CH 229

“Xing Conglian, are you a pervert? Why are you installing such things at home!” Inspector Huang’s face was livid.

“Oh, this seems to be my home, Inspector Huang. Even if I install a camera, it has nothing to do with you, right? It’s just having some fun with my boyfriend,” Xing Conglian sneered.

Lin Chen wasn’t surprised about Xing Conglian installing a listening device in the bathroom. After all, having experienced the hotel room surveillance incident, installing a listening device only in the bathroom was already considered protecting the user’s personal privacy.

However, he still looked at Xing Conglian with a slightly suspicious look. Xing Conglian tilted his head and said in a very gentlemanly tone, “I didn’t install a camera. Don’t worry.”

“What do I have to worry about?” Lin Chen sighed.

“Yeah, whatever you should or shouldn’t have seen, you’ve already seen it,” Xing Conglian added sincerely.

Lin Chen shook his head helplessly, and Huang Ze was speechless.

In the living room, Wang Chao shouted loudly, “Boss, do you want me to play it for you or do you want to come out?”

“Play it. Turn it up louder,” Xing Conglian said coldly, standing in front of the sink.

The sound gradually grew louder through the hallway, echoing in this simple and unadorned bathroom.

The voice was very low.

“Yes, Director Liu, I want to report a situation to you. The problem here in Hongjing is quite serious.”

“The local police suspect that the relevant drug of Zhourui Pharmaceutical and other manufacturers may have serious adverse reactions, and the relevant results have been concealed by the pharmaceutical company.”

“We may need to take emergency measures.”

“Yes, this is a very serious public health issue.”

Huang Ze’s face became more and more ugly with each sentence recorded, but in the end, although his face was as white as paper, he was extremely calm.

“I haven’t done anything wrong. This is my duty,” Inspector Huang said after the recording ended.

Lin Chen looked at the young inspector standing opposite him and at Huang Ze’s delicate face, which was not much different from the past.

He didn’t feel disappointed or angry because he was probably the person who could understand Huang Ze’s feelings the most now. He, like Huang Ze, felt very relaxed and calm.

Because this was Huang Ze. He always had his own stance and would always insist on it; always extremely stubborn.

Huang Ze didn’t disappoint him.

In fact, Lin Chen didn’t care much about right or wrong issues, because right or wrong really didn’t matter.

The inspectorate where Huang Ze worked was like a disciplinary committee for all police officers, and it wasn’t realistic for him to conceal the situation. Although Huang Ze didn’t reveal too many details over the phone, he had essentially reported the case of Zhourui Pharmaceutical to his superiors. According to Lin Chen’s inference, no leader would choose to hide the truth from the public after learning about this matter, so relevant departments would start taking action within a few hours at the earliest. In other words, they had very little time left to find out Shen Lian’s motive, arrest the person, or find a possible solution to the problem.

Lin Chen glanced at Xing Conglian and said, “It seems that we have no choice now.”

“We can only go with the flow,” Xing Conglian said as he took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.

Their conversation was brief, and only they could understand each other.

Huang Ze seemed somewhat unwilling and asked back, “What would you have done if I didn’t make that call?”

“I hadn’t figured it out yet,” Lin Chen replied.

“You always seem to have a clear idea.”

“Although I have ideas, it doesn’t mean I always know what to do. In this regard, I am indeed not as good as you,” Lin Chen said calmly.

After speaking, he grabbed Xing Conglian’s hand and was about to leave, returning the privacy to Inspector Huang.

Lin Chen didn’t know where his casual attitude was wrong, but at the moment he turned around, Huang Ze became very angry and said, “I don’t need to repeat the danger of this case. You are just a law enforcement officer and have no authority to make any decisions!”

“I know. You’ve reminded me many times already,” Lin Chen paused, fearing that Huang Ze might not understand the meaning behind his words, and added, “If possible, I hope you can give us three hours. In these three hours, please don’t mention any information you know about drug side effects to anyone. You can tell your superiors that there is a serious problem or serious adverse reaction in Hongjing, but don’t point out the specific drug or specific adverse reaction type. After all, we haven’t completely investigated the matter yet. This should not violate your principles, right?” Lin Chen said sincerely.

Huang Ze stood still and didn’t give any answer, but Lin Chen could tell from his eyes that if the inspector didn’t curse at him in his face, then he was acquiescing.

Lin Chen nodded to Inspector Huang in acknowledgment and turned to leave.

In the living room, Xing Conglian patted Mr. Xiao Zhan’s shoulder. The young man, who was already somewhat fragile, didn’t know why there were differences within the investigating team. The argument just now probably scared him badly. He was now crouching in the corner, asking Xing Conglian in a weak voice, “Cap… Captain Xing… when can I… go?”

“Now. I’ll take you.”

“No need to trouble yourself. I can go on my own. I have a car!”

Xing Conglian didn’t say much, but he held onto the young man’s shoulder and said, “Wang Chao, pack up.”

At this point, Huang Ze emerged from the bathroom.

Because Inspector Huang’s private recording had just played, Wang Chao froze in place. He buried his face in the pile of wires and pretended to be an ostrich.

But Huang Ze didn’t seem to notice anyone in the room and left with a very cold and arrogant attitude.

