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

The lights were on all night in the chairman's office on the top floor of the Lu Group.

The air was filled with the strong smell of coffee and printer toner.

Lu Zhenhua sat behind a huge mahogany desk, his eyes bloodshot, clutching a cigar that had long since gone out. Across from him, the finance director, Fatty Wang, was leading the elite of the finance department in a frantic search through a mountain of ledgers, their efforts more intense than when they were preparing for the college entrance exam.

"Investigate! Investigate thoroughly!"

Lu Zhenhua slammed his hand on the table, his voice hoarse from staying up all night, yet still carrying a resolute determination: "Even if it's just a single penny of a tax refund loophole, make it up for me! Better to kill three thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free!"

Fatty Wang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his hands trembling as if he were playing the piano: "Chairman... we've checked three times already. The overseas investment was indeed a bit... a bit aggressive, but that's standard practice in the industry..."

"Standard my foot!"

Lu Zhenhua glared at him, his mind filled with Lu Jingyan's cold, all-seeing eyes. "These are extraordinary times! My son said this is a self-inspection and self-correction! If we wait for the tax bureau to come knocking, it won't be solved by paying back money; we'll have to become Gu Yanchen's cellmate!"

Mentioning Gu Yanchen made Fatty Wang shudder and immediately perk up.

"Fix it! Fix it right away! I'll go write the check right now!"

The next morning, the doors of the Jinghai Municipal Tax Bureau had just opened.

Before the security guard could even finish brewing the tea, a black Maybach pulled up to the entrance of the service hall with an air of unwavering resolve.

The car door opened, and Lu Zhenhua, sporting huge dark circles under his eyes, rushed in like a suicide squad member about to blow up a bunker, clutching a file bag tightly in his hand.

"I need to pay the outstanding taxes!"

This shout completely stunned the female teller who had just started her shift.

"Sir... may I ask which unit you work for? How much compensation do you receive?" The young woman asked cautiously, looking at the imposing but haggard-looking old man in front of her.

"The Lu Group!"

Lu Zhenhua slammed the file folder onto the counter with an air of arrogance, as if he were slapping down a piece of land. "I need to pay back last year's corporate income tax, as well as taxes on overseas investment income, totaling... 300 million!"

"How many?!"

The mouse in the young woman's hand flew out of her hand, as if she wondered if she was still half asleep.

Three hundred million?

These days, we only hear about people trying to avoid taxes, not about someone voluntarily paying back taxes early in the morning, especially 300 million yuan at that? Is this some business tycoon who suddenly had a change of heart?

The entire tax hall erupted in chaos.

The bureau chief hadn't even had breakfast; he ran downstairs, pulling up his pants. Looking at the astonishingly large check, and then at Lu Zhenhua's "If I don't go to hell, who will?" expression, the bureau chief was so moved that he grabbed Lu Zhenhua's hand, speechless for a long time.

"Chairman Lu! You...you're doing this..."

"Chief, there's no need to say anything more."

Lu Zhenhua waved his hand, his figure appearing incredibly tall in the morning light. "As an entrepreneur in Jinghai City, paying taxes according to the law is my duty. Although there were some minor calculation errors due to negligence in my work, I have deeply realized my mistake. These three hundred million yuan are not only taxes, but also my sincere heart for the country!"

He spoke with an air of righteous indignation, but his heart was bleeding. That was three hundred million! Enough to buy countless Rolls-Royces! But when he thought of Lu Jingyan's words, "at least three years," he felt that the money was well spent.

Losing money can avert disaster.

"Good! Well done!"

The bureau chief was so moved that his eyes welled up with tears. "Chairman Lu, your level of awareness is truly exemplary for an entrepreneur! Our tax bureau must present you with a banner! We should also encourage all businesses in the city to learn from you!"

Thus, what was originally a tax-paying action with a "fight for one's life" nature was transformed into a deeply moving commendation ceremony.

……

That afternoon, at the Lu family villa.

Lu Jingyan had just gotten home from get off work when he was dazzled by the huge, two-meter-long, glittering gold banner in the living room.

On the banner, eight large, gilded characters flowed gracefully:

[Honest taxpayers, exemplary role models].

Lu Zhenhua was standing in front of the banner, holding his phone and taking selfies from various angles. His once haggard face was now radiant, and he was smiling like an old chrysanthemum.

"Dad, what's wrong...?"

Lu Jingyan changed his shoes and looked at the scene with some helplessness. "It's just paying back taxes, is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?"

"How could it not be?!"

