Chapter 521

In our country's traditional festivals, the seventh day of the first lunar month is Renri, originating from the legend of Nüwa creating humans, and it is humanity's birthday.

According to the local custom of Yue Prefecture City, Baoyue Province.

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, people usually eat jiandi congee, wishing for good fortune and steady promotion.

Wei Shouqin, who is in the officialdom, especially values the omen of 'step-by-step promotion'; in previous years he would always go home with a full stomach, and Zhang Lan would also early on help him prepare the jiandi congee.

This year I don't have that luck; not being chopped by Zhang Lan with a knife is already fortunate.

The matter of the illegitimate child had been concealed for 23 years, but eventually it reached Zhang Lan's ears; I don't know which damned gossipmonger started it.

"Damn it!"

"The marriage cannot be divorced."

"Right now we're being watched by the anti-corruption bureau, with a heap of trouble not yet cleared up; if we cause a divorce with Zhang Lan at this critical juncture, the matter of keeping a mistress would truly be impossible to hide."

"The marriage cannot be divorced, not even if beaten to death."

"Even if it's just an act, we must put on a show of a loving couple; Zhang Lan only wants the family property, which is far better than a disastrous fight that would cost me my life……"

It was past nine in the evening.

Wei Shouqin walked into a local congee shop, muttering with his head down all the way.

Today I've been angered to my fill, not hungry at all, but Wei Shouqin still ordered two bowls of jiandi congee from the boss, one bowl to suppress the bad luck of officialdom, another to suppress the bad luck at home.

Looks like heaven is thwarting human wishes.

Having eaten only half the congee, Lin Dongfan and Jian Sining of the anti-corruption bureau entered the shop, followed by two smartly dressed prosecutors.

Upon looking up and seeing these people, Wei Shouqin's heart jolted, and the congee he had just scooped into his mouth almost spurted out.

Wei Shouqin quickly grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth.

He pretended to be calm.

He proactively greeted Lin Dongfan: "Director Lin, we really have fate; we ran into each other in Jingcheng last time, and again here today."

"Have you eaten? I have something to discuss with you; please come out for a moment."

There were many diners in the shop; Lin Dongfan still gave Wei Shouqin some face, not producing handcuffs or an arrest warrant, and offered a polite smile.

Wei Shouqin was obviously overconfident and remained seated.

He leisurely scooped a spoonful of jiandi congee into his mouth, and while eating said: "Director Lin, if you came to spoil my fun, you really are a buzzkill."

"Section Chief Wei, I really have something to discuss with you today; please move a bit." Lin Dongfan politely gestured for him to move along.

Wei Shouqin didn't even glance at Lin Dongfan again: "Hasn't anyone told you? I don't like being disturbed while eating jiandi congee." He then scooped another spoonful into his mouth.

Such composure—truly calm and self-possessed.

Lin Dongfan helplessly waved his hand; the two prosecutors behind him immediately stepped forward, grabbed Wei Shouqin's left and right arms, and forcibly lifted him from the chair.

This scene attracted the attention of many nearby diners.

Humiliated, Wei Shouqin angrily shook his arms: "What are you doing? No manners at all! I'm not yet old enough to need someone to support me."

He shook his arms a few times, but couldn't shake off the prosecutors beside him.

Lin Dongfan gave a faint smile: "Section Chief Wei, if someone is willing to support you, just enjoy it secretly." He turned and walked away, the two prosecutors escorting Wei Shouqin along.

Until they had shoved Wei Shouqin into the vehicle and shut the door.

Only then did Lin Dongfan open the sunroof and speak plainly: "Section Chief Wei, we asked you to cooperate with the investigation; you should know in your heart what exactly we are investigating. Who are you putting on this calm act for?"

"Who says I don't know? I'm not as smart as you imagine; I don't understand what you're saying!" Wei Shouqin still maintained an indignant posture.

Lin Dongfan laughed: "Many corrupt officials are like you at first—arrogant and unyielding—but in the end they all cringe like a grandson, either with weak legs or tears and snot streaming together."

"Who are you calling a corrupt official? Watch your words!" Wei Shouqin emphasized solemnly: "I, Wei Shouqin, rose from a surgeon to this position through twenty-some years of diligent work. If I were a corrupt official, would I go eat congee at that street-side stall? There's no logic to that."

"Last time you went to the Rui Bao Ge auction, that's a place where money is thrown around like dirt—how do you explain that?" Lin Dongfan asked with a calm smile.

Wei Shouqin replied dismissively: "You went too? That day I went there at a friend's request, hoping to pull Liu Qingmei back to the psychiatric hospital, but it didn't work out. You, Director Lin, are different—a watch worth less than two hundred yuan actually fetched a sky-high price of 250 million. In money-making, I have to learn from you."

Saying that, his smile carried a hint of sarcasm.

Lin Dongfan smiled: "If you think I have bribery suspicions, I welcome you to report me. Now I want to tell you: you are under arrest."

As the arrest warrant was produced, Wei Shouqin's face changed abruptly, and he could barely hold himself together.

He angrily asked Lin Dongfan: "What is the reason for detaining me?"

"Liu Qingmei confessed that the one hundred million yuan she used to purchase the Sea‑Blue Chain came from you……"

Lin Dongfan hadn't finished speaking.

Wei Shouqin, face flushed with rage, bellowed: "She's talking nonsense! I say, can your anti-corruption bureau do any proper investigation? She's a lunatic who escaped from a psychiatric hospital—can her words be trusted? Absurd!"

Old Wei this time was truly furious, spittle spraying onto Lin Dongfan's face.

Jian Sining, sitting in the passenger seat, could no longer hold back and retorted: "Wei Shouqin, your little tricks only fool yourself; do you think we're idiots?"

"Whether you're idiots I don't know, but Liu Qingmei really is a patient suffering from severe schizophrenia."

Seeing Lin Dongfan smile without speaking, Jian Sining also wore a look of contempt.

Both of them didn't believe it.

Wei Shouqin added: "If you don't believe me, you can go to the hospital and check—his medical records, repeatedly examined over several visits, are on file and can be verified."

"Hmm, we should indeed check it out thoroughly."

Having said that, Lin Dongfan ordered the driver to start the car, but instead of going to the Third People's Hospital to check Liu Qingmei's medical records, he headed for Wei Shouqin's grand villa to search for evidence of illicit gains.

At first, Wei Shouqin didn't realize anything was wrong.

Only when the vehicle turned left at the upcoming intersection did he sense something amiss, and he asked in surprise: "Did you take a wrong turn? To get to the Third People's Hospital you should turn right."

"We didn't take a wrong turn." Lin Dongfan replied with a calm smile.

Wei Shouqin immediately panicked—this wasn't the way to the Third People's Hospital; it was the route to his grand villa where he meets his mistresses!

He hastily pulled out his phone: "I need to make a call……"

This call was not meant for his wife Zhang Lan, but for Wang Daochen's secretary Wu Changsheng; Lin Dongfan obviously would not give him that chance.

The phone hadn't been hung up yet, and Lin Dongfan had already snatched it away.

Lin Dongfan said: "Director Wei, don't make a fool of yourself; you are, after all, a full bureau-chief level official. If you don't even have the awareness to cooperate with our investigation, I can only handcuff you."

……!!!

An unprecedented sense of crisis, like an inescapable gloom, enveloped Wei Shouqin, leaving him flustered and at a loss.

I don't know whether that move my father taught me on his deathbed can turn the tide!