Translator: Vivi from dummytranslations
Editor: Chubby Dragon
Scheming white lotus(4.08) - Probably because I’m short

---

When the door was forcefully pushed open, everyone in the room fell silent.

Once the protagonist shou finished stating the purpose of his arrival, he raised a hand holding a warrant. The policemen behind him rushed in and surrounded the few people.

Xiang Han had just grabbed two red notes when he saw the protagonist shou. He lowered his head and looked at the protagonist gong below him with a frozen expression, instantly forgetting to grab the flying notes.

Shen Ze was the first to come to his senses. He used a little force and dragged Xiang Han back.

Xiang Han was caught off guard and slipped, directly falling on him.

Shen Ze quickly lifted a hand to press against Xiang Han’s head, and whispered, “It’s nothing, just squat for a bit, Mr Gu will settle it.”

Xiang Han hadn’t had the chance to react before he was forced to squat on the ground alongside Shen Ze.

He was speechless. Shen Ze was truly...experienced and familiar with all these.

At this time, the protagonist shou walked in.  When he swept a gaze over them, fury burst forth as he turned to Gu Hai Sheng with an icy gaze with a kind of bone-chilling coldness.

After seeing him appear, Gu Hai Sheng had also frozen. He finally recovered his senses and laughed frivolously, “Officer Lin, it’s a misunderstanding. We were only playing mahjong for fun. You also know, our Brilliant Jade has always been an upstanding establishment, we’ll definitely not dip into those…”

“I really don’t know.” Lin Rui Qing interrupted him, holding up a red note, and shook it with a cold laugh, “How much fun does Boss Gu have every night?”

Gu Hai Sheng raised a hand to rub his temples, feeling a throbbing headache, “That... I didn’t keep my wallet properly, so they accidentally fell out.”

Xiang Han couldn’t help bursting into laughter and secretly lit a candle for him.

Lin Rui Qing snorted coldly, and turned to look at Xiang Han and Shen Ze before simply throwing the notes at Gu Hai Sheng’s face in anger, “They’re both underage, right? Gu Hai Sheng, I never thought you were this immoral.”

“What?” Gu Hai Sheng was dumbfounded. Just as he wanted to explain, Lin Rui Qing had already raised a hand, his voice full of fury, “Take them away.”

Shen Ze and Xiang Han raised their heads to look at each other in dismay.

Lin Rui Qing abruptly bent down to reach the same level as them, his gaze complicated. Hesitating for a moment, he spoke, “You two… also have to follow me to the station.”

Xiang Han paled and revealed and expression of ‘fright’, causing Lin Rui Qing to realise his tone had been too severe. Therefore, he attempted to console them, “Don’t be afraid, I just need to ask you some questions.”

Half an hour later, in the police station, Xiang Han and Shen Ze sat side by side. Towards Lin Rui Qing’s interrogation, Shen Ze refused to speak, not even saying a word. When Xiang Han saw this, he also decided to stay silent.

Lin Rui Qing was unsuccessful in his questioning and thus, decide to start with Gu Hai Sheng.

Gu Hai Sheng helplessly explained, “I’m really not a pedophile and my relationship with those two kids are extremely pure. Officer Lin, can you not accuse me without evidence?”

“How did you get to know them? Do you know where they are from?” Lin Rui Qing’s expression didn’t show a hint of fluctuation as he continued to ask.

Gu Hai Sheng’s eyes darkened. Thinking for a moment, he sighed before speaking, “That facially paralysed kid is called Shen Ze, his father is Shen Zheng Duo, the president of Hong Ze corporation. The other one is his step-brother, but I don’t know his name.”

After giving his explanation, he emphasised again, “Actually, this is really the case of two young masters coming out to play. Officer Lin, we’ve known each other for more than just a day or two, aren’t you clear on what sort of person I am? Moreover, even if I was a pedophile, there’s no way I’d dare touch Shen Zheng Duo’s son.”

Lin Rui Qing’s expression finally eased up, but his demeanor was still cold when he said, “Even if that’s the case, you can’t escape the charge of gambling. You’ll need to be locked up for a few days.”

Gu Hai Sheng, “...”

“Wait a minute.” Seeing that Lin Rui Qing  stand up to leave, he quickly shouted. He hesitated for a moment before speaking, “Shen Ze that lad, he’s normally unruly and blindly hanging around the establishment. If you asked me, I believe he’s watched too many movies and wants to become like one of them.”

He scoffed and sneered, “Once he steps in, it’s impossible to get out but he only thinks it’s something fun. Later on, when you call Shen Zheng Duo, tell him to watch over his son and not let him run off to such places in the future. Seeing him makes me annoyed.”

“This matter doesn’t require your concern. But since you said he’s called Shen Ze, I seem to recall something.” Lin Rui Qing turned back and intentionally said, “Last year, you said you were going to adopt a foster son, and that person’s name was also Shen Ze.”

“Cough, is that so?” Gu Hai Sheng looked up, thinking for a moment. “I’d probably drank too much and spouted some nonsense.”

Lin Rui Qing looked at him deeply for a moment before turning to leave, no longer asking him any questions.

After obtaining the answers he needed, Lin Rui Qing didn’t waste any time to call the Shen’s family. When Shen Zheng Duo received the call, he nearly had a heart attack from his anger, rushing down to the station in a rage.

Shen Ze was surprised to see him and instinctively turned to look at Xiang Han. Xiang Han hurriedly shrank his neck back with a face of innocence, “I was with you the whole time.”

