Chapter 70 Should I take the money? What if his money isn't clean either? Then...
Jiang Mingyuan disliked Liu Kun quite a bit, but he understood that Liu Kun didn't want to be an illegitimate child; it was all the fault of Liu Kun's parents.
However, Liu Kun could choose not to be Liu Yuandou's puppet, and could leave the Liu family to make a living on his own.
If Liu Kun had actually done that, he would have thought more highly of Liu Kun, instead of being annoyed by Liu Kun as he is now.
What's even more annoying is that this person is actually with Qiu Xiaoman. This must be a task arranged by Liu Yuandou. Even if Liu Kun is truly in love, his purpose in getting close to Qiu Xiaoman is not pure.
A relationship that is tainted by messy calculations of self-interest is bound to be unhealthy and most likely won't last long.
What if Xiao Qiu gets injured? Unfortunately, Jiang Mingyuan is a policeman and can't take any overstepping actions to deal with Liu Kun. Since that's the case, it's better to nip it in the bud.
He got out of the car and knocked on Qiu Xiaoman's window: "Xiao Qiu, come out for a moment."
Qiu Xiaoman didn't expect him to come, but after all, he was in charge of anti-trafficking, and tonight's case could be loosely related to anti-trafficking.
So she got off the bus. Liu Kun wanted to ask her if she was coming back, but after hesitating for a long time, he kept quiet.
He'll just wait and see. If she doesn't come back, he won't lose anything. If she does come back, he won't press her. He'll give her enough space to feel comfortable, which is the only way to salvage his bad impression of her.
He had to thank Shen Qinghuai for giving him the opportunity to get close to Qiu Xiaoman.
He felt he had to make up for the disappointment he suffered in family relationships elsewhere; that was his initial thought. So when Liu Yuandou offered him money, he accepted it—why not take it if it's free?
Similarly, Qiu Xiaoman, who has just suffered a major setback in her relationship with her father, naturally needs to draw strength from her friends.
At this time, being a quiet and unassuming guardian is better than anything else.
As he looked away, Liu Kun noticed Xiao Hua left in the back seat out of the corner of his eye, and he smiled.
Qiu Xiaoman didn't bring her dog, since she didn't know what Jiang Mingyuan was up to. After opening the back door and sitting down, she asked, "Is this case related to you?"
"No, my dad saw Lao Peng, and I couldn't sleep, so I came to check on him." Jiang Mingyuan hesitated for a moment before sitting in the driver's seat. After carefully considering his words, he asked, "You and Liu Kun are just ordinary friends, right?"
"Otherwise what?" Qiu Xiaoman was speechless. "He's a pawn sent by Liu Yuandou. I'm not stupid."
“I’m worried about you. With things going so badly with President Shen, Liu Kun could easily take advantage of the situation.” Jiang Mingyuan didn’t mince words. Although he had reprimanded Shen Qinghuai, he also wanted to advise Qiu Xiaoman, “You can’t get so close to Liu Kun just out of spite. It will only make President Shen anxious and won’t do you any good.”
"You're overthinking it. I'm not that naive." Qiu Xiaoman didn't like being lectured, especially by someone who made wild guesses on her own. She said coldly, "I'm an adult. I have my own judgment. I know whether Liu Kun has ulterior motives or is acting on his own.
For example, when we first met, he must have had ulterior motives; and today, he must be feeling sorry for someone like him.
Qiu Xiaoman is clear-headed and doesn't need others to label her as being stubborn.
Jiang Mingyuan felt a little helpless. Had he misunderstood? Was he not being stubborn? Okay, he apologized: "It was my fault. Don't be angry. I'll be more careful next time."
"You know that much. You came to remind me to be careful about his motives, which was well-intentioned, and of course I won't be ungrateful. But you immediately said that I was just being stubborn, which is too presumptuous of you. I don't like that." Qiu Xiaoman didn't completely deny his good intentions, but often, good intentions can lead to bad outcomes.
