The game of power begins with the police officers at the local police station.

Ye Xiaozhu was escorted into a police car by two policemen. Chen Shi said loudly to the villagers who were watching, "I am Chen Shi, the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau. Shen Xiaorong has recognized me as her brother, and she is now my sister. Anyone who dares to bully her again will be severely punished."

Upon hearing Chen Shi's words, the villagers who had designs on Shen Xiaorong's land immediately abandoned their plans to seize it.

It turns out that Shen Xiaorong was not an orphan, but the god-sister of the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau.

Shen Xiaorong's family was very poor. They had three dilapidated old tile-roofed houses and nothing but land, which made the villagers covet them.

When his grandfather was alive, the family was well-off. He built a two-story villa for Shen Lang, but Shen Lang sold it and gambled away all the money from the sale.

Chen Shi took Shen Xiaorong to the hospital for a check-up. There was nothing wrong; it was just a superficial injury. Once the swelling went down, she would be fine.

Back at the police station, Chen Shi asked Shen Xiaorong, "Do you want Ye Xiaozhu to go to jail, or do you want him to pay compensation?"

Shen Xiaorong thought for a moment: "Pay him money, detain him for a few days, teach him a lesson so he won't dare to bully me again."

Chen Shi said softly, "This matter could be a big deal or a small deal. Why don't you let him go to jail?"

"Ye Xiaozhu is my neighbor. If I send him to jail, the hatred will be unresolved, and his family will retaliate against me."

Make him pay compensation and detain him for a few days. That'll be a good lesson; he'll remember it for the rest of his life and won't dare bully me again.

Chen Shi nodded. Shen Xiaorong was more thoughtful than many adults, so he felt at ease knowing she was home alone.

Chen Shi told Shen Xiaorong to wait in his office while he went to the interrogation room to talk to Ye Xiaozhu about compensation.

Chen Shi entered the interrogation room, and Zhang Hu and the two policemen immediately stood up: "Chief Chen."

Chen Shi sat down and saw Ye Xiaozhu with her head down and her face pale. He exclaimed, "Ye Xiaozhu, you slapped Shen Xiaorong, which constitutes intentional assault. You also smashed her phone, which was worth 10,000 yuan. That's a significant amount, and you will be held criminally liable."

Ye Xiaozhu was filled with regret. He never expected that Shen Xiaorong would be the sworn sister of the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau. He quickly begged for forgiveness, saying, "Shen Xiaorong and I are neighbors. We see each other all the time. I want to see her and talk to her."

Ye Xiaozhu was arrested and taken to the police station. After thinking it over, she realized that the only way to avoid going to jail was to beg Shen Xiaorong not to pursue her criminal liability.

He doesn't want to go to jail.

Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Chen Shi sent the police to call Shen Xiaorong over.

Shen Xiaorong entered the interrogation room with bright eyes, like an adult, showing no fear whatsoever.

She said softly, "Brother, let me talk to him alone."

Chen Shi nodded and led Zhang Hu and the others out of the interrogation room.

Shen Xiaorong sat down, and Ye Xiaozhu said with a forced smile, "Xiaorong, according to seniority, you should still call me Uncle. It's all my fault. I apologize to you. You can have whatever compensation you want."

Shen Xiaorong said coldly, "Is that so? I'm willing to pay any amount of compensation."

Fearing Shen Xiaorong would make an exorbitant demand, Ye Xiaozhu quickly changed her tune, saying, "You know I'm drowning in debt and don't have much money to spare. How about I buy you a new phone and reimburse you two thousand for your medical expenses?"

Shen Xiaorong stared at Ye Xiaozhu with icy eyes: "Not good? If you don't want to go to jail, you'll have to do as I say."

Ye Xiaozhu, driven by a strong will to survive, quickly asked, "What are your requirements?" as soon as Shen Xiaorong relented.

"I bought my phone for 10,000 yuan, so you have to compensate me 10,000 yuan."

Ye Xiaozhu gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, I'll compensate you with ten thousand."

