"Pfft! What?"

Xia Che coughed incessantly, spraying black coffee from his mouth all over half the table.

Two to five years in prison?

I have to pay a fine too?!

Yu Shiyue is just a high school student. Given her age, the probability of her being a minor is not low, right?

Sending a minor to jail...

Xia Che swallowed hard, feeling a tickle in his throat. He pulled out a few tissues and hurriedly wiped the coffee-stained tabletop, his mind racing.

No, no, how could such a thing happen to Yu Shiyue?

She's Yue-xiong's sister, after all. If she were really arrested, how heartbroken would Yue-xiong be?

Moreover, while Yu Shiyue's behavior was a bit perverted, Xia Che felt that sending her to jail for a few years was absolutely not a crime deserving of such punishment.

"I heard that turning yourself in can get you a reduced sentence?"

Xia Che rubbed his hands together. Even with his thick skin, he felt it was a little strange to speak up for the doujinshi artist. "She's probably a first-time offender. The offense shouldn't be too serious, right?"

"We can't just give the maximum penalty, can we? Hahaha... Yu Shiyue is still in high school."

Xia Che scratched the back of his head, his smile looking forced no matter how you looked at it.

"Didn't I already say that without knowing the specifics of the situation, I can't say how I would handle it? I'm just a lowly law enforcement officer, and the laws of China can't be my own personal sanctuary."

"Even if someone surrenders themselves, they should receive lenient treatment in most cases, which should be the case."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yihan's eyebrows furrowed slightly, making her beauty mark even more prominent.

Still in high school?

How could that be... You must be joking.

According to information obtained by the Jiang City Police Department, Yu Shiyue has clearly graduated from university and is in her twenties. How could she still be in high school?

It seems Xia Che is lying, perhaps trying to use a lie to reduce his friend's sentence?

"I see...that makes sense, hahaha."

Xia Che chuckled, feeling slightly relieved.

Can turning yourself in get a reduced sentence...?

It was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

If things truly reach a point of no return, then let's minimize the time spent in jail...

But since Xiao Yihan is willing to talk to me about these things, does it mean that I can use connections?

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Xia Che's mind.

yes!

If everything has to be handled according to procedure, then why would Xiao Yihan be willing to come to the coffee shop with him?

He probably would have already led a group to kick down his own door, rushed in, and taken Yu Shiyue away, right?

This behavior proves that Xiao Yihan is unwilling to do this, so does that mean...?

Are there any other options?

“Officer Xiao, Yu Shiyue is definitely a first-time offender, and based on my understanding of her, she is definitely not the kind of potential criminal. If we talk to her properly, she will most likely realize her mistake.”

"So... could you please point me in the right direction, since this is the first offense, and tell me if there's any way to avoid going to jail?"

“If it’s just a fine, I can pay it for her right now, don’t you think?”

Xia Che glanced tentatively at Xiao Yihan, feeling somewhat uneasy.

After all, the other party was a law enforcement officer from the Jiang City Police Department. To ask a law enforcement officer to give me special treatment...

It feels a bit dangerous no matter how you look at it.

Surely we should leave this matter to Ning Zheyuan to handle, right?

Having been the Xia family's henchman for so long, he should have some connections in these matters.

Seeing that Xiao Yihan remained silent for a long time, Xia Che's heart sank to the bottom, and he thought to himself, "Just as I thought."

How could someone known as a workaholic throughout the Jiang City Police Department be a scoundrel willing to give himself preferential treatment?

I was too hasty... I should have handed it over to Ning Zheyuan directly.

Xia Che sighed, then decided to change the subject.

"You... really want to know?"

Unexpectedly, Xiao Yihan slightly raised her lips and smiled mysteriously.

"think!"

Seeing this, Xia Che nodded decisively. His heart, which had thought he had stepped on a landmine, suddenly took a turn for the better.

Judging from this... it's definitely not out of dislike.

Is there really a way?

"Then come sit here."

Xiao Yihan suppressed her wildly beating heart and tried her best to keep her expression calm and composed, so that Xia Che would not see the slightest flaw.

"OK."

Xia Che thought about it and realized that this kind of topic shouldn't be discussed too loudly. Sitting there was probably to ensure privacy.

Without thinking much, he walked over and plopped down next to Xiao Yihan. Since the seats in this coffee shop were all connected sofas, Xia Che didn't sit too close at first in order to keep his distance.

When Xiao Yihan felt Xia Che sit down, the violent heartbeat that she had managed to suppress rekindled, and even her breath seemed to tremble slightly.

They actually sat down...

Xiao Yihan let out a soft moan as waves of joy, excitement, and happiness surged through her, making her mind foggy and somewhat dizzy.

In this state, she would probably agree to whatever Xia Che asked for!

"How can we talk about something so far away? Let's get closer."

But then, Xiao Yihan bit her tongue, the stinging pain temporarily clearing her mind. She then licked her lips and chuckled softly.

That's right!

She is greedy.

That's not enough. This is a rare opportunity, so I must be bolder.

"Oh? Okay then."

Xia Che didn't suspect anything. The two were indeed quite far apart, and if they talked like that, the guests at the tables in front and behind would inevitably hear them.

However, given the difference between men and women, Xia Che knew how bad his image was, so after thinking about it, he only moved a little bit.

The table is a small, round one, very Western European in style. It's just right for two people to sit facing each other, but if they sit on the same side, although there's enough room, there's nowhere to put their hands down.

Xiao Yihan then placed her elbow on the sofa, supporting her chin, which left Xia Che with even less space. However, because he needed to turn to the side, Xia Che felt awkward putting his hands on his knees, so he had no choice but to place them on the sofa, very close to Xiao Yihan's long, white legs exposed under her skirt. Xia Che could even feel the warmth emanating from them.

"Is this alright now?"

Xia Che muttered to himself, thankfully he hadn't eaten breakfast yet. He had originally planned to have rice noodle rolls, but he liked to add a layer of minced garlic to them.

Luckily I didn't eat it...

Otherwise, wouldn't we be making a huge fool of ourselves now?

The smell of garlic can be deadly...

"Well, it's barely passable."

Xiao Yihan maintained her icy demeanor, glancing at Xia Che expressionlessly before quickly withdrawing her gaze. Her heart was pounding wildly, as if it were about to leap out of her throat.

Xia Che smells so good...

This was Xiao Yihan's first thought.