Chapter 35

Lin Dongfan

Lin Dongfan wore a pair of sunglasses, his right hand pinching a cigarette, his left hand holding a yellow leather briefcase, walking with steady official steps into the project team's temporary office—the Qing Lake Guesthouse.

Section Chief

Leng Chuan

The front desk young lady held breakfast, hurrying to the elevator doorway.

Lin Dongfan lowered his sunglasses for a closer look; the girl was quite cute, the breakfast she held was also okay—soy milk and xiaolongbao, cheap and nutritious.

Jian Sining

Lin Dongfan suspected the girl might have mistaken the person.

The front desk young lady reported understandingly: "This was bought for you by Miss Jian; she was originally waiting for you here, but someone called her just now, so she went upstairs first."

"I've already had breakfast, you keep it for yourself," the junior sister said so thoughtfully that Lin Dongfan really felt a bit reluctant to hurt her feelings, and quickly added: "Don't tell Jian Si-ning."

Lao He

The atmosphere in the temporary meeting room was relaxed; Zhang Xiaoguang was reporting to Leng Chuan and He Yanqing the placement situation of that batch of gold bars, temporarily deposited in the bank.

Investigation Team Captain

Lin Dongfan took off his sunglasses and, upon entering, asked: "How did Cheng Dao's instructions turn out yesterday? Can we take action against Dai Fengnian today?"

Clear Lake Guest House

Leng Chuan lifted his tea, took a sip, and slowly replied: "He said Dai Fengnian is greedier than he is, but he can't say who gave Dai Fengnian money; saying it is equivalent to saying nothing."

Danfeng Ridge

He Yanqing laughed and said: "It was he himself who voluntarily reported Dai Fengnian; what's there not to dare say? I think he really doesn't know."

"Now Jian Sining and Tang Xia are interrogating; don't rush, first sit down and have a cup of morning tea."

Leng Chuan drank his tea unhurriedly, and this wait lasted over two hours.

Approaching eleven o'clock.

Jian Sining came in excitedly to report:

"Good news, Cheng Dao has confessed. Dai Fengnian kept a mistress in Villa No. 7 at Vermilion Maple Ridge and has a four-year-old love child. Moreover, five years ago he was suspected of raping an underage girl."

Saying this, Jian Sining distributed the freshly photocopied materials to everyone.

This material includes Cheng Dao's confession and the bank transaction list just retrieved, namely the transfer records of Dai Fengnian to Yao Meina.

After reading the material, Zhang Xiaoguang, just like Cheng Dao's reaction last night, blurted out: "Beast! He doesn't even spare underage girls—doesn't he have a daughter?!"

Comrades still have a strong protective instinct toward the nation's blossoms.

Yet one person fell into a state of confusion.

This person is He Yanqing.

He Yanqing stared at the material in his hand, over and over; his expression was calm, but inside he was full of doubts, already sensing a strong whiff of nonsense.

And it's not just ordinary nonsense!

In either 2001 or 2002, the state-owned enterprise Nantou Real Estate was rife with corruption; shortly after Dai Fengnian was transferred to Nantou as a leader, an accident occurred—while inspecting the construction site, he was injured by the sudden collapse of a shoddy tofu-dregs project.

Back then, He Yanqing had been in charge of external investigation and covert visits, and thus learned some unknown matters.

He clearly remembered that Dai Fengnian suffered severe injuries in that accident, lying in the hospital for three months, and also retained an unknown secret.

After the injury, Dai Fengnian became a eunuch who had to squat to urinate!

How could a eunuch rape a blossom‑age girl?

How could a eunuch father a love child?

Did he dig out a son with his hands?

Really fucking absurd!

Such a bizarre plot, not even dared in sci‑fi novels, actually appeared openly in the interrogation records of the 9·28 Task Force, giving the illusion that Dai Fengnian could be arrested at any moment.

What does this mean?

Behind the illusion lies a real pitfall!

Yao Meina could absolutely not be Dai Fengnian's mistress, and that child could not be his offspring! Acting on this material to arrest Dai Fengnian would be tantamount to digging into a dead‑end alley.

This is a knife that kills without seeing blood!

After silently analyzing to this point, He Yanqing's heart sank like iron; he glanced at the seemingly excited Lin Dongfan, then at Leng Chuan still reading the materials, and then chose silence.

"Director Leng, the bank's transaction list matches Cheng Dao's confession; should we now take action?"

Leng Chuan did not directly answer this question.

He turned his gaze to the silent He Yanqing: "Old He, what's your opinion?"

"On the surface, Dai Fengnian indeed has serious problems."

He Yanqing only said that Dai Fengnian had surface problems, without taking a direct stance.

This is a very serious matter.

If he expressed that action could be taken, and later something went wrong, he would have to bear responsibility; if he said no action should be taken, then this bloodless knife would swing at nothing.

Old He neither wants to bear responsibility nor wants the knife to swing at nothing.

He wants to go with the flow.

Borrow a knife to kill.

Thus he turned his gaze to Lin Dongfan, decisively goading him: "Dongfan, when you arrested Cheng Dao before you were swift and decisive; why are you hesitant today, didn't you sleep well last night?"

"I'm afraid of being too rash; if I do, you'll criticize me later."

Lin Dongfan smiled with a hidden barb, directly leaving He Yanqing unable to retort, swallowing his anger with a smile, speechless.

Leng Chuan gave meaningful support to Lin Dongfan: "As the investigation team captain, you should know when to act and when not to; you ought to have your own judgment."

As soon as those words were spoken, He Yanqing's face obviously showed some embarrassment.

I'm thinking, Leng Ju, Leng Ju, Lin Dongfan, who are you? You're protecting him like this! I, He Yanqing, am after all the deputy leader of the 9·28 Project Team, and you keep undermining me in front of my subordinates! Do you really think I'm just a decoration?

His angry thoughts reached this point.

He Yanqing went along with the idea: "Dongfan, Leng Ju is right. As the Investigation Team Captain, you should have your own judgment. Today this matter will be decided by you; don't let Leng Ju's expectations of you down. Leng Ju has delegated authority to you; this is both a tempering and a test for you."

You want to push me forward? Hehe, you scheming Lao He!

Lin Dongfan saw through but didn't expose it, replying with a smile: "Since the two leaders have such confidence in me, I won't stand on ceremony—let's act."

Saying that, Lin Dongfan waved his hand, leading Jian Sining and Zhang Xiaoguang off.

Zhang Xiaoguang asked: "Shouldn't we call Tang Xia up?"

"Great hero, we're setting off!"

Jian Sining directly shouted in the hallway.

"Received!"

As soon as the words fell, Tang Xia flashed out of the temporary interrogation room like lightning—don't mistake his enthusiasm for work; he wasn't summoned by work, but by the goddess in his heart.

"Good-for-nothing."

Lin Dongfan laughed and scolded, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he entered the elevator marked with a no-smoking sign.

He Yanqing stood by the window, looking down on every move downstairs.

Seeing Lin Dongfan and the others walk out of the hotel door and get into the car, He Yanqing's mouth also curled into a smile, as if the doomed fish had finally taken the bait—how gratifying.