Zhou Yi is my best buddy

In truth, the question was not particularly difficult to answer.

At least, Zhou Yi had already thought of an explanation.

"When I returned to Dongji, someone tipped me off that Xie Zhaolong was having an affair with his cousin's wife, and that they even had a child together."

Hearing that answer, Yan Xiangyu, Zhang Xinsheng, Lei Ming, and Zhang Liping immediately understood.

They all knew who backed Xie Zhaolong. Naturally, they also knew what fate awaited him once Xie Bingkun learned this secret.

"Xiao Zhou, was this 'someone' you mentioned also 'the People of Chaoyang Street'?" Yan Xiangyu asked with a knowing half-smile.

He believed the secret being used to threaten Xie Zhaolong was real, but he doubted the source of the information.

Another convenient coincidence?

Zhou Yi had only just transferred back to the county and been promoted to Public Security Brigade Captain, and someone had immediately handed him a secret that could give him leverage over Xie Zhaolong for the rest of his life?

"One was a man's voice, and the other was a woman's. They probably weren't the same person." Zhou Yi shook his head with a smile.

"Not the same person, but perhaps they belong to the same organization!" Lei Ming joked with a perfectly straight face.

Yan Xiangyu waved a hand, bringing the subject to a close.

He had only been probing. Whether the answer was yes or no did not matter all that much.

"Go on, Xiao Zhou."

Since he had decided to put Zhou Yi to use, he would certainly give him every opportunity to demonstrate his abilities.

"Require all towns, subdistrict offices, and government departments to immediately launch publicity campaigns for the crackdown on organized crime and criminal gangs. Through posters, banners, handouts, on-site explanations, and public consultations, we should make a concerted effort to mobilize and encourage the public to report leads on crimes involving these groups, creating a strong atmosphere of universal opposition to them.

"Publicize a dedicated reporting hotline throughout the county and install tip-off boxes. Those who make outstanding contributions by reporting and exposing crimes committed by these groups should receive material rewards as appropriate."

After outlining those two points, Zhou Yi fell silent.

Seeing this, Yan Xiangyu asked with some dissatisfaction, "Doesn't your County Public Security Bureau have a concrete plan?"

Zhou Yi quickly replied, "You'll have to ask Director Lei and Director Zhang about that. The plan was developed under their leadership."

What was emotional intelligence?

What was knowing where to draw the line?

With his own bureau leaders sitting right beside him, if he rattled off everything, including things that were not his place to say, then sure, he would look good in front of the county leadership-but where would that leave his bureau leaders?

Zhou Yi chose to give his leaders their due, even if it meant taking less of the spotlight himself.

"Look at him, always overthinking things!" Lei Ming pointed at Zhou Yi. His tone sounded reproachful, but he could not hide the amusement in his eyes.

Zhang Liping also smiled without speaking. In truth, neither he nor Director Lei cared who presented the plan. What mattered to them was Zhou Yi's attitude.

"The County Magistrate asked you to speak, so speak. Why all the fuss?" Lei Ming chided him, putting on a show of disapproval.

"All right, all right. Lei, you tell us about it, then." Yan Xiangyu smiled and called on Director Lei directly.

"I think the point Xiao Zhou just made about encouraging the public to report and expose crimes is extremely useful. The concrete example of the Zeng Gang being uprooted will greatly strengthen the people of Dongji's confidence in us and give them more courage to stand up to criminal gangs, encouraging them to come forward with information."

"In the past two days alone, we've received more than ten tip-off calls. Three of those leads concern Fu Yu's gang. Our bureau has already established a special task force, with Comrade Liping, Comrade Zhou Yi, and myself taking direct responsibility for further investigation and evidence collection. We'll aim to find a breakthrough as soon as possible..."

The impact of the Zeng Gang's downfall was, in fact, far greater and more far-reaching than Zhou Yi and the others had anticipated.

Over the next few days, one name kept cropping up in the streets and alleyways of Dongji County, and in conversations over tea and after meals.

There was a young police officer who could make the fearsome Xie Zhaolong back down, send the county Organization Department’s Executive Deputy Minister off for a "chat" with the Discipline Inspection Commission, give the notorious Third Son Zeng a sound beating on a busy street, and arrest him again after he had already walked out of the police station—with Zeng Xuehua thrown in for good measure.

Then an earthquake shook Dongji's official circles. More than a dozen officials fell one after another, and even Executive Deputy County Magistrate Zeng Xuedong was not spared.

To the ordinary people of Dongji County, Captain Zhou was a legend!

The county Party secretary wielded unchecked power, while the County Magistrate was too far removed from their lives. The city leaders were even further away.

They had waited bitterly in the darkness for light. Now, this young man, who had the backbone to confront criminal gangs head-on, had given them hope that someone would uphold justice.

So what were they waiting for? Anyone with a score to settle should get a group together and head straight to the Public Security Bureau to report it!

Capital City.

West Hill Villa District.

Jian Shuyue had just showered and changed into a white nightdress. Lying comfortably on her bedroom bed, she picked up her phone out of habit to check her messages.

Just then, her mother pushed the door open, a face mask still on, and sat down beside her.

Here she comes. Again!

Jian Shuyue sighed inwardly, her fingers tapping away at her phone.

He still hasn't replied to the message I sent before my shower. That wretched A Yi! He doesn't care about me at all.

One second later...

Well, I shouldn't jump to conclusions. What if he's busy? With his job, working overtime at night must be pretty common.

"Shuyue, still awake?" Mu Yalan tilted her head as she spoke, trying to sneak a look at her daughter's phone screen.

Unfortunately for her, Jian Shuyue was prepared. She snapped her phone shut and spoke before her mother could say anything else. "We had lunch today and talked for half an hour. He's nice and fairly good-looking, but he's not my type. Let me make this clear: it's not happening."

Mu Yalan peeled off her face mask, revealing a fair, well-maintained face.

"This one isn't your type, and that one isn't your type. I don't know who your type could possibly be. Surely not that low-ranking police officer called Zhou Yi?" Mu Yalan asked, staring at her daughter.

"Mom, what are you talking about? Zhou Yi is my best buddy." Jian Shuyue's heart skipped a beat, but her pretty face showed just the right amount of surprise and amusement.

"Oh, give me a break!" Mu Yalan inadvertently slipped into her northeastern accent. She reached out and lightly pinched her daughter's soft cheek, sneering, "Buddy, my foot. There's no such thing as a purely platonic friendship between a man and a woman."

"If you don't believe me, forget it." Jian Shuyue escaped her mother's clutches and turned her head away, pretending to be angry.

"Fine, forget it. And here I was thinking that young man was rather nice..." Mu Yalan snorted and stood up to leave.

"Well, Zhou Yi really is a good guy, but we honestly don't have the kind of relationship you're imagining," Jian Shuyue hurriedly explained.

"Shuyue, you're already twenty-six. It's time you gave some serious thought to settling down. Capital City is full of outstanding young men. Failing that, when your father takes up his post in Liaodong soon, there'll be no shortage of promising young officials there either. Why keep dwelling on that low-ranking police officer?" Mu Yalan urged earnestly.

No one knew a daughter better than her mother.

How could she fail to see what was on her daughter's mind?

It was just that, first, there was too much distance between them, and second, there was too much distance between them.

One kind of distance was geographical; the other was social.

My darling girl inherited my beauty, along with her father's talent and height.

As a child, she was a precious little doll. Now she's grown into a beauty everyone admires.

There's no way I'm letting that low-ranking country cop get his hands on such a perfect girl!