There's a saying that goes, "Businesses that make quick money are all written in the criminal code."
However, things weren't like that in the 1980s. Many new things hadn't yet emerged, the Hong Kong economy was booming, and the mainland was just getting started. It was a thriving scene, and there were quite a few businesses that made money quickly.
Fraud is out of the question. This is a port city with sound laws and well-informed people who are not as easily fooled as people on the mainland.
Zhou Jian'an wanted to work in real estate but didn't know the ropes, he wanted to work in the catering industry but couldn't endure the hardship, and he wanted to work in finance but didn't have the skills. He majored in engineering in college and studied mechanical repair during his internship in mainland China. Starting from scratch, Zhou Jian'an wanted to work in his own field.
He wanted to make some devices, to invent some small gadgets using his science-oriented mind.
Zhou Jian'an wanted to travel around Hong Kong to see where he could find a suitable business to make, use his money to start a serious career, and eventually have the capital to return to the mainland, erase his fraud record, and return home in glory.
Zhou Jian'an wasn't delusional. Jiang Meifeng was one of the few witnesses in the whole affair. After the public security authorities arrested Zhou Fangchun, Zhou Huilan, and Bao Liu's family, they interrogated Jiang Meifeng.
Cheng Lanjun was in charge of the whole matter. She gave her colleague a wink, and the colleague, holding a notebook, asked:
"Jiang Meifeng, you must answer the questions truthfully and not lie."
Jiang Meifeng frowned, thinking to herself that she would answer what she could, and not say a word more about what she couldn't. Don't think that just because she was afraid of the police, she was a seasoned rural rogue. She had managed to make a name for herself in the countryside, a place where all sorts of people mingled. What did she have to fear from the police?
"As far as we know, the mutual aid association was initiated by your son Zhou Jian'an and your daughter Zhou Fangchun."
Jiang Meifeng was taken aback for a moment, then said matter-of-factly:
"Who said such nonsense?"
"What? You don't agree?"
"Of course I don't agree. Everyone knows that the mutual aid association was started by my daughter, Zhou Fangchun. My son is a college student. How could he do such a thing? My son is innocent. If you have any questions, just talk to my daughter. Don't drag my son into this."
Cheng Lanjun frowned. "Giving false testimony is a crime punishable by imprisonment. Do you dare say that Zhou Jian'an wasn't involved at all? If he wasn't involved, where did he get 50 million? Why would he abscond with the money?"
Jiang Meifeng wasn't stupid. Since someone was destined to sacrifice themselves, she would let Zhou Fangchun take the blame. Zhou Jian'an was the pillar of the Zhou family, the only college student in the family, and her beloved son. She was determined to protect him.
It's better for one to die than two.
Jiang Meifeng insisted that the mutual aid association was set up by Zhou Fangchun and had nothing to do with Zhou Jian'an; Zhou Huilan and Bao Liu were there to help.
That old hag is very stubborn.
Cheng Lanjun frowned and asked in a deep voice, "Zhou Jian'an wasn't involved, so what reason would he have to run away? Even if he didn't participate in the fraud, the fact remains that he absconded with the money, and his crime is still serious!"
Jiang Meifeng isn't easily intimidated; how could she be scared by Cheng Lanjun?
Everyone knows that every crime less is a crime less.
Wait, Zhou Jian'an absconded with the money? When did this happen? Wasn't it agreed that she would take Zhou Chufei and run away first?
Did Zhou Jian'an abandon her?
"My son ran away? When did this happen? How come I didn't know?"
Cheng Lanjun and her female colleague exchanged a glance. "Your son ran away and transferred half of the mutual aid association's accounts. Zhou Fangchun didn't even have as much money as him. You dare to say your son is innocent... Old lady, this isn't how you protect your own. According to many members, your son was involved even more than Zhou Fangchun."
No matter what she said, Jiang Meifeng wouldn't listen or admit it, insisting that the mutual aid association was run by Zhou Fangchun, and that if anyone wanted to kill or torture someone, they should go after Zhou Fangchun, not her son.
In the next room, the stove was burning brightly, and Zhou Fangchun could clearly hear Jiang Meifeng's testimony through the glass window.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She had known since she was little that her mother was biased, giving all the good food and toys to her younger brother, and she was used to it.
But little did she know that even at this point, Jiang Meifeng would still help Zhou Jian'an. It wasn't that Jiang Meifeng didn't realize that if all the blame were placed on her alone, her crime would be too serious and she would be executed.
Jiang Meifeng would rather she die than have Zhou Jian'an with a criminal record.
Zhou Fangchun was indignant, truly indignant. Why should women be treated this way? Jiang Meifeng wanted her to take the blame herself, but she refused. She wanted to show Jiang Meifeng that favoritism would not end well.
"She's talking nonsense! The mutual aid association was clearly established by Zhou Jian'an and me."
Cheng Lanjun raised an eyebrow. They deliberately let Zhou Fangchun hear Jiang Meifeng's words to incite Zhou Fangchun's hatred for Jiang Meifeng, hoping to pry open Zhou Fangchun's mouth as soon as possible and get her to produce the accounts.
Ultimately, the mutual aid society's ledger is the most important thing.
“But that’s not what your mother said,” Cheng Lanjun paused strategically for a moment, then continued, “Zhou Fangchun, if you can prove that the mutual aid society wasn’t established by you alone, your crime, though serious, won’t warrant the death penalty. As long as you show remorse and confess soon, we will apply for a reduced sentence for you. But if you can’t provide evidence to prove that what your mother said is wrong, then all the funds of the mutual aid society will be attributed to you. Fraudulently obtaining so much money is unprecedented in our country’s history. Ultimately, your fate is up to you.”
Zhou Fangchun lowered her head and nervously rubbed her fingers until her thumb turned red.
Zhou Fangchun was still struggling with her decision.
She swindled 100 million yuan, and that's no joke.
Without the ledger, no one knows exactly how much money she defrauded. Some corrupt officials or unscrupulous businessmen pay money to join the club, but since the money is ill-gotten, they dare not report it to the police.
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