"You slapped me, so you owe me 10,000 yuan in medical expenses."

Ye Xiaozhu said with a forced smile, "My dear niece, could you please reduce the compensation a bit? I can't afford that much money."

"No compensation, or I'll send you to jail." Shen Xiaorong's tone was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.

Ye Xiaozhu felt a pang of pain; she had suffered a huge loss this time: "Fine, I'll compensate you 10,000 yuan for the medical expenses."

"After you leave, put my woodpile back exactly as it was. Bring it back exactly the way you took it away."

Ye Xiaozhu nodded in agreement.

Shen Xiaorong demanded that Ye Xiaozhu pay 20,000 yuan in compensation, within his means, to let him know the price of bullying him.

The compensation demanded was too high, which Ye Xiaozhu couldn't afford; it was just a figure that didn't translate into real benefits.

"Have your family send money, we'll detain you for fifteen days, then you can get out."

"Twenty thousand yuan in compensation, and fifteen days of detention?" Ye Xiaozhu shouted.

Shen Xiaorong said coldly, "You're unwilling?"

Ye Xiaozhu hadn't studied for more than two years and didn't know anything about the law. When he learned that Shen Xiaorong was the god-sister of the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau, he thought that as long as Chen Shi said he would be imprisoned for a certain number of years, he would be imprisoned for that number of years. He didn't dare to resist and could only agree.

Compared to going to jail, fifteen days of detention and 20,000 yuan in compensation are nothing.

Ten minutes later, Shen Xiaorong arrived at Chen Shi's office.

"Brother, it's settled. Fifteen days of detention and twenty thousand in compensation."

This punishment was already severe for Ye Xiaozhu, and Chen Shi nodded in satisfaction. He took out a cell phone from the drawer that was exactly the same as the previous one and handed it to Shen Xiaorong.

"Here you go, I also have a cell phone here."

Shen Xiaorong quickly said, "I can't take your phone anymore. I'll buy one myself after I get the compensation."

"This phone was issued to me by the bureau for work. I just bought this phone last year, and it works great. I don't want to replace it. This other phone is just gathering dust here, and it'll probably break down over time. Please take it and use it; don't refuse."

Shen Xiaorong then carefully took the phone.

Chen Shi said with a smile, "I'll drive you home later."

Shen Xiaorong nodded. She felt especially safe with Chen Shi. She used to hate men, thinking that all men were like her father, with no serious business to do, only indulging in drinking, gambling, and prostitution, and bullying the weak.

Meeting Chen Shi changed her hatred towards men. Men can be sunny and protective of women. Being with a man like that makes her feel inexplicably at ease.

Chen Shi drove Shen Xiaorong home; he didn't bring any police with him.

Arriving at Shen Xiaorong's house, Chen Shi stopped the car and said softly, "We're here."

Shen Xiaorong gave a sweet smile: "Brother, come and sit at my house."

Chen Shi got out of the car and followed Shen Xiaorong home. In the living room, there was a worn-out sofa, a kettle, a teapot, two chairs, a table, and a cupboard.

It was clean and tidy, giving people a comfortable feeling.

Shen Xiaorong brought over a chair for Chen Shi to sit on.

Chen Shi sat down, opened the cupboard, took out a cup, poured a cup of hot water from the kettle, and placed it on the table.

He said apologetically, "Brother, there's no tea at home, we can only drink plain water."

Chen Shi smiled and asked, "Am I not thirsty?"

He glanced around and asked, "Aren't you scared being home alone?"

Shen Xiaorong shook her head: "I'm not afraid."

Chen Shi felt a little uneasy being alone in this old house at night, and sighed inwardly, "Poor children learn to be independent early."

The two chatted for half an hour before Chen Shi got up to leave. Shen Xiaorong saw Chen Shi to his car, smiling as she said, "Brother, come keep me company when you have time, okay?"

Chen Shi smiled and nodded: "Okay, from now on, if anyone dares to bully you, just say my name."

Shen Xiaorong watched Chen Shi leave until the car disappeared from sight before reluctantly returning home.