“Alright, then I’ll trouble you with this.”
Zhou Yinghuai extended his hand toward Officer Chen. The latter hurriedly reached out to shake it, filled with apprehension, and then carefully released his grip. Even when facing Director Tian, he had never been this nervous.
Strangely enough, this young man actually appeared kind and approachable, always polite and respectful in his interactions with people and things. Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was an insurmountable chasm between them.
At that moment, a female voice suddenly interjected from the side.
“Uncle Tian.”
The relaxed atmosphere was disrupted. Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a young woman in a white brocade long dress stand up from a seat in the hall’s waiting area. She then strode toward them.
Director Tian looked at the newcomer, initially bewildered, before finally reacting.
“Oh, it’s Xiao Fang. What are you doing here?”
Huang Mifang swept her gaze over everyone present, pausing noticeably longer when she looked at Zhou Yinghuai. Then, she returned her attention to Director Tian and smiled gracefully and warmly.
“I was having a meal with Aunt Zhao from the Zhao family at the state-run restaurant today. But a minor unpleasantness occurred, and somehow, it ended up here, making Uncle Tian witness a joke.”
Zhao family? Director Tian raised an eyebrow. Did this matter end up dragging the Huang family’s daughter into it as well?
“Uncle Tian, did you come here specifically for business?” As Huang Mifang spoke, she glanced at Zhou Yinghuai and Cheng Fangqiu beside him. She didn’t believe Uncle Tian had come just for these two; it must have been a coincidence that they ran into each other.
But why had Uncle Tian taken the initiative to shake hands with this man just now?
“Mm.” Director Tian didn’t want to say much and simply responded perfunctorily.
Upon hearing this, a flicker of discomfort flashed across Huang Mifang’s face. But at least she confirmed that he hadn’t come for these two, which relieved her slightly. She then turned the topic to Officer Chen and smiled.
“They’ve all been released, so what about Brother Yanchen and the others?”
Her tone carried none of the respect she had shown toward Director Tian. Instead, it bore an accusatory edge, clearly indicating that she did not take Officer Chen seriously.
Having worked in the Public Security Bureau for so many years, Officer Chen had seen all kinds of people. He saw through her attitude immediately but, considering her seemingly close relationship with Director Tian, chose to suppress his temper for the moment. However, his tone was still far from gentle.
“They committed a crime, so naturally, they are being detained according to the law.”
As for Zhao Yanchen’s mother, this matter didn’t involve her much. After taking her statement as per protocol, she could have left. But instead, she insisted on staying in the interrogation room, as if waiting for someone to come and personally invite her out. They had tried persuading her a few times, but she refused to leave. Given her unusual status, they couldn’t forcefully remove her.
If she liked staying there, then she could stay. The Public Security Bureau wasn’t short on interrogation rooms anyway.
“Detained?” Huang Mifang’s brows furrowed deeply. This was completely different from what she had imagined. Shouldn’t Brother Yanchen have been released by now, leaving happily while this insolent couple regretted ever coming to the Public Security Bureau?
In a moment of desperation, she forgot that Uncle Tian was still standing there and directly questioned Officer Chen.
“My father didn’t call you to give any instructions?”
Officer Chen rolled his eyes without any pretense of courtesy.
“Who the hell is your father?”
“Pfft.” Cheng Fangqiu, standing at the side, had been holding back her laughter but couldn’t anymore. She covered her mouth, laughing outright.
Her laughter successfully turned Huang Mifang’s face completely black. She glared fiercely at Cheng Fangqiu, then snapped furiously.
“My father is Huang Yongqiang! You dare not listen to him? Hurry up and release Brother Yanchen and the others!”
“Huang Yongqiang? What the hell is he?” Officer Chen scoffed disdainfully, letting out a cold snort. “Are you teaching me how to do my job? The laws are written clearly—whatever the legal ruling dictates, that’s how it will be handled! No one’s words can override that!”
After saying this, Officer Chen felt an overwhelming sense of righteousness surge through him, even unconsciously straightening his back. But then, something flashed through his mind, and his eyes suddenly widened—wait a minute, Huang Yongqiang?
Wasn’t the Deputy Bureau Chief who had spoken with him not long ago also named Huang Yongqiang?
His legs nearly gave out, and he almost collapsed to the ground. Looking at the young woman in front of him, who was so enraged that she was stomping her feet, he was just about to say something to salvage the situation when Director Tian suddenly patted his shoulder with a look of deep appreciation and solemnity.
“Well said! Our Public Security Bureau needs talents like you! The future is bright for you, very bright indeed!”
Hearing this, Officer Chen forced out a smile that was uglier than crying. But then he quickly thought it through—Bureau Chief and Deputy Bureau Chief might be only a single word apart, but their status was vastly different. Now that the Bureau Chief himself had said he was in the right, what was there to be afraid of?
“You, young lady, have a problematic mindset. How can you abuse power for personal gain?”
“Exactly! You sound so self-righteous—don’t tell me this isn’t your first time doing something like this? Director Tian, I suggest you look into this thoroughly. Who knows? This might just be a major case delivered right to your doorstep!” Cheng Fangqiu chimed in gleefully, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle and even fanning the flames.
What a joke. This woman was clearly siding with Zhao Yanchen and even tried using her father’s authority to bail him out. If Cheng Fangqiu didn’t stomp on her now, was she supposed to help her instead?
She understood the situation perfectly—the reason they had been able to walk out of the Public Security Bureau clean and unscathed so quickly today, achieving true fairness and justice, was due to two main factors.
First, they had done nothing wrong to begin with, and after giving their statements, they should have been free to go.
Second—and most importantly—it was all thanks to Zhou Yinghuai’s powerful background.
If Zhou Yinghuai hadn’t had an even stronger backing, who knew how things would have turned out?