Jiang Mingyuan did not refute. He had only known Xiao Qiu for a short time, and the limited contact was not enough for him to make an absolutely correct judgment. But it didn't matter, there was still a long time ahead, and they could take it slowly.
The most urgent thing was to remind her to keep her distance from Liu Kun, so he instructed her: "In short, you must stay away from Liu Kun. Liu Yao has already gotten into trouble, and it is unknown what the Liu family will do to protect him. If they can't protect him, if the Liu family becomes desperate and does something rash, it will be dangerous to even stand around the building when it is about to collapse. You must run away."
Qiu Xiaoman laughed: "The Liu family doesn't even deserve to be called a mansion. It's more like a den of snakes and rats. But I understand what you're saying, I'll be careful, thanks!"
After saying that, she got off the bus.
Jiang Mingyuan leaned out of the car window and asked, "It's Old Master Shen's 70th birthday, and I have to go to offer my congratulations. Do you need me to inquire about anyone or anything related to the Shen family?"
"No need, this family has nothing to do with me." Qiu Xiaoman waved her hand. "Go back, it's getting late."
Jiang Mingyuan really wanted to ask, is this what you call "I'll be careful"? They've already run back to Liu Kun's car, really.
Well, since she's said that, I'll just believe her.
*
Qiu Xiaoman remained silent throughout the journey. Liu Kun drove quietly, suppressing his curiosity. Only after Qiu Xiaoman got out of the car and went back did he ask an unrelated question: "Are you free on Saturday? I was planning to buy you something tonight, but then that girl from Miyun had an accident."
“I’m going to Shanghai on Saturday. Someone I know there has found Xiao Qiao adoptive parents, and I’m taking her to see them.” Qiu Xiaoman didn’t want Liu Kun to have unrealistic expectations, so she made it clear, “I know what you’re thinking, but I advise you—”
"No! Please!" Liu Kun quickly got out of the car, ran to Qiu Xiaoman, bent down slightly, and looked into her eyes. "Don't be so cruel, and don't be so hasty, okay?"
Qiu Xiaoman didn't understand: "You're already twenty-five. Your dad should be quite eager to have a grandson. You should go back to being his good son."
"You're so cruel." Liu Kun looked away. He had already betrayed everyone he could, only to be met with her merciless mockery.
He was unhappy.
Qiu Xiaoman didn't care about his feelings, after all, he was the one who chased after her, and his motives weren't pure.
She laughed and said, "If you're not ruthless, you'll only be used and hurt by others. If you don't like it, you might as well stay away."
"It's too late." Liu Kun turned around, his eyes filled with deep sorrow, like an autumn fog that wouldn't dissipate. "Officer Qiu, can you not jump to conclusions? Let me show you this—"
Liu Kun took out the prepared photos.
The boy living in the sinkhole is facing the rising sun and waving vigorously at the camera.
The smile that bloomed on her face, with its most primal purity and innocence, carried an inspiring power that entered Qiu Xiaoman's field of vision.
She listened as Liu Kun explained, "He has six children, and he's the eldest. To help ease his parents' burden, he started working after graduating from junior high school. His place isn't far from your adoptive parents' home. How about we go visit him together sometime?"
Qiu Xiaoman did not answer immediately. The streetlights cast a soft glow on the young man under them.
His aggression had almost dropped to zero, completely different from the night they first met.
Qiu Xiaoman suddenly smiled and pinched his cheek: "Let me observe you for a while before we talk about it."
Liu Kun smiled too; she hadn't ruled out the possibility entirely, there was still hope.
He left the photos with Qiu Xiaoman: "I have the negatives, so I'll give these to you. You can let me know anytime you want to go, and I'll be there whenever you call."
"Don't you go to work?" Qiu Xiaoman asked curiously.
Liu Kun said with a wry smile, "If Liu Yao really goes in, the Liu family will be thrown into chaos. I'd better not go to the Liu family's company for a while. It's good that I want to clear my head and think about where I should go from here."
