Chapter 542: You have to release them when told! Not satisfied?

January 10th, 3 p. m.

The Yue Prefecture City Procuratorate issued an official bulletin, which was like a depth charge, instantly causing an uproar throughout the city and even the whole province.

The bulletin's main points are just two:

One, after re-examination, the Huang Xiuju case is found to have unclear facts and insufficient evidence. It is now decided to revoke the arrest decision, immediately release her, and sincerely apologize to the parties involved.

Two, we will actively assist Huang Xiuju in applying for state compensation, and conduct serious accountability for the relevant handling personnel.

At the end of the bulletin, it especially emphasized: "Through this self-examination and self-correction action, we will continue to deepen the education and rectification of the political and legal forces, firmly upholding judicial fairness and social justice!"

Whether this announcement has preserved the image of fairness of the Yue Prefecture political and legal system is another matter, but it is certain that the prosecutors general of Yue Prefecture City and Hundred Yue Province have both admitted defeat.

That slap went pa-pa loud!

"Holy shit! They really released him? That Lin Dongfan from the Anti-Corruption Bureau is awesome! He gave them three days to release the person, and the procuratorate had to release them in three days."

"I'm moved, brothers. Fan Ge really is backing the disadvantaged."

"What Fan Ge? Call him Fan Ye!"

"Fan Ye is imposing!"

"Come to think of it, is this also called self-examination and self-correction? The brother who wrote the announcement really racked his brains over the wording; I give this whitewashing operation full marks!"

"Cough cough! Don't talk nonsense."

"What I mean is, this wording is indeed effective, perfectly saving the image of fairness of the Yue Prefecture City political and legal system! The worst is Fan Ye, who is simply a lawless tyrant who thinks he's above everyone! How dare he talk back to his superiors? How dare he force people to perform surgery on themselves? Fan Ye must be punished with a smooth rise to prominence! May his fame last forever!"

"If Fan Ye isn't here, what's the point of sucking up to him?"

"These are heartfelt words, with not a bit of flattery. Don't believe me? Smell how I speak—I brushed my teeth with a chive pastry this morning."

"Get lost~~"

……

In the office of the Hundred Yue Province Anti-Corruption Bureau, a bunch of old-timers gathered, chatting enthusiastically, having tossed the heavy investigative work to the back of their minds.

Provincial Committee Reception Center.

Upon receiving the news, Peng Tianhua was excited like a two-hundred-pound child, shouting all the way as he rushed into Lin Dongfan's room: "Fan Ye! Fan Ye! Released! Huang Xiuju is released!"

Lin Dongfan was sitting on the sofa, holding his right foot to trim his toenails.

He didn't even lift his eyelids.

He lazily replied, "What's the fuss? Just basic procedure. Sit down, stay calm, don't act like a country bumpkin who's never seen the world."

"How can you not be excited?!"

Peng Tianhua plopped down, excitedly scrolling his phone screen: "Look at the work group's comments, 'Fan Ye goes out, not a blade of grass grows!' And this one, 'Suggest directly parachuting into the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, to cure all kinds of dissent!' I'm not saying this, but your act of showing off is a bit over the top, your idol index is blowing up."

"Senior Brother."

Jian Sining also walked in smiling, holding a freshly printed bulletin: "The provincial and municipal procuratorates' response speed this time is pretty fast; it seems Inspector Chen can't withstand your pressure."

"You'll die if you keep a low profile? Don't talk nonsense."

Lin Dongfan continued to lower his head to trim his toenails, not knowing if he had previously dug into it, feeling that the paronychia was a bit serious and urgently needing iodine disinfection.

He put down the pointed-tip scissors.

Lin Dongfan then took a cotton swab from the cotton swab package, soaked it in iodine, and slowly applied it to the painful nail groove.

Think about it carefully.

It was still happier when I worked in Nanzhou before.

Back then everyone was young and bold, often being dragged by Yang Qing for a full spa service; soaking feet and getting a pedicure were routine, and the nail groove was healthy back then.

Lin Dongfan lifted his head and glanced at Peng Tianhua.

He questioned, "Old Peng, is that foot-soak powder you sent me last time fake? It has no effect at all, and the old calluses on the soles of my feet just won't soak off."

"Boss, that's not an old callus, it's a plantar wart." Peng Tianhua stared at the several round, raised hard calluses on Lin Dongfan's soles.

Jian Sining glanced at it, frowned suspiciously, and said, "Is this a corn?"

