The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 531 - 530: A reward for you, eat up

Chapter 531: Chapter 530: A reward for you, eat up

As soon as he stepped into the police station, Meiqian, who had been all smiles a moment ago, regained his solemnity.

He took out his credentials and hung them on his chest, all the while sizing up the ruffians handcuffed in the lobby.

His eyes were like those of an eagle, resolute, sharp, emanating a killing intent, the kind of righteous spirit forged through years of battling criminals.

The ruffians all calmed down, no longer daring to shout about.

This attitude of the Dongcheng Police Station towards Yan Yi, and the iron-clad aura emanating from Meiqian, made it clear they were not to be trifled with.

They were street-smart, not fools.

...

"Adviser Yan, Captain Mei, please come in."

At the entrance to the interrogation room, the chief of the police station personally opened the door for Yan Yi and Meiqian.

Both in terms of their family backgrounds and their positions, they were far above this small station chief.

Meiqian stepped in first, while Yan Yi turned to the chief politely questioning, "Is there anything to eat?"

The chief was taken aback, probably not expecting Yan Yi’s first words to be about food.

However, it was the captain behind him who responded quickly, "The dumplings from the noodle shop across the street are good, and so is the mutton soup."

Yan Yi nodded, "We’ll have two servings, thank you."

"No trouble at all."

Meiqian shouted from inside, "Don’t forget to bring some garlic cloves. Dumplings without garlic lose half their flavor."

The chief hurriedly acknowledged the request.

...

Inside the interrogation room.

After Yan Yi took a seat behind the interrogation table, Meiqian stood up, walked over to Hong Tai, and kicked him twice, "Hey, wake up."

Hong Tai was sprawled over the table, not moving.

Meiqian looked back at Yan Yi, seeking guidance.

He was there tonight to assist Yan Yi and was ready to follow his lead.

"Sit down, no rush," said Yan Yi.

Hearing this, Meiqian returned to his seat, casually crossing his long legs and striking up a conversation with Yan Yi about family matters.

"Your wife’s due soon, right?"

"The twentieth of next month."

"I’m so jealous of you, getting twins in one go, your father and mother must be smiling so wide their faces are probably crooked. I’m the unlucky one, my wife hops around the world like a monkey, I can’t even catch up with her, let alone thinking of having a kid with her — who knows when that’ll be possible."

Yan Yi spoke bluntly, "In the end, it’s your own incapability."

Meiqian glared at him resentfully, "You’re so capable, why don’t you teach me a thing or two."

"I’m not adept at that either."

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be sitting here, silently doing what little he could for her.

Their conversation ranged from wives to children, leisurely as if they were sipping tea in a tea house, rather than interrogating a criminal in an interrogation room.

After listening in for a while, Hong Tai could no longer sit still.

"What are you two actually here for?" he burst out.

Meiqian, with his arms crossed and leaning back in the chair, looked amused, "Oh, no longer playing dead?"

Hong Tai, clutching the area Meiqian had kicked, winced, "Ouch, my chest is in a lot of pain, you must have broken my rib, you’d better send me to the hospital quickly."

"Broken rib, huh?"

Meiqian walked over, feigning concern, "Is it here?"

As he said this, he pressed heavily on Hong Tai’s chest, and Hong Tai immediately twisted his face in agony.

"Ah—It hurts!!!"

"It hurts that much, huh? Then it must really be broken. Here, let me set it for you, I have ancestral bone-setting skills," Meiqian said, poised to intervene.

Hong Tai, well aware of Meiqian’s ferocity, didn’t dare let him touch him.

"No, no need, it doesn’t hurt anymore."

Meiqian laughed, "Good if it doesn’t hurt, but say the word if it does, I’ll set it for free."

Hong Tai’s face changed shades, and he gave up pretending altogether.

"Officers, let’s cut the nonsense, just name your price. How much do you want?" he said.

Meiqian turned to Yan Yi, "Write that down, we’ve got another charge to add."

