Yuyue Teahouse.
Private room.
Liu Yutong sat by the window, holding a cup of light tea. The fragrant steam curled upward, misting her delicate brows and eyes.
Across from her, Deputy Bureau Chief Qi Wei leaned forward slightly. Neither spoke.
These days, the friction between Liu Yutong’s subordinates and Niu Ben’s men had grown increasingly frequent—or rather, the conflict had escalated.
First, there was the fish trade. The goods Liu Yutong’s people hauled in from the countryside often went unsold because Niu Ben’s men had threatened the owners of restaurants and food stalls, warning them not to accept Liu Yutong’s shipments.
Niu Ben’s reputation in Wushui County needed no elaboration. His intimidation far surpassed anything Ma Da and Liu Yutong’s underlings could muster.
Even if the business owners feared Ma Da and his crew, their fear of Niu Ben was far greater.
And it wasn’t just the fish trade. In entertainment venues like internet cafés and pool halls, brawls were becoming more and more common.
Nearly every day, Liu Yutong received reports of her men being beaten.
Though anger simmered within her, she remained composed.
She knew now wasn’t the time to strike back.
And whether that time would come depended on the outcome of today’s conversation.
Liu Yutong set down her teacup. “Uncle Qi, I doubt you came here today just for a meal. If you have something to say, let’s hear it straight.”
Qi Wei was momentarily taken aback. Despite having rehearsed his words, facing this girl left him at a loss for where to begin.
Her demeanor seemed to shift constantly. In just two months, it was as if she had become an entirely different person.
Two months ago, she had been a high school senior about to graduate, often wearing her hair in a ponytail, her eyes still carrying a mix of youthful naivety and stubbornness.
But now, though she still bore the appearance of a girl in the bloom of youth, she carried herself with a poise and calmness that didn’t belong to her age—even exuding a subtle air of authority.
Qi Wei gathered his thoughts and finally spoke. “I’ve heard your clashes with Niu Ben have been escalating. Is that true?”
Liu Yutong nodded without hesitation. “Niu Ben’s men have been making big moves lately—not just sabotaging my business but also stirring up trouble all over the county. As Deputy Bureau Chief and head of the public security division, I’m sure you’ve heard about it too.”
Qi Wei’s tone carried a bureaucratic edge. “We’ve been keeping an eye on public security issues. But your people haven’t exactly been innocent either, have they?”
Liu Yutong feigned innocence. “Uncle Qi, that’s unfair. My people are law-abiding citizens who’ve never sought trouble. You’re the Deputy Bureau Chief—you should speak with evidence.”
“Besides, you know Niu Ben better than I do. I’m not the one causing problems here.”
“Instead of having your men watch me, maybe you should focus on uprooting a social tumor like Niu Ben.”
Qi Wei frowned. “What are you implying?”
Naturally, he wouldn’t admit to having Liu Yutong surveilled.
In truth, he had been quietly investigating Niu Ben for some time, gathering evidence to bring him to justice. Especially after the higher-ups had recently paid him an unannounced visit, subtly pressuring him to deliver results.
He was a hero, a cop with a strong sense of justice—but that didn’t mean he wasn’t ambitious.
The higher-ups had come incognito, informing no one but him. It was both a show of trust and a test.
At this critical moment, he couldn’t afford to disappoint them.
Whether it was Niu Ben or the newly risen Liu Yutong, he had to find a way to deal with them.
Keeping them under surveillance was only natural.
“You don’t have to admit it.”
“Uncle Qi, I won’t beat around the bush. I want to cooperate with you—or in police terms, become your informant.”
“I can provide leads and evidence to help you completely eradicate this tumor. That way, public security in the county improves, and your political achievements get a boost.”
Qi Wei hadn’t expected her to be so direct—nor so confident, as if she had already decided he would agree.
“Niu Ben isn’t an easy target, girl. Why would I cooperate with someone like you?”
Liu Yutong had anticipated this. She pulled a file from her bag and slid it across the table. “Here’s some evidence of Niu Ben’s illegal activities—running underground gambling dens, forcibly demolishing homes, assaulting villagers. Consider it my first gift as your informant.”
In truth, she had even bigger leverage—information from Mad Dog that was far more explosive.
But she wouldn’t reveal it all at once. This was her capital, her bargaining chip in this partnership.
Qi Wei picked up the file, flipping through it carefully before looking back at Liu Yutong, his tone now more serious. “How did you get this evidence?”
Liu Yutong smiled faintly. "Is it really so difficult? Uncle Qi, I know you’re a police officer with a strong sense of justice. You’ve been working hard all these years to maintain order in Wushui County. If we can use this opportunity to take down Niu Ben, it would benefit you, me, and all the people here."
"And there’s no need for you to be so wary of me. Let’s make a bet."
Qi Wei shook his head. "Sorry, I never make bets with anyone. I don’t like gambling."
Liu Yutong replied, "I don’t like gambling either—in fact, I despise it. But I still believe life is about taking risks, about fighting for something. If you never gamble, you might never even get a chance to win."
"Uncle Qi, why not take this chance? If you win, not only could that ‘deputy’ title before your name disappear, but you might even get transferred to a better position. And if you lose, you’ve got nothing to lose."
Qi Wei fell silent, his fingers unconsciously tapping the desk as if weighing the pros and cons.
His gaze shifted between the documents and Liu Yutong, his expression complicated.
Everyone has their own self-interest—even someone as righteous as him was no exception.
A person without self-interest or ambition is doomed to remain at the bottom of society, toiling away without ever achieving anything.
Liu Yutong wasn’t in a hurry. She sipped her tea leisurely, watching the man who was about a decade older than her.
Though he was still young, if nothing changed for him soon, he might fall behind during the golden years of career advancement—between 30 and 45.
That age range was widely considered the prime time for climbing the ranks. Without a major breakthrough during that period, one’s future prospects would only shrink.
Qi Wei clearly understood this.
Yes, he was a principled police officer, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to reach greater heights.
In their system, earning merit was the fastest—and yet the hardest—way to rise through the ranks.
After a long pause, Qi Wei finally spoke. "What do you want?"
He knew better than anyone that nothing in life came for free.
If this girl was proposing cooperation, she undoubtedly had her own motives.
Instead of answering directly, Liu Yutong placed a red-covered book on the table and pointed at its cover with a slender finger.
"All I want," she said, "is two words—justice."
