Siheyuan (courtyard house): My father, Li Yunlong!

She looked to be in her early twenties, with healthy wheat-colored skin and exquisitely sculpted features. Her brows carried a heroic air that was not common among women. At this moment, her cheeks were flushed with anger and shame, and her bright almond-shaped eyes were glaring at him fiercely, as if they were about to spit fire.

This blend of wildness and beauty possesses a unique charm.

"You...you dare treat me like this! Do you know who I am? Let me go! Otherwise, I guarantee you'll regret it!"

The woman lowered her voice and spoke through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with threat, but her slightly trembling voice betrayed her inner panic.

Li Zhenhua was brought back to his senses by her words, and at the same time, the threat aroused his rebellious mentality.

Far from being afraid, he found it amusing.

Even though he's a prisoner, he's still acting so arrogantly?

"I don't care who you are!"

Li Zhenhua snorted. Just to be on the safe side, he bought a clean handkerchief from the mall and stuffed it into the woman's mouth without saying a word, completely silencing her.

Seeing the woman's fiery eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, he used the remaining rope to tie her ankles several more times, completely rendering her unable to move.

Only after doing all this did Li Zhenhua finally feel relieved.

He crouched down, looking directly at the woman who was forced to sit on the ground, reached out, and casually lifted her smooth chin with his fingers, a roguish smile on his face.

"Little girl, your skills are alright, but you're still far from masterful. Want to catch me? Go back and train for a few more years!"

After saying that, he remembered the feeling of his hand earlier, and mischievously raised his hand again, giving her firm buttocks a light slap, making a crisp "smack" sound.

"Hmm!"

The woman let out a humiliated sob, and the anger in her eyes almost materialized.

Without further delay, Li Zhenhua stood up, took one last look at the beautiful "policewoman" who was tightly bound by him, her face flushed, and her eyes filled with shame and indignation. A smug smile appeared on his lips. Then he turned around and darted into the shadows deeper into the alley like a cat, disappearing in a few leaps.

Seeing Li Zhenhua leave, the woman struggled to push the handkerchief out with her tongue while simultaneously straining her jaw. Finally, she managed to pry out a corner of the handkerchief that wasn't stuffed in properly. She took a deep breath, then suddenly jerked her head back, spitting the handkerchief out.

"Help! Help!"

She immediately shouted with all her might, her voice sounding particularly clear and piercing in the quiet alley.

Almost the instant she finished speaking, a cacophony of hurried footsteps came from the alleyway and the direction of the warehouse.

The figures that had been hiding in the shadows quickly surrounded them, and the beams of their flashlights instantly illuminated the alley.

"Team Leader Lin!"

"Captain Lin! What's wrong?"

Several young men dressed in plain clothes but with efficient movements rushed over. They were all taken aback when they saw Lin Taotao, whose hands and feet were tied, whose clothes were slightly disheveled, and whose cheeks were flushed. They hurriedly stepped forward to untie her.

No one dared to ask her why she had become like this, but everyone's face was filled with shock and disbelief.

Captain Lin's skills are among the best in the station, so why would he personally go "fishing" like this...?

As soon as the ropes were untied, Lin Taotao immediately moved her numb wrists and ankles and stood up abruptly.

Ignoring the inquisitive yet hesitant gazes of her subordinates, she snatched a flashlight and shone it towards the dark alleyway where Li Zhenhua had disappeared, where no one had been seen.

Only the night wind blows through the alley.

She knew that, given the speed and skill that person had displayed, he had probably already fled far away, and there was no way she could catch up with him.

A tremendous sense of humiliation and anger surged within her, especially since the lingering sensation of the slaps on her buttocks made her feel both ashamed and furious.

"asshole!"

She cursed under her breath, forcibly suppressing the urge to immediately lead a team to investigate; there were more important things to do now.

She turned around, her face icy, and gave her subordinates a stern order.

"Operation begins! Seize the black market! Take everyone, leave no one behind! Bring them all back!"

"Yes, Captain Lin!"

Seeing their captain get angry, the men didn't dare to delay and immediately sprang into action.

Police forces that had been deployed beforehand poured into the abandoned warehouse area from all directions, plunging the previously secretive black market into chaos.

Shouts, cries, and running sounds mingled together.

Just as Lin Taotao had predicted, the operation was well-prepared and the encirclement was tight. Almost all the buyers and sellers were caught red-handed, with very few escaping.

The police station was suddenly packed with people.

Almost everyone in the courtyard house was apprehended.

Yi Zhonghai, Sha Zhu, Jia Dongxu, Yan Bugui, and Xu Damao squatted in the corner, their faces covered in dust.

The meager grains and non-staple foods they had painstakingly acquired at high prices or through barter were confiscated before they could even enjoy them. They were all dejected, cursing the "thief" who shut down the black market a thousand times over in their hearts.

Yan Bugui adjusted his crooked glasses, his small eyes scanning the crowd with a puzzled look on his face, and whispered to Yi Zhonghai beside him.

"Old Yi, that's strange. I think I saw Li Zhenhua in the backyard when I was at the black market just now."

"Li Zhenhua?"

Yi Zhonghai frowned.

"Did you see clearly? He can come to this place too?"

"His physique and voice both resemble his!"

Yan Bugui nodded affirmatively.

These words caught the attention of the people around them, and Jia Dongxu and Sha Zhu also perked up their ears.

Yi Zhonghai's face was gloomy, and he didn't say anything, no one knew what he was thinking.

Lin Taotao had just finished processing the initial registration of a group of black market personnel. She was rubbing her still sore wrists as she walked through the corridor of the temporary detention center with a cold face.

The deliberately raised, sour voice of Uncle Yan Bugui reached her ears.

"...Yes! That guy who sells soybean oil! Don't let the mask fool you, his build, the way he talks, it's definitely Li Zhenhua, the new guy from the backyard! Hey, what's strange, we guys who just buy some grains are all stuck here, but he's disappeared without a trace with those two big barrels of oil? And he ran off with a woman? This..."

Lin Taotao's steps suddenly froze on the spot.

Li Zhenhua? Selling soybean oil?

Several keywords flashed into her mind like lightning, instantly connecting with her thoughts!

That despicable bastard! That guy who humiliated her!

An uncontrollable rage mixed with a strong sense of humiliation surged to her head, causing her fair cheeks to flush red again.

She took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the urge to lash out on the spot.

She turned around abruptly and walked a few steps to the door of the temporary room where everyone in the courtyard was being held. Her cold gaze swept over Yan Bugui, who looked bewildered, as well as Yi Zhonghai, Shazhu, and the others who were equally disheveled.

"Who were you talking about? Li Zhenhua? What's his situation? Explain yourself!"

Lin Taotao's voice carried an unquestionable authority, which contrasted sharply with her young and beautiful appearance.