I slept with my sister's classmate, and she turned out to be my boss.

"Not now. Let me think it over first."

"Understood."

"Also, your friend is investigating Zhao Zhiyong. Tell him to be careful. Don't alert him."

"He knows his limits."

"Okay. Get some rest."

Chen Dapeng put down his phone, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the five transfer records on the table.

960 million.

From Liuhe Town to Hongda Trade.

From "Other Expenses" to "Payment for Goods".

What exactly did they buy with all that money?

he does not know.

But he knew that these transfer records were He Ying's most powerful weapon.

It was also the most dangerous thing in his possession.

If Fang Mingyuan knew that these things were in his possession, he wouldn't just be "being watched."

Chen Dapeng carefully put away the five transfer records, stuffed them into a compartment in his wallet, and placed them together with the previous copy.

My wallet is bulging and feels uncomfortable in my pocket.

But he dared not put it inside the house.

He dared not put it anywhere.

These things are safest when carried on your person.

My phone vibrated again.

He picked it up and saw that it was a message from Lin Chen.

"Found it. Zhao Zhiyong, 38 years old, from the provincial capital, legal representative of Hongda Trading. There's one connection in his social network that might interest you—"

"What?"

"He is Zhao Zhiyong, and his sister is Zhao Zhihong. Zhao Zhihong married Fang Zhiwen, the Party Secretary of Liuhe Town."

Chen Dapeng stared at the line of text, his fingers trembling slightly.

Zhao Zhiyong.

Fang Zhiwen.

Brother-in-law.

The money from the Liuhe Town Finance Office was transferred to Fang Zhiwen's brother-in-law's company.

The nature of this money changed from "illegal" to "corruption".

Chen Dapeng picked up his phone, took a screenshot of the message, and sent it to He Ying.

The accompanying text read: "Zhao Zhiyong is the younger brother of Fang Zhiwen's wife."

This time, He Ying replied very quickly.

Only four words: "I understand."

Chen Dapeng looked at these four words, put his phone away, stood up, and walked to the window.

He looked at the lights, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

810 million – no, 960 million.

The whereabouts of this money are finally clear.

It wasn't misappropriated, it wasn't falsely reported, and it wasn't swallowed up by the "other expenses" category.

It was transferred to Fang Zhiwen's brother-in-law's company.

What is its nature?

He knew it in his heart.

But he also knew that these transfer records were only part of the chain of evidence.

To prove who ultimately pocketed the money, more materials are needed—Hongda Trading's accounts, fund flows, contracts, and invoices.

He didn't have any of these things.

But the person who sent this material might have it.

Chen Dapeng turned around, walked back to the table, picked up the five transfer records, and looked at them again.

Each one has the bank's stamp and the signature of the person in charge.

He recognized the name of the person in charge—Zhou Min.

She's the young woman who stood next to Qian Cheng when we went to Liuhe Town for research last time.

Zhou Min from the Economic Development Zone Office.

What role did she play in the transfer of this money?

Was it the person who handled it? Someone who knew about it? Or...?

He closed the notebook and locked it in the drawer.

He picked up his phone and sent He Ying a final message.

"The person in charge is Zhou Min, from the Economic Development Zone office."

This time, He Ying replied very quickly.

"I know her. She was with Qian Cheng the whole time when we went to Liuhe Town for research last time."

"Yes, it's her."

"This person might be a breakthrough."

Looking at these words, Chen Dapeng suddenly understood something.

He Ying had been waiting for an opportunity.

An opportunity to break through the barriers in Liuhe Town.

Now, this opportunity has arrived.

It wasn't something she waited for; someone delivered it to her.

The person who delivered the materials was watching her from the darkness.

Chen Dapeng put down his phone, turned off the light, and lay down on the bed.

In the darkness, he stared at the ceiling, his mind filled with those numbers.

200 million, 180 million, 150 million, 300 million, 130 million.

Five sums of money, five dates, one destination.

Fang Zhiwen's brother-in-law's company.

He turned over and closed his eyes.

Can't sleep.

Another thought popped into my head—who exactly sent this document?

Is it Zhou Min?

Or someone from the finance office?

Or someone close to Fang Zhiwen?

We don't know yet.

But he knew that this person must have been in Fang Mingyuan's camp for a long time, knew a lot of inside information, and had a lot of things in his hands.

This person chose to send out these materials when He Ying and Fang Mingyuan were facing off.

Is it a coincidence?

Or was it a long-planned scheme?

Chen Dapeng opened his eyes, picked up his phone, and glanced at the time—1:20 a.m.

