Chapter 247

Qinghu Guesthouse, a temporary office.

Lin Dongfan and Jian Sining were interrogating Zhao Lianyue in the interrogation room; just now, Municipal Party Committee Secretary-General Jiang Hualiang called, and Lin Dongfan indeed intended to hang up.

Just after driving away Chang Ming, another Jiang Hualiang appears.

As expected, it's just Gao Peng refusing to give up his thief's heart, wanting to interfere with the interrogation. I'm now an imperial envoy—do you lot think you can push me around? What a joke.

After we finish interrogating Zhao Lianyue, let's see how much longer you lot can keep jumping!

Lin Dongfan stared at Zhao Lianyue sitting opposite: "Don't test my patience; I'll ask you one last time—will you confess yourself, or shall I dig out the truth bit by bit?"

"I haven't taken a bribe, I'm not corrupt—there's nothing to confess."

The interrogation had already gone on for several minutes, and Lin Dongfan had produced no concrete evidence nor pressed further about the key, which gave Zhao Lianyue a glimmer of hopeful thinking.

Zhao Lianyue added: "You don't even have an arrest warrant—this clearly shows you have zero evidence of my corruption! Hauling me in here is pure abuse of power!"

"Your mouth is still tough." Lin Dongfan asked sternly: "You've been married to your wife for 21 years, and she's never worked, staying home to tend the household—is that right?"

"My wife and I get along fine; I dote on her—what's wrong with her not working? Which law does that violate?" Zhao Lianyue retorted righteously.

He didn't realize at all that this was just the beginning of the routine.

Lin Dongfan nodded affirmatively: "No law broken—I just want to confirm one thing: over these 21 years of marriage, have you been supporting your wife and kids solely by your own efforts?"

"So what? If I, Zhao Lianyue, can't even support my wife and kids, am I still a person?" Zhao Lianyue still didn't realize this was a ploy; instead, he felt a hint of superiority.

So…

Running into such a dimwit opponent—can he be hard to handle? You can't possibly not win.

Lin Dongfan suppressed the urge to laugh.

He quickly fired off a soul‑searching question:

"According to our investigation, in 2000 you replaced eight 24K pure‑gold molars; each gold tooth costs 15,000, for a total of 120,000."

"In 2008 you went to South Korea for a hair‑transplant procedure; each follicle costs 800, you implanted 3,000 follicles, for a total of up to 2,400,000."

"At the same time, you own a Passat worth 160,000."

"And a commercial apartment worth 1,200,000."

"Plus your son, who went abroad for study right after high school; his annual expenses are about 250,000, and this being his fourth year adds another 1,000,000."

"Just these five items alone sum to 4,880,000."

"Add the several tens of thousands in your personal bank account, and the total exceeds 5,000,000! Where did all this money come from?"

Zhao Lianyue: "……!!!"

By the time he heard halfway through, Zhao Lianyue was already sitting on pins and needles; when he heard Lin Dongfan's final total exceed five million, he grew so nervous his back broke out in a cold sweat.

Five million!

If we put it in Lin Dongfan's words, this is the crime of "unexplained huge wealth"—enough to earn a life sentence.

Jian Sining suddenly added: "Zhao Lianyue, still refusing to cooperate? Lin's bureau merely listed your major expenses; your family's daily living costs aren't even included. Do you realize that, from the day you started work to now, even if you ate and drank nothing, you couldn't afford those 3,000 follicles on your head?"

"You've got it wrong." Zhao Lianyue, steeling himself, protested: "All my income is legal; if you think I'm corrupt, produce the evidence."

Jian Sining snapped: "You really won't cry until you see the coffin! Your wife, Bai Yulian, is a well‑known dog lover in Nanzhou, right? Your golden retriever's collar is pure gold! You've snatched the people's hard‑earned money to deck out a dog in gold and silver—do you still have any humanity?"

Hearing that, Zhao Lianyue lowered his head, unmoved, and stayed silent.

Lin Dongfan added: "Zhao Lianyue, you're still hoping to get lucky; if you can't explain the source of this wealth, these major‑expense lists constitute evidence of your corruption and bribery."

"My wife earned the money." Zhao Lianyue said.

Lin Dongfan asked with a smile: "Just now you said your wife hasn't worked at all since you married, didn't you?"

"She hasn't worked, but that doesn't mean she hasn't made money." Zhao Lianyue defended himself righteously.

Lin Dongfan pressed: "Then tell me, how did your wife earn all that money? I'm all ears."

Zhao Lianyue lowered his head and pondered for a moment.

He suddenly lifted his head, his eyes full of hatred.

He even blinked, then stared straight at the step‑by‑step pressing Lin Dongfan and said: "My wife made the money selling meat—200 each time. Are you satisfied now?!"

Jian Sining: "……!!!"

Lin Dongfan: "……!!!"

I'm speechless—I don't know whether the dog‑loving Bai Yulian, upon hearing this, would slip the gold collar onto Zhao Lianyue's neck.

So far.

Director Zhao is basically the most badass creature in the corruption world—at crucial moments he can yield, stand firm, and even sell his wife.

I wonder if he's considered that, at 200 per session, his wife would need to do it 25,000 times to earn five million.

Ten years is only 3,650 days.

Minus the aunt's period.

How many times would she have to do it in a day to make five million? What insane work capacity.

Lin Dongfan wiped a sweat: "Whether I'm satisfied doesn't matter; what matters is that you provide evidence—who are your wife's clients? Please list them, along with proof of payment."

"Who ever sees a meat‑seller doing business only with acquaintances? No list!" Zhao Lianyue's neck flushed red: "There's no proof of payment either! It's all cash, no receipts!"

Jian Sining's face darkened with anger: "What are you shouting for? You'll be accountable for what you say! I'll soon summon your wife Bai Yulian—I'll see how long you can keep your stiff lip, you shameless wretch!"

"What gives you the right to insult me?"

Zhao Lianyue's eyes bulged like bronze bells as he glared at Jian Sining: "You think you're something special? Your two little steamed buns—no one would pay 200 for them; at best you'd hawk them on the street for thirty."

"Slap!!!"

Jian Sining slammed the table and rose to her feet in anger.

That surging killing intent was like a young tigress whose tail had been stepped on—she uttered no word, yet invisibly exuded the aura of a tiger's roar shaking the mountains and forests.

Lin Dongfan hastily pulled her back into her chair: "Stay calm, you're a classic Jiangnan beauty—delicate and lovely, not nearly as embarrassing as he made it out to be…"

"Senior brother, you!"

Upon hearing the four words "delicate and exquisite", Jian Sining broke down, tears welling up.

Lin Dongfan hurriedly explained: "What I mean is, I don't mean that, I do mean that—do you get what I'm saying? Stay calm, sit still and don't move."

"You're really something!" Zhao Lianyue glanced at Lin Dongfan, then at the still‑angry Jian Sining, and couldn't help snicker: "What he means is, xiaolongbao really has no market, it's worthless."

"Bullshit, just because you don't like xiaolongbao doesn't mean nobody else does."

As he spoke, Lin Dongfan sneakily glanced at Jian Sining; seeing her clench her teeth in fury, he felt a pang of guilt—he had indeed hurt his junior sister's heart.

In a panic.

Lin Dongfan slammed his palm on the table, turned the conversation and pointed directly at Zhao Lianyue: "Zhao Lianyue! I'm asking you one last time—will you hand over the explanation?"