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

The soundproof panel in the back of the police car was slammed so hard it made a deafening noise; anyone who didn't know better would think there was a rabid wild cat locked up inside.

The pink-haired heiress was clearly still caught up in her self-congratulatory "taking the blame for love" moment, or rather, she hadn't yet adjusted to the feeling of having her freedom forcibly restricted. She scratched at the barbed wire with her rhinestone-encrusted manicure while screaming at the top of her lungs, her voice so piercing it made the auxiliary police officer driving in front of her frown.

"Let me out! Do you know who I am?!"

The girl pressed her face against the barbed wire, her features contorted with rage, completely devoid of any semblance of the dignity expected of a wealthy heiress. "My dad is Fang Dehai! The chairman of the Fang Group! Half of the shopping malls in Jinghai belong to my family! You bunch of stinking cops, earning only a few thousand yuan a month, what right do you have to arrest me?!"

Lu Jingyan sat in the passenger seat, holding the newly issued compulsory measures certificate in his hand, and was resting with his eyes closed.

Upon hearing the name "Fang Dehai," he didn't even lift his eyelids.

It's another classic "family background comparison" scene. In this circle, it seems like if you don't mention your parents' names when something happens, you're not worthy of being called a rich kid. Unfortunately, this tactic might intimidate a few interns at the traffic police station, but in the special investigation team, in this police car, it only makes her look like an overgrown baby who hasn't been weaned.

"Hey! You, the one with glasses! I'm talking to you!"

Seeing that no one paid attention to her, the girl became even more aggressive, venting all her anger on Lu Jingyan, "Are you jealous of the rich? You're unhappy because we drive sports cars, right? Let me tell you, my dad and your bureau chief are old comrades-in-arms, they used to eat together all the time! Do you believe I can get him to fire you right now and make you sweep the streets!"

"It's so noisy."

Lu Jingyan finally opened his eyes.

He turned to the side and glanced coldly at the back seat through the gap in the partition. There was no anger in his eyes, only a kind of weariness and disgust as if he were looking at someone mentally challenged.

"Miss Fang, save your energy."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling edge, instantly drowning out the girl's scream. "First, Fang Dehai is indeed very rich, but that's his money, not your get-out-of-jail-free card. Second, Director Chen hates nothing more than people trying to curry favor with him. If you make this call, not only will your father be unable to help you, but he'll also be invited by the Discipline Inspection Commission for questioning about 'police-business collusion.'"

"Who are you trying to scare!" the girl retorted, her voice slightly weak, but still defiant. "I was just taking the blame, I didn't kill anyone! I'm not the main culprit, why are you arresting me? This is an abuse of power!"

"Abuse of power?"

Lu Jingyan was so angry that he laughed.

He unbuckled his seatbelt, turned around, draped his arm over the back of the seat, and stared intently at the girl with eyes as sharp as knives.

"You think this is a small matter? Racing on public roads constitutes dangerous driving; knowingly providing false testimony about someone else's crime constitutes harboring a criminal. These two offenses combined are enough to give you an unforgettable summer in jail."

"besides."

Lu Jingyan pointed to the police badge on his chest and said, word by word, "You ask me why I arrested you? Because I'm a police officer, and because you broke the law."

"Here, in the police car, before the law, it doesn't matter who your father is, or how many shopping malls your family owns. The only thing that matters is who made the law."

The girl opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but found herself speechless after being confronted.

Looking at Lu Jingyan's cold, stern face, she felt a sense of oppression from the state apparatus that she had never experienced before, and finally, she felt afraid. She shrank back into the corner, hugging her knees, tears streaming down her face, muttering softly, "I want to go home," "I want to find my dad."

Lu Jingyan turned around, ignoring the crying behind him.

Reasoning with these spoiled rich kids, whose legal awareness is as weak as a sheet of paper, is useless; only the tears behind bars can teach them how to be decent human beings.

Half an hour later, in the city bureau's case-handling hall.

