Wang Yifei had honed his skill in playing the victim to an impressive level. As soon as he got into the car, he eagerly began recounting his recent miserable experiences to He Chuan Zhou.
The old house, abandoned for years, was hardly suitable for living. Tao Siyue had chosen the location, and Wang Yifei didn’t dare complain to her. He had rehearsed his complaints over and over, preparing to beg for He Chuan Zhou’s sympathy.
“I wiped the floor with a rag and cleared out a room. It was too hot, so we slept with the windows open at night. The yard was full of mosquitoes—hundreds of them, I swear! And there were always strange noises coming from upstairs. I could barely sleep.”
He spoke dramatically, pausing between sentences, sneaking glances at He Chuan Zhou with a pitiful expression.
But He Chuan Zhou wasn’t buying it. She raised a hand to cut him off. “Save your excuses for when you meet Uncle Wang. See if you can get him to forgive you.”
Wang Yifei immediately clammed up, drooping his head and slumping in his seat. Right in front of him, He Chuan Zhou pulled out her phone, found Wang Gaozhan’s number, and dialed.
Wang Yifei watched the screen as it tilted towards him, growing increasingly anxious. He fidgeted, silently praying for some form of mercy, though he didn’t dare voice his request.
As the phone rang, he stared intensely at the screen, willing it to go to voicemail. His hopes were quickly dashed, the call was answered after only three rings, as if Wang Gaozhan had been waiting by the phone.
The line connected, but Wang Gaozhan didn’t speak. Only the sound of his tense breathing came through the speaker.
“Uncle Wang,” He Chuan Zhou glanced at Wang Yifei, ignoring his discomfort, and spoke calmly, “we’ve found Yifei. There are still things we need to ask him at the station, so he won’t be coming home yet. Don’t worry, he’s fine, healthy, uninjured, and not hungry. Everything’s good.”
Wang Yifei leaned forward, trying to get closer to the phone. The noise from the speeding car made it hard to hear, even with the volume at its highest.
There was a long silence on the other end, only broken by a faint rustling, as if Wang Gaozhan was wiping his hands on his clothes or adjusting his grip on the phone.
Knowing how anxious Wang Gaozhan must feel, He Chuan Zhou said, “I’ll update you later. We’re heading back to the station now.”
She was about to hang up when a choked “Thank you” finally came from the other end.
Wang Yifei could hear the pain and sadness in those two simple words, like air being squeezed out of an old bellows, only to fuel a blazing fire, on the verge of tears.
Shao Zhixin, noticing Wang Yifei’s gloomy mood, nudged him with his elbow and encouraged, “Wang Yifei you’re a man destined for great things! Cheer up a little!”
Brother Huang chimed in through the earpiece, dragging out his words, “Zhixin…” His tone carried an oddly suggestive admiration.
Shao Zhixin, still not fully understanding, heard He Chuan Zhou call his name in a calm but pointed tone: “Shao Zhixin.”
Unaware of the severity of the situation, he instinctively responded, “Yes?”
When He Chuan Zhou calls someone by their full name without an ongoing mission, it usually means trouble is coming. But Shao Zhixin hadn’t learned this lesson yet. He leaned across Wang Yifei, adopting a listening posture. “Go ahead!”
“I told you to learn from your seniors, but it seems you’ve mastered the art of stirring things up instead. Has Brother Huang been giving you special lessons on the side?” she asked.
Brother Huang quickly defended himself, “No, no, this is mostly thanks to Xu Yu’s excellent teaching.”
Xu Yu, not willing to take the blame, yelled, “Hey! What does this have to do with me? Focus on yourselves! Respect the rules of the streets!”
Shao Zhixin, feeling the weight of the situation, shrank back towards the window, trying to keep a low profile.
Wang Yifei, unwilling to make any moves either, shifted his gaze towards Shao Zhixin, his brows furrowed in worry, yet his eyes sparkled with a hint of schadenfreude as he watched the scene unfold.
When the police car returned to the station, Brother Huang had already started eating.
Xu Yu noticed that the takeout bag looked a bit too fancy to be Brother Huang’s doing. He was known for ordering cheap fried noodles from the shop across the street. A little splurge for him meant adding a chicken leg, not ordering cake, bubble tea, fried chicken, and sushi.
Brother Huang, holding a takeout box, stood at the stairwell and gestured to Xu Yu. “Your brother-in-law bought it. Go grab some yourself.”
Xu Yu did an about-face, walking briskly to the break room. Grabbing a cup of bubble tea, she greeted Zhou Tuoxing with a cheerful “Thanks, brother-in-law!”
The others followed in line.
Wang Yifei, not entirely sure what was happening but hungry nonetheless, tagged along behind Shao Zhixin to get some food. After picking out his share, he followed the crowd and echoed, “Thanks, brother-in-law.”
The man behind the screen looked up, giving him a cold smile, and only then did Wang Yifei realize—“Big brother!”
Zhou Tuoxing grabbed his wrist, half laughing, half furious. “Wang Yifei! You’ve really outdone yourself this time.”
