Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Anxious Li Zhong

"I'm sorry, Director Chen, but now do you also think this person is a prime suspect?" Li Qinqin said excitedly, pointing at Xia Liu.If Chen Jin agreed with her, she would be able to return to the station early, a feat achieved through her own capabilities.

Just as Chen Jin was about to nod, a ringtone sounded again—this time from Xia Liu's phone.

With his hands cuffed, and in front of Chen Jin, Li Qinqin, and several police officers, Xia Liu didn't want to show too much. So, he said, "Officer, could you please help me take out my phone?"

"Little Li, go and get the phone—and smash it!" As soon as Xia Liu finished speaking, Li Qinqin got furious. How could a suspect be so brazen in her presence, in front of Chen Jin?

"Please, officer, don't do that. Rather, answer the call for me. Once it's finished, I'll confess everything," Xia Liu gambled, betting that the call could spare him lots of unnecessary hassle.

Hearing this, Li Qinqin grew interested. It was one thing if Xia Liu was going to confess, but if the call was from an accomplice, they might learn what they were discussing.

Li Qinqin glanced at Chen Jin, and after noticing his silent approval, she smiled, walked over to Xia Liu, pulled out the ringing phone, pressed to answer, and turned on the speakerphone.

"Hello, is this Brother Liu?" The voice on the phone asked kindly as soon as she answered.

Hearing this voice, Xia Liu was certain it was Li Zhong!

Therefore, he calmly replied, "It's me. Who might this be?"

Li Qinqin looked at Xia Liu with disdain, trading a confession to receive this call and now pretending to ask who it was—nobody was buying it.

"It's me, Li Zhong. How have you been, Brother Liu?"

"Oh, it's Director Li, eh? Sorry, I didn't see the caller ID," Xia Liu knowingly responded.

But this brief exchange puzzled both Li Qinqin and Chen Jin.

Li Qinqin believed this guy knew the county well and had offended multiple times. Li Zhong was her own father, known by everyone in the county. This man was definitely trying to confuse the truth and bluff everyone into letting him go.

"Brother Liu, when do you have time to come over for a meal at my home? I'll introduce you to my daughter Qinqin."

"What the heck! Quite the act, eh? Let me tell you, I am Li Qinqin, right now in the police station, and your accomplice is in my hands. I suggest you turn yourself in to repent sooner," Li Qinqin couldn't take it anymore, grabbed the phone, and started shouting into it.

"Eh, is that Qinqin's voice? How did you end up with Brother Liu's phone?" At the end of his statement, Li Zhong's voice was clearly anxious.

"Just so you know, today your accomplice was apprehended, and it won't be long before you're caught too!" After saying this, Li Qinqin hung up the phone and then smashed it violently on the floor!

This act stunned everyone in the interrogation room, including Xia Liu. The sudden phone smashing—what was this all about?

Chen Jin knew Li Zhong was Li Qinqin's father, but even if it was an impersonation, smashing the phone was too impulsive...

"Alright, kid, you dared to let your accomplice impersonate the director. Too bad you miscalculated one thing—I am Li Qinqin, Li Zhong's daughter!" Li Qinqin said proudly, looking at Xia Liu.

She couldn't imagine if she hadn't been there today, Chen Jin might have been fooled by the call, since the voice and tone were too similar to her father's.

Xia Liu slumped in his chair, feeling somewhat weary. If this girl was under his control, wouldn't he have to start by slapping her twenty times? After that, he still had to strip her to inspect once, otherwise, the phone scattered on the floor would have been for nothing.

At that time inside the county government office, Li Zhong rapidly ran down the stairs, his body covered in sweat, imagining how his daughter was treating Xia Liu in the police station. Sёarᴄh the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Oh my dear girl, Xia Liu is our family's benefactor, and your illness still depends on him!" Li Zhong was on the verge of tears, questioning how such a coincidence could occur with his daughter encountering Xia Liu and even handcuffing him to the police station. Now, to make matters worse, her phone was turned off when he tried calling her.

After getting into the car, Li Zhong instructed the driver to drive quickly, afraid that even a second's delay could lead to disaster.

In reality, the county government wasn't far from the county bureau, a fifteen-minute walk or three minutes by car without traffic.

Indeed, within five minutes, Li Zhong had arrived at the police station where all the officers respectfully greeted him as the highest leader of Hejing County.

However, everyone was surprised by Li Zhong's behavior as he dashed out of the car and up to the office building at high speed.

"County Chief Li, what brings you here?" Chen Jin, who was about to return to his office, wasn't even finished expressing his surprise before he quickly greeted him.

"Director Chen, good that you're here. Where is that girl Qinqin? Hurry and take me to her!"

Li Zhong's voice trembled, and even a fool could see that he was extremely anxious. Chen Jin had never seen Li Zhong like this before and, realizing the gravity of the situation, quickly led the way to the room where Xia Liu was being interrogated.

Upon arrival, Li Zhong kicked open the door under Chen Jin's astonished gaze and screamed, "Stop right there!"

In the brightly lit interrogation room, Li Qinqin was holding a baton against Xia Liu's neck. As she turned her head and saw her father, she instantly panicked, threw the baton aside, and clasped her hands behind her back, standing with her head bowed like a little girl who had done something wrong.

Chen Jin was about to pass out from frustration; no wonder Li Qinqin had asked him to leave first—she had been planning to coerce Xia Liu!

Li Zhong was furious, not only had his daughter handcuffed Xia Liu, but she had also hit him with a baton. This was disastrous!

"Dad, why have you come?"

"If I didn't come now, in a few days you'd be burning paper money for me!" Li Zhong shouted, his tone not at all playful, causing great distress for Li Qinqin.

"Brother Liu, are you alright?" Ignoring everyone else, Li Zhong rushed to Xia Liu's side and began to care for him warmly.

"I'm fine, though it seems I have caused trouble for County Chief Li." Xia Liu smiled knowingly. He had known Li Zhong would come, and indeed, he had arrived in less than ten minutes—truly swift action.

However, their conversation left everyone else on the scene utterly flabbergasted.

Li Zhong was actually treating Xia Liu as a close brother, so that meant the person on the other end of the phone earlier was indeed him!

"Dad, was that really you who called earlier?" Li Qinqin still couldn't believe it. How could her father know Xia Liu so well, and be so close to him? It didn't make sense.

"Who else could it be? You there, instead of studying properly, how could you bring Brother Liu back in handcuffs? Now come here and apologize!" Li Zhong glared at his daughter indignantly.

...

Li Qinqin's face looked worse than if she were crying; apologizing to Xia Liu was out of the question, and she kept her head down in silence.

"County Chief Li, please don't say that. I indeed committed an offense; I should be the one apologizing..."