"Uncle Ping An, did you know from the beginning that I was adopted?"
"Su Tang, did you know too?"
"Until when were you going to keep this from me?"
"The drone that attacked me? So it was here to warn me! To protect me! Right?"
"None of you are good people, I hate you!"
"Su Tang! I hate you!"
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...
At four in the morning, three black Mercedes arrived in convoy. An old butler at the front held a phone for Jiao Zi to answer.
Ping An, Su Tang, Gao Xiaofei, and others watched as Jiao Zi finished her call and left without looking back.
"Mr. Ping An? Hello, I am Secretary Liao. He thanks you for taking care of Miss Jiao Zi during this period. He asked me to tell you that he has always known Jiao Zi was adopted, but he has always regarded Miss Jiao Zi as his own. In fact, Miss Jiao Zi is the orphan of Mr. Liao's former partner. Mr. Liao personally brought her back and entrusted her to Miss and Master for foster care. Now, Mr. Liao is unwell and wishes to return the inheritance from his former partner, who is Jiao Zi's biological parent. As you may have noticed, Mr. Liao has made a public announcement and gifted some of his shares to Miss Jiao Zi... The butler said politely, "Mr. Liao will handle the rest of the matters and will protect Miss. You have seen the troubles within the family, and I apologize for the spectacle. Please accept this compensation!"
A check for 200,000 yuan landed coldly in Ping An's hand.
No one expected such an outcome.
Watching Jiao Zi leave without a backward glance, Su Tang's eyes were filled with tears.
A month ago, she had only considered her a classmate who gave her business.
In the past month, she had become her most important sister.
Seeing the butler about to leave, Ping An suddenly called out to him.
"May I be so bold as to ask about the arrangement of the drones today?" Ping An asked solemnly.
"It has nothing to do with us. In fact, Mr. Liao did not wish for Miss Jiao Zi to know her background," the butler said with a smile.
"Oh, my apologies! Please take this money back, and please convey my message to Mr. Liao!" Ping An's tone suddenly became serious. "These cases are not over, and I will continue to investigate!"
"Oh! Is that so!" The wrinkles on the butler's forehead twitched involuntarily. Then, maintaining his usual polite demeanor, he smiled at Ping An and left.
The fire in the hearth had completely died out, and the sunshade had been smashed to pieces by the falling drones. No one cared about the drones, especially Gao Xiaofei. He pulled Zhan Dou and hid behind the RV. After giving the latter a thorough beating, the two emerged with smiles, having apparently reached some agreement.
The convoy carrying Jiao Zi had already driven away. Cheng Jian's walkie-talkie crackled with reports of the operation. Three or four elite teams had found no personnel within a five-kilometer radius.
"Return to base!" Cheng Jian grumbled as he headed back.
"Okay!" Zhan Dou left, making promises to Gao Xiaofei.
At the campsite, only Ping An's RV and the sketching minivan remained.
"Miss, are you heading back?" A university student in his early twenties left his minivan and approached Su Tang.
"Oh?" Su Tang replied absently.
"This is a sketch I did in the rain earlier. I saw you and another girl playing in the rain and felt it was so beautiful, so I took the liberty of painting it," the student said with a smile. "We're leaving, so this painting is for you!"
"Thank you!" Su Tang took the painting and looked at it. It depicted two girls in raincoats dancing and playing in the rain. Although the overall tone was dark, it conveyed a sense of joy.
"A good painting!" Ping An quietly approached Su Tang from behind and nodded in appreciation.
"Master!" Su Tang suddenly turned around, gave her master a resentful look, and stormed into the RV.
By this time, the rain in Hushan had finally lessened, and a faint glow could be seen in the east of the night sky.
"It's time to go back!" Ping An sneezed and dived into the RV.
"Heidou, bring that damned drone back! I'm going to skin it alive!" Ping An's fierce voice echoed from inside the RV.
Daybreak arrived. At the Hebian District Public Security Bureau, the officers who had been busy all night yawned, preparing to go home to rest. However, as a report came in, the entire police station became busy again.
"The person who reported the case claims to be the secretary of Mr. Liao, the general manager of the wind power company. The actual reporter is Mr. Liao himself. He is reporting that his biological daughter and son-in-law drugged his granddaughter Jiao Zi with psychotropic drugs in order to seize property, and even planned further harm!" Qiao Yidan, the director of the Hebian District Public Security Bureau, loudly issued instructions to her subordinates, holding a stack of documents.
