Qin Ye, seeing the police approach, showed a flicker of panic on his usually composed face. "Wait… wait a moment! The reason we chose to steal the grain is that the grain you distributed wasn't enough! You were just going through the motions to complete your mission!"
Just as the police officers' hands were about to grab his arm, Qin Ye whispered a threat into their ears, "You scoundrels really plan to lay hands on me?! Don't forget who's behind me! If I get out later, none of you will be able to work in the police station anymore."
The police officers hesitated for a moment, then grabbed Qin Ye's arm and, without giving him a chance to speak, took him directly to the police station.
Zhang Wan'er watched Chen Lishu earn merit again. She was surrounded by people who praised her incessantly, and her expression was anything but pleasant.
"Was Qin Ye really arrested? He's no different from a tyrant. Do you think you can really convict him this time and keep him in prison forever?"
"I think it's unlikely. Don't you remember who's behind Qin Ye? Once these officials leave, Qin Ye will probably be released. This is just a show for now."
"I don't think it will even take that long. Qin Ye's backers might get him out tomorrow and retaliate against these young comrades. Do you forget the consequences for those who offended Qin Ye last time?"
"..."
Listening to the surrounding discussions, Zhang Wan'er withdrew her gaze, her brows furrowed tightly. According to news from above, artificial rain was scheduled to alleviate Shanghai's drought in about three days.
She had initially planned to keep Chen Lishu tied up in this location for the next few days, but Chen Lishu and Gu Xingdong were too close, leaving her no opportunity to act.
She didn't know the extent of Qin Ye's power, but perhaps she could use this opportunity for a borrowed knife to kill! With this thought, a fierce glint flashed in Zhang Wan'er's eyes before she disappeared into the crowd.
----
Meanwhile, at the police station, Li Zhemíng was assisting the young comrades in dealing with Qin Ye. Just as they were preparing to sentence him and send him to prison for several months, Zhang Wan'er appeared.
Seeing Zhang Wan'er, a happy smile appeared on Li Zhemíng's face. He then said softly, "Wan'er, why are you here? The distribution of supplies outside has ended. After a day of hard work, you should go rest. There's no need to accompany me. My work here will be finished soon."
Zhang Wan'er's lips curved upwards slightly, and she put on a demure act. "Brother Zhemíng, I'm not just here to wait for you to get off work. I hope you can let this old gentleman go."
Let this old gentleman go? Upon hearing this, everyone present was stunned and looked at Zhang Wan'er with confusion, wondering what this woman was doing obstructing official business!
One of the younger comrades, who had a better understanding of the situation, stepped forward and said coldly to Zhang Wan'er, "We absolutely cannot let this person go. Aren't we aiding and abetting evil? Miss Zhang Wan'er, you've already issued several incorrect orders during this supply distribution mission! However, those are minor matters, and we won't dwell on them. Dealing with Qin Tai is a major issue, and it's not something a young lady like you can meddle with!"
Zhang Wan'er's smile gradually faded. She had thought her gentle demeanor in recent days had left a good impression on everyone, only to realize it was all wishful thinking. In their eyes, she was just a burden!
"What are you saying?" Li Zhemíng couldn't stand to see Zhang Wan'er wronged even a little. He immediately forgot that he was on someone else's territory, slammed the table, and stood up, ready to confront the young comrade.
Fortunately, his companions pulled him back in time, preventing a major mistake. Someone beside him quickly intervened to mediate:
"Comrade Li, we apologize. My brother is a bit straightforward and single-minded. Please don't hold it against him. However, what he said is not wrong. This matter has a significant impact, and we must handle it impartially, without any personal emotions!"
"Exactly. This old man might look pitiful, but aren't the children with intellectual disabilities pitiful too? You know he was going to let six or seven people starve to death! If we let someone like that go, aren't we encouraging others to steal food and then get released without punishment?"
"Comrade Li, you must act reasonably and avoid recklessness. This is a critical time, and everyone is focused on overcoming the drought. Creating conflict would only show the people that we are disunited and cause them more anxiety."
"..."
Faced with everyone's dissuasions, Li Zhemíng's rationality returned. He took a deep breath and slowly said, "Wan'er, we have important matters to attend to here, and it's inconvenient to talk with you further. Why don't you go back and rest? Don't worry, we will find a reasonable solution. We won't wrong an innocent person, but we will never let a bad person go unpunished!"
Zhang Wan'er seemed surprised that these young police officers were so difficult to handle. She had thought that convincing Li Zhemíng would quickly achieve her goal, but it seemed she would have to expend more effort.
So, she curved her lips upwards slightly, a troubled smile appearing on her face. After a moment's hesitation, she voiced her thoughts: "Qin Ye's actions are indeed detestable, but during the drought, people are short on supplies, and it's normal for them to do irrational things. As the saying goes, 'Man dies in pursuit of wealth, and birds die in pursuit of food.'
Furthermore, Qin Ye is quite old. If we were to imprison an old man like him and something were to happen, the entire police station would be in trouble. Why don't you consider a different way to punish him, perhaps a fine?
We shouldn't do anything inhumane. Otherwise, the public might think we soldiers are cold and keep their distance from us! This way, we won't punish the wrongdoer and might even put ourselves in a passive position!"
Facing Zhang Wan'er's persuasion, everyone found some sense in her words. However, Qin Tai had committed a crime, and criminals should receive the punishment they deserve according to the law. Just as they were debating whether to give Qin Tai a green light, a young comrade walked in from outside and announced to those inside, "The higher-ups have given their word: let Qin Tai go, have him pay a fine of tens of thousands of yuan, and use that money to purchase supplies!"