"No, my aunt's foot once had a genuine corn, I've seen it, it's not like this." Lin Dongfan extended his sole toward Jian Sining: "Come, take a photo. When you go to interrogate Wei Shouqin later, show it to him and ask what's going on. If he can cure it, I'll give him an extra drumstick at night."

"Oh."

Jian Sining pulled out her phone and took two photos with a click-click.

Lin Dongfan put on his socks and shoes, got up and stretched his limbs: "Old Peng, come with me to pick up Huang Xiuju. She has nowhere to go after her release, we need to make proper arrangements."

Peng Tianhua said, "Once we obtain the medical compensation and state compensation, her livelihood for the second half of her life will be secured; you don't need to worry about this for her."

"Haven't we not gotten it yet?" Lin Dongfan gave a white-eyed stare.

Peng Tianhua wore a gloomy expression: "I mean you won't need to worry about it in the future, not that you don't need to now. Let's go, I'll go with you. First we'll pick her up and let her stay temporarily at the Provincial Committee Reception Center, which also facilitates our investigation of the case."

From the Provincial Committee Executive Office to the Women's Detention Center, the distance is still quite far.

We drove for half an hour.

When Lin Dongfan and Peng Tianhua arrived at the detention center, its entrance was already packed with media reporters, as well as personnel from the Yue Prefecture City Procuratorate and the Faction.

The person leading them was Qiao Lianzhou.

His subordinates were begging various reporters to cover more positive deeds—self-examination and self-correction! It seems they want to turn the tide, molding 'mistakes' into 'achievements'.

When Huang Xiuju walked out of the detention center's gate.

The various reporters immediately raised their cameras and camcorders, aiming their lenses at the haggard-looking Huang Xiuju.

A female reporter from the Yue Prefecture Official Media.

She extended the microphone to Huang Xiuju: "Ms. Huang, since your case has doubts, the Yue Prefecture City Procuratorate has urgently launched the self-examination and self-correction procedure. Under the personal supervision of Prosecutor General Qiao Lianzhou, they completed the case re-examination in just three days. Now that you've regained your freedom, do you have anything you'd like to say?"

Another female reporter followed up: "Who do you most want to thank right now?"

This series of questions left Huang Xiuju at a loss, completely unsure how to answer, but she soon saw Lin Dongfan pushing the door open and getting out of the car.

At this moment.

The at-a-loss Huang Xiuju, this woman who has weathered many storms, seemed to have found her backbone, tears instantly bursting forth as she wiped them away with a smile.

She steadied herself.

Facing the microphone extended by reporters, she poured out her heart: "I want to thank Director Lin of the Anti-Corruption Bureau; if it weren't for his concern, I definitely wouldn't be out now."

Her words had just fallen.

Qiao Lianzhou beside her turned pale, his expression somewhat embarrassed—damn it! I invited all these media reporters for publicity, and it ended up erecting a merit monument for Lin Dongfan?

Everyone turned their gaze toward Lin Dongfan in unison.

Including Qiao Lianzhou, their gazes also shifted to Lin Dongfan—when enemies meet, they must put two drops of eye lubricant in their eyes to avoid redness.

Ah……wrong!

Glycerin suppositories treat constipation; eyes aren't buttholes.

Lin Dongfan chuckled and asked everyone: "Why are you all staring at me? Although I'm quite handsome, I'm not so stunning as to shock heaven and earth and make ghosts weep."

The surrounding reporters frantically clicked their shutters, capturing this extremely impactful narcissistic scene.

Lin Dongfan posed like a male model.

On the spot he struck a wildly flirtatious pose: "Go ahead and shoot; I've already thought up tomorrow's headline for you—'Between shamelessness and self‑adoration, the Anti‑Corruption Bureau chief chose to strike a pose!'"

"Director Lin, you're quite suave!"

Qiao Lianzhou wore a smile that didn't reach his eyes; anyone could sense the sarcastic tone in his words.

As long as Grandpa isn't human!

Grandpa is a god!

So…

Grandpa feels nothing of that sarcastic tone; even if the sky fell, it wouldn't stop him from pulling out his Huazi cigarette and lighting up leisurely.

Then he slowly exhaled, and "by accident" blew the smoke onto Qiao Lianzhou's face.

Qiao Lianzhou never smokes!

He quickly waved his hand to dispel the irritating secondhand smoke, his face turning livid with anger: "Director Lin, with all these media reporters present, couldn't you pay a little attention to your own demeanor?"

"What is demeanor?"

In the midst of banter, Lin Dongfan bluntly retorted: "A hypocrite who deceives the world and steals fame—what right do you have to utter the words 'demeanor' in my presence?"