"Master Shao, you honor my humble abode, you honor my humble abode! Please, have a seat."
Upon seeing the newcomer, Zhao Xincheng rushed forward, bowing and scraping, ushering him towards the sofa.
However, Shao Chen, hands tucked into his pockets, directly took a seat at Zhao Xincheng's desk, crossed his long legs over the surface, and lit a cigar.
His assistant, standing nearby, was greatly astonished.
This was the first time he had ever seen someone dare to be so presumptuous in front of Duan Aiguo and Zhao Xincheng.
This was the rumored young master of the Shao family, the grandson of General Shao, Shao Chen, known as Master Shao.
"This seat of yours seems quite comfortable," Shao Chen said, taking a puff of his cigar and exhaling slowly.
The smoke swirled, outlining his handsome features.
Hearing this, Zhao Xincheng felt a chill run down his spine. He immediately stood up straight, his smile stiffening.
"Master Shao, you jest."
"Jest?" Shao Chen's expression changed, and he said sternly, "You dare to lay a hand on my sister-in-law, and I'm joking with you?"
Zhao Xincheng shivered, momentarily bewildered.
"Sis-sister-in-law?!"
Didn't General Shao only have Shao Chen as his grandson?
Where did he get a sister-in-law from?
"This is preposterous!" Duan Aiguo had already taken the case files from the assistant and finished reading them. He angrily slapped the files onto Zhao Xincheng's body.
"Quickly release her!"
Zhao Xincheng looked at the scattered files on the floor. The name on the top page was "Yu He," and his breath hitched.
Yu He was Shao Chen's sister-in-law?!
Didn't Qin Meimei say Yu He was a country bumpkin with no power or influence?
What was happening now?
Shao Chen himself had brought Duan Aiguo to release the person!
Whoever Shao Chen called "brother" must be a terrifying existence!
He suddenly felt a chill on his head, sensing his official hat was about to be lost. He had been terribly misled by Qin Meimei!
"It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! I'll release her immediately!"
Zhao Xincheng said this and quickly led his men to release the prisoner.
Yu He was being held alone in a temporary detention center.
The room was dark and damp. The prisoners in the adjacent cells were listless, but she alone exuded a cool aura, sitting on a stool, eyes closed in meditation.
She seemed so calm, as if she weren't in a detention center.
Zhao Xincheng opened the cell door. Shao Chen's eyes lit up when he saw Yu He sitting calmly and meditating.
He had always been curious about what kind of delicate wife could capture Qin Beiting's attention. Now, his eyes were finally opened!
Her beauty, her demeanor, were even more stunning than he had imagined.
She and Qin Beiting were truly a match made in heaven!
"Miss Yu, Master Shao is here to bail you out," Zhao Xincheng stepped forward and said in a low, respectful tone, as if afraid of startling her.
The girl's thick, long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and then she slowly opened her beautiful peach blossom eyes, her gaze cool.
Yu He glanced indifferently at Zhao Xincheng's subservient demeanor, a stark contrast to his arrogance in the interrogation room that morning.
Her peach blossom eyes shifted, looking at Shao Chen.
She didn't recognize this man. Was he someone Ye Qichen found?
He was good-looking, with the appearance of wealth, and his expensive clothing indicated he must be of noble birth. She instantly understood Zhao Xincheng's change in attitude.
A servile wretch.
Yu He did not move; she closed her eyes again and continued to meditate.
Seeing this, Shao Chen was intrigued.
As expected of the woman his brother Ting fancied, she had spirit!
Zhao Xincheng, on the other hand, was dumbfounded.
Shao Chen and Duan Aiguo had personally come to release her. Shouldn't she immediately get up and leave?
Why wasn't she moving at all?
Did she like it here?
"Miss Yu, Master Shao is here to bail you out. You can go now," he stepped forward and reminded her again in a low, fawning tone.
"Are you capable of speaking like a human being!" Shao Chen raised his leg and kicked Zhao Xincheng. "What bail? She did nothing wrong!"
Zhao Xincheng stumbled, almost falling.
He regained his balance and repeatedly said, "Yes, yes, yes. She did nothing wrong. I was mistaken. I apologize."
Only then did Yu He slowly lift her eyelids, her lips parting. "My things."
Her phone and the silver needle bag had been confiscated.
Seeing that she had finally spoken, Zhao Xincheng immediately had the items brought over, and then personally handed them to her.
At this point, he truly understood the meaning of "it's easy to invite a god, but hard to send one away."
Yu He put the silver needle bag into her pocket, then slowly took her phone, opened the camera, and began recording, facing Zhao Xincheng.
"What did you do wrong?" she asked.
Shao Chen looked at Yu He with even more curiosity.
Her demeanor was almost identical to Qin Beiting's.
"..." Zhao Xincheng's expression was stiff. Why did that familiar interrogation tone feel so jarring?
"Speak up!" Shao Chen raised his leg and kicked him again.
Zhao Xincheng felt incredibly wronged and humiliated from the kicks, but since Duan Aiguo, who was watching, had no objections, how could he dare to have any?
He carefully considered his words and said,
"I profaned my position, violated professional ethics, failed to be fair and just, and made a hasty judgment based on one side's words, wrongfully accusing Miss Yu. I apologize! I promise that upon my return, I will deeply reflect on my mistakes and write a self-criticism to serve as a warning to others."
"So, you are not denying that Qin Meimei colluded with you to falsely accuse me of a crime and have me imprisoned?" Yu He asked him coldly.
Even though the detention center had adequate heating, cold sweat beaded on Zhao Xincheng's forehead.
That tone of voice, that icy expression – wasn't this exactly how he had interrogated Yu He in the interrogation room that morning?
She was now returning it all to him!
And in front of Duan Aiguo, she had asked such a tricky question.
If he answered yes, he would be admitting to bribery; if he answered no, it would mean he was negligent and would still be investigated.
He couldn't afford to be investigated.
And if he didn't answer, given Yu He's demeanor, she clearly wouldn't leave easily. It was truly a case of "easy to invite a god, hard to send one away."
Finally, after weighing his options, he said, "Yes, I shouldn't have believed Qin Meimei's slander, and I was negligent, making a wrong judgment."
"This was a wrong judgment?" Yu He let out a cold laugh. "This was a false accusation!"
Zhao Xincheng's heart trembled. As a law enforcement officer, breaking the law was a grave offense!
"Miss Yu, I have already ordered an investigation into this case. We will ascertain the truth and clear your name. Do you have any other requests?" Duan Aiguo, who had been standing aside, could no longer bear it and stepped forward to ask.
He was a smart man. If the situation continued to develop like this, it would only lead to a stalemate.
Without the case being resolved, Yu He would not leave.
He used to think Zhao Xincheng was smooth in his dealings, upheld professional ethics, and was competent at work.
If Shao Chen hadn't urgently called him back, and he hadn't witnessed this scene, he would have actually promoted Zhao Xincheng.
What nonsense about being smooth in his dealings; it was clearly sycophancy towards superiors and arrogance towards subordinates!
Not only did he have to reconsider his successor, but he also had to thoroughly rectify the atmosphere within the bureau.
Yu He looked at Duan Aiguo, her gaze indifferent and distant. "Yes, I want to report a crime. Qin Meimei falsely accused me."