Takumi Fujiwara, no longer the arrogance he had displayed, was led into the interrogation room dejectedly. Ms. Fang, on the other hand, was taken to the reception area, where the policewoman taking her statement handed her a tissue.

Lu Jingyan stood aside and dialed Fang Dehai's number.

The phone rang for a long time before being answered. A tired and wary voice from a middle-aged man came through the other end: "Who is this?"

"Is this Chairman Fang? This is Lu Jingyan from the Special Investigation Team of the Municipal Bureau."

Lu Jingyan spoke in a businesslike tone, "Your daughter, Fang Fei, is suspected of harboring a criminal and obstructing the performance of duties, and is currently under investigation by our bureau. According to regulations, we need to notify her family. Please bring your ID card and household registration booklet and come over."

There was a full five seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Then came the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground, followed by Fang Dehai's furious roar: "That brat! Running off to fool around in the middle of the night instead of sleeping! Officer Lu, punish her as appropriate! I don't have a daughter like that! I'm not going!"

"Chairman Fang, words spoken in anger are one thing, but the procedures still need to be followed." Lu Jingyan calmly moved her phone away a little. "Besides, she's under administrative detention, which requires a family member's signature."

After hanging up the phone, Lu Jingyan looked at the dawn breaking outside the window and let out a long sigh.

That night was really exhausting.

From the socialite fraud case to the late-night car chase, plus this farcical "filial piety" drama, his nerves had been constantly on edge. Now that everything was settled, a deep sense of exhaustion washed over him like a tidal wave.

"Captain Lu, leave the rest to us. You should go back and rest."

Seeing Lu Jingyan's bloodshot eyes, Xiao Li, who was on duty, said with some concern, "We'll handle it when Fang Dehai arrives. You've been working non-stop for almost 24 hours. Even an iron man can't take it."

Lu Jingyan nodded, not trying to be brave.

"Okay, I'll head out now. Call me if anything comes up."

He picked up his car keys and walked out of the police station.

In the early morning in Jinghai City, the air is cool and fresh. Sanitation workers are sweeping the streets, and breakfast stalls are steaming. This vast city is awakening from its slumber.

Lu Jingyan drove the Wuling Hongguang that had made such a great contribution, and leisurely made his way back to the villa on the hillside.

When I opened the door, the house was quiet, with only a floor lamp in the living room casting a dim yellow light.

He changed his shoes and was about to go upstairs to catch up on his sleep when he stopped in his tracks.

A person was sitting on the leather sofa in the living room.

Lu Zhenhua.

This usually powerful and health-conscious business tycoon was now dressed in pajamas, his hair disheveled, slumped on the sofa as if all his energy had been drained. The ashtray in front of him was piled high with cigarette butts, and the air was thick with the smell of tobacco.

Hearing the door open, Lu Zhenhua slowly raised his head.

Those once sharp and intelligent eyes were now bloodshot, and her eye bags were puffy, making her look ten years older in an instant.

He looked at Lu Jingyan, who was exhausted and dressed in casual clothes, his lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something, but then stopped himself.

In those eyes, there was fear, worry, and even a hint of... despair, as if awaiting judgment.

Lu Jingyan's heart skipped a beat.

Is this old man cultivating immortality here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?

"dad?"

Lu Jingyan tentatively called out, walking over to open the window to let out the smoke. "What's wrong? Having trouble sleeping? Or did something happen at the company?"

Lu Zhenhua did not answer.

He just stared intently at Lu Jingyan, his gaze so complex it was impossible to decipher. After a long while, he finally let out a long sigh, his voice hoarse as if he had a mouthful of sand in it.

"A banquet in the capital..."

Lu Zhenhua tremblingly stretched out his hand, pointed at Lu Jingyan, and then at the empty villa, his tone filled with an indescribable desolation.

"Could you... tell Dad the truth?"

"What do you mean?" Lu Jingyan was completely confused.

"You..." Lu Zhenhua swallowed hard, as if gathering all his courage, before finally asking the question that had been weighing on his mind all night:

"Are you... planning to arrest our whole family?"