The entire hall fell silent.
Ken Feng wanted to run after Evan, but his uncle Frank Feng grabbed him and held him back, so he didn't dare move.
Magistrate Ma's face was ashen. Whitewood County had always been poor, and he'd been anxious about it for years, trying every trick to boost the local economy. This time, they'd finally landed a Hong Kong investor with a five-hundred-million-yuan offer, so the county took it very seriously.
He never expected that some random kid would suddenly wreck everything.
'Secretary Liu! Aren't you going to control your nephew and his friends? What now? The contract can't be signed, and the county is about to lose hundreds of millions!' Magistrate Ma snapped.
Lisa Liu chimed in from the side: 'Magistrate Ma, I think we need to call the police and arrest that lawless kid. We can't let him run wild!'
Lisa Liu quickly made her suggestion, and seeing Magistrate Ma's anger, she was secretly delighted.
Frank Feng tried to defend Evan Lin: 'Magistrate, the kid just acted on impulse.'
'Impulse? I think he did it on purpose!' Magistrate Ma slammed the table and shouted at Lisa Liu, 'Call the police!'
Tsk tsk, looks like I'll be visiting him in jail. Selina, your boyfriend's gonna be singing prison blues." Kai Chen gloated.
Meanwhile, Lisa Liu had already called the police.
Ivy Deng took a sip of her drink and shook her head slightly. Evan Lin had gone way too far just now. He'd probably end up locked up for a few days this time.
Thomas Liu didn't say a word. He glanced at the time Evan Lin had tossed at him before leaving. Although he didn't fully understand Evan's last remark, he finally picked up his phone and checked the call log.
At the top of the call log was a number he’d called half an hour ago—the exact time Victor Lee had gone to the restroom.
After a moment’s thought, Thomas Liu stepped aside and dialed a number: 'Hi, it's Thomas Liu. Can you help me check a number? Yeah, I need to know who owns it.'
That kid’s a real troublemaker. He used to chase after my daughter Chloe Cheng, but since her dad and I didn’t approve, he kept cursing us out and even threatened to beat us up.
At the dinner table, the mood was heavy. Magistrate Ma looked furious while Lisa Liu kept stirring things up.
Frank Feng sighed, Ken Feng looked anxious, and Allen Ju sipped his tea, secretly feeling satisfied. Ivy Deng just lowered her head.
What now? Maybe you should ask your uncle for help?" Warren Wu whispered to Allen Ju.
'No idea,' Allen Ju shook his head. 'This isn't something I can decide. My uncle's a top county official, same rank as Magistrate Ma, and while he can handle some things, this time, Evan Lin really was pretty reckless.'
I actually enjoyed it. If a guy like that Hong Kong investor tried that in Jingnan, I'd have beaten him up myself ages ago." Selina Shi said, glancing at Victor Lee sprawled on the floor with obvious disdain.
At most, he'll be locked up for three days. And honestly, if he does go in, I bet the real losers will be the guys inside—this kid's got plenty of tricks up his sleeve." Warren Wu nodded.
Kai Chen wanted to cut in, but Selina Shi and her friends were all talking about Evan Lin, leaving him looking annoyed.
Lisa Liu sneered inwardly. She'd never been able to deal with Evan Lin, but now that he'd offended Magistrate Ma, wasn't he just asking for trouble?
Liu Hai, even though he enjoyed watching Evan Lin stir things up, couldn't help but feel secretly pleased—he might finally have a way out of those lousy development contracts he was forced to sign earlier.
Magistrate Ma waited grimly, his face dark.
Soon, police cars arrived.
The police filed in one after another.
'Magistrate, any instructions?' one officer asked, rushing over.
'Arrest...' Magistrate Ma started to speak.
Just then, Thomas Liu finished his call and walked over, smiling. He waved, 'Arrest the guy lying on the floor.'
Huh?
Everyone at the table froze.
'What did you say? Secretary Liu, are you sure you’re not making a mistake?' Magistrate Ma shouted, nearly losing his temper.
That five-hundred-million investment was something Thomas Liu had chased for a long time.
Now, not only did the Hong Kong investor get zero respect, he’d been forced to drink until he passed out, and now they were about to arrest him?
If Victor Lee woke up now, there’d be no investment at all!
This deal was one hundred percent dead!
No mistake, Magistrate Ma. Take a look at this." Thomas Liu shook his head and handed over his phone.
He handed over his phone for Magistrate Ma to see.
Magistrate Ma stared at his phone, confused. On the screen was a file just sent over—a lineup of mugshots and wanted info.
The case was a classic scam: posing as Hong Kong investors, signing development deals with local governments, and then stealing fiscal subsidies. Several counties had already fallen for it, causing major losses.
Magistrate Ma compared the photo on his phone with Victor Lee lying on the floor, just to be sure. He stepped over and checked carefully—then his face went pale.
Even his hand holding the phone started shaking.
He suddenly realized—if that contract had been signed, the county would’ve lost hundreds of millions!
Losses like that would’ve ended his career—maybe even forced him out early.
Thinking about it, Magistrate Ma felt both relieved and terrified.
A classic case of good intentions gone wrong.
'It’s understandable, Magistrate Ma. You were just eager to bring investment to the county and missed a detail.' Thomas Liu patted his arm, trying to comfort him.
Then, after Thomas Liu spoke to the police, Victor Lee was arrested right in front of everyone.
Magistrate… what about Evan Lin? Should we still arrest him?" Lisa Liu asked, confused and nervous.
'Arrest? Arrest who? Do you think I’m stupid?' Magistrate Ma shouted, making Lisa Liu jump.
Victor Deng and the others were all stunned, faces full of confusion. None of them could figure out what was happening.
Thomas Liu turned with a smile to Selina Shi and her friends. 'Selina, do you have time to take me to meet that kid?'
I don’t know where he lives,' Selina Shi and her friends shook their heads.
Kai Chen just stood there, unsure what to say.
Ken Feng, on the other hand, was so excited he shouted, 'I know! I know where he lives!'
Really? Then would you mind coming with me?' Thomas Liu asked Ken Feng, smiling.