The little star from the Gobi Desert, handed over to the state, is hailed as a national treasure.

"You?" Tie Jieshan was taken aback, then burst into laughter as if he had heard the funniest joke. "How old is this little brat? She can't even read properly, let alone know what fruit is! Stop making a fool of yourself here!"

"Sweetie knows!" Sweetie said defiantly, clutching the picture book in her arms. Pointing to the colorful illustrations, she said in her childish voice, "There are apples, pears, and grapes! So many fruits! This auntie smells like fruit too!"

As she spoke, her little hand pointed at Yao Guilian.

"That's utter nonsense!" Tie Jieshan sneered, grabbing Yao Guilian and pulling her in front of him. "My wife might smell of face cream, I accept that! But what you're saying about her smelling like fruit is utter rubbish!"

Yao Guilian immediately chimed in shrilly, "That's right! Are you kidding me? Don't the adults at home discipline you? You're just spouting nonsense!"

"Perhaps the child smelled something wrong? Just open the door to the second floor and see, and everything will be clear." Liang Zhe remained unperturbed, his gaze steady and unwavering as he looked at Tie Jieshan. "Director Tie, since you insist there's no fruit inside, to dispel the public's doubts, why don't you open the door now and let everyone witness it? I think this is also part of what you just said about 'accepting public supervision,' right?"

Tie Jieshan's heart skipped a beat. How could that door be opened? It held too many shady things—all the scarce supplies he used to curry favor with superiors and pull strings! His face darkened, and his tone hardened: "Children don't speak clearly. What they smelled might be something else entirely. How can you believe it? Upstairs is the supply and marketing cooperative's warehouse, filled with grain and farm tools. Where would fruit come from? You can't listen to a little kid's random words and wrongly accuse our state-owned enterprise!"

"Since you keep insisting you're innocent, why don't you dare open the door?" Liang Zhe pressed on relentlessly.

"Open the door? You make it sound so easy!" Sensing trouble, Tie Jieshan adopted a bureaucratic tone. "The supplies in the supply and marketing cooperative are state property! There are many important materials inside. If they are lost or leaked, can you bear the responsibility?" He paused, his words laced with sarcasm. "I'll let it slide because you're a local garrison. If you don't want to buy anything else, please leave!"

After saying that, he pointed outwards with his five fingers, making a "please" gesture.

Liang Zhe remained unmoved and coldly said, "Director Tie, as the director of the supply and marketing cooperative, you should be subject to the supervision of your superiors and the masses. As a representative of the military, along with so many ordinary people present, we all have the right to question you."

Tie Jieshan's face instantly turned ashen. He gritted his teeth and said, "Comrade, I respect you and call you 'Commander,' but you really think you're something special and want to interfere in our supply and marketing cooperative's work? Don't you understand the principle that the army cannot interfere in local affairs? If you want to see the warehouse, go to your superiors and get a search warrant, and I'll cooperate!"

"A search warrant isn't necessary, but if I were to notify the local police station and market management committee to come over now, I wonder if you would be willing to cooperate with the investigation?"

Tie Jieshan's heart skipped a beat; he was completely stunned. He couldn't understand why this man in military uniform was going against him. Although he usually bribed the people from the Municipal Management Committee, under the watchful eyes of everyone, he couldn't guarantee they wouldn't act impartially. Wouldn't all his dirty deeds be exposed then?

He made up his mind that as soon as he got rid of Liang Zhe and his daughter, he would immediately move all the things on the second floor and make them deny everything.

"I'll say it again, the upstairs warehouse is a restricted area, storing public supplies. There are strict regulations, and no one can just come and go as they please!" Tie Jieshan was adamant about sticking to his guns. "No matter who you call, they can't break the rules!"

"Breaking the rules?" Liang Zhe sneered, an aura of military discipline instantly spreading out. Tie Jieshan involuntarily took a half step back. "Director Tie, you keep saying that the supply and marketing cooperative belongs to the people and should serve the people. But now that the masses are questioning whether supplies have been smuggled, you are obstructing inspections in every way possible. Is this what you call the rules? Or is this so-called 'rule' just a cover for your own speculation and embezzlement?"

"You're talking nonsense!" Tie Jieshan roared, his face flushed red. He pointed at Liang Zhe's nose and cursed, "I, Tie Jieshan, am devoted to the public good. When have I ever engaged in any speculative or profiteering activities? If you can't produce any evidence, you're just making baseless accusations!"

"Evidence?" Liang Zhe gestured towards the second floor, "We'll find it once we get to the second floor! Director Tie, do you dare let us go up and take a look?"

Hearing this, Zhang Fang, Zhao Xiulan, and the others also sensed that something was amiss. The more Tie Jieshan tried to stop them, the more suspicious they became.

"Director Tie, the truth will out! What's the harm in opening the door and letting everyone see?" "Exactly! If you have nothing to hide, what are you afraid of?"

"Bullshit!" Yao Guilian was completely enraged and shouted shrilly, "Who do you think you are? Do you think you can just look at the public warehouse like that? If Zhang San looks at it today and Li Si looks at it tomorrow, how will the supply and marketing cooperative stay in business?"

"You're wrong about that!" Zhang Fang immediately retorted. "We don't come to check every day! There are so many suspicious points about this fruit incident, what's wrong with letting us take a look?"

"that is."

"Call the police! Call the city management committee!"

More and more people responded, and the pent-up discontent gradually ignited. The crowd, who had been misled by Tie Jieshan's words, also realized the truth and began to loudly echo his sentiments.

Tie Jieshan was so angry that sweat beaded on his forehead. "I think you're trying to cause trouble! Guards, throw this ringleader out of here!"

There were also many male employees in the supply and marketing cooperative. When they heard the director's order, they looked at each other, hesitated, rolled up their sleeves, and stepped forward to surround Liang Zhe and his daughter.

Liang Zhe remained fearless, even with a little girl in his arms, his expression cold and calm. "Tie Jieshan, have you thought this through? Do you really want to fight me?"

His eyes were sharp, and he exuded an aura of righteousness that made none of the male employees dare to step forward first.

"Charge! What are you all standing there for! Charge!" Tie Jieshan roared in exasperation.

The surrounding crowd pointed and whispered, the murmurs growing louder: "Director Tie, what are you trying to do? Are you trying to lay a hand on a soldier? This is going too far!"

"Their request is perfectly reasonable, why are you so hesitant?"

It was an extremely ugly sight. He winked at the clerk behind him, who was about to step forward to help, but Liang Zhe turned his head and gave him a cold glance.

His gaze was as sharp as a knife, carrying a chilling intensity. The clerk trembled and was too frightened to move.