"I understand what you mean... I will try my best to persuade him."

Wang Xiaoling nodded, and then walked ahead of me toward the police station.

...

Because the number of people being detained exceeded the capacity of the police station, several houses near the police station were requisitioned and turned into temporary detention centers, and Tie Nan was detained in one of the small buildings.

Wang Xiaoling took out her key and opened the door. I went into the room, which was very simple. There was only a single bed and an old table about half a person's height. I didn't even have a place to sit.

My arrival surprised Tie Nan. He looked at me first, and the first thing he said was that he wanted a cigarette. After I got Wang Xiaoling's permission, I lit one for him. He just sat on the bed with his head down, smoking and rubbing his feet on the ground. He was obviously very flustered.

I said to him, "This opportunity to meet was hard-won. We only have ten minutes, so I hope you will cherish it."

Tie Nan looked up at me.

I quickly got into character and said with a serious expression, "The seriousness of this matter has far exceeded your imagination. So, I'm here to advise you not to take any chances. You must hand over your business income and ledgers from this period to the interrogators... in order to get leniency."

Tie Nan met my gaze, his face gradually turning cold. Then he spread his hands and said to me, "Is short-term rental illegal?... Do you really think I've made millions and still need to keep accounts?... Let me tell you the truth, I didn't make any money at all this Lunar New Year season, not even enough for them to file a case."

I couldn't quite describe the feeling in my heart, but I still patiently said, "Tie Nan, I'll say it again, I only have ten minutes... Handing over the ledgers and illegal gains now is your only way out... Things are really much more serious than you think!"

"I can only take it out if I have something like that; if I don't, how can I take it out?"

Don't you believe me?

"hehe……"

Tie Nan chuckled, then took another deep drag of his cigarette. I glanced back at Wang Xiaoling; she had been watching Tie Nan and me intently. I was incredibly anxious and said again, "Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about Taozi..."

Tie Nan interrupted me: "Don't pull me down. If you cared about Taozi, you shouldn't have come to find me... Are you trying to frame me?!"

"Tie Nan... can you trust me just this once... no one has confessed yet. If you're the first to confess, it will be a different story, you understand?... they have ways of finding out about your illegal gains."

"Then let them investigate! I want to see what they can do to an innocent person."

"You're really crazy!"

Tie Nan glared at me... Just then, another male police officer walked down the corridor. He said a few words to Wang Xiaoling, which distracted her.

Taking the opportunity, Tie Nan lowered his voice and said angrily, "Michael, I'm not like you. I won't be jealous of my friends, much less betray them... We innkeepers also have friendships among ourselves. If we don't say anything, let's see what they can find out... Heh, Dali has such a high population mobility, I don't believe they can find out about private cash transactions... Don't be ridiculous!... Also, please don't create a scary atmosphere in front of Taozi. When it's time, I'll go out."

"Can you please stop doing this? I'm genuinely trying to help you... If you feel this money is particularly important to you and Taozi, just give me the ledger, and I'll pay for it. You won't have to bear a single penny, okay?"

"Trying to play the noble card again?... Let me tell you, in my eyes, you're a complete and utter idiot... You want the ledger? You're fucking getting me into trouble, you know that?"

For the first time in my life, I was overcome with uncontrollable rage. I cursed under my breath, "If it weren't for Peach, who the hell would come to mess with you... If you had ever figured things out, you wouldn't be in this mess... Just stay here and fend for yourself, fuck your mother!"