He wanted to message He Ying and ask her what she was thinking.

But after thinking about it, I let it go.

She must be thinking about the same question.

……

On Saturday morning, Chen Dapeng was still asleep when his phone rang.

He groggily reached for his phone and glanced at the screen—Lin Chen.

"Feed?"

"Open the door."

Chen Dapeng was stunned for a moment: "What?"

"I'm at your door. Open the door."

Chen Dapeng sat up abruptly, put on a T-shirt, walked to the door, and looked out through the peephole.

Lin Chen stood outside the door, wearing a dark jacket, carrying a bag, with his usual cynical smile on his face.

Chen Dapeng opened the door.

"Why are you here?"

"Just passing by." Lin Chen walked in, looked around, and said, "Just dropping by to see you."

Chen Dapeng closed the door, leaned against it, and looked at him.

"It takes two hours to drive from the provincial capital to Qingshun County. You've traveled quite a distance."

Lin Chen put the bag on the table and turned to look at him.

"Okay, I didn't just pass by. I came here specifically for this purpose."

Why?

Lin Chen did not answer immediately.

He sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs, took two cans of beer out of the bag, tossed one to Chen Dapeng, and opened the other for himself, taking a sip.

"The person you asked me to investigate, Zhao Zhiyong."

Chen Dapeng took the beer but didn't open it, waiting for him to continue.

"I found out something and I think I should tell you in person. It's not clear over the phone."

Chen Dapeng sat down opposite him and placed the beer on the table.

"What is it?"

"Zhao Zhiyong is not only Fang Zhiwen's brother-in-law." Lin Chen put down his beer can, his expression unusually serious. "His Hongda Trading Company has a registered capital of 500 million yuan, but the paid-in capital is only 100 million yuan. In less than half a year, it got an 800 million yuan building materials supply contract from the Liuhe Town Economic Development Zone."

Chen Dapeng's fingers tightened slightly.

"Do you think it's normal for a new company with 100 million in paid-in capital to receive an 800 million contract?"

"This is not normal."

"Of course it's not normal." Lin Chen leaned back on the sofa. "I dug a little deeper. I couldn't see Hongda Trading's accounts, but I found several of its main suppliers—they were all small companies in the provincial capital, some even shell companies."

Chen Dapeng remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Several of these companies have registered addresses in different rooms of the same office building. There is also overlap in legal representatives—Zhang San is the legal representative of one company and also the supervisor of another; Li Si is a shareholder of one company and also the legal representative of a third company."

Lin Chen took a sip of beer.

"This kind of structure is called 'related-party transaction' in business. In layman's terms, it's like transferring money from one hand to the other."

Chen Dapeng's mind raced.

Hongda Trading obtained an 800 million yuan contract from Liuhe Town, and then transferred the money out through those shell companies.

After going through several twists and turns, where did the money go?

do not know.

But most likely, it will eventually end up back in someone's pocket.

"This is only part of what I found." Lin Chen took a manila envelope out of the bag and handed it to Chen Dapeng. "Inside is Hongda Trading's business registration information, equity structure, and list of major suppliers. There are also some bank statements—incomplete, but you can get a general idea."

Chen Dapeng took the envelope but did not open it.

How did you find this information?

Lin Chen smiled and said, "I've lived in the provincial capital for over twenty years, so I must know a few people."

Chen Dapeng looked at him, a feeling he couldn't quite describe welling up inside him.

Lin Chen seemed like a spoiled brat in college—he came from a wealthy family, spent his time eating, drinking, and having fun, and did nothing productive.

But after graduation, Chen Dapeng gradually discovered that Lin Chenyuan was not as simple as he seemed.

His network, his sources of information, and the resources he can mobilize are far greater than those of an ordinary rich second-generation.

"Lin Chen," Chen Dapeng said, "is there something you haven't told me?"

Lin Chen glanced at him, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Everyone has their own secrets." He picked up his beer and took another sip. "Just like you have yours."

Chen Dapeng remained silent for a few seconds.

"Okay. I won't ask."

"Don't ask anymore." Lin Chen put down his beer can, looked at him, and said, "Da Peng, what you should tell me now isn't my business, it's your business."

Chen Dapeng was taken aback: "What do you mean, 'what's wrong'?"

"You want me to investigate Zhao Zhiyong and Hongda Trading?" Lin Chen's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "What are you, a junior staff member who's only been here for less than two months, supposed to do investigating these things?"

Chen Dapeng remained silent.

"Don't tell me it's for work." Lin Chen stared at him. "The IT department's job is to organize materials and maintain the website, not to check accounts, people, or the company."

