Despite being incredibly wealthy, I want to be a prosecutor.

Today is Monday, April 7th. In the office, Xiao Hei-mei is looking forward to the 15-day "Songkran" holiday that starts this weekend.

The girl with the dark complexion is usually the one who creates the most interesting conversations in the office. Today, everyone's chatter almost all revolved around the Songkran Festival.

Zhou Hong was also considering whether he should take advantage of the Water Splashing Festival holiday to go back to China.

Go back to your alma mater to see if there are any issues with your eligibility for the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao). If there are no issues, you should think about whether you really want to take the Gaokao and, if so, which universities to apply to.

With such a relaxed work schedule here, I could easily post something every week during my university years.

Many college students nowadays skip classes for years and only care about passing the final exams.

However, it seems that some less desirable schools have a high school-style management model. So, if you're really planning to study at a domestic university, you need to choose your school carefully.

"Brother!" The little black girl chuckled as she walked over.

Just then, Zhou Hong's phone rang, and he immediately ran away, acting as if he was afraid that the little black girl would freeload on him again.

The little black girl pouted her lips, then chuckled.

"Catch!" A bottle of drink was thrown from Zhou Hong's hand at the door. The force was just right, and it floated right in front of Xiao Hei Mei, who caught it steadily.

The bailiff, Pao Peng, watched this scene with envy: "Prosecutor Hong is so good to you!"

"Of course, he's my brother!" The little black girl's face was full of happiness.

Pao Peng curled his lip, thinking to himself, "If I didn't have more seniority than you, I would have believed you too. Prosecutor Hong has only been here a few days; it's like I wasn't here at all!"

……

In the prosecutor's office, Sorawong smiled as Zhou Hong knocked and entered.

I'm in a good mood. Today I chatted with an old friend in the police force about the case that my "disciple" was reviewing. I mentioned "coercion" and, according to my disciple's logic, I could clearly see the deep fear in my "old friend's" eyes. I've never seen my "old friend" like this before. In my "old friend's" eyes, I was just a useless old man waiting to retire.

"Hong, the case you reviewed is almost done!" Soravon said with a smile.

Zhou Hong nodded. He had just received a call from Boss Zhao, who had proposed a new settlement agreement with a figure of 30 baht.

Nowadays, that's no small sum. Even a senior prosecutor like the teacher only earns a little over 1 baht a month.

In Chiang Rai province, the average income per capita is only 5000 baht.

In Chiang Luan County, the income in the port area definitely exceeds the provincial average, while the income in rural areas is much lower.

"I understand," Zhou Hong said.

Soravon nodded in satisfaction: "Alright, go ahead!"

"Oh, is the donation ceremony your teacher's wife is organizing for the foundation tomorrow?" Sorawong suddenly asked as Zhou Hong walked to the door.

"Yes..." Zhou Hong replied, and seeing that Sorawon had nothing else to say, he turned and walked out.

The teacher's wife officially signed an agreement with the foundation the day before yesterday, accepting the title of "Honorary Director" granted by the foundation.

Although they are honorary directors, they receive no salary. However, the contract stipulates that they are actually responsible for quite a lot of things.

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Hong took out his phone and dialed Old Zhao's number.

……

At noon, at the Cinnamon Restaurant, although the seal had been removed, the restaurant was not yet open to the public.

Today, the table was laden with delicious dishes again. All five members of the Zhao family were present: Mr. and Mrs. Zhao, their two sons, and their daughter.

Haoming is the eldest son; he also has a younger brother and a younger sister.

Besides the Zhao family, vegetable vendor Lao Xu and his eldest daughter also came.

Although Lao Xu started traveling between Qingluan and southern Yunnan in his early twenties after the reform and opening up, he married his wife in southern Yunnan, and his daughter was also educated in southern Yunnan. He also complied with the family planning policy and only has one daughter.

Her name is Xu Xiaoyun. She is only twenty-two years old, but after graduating from vocational school, she started doing business with her father. She often works on boats, so she is a bit tanned. She is very shrewd and capable, and it is obvious that she will take over Old Xu's job.

Old Xu brought two bottles of Wuliangye. In China today, both high-proof Wuliangye and Moutai cost around 300 yuan, with Wuliangye usually costing 10-30 yuan more.

"Old Xu, you've really gone broke today!" Boss Zhao said with a smile, he was in a very good mood.

Old Xu laughed and said, "Prosecutor Hong cleared my nephew's name, shouldn't we congratulate him properly? Besides, I also have to thank Prosecutor Hong for patronizing my business!"

"Prosecutor Hong, thank you, thank you!" Old Zhao's wife said gratefully to Zhou Hong with tears in her eyes.

Zhou Hong also understood that Chinese women of this age often forced out their tears. They were certainly grateful, but their tears were a mix of truth and falsehood. Even if they didn't have any tears, they would still force out some emotion.

"It's a happy occasion, and besides, Haoming didn't do anything wrong!" Zhou Hong said with a smile, inviting everyone to sit down at the table.

They ate and drank, and the atmosphere was very lively. Haoming and his younger siblings toasted "Uncle Hong" one by one to express their gratitude.

Zhou Hong didn't insist on comparing their ages, nor did he insist that Haoming was definitely a few years older. Let them call us whatever they want.

So what if we're comparing ages? Am I supposed to call Haoming "brother"?

"Prosecutor Hong, about tobacco and alcohol. The taxes on tobacco and alcohol imported from our country are very heavy. Strong liquor is subject to a 40% tariff, and cigarettes are subject to a 60% tariff." After drinking for a while, Lao Xu and Zhou Hong started talking about business.

