Chapter Seven

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Seeing Xiao Tianci staring at the disc on the table as if in a trance, the chubby police officer chuckled, "Kid, relax, we’re not going to torture you for a confession. However, the evidence is conclusive. There was even a 200GB external hard drive behind you, all filled with pornographic films, identical to what's on this disc. Even if you don’t admit it, the proof speaks for itself. My advice: start confessing. If you cooperate, you might get a lighter sentence."

Who could have set him up this way? It seemed only his opponent could have orchestrated this. But he hadn’t even slept in the store last night—who could have planted these things? Especially that computer. Xiao Tianci looked at the chubby officer as if he had heard a hilarious joke.

He broke into laughter—genuine, unrestrained laughter that made the chubby officer’s hair stand on end. Ma Lan had been bought off; only she had access to that computer. Although he encrypted his files, she didn't need to look at what she couldn't access—she just needed to copy things over. And last night, she told him she’d had a fight with her boyfriend and would stay at the store, so it must have been her, not him. As for those small-time thugs, they were certainly involved as well.

"Bang..." The chubby officer slammed the table, his voice rising in anger, "What are you laughing at? This is your chance to speak up!"

After a while, Xiao Tianci’s laughter faded. He let out a long sigh. The situation annoyed him, but he would soon let it go. He now knew: one was an enemy who’d deliberately harmed him, another was someone close, bought off to betray him. There was no point in getting further upset—just remember it.

"Heh, officer, I’m just curious—how do you know the contents of the disc are identical to those on the computer? Did you personally compare them all? Hmm... Hahaha..."

The officer’s face flushed red, his fists clenched so tightly they creaked.

Meanwhile, outside the police station, Dongfang Yi—who’d previously visited Xiao Tianci’s shop—was shaking hands with the district chief. "Chief, I really appreciate your help."

The chief, smiling, replied, "No trouble at all. If it weren't for your father, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Besides, Miss Tian has nothing to do with this case."

"Chief, this has nothing to do with the shop owner either. It was just those punks causing trouble. I happened to be there buying something. The owner was patient—only when those thugs laid hands on us did things escalate..."

The chief, aware of the powerful family connections involved, smiled amiably, "Miss Tian, you’re right. Those hooligans admitted to starting trouble after drinking."

Tian Ni was surprised. "If you’ve cleared it up, why not release the shop owner too?"

The chief shook his head, "Miss Tian, you think you know someone, but you never truly do. Our team discovered that, under the guise of an accessory shop, he's actually running the city’s largest underground porn disc operation—a fortunate find. We’re interrogating him thoroughly now."

"What..." Tian Ni was stunned, murmuring, "How is that possible? I go to that shop all the time! The owner doesn’t seem like that at all..."

Dongfang Yi stepped in to comfort her, "Ni’er, there are plenty of people who look respectable but are up to no good. Let’s go. If your father finds out..."

"Don’t you dare tell my father," she warned Dongfang Yi.

Dongfang Yi shrugged and, with gentlemanly flair, opened the car door for her, "When have I ever dared disobey you, miss? Please."

Tian Ni looked back at the police station, still disbelieving, but since they weren’t close, she had no reason to press further. With a sigh, she got into the car. Just then, a Mercedes sped up, and as Dongfang Yi drove away, a large man stepped out of the Mercedes.

Within this circle, the chief knew everyone. At the sight of that figure, he already knew who had arrived.

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"Why are you here, Tong Cong?"

Tong Cong turned, noticing the chief at the door—an old family acquaintance. He hurried over, "Uncle Li, hello! What are you doing here? I was just looking for you!"

The chief was puzzled. He knew these rich young men—just now, the influential Dongfang and Tian families, and now the not-so-small Tong family. These families always had a few troublemakers, and he was often called to smooth things over. As long as it wasn’t serious, he didn’t mind.

But he hadn’t heard of Tong Cong causing trouble before. "Oh? What’s the matter?"

Tong Cong shook his head anxiously, "It’s not about me, Uncle Li. It’s my friend, Xiao Tianci. Someone just informed me he was arrested for selling porn discs. Uncle Li, I wouldn’t vouch for just anyone, but Tianci and I have lived together for years—he’d never do such a thing!"