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Zhan Dou, who had originally agreed to release the news in five days, broke his promise.
Just as the Hebian District Public Security Bureau went into full action, at 9 AM, his new online article was published: "Bravely Fighting the 'Drone,' Senior Police Officer Dies Protecting Billionaire Heiress!"
"The wind heralds a storm! The drones that repeatedly tried to approach Jiao Zi were actually 'life-saving machines' meant to warn her... Behind her little-known background, what else is hidden? Will Jiao Zi, not yet 16, be the next head of the wind power company? What are Jiao Zi's adoptive parents planning?"
Inside the RV, Ping An grabbed Gao Xiaofei by the neck and furiously recited the online article, which had already garnered over "100,000" clicks upon its release.
"That bastard lied to me! He promised me positive publicity, but in the end, apart from the title, I had nothing to do with it!" Gao Xiaofei said aggrievedly.
"Good for you, Zhan Dou! You said five days! It hasn't even been five days, and you've rushed to publish it! Isn't this just adding fuel to the fire!" Ping An ignored Gao Xiaofei and angrily said to Heidou, "Go to the wind power company and find Liao Yuan!"
The wind power company was currently like a scene after an earthquake! General Manager Liao Yuanchao, who had controlled 66% of the company's shares for years, suddenly decided to divide them. This decision undoubtedly threw a bomb into the entire Hechuan business community!
"Let me repeat, it's not for now, but after Jiao Zi comes of age. Until then, that 33% of shares will still be managed by Mr. Liao!" In the conference room of the wind power company, Ma Dazhi, as if injected with chicken blood, excitedly took one call after another.
Just half an hour ago, Liao Yuan was politely escorted to a police car from the company. According to rumors circulating within the company, Yang Jie was also taken away by the police from the laboratory at the same time.
"No handcuffs, huh? Is it not as serious as the rumors say?"
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"Such a melodramatic plot! For shares and property, even if it's an adopted child, they raised her for more than ten years? They'd harm her just like that?"
"Didn't Mr. Liao say that Miss Jiao Zi was originally the heir to that fortune? Mr. Liao's former partner was Jiao Zi's biological parent. In that case, it's a homecoming of sorts. Tsk, Mr. Liao is truly righteous!"
"Are the deaths in the wind power community related to these matters?"
"When you can harm the daughter you watched grow up, let alone those who stand in your way!"
"To think of driving their own daughter insane! That's too chilling!"
Inside the Wind Power Building, Ping An and Su Tang sat in the lobby waiting to see Ma Dazhi.
The employees sitting around them were openly commenting on what had happened to Jiao Zi. As Ping An had said, Zhan Dou's article was like adding fuel to the fire. Now, the entire Hechuan community believed Yang Jie and Liao Yuan to be a pair of heartless couple.
"Teacher Ping An, I'm sorry, too many phone calls, I can't keep up! Vice General Manager Liao has been taken away by the police again, and I..." Ma Dazhi ran over from a distance, shaking Ping An's hand affectionately.
"What? Liao Yuan was taken away?" Ping An asked in surprise. "So quickly!"
"General Manager Liao himself reported it to the police. Alas," Ma Dazhi said with some helplessness.
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"Let's go, Su Tang, to the Hebian Bureau!" Ping An ignored Ma Dazhi and took Su Tang out of the building.
Gao Xiaofei, who had gotten out of the car earlier, learned about the news of Liao Yuan and Yang Jie being taken to the Public Security Bureau half an hour before Ping An. Currently, he was already in the city bureau's multimedia case handling area, accompanying Xiang Wanfeng, waiting to remotely watch the interrogations of Liao Yuan and Yang Jie by the Hebian District Bureau.
"Where's Ping An?" Xiang Wanfeng coughed softly and asked quietly.
"He should be on his way to the wind power company now!" Gao Xiaofei said.
"How did things turn out like this?" Xiang Wanfeng said with some dissatisfaction.
"This really can't be blamed on Ping An. Everything happened too fast. We all thought the drones were there to harm Jiao Zi, but who knew they were there to warn Jiao Zi!" Gao Xiaofei said.