Chen Dapeng lowered his head and stared at the beer can on the table.

He was thinking about how much to say.

Lin Chen is his best friend. From college until now, he tells Lin Chen everything.

But this time, it's different.

This time it involves He Ying, the events of that night, and too many things that cannot be said.

"Lin Chen." He looked up. "I told you, don't tell anyone."

"you say."

"I'm helping someone investigate things in Liuhe Town."

"Who?"

Chen Dapeng hesitated for a moment: "County Chief He."

Lin Chen's expression remained unchanged, as if he had already guessed it.

"He Ying? Your sister's classmate, the county magistrate?"

"Um."

"Did she ask you to investigate?"

"Yes."

Lin Chen remained silent for a few seconds.

"What did you find out?"

Chen Dapeng hesitated for a moment, then stood up, walked to the table, took out the five copies of the transfer records from the inner pocket of his wallet, and placed them in front of Lin Chen.

Lin Chen picked up the stack of photocopies and looked at them one by one.

After reading it, he put down the copy and looked up at Chen Dapeng.

"960 million. Transferred from the Liuhe Town Finance Office to Zhao Zhiyong's company."

"right."

"Zhao Zhiyong is Fang Zhiwen's brother-in-law."

"right."

Lin Chen leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes for a while, and then opened them.

"So you're helping the county magistrate investigate a deputy county magistrate's dirty laundry."

Chen Dapeng nodded: "More or less."

Lin Chen stared at him for a few seconds.

"Dapeng, do you know what you're doing?"

"I know."

"You don't know," Lin Chen's voice rose several octaves, "This is a power struggle among people at their level. Fang Mingyuan is the executive deputy county head, who has been cultivating his influence in the county for over a decade, and his people are spread throughout every department. He Ying is the county head, parachuted in from the province, and she's not without backing either."

He paused for a moment.

"You're just a lowly clerk; if you get involved, you won't even know how you died."

Chen Dapeng remained silent.

He knew that Lin Chen was right.

He could already sense it—his drawer had been rummaged through, Liu Zhiguo was watching him, and Fang Mingyuan was investigating He Ying's background.

These are just the beginning.

If Fang Mingyuan knew that these things were in his hands, he would face more than just being "watched".

"Lin Chen," Chen Dapeng said calmly, "I know all that you're saying."

"Then why did you rush in?"

"Because I can't escape now." Chen Dapeng looked at him. "I've already checked those data, and Fang Mingyuan already knows it was me who checked. Even if I stop now, he won't let me go."

Lin Chen fell silent.

"Moreover..." Chen Dapeng paused for a moment, "I think County Chief He did the right thing. That money from Liuhe Town should have been allocated to the edible mushroom base in Shuangqiao Town to benefit the farmers there. But it was intercepted and went to Liuhe Town, ending up in Fang Zhiwen's brother-in-law's company."

He took a deep breath.

"If no one investigates this kind of thing, no one will ever know. Fang Mingyuan will continue to operate in the county, County Chief He will be sidelined, and those who want to get things done will never get anything done."

Lin Chen looked at him, and the scrutiny in his eyes slowly turned into something indescribable.

"When did you become so righteous?"

Chen Dapeng's lips twitched slightly: "Maybe after I started working."

Lin Chen shook his head and sighed.

He picked up a beer, chugged half a can in one go, and then put it down.

"Alright."

He leaned back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling.

"I have connections in the provincial capital. If you need my help, just tell me."

Chen Dapeng was stunned for a moment.

"Lin Chen, you..."

Lin Chen interrupted him: "You're my brother. I can't just pretend I didn't see you getting involved in this kind of thing."

Chen Dapeng looked at him, a complex emotion welling up inside him.

I felt moved, guilty, and a little worried.

"Lin Chen, this is very dangerous."

"I know."

"If Fang Mingyuan finds out that someone is investigating for him, he might come after you."

"Let him come," Lin Chen sneered. "I'm in the provincial capital, he's in the county. No matter how far his reach is, it can't reach the provincial capital. Even if he manages to extend his reach into the province, who knows who will die!"

Chen Dapeng remained silent for a few seconds.

"Thank you."

"Don't give me that." Lin Chen stood up, walked to the table, picked up the stack of transfer records, and said, "I'll take a picture of these and check them again when I get back. I'll see if I can dig deeper into Zhao Zhiyong's company, those shell suppliers, and the destination of the bank statements."

Be careful.

"Don't worry. It's much safer for me to investigate these things in the provincial capital than it is here."