"If the prosecutor is just smoking and drinking, it's fine. I know people at the customs here, so it's okay to bring some for personal use."

"Otherwise, we'll have to bribe customs officials. Basically, for every 10,000 yuan worth of goods, we'll have to bribe them with 1,000 yuan."

Old Xu is very honest and doesn't hide anything.

Zhou Hong thought for a moment, "I don't need much for my own use, so I'll set up a warehouse in southern Yunnan and buy it to store there."

People here don't really like drinking Chinese liquor, and they prefer blended cigarettes rather than traditional Chinese roasted tobacco.

Once shipped over, it's basically only useful at gatherings within the Chinese community.

Otherwise, according to the system's judgment, customs duties and bank withdrawal fees are actually miscellaneous fees of the same nature and should not exist.

For economic activities involving welfare benefits, the system reimburses all expenses.

The problem is that it's unnecessary, and you don't benefit from it, so why waste the system's money?

Old Xu immediately felt relieved, as he had been worried that this would invalidate the verbal agreement with Prosecutor Hong.

"Then, Inspector Hong, I can help you set up the domestic warehouse. When will you send someone to take over?" Old Xu said again.

"You go ahead and get it done. I might go back to China in a few days, then we'll see."

"Okay, okay!" Old Xu picked up his wine glass and gently clinked glasses with Zhou Hong.

"Hmm, who is that?" Zhou Hong pointed to the glass door of the restaurant, where a young woman was standing blankly. She had slightly dark skin and was rather short. She was a local native with fairly pretty features, but her expression was vacant as she stared blankly into the restaurant.

Old Zhao was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly went to open the door. The young woman immediately became excited and started talking to Old Zhao. Old Zhao waved his hand repeatedly and closed the door from the inside. The woman looked disappointed, but stood blankly at the door and refused to leave, her eyes fixed on Zhou Hong.

"What's going on? I feel like she's been watching me the whole time?" Zhou Hong asked.

Old Zhao was both anxious and frightened. Suddenly, he slapped himself, his face flushed, and said, "Prosecutor Hong, I'm sorry. This is my fault. I'm the one who caused you trouble. She heard that you can handle police cases, so..."

Zhou Hong immediately understood that Old Zhao had probably been boasting about his son's exoneration these past few days, and that the news had spread far and wide.

"Does she also have a case against her?" Zhou Hong asked.

Old Zhao sighed deeply: "It was her brother. He was arrested a few days ago for robbery and assault. Actually, her brother is mentally disabled. Who knows if it really was her brother who did it? Even she herself isn't sure, is she?"

Zhou Hong's heart immediately skipped a beat: "Is her brother an illegal worker who smuggled himself in from Laos?" He thought of the robbery and assault case file that he remembered vividly.

"Ah? Prosecutor Hong knows about this case?" Old Zhao nodded. "Yes, her brother came through connections. She does have a temporary work permit that's valid for one year, but here she is, cough cough, Prosecutor Hong, you understand?..."

"What do I understand?" Zhou Hong was speechless, but then, "Ah, it's selling your body? Becoming a prostitute?"

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Hong said, "I've almost finished eating. Old Zhao, take her upstairs. I need to ask her something."

Old Zhao paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

……

Suite 1 has been renovated, but meeting the Lao female laborer in room 206 was Old Zhao's suggestion. She was filthy, so why go to Suite 1? It would require a lot of cleaning work once we got there.

"Your name is Fu Niang?" This is what the local Chinese community calls her, and she mainly works as a streetwalker in Chinese-populated areas.

The woman was wearing a traditional Thai gauze skirt, but it was quite worn out, and her bare feet were dark and covered in mud.

She looked down nervously at her feet on the floor, clutching her dress tightly, appearing very uneasy.

Hearing Zhou Hong's question, she quickly nodded, "Yes..."

The system immediately completed language matching, and the language was identified as Dai Le.

In fact, the so-called Tai Lue people are actually the Thai people. In Laos, the Thai people are divided into several ethnic minorities. The Thai people across from Chiang Luang Port are mostly classified as Tai Lue people.

"Tell me more about your brother," Zhou Hong said.

Fu Niang immediately looked up in astonishment. The prosecutor's original language seemed to be a Bangkok accent, which she could barely understand.

But now, he suddenly speaks the local dialect fluently.

"Can you write? You can write down the details for me." This kind of communication is too inefficient.

"Yes... I went to a vocational school in Huixi..." Fu Niang said softly.

Zhou Hong nodded. Huixi is the port of Laos opposite Chiang Luang Port, and it is also the provincial capital of Khao Pho Province in Laos.

Speaking of which, my second brother, Zhou An, is developing his career in Huixi.

My distant uncle's family has three sons and one daughter. The eldest son is Zhou Ping, also known as the eldest brother Ping; the second son is Zhou An, who is engaged in trade with China in the Mekong River Basin; and the third son is Zhou Xing and the youngest daughter is Zhou Huihui, who are both studying at university in Bangkok.

After a moment of stunned silence, Zhou Hong shook his head, pulled himself back to his senses, and looked at Fu Niang.

Laos is actually extremely poor, and its educational resources are even more scarce. There is only one university in the entire country, located in the capital.

Therefore, vocational school students in Laos are considered to be among the more educated class.

Unexpectedly, they would rather come here to work on the streets, which shows how difficult it is to make a living in Laos.

"Alright, write down your brother's situation in detail for me. I'll come pick it up in an hour!" Zhou Hong stood up.