After speaking, he turned back and chuckled at Hong Tai, "Openly bribing a criminal police officer, you’ve got some nerve."

Seeing the two of them not falling for his act, Hong Tai no longer uttered a word, leaned back in the chair, and rested with his eyes closed.

With an air of confidence and no fear.

Anyways, he would be out sooner or later.

Before long, the station chief personally brought Yan Yi and Meiqian dumplings and mutton soup.

Meiqian ate with gusto, alternating bites of garlic and dumplings, the aroma wafting deliciously.

Hong Tai, enticed by the smell, nearly drooled, "Officer, can I have something to eat? I haven’t had food or drink all day, even if I’m in jail, you shouldn’t let prisoners starve, right?"

Yan Yi nodded, "You have a point."

"Just give me a plate of dumplings."

Hong Tai said, swallowing hard with craving.

Right now, he was like a starving dog, practically insane with hunger.

Yan Yi casually tossed a dumpling over with his chopsticks.

Hong Tai looked at the dumpling by his foot and his face darkened, "Officer, what’s the meaning of this?"

Yan Yi didn’t even look up: "It’s for you, eat it."

Throwing it on the floor for him to eat, was he treating him like a beggar?

Hong Tai had been a big shot in his circles for years, and everyone used to address him with respect, calling him "Uncle Tai." He couldn’t stand such provocation and humiliation.

"Kid, you’re pretty arrogant. Give me your name, I want to see who’s backing you."

Seeing Yan Yi ignoring him and continuing to eat his dumplings and drink his soup at an unhurried pace, Hong Tai was completely infuriated.

"Hey, are you deaf? Don’t you hear me talking to you?"

"Fuck your mother! Now, right now, go get a plate of dumplings for me, or I’ll make you regret it when I get out!"

"Once I’m out, I’ll take care of your whole family!"

"You’re dead meat!"

Hong Tai’s shouting grew louder with each outburst, while Yan Yi continued eating, as if he was deaf to the commotion, savoring his food slowly and gracefully.

A plate of ordinary dumplings, yet he managed to make them taste like top-class cuisine.

Admiring Yan Yi, Meiqian gave him a thumbs-up and took the dumplings out to the interrogation room.

He feared if he listened any longer, he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself from killing Hong Tai.

His temper couldn’t take even the slightest provocation.

...

It wasn’t until ten minutes later that Hong Tai finally quieted down.

Yan Yi leisurely pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and hands, "Done shouting?"

Hong Tai glared at him, panting heavily, his eyes filled with a murderous intent that clearly stated, "I will definitely kill you."

Without any further unnecessary words, once Meiqian had finished eating, Yan Yi called the officers responsible for the case into the interrogation room and gave them something, thoroughly explaining how to use it.

"Consultant Yan, what’s this for?"

An officer in the case inquired curiously.

Yan Yi said, "Just do the test as I told you first."

Upon hearing this, two officers proceeded toward Hong Tai with the item in hand.

"Oh, what’s this new trick?"

Accustomed to arrogance and ignorant, Hong Tai didn’t at all ponder the seriousness of the situation. Instead, he mocked the officers holding paper strips for testing—

"Is this crap what you guys from the provincial public security rely on for cases? This is bullshit. Even pigs could be in the police with this."

Yan Yi’s gaze remained calm as he watched Hong Tai, as if he was looking at a dead man.

The officers, following Yan Yi’s instructions, tested both of Hong Tai’s hands for gunshot residue.

One minute later.

A blue reaction appeared on one of the test strips.

After shooting a gun, traces will inevitably be left on the hands, which can be detected with a test strip for gunpowder residue, thereby proving whether the suspect had fired a gun.

In terms of the current level of forensic technology in the country, this sort of test paper is considered quite advanced and expensive. Therefore, it’s only available to major crime units and provincial public security bureau investigation teams.

A place like Dongcheng Police Station wouldn’t even know about such a sophisticated tool, let alone Hong Tai.

But he would find out soon enough.