Lu Zhenhua put down his phone, pointing proudly at the banner, "It cost three hundred million! This was personally awarded to me by the director of the tax bureau! The only one of its kind in the entire Jinghai! Who will dare to say that I, Lu Zhenhua, am not law-abiding now?"

As he spoke, he proudly shoved his phone screen in front of Lu Jingyan.

"Look, my post on WeChat Moments just got over a hundred likes!"

Lu Jingyan took a closer look.

The accompanying photo shows Lu Zhenhua holding a banner and standing at the entrance of the tax bureau, against a backdrop of blue sky and white clouds, exuding a particularly positive energy.

And the accompanying text was even more shocking:

"Today, I paid 300 million in back taxes. Although I am reluctant, as a Chinese man, it is my duty to share the burden of the country! I thank my son Jingyan for his encouragement. Like father, like son; a strict family tradition is essential for a stable and long-term future!"

The following is a string of mutual flattery:

[President Wang: Chairman Lu is magnanimous! A role model for us all!]

[President Li: Three hundred million? Chairman Lu, that's a huge deal! I'm so envious!]

[President Zhao: Like father, like son; Young Master Lu is truly an exceptional individual!]

Lu Jingyan looked at the message "Thank you for urging my son Jingyan," and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

This old man really knows how to take advantage of situations; even now, he doesn't forget to use him as a shield.

However, seeing his father's expression—though pained, he seemed much more at ease—Lu Jingyan breathed a sigh of relief.

At least, the Lu family's large ship has temporarily avoided the hidden reefs.

"Alright, whatever makes you happy."

Lu Jingyan shook his head and prepared to go upstairs to rest. "Don't let me find such 'minor errors' again in the future, or next time you'll send me not a banner, but a detention warrant."

"Don't worry, don't worry! There will absolutely not be a next time!"

Lu Zhenhua patted his chest to assure him, then, as if remembering something, called out to Lu Jingyan's retreating figure, "By the way, son, check Weibo, you seem to... be trending again?"

"Um?"

Lu Jingyan paused, took out his phone, and opened Weibo.

On the trending topics list, a familiar topic is climbing at a rocket speed.

#Lu's father thanks his son for urging him to pay 300 million yuan in back taxes#

#Lu Jingyan makes another brilliant move after sacrificing his own family for the greater good#

#TheMostHardcorePublicServantOnTheInternet#

The comments section is absolutely buzzing with excitement.

"Holy crap! Three hundred million? Has the Lu family gone to great lengths to cover their tracks?"

"This is hilarious! Thanking his son for urging him on? He's clearly scared by his son! Is Young Master Lu going home for the New Year in handcuffs?"

"First he arrested his own brother, then his fiancée, and now he's even investigating his own father's taxes? Just what kind of devil is Lu Jingyan?"

"Can't the person upstairs speak properly? This is called selflessness! This is the light of the rule of law! I have a feeling Officer Lu is going to gain more followers!"

Looking at these comments, Lu Jingyan rubbed his temples helplessly.

He just wanted to be a law-abiding policeman and protect his family, so how did he become the "hardcore public servant" that everyone on the internet is watching?

Just then, the system notification sounded in my mind again.

[Ding! Host behavior detected has sparked widespread social discussion, setting an excellent example of the rule of law!]

[Righteousness Value +150000!]

[Congratulations, host, on obtaining a brand new title—"The Most Hardcore Public Servant on the Entire Internet"!]

[Title Effect: When wearing this title, the deterrent effect on all criminals is increased by 50%, and the success rate of interrogation is increased by 30%!]

Lu Jingyan: "..."

Fine.

Although the title is a bit embarrassing, I'll tolerate it for the sake of increased deterrence.

He put away his phone and was about to close the door when a phone rang urgently downstairs.

Lu Zhenhua answered the phone, and his expression changed after only a couple of sentences.

"What? She fainted? She was taken to the hospital?...Pregnant?!"

Lu Zhenhua's voice suddenly rose, filled with shock and gossip. He looked up sharply at Lu Jingyan upstairs, his eyes brimming with excitement that "there's another big scoop."

"Son! Come down quickly! Something terrible has happened!"

"What is it?" Lu Jingyan frowned.

"Gu Yanchen's mistress, what's her name, Shen Youchu... fainted in the detention center!"

Lu Zhenhua swallowed hard, his tone strange, "We just got news from the hospital that she... is pregnant!"

Lu Jingyan's pupils suddenly contracted.

Is Shen Youchu pregnant?

Gu Yanchen has been in there for almost a month, and this child...

The timing seems a bit off.