The world was cruel. Those with power and influence always lived easier lives than ordinary people.
“You…”
Huang Mifang gritted her teeth, pointing at Cheng Fangqiu, but for a long time, she couldn’t form a coherent sentence. A flicker of panic flashed through her eyes—it seemed she had only just realized that she had misspoken in public and might have even caused trouble for her father.
Her arrogant demeanor immediately deflated.
“You what? If you can’t speak properly, just shut up. Or are we comparing who has prettier fingers now?” Cheng Fangqiu showed no mercy, raising her own hand and pointing right back at Huang Mifang—just shy of poking her in the eye.
Hearing her words, everyone instinctively glanced at their hands, comparing the two.
Although Huang Mifang had been pampered since childhood, never doing any hard labor, and her hands were delicate and smooth, they still paled in comparison to Cheng Fangqiu’s slender, fair hands.
She clearly noticed it too—her face flushed red, and she immediately withdrew her hand.
“Well, if there’s nothing else, we’ll be leaving now.” Zhou Yinghuai chuckled soundlessly, reaching out to grab Cheng Fangqiu’s arm and pulling her slightly closer to him. The latter quickly pretended to be obedient, blinking innocently.
“Alright.” Director Tian wouldn’t dare stop them, so he promptly stepped aside to clear the way.
Officer Chen also smiled and said, “Our colleague already rode your bicycle over for you. It’s parked right at the entrance.”
After a pause, he added, “If you’re in a hurry, you can take one of our bureau’s cars back.”
“Thanks, but that won’t be necessary.” Zhou Yinghuai nodded in gratitude before walking with Cheng Fangqiu toward their parked bicycle.
It wasn’t until the figures of the two disappeared into the distant road that Officer Chen finally let out a sigh of relief, his heart that had been hanging in suspense suddenly settling down.
But the moment his peripheral vision caught sight of Director Tian and Huang Mifang, who were still standing nearby, his heart instantly leaped back into his throat.
How could he have forgotten? He had just sent off two big Buddhas, but there were still two left right here— and even two more still locked up inside!
“I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first.” Now that the issue was resolved, there was no reason for him to stay any longer. Director Tian gave Huang Mifang a deep, meaningful glance before turning to leave.
That one look from him made Huang Mifang’s heart tighten with unease. She quickly followed after him and attentively pulled open the car door for him, smiling obediently as she invited him,
“My father mentioned just a couple of days ago that he wanted to invite you over for tea. When would you be available?”
Director Tian’s lips curved into a faint, ambiguous smile—but that smile never reached his eyes.
“Some other day.”
The words were vague and noncommittal. Huang Mifang didn’t dare press further, quickly shutting the car door for him. The vehicle sped off, leaving nothing behind.
Huang Mifang clenched her fists tightly. Her peripheral vision caught sight of Officer Chen, and as something crossed her mind, she turned to ask him,
“What did Uncle Tian come here for?”
He had said he was here for official business, but she hadn’t seen him enter any office for an extended period. Instead, he had wasted quite a bit of time in the hallway with that couple.
The more she thought about it, the more suspicious she felt.
Hearing her commanding tone, Officer Chen instantly felt his temper rise.
A brat who hadn’t even grown all her feathers yet, acting high and mighty just because of her privileged background—did she think everyone had to cater to her?
“A matter for the big figures—how would a small fry like me know?”
What a sly old fox! He left no room for leaks in his words!
Huang Mifang had hit another dead end. Realizing that there was no way to get any information from him, her patience ran out. She turned and strode straight into the Public Security Bureau—she needed to discuss with Aunt Zhao about what to do next. At the very least, they had to find a way to get Zhao Yanchen out first.
However, before they could even come up with a plan—an unexpected visitor stormed into the Public Security Bureau first.
“Old Zhao?”
When Madam Zhao saw the man who had just pushed open the door, she was so startled that she shot up from her chair. Huang Mifang, standing beside her, also trembled and instinctively followed suit.
The man, usually known for keeping his emotions unreadable, now had a face as dark as coal.
Without any regard for the outsiders present, he strode forward and delivered a resounding slap across Madam Zhao’s face.
Slap!
The crisp sound of the slap rang through the room.
Huang Mifang let out an involuntary scream, but the moment she met Mr. Zhao’s dark, stormy gaze, she immediately held her breath, not even daring to exhale loudly. She instinctively averted her gaze—and that was when she noticed that Mr. Zhao’s secretary was also standing at the doorway.
However, the secretary’s expression didn’t change at all. He stood there silently, as if he were just an invisible presence.
At that moment, Huang Mifang realized how overly reactive and undignified she had just been. She quickly lowered her head, pretending as if she hadn’t seen anything.
“Have you gone mad?!”
It wasn’t just Huang Mifang who was stunned—Madam Zhao herself was completely shocked beyond belief.
She clutched her burning cheek, eyes wide in disbelief as she stared at Mr. Zhao.
Their marriage had been arranged by their families, and after so many years of being together, while they weren’t overly affectionate, they had always maintained mutual respect. To outsiders, they were seen as a model couple—a pair that others would praise and admire.
Forget hitting her—even speaking harshly to her had never happened before!
Yes, Zhao Yanchen had caused a commotion at the Public Security Bureau, and yes, that was a bit excessive—but it wasn’t like it was some huge, irredeemable disaster. Getting angry was one thing, but actually laying hands on her? That was unthinkable!
After all, wasn’t this something that could be resolved with just a little money and a few connections?
Yet, not only had he hit her, but he had done it right in front of two outsiders!
If this news got out, how was she supposed to show her face in public?!
“Shut the hell up!”
Having not spoken so harshly in years, Mr. Zhao’s tone was a bit unnatural, but in his fury, he didn’t care. Instead, the more he spoke, the smoother his words became.