Director’s Office.
Ruan Xingyao strolled in as if she were wandering through her own back garden, completely free of the slightest nervousness about meeting the imposing bureau chief.
Her relaxed manner made Shen Jiming’s gaze turn even sharper as he sized her up.
Shen Jiming personally brewed a cup of tea for Ruan Xingyao.
Once he sat down on the sofa, he said to her,
“Ms. Ruan, you’ve done the police a great service. Being able to work with a special talent like you is truly an honor for us.”
To such exaggerated praise, Ruan Xingyao didn’t feel much.
She wasn’t the kind of girl who could be sweet-talked into losing her sense of direction.
Ruan Xingyao gave Shen Jiming a small smile and said,
“I was helping the Lucheng police. If you put it that way, I really can’t accept it.”
As she spoke, she glanced sideways at Xie Lin.
“After all, I was just brought in as a suspected criminal and interrogated.”
Sitting on a single sofa off to the side, Xie Lin nearly let out a laugh of exasperation at her words.
This really was a petty, vengeful little girl.
Shen Jiming looked at Ruan Xingyao, then at Xie Lin.
After a few seconds, he finally said,
“Ms. Ruan, Xiao Xie was just doing his job. He was acting out of responsibility for the people of Ningcheng. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, I hope you can be generous and not hold it against him.”
Meeting Shen Jiming’s fox-like gaze, Ruan Xingyao spoke bluntly,
“Chief Shen, this is you covering for your own.”
The next second, her lashes lowered and a faint choke crept into her voice.
“Well, I suppose… I’m just a helpless little girl. I’ve lost my parents, I still have to raise money for my gravely ill younger brother’s medical bills, and when I had no other way out, I thought of live streaming to make some money. But the only skill I have, no one believes in… In the end, I have to swallow all my grievances and sadness alone.”
As she said this, Ruan Xingyao lifted her hand and wiped her face.
She was already slender and delicate, and in this state, she truly stirred a sense of pity in others.
Xie Lin’s hand, resting on his thigh, unconsciously clenched into a fist.
For the first time in his life, Xie Lin began to wonder if he really had been a bit excessive.
Shen Jiming, however, could see more clearly.
The girl’s grievance and sadness were real, but her ultimate goal was clearly to win his sympathy.
Just as Shen Jiming was about to promise Ruan Xingyao some form of compensation, her phone rang.
Before entering the interrogation room earlier, her phone had been confiscated by Xie Lin.
Now, it was ringing from inside his pocket.
Xie Lin took out Ruan Xingyao’s phone, ready to hand it to her, but first caught sight of the incoming number.
The number looked somewhat familiar, with its location showing Lucheng.
Putting the two together, it wasn’t hard to guess who the caller was.
Xie Lin’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Officer Xie, are you not going to return my phone to me?” Ruan Xingyao asked.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Xie Lin had no reason to keep holding onto her phone, so he handed it over.
Ruan Xingyao made no effort to avoid being overheard.
She answered directly, and noticing that Xie Lin was staring at her intently, she even put the call on speaker.
The next second, a hearty voice came through. “Hello, is this young friend Ruan Xingyao? I’m Fang Zhen, the chief of the Lucheng Police Department. I wonder if you have a moment so we can discuss something in detail?”
Ignoring the burning gazes from both Xie Lin and Shen Jiming, Ruan Xingyao responded like an obedient child, “I only have a few minutes. What is it you’d like to discuss with me?”
Hearing this, Fang Zhen skipped any small talk and got straight to the point.
“Thanks to the information you provided, we were able to reach the crime scene immediately and apprehend the criminal. To express our gratitude, the Lucheng Police Department will be awarding you a one-million-yuan prize.”
Ruan Xingyao’s beautiful eyes instantly lit up.
She even counted on her fingers — that was a million in prize money!
Although it was just a drop in the bucket compared to paying off her debts, with this money, her younger brother’s medical expenses would be covered.
At the very least, she wouldn’t have to worry about him being kicked out of the hospital anymore.
Ruan Xingyao cautiously confirmed with Fang Zhen again,
“It’s really a million? After taxes?”
She wasn’t some clueless newbie when it came to the law — she knew how important taxes were in this world and this country; the original owner’s memories had already told her that.
But she really needed the money.
So, if Fang Zhen could cover the taxes for her, she would be even happier.
Obviously, Fang Zhen hadn’t expected her to say that.
He hesitated — after all, the taxes weren’t a small sum.
Ruan Xingyao waited more than ten seconds without hearing a reply, and her anticipation quickly faded.
“Can’t do it?” she asked.
It was as if Fang Zhen made a huge decision.
“We can! But, Ruan Xingyao, you’ll have to agree to one request from me.”
Ruan Xingyao didn’t care what the request was — as long as she didn’t have to pay the taxes herself, she would be perfectly satisfied.
Fang Zhen said,
“Ruan Xingyao, this time we’ve had our first successful collaboration. I hope you can come live in Lucheng and become a special consultant for our police department. I wonder if you—”
“No way!”
Before Fang Zhen could finish, he was cut off by a voice.
Shen Jiming didn’t bother with politeness and directly said to Fang Zhen,
“Fang Zhen, you sly old fox, how can you be so shameless? Covering the taxes is something you should’ve done in the first place, yet you’re using it as a bargaining chip to trick a young girl? You’re utterly disgraceful for your age!”
Fang Zhen also instantly recognized Shen Jiming’s voice, and immediately said irritably, “Shen Jiming! Why are you everywhere! I’m recruiting special talent for our police bureau—what business is it of yours!”
“No way! I don’t agree!” Shen Jiming said.
“Xiao Ruan is living just fine here in Ning City—why should she go to your Lu City!”
Fang Zhen: “And what gives you the right to disagree! Shen Jiming! I’m telling you, I’ve set my sights on Miss Ruan, and I’m not letting go!”
A once-in-a-lifetime talent like this—if he missed her, he’d wake up in the middle of the night and slap himself twice.
Shen Jiming no longer cared about maintaining his image as a bureau chief, and directly told Fang Zhen, “I just don’t agree! Xiao Ruan is already part of our Ning City Police Bureau. I’m telling you—you can’t steal her away!”
After saying that, Shen Jiming directly hit the hang-up button.
Calming himself down, Shen Jiming met Ruan Xingyao’s faintly reproachful gaze.
Before he could say anything, Ruan Xingyao spoke first: “He still hasn’t said how he’s going to give me the prize money.”
Her expression practically said: If you mess up my prize money, you and I are going to have a problem!
By now, Shen Jiming had figured out Ruan Xingyao’s “weakness”—she was just a little money-grubber.
As long as the money was in place, everything else could be negotiated.
So, Shen Jiming cleared his throat and said to Ruan Xingyao, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you get your prize money—every last cent of it.”
“It’s just that…”
— The end of the Chapter–
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