Chapter 4 — The Mistress of Moon-Gazing Pavilion

Shortly after, Huo Vandin was escorted into the interrogation room by special task force officers and forced into a metal chair. He struggled to stand, his handcuffs clanking harshly against the furniture, but he was promptly shoved back down.

How are you arresting me? What law did I break just by eating a meal? Huo Vandin shouted, his voice cracking with indignation. Let me go! Do you even know who I am? My uncle is the captain of the Criminal Investigation Division at the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Get him here. I will personally ensure every one of you is stripped of your uniforms.

He bellowed these threats, clinging to the status of his relative, his face a mask of bitter resentment. The lead investigator sat opposite him, pulled a document from a file, stood up, and slammed it directly onto the table in front of Huo Vandin.

Look at this closely, the officer commanded. Your precious uncle was taken into custody for investigation by the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Municipal Bureau ten minutes ago. He is suspected of repeatedly shielding relatives from the law and accepting massive bribes. Right now, he cannot even save himself. Do you really expect him to come and rescue you? Keep dreaming.

Huo Vandin froze. The paper slid off the table and fell across his lap. He stared blankly at the official document and the stark crimson seals stamped upon it. His complexion turned deathly pale. His entire body began to tremble, his mouth agape, but no sound escaped his throat. Finally, he collapsed back into the chair, his spirit utterly broken. The grand protective umbrella he had relied upon had vanished in less than half an hour. His first psychological line of defense had crumbled entirely.

Half an hour later, the busy lobby of the Municipal Public Security Bureau was disrupted by a sudden commotion. A sedan screeched to a halt at the foot of the stairs, and Huo Vandin’s parents rushed inside. His mother, dressed in extravagant, designer clothing, strode toward the center of the hall. Upon seeing me emerge from the observation room, she did not bother to ask a single question; she lunged forward, raising her hand to strike me across the face.

You uneducated, backwater peasant! How dare you report my son to the police? she shrieked. For him to even give you a scrap of food was an honor, and yet you have the audacity to bite the hand that fed you.

Before her hand could descend, the captain stepped forward, gripped her wrist, and forced her back.

This is the Municipal Public Security Bureau, not a place where the Huo family can act with impunity, he warned coldly. You dare to assault a complainant in the presence of the police? Do you want to be detained yourself?

Huo’s mother staggered back two steps, caught by her husband. Her face was twisted with fury, yet she finally refrained from further violence. Huo’s father stepped in front of me, pulled a thick stack of cash from his jacket, and hurled it onto the floor at my feet. Banknotes fluttered through the air, littering the lobby floor.

Is one hundred and fifty thousand not enough? This meager amount is not even worth mentioning to the Huo family, he sneered. Here is two hundred thousand in cash. Consider the extra fifty thousand your funeral money. Sign a statement of leniency right now, tell the police you made a mistake, and then get out of this city.

His gesture of throwing money at people was practiced and arrogant. He truly believed that as long as he had wealth, every problem could be erased. Just then, my homeroom teacher rushed in from the main entrance. Seeing the volatile situation, he immediately adopted a conciliatory tone, sidling up to me to lower his voice.

Oh Kien Nguyet, General Manager Huo has already brought the money. Let’s end this here, he pleaded. You are all classmates, and graduation is tomorrow. There is no need to create a criminal record and destroy everyone’s future. If you insist on pressing charges, forty-five families will be ruined. Can you really bear the weight of that responsibility?

He was resorting to moral blackmail again. I looked at them all, then stepped forward and kicked the scattered money away. I opened my backpack, pulled out the formal prosecution notice I had just received, and held it up for them to see.

Mr. Huo, I suggest you read the sentencing guidelines for fraud in the criminal code, I said firmly. Anyone who misappropriates public or private property of a large amount faces three to ten years in prison. In our province, any amount over one hundred thousand is classified as a large amount. One hundred and fifty thousand is a clear felony, not a minor civil dispute that can be resolved with a bribe.

The officer handling the case stood by and added coldly: She is correct. With a sum of this magnitude, this case falls under mandatory public prosecution. Even if the victim signs a statement of leniency, the state is still obligated to pursue criminal charges against your son. A criminal record is unavoidable. A statement of leniency can only be considered when determining the severity of the sentence. Total immunity is out of the question.

These words shattered the illusions of Huo Vandin’s parents. The realization that one hundred and fifty thousand was a major crime, and that public prosecution meant their son would inevitably be branded a criminal, silenced them. These words sounded like a death knell for their son's life in society. The arrogance vanished from Huo’s father’s face instantly. He stared at the officer, his mouth hanging open, entirely unable to speak.