"You should distance yourself from the Liu family." Qiu Xiaoman didn't want to see him slide into the abyss. He couldn't control his birth, but he could control his future path.
Liu Kun had also considered doing this, but over the years, the idea of bringing down the Liu family had taken precedence. He thought that knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory, so he might as well get to know the people in the Liu family first and then dismantle them from within.
The opportunity is not yet ripe, but it is a suitable one. Once the underground casino is exposed, the power structure of the Liu family will definitely be reshuffled.
He should find an opportunity to distance himself from the situation.
Only in this way can any future contact with Qiu Xiaoman be considered a spontaneous act on his part, and have nothing to do with Liu Yuandou.
He nodded solemnly: "I'll go back and think about it carefully, and figure out how to get away from them completely without getting into trouble."
"Why don't you find a job after you leave? If that doesn't work out, you can start your own business." Qiu Xiaoman knew that the Liu family had dirty money, but they also had legitimate companies. This part of their assets could be given to Liu Kun so that he wouldn't be left with nothing and unable to make a living.
However, once Liu Kun took the money, he could not sever his relationship with Liu Yuandou.
It's best not to have it.
As for herself, she hasn't touched the money Shen Qinghuai gave her yet, and the money she sent to her adoptive parents was offset by the system's bonus, leaving her with some money left over.
She didn't want to return Shen Qinghuai's money, purely because she felt that Shen Qinghuai owed her, and also to spite Liang Yuting.
Actually, she has the ability to earn money on her own.
Perhaps she shouldn't have taken Shen Qinghuai's money; what if his money wasn't clean either?
Wouldn't that just hurt yourself?
By learning from others, one can understand one's own gains and losses. While advising Liu Kun, Qiu Xiaoman couldn't help but reflect on her own actions.
Liu Kun was unaware that she had put herself in Liu Kun's shoes and thought of her, but he still considered it seriously and replied, "Then I'll pick you up for work tomorrow. Once you get to the base, I'll look for a job."
"Have you thought it through?" Qiu Xiaoman was a little surprised. You made a decision so quickly?
Seeing the admiring look in her eyes, Liu Kun got itchy again and said cheekily, "Have you thought it through? If I can't find a job and get kicked out of the Liu family, I can just rely on you."
Qiu Xiaoman rolled her eyes: "I was just about to praise you and you're already getting cocky, huh?"
"You're not being sincere, how about a slap?" Liu Kun still remembered her warning not to get too close to her, but when he was so eager to get hit, he didn't care anymore.
He bent down, closing the distance in an ambiguous gesture.
The expected "slap" didn't happen because the two were too close to move freely.
Qiu Xiaoman could only bend her knee and kick him, even lifting her toes, but then she thought better of it.
She shoved him away: "Having another episode?"
"Grandma, please hit me." Liu Kun was really upset, and he even brought his face close to hers.
Qiu Xiaoman laughed in exasperation, then reached out and pinched his ear: "Are you really sick?"
"Really, it's late stage, there's no hope." Liu Kun felt better, and since he could even pinch his ear, he couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Didn't you eat? Use a little more force."
Qiu Xiaoman immediately let go and said, "Get lost!"
Liu Kun grinned and said, "Okay. I'm off. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning!"
Qiu Xiaoman did not refuse. She thought that once her hand was healed, she should quickly learn to drive, as she didn't want to take the bus.
Around 11 o'clock, Li Tuantuan returned with Li Yuanyuan.
We need to wait until dawn to have the injuries assessed at an appraisal agency before we can decide on further treatment measures.
However, Li Erhu said that this level of injury doesn't even qualify as a minor injury, and he would most likely just give a verbal warning.
Qiu Xiaoman felt quite helpless; the law was too lenient on such irresponsible parents.
She instructed, "Tonight you and Yangyang will share a room so Yuanyuan can go to sleep early. Tomorrow you'll come to the base with me and be a gatekeeper."