"Regardless of the situation, the person controlling the drones must be found. The case is getting more and more troublesome!" Xiang Wanfeng instructed. "Tell Ping An later to use his methods. I feel that the current situation is not the real situation, and he should continue to dig!"
"Okay, I understand!" Gao Xiaofei said.
On the video, the interrogation of Liao Yuan had begun.
The officer in charge of the interrogation was Yu Shijie, the famous "Old Taro" of Hechuan City.
Looking at Liao Yuan sitting opposite him, who appeared calm and unruffled, Yu Shijie found it hard to imagine how such a capable businesswoman could do something that went against the law.
Yu Shijie had not slept for a day and a night. After discovering a problem with Shui Gang's statement last night, he had worked through the night. Just as he was about to go back to rest this morning, Qiao Yidan kept him there.
"It seems your relationship with your father isn't very good?" Yu Shijie flipped through the documents in his hand, took off his glasses, and teased Liao Yuan.
"I have nothing to say. I don't know why my father reported us for harming Jiao Zi. And those rumors circulating in society are all false. We didn't do anything!" Liao Yuan said firmly.
"How is your relationship with your daughter?" Yu Shijie continued to tease, as if he hadn't heard Liao Yuan.
"Does that matter?" Liao Yuan asked, frowning.
"Yes!" Yu Shijie patted the table, saying, "Even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs. Would you harm your own biological child? I don't believe it!"
"Yes, how could I harm Jiao Zi? I..." Liao Yuan suddenly said emotionally.
"Unless! She's not your biological child!" Yu Shijie said calmly as he watched Liao Yuan become increasingly agitated.
"But I raised her! Call Jiao Zi here, and I'll confront her!" Perhaps it touched a sore spot, Liao Yuan cried out emotionally.
At the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Xiang Wanfeng suddenly greeted an old policeman with white hair sitting to his left.
"Old classmate, don't just watch the fun. Say something!" Xiang Wanfeng said.
"I dare not say anything else, but Liao Yuan's feelings for her daughter are definitely genuine!" The old policeman with white hair took a sip of tea from the cup on the table. "Old Taro is still as effective as ever! He brought out the person's true nature in three sentences!"
"Tsk, let's talk more. For money, could Liao Yuan do such a thing?" Xiang Wanfeng continued to ask.
"Let me see Yang Jie first!" The old policeman with white hair glanced at Xiang Wanfeng and made this request.
"Switch to Yang Jie's scene!" Xiang Wanfeng quickly instructed.
Unlike Liao Yuan's loss of control, Yang Jie had been weeping continuously since the interrogation began. Intermittently, she recounted small details from Jiao Zi's childhood, such as dressing her, doing her hair, and cutting her nails. No matter how the police questioned her, she maintained this attitude.
"She's truly heartbroken!" The old policeman with white hair tugged Xiang Wanfeng's sleeve. "Let's go out for a smoke. I can't bear to watch this."
In the hallway, Xiang Wanfeng lit a cigarette for his old classmate but didn't smoke himself.
"Oh, you've quit smoking after getting married?" the white-haired man teased.
"What? I've been getting angry lately, and my mouth tastes bitter, so I don't want to smoke!" Xiang Wanfeng concealed.
"You called me from the police academy to be your psychology expert. I'll tell you the truth, I can't see anything wrong with this couple. They are like ordinary parents, without excessive pretense. Everything is natural." The old policeman with white hair said.
"That's what I fear the most. If this couple had problems, the case would be easier to solve. Now, it seems we've hit another dead end!" Xiang Wanfeng said.
"What about that scoundrel Ping An? What does he say?" the old policeman with white hair asked.
"I don't know yet. He's probably on his way to the Hebian Bureau!" Xiang Wanfeng said. "Alright, my dear professor, since you've said so much, I have a rough idea. Shall I arrange for you to go back now?"
"Hey, what about the travel expenses we agreed on? Are you being stingy again?" The old policeman with white hair pretended to be angry.
"Oh, the criminal bureau building is about to be constructed, and the bureau is in financial difficulties. I wish I could stop the fuel money for the motorcade and have the young men ride electric bikes to solve cases!" Xiang Wanfeng said with a laugh.