……

Xing Conglian essentially escorted Mr. Xiao Zhan to his own black Jeep with an attitude as if he were escorting a prisoner, which made Mr. Xiao Zhan, who was forced to accept a substitute driver, very confused.

Wang Chao held the laptop and sat beside the young man. Xing Conglian drove at a very high speed, and the scenery outside flowed past like water.

After a sharp turn, Wang Chao pressed his face against the window and complained in dissatisfaction, “Boss, slow down. Your driving speed is almost as fast as mine!”

“The time is urgent. Put on your seat belt.” Lin Chen turned his head and comforted him.

“Why is it urgent again?” Wang Chao was confused. “Didn’t that dumbass Huang Ze go to tattle on us? What are we doing now? Aren’t we disobeying orders from our superiors?”

“Your A’Chen Gege bought us three hours. Within these three hours, we’d better find a solution to the problem that convinces everyone. Otherwise, the initiative will never be in our hands.”

“Is my IQ the problem here? Why can’t I understand what you’re saying?” Wang Chao asked.

Just then, Mr. Xiao Zhan spoke up, looking annoyed. “Just now… Didn’t you have the listening device on? You heard what they said. Cap… Captain Xing’s meaning is that the fierce inspector will help stabilize the upper management for three hours, so your leaders won’t take action for three hours.”

“Wait, did I just have an out-of-body experience? When did Huang Ze go help us stabilize the upper management?”

“Didn’t Mr. Lin ask for it?”

“But that’s because that dumbass Huang Ze snitched. A’Chen Gege had no choice but to say that!”

“Well… you have to ask Mr. Lin about that, but if Mr. Lin really doesn’t want Inspector Huang to know these confidential information, he could not have said them in front of Inspector Huang.”

After listening to the discussion between the two people in the back seat for a while, Lin Chen looked at Mr. Xiao Zhan through the rearview mirror. Although he appeared weak and indecisive on the outside, Mr. Xiao Zhan was actually a very intelligent person.

Lin Chen coughed and admitted, “If the other party feels guilty towards you in their heart, they are more likely to agree to your request.”

Xing Conglian couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Wang Chao, sitting in the back seat, was even more puzzled. “A’Chen Gege, did you plan to have that dumbass Huang Ze bring this matter up from the beginning? Why? Isn’t it difficult for us to do things this way?”

“You have to understand that no matter how unacceptable Huang Ze’s attitude may be, when we know that the Zhourui Pharmaceutical case does involve a major public medical safety issue beyond our imagination, we have no way of concealing it from our superiors. It doesn’t matter who takes responsibility. This is the process, the procedure, and the only way forward. Those systems and emergency plans are all designed to better solve problems when they arise.”

“Anyway, I don’t understand your second half of the sentence.” Wang Chao looked puzzled but suddenly seemed to have figured something out and said excitedly, “So you scared Huang Ze by saying that you would take responsibility, and he immediately went to the bathroom to snitch?”

Lin Chen shrugged. “That was his choice and has nothing to do with me.”

“But you know he will definitely snitch, right?”

“After all, it’s Huang Ze.” Lin Chen sighed. “And we really don’t have time to report these things to our superiors. Let Huang Ze do it. It’s the best option.”

“Damn it, wait a minute. Although you said that, why do I feel like you’re taking advantage of that dumbass Huang Ze?” Wang Chao slapped his thigh and said happily, “And although Lao Huang seems to be like a stone in the toilet*, he will feel guilty after snitching. At that time, no matter what you say, he will easily agree, right?” The young man became more and more excited as he spoke, and finally burst out laughing alone in the back seat. “Damn, you and the Boss are playing mind games together. I really feel sorry for that dumbass Huang Ze!”

*Refers to someone who is unresponsive, unemotional, or uncommunicative.

“I’m not asking for too much,” Lin Chen said. “I just want him to give us three hours.”

“But how do you know that Huang Ze will definitely give us three hours?”

“Did Huang Ze ask you for a specific list of drugs involved before he left?” Lin Chen asked cryptically.

“Oh! Right! Huang Ze didn’t ask!” Wang Chao suddenly realized. “Information is like water flow, and Huang Ze’s the water pipe. It’s not right if we don’t say too much, but it’s also not right if we say too much, so you just let Huang Ze say it while controlling the flow rate, right?” Wang Chao scratched his head. “Wait, A’Chen Gege, I don’t understand again. Why did you specify that Huang Ze should conceal the types of adverse reactions and specific drug names involved during this period, and how do you know that he won’t say these things during the first time he reports?”

“Because Huang Ze doesn’t have your photographic memory, and he’s a cautious person. If he wants to report these details to his superiors, he will definitely ask you for a detailed document.” Lin Chen patiently explained.

After hearing this, Xing Conglian finally said impatiently, “Comrade Xiao Wang, I think you’re quite attached to your Lao Huang. Shall I turn the car around and send you to his car?”

“Boss, food can be eaten casually, but words can’t be spoken casually!” Wang Chao excitedly jumped up. “Huang Ze is a big dumbass!”

“I think you still miss him quite a bit if you keep asking questions,” Xing Conglian said disdainfully.

Wang Chao choked and couldn’t speak for a while.

“Can I ask one more question?” The young man hesitated in the back seat for a while before speaking again.

“Go ahead.”

“Why three hours?”

“This deadline is for us.”