Fortunately, just as she was filled with doubt and surprise, a sweet, delicate female voice rang out from the crowd behind Brother Long:

"Brother Long, I told you long ago, you can't deal with this woman using ordinary methods! She's very cunning! If we don't use some ruthless methods, she won't be afraid, and she certainly won't obediently take out so much money to give us!"

Before the words were finished, a woman wearing a gaudy red wool coat swayed her hips and squeezed out from behind the crowd.

She stood next to Brother Long, looking down at Zhou Qiqi with eyes full of resentment.

Despite the woman wearing thick makeup, she spoke in a deliberately high-pitched voice.

But that unchangeable accent... those facial features and eyes...

Zhou Qiqi recognized him at a glance. Her pupils suddenly contracted, and she cried out in disbelief:

"Xu Zao?! It's you?!"

That's right, the woman in front of us is none other than Xu Shu's idle and wicked younger sister, Xu Zao!

Xu Zao looked at Zhou Qiqi's undisguised astonishment, chuckled, crossed his arms, and raised his chin slightly, exuding an almost morbid smugness:

"What, surprised to see me here? Where do you think I should be right now? In the police station? Ha."

Zhou Qiqi shook her head, her chaotic thoughts gradually clearing up.

The last time she saw Xu Zao was indeed two or three months ago.

At that time, Xu Zao, her brother Xu Shu, and Lin Yao conspired to falsely accuse her of disrupting a military marriage. After the plot was exposed, the three of them were taken away by the police.

In this matter, Xu Zao is at most an accomplice who gave false testimony; his circumstances are not the most serious.

As long as she remains adamant and refuses to admit anything, it will indeed be difficult to convict her of a serious crime. According to regulations, she will be detained for investigation and given some education, and then she will probably be released.

If you count the days, she should have regained her freedom long ago.

Their appearance here is not surprising in terms of timing.

Looking at her current state, Zhou Qiqi felt a complex mix of emotions and sighed softly.

"I don't think you should be in police custody, it's just..."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the menacing-looking men behind Xu Zao, a hint of regret in her voice.

"...You shouldn't be here."

She ultimately swallowed the last part, "to associate with these people."

In Zhou Qiqi's opinion, Xu Zao was definitely not a good person.

She was only eighteen years old, just the beginning of her life, but her materialistic parents had raised her to be vain, unable to distinguish right from wrong, and her mind had become warped.

Ultimately, her previous actions were nothing more than playing petty tricks, taking advantage of others, and being sarcastic; they were far from being utterly immoral or criminal.

Zhou Qiqi even vaguely felt that if Xu Zao could leave that home, venture out into the world, and experience some hardship, perhaps one day he would have a sudden awakening and get back on the right path.

But what about these people in front of us?

Brother Long, with a scarred face and fierce eyes, and the group of ruthless thugs behind him, their eyes gleaming with menace and their bodies radiating violence...

They were thieves and robbers, living a life of constant danger, and their hands were likely stained with blood!

These people have long abandoned the bottom line of being human; conscience is something they've long since fed to the dogs.

Getting involved with these people was like jumping into a boiling pot of oil.

In this lifetime, there will probably be no turning back.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qiqi felt a pang of regret that she couldn't quite explain.

Xu Zao felt extremely uncomfortable under her pitying gaze.

She felt as if she had been pricked by a needle, and suddenly raised her voice, shrilly:

"Don't look at me like that! Zhou Qiqi, let me tell you, I'm in this situation because of you! You forced me into it all!"