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

6:50 p.m.

In He Ying's residence, three cups of tea were placed on the coffee table, already brewed.

Su Wanqing sat on the single sofa to He Ying's right, holding a notebook with a pen clipped to the cover, but not opening it.

Chen Dapeng sat to He Ying's left, one seat away from her.

Doorbell rang.

He Ying glanced at Chen Dapeng.

Chen Dapeng stood up, walked to the door, and looked out through the peephole.

Zhou Min stood outside the door, wearing a dark sweatshirt without a hood, her hair tied in a low ponytail, and carrying a canvas bag, the strap of which she gripped tightly.

Chen Dapeng opened the door.

Zhou Min stood at the door, looking at Chen Dapeng. Her gaze lingered on the scar on the corner of his mouth for a moment before shifting to look inside the house.

He Ying stood in the center of the living room, looking at her.

Su Wanqing also stood up and stood half a step behind He Ying.

Three people, six eyes, all focused on Zhou Min.

Zhou Min walked in, her steps light, one hand holding a canvas bag in her arms.

"County Magistrate He."

Her voice was a little hoarse.

"sit."

He Ying pointed to the sofa.

Zhou Min sat down on the sofa, placed the canvas bag on her lap, and held it with both hands.

He Ying sat down opposite her, Su Wanqing sat back on the single sofa, and Chen Dapeng also sat back in his original position.

He Ying asked, "Do you drink tea?"

Zhou Min shook her head.

He Ying didn't ask any more questions.

The living room was quiet for a few seconds.

Zhou Min lowered her head, staring at the canvas bag on her lap. Her fingers repeatedly stroked the bag strap, as if confirming that something was still there.

He Ying did not urge her.

She knew that Zhou Min didn't need to be rushed, she needed time.

Give her time and let her speak for herself.

After waiting for about half a minute, Zhou Min raised her head and looked at He Ying.

Her eyes were a little red.

"County Chief He, I've come today to hand over to you the things I've handled over the years."

Her voice trembled slightly, but she spoke each word clearly.

He Ying looked at her and nodded.

"you say."

Zhou Min lowered her head, unzipped the canvas bag, took out a kraft paper envelope, and placed it on the coffee table.

The envelope was unsealed, bulging, and contained three pages of paper and some folded documents.

She then took a silver USB drive out of her bag and placed it next to the envelope.

"The envelope contained materials. All the issues I handled were listed out one by one. The time, amount, destination, person in charge, and approver were all included."

Her finger paused on the envelope.

"The USB drive contains scanned copies: scanned copies of the contract, the acceptance report, screenshots of bank transfer records, and the original ledger of the land acquisition compensation. Every item written in the envelope has corresponding evidence on the USB drive."

He Ying looked at the envelope and the USB drive on the coffee table, but didn't reach for them.

"Zhou Min, do you know what it means to hand these things over to me?"

Zhou Min nodded, her voice even more hoarse.

"I know. It means I've given myself away too."

The living room was quiet, and neither Chen Dapeng nor Su Wanqing spoke.

"County Chief He," Zhou Min looked up, meeting He Ying's eyes, "I know I did something wrong. Those fake contracts, fake acceptance reports, fake transfer records—I handled them all. I signed every single one of them. I know I have to take responsibility. I'm not here today to beg you to forgive my sins, but—"

She paused for a moment, her Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"I just didn't want to keep lying anymore."

He Ying looked at her and remained silent for a few seconds.

"Zhou Min, I have a few questions for you. Answer me truthfully."

"Please ask."

"Were the problems you handled handled something you did voluntarily, or were you asked to do them?"

Zhou Min did not hesitate.

"I was asked to do it by someone else. Qian Cheng assigned me the tasks, saying, 'Secretary Fang asked me to change the date on this contract,' 'Secretary Fang asked me to add the signature to this acceptance report,' and 'Secretary Fang asked me to redo the inventory record for this material.' I didn't refuse because I didn't dare to."

Did you profit from it?

Zhou Min shook her head.

"No. Not a single penny. My salary is still the same, and my bonus is still the same. I don't know where the money went. I only know that it was compliant when it left my hands—at least on paper."

He Ying nodded.

"One last question. Did you come today because you've made up your mind, or were you persuaded to come?"

Zhou Min glanced at Chen Dapeng, then looked at He Ying.

"I've made up my mind. But someone gave me a push—the last two days, I've been thinking, what will happen to me if this continues? I can't sleep at night, I have nightmares every night, and I spend my days in the office flipping through those fake contracts, pretending to be a normal person."

She shook her head.

"I can't keep up the act anymore."

He Ying looked at her, and the scrutiny in her eyes slowly turned into something indescribable—not sympathy, but confirmation.

She was confirming whether Zhou Min was telling the truth.

"Zhou Min, I have a few things to tell you. Listen carefully."

Zhou Min sat up straight.