"Nonsense, not even 200 yuan? It's been over ten years, and I haven't raised my price for you. You old stingy fellow, with your wife's billions in wealth, can't you dip into your own pocket for a change?" The old policeman with white hair cursed with a laugh. "Stop the motorcade's fuel! If you don't want to send me, just say so. What, are you planning to send me in an electric car? Pfft, I'm a department-level cadre too, and I have a car. You don't need to send me! Get lost!"
"That would be great. Old man, I'll treat you to lamb soup another day!" Xiang Wanfeng said with a smile.
"Got it. If the lamb soup doesn't have enough of a 'kick,' I won't drink it!" The old policeman with white hair leisurely left the police station, leaning on his cane.
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Xiang Wanfeng's guess was correct. By the time Ping An rushed to the Hebian District Public Security Bureau, the Hebian District police's interrogations of Liao Yuan and Yang Jie had concluded. Currently, the couple was being temporarily detained at the bureau.
"Sister Qiao, let me see Liao Yuan and Yang Jie. I still feel there's something wrong here!" Ping An said in Qiao Yidan's office, using all his might to persuade her.
"You can go back and wait for news, or go investigate the case of the peeping group! The Liao family case is too complicated. At least wait until we complete the procedures," Qiao Yidan said helplessly, looking at Ping An, who was about to kneel. "The whole world is watching this matter now. Even as a consultant, you can't see them! Or, wait 24 hours. If we don't find anything further, we'll release them. You can meet them anytime then, and I won't interfere!"
"No, Sister, I can't eat or sleep if I don't figure this out!" Ping An was close to breaking down.
"No, get up. Hey, hey, you there, Old Taro, quick, take Ping An away and have a chat with him!" Qiao Yidan opened her office door and happened to see Yu Shijie, so she quickly called out to him to take Ping An away.
Most ordinary police officers respected Ping An, but some experienced old-timers viewed him as if he were a pile of excrement. For example, Yu Shijie, after a brief greeting to Qiao Yidan, gave Ping An a kick to the backside.
"Get out, I have something to say to you!" Yu Shijie said.
Ping An knew that these old guys, although not high in rank, were masters of their craft. Ping An had been immersed in the public security system for many years and had interacted with them for more than a decade. He also knew that if he angered these old guys, they would beat him like their own son. So, he didn't dare to retort and patiently followed Yu Shijie out of Qiao Yidan's office.
"Have you read the transcript I gave you?" Yu Shijie, who held the position of assistant director at the Hebian District Bureau, had his office next to Qiao Yidan's. Without warmly offering a seat, he directly asked, "Have you read it?"
"I have. There are many suspicious points, and it needs careful examination." Ping An lay on the sofa, playing dead.
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"Don't focus on the Liao family's trivial matters. They won't cause much of a stir. That couple doesn't have any major issues. I questioned them personally just now." Yu Shijie lit a cigarette and said, "You kid should focus your attention on the community. That Shui Gang is not simple. I always feel there's something wrong with him."
"I felt he was suspicious from the beginning. He was the first to discover that Wang Huanan had been gang-raped. He was also the one who rigged the walkie-talkie. Although he looked clean standing on the shore, I always felt something was strange about him!" Ping An said.
"What are you trying to do by having Liu Ke Dou collect those glass shards?" Yu Shijie asked.
"For fun. The broken window glass, there were no glass shards left on the window. Isn't that strange?" Ping An said.
"Alright, hearing you say this, I know you have it under control. I won't say more." Yu Shijie nodded and waved his hand, intending to let Ping An go.
"No, Old Taro, please help me. I have one question that I must ask Liao Yuan, otherwise, I fear for that child Jiao Zi's safety!" Ping An sat up straight and said seriously.
"If Jiao Zi is in danger, go find Jiao Zi!" Yu Shijie said.
"Old Taro, believe it or not, the Liao family's affairs seem to have erupted, but they are actually still brewing. There will be bigger movements someday!" Ping An said anxiously.
"Are you going to have Gao Xiaofei help you?" Yu Shijie asked.
"It's too late! He's at the city bureau right now, and I can't even get through to him!" Ping An said.
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"Alright, what do you want to ask? I'll help you ask." Yu Shijie finally relented.
"Come closer and whisper!" Ping An said, overjoyed.