Shen Ze frowned deeply. Apart from Gu Hai Sheng, there was no one else who knew of his relationship with Shen Zheng Duo. If it wasn’t Xiang Han, it could only mean Gu Hai Sheng was the one who confessed.

But why? With Gu Hai Sheng’s ability, they should have already been released on bail. There shouldn’t have been any need for all of this.

Shen Ze hadn’t obtained an answer when his ear was twisted by Shen Zheng Duo, his head forced along as he hissed in pain.

Shen Zheng Duo was truly mad. He dragged him along as he roared, “You’re really capable, huh. Not only skipping classes but even bringing Xiao Han along with you to skip classes!”

Xiang Han tried to explain, “Uncle Shen, I didn’t skip classes. I only went by myself after school ended, it has nothing to do with elder bro....”

“You, shut up.” Shen Zheng Duo didn’t even think before he said. Seeing Xiang Han cower back, he finally recalled that this was Zhu Jing Yi’s son, someone he was still not too familiar with.

Shen Zheng Duo wasn’t in the best position to lecture him, so he could only  ease up slightly and helplessly said, “Xiao Han, of all people, why do you have to learn the wrong things from him?”

Shen Ze had exhausted a large amount of energy to save his ear when he heard this. He coldly snorted, “He had already become bad in the first place, it has nothing to do with me.”

In his opinion, although Xiang Han’s appearance was truly pure and innocent, he was really a terrible person. Shen Ze didn’t know how many times he had fallen into pits dug by this person.

But what made him more depressed was that he had repeatedly helped Xiang Han out today and even landed himself at the police station. If it wasn’t for Xiang Han, he would have left that establishment earlier on. How could he have ended up in this state, then?

“You still dare to speak?” Shen Zheng Duo trembled with rage, pointing towards him as he chided, “I heard you went to that place to play with knives and guns? Even bringing your underlings to patrol the area? Do you really take yourself as a gangster? Look at you…”

Shen Ze’s frowned deepened. Gu Hai Sheng had actually told them all of these, what were his intentions?

Sheng Zheng Duo scolded furiously, saliva flying everywhere. Lin Rui Qing and Xiang Han both simultaneously took a step back while Shen Ze wiped his face in disgust, “Can you at least wait until we get back?”

Shen Zheng Duo choked on his words before growing even more furious, “What kind of attitude is this? There isn’t even an ounce of remorse…”

Lin Rui Qing quickly went up to dissuade him, “Mr Shen, children need to be taught properly, but this does not mean the lesson can be rushed. You need to come with me to settle some paperwork before bringing them back.”

“Alright, then I’ll have to trouble officer Lin.” Shen Zheng Duo struggled to suppress his fury, glaring murderously at Shen Ze before leaving.

Seeing this, Xiang Han silently retreated into a corner but before he could get far, he was already dragged out by Shen Ze. He whimpered, his lips curving into an innocent grin.

Shen Ze sank into silence for a moment before raising a hand. He pressed his index finger against Xiang Han’s lips and pulled it down, causing that stupid grin to disappear instantly.

Shen Ze was finally satisfied before deciding to settle their feud, “Why were you at the club?”

“I…”

“Tell the truth.” Crossing his arms, Shen Ze said expressionlessly.

“...You’ve been skipping classes recently and even got to know some strange people. I was afraid you would go astray and suddenly remembered Ah Biao had mentioned Brilliant Jade before. So, I came here after school ended.”

Shen Ze paused for a moment before asking, “Brilliant Jade has an age limit, how did you get in?”

Xiang Han wracked his brains to think of an excuse, “Probably...because I’m small. So, I walked in when they weren’t looking.”

Sweeping a glance over him, Shen Ze said with full seriousness, “You’re indeed quite short.”

This earned him a furious glare.

Glancing at him once more, Shen Ze abruptly felt that when he wasn’t being evil, this person could be unexpectedly interesting.

It didn’t take long for Shen Zheng Duo to finish the paperwork and dragged the two of them home. He first handed Xiang Han to Zhu Jing Yi before pulling Shen Ze into his study room.

Over on Xiang Han’s side, the matter was easy to resolve; most probably because the original host’s image as an obedient baby was too outstanding. So, he only needed to wear an innocent expression and repeat the words Shen Zheng Duo had said to him earlier.

Zhu Jing Yi believed him as expected, and even tried to console him, “Ah, Shen Ze, he… is really too much. Not studying properly and always hanging out with those thugs. And you, you just needed to tell these things to Uncle Shen, why did you have to go by yourself? What if something happened to you?”

Xiang Han nodded in embarrassment and was quickly sent to bed. However, Shen Ze wasn’t as fortunate. Shen Zheng Duo lectured him all the way till morning, causing him to be nearly be late for school.

Now that things have reached this stage, Shen Zheng Duo decided to personally send both of them to school, arranging for some bodyguards to stake out their school to catch them if they decide to skip classes.

Shen Ze was obedient for a period of time until Gu Hai Sheng was bailed out. He decisively flipped over the school’s wall, evaded the bodyguards and silently slipped away to find the other person.

Gu Hai Sheng saw him and smiled with his usual expression, “Oh, it’s Ah Ze. I hear President Shen has been extremely strict lately?”

He didn’t wait for a reply before continuing, “It’s good to be strict, this means that President Shen still cares about you. As a student, you should be studying properly. What are you running to the club everyday for?”

“Why?” Shen Ze ignored him, getting directly to the point, “Wasn’t your original goal to slowly legitimize your illegal businesses? But recently, why have you started dabbling in shady waters again;  not even conforming to the plan? You even drove me back to the Shen family. Did something happened?”

***