"First, what you did was indeed against the rules. According to disciplinary regulations, those who should be held accountable will be held accountable, and those who should be punished will be punished. I cannot make any promises to you on this point, because it is not a decision I can make alone."

Zhou Min's fingers tightened slightly, but she didn't speak.

"Secondly," He Ying's voice softened slightly, "those who voluntarily confess, cooperate with the investigation, and demonstrate meritorious service may receive a lighter or reduced punishment. You are the person in charge, not the decision-maker, and did not profit from it. If you are willing to cooperate with the investigation and testify, I will help you seek leniency."

Zhou Min's lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't.

"Third, regarding your concerns—retaliation, protection, and accountability—I specifically consulted Secretary Liu of the County Discipline Inspection Commission this afternoon. He explained the policies to me very clearly."

He Ying repeated what Liu Zhiyuan had said—the difference between voluntary confession and passive verification, the division of responsibilities between the person in charge and the decision-maker, the extent of leniency and mitigation, and the procedures for witness protection.

She spoke slowly and clearly, making sure Zhou Min could fully understand.

As Zhou Min listened, her fingers slowly loosened.

She has been clutching the bag strap the whole time she walked in.

Now, she can finally relax.

"County Magistrate He."

"Um?"

Is what you're saying true?

"It's true. That's the policy. I have no reason to lie to you."

Zhou Min lowered her head and stared at the envelope on the coffee table.

"What if I don't come?"

He Ying looked at her.

"After the audit team's report is released, the discipline inspection and supervision commission will also intervene in the investigation. At that time, you will not be 'voluntarily confessing,' but 'being verified.' Being verified and voluntarily confessing are different in nature and have different results."

Zhou Min remained silent for a few seconds.

"County Chief He, I know. That's why I came."

She reached out and pushed the envelope and USB drive forward, towards He Ying.

"I'm handing these things over to you."

He Ying looked at the envelope and USB drive on the coffee table but didn't pick them up immediately.

She glanced at Zhou Min, then at Su Wanqing, and finally at Chen Dapeng.

Chen Dapeng sat there without saying a word from beginning to end.

His gaze fell on Zhou Min, then on the envelope on the coffee table. His expression was calm, but there was something indescribable in his eyes—not excitement, not tension, but a sense of "finally" relief.

He Ying reached out and picked up the envelope.

She opened the envelope and pulled out three pages of paper.

The title at the top of the first page is: "Explanation on the Use of Funds in Liuhe Town Economic Development Zone".

There was no signature below, but the character "周" was written in pencil in the lower right corner, then crossed out, and "周敏" was rewritten next to it.

He Ying started reading from the beginning.

Page 1, 500,000 in 2019.

Page 2, 3.1 million in 2021 and 2.4 million in 2022.

第三页，2023年的560万——300万污水处理项目、180万建材採购、还有一笔80万没有写在标题里，但在明细中单独列了一条：2023年12月的一笔80万的「其他支出」，收款方也是宏达商贸。

He Ying's finger paused on that record for a moment.

1160 million, plus this 80, makes 1240 million.

But she didn't say anything and continued reading.

Each transaction includes the date, amount, purpose, payee, handler, approver, and a description of the issue.

The person in charge of the matter is listed as "Zhou Min", and the approvers are listed as "Qian Cheng and Fang Zhiwen".

Sixteen transactions, each with Fang Zhiwen's signature, each with Qian Cheng's involvement, and eleven with Zhou Min's involvement—the earliest transactions were from 2019 and 2020, before she came to the Economic Development Zone, and the person in charge was Zhou Deming; from 2021 onwards, she became the person in charge of every single transaction.

After reading the three pages, He Ying put the materials back into the envelope and sealed it.

She picked up the silver USB drive and squeezed it in her hand.

"Zhou Min," He Ying looked at her, "I will hand these things over to the county discipline inspection commission. They might want to talk to you. When that happens, you need to repeat what you told me today. Can you do that?"

Zhou Min nodded.

"It can be done."

"The disciplinary committee may need you to testify. Are you willing?"

Zhou Min hesitated for a moment.

"I'm willing. But County Chief He, what you mean by protection..."

"Secretary Liu said there are procedures for witness protection. As long as you cooperate with the investigation and are willing to testify, the Discipline Inspection Commission will take protective measures according to procedures. Someone will contact you later to discuss the specifics of how the protection will be handled."

Zhou Min nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

"There's one more thing," He Ying said, looking at her. "You handed these things to me today, but the disciplinary committee hasn't officially started the process yet. Starting tomorrow, you might be questioned, asked to cooperate with the investigation, and people might be watching you. Can you handle it?"

Zhou Min remained silent for a few seconds.

"We can hold on."

Why?

"Because I've already made up my mind."

He Ying looked at her, her gaze filled with complex emotions.

She recalled that when she first arrived in Qingshun County, Su Wanqing told her, "County Chief, Zhou Min is Fang Zhiwen's person, and she's not easy to get along with."

