Villain? No, I'll catch up with the protagonist after passing the civil service exam.

The reception room of the Municipal Bureau was bright and clean, with only a simple sofa and coffee table for guests.

This place is clearly not intended for wealthy ladies.

Lin Wan'er sat somewhat awkwardly on the sofa, an antique-looking sandalwood gift box resting on her lap. She wore an elegant, modernized cheongsam, her long hair tied up with a simple jade hairpin, and her gentle face showed a hint of worry and unease.

She wasn't as aggressive as Gu Qingqing, nor as dramatic as Lin Wan. She simply sat quietly, like a solitary orchid in a secluded valley, exuding the serene elegance of a scholarly family.

When Lu Jingyan pushed open the door and entered, she immediately stood up, bowed slightly, and spoke in a voice so soft it could melt water:

"Jingyan, you've arrived."

This address, "Jingyan," was both intimate and respectful.

Lu Jingyan nodded, without any further pleasantries, and went straight to sit down in the chair opposite her, his gaze falling on the exquisite gift box.

"Sister-in-law, get to the point. This is the police station, not the Lu family living room." His voice was as calm as ever, revealing no emotion.

Lin Wan'er was taken aback by his businesslike attitude, but she still managed to maintain a polite smile. She gently pushed the sandalwood gift box to the center of the table.

"I know your older brother did something wrong, but your sister-in-law understands and supports your impartial enforcement of the law."

She paused, a hint of pleading in her voice, "But he's still your brother, and he must be having a tough time in there these past few days. I know the rules can't be broken, but I just want to ask, could you... make sure he suffers a little less in there?"

That's a very skillful way of putting it. Asking for leniency, not release, is both humane and doesn't violate any principles.

Any law enforcement officer with a human touch would probably nod in agreement.

However, Lu Jingyan's focus was clearly not on "personal relationships".

His gaze slowly shifted from Lin Wan'er's worried face to the sandalwood gift box. The box was exquisitely carved and clearly very valuable.

"What is this?" he asked.

Lin Wan'er quickly explained, "Oh, this is Da Hong Pao mother tree tea that your older brother just had someone bring back from Wuyi Mountain a few days ago. He was thinking that you've been working hard lately, so he wanted to give you a little something to cheer you up. It's nothing expensive, just a small token of his appreciation."

Lu Jingyan remained silent.

He stood up, walked to the coffee table, put on white gloves, and then carefully picked up the gift box as if examining evidence.

Lin Wan'er was stunned, not knowing what he was doing.

Lu Jingyan examined the gift box repeatedly, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"Sister-in-law, there's a big problem with your 'good intentions'."

"Huh?" Lin Wan'er was completely stunned. "What... what's wrong with this tea? Is it fake?"

"I don't know if the tea is fake. But the packaging is a serious problem."

Lu Jingyan pointed to the intricate carvings on the gift box and the silk lining, his tone as serious as if he were reporting on a case.

"First of all, according to the 'Requirements for Restricting Excessive Packaging of Commodities' issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation, the number of packaging layers for tea shall not exceed four. Yours has three layers inside and three layers outside, plus a silk lining and wooden carvings, which seriously exceeds the limit."

"Secondly," he pointed to the bottom of the gift box, "there is no food production license number, no product standard code, and no production date or shelf life indicated. This is a typical 'three-no product'."

Lin Wan'er opened her mouth, but her mind went completely blank.

She just came to give a gift and ask for a favor, how did it turn into a product quality launch?

Lu Jingyan continued his "legal education lecture," and he even took out his phone and opened a certain search software.

"Furthermore, I checked and found that the so-called 'Mother Tree Da Hong Pao' has long been listed as a national special-class protected product, and its harvesting and sale are prohibited. What is circulating in the market is 100% false advertising."

He raised his head, looked at the petrified Lin Wan'er, and delivered his final verdict:

"So, sister-in-law, this gift of yours is not only suspected of being over-packaged and falsely advertised, but it's also a substandard product. Legally speaking, it's just a beautifully packaged box of... industrial waste."

