Zhou Yi stared at He Shiyuan. When people are pushed to extremes, they either give up entirely or desperately search for a way out.

“What exactly do you want? If you report Yuan Han and he gets arrested, how does that benefit you?” Zhou Yi’s mind was in chaos, unable to discern He Shiyuan’s purpose. “Don’t you want to invest in Pengcheng? How can you invest after doing this?”

He Shiyuan thought to herself, that if she were the He family’s daughter, she certainly couldn’t burn all bridges. But she was just acting – she only needed to detonate the bomb and flee afterward, not clean up the mess.

“I just can’t swallow this insult. I, He Shiyuan, have never been taken advantage of in my life. If you can’t help me, don’t make empty promises and waste my time! Pengcheng isn’t the only place for investment. With money in my pocket, I can buy land wherever I want!”

Yuan Han’s face was a mess, wearing only boxer shorts, showing none of his usual dignified bearing. His face changed colors like a dyeing workshop. He clutched at a final straw: “I’ll return your money-“

If the task couldn’t be completed, returning the money should suffice, right? That was the usual practice.

He Shiyuan sneered, “Return the money? Do you think I care about that pittance? Those 50,000 dollars mean nothing to me. I can’t get over this insult!”

“100,000! If 50,000 isn’t enough, I’ll return 100,000 to you!”

Zhou Yi suddenly shouted: “The extra is compensation for your losses! Let us go, let him gather the money. Will 100,000 Hong Kong dollars in compensation be enough?”

Hmm, this one caught on quickly.

He Shiyuan pretended to consider for a moment, though she and Ye Xiaoqiong had already discussed how much Yuan Han could pay out.

“150,000 Hong Kong dollars. When I see the money, I’ll let bygones be bygones. If I don’t see the money, I’ll send my evidence to the police station and disciplinary committee. How big this gets, I don’t care!”

Zhou Yi immediately agreed to He Shiyuan’s terms. “Fine, 150,000 Hong Kong dollars, I promise to return it to you!”

He Shiyuan clapped her hands, “Miss Zhou is indeed generous. Everyone says mainland officials are very honest, but I’m not so sure about that.”

Under such pressure, Zhou Yi could only endure He Shiyuan’s mockery without retort.

If money could resolve this, it would be the best outcome. Yuan Han collapsed on the ground, looking gratefully at Zhou Yi – she still had him in her heart, she still loved him, and she wouldn’t easily abandon him.

Now, to clear Zhou Wenban’s name, Zhou Yi would save him too.

Yuan Han felt reassured!

Yet he didn’t know that Zhou Yi wanted to cut him into a thousand pieces.

Just as they reached an agreement, there was a loud knocking on the hotel room door:

“Open up, we’re from the police station!”

“Please cooperate, we’ve received a citizen’s report-“

He Shiyuan straightened her clothes and went to open the door herself.

Concerned citizens crowded in with two police officers, eagerly pointing fingers and explaining.

The police looked at Yuan Han in his boxer shorts and Zhou Yi – they were husband and wife, was the wife here to catch him cheating?

Both were covered in injuries, yet the most composed was He Shiyuan, the alleged mistress?!

Indeed, just as the citizens had reported, this wasn’t a simple case of infidelity.

“Comrades, what happened here? Who caused these injuries?”

The police looked at He Shiyuan, who smiled alluringly, “Officer, why are you looking at me? I was just discussing business with Section Chief Yuan in the room when his wife suddenly burst in shouting and beat him like this. Section Chief Yuan couldn’t help but fight back… I had no idea what was happening. Thank goodness you arrived, I was terrified!”

Not only were the concerned citizens stunned speechless.

The police were shocked too, turning to look at Yuan Han and Zhou Yi, “How did you get these injuries? We received reports that your injuries were”

“Officer, we hit each other… ah no, we fell.”

Yuan Han just wanted to avoid the bribery issue.

He first agreed with He Shiyuan’s version, then remembered domestic violence wasn’t good either, so he quickly changed it to fall.

Fortunately, He Shiyuan had changed her story to say they were “discussing business” in the hotel.

Yuan Han looked pleadingly at Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi reluctantly nodded, “…we fell.”

“What about the bribery?”

“Officer, there was certainly no such thing. We do business on the mainland always following the law.”

Yuan Han and Zhou Yi nodded in agreement.

The concerned citizens were furious.

This was blatant lying!

“What business discussion? A man and woman in a hotel room discussing business, he wasn’t even dressed earlier.”

“It was catching them in adultery, we all saw it!”

“That’s right, officer, I even heard them say…”

But no matter what the concerned citizens said, the three involved parties denied everything, insisting there was no adultery, let alone any bribery for land approval. Even though Yuan Han and Zhou Yi were injured, they claimed it was just a misunderstanding between husband and wife, injuries from pushing and shoving.

With both parties’ stories matching, it became difficult to handle.

This kind of “domestic matter” would give Chinese police headaches even 30 years later.

This wasn’t just simple domestic violence; according to them, it was mutual combat between spouses.

Even if the truth was different, what could the police do without their cooperation?

He Shiyuan had her “Hong Kong merchant” status.

Yuan Han also had a proper workplace.

After some verbal warnings, the police could only let all three go. The concerned citizens were beating their chests in frustration. As soon as the police left, He Shiyuan showed her true colors: “I told you watching was fine, but don’t meddle! Reporting to police, what good did that do!”

She was incredibly arrogant.

But they couldn’t challenge her.

Unable to confront He Shiyuan, the concerned citizens turned to berate Zhou Yi and Yuan Han.

Yuan Han was certainly scum, but Zhou Yi was also useless.

Where was her earlier fury when catching them?

Show some of that now!

Everyone had witnessed her catch them in adultery, and out of kindness reported it, but Zhou Yi refused to acknowledge it, instead protecting the scumbag and his mistress.

They pitied her misfortune but were angry at her weakness!

These people ended up despising Zhou Yi, who felt cold all over and couldn’t explain herself.

Anyway, today because of Yuan Han, she had completely lost face!

Outside the door, Xia Xiaolan tugged at Zhou Cheng’s sleeve.

“I can guess what happens next. Let’s leave first; it would be awkward if Zhou Yi ran into us when she came out.”

Although he had wanted to see Zhou Yi get taught a lesson, seeing her be so thoroughly fooled by a female con artist made Zhou Cheng feel frustrated too.

How could she be so stupid?

Didn’t she question He Shiyuan’s identity at all?

Didn’t she consider this might be a honeytrap?

In her rush to distance the Zhou family from Yuan Han’s bribery, she immediately agreed to He Shiyuan’s demand for 150,000 Hong Kong dollars… not realizing that by agreeing, she was acknowledging the bribery.

If there had been no bribery, there would be no need to be nervous – they could all go to the police station together.

Zhou Yi cared too much about saving face and didn’t think things through!

This was his cousin. Zhou Cheng had a headache from anger, and when Xiaolan tugged his sleeve, he left without hesitation, not wanting to stay a moment longer!