Jiang Zhaolin had already rushed downstairs to find Tao Siyue.
He Chuan Zhou occasionally glanced at the stairwell, and soon enough, Wang Gaozhan arrived.
He had rushed up the stairs too quickly, his legs unsteady, and nearly tripped when he saw Wang Yifei from a distance. He grabbed the railing to steady himself.
Wang Yifei took two steps forward, standing a little higher on the stairs to look down. In the short time since they’d last met, Wang Gaozhan had aged considerably, his hair now mostly white, and his gait shaky beyond his years.
In the blink of an eye, Wang Gaozhan reached him. He raised his hand high but hesitated before it could fall. The mix of anger and worry on his face shifted several times before he clenched his teeth and gently placed his hand on Wang Yifei’s face, tracing his eyebrows and eyes, then pulling him into a tight embrace.
Wang Yifei couldn’t hold back anymore. All his plans to argue or defend himself evaporated, and he sobbed, “Dad… I’m sorry…”
Wang Gaozhan’s arms tightened. Though he wasn’t as tall as Wang Yifei anymore, his embrace felt broad enough to hold him completely. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but all that came out were a few uneven breaths. Still, Wang Yifei understood everything.
He Chuan Zhou watched the emotional reunion between father and son for a moment before turning away. She tugged on Zhou Tuoxing’s sleeve and said, “You should head back and rest. It’s all settled here.”
Zhou Tuoxing looked incredulous. “You’re dismissing me just like that?”
“Mister Zhou, you’re practically winning over my whole team here,” He Chuan Zhou laughed. “If you stay, you’ll only encourage their mischief. Look at them, all winking and grinning like it’s a comedy show.”
Xu Yu wiped her mouth and brazenly called out, “Brother-in-law, put in a good word for us!”
The group chimed in, “Yeah, brother-in-law, we’ve helped you out before!”
“Brother-in-law! Look at He Chuan Zhou, what’s wrong with us treating you like family?”
Zhou Tuoxing fell silent, glancing around at the group.
Their words sounded sweet, but Zhou Tuoxing wasn’t so easily swayed. He ignored them and, refusing to leave, calmly tapped away on his laptop, continuing to revise his paper.
His unwavering attitude left Xu Yu unsure of his standing in the family hierarchy.
Brother Huang, having finished his food, waited until Wang Yifei and Tao Siyue had both calmed down before arranging for them to be taken to separate rooms for questioning.
Meanwhile, Director Feng eagerly had an announcement posted, notifying the public that both individuals had been safely found.
The story progresses calmly as the primary challenge remains the inability to initiate a formal investigation into Shen Wenzheng. Despite the mounting public pressure, the police seem helpless without solid evidence.
Unexpectedly, Shen Wenzheng decides to sue Tao Siyue for defamation, with his lawyer presenting a letter to negotiate. In response, Tao Ruiming, Tao Siyue’s brother, rushes from the countryside and hires a lawyer. The tension between the two sides almost leads to a physical altercation at the police station during mediation.
Surprisingly, there are fewer complaints against Shen Wenzheng than anticipated. In the span of three days, only a few reports emerge. One woman in E City, who worked as Shen Wenzheng's secretary for three months, comes forward with intimate photos proving a relationship but fails to confirm whether it was consensual or coerced. Another woman in C City reports some unverified accusations after a business interaction with Shen, though investigations suggest these claims might be false.
In A City, only four complaints are filed, two with the South District Bureau, but they don't hold up under scrutiny. One woman’s testimony falls apart with minimal questioning, and another, though more confident, has her story debunked by travel records proving Shen Wenzheng had no time to commit the crime.
Shen Wenzheng’s meticulousness, though despicable, ensures little evidence is left behind, frustrating the police. Officer Huang is particularly vexed by the lack of progress in what he calls "the billion-dollar case," losing sleep over the futile efforts to gather evidence.
The most promising lead comes from the former secretary, but her relationship with Shen ended in 2014, leaving a large gap of time that doesn’t make sense to Brother Huang. He laments the idea that Shen Wenzheng might have "kept clean" over the last five years, which he finds hard to believe.
Xu Yu jokes about Shen Wenzheng’s long-term affair, but Huang reminds her not to let her worldview become skewed. They discuss how Shen Wenzheng, despite his success, likely derives a perverse sense of power from controlling others, akin to the manipulative behaviors of Tao Xianyong and Han Songshan. This lust for dominance may drive men like Shen to skirt the law for the thrill of it.
Huang agrees, predicting that without any serious consequences, Shen Wenzheng will continue down this path. Xu Yu, however, despairs over the lack of new victims coming forward, despite the billion-yuan reward. It's unclear if it's due to insufficient evidence or Shen’s careful cover-ups.
Refusing to give up, Shao Zhixin tries to rally his team’s spirits by insisting they trust in "the power of one billion yuan."
Just then, He Chuan Zhou receives a call from a colleague who awkwardly informs her, “Captain He, there’s someone outside. You might want to come down and take a look.”