Daily Case Investigations in the 1980s

• Author: Hu Feiing
• Genres: Mystery, Urban, Đời Thường
• Status: Completed
• Chapters: 530
• Rating: ★ 3.5 / 5
• Published: 2026-09-21

First Impressions

Su Er Ya, also known as Su Jing, enters the story with a rather unique background: a college graduate who becomes a police officer but has suffered from malnutrition since childhood. Only when she receives her salary and can finally eat her fill does she realize she possesses extraordinary strength.

The charm lies in this stark contrast. She is not the typical female lead who is instantly proficient in everything; rather, she is a girl who can overpower others with sheer force but remains clumsy in her professional duties and deductions, creating an atmosphere that is both humorous and slice of life.

Plot and Pacing

The narrative revolves around Su Er Ya's grassroots work, where she gradually comes into contact with cases requiring investigation. However, readers expecting a pure work of detective fiction packed with dense deductive reasoning might find themselves somewhat disappointed.

case investigation is only a fraction of the story. The work dedicates a significant amount of space to food, daily work, colleagues, family, and routine activities, making the pacing rather slow. Some will find it a gentle, easy-going experience, while others may feel that many chapters drift by without leaving a distinct mark.

Characters

• Protagonist: Su Er Ya is a novice female police officer who comes from an impoverished background and possesses incredible strength.
• Alternative name: Su Jing is a name used interchangeably with Su Er Ya.
• Personality: She is not written as exceptionally brilliant, but rather straightforward, endearing, and remarkably strong.
• Growth: She gradually recognizes the value of deduction, learning to observe and handle her duties better through practical experience.

What I appreciate about Su Er Ya is her quiet growth. She does not suddenly transform into a genius; instead, she slowly gains a deeper understanding of her job and the people around her, giving the heroine's development its own unique charm.

The Period Atmosphere

The 1980s setting is heavily utilized to color the narrative. Details of social life, labor, foreign exchange certificates, and the evolving handling of illegal acts give the story's world a sense of breathing the air of that era, even though the author herself considers this setting to be somewhat fictionalized.

I particularly enjoy how everyday life weaves into the investigations. A meal in the cafeteria, office gossip among colleagues, or a simple train journey can often become more memorable than the case itself. It is this very ordinariness that lends the work a unique texture that a pure detective fiction piece usually lacks.

Strengths

• The heroine has a distinct personality, boasting unusual strength yet far from being a perfect character.
• The period fiction atmosphere is quite pronounced, with rich daily life details that breathe life into the setting.
• The slow narrative pacing is easy to follow, making it suitable for long-term reading or listening.
• The slice-of-life segments are charming, occasionally offering a gentle and humorous touch.
• The process of Su Er Ya learning how to think and work provides a natural sense of growth.

Weaknesses

• The mystery-solving elements are not strong enough, with many cases failing to create a tense battle of wits.
• Certain situations in the investigations might strike discerning readers as illogical or somewhat contrived.
• Some supporting characters occasionally feel more like plot devices than individuals with genuine depth.
• The constant emphasis on the contrast between Su Er Ya's petite frame and her immense strength can become repetitive.
• The slow pacing may cause readers seeking non-stop thrills to lose patience.

Conclusion

I believe the most memorable aspect of the novel does not lie in crafting brilliant cases, but rather in placing a female officer with extraordinary strength into a very ordinary life. Su Er Ya is clumsy and occasionally baffling, but it is precisely this imperfection that gives her journey of growth its own peculiar charm.

If approached with the expectation of a slice of life story blended with case investigation, the work can offer a highly relaxing read. However, if you demand a tightly plotted detective story with fast pacing and continuous chains of deduction that challenge the reader, this is likely not the focus of the novel.

In short: A period female cop story that leans more toward slice of life than case solving—gentle and easy to follow, but limited by its narrative pacing and case logic.

Tags: female police officer, period fiction, case investigation