19: Unlucky Shen Yifei

"I was just passing by," Shen Yifei protested. "That robbery and rape business has absolutely nothing to do with me."

"Shut up and behave yourself!" Bai Qingyu snapped, swatting Shen Yifei on the head with a swift gesture.

"No way," he countered. "Why don't *you* settle down first?"

The instant he spoke, Shen Yifei vanished from Bai Qingyu's sight, reappearing behind her in a flash to deliver a precise chop to her nape.

"Ugh..."

A soft groan escaped Bai Qingyu's lips. Her body went limp, her eyes fluttered shut, and she collapsed.

"Officer Beauty," Shen Yifei scoffed, "you're a century too early to think about subduing me." He twisted his wrists, and the handcuffs, easily bent out of shape, clattered to the ground.

This attractive officer had clearly set her sights on him, and the situation was too complicated to explain. Shen Yifei simply couldn't be bothered.

Still, he couldn't just leave her abandoned here. The park was dark and desolate at night. If a real predator stumbled upon such a beautiful, unconscious woman, it would be like leading a lamb to the slaughter.

There was no other way. Shen Yifei scooped up Bai Qingyu with one arm, leaving the park to find a nearby hotel and book a room.

Of course, the room was solely to ensure her safety.

Shen Yifei, with Bai Qingyu in his arms, entered the hotel. He had to admit, the attractive officer had a perfectly proportioned figure, her waist soft and lithe.

Shen Yifei merely indulged in a brief fantasy in his mind, for certain things were simply beneath him.

At the front desk, a middle-aged woman was engrossed in her phone, seemingly the hotel’s proprietress.

The woman glanced at Shen Yifei and Bai Qingyu, showing little surprise on her face. She simply stated, "Single room, 100. Suite, 200. Fill out the form if you need one."

With that, she pushed a form and a pen towards Shen Yifei.

Shen Yifei casually scribbled a few lines on the form, then pulled out his only banknote from his pocket and placed it on the table. "A single room," he said.

The woman swiftly handed the room card to Shen Yifei and chuckled, "Young man, that medicine must be potent. Go on up and finish your business. I guarantee no one will check on you here."

The woman had clearly seen this scenario countless times. She only cared about making money and couldn't care less where his companion came from.

Shen Yifei simply smiled, offering no explanation. The situation was already irrevocably tainted, and explanations would be pointless.

He took the elevator up, and arriving at room 406, Shen Yifei opened the door with the room card.

After gently placing Bai Qingyu on the bed, Shen Yifei left.

He reflected on his rotten luck. Not only was he mistaken for a rapist, but he'd also wasted his last hundred yuan. Shen Yifei felt a pang of regret.

If only he'd just robbed that He Tao earlier, he mused.

Just as Shen Yifei was leaving the hotel, trouble found him once more.

Four or five police cars swarmed in, stopping near the hotel.

A group of uniformed officers surrounded him. The leading officer, his face contorted in a furious glare, stared at Shen Yifei. Standing beside him was He Tao, his face grotesquely swollen, shouting, "Dad! It's him! This punk just beat me up!"

The officer shot a glance at Shen Yifei, his expression darkening. "Young man," he stated, "you're suspected of assault and battery. Come with us to the police station quietly!"

This officer was, in fact, He Tao's father, He Guobing.

Shen Yifei clicked his tongue. What rotten luck he had tonight, to have provoked this lot. He should have just knocked out that 'blondie' earlier, he mused.

With Shen Yifei's abilities, dealing with these police officers was no problem, but there were too many of them, and he didn't want to draw too much attention.

He Tao, on the side, watched Shen Yifei with a triumphant smirk, a sneer of contempt on his face. "Still want to mess with me, punk?" he thought. "My dad is the Captain of the Southern District's Public Security Bureau Public Order Squad! He can just slap any charge on you, and that'll be enough to make you suffer!"

Shen Yifei shrugged, offering no resistance. Two officers came up, grabbed his arms, slapped on handcuffs, and then escorted him into a police car parked by the roadside.

The police car quickly drove away.

Shen Yifei was brought to the police station, where He Guobing immediately had him taken to an interrogation room.

The iron door clanged shut, locking Shen Yifei in the interrogation room. The silence within was eerie and unsettling. Shen Yifei looked around with a slight sense of novelty. He had been to countless places, even prisons abroad, but this was his first time in an interrogation room.

Beside He Guobing sat two exceptionally burly police officers who, upon seeing Shen Yifei, couldn't help but let out a sneer of mockery.

"Young man, looking at how relaxed you are," He Guobing scoffed, "do you even know who I am?"

"Who you are," Shen Yifei replied with a casual smile, "what does that have to do with me?"

He Guobing's face immediately darkened. "Hmph," he snarled, "I'd like to see if you can still smile later!"

"Begin the interrogation!"

The two tall officers began their questioning.

"Name?"

"Shen Yifei."

"Gender?"

"Can't you tell?"

"Age?"

"22."

As Shen Yifei spoke, He Guobing fiddled with his computer, concocting several groundless charges and uploading Shen Yifei's information to the Huahai City Public Security Bureau network.

Inside the hotel, Bai Qingyu opened her eyes, her head feeling heavy and foggy.

"Where am I?" Bai Qingyu mumbled, her hair somewhat disheveled. She looked around, finding herself in what appeared to be a hotel room.

A hotel room? Wait, she had just been about to apprehend that hooligan, and it seemed he had knocked her out...

Bai Qingyu's complexion went white as a terrible thought suddenly struck her.

Shame forgotten, she frantically reached down to touch her intimate area.

Bai Qingyu confirmed that her pants and underwear hadn't been touched and that she hadn't been violated. Only then did she secretly let out a sigh of relief.

But a wave of anger washed over her. That hooligan actually dared to knock her out!

After leaving the hotel, Bai Qingyu received a call.

Learning that Shen Yifei had been arrested by the police, Bai Qingyu's mood brightened considerably. That detestable hooligan and rapist had finally been caught after all.

Just then, her phone suddenly rang. It was a familiar number.

"Hello, Director Yang, is anything wrong?" Bai Qingyu asked, picking up her phone.

"Captain Bai, I recall your home is in the Southern District, correct?" A deep, slightly hurried voice came from the other end of the line.

"Yes, it is," Bai Qingyu replied, somewhat puzzled as to why Director Yang was asking about this.

The person on the other end of the line was none other than Yang Hu, Director of Huahai City's Public Security Bureau.

Strangely enough, He Guobing had uploaded Shen Yifei's arrest to the city's Public Security Bureau network, designating him a major suspect.

Normally, Yang Hu wouldn't concern himself with matters of the Southern District Sub-bureau. But Yang Hu had just coincidentally seen this report on his computer, and a shock went through him.

Shen Yifei? That familiar name... Looking at the uploaded photo of Shen Yifei, a chill ran down Yang Hu's spine. He immediately called Bai Qingyu.

"Captain Bai!" Yang Hu said urgently. "Go quickly to the Southern District Public Security Sub-bureau and find a man named Shen Yifei. He's just been arrested and brought in there!"

"Shen Yifei? Who's that?" Bai Qingyu asked curiously.

"You'll find out once you get there," Yang Hu said. "Remember, you must ensure Shen Yifei's safety. I'll be right there!"

With that, Yang Hu hung up.

Shen Yifei? Just arrested and brought to the Southern District Public Security Sub-bureau?

Could it be that hooligan from earlier? Bai Qingyu's delicate brows furrowed.