Chapter Eleven: Turning Raw Rice into Cooked Rice

“Director Gao, shouldn’t we let the subordinates handle this?” Tan Jianye still tried to argue his case.

“Stop wasting time. Bring the person here immediately.” Gao Peng’s tone was unmistakably commanding, and Tan Jianye could hear it loud and clear. He had no choice but to nod and comply.

But when Gao Peng saw Tan Jianye heading toward the office area instead of the holding cells, his anger flared. His voice grew low and cold. “I told you to bring the person here. Where are you going? Does the director’s word mean nothing to you?”

Sensing something was wrong from Gao Peng’s tone, Tan Jianye quickly explained, “Zheng Debiao and his accomplices are being held in my office. I’ll fetch them right away.”

Even Tan Jianye himself didn’t quite believe what he was saying, and there was no way Gao Peng would swallow it either. Still, Gao Peng didn’t want to waste time arguing. Getting Yang Le released was the priority for now.

“You, go bring Yang Le here. I want to question him,” Gao Peng said to the nearby officer, ignoring Tan Jianye entirely.

Once Tan Jianye and the young officer had left, Song Fei’er spoke up to Gao Peng.

“Uncle Gao, Yang Le is innocent. It was all Zheng Debiao stirring up trouble. You can’t keep Yang Le locked up.”

“Old Song! Your daughter is dating now? Romance at this age, that’s no good,” Gao Peng teased as soon as Song Fei’er spoke.

“Hahaha… It’s a good thing! What’s wrong with dating? I support my daughter.” Song Yiming burst into hearty laughter, feeling elated inside. Wasn’t this exactly the outcome he had hoped for?

“My dear, remember to bring him home next time. Let him have a meal with your mom and dad. We’ll give him a red envelope, and the engagement will be set.” Song Yiming wasn’t about to let a son-in-law like Yang Le slip by. With Yang Le’s family background, his looks, his work ethic, and his sincerity in relationships—there was nothing more to wish for.

He had heard about Yang Le’s relationship with Xia Tingting, including how Yang Le worked part-time to buy his girlfriend a phone. That kind of devotion wasn’t something every man possessed.

If his daughter could be with Yang Le in the future, she would never suffer or be wronged.

“Dad… We’re just classmates, not dating,” Song Fei’er protested, baffled by her father’s sudden change in attitude. At the beginning of the semester, he had forbidden her from dating, and now he was cheering her on? She started to wonder if she was really his child. How could he so easily disregard her studies in favor of romance?

Still, she found herself rather fond of this new version of her father.

“Hehe… Not dating yet, but you’re planning to, right? Seize the opportunity! Or just make things official,” Song Yiming chuckled mischievously, continuing to stoke the fire, as if eager to push his daughter into the “pit.”

“Dad, are you out of your mind? Make things official? I’m still so young!”

Not his real child—absolutely not. That was the only conclusion Song Fei’er could draw after hearing her father speak twice in a row.

“Old Song, you’re shameless. Only you could come up with something like this—a new level of shamelessness.” Gao Peng, hearing the banter between Song Yiming and his daughter, couldn’t help but think how wonderful it would be if he had a daughter too, so she could compete with Song Fei’er. But life holds no ifs.

“Shameless? I wear it as a badge of honor!”

“Hahaha…”

“Hahaha…”

Song Yiming laughed heartily, and Gao Peng joined in.

“Hello, Uncle Song!”

“Hello, Uncle Gao!”

As soon as the police brought Yang Le to the doorway, he heard the two men laughing. If he hadn’t known them, he might have thought the station had detained a pair of lunatics.

“Very good, very good! My dear nephew, you’re looking well!” Song Yiming, thinking about Yang Le soon becoming his son-in-law, could barely contain his joy.

“My boy, how did you end up in here? Why didn’t you call me?” Gao Peng was less cheerful. How could his own men have arrested Yang Le? If Yang Jiayun came back, how would he explain this?

“Well, here’s what happened…” Yang Le explained the whole story, from the class reunion, to Li Yifei coughing blood, to Zheng Debiao’s assault, recounting the events simply and objectively.

