The elderly in Lan County all knew that their former police station chief was injured years ago while capturing enemy agents, and since then his trouser legs have been empty; he could no longer be on the front lines.
The old station chief could have continued as chief or chosen to go to a sanatorium for convalescence. But he refused both, moving the few belongings he had into the little gatehouse of the police station, and turned from chief to gatekeeper.
He watched the young lads come and go, saw one criminal after another being arrested and brought to justice.
But he always had a stern face; hardly anyone saw him smile. Although he was already in his sixties, he never let anyone call him "grandpa." If they had to, he would rather they call him "Uncle Liu."
Many young comrades found it hard to say, preferring to just call him "comrade."