Now, Zhou Min sat in front of her, laying out Fang Zhiwen's incriminating evidence on the table one by one.

It wasn't because she betrayed Fang Zhiwen, but because she couldn't betray her own conscience.

He Ying put away the envelope and USB drive and locked them in the drawer under the coffee table.

She looked at Zhou Min.

"Zhou Min, thank you."

Zhou Min's nose tingled, and her eyes instantly reddened.

She held back her tears several times.

"County Chief He, I've done so many wrong things, and you're thanking me..."

Her voice choked.

"You are responsible for your mistakes. Your contributions will also be remembered by the organization."

He Ying's voice wasn't loud, but every word carried weight.

"One thing at a time."

Zhou Min lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Su Wanqing handed her a tissue, which she took and used to rub her eyes.

"County Magistrate He, there's something else, but I'm not sure if I should say it."

"you say."

Zhou Min raised her head and looked at He Ying.

"Secretary Fang—Fang Zhiwen—has connections in the provincial capital. I forgot his surname, but I think it was Nie. Qian Cheng mentioned it to me once."

He Ying's expression remained unchanged.

Chen Dapeng, sitting next to him, felt a slight tremor in his heart when he heard the words "surname Nie," but he didn't say anything.

Su Wanqing put down her pen, looked at Zhou Min, and then at He Ying.

"Zhou Min," He Ying said in a low voice, "what else do you know about this guy surnamed Nie you're talking about?"

Zhou Min shook her head.

"I don't know. Qian Cheng only mentioned it once, and never again. I didn't pay attention at the time, assuming it was just a normal 'having connections' situation."

He Ying remained silent for a few seconds.

"You only need to tell me about this. Don't mention it to anyone else."

Zhou Min nodded.

The living room fell silent.

He Ying glanced at the clock on the wall—7:50.

The interview has been going on for fifty minutes.

"Zhou Min, you should go back now. I'll take care of the rest."

Zhou Min stood up and picked up the canvas bag.

She stopped and turned around when she reached the door.

"County Magistrate He."

"Um?"

"I did those things, and I don't ask to be exonerated. I just ask... that I no longer have to lie."

He Ying looked at her.

"You won't."

Zhou Min nodded, opened the door, and went out.

The moment the door closed.

Su Wanqing leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh.

"County Magistrate, the guy Zhou Min mentioned, the one surnamed Nie..."

"I know," He Ying interrupted her. "Don't make this public yet. Zhou Min stepping forward is already a big breakthrough. We'll take things one step at a time."

Chen Dapeng, who was sitting next to him, finally spoke.

His voice was somewhat hoarse: "County Magistrate, are the materials Zhou Min submitted sufficient?"

He Ying looked at him.

"Is there enough room for Fang Zhiwen to go in? Yes, there is."

But Fang Mingyuan... is still a little short.

In Zhou Min's materials, there was only one thing that directly pointed to Fang Mingyuan—the 300 million yuan of special provincial funds. Fang Mingyuan's name was not listed in the approval column; only Du Jianguo's signature was present.

Du Jianguo said it was Fang Mingyuan's instruction, but that was Du Jianguo's statement, not a written agreement.

Chen Dapeng remained silent for a few seconds.

"What should we do then?"

"Wait," He Ying said calmly. "Wait for the Discipline Inspection Commission to get involved, wait for Fang Zhiwen to speak up. Once Fang Zhiwen speaks, Fang Mingyuan won't be able to escape."

Chen Dapeng nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

He Ying stood up, walked to the window, and drew back the curtains.

The night outside the window was dark, and the neighborhood was quiet.

The streetlights were on, casting a dim yellow light on the empty parking lot. Zhou Min's figure was walking out of the building entrance, her steps hurried, and she quickly disappeared into the night.

"Director Su."

"exist."

"Tomorrow morning, make a copy of Zhou Min's materials and deliver it to Secretary Liu of the Discipline Inspection Commission. I will keep the original."

Su Wanqing made a note in her notebook.

"Also, you need to keep an eye on Zhou Min's safety. Fang Zhiwen's men probably already know she came here today. If anyone causes trouble for her after she goes back..."

"I've arranged for someone to keep an eye on it."

He Ying turned around and looked at her.

"Don't alert the enemy."

"clear."

He Ying nodded and looked at Chen Dapeng.

"Dapeng, you go back first. You might have something to do tomorrow."

Chen Dapeng stood up.

"County Magistrate, I'll be going now."

"Okay. Be careful on the road."

Chen Dapeng walked to the door, opened it, and went out.

The moment the door closed, He Ying leaned against the window, looking out.

In the darkness, Chen Dapeng's figure walked out of the building entrance.

He Ying turned around, walked back to the sofa, and sat down.

She opened the drawer under the coffee table and took out the brown paper envelope and the silver USB drive.

The envelope felt light in my hand.

But He Ying knew that these few sheets of paper weighed more than anything else.