Li Tuantuan declined: "I need to help Yuanyuan move her things tomorrow, how about next week?"
After all, tomorrow is Friday.
Qiu Xiaoman had no objection and asked, "Then where are your ID photos? Give me two, and your household registration certificate, give them all to me. I'll tell Captain Meng first."
Li Tuantuan hurried to get it. He stood outside the door, too embarrassed to come in, and knocked on the door frame: "Sister Xiaoman, once Xiao Qiao's matter is settled, I will recalculate how to split the rent and food expenses."
Qiu Xiaoman stood up, took the photos and certificates, and said, "No rush, you should arrange Yuanyuan's matter first."
"Okay." Li Tuantuan watched her back, her gaze meeting Qiu Xiaoman's in the mirror. She quickly looked away, closed the door, and went back to her room.
The next day, Qiu Xiaoman went to the base. After training the dogs, she modified the chains of Heitan and Moshui, adding a movable lock. She demonstrated it a few times, showing that when a dog tries to break free, it bites that lock.
After all that trouble, she went to find Captain Meng.
Team Leader Meng had just recovered from a fever and was feeling unwell. He picked up the photo, looked at it, and asked, "Doesn't he find it hard work here?"
"I don't mind," Qiu Xiaoman smiled and asked, "I remember the law says that people over sixteen can look for work, right?"
"Well, but he's a minor worker! There will be corresponding protection policies. Anyway, it won't affect his work. Have him come over next Monday." Team Leader Meng forced himself to sit up straight and instructed, "I heard you almost had an accident yesterday. It gave me a fright. Be careful in the future, try to be more tactful, and don't offend anyone."
"Okay, I understand." Qiu Xiaoman didn't want to explain anything. Shen Qinghuai's idea was that family scandals should not be aired in public, while her idea was that one should not make assumptions about someone's guilt without evidence.
However, once she has evidence, she will personally arrest Liang Yuting! After she finishes dealing with Xiao Qiao's matter, she needs to talk to Chai Dafeng.
At lunchtime, Liu Kun had a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl in his car.
Upon seeing Qiu Xiaoman, she greeted her warmly as "Hello, sister."
Liu Kun introduced her, saying that this was the young girl who reported the case last night.
"She's finished giving her statement. I'll take her back to her relatives' house later until the court hearing," Liu Kun said with a smile. "But let's go have lunch first, okay, Officer Qiu?"
Qiu Xiaoman had no objections and went to the Sichuan restaurant from yesterday again.
After dinner, Liu Kun received a call from Liu Yuandou, who said he had found the house Liu Yuandou wanted.
"Should we buy both or just one?" Liu Yuandou thought Liu Kun wouldn't betray him; he had so much wealth, only a fool wouldn't want it.
Liu Kun didn't want to refuse, fearing he might alert the enemy, so after a moment's hesitation, he replied, "One set, please."
When Qiu Xiaoman got off work that evening, Yang Ailing came over to deliver her plane ticket: "It's at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. I've arranged a car to the airport, so you don't have to worry about it. Just go with her."
“Okay.” Qiu Xiaoman did not refuse. This trip was for Xiao Qiao. Aunt Yang loved them and it was normal for her to buy the tickets.
After finishing her meal, she planned to read a book for a while and then go to bed early.
Unexpectedly, someone knocked on the door.
Li Tuantuan had already helped her younger sister pack her things, and when she heard the noise, she quickly went to open the door.
Upon opening the door, a fashionable young woman in her thirties stood outside, followed by three little kids, the oldest no more than ten years old.
They peeked out one by one, like a brood of rabbits ready to emerge from their burrow.
Li Tuantuan asked politely, "Who are you looking for?"
Before he could finish speaking, the little girl's clear voice reached Qiu Xiaoman's ears: "Hello, brother! I'm looking for my sister! She's a policewoman, she's amazing!"
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