Lu Yao took a taxi to Tasteful Times, as her car was still with Yang Rui. Yang Rui and her three classmates needed a car for easier communication with the police for their ongoing inquiries.
Wei Xia had already reserved a window booth and ordered a pot of fruit tea and a few small dishes.
"Sister Xia, hasn't Brother Nan arrived yet?" Lu Yao asked impatiently as soon as she sat down.
Wei Xia smiled and poured her a cup of tea. "What's the rush? You're so heartless. You haven't even asked if I'm tired after being out for so long."
"You have Brother Nan to care about you. I only care about my Brother Jian. How is he enduring this heat inside?" Lu Yao retorted without hesitation and then downed her tea in one gulp.
Wei Xia sighed dramatically. "Sigh, I finally understand what 'plastic sisterhood' means."
"Sister Xia, no more jokes. I'm really worried and scared. Brother Jian has been detained for so long with no news. I can still hold on, but his parents are about to collapse. They call me countless times a day, and I don't know how to comfort them."
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Lin Nan will be here soon with good news for you."
"What good news? Is Brother Jian getting out? Tell me quickly." Lu Yao excitedly grabbed Wei Xia's hand.
"Let me tell you." Lin Nan appeared before them.
Lu Yao quickly poured him some tea. "Brother Nan, please sit. It's good to finally see you."
"I'm sorry, Yaoyao. Our police department has regulations, and we can't disclose case information casually. That's why we had to block your calls."
"It's okay, I understand. Brother Nan, please don't beat around the bush. What good news do you have for me?"
Lin Nan deliberately took a sip of tea, then said slowly, "The good news is, we can pick up Yang Jian after lunch."
Lu Yao almost jumped up. "Really? That's great! Why bother with lunch? Let's pick up Brother Jian first!"
"Look how anxious you are. The procedures won't be completed until after 2 PM. It's only 11:30 AM now, still plenty of time."
"But it takes over an hour to get to Hancheng from here. We should leave earlier."
"There's no need to go to Hancheng. After our police station took over the case, Xiao Yang was transferred to the Xinhe Detention Center for easier interrogation."
"That's wonderful! I'll inform his parents right away so they can relax. Otherwise, they'll be calling again soon." Lu Yao then called Yang Jian's father, sister, and younger sister. The family had been enduring immense suffering during this period, and they needed to know the news as soon as possible.
She then notified Jiang Bin and Biao Biao, who had also made significant efforts to stabilize factory production and ensure the smooth operation of the casino during this time.
"Brother Nan, has the case been fully classified?" After making the calls, Lu Yao inquired about the investigation.
"The case has been classified. The person Yang Jian saved this time has a special identity, and several departments are involved. No one dared to bend the law for personal gain. In the end, Geng Bin and others were found guilty of intentional injury, while Yang Jian's actions were deemed righteous intervention and self-defense."
"So Brother Jian won't bear any responsibility?"
"That's not certain yet. The police believe it was self-defense, but he did cause four people to sustain minor injuries. If they decide to sue, we'll have to wait for the court's final ruling."
"So, Brother Jian could still be sentenced?"
"A prison sentence is unlikely, but compensation is possible."
Lu Yao breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as he doesn't go to jail, paying some money is fine. When he gets back, I'll have to lecture him properly. Good deeds can't be done anymore; meddling in other people's affairs will only bring trouble."
Lin Nan immediately objected. "Hey, Teacher Lu, you can't have such thoughts, nor can you instill them in students. Society needs positive energy, more people like Yang Jian who dare to stand up and stop crimes. Only then will society be harmonious."
"Oh, come on. We're just ordinary citizens; we don't have such broad minds. Stopping crime is your job."
"You're wrong, you know. The couple Yang Jian saved are high-level talents in our country's military industry. If they had been harmed, it would have caused immense losses to the nation."
"Really? That impressive? Don't these talents have protection? Why were they eating at a roadside stall?"
Wei Xia chuckled. "What you said is hilarious. Do you think scientists live in the clouds, surrounded by entourages like celebrities? When they walk among people, they are ordinary citizens, eating the same grains, dealing with family matters, worrying about their lives. Their treatment is worlds apart from those glamorous celebrities."
Lu Yao shook her head. "That's too unfair. Scientists should receive better treatment than celebrities. Oh well, these things don't concern us. It's fortunate for Brother Jian that their identities were special; otherwise, he might not be out yet."
"That's true. If it weren't for their special identities, this case might have had complications. Geng Bin is also not an ordinary person and has a powerful background. Perhaps due to some apprehension, no one interfered, allowing our investigation to proceed smoothly." Lin Nan actually only knew that Cheng Zhifeng and Lu Yue had special identities, and the National Security Bureau's involvement had pushed the cross-regional investigation forward without interference. He was unaware that Lu Jinsong's existence also prevented the other party from acting rashly.
The three of them ate and chatted at the restaurant until 1:50 PM before heading to the detention center. On the way, they bought Yang Jian a new set of clothes.
The Xinhe Detention Center was located in the eastern part of the city, less than two kilometers from Gaojiazhuang. It only took Lin Nan about five minutes to drive there.
Upon arriving at the detention center, they saw six or seven cars parked outside, one of which was Lu Yao's Camry. Due to the hot weather, no one had gotten out of the cars, but Lu Yao knew they were likely there to pick up Yang Jian.
"Yaoyao jie, this is Ma Ming." Yang Rui was the first to get out of her car and greet Lu Yao. She and Ma Ming had driven back in separate cars, and the Camry was to be returned to Lu Yao.
"Hello, Ma Ming. Welcome to Xinhe." Lu Yao had already heard Yang Rui mention her new boyfriend on the phone.
"Hello, Yaoyao jie." Ma Ming was a bit stunned. Yang Rui was already very beautiful, but this future sister-in-law was even more so.
"Hello, Yaoyao jie."
"Hello, Teacher Lu."
At this moment, Biao Biao, Liang Liang, San Pang, Song Jianhao, Song Jianmin, Afeng, Anan, Jun Jun, and Li Jin all got out of their cars and greeted Lu Yao enthusiastically. Song Jianmin specifically approached Wei Xia to greet her and offered Lin Nan a cigarette. Afeng and Jun Jun bowed directly to Wei Xia; she was a lifesaver, and words could not express their gratitude.
Another Mercedes-Benz S600 was parked a little further away, with no one exiting. It was likely picking up someone else. However, this car was too conspicuous and had already caught the attention of Li Jin and others. This model was considered a top luxury car in Hancheng at the time, with a Hancheng license plate. There were probably fewer than ten such vehicles in the entire city, and they were not affordable for ordinary people.