"Hmm? You come closer!" Yu Shijie said, frowning and leaning his head forward.
"Help me ask Liao Yuan, and remember to tell her that I asked her to ask, how is Liao Chaomei's health?" Ping An said quietly.
"Oh! No, you mean? Hehe, that's a good question!" Yu Shijie thought for a moment, patted his head, and nodded at Ping An.
In a soundproof office, Liao Yuan sat on the sofa in a daze.
Her father's report had left her completely defenseless. At this moment, she urgently needed to know Jiao Zi's attitude.
"Manager Liao, come, have some hot water!" Yu Shijie pushed the door open and walked in.
Liao Yuan glanced at him with disgust and turned her head away.
"Hehe, I'm here to take care of you. You probably don't know this, but my daughter works at the wind power company. Thanks to you, she became a department manager in three years, with a monthly salary of thirty to forty thousand, twice that of this old man!" Yu Shijie said with a smile.
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"Is that so? Then I'll have to take good care of your daughter later!" Liao Yuan said with a double meaning.
"No, no, she's doing well now. Young people shouldn't feel too successful!" Yu Shijie said, as if he hadn't understood the implication.
"Officer, what else do you want?" Liao Yuan asked impatiently.
"Actually, there's nothing much. There's a young man who desperately wants to see you, but due to discipline reasons, he can't see you now. Oh, I'm just here to watch the excitement. That young man is named Ping An, do you know him?" Yu Shijie said with a wink and a smile.
"Ping An!" The moment Liao Yuan heard the name Ping An, her expression changed. She grabbed Yu Shijie and said, "Please, can I see him?"
"That won't do! He still wants to ask you questions, and I'm not even letting him see you, let alone talk to you!" Yu Shijie sighed. "Ping An is like a persistent fly. If he can't see you, he insists on asking if your dad's health is good. Can we let him ask that?"
"What?" After hearing Ping An's question indirectly, Liao Yuan gave Yu Shijie a dumbfounded expression.
"What's wrong with you?" Liao Yuan's expression made Yu Shijie, who had handled countless cases, become vigilant.
"No, it's nothing. My father's health is quite good!" Liao Yuan replied suddenly.
"Really?" Yu Shijie said. "You can think about it, this is Ping An's question."
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"No need to think. I know my father's health; it's quite good!" Liao Yuan said firmly.
"Hmm, then stay here." Yu Shijie looked at Liao Yuan again. Finding no further problems, he left with his hands behind his back.
"No way, did she really say that?" Ping An asked, rubbing his hands.
"Yes, I saw it. She seemed to be telling the truth!" Yu Shijie said. "When I first asked, her emotions changed significantly, suggesting she might have guessed your intention. Hmm, she was quite honest and told the truth. Her father's health is not bad."
"This is not good. If Liao Yuan's father is in good health, then why the rush to divide the shares? Who is in a hurry? Isn't it the Liao Yuan couple who haven't received their shares yet?" Ping An said dejectedly. "Could Liao Yuan's father really be a righteous figure who would disown his own daughter for the sake of his partner's descendants?"
"Ping An, I've noticed that you haven't doubted Liao Yuan and her husband from the beginning," Yu Shijie suddenly discovered a problem.
"Because the motive is not established. Would someone like Liao Yuan do something so foolish?" Ping An said. "Didn't you notice? If she did nothing, even if Jiao Zi received the shares, she would still be the ultimate beneficiary. But if she did something, no matter what, it would harm Jiao Zi, and ultimately she would lose both people and property! If it were you, would you do it?"
"This is why they say you are a journalist detective, and we are police officers. You pursue truth, and we rely on evidence!" Yu Shijie said. "Ping An, no matter what, you need to speed up. The current situation is not favorable to Liao Yuan and Yang Jie!"
"Hmm?" Ping An looked at Yu Shijie in confusion.
"I'll make an exception and tell you some news. Just now, our men found a box of hallucinogens in Liao Yuan's car. Liao Yuan's fingerprints are on the hallucinogens. Jiao Zi has agreed to undergo a physical examination. If the same hallucinogenic components are found in her body, then the problem will be..." Yu Shijie said seriously. "Kid, this is reality. No matter how brilliant your deductions are, in the face of evidence, everything else is irrelevant!"