.

Looking at the hat, shoes, and clothes, Wang An's mood was genuinely quite wonderful.

It must be said that the fabric and workmanship of these clothes and pants were actually quite good; one look and you could tell they were the real deal.

Mainly, Wang An could already imagine the surprised expressions on his parents' and wife's faces when he returned home wearing this outfit.

However, when Wang An discovered that there was only one of each—one set of clothes and one pair of shoes—he couldn't help but ask Zhang Shuya

"Big Sister, why is there only one set of clothes and shoes? Shouldn't there be another set for changing?"

The moment Wang An finished speaking, Zhang Shuya punched him in the shoulder, saying simultaneously

"Other security officers only have one set. What makes you so special?"

Holding the items, Wang An said with a face full of righteousness

"I must be more special than others! I'm your brother, the biological brother of our foster parents."

Unfortunately, Zhang Shuya didn't buy it at all. She rolled her eyes at him and said irritably

"One set. Take it or leave it."

Perhaps feeling she had been a bit too harsh, Zhang Shuya added

"What do you need all those clothes for, since you don't even work every day? Just wear them for the day whenever you come to report in; normally, just wear your own clothes."

Wang An knew that Zhang Shuya probably had no way to get him another set of spare clothes; otherwise, she certainly wouldn't have been stingy with a single outfit.

Thus, Wang An stopped obsessing over the issue and continued to ask

"Uh, Big Sister, I see the cotton overcoats you wear in winter are pretty nice. Why don't you get me a couple of those?"

Fearing Zhang Shuya's face would change again, Wang An quickly added

"If you can't get two, one is fine."

This time, Zhang Shuya didn't hit him. Instead, she said in a normal tone

"Not even half a coat. Those aren't issued until winter starts. It's useless for you to be anxious now."

Wang An smiled and finally shut up, stopping his requests for things.

Looking at the clothes in his hands, Wang An suddenly felt he should put them on right now. After all, whether in his previous life or this one, he had never worn a police uniform.

Thus, under the astonished gazes of Zhang Shuya and Sun Nian, Wang An clutched the clothes and ducked into the lounge in Zhang Shuya's office.

Once inside the temporary lounge, Wang An nimbly stripped down to his boxers and quickly threw on the summer gear.

For some reason, even though the salary was only 12.5 yuan a month, Wang An felt that the moment he put on these clothes, he instantly became different from before.

It felt as if he had acquired some kind of privilege, or as if an invisible shield had appeared around him.

In short, Wang An felt he had become incredibly badass.

He had to admit that this shift in identity was genuinely intoxicating.

But at the same time, Wang An felt something else manifesting within him, something that seemed to be called a "sense of mission."

Shaking his head vigorously to expel this damned "sense of mission" from his body, Wang An felt his true self return.

Wang An's goal in life was to be "free and easy, happy until death." What was a sense of mission doing here?

As he stepped out of the lounge, the looks Sun Nian and Zhang Shuya gave him visibly brightened.

As the old saying goes, "The Buddha relies on gold plating, and a person relies on clothes." Furthermore, Wang An was naturally tall and had a standard frame for clothes; now that he was wearing a neat, formal uniform, the visual effect had indeed improved by more than a little.

Zhang Shuya said to Sun Nian with a smile

"I have to say, my brother actually looks quite handsome in this outfit, doesn't he?"

Sun Nian nodded. When she looked at Wang An again, there was something more in her eyes.

If Wang An wasn't mistaken, that something was called "flirtatiousness."

(End of Chapter)