The chief smacked his lips, amused. He hadn’t realized Xiao Tianci had such connections. With Miss Tian and now the Tong family stepping in—well, this could be interesting.

"Tong Cong, you’re still young. Sometimes, people will do anything for money."

Tong Cong shook his head vigorously, "Impossible, Uncle Li. How much money can you make selling that? Tianci is a business genius—any idea he has turns to gold. My father offered him a million-a-year salary to be the company’s deputy GM, but he refused. Why would he sell porn discs?"

"Oh... is that so..." The chief mused, "Seems this Xiao Tianci is quite something. Let’s see if the Tong family is willing to back him."

Tong Cong, seeing the look in the chief’s eyes, understood and leaned in to whisper, "Uncle Li, how about this: let me take him out for now, and tonight we can have dinner and discuss any issues then."

The chief thought it over. All this trouble just to force this guy out of business—after such a commotion, he probably couldn’t stay in the game anyway. With the Tong family involved, it was easier to resolve. If the other side wanted to keep fighting, so much the better...

He sighed theatrically, "Ah, you need to be more careful about whom you befriend in the future. Fine, for your sake, I’ll make a call."

"Thank you, Uncle Li!" Tong Cong’s flesh jiggled as he hurried inside.

Deep into the night, Xiao Tianci and the chubby man sat by the road, several stacks of beer beside them, empty cans scattered around.

"What do you plan to do now?"

"Bang..." Xiao Tianci cracked open another can, gulped half down, let out a long breath, and burped.

"What can I do? Now I know the other side plays both sides of the law. We can’t beat them."

The chubby man considered, "How about this: I’ll ask my father to talk to him—they know each other. I don't think he’ll bother you again. He just got carried away, sinking so much money into this and losing to a kid like you."

Xiao Tianci shook his head, "No need. There’s no point in carrying on—originally, I played by the rules, but if the other side doesn’t, there’s nothing I can do. I’m done."

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The chubby man shook his head in disbelief, "That’s not like you. Come on, what are you scheming?"

Xiao Tianci feigned innocence, "What could I be scheming? I’ll just go back to school and be a good student! I’ll sell off what I can and that’s enough. Oh, I’ll return that hundred thousand you lent me in a few days."

Knowing Xiao Tianci’s character, the chubby man nodded seriously, then warned, "Just don’t do anything stupid. If you’re really upset, talk to me. It’s just us friends here, no outsiders."

Xiao Tianci laughed, "Come on, do I look like the type? We’re educated men here!"

The chubby man shot him a look of disdain. Xiao Tianci took another sip and finally spoke, "Honestly, getting angry at your enemies is the most foolish thing you can do. I do get angry, sometimes furious, almost to the point of madness. But in the end, I won’t stay angry—at least not for long. I just remember it."

"So, what are you planning?"

"Don’t worry, I won’t do anything rash. It’s not the time yet. I’ve got the people and the grudges noted. Unlike them, I play by the rules. Since he’s in the business world, he’s on my turf. I’ll use business to punish him—make him jump off a building himself."

Xiao Tianci spoke calmly, matter-of-fact, but the chubby man shivered involuntarily, because he believed every word.

"Enough about that. Tell me about your chain stores..."

.........................................

Xiao Tianci sublet his shops, taking a loss, but since he’d decided to clear out, there was no alternative. The goods from both shops were transferred to two other stores, settling wages and all other expenses.

After a week of big promotions, the two stores did well. Since they were of a different nature, Xiao Tianci handed them over. In the end, all debts were paid, including the hundred thousand lent by the chubby man to get him out. Xiao Tianci did the final accounting—after paying back the capital, he still made over three hundred thousand. If it weren’t for these events, he had expected to clear over a million.

As he left the street, he took a last look at the mobile phone mall and thought, "Wait for me—I’ll be back to play again."

Back at school, with over three hundred thousand in hand, Xiao Tianci was the same as before, though he now rarely ventured out. He always chose the fastest, simplest way to get things done. His opponents—four mobile phone malls—had assets close to a hundred million, with connections on both sides of the law. It seemed he’d have to borrow some influence to deal with them.

Xiao Tianci began planning for post-graduation work. Whenever he walked alone through the campus, he always thought of Tian Ni, wondering how she was, whether Dongfang Yi was still pursuing her, and when he might see her again.

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