“What? That little rascal Li Yifei? Fei’er, don’t have anything more to do with someone like that.” Song Yiming was furious. He knew Li Yifei—his parents were small-time real estate developers, with a bit of money. As the director of the land bureau, Song Yiming had been visited by Li Yifei several times, always under the guise of a classmate of Song Fei’er, bearing expensive gifts and fine wine, all of which Song Yiming rejected.

Li Yifei had never even asked Song Fei’er if she wanted him to visit, just brazenly showed up. Song Yiming had even seen him in the lobby earlier, and Li Yifei had the nerve to call him “Uncle Song” with a grin plastered on his face. Song Yiming felt nauseated just thinking about it.

Why? Because it made him want to gag!

“And who is this Zheng Debiao? To think he’d dare snatch my daughter in broad daylight—what’s happened to public safety these days? Old Gao…”

“Director Gao, Zheng Debiao has been brought in,” Tan Jianye announced, just as Song Yiming finished speaking, entering with Zheng Debiao and his group, all of them in handcuffs.

“What, did you go out for tea? How could it take so long to bring someone in?” Gao Peng, still simmering from Song Yiming’s earlier remarks, snapped at Tan Jianye, who happened to catch the brunt of his irritation.

Tan Jianye hadn’t gone out for tea, but he had been pouring it. The delay was because he had to handcuff Zheng Debiao’s entire group, who, emboldened by their connections to the deputy director, had refused to cooperate. It took quite a bit of persuasion to get them all cuffed.

“Well, what are you standing around for? Take them to the interrogation room!” Gao Peng barked. Tan Jianye was left stunned by the outburst—Gao Peng was usually so easygoing; what had gotten into him tonight?

“Yes, I’ll take them right away.” Gao Peng followed the group toward the interrogation room.

Seeing Gao Peng leave to interrogate Zheng Debiao and his companions, Song Yiming took Yang Le and Song Fei’er to the main hall.

They had just entered when Li Yifei’s voice rang out.

“Uncle Song, what’s the situation? Can I go home now?” Li Yifei, knowing Song Yiming’s status and his own connection as a classmate of Song Fei’er—and thinking of himself as the victim—figured Song Yiming could put in a good word for him and he’d be released.

“Who are you? Do I know you? Don’t call me Uncle Song—it makes my skin crawl. And let me give you a word of advice: in the future, stay far away from my daughter. She has a boyfriend now—Yang Le.”

Song Yiming was amazed at Li Yifei’s shamelessness, expecting him to plead on his behalf. If not for Yang Le tonight, who knows what might have happened to his daughter?

As he thought about it, his anger flared again.

“Get lost. Don’t come so close. You’re an eyesore.”

Li Yifei understood why Song Yiming was angry but couldn’t understand how Yang Le had suddenly become Song Fei’er’s boyfriend. He was the one who’d been beaten up, yet Yang Le was the one who benefited. It was infuriating, but he didn’t dare argue with Song Yiming, so he quietly slunk away to a corner.

Song Fei’er’s cheeks flushed after hearing her father’s words. Why did he keep harping on this subject? She might not mind, but with Yang Le standing right there, couldn’t he talk about something else?

Still, she couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Yang Le, curious to see his reaction.

Yang Le himself was bewildered—when had he become Song Fei’er’s boyfriend? Not that it was a bad thing, but as far as he remembered, Song Fei’er had seemed to dislike him lately.

Since Song Fei’er hadn’t protested, Yang Le glanced at her with curiosity.

Their eyes met for a brief moment, and both quickly looked away.

In that instant, Yang Le felt as though he really was in love. The look in Song Fei’er’s eyes, soft and tender, was something he’d never experienced, not even when he’d dated Xia Tingting.

Song Yiming, seeing the exchange between his daughter and Yang Le, felt greatly relieved. If not for Li Yifei still being present, he would have laughed out loud.

As for Zheng Debiao, Song Yiming made a mental note to speak to Gao Peng and notify the relevant departments. If there wasn’t a major operation after tonight, he would feel remiss.