The male officer tapped away at the keyboard, and in an instant, all of Ye Fengwu's records appeared on the screen.
But the officer's face was puzzled. He pointed at the monitor. "Captain Chen… something's wrong. Look at this."
Chen Nan leaned in, her brow furrowing instantly. The screen displayed only a few lines: a rape conviction on a certain date, and his release, just a few days ago. Every other field was blank. No address, no history, nothing.
"What's going on? A virus? How can someone have such incomplete records? Did he just… pop out of a rock?" Chen Nan glared at the officer.
The male officer shrugged helplessly. "Captain, there are only two possibilities: either he's undocumented, or our department doesn't have clearance to access his records."
Chen Nan scoffed. "No clearance… for a convicted rapist? You're giving him too much credit. Forget it; we won't dig further."
She didn't think Ye Fengwu's file was top secret—she assumed he was just a "ghost" in the system.
Meanwhile, Ye Fengwu sat alone in the interrogation room. Suddenly, the door slammed open, and the striking female officer strode in.
"I've investigated the matter," Chen Nan said coldly as she sat across from him. "You do not meet the criteria for murder, but assault is undeniable. You're facing at least five to six years in prison."
Though she didn't know Ye Fengwu well, Chen Nan knew he was a rapist. Anyone approaching Qin Qinghan must have ulterior motives. People like him… eventually, they'd hurt her.
Ye Fengwu's face remained calm. "You decide. Just let me go quickly—my wife's waiting for me to have dinner."
Chen Nan's eyes blazed. "Are you insane? You're not going home!"
She leaned forward, her expression serious. "Answer me honestly. You just got out of prison—a convicted rapist—and yet you're approaching Qinghan. What are you after?"
Ye Fengwu shrugged. "Captain… this has nothing to do with the case, right?"
"Captain? My name is Chen!" Her voice froze the air.
Ye Fengwu glanced at her chest and smirked. "I'm used to calling you 'Captain.'"
Chen Nan ground her teeth, slamming her hand on the table as she stood. "How dare you flirt with me! Answer my questions! I know exactly why you're near Qinghan—you want her for her beauty. Forget it now, or I'll make sure you rot in prison."
Ye Fengwu chuckled wryly. "Captain, am I in prison for assault… or because I like my wife?"
"Don't give me excuses!" Chen Nan snapped. "Three counts of assault. You're not getting out in five or six years."
He leaned back, feigning sorrow. "But I promised my wife we'd register our marriage today."
Chen Nan's brow twitched. Then her lips curved into a smirk. "Oh, you haven't registered yet? Perfect. Stop worrying about it."
She turned to leave the interrogation room.
"Not so fast," Ye Fengwu called.
"What did you say?" Chen Nan whirled around.
"I have people making sure I don't go to jail. I have… connections."
Chen Nan's laugh was scornful. "Connections? Not in my station. Sit tight in prison."
Though Qin Qinghan had begged Chen Nan to intervene, Chen Nan had her own plans. Qin Qinghan was her closest friend. Eight years ago, Qin Qinghan had been raped, and since then, Chen Nan had vowed to become a police officer who punishes evil and protects the innocent. Now, Qin Qinghan was entangled with a rapist again. Chen Nan would not let her friend jump into a fire.
Just then, an officer entered. "Captain Chen, someone vouched for him. The chief ordered his release."
Chen Nan froze mid-sentence, her mouth open in disbelief. So this man really had backing.
"Who vouched for him?" she demanded through gritted teeth.
"The… chief," the male officer replied casually.
"What did you say?" Chen Nan's eyes blazed.
"It was your father's call, Captain Chen," the officer stammered.
Chen Nan's face paled. Her father—the city's top commissioner—was known for absolute impartiality. Why would he vouch for a rapist?
Not believing it, Chen Nan dialed her father.
"Nan'er, what brings your call to my phone?" a deep, calm, yet affectionate voice answered.
"I'm handling an assault case… I heard you vouched for this man?" Chen Nan said bluntly.
"If his name is Ye Fengwu, yes. Let him go. Someone's waiting to have tea with him."
Chen Nan was furious. "You're famous for your impartiality. How could you do something like this? You know his background—a rapist who just got out of prison, and now he's targeting my friend! I cannot release him!"
Her father's tone grew firm. "Nan'er, stop resisting. Release him. He has connections."
Chen Nan bit her lip, anger simmering. "Even you had to step in? Who is backing him?"
"Your grandfather," her father replied.
Chen Nan's eyes went wide. "My… grandfather? How could he…"
"Nan'er, he's right here. Want him to hear you call him an old man behind his back?" her father teased.
"…Fine. I'll release him," Chen Nan muttered, frostily hanging up.
Her emotions whirled. She glanced at Ye Fengwu with a mix of disbelief and frustration. Even my grandfather is helping him… is he really a rapist?
She remembered what the male officer said—he was either a ghost or a classified identity.
Ye Fengwu's gaze met hers, playful and teasing.
"Seems even the iron-faced captain has to bend the rules this time," he quipped.
Chen Nan ground her teeth. "Just wait. I'll find out everything about you." She turned to the officer who had come in. "Release him now."
The officer hurried to unlock Ye Fengwu's handcuffs. But before he could finish, Ye Fengwu casually lifted the cuffs and stood.
"No trouble for me. I'm busy. See you," he said, placing the cuffs on the table and brushing past a shocked and furious Chen Nan. She hadn't even seen how he opened them.
"Bastard!" Chen Nan cursed under her breath, pulling out her phone to dial a number.
Meanwhile, Qin Qinghan sat alone on her bed, her perfect face streaked with tears and shadowed by anxiety. Little Jing Si nestled against her arm. She hadn't gone to school today—her mother promised to transfer her to a better school, where no one would bully her.
But her mother's worried expression told her that hope might be slipping away.
Today, Qin Qinghan had lost her job. Promises to Jing Si went unfulfilled. Mortgage payments loomed. And now… the man who had helped her these past two days might face prison.
Despite her caution, she realized something strange: without Ye Fengwu, she felt unsafe. She didn't know when this dependency had started, but it had.