"I..." Lin Wan'er felt that her worldview had been impacted like never before.

She had lived for over twenty years and this was the first time she had ever known that there were so many intricacies involved in gift-giving.

Lu Jingyan picked up the gift box, walked to the door, and called out, "Xiao Zhang!"

Auxiliary police officer Xiao Zhang came running over excitedly: "Captain Lu, what's up?"

"Take this to the evidence department and seal it up." Lu Jingyan handed him the gift box, his face serious. "Later, contact your colleagues at the Market Supervision Administration and have them investigate the tea's producer based on the clues. Also, issue this lady a 'Receipt for Temporary Detention of Suspected Illegal Goods'."

Zhang, suppressing a laugh until his face turned red, accepted the gift box and saluted: "Yes, Captain Lu!"

Watching Xiao Zhang run away with the sandalwood box, Lin Wan'er was completely dumbfounded. Not only had she failed to rescue him, but she had also "handed over" the gift she had given him?

"Jingyan...I...I didn't mean that..." She was so anxious that her eyes were red, and she stammered.

I know that's not what you meant.

Lu Jingyan returned to her seat, picked up her goji berry tea, took a sip, and softened her tone, "But rules are rules. Sister-in-law, you are a reasonable person and should understand that there are no privileges before the law. These five days that my brother spent inside were for education, not suffering. This is good for his growth."

He glanced at his watch and stood up.

"I have another meeting, so I won't see you off. Remember to keep that receipt safe. If the tea manufacturer gets fined, you can use it to apply for consumer compensation."

After saying that, Lu Jingyan turned and left the reception room, leaving Lin Wan'er alone, bewildered in the wind.

She looked at the empty coffee table, then at her own empty hands, and only one thought occupied her mind:

What was I here for...?

……

Half an hour later, in the director's office.

Director Chen personally brewed a cup of tea for Lu Jingyan, his smile as bright as a blooming chrysanthemum.

"Xiao Lu, well done! Absolutely fantastic!"

Director Chen slapped his thigh, his face full of admiration. "I've long disliked those lawless rich kids! You arrested three this time, and even sent your own brother to jail. You've really set an example for our police force!"

"It's what I should do," Lu Jingyan said modestly.

"Well done, calm and composed!"

Director Chen became more and more satisfied as he looked at it. He put down his teacup and took out an official document from the drawer.

"In light of your recent performance and the increasingly complex social environment in Jinghai City, the city has decided to establish a 'Special Case Investigation Unit,' or 'Special Investigation Team' for short, with you at its core."

Director Chen pushed the document in front of Lu Jingyan, his eyes blazing:

"They're specifically tasked with handling cases that have special backgrounds, serious consequences, and are difficult for ordinary police officers to handle. To put it bluntly, they're giving you a powerful sword to slay all sorts of monsters and demons!"

"Personnel allocation, equipment applications—all expedited! I have only one request," Director Chen pointed to the bustling city outside the window, "to restore peace and order to Jinghai City!"

Lu Jingyan looked at the appointment document, slowly stood up, gave a standard police salute, and spoke in a strong and clear voice.

"Mission accomplished!"

Stepping out of the director's office, Lu Jingyan felt his blood boiling.

This is the life he wants.

Just then, his phone vibrated; it was a text message from Lei Ting.

"Kid, congratulations on your promotion! The Special Investigations Unit sign is up, and your first case has arrived."

The message was accompanied by an address and several photos.

In the photo, a girl in a school uniform is kneeling on the ground, surrounded by several boys dressed in flamboyant clothes. One of the boys is even arrogantly stepping on the girl's head.

Address displayed: San Fino Noble Academy, Jinghai City.

Lu Jingyan's eyes narrowed instantly, a cold glint flashing in them.

He slowly typed two words into his phone and clicked send.

"receive."