This is the second update for today; the third update, making up for yesterday's, will follow shortly!

“You want to see my credentials?” The man with the single eyelid was furious, his anger turning into a bitter laugh. “On what grounds should I show them to you?”

Unexpectedly, Wang Zhu turned his head away and chuckled toward Siyuan, “Does this guy have a problem with his brain? Doesn't he even know that before enforcing the law, one must present identification to prove their authority?”

The single-eyelid officer instantly choked with anger. His slightly overweight companion beside him was equally speechless. They were just supposed to be out issuing a penalty, so how did the situation devolve into this mess!

Wang Zhu sneered, pointing two short, mock jabs with his finger at the single-eyelid officer: “You won’t even show me your ID, yet you dare to act like some big shot?”

This time, the single-eyelid officer finally couldn't stand the provocation. He swiftly pulled out his ID from his jacket pocket, waved it aggressively in the air for a moment, and then—smack—slammed it down onto the table in front of Wang Zhu.

Wang Zhu smiled calmly and looked toward the slightly overweight man. “And yours?”

“Mine probably isn’t necessary, right?” The overweight man frowned slightly, thinking, Why are you two picking a fight? Why drag me into this?

Wang Zhu remained unmoved. “If you don't show it, then you're free to leave.”

Seeing his utterly unyielding demeanor, the overweight man also began to grow irritated. He took out his credentials and placed them on the table, then pushed them with one hand, sliding them over to Wang Zhu.

Only then did Wang Zhu hum with satisfaction. He casually picked up the overweight man’s ID and passed it to Siyuan, while he opened the single-eyelid officer’s credential, repeatedly scrutinizing the man next to the photo.

“Xu Mingjie…” he murmured, reading the single-eyelid officer’s name, a slight, contemptuous curl playing on his lips—a gesture perfectly timed to be noticed by Xu Mingjie.

Single-eyelid Xu Mingjie instantly flared up again, but he was stopped by a meaningful glance from his overweight partner. He forced himself to suppress his anger, planning to teach Wang Zhu a severe lesson later.

“Are you done?” the overweight man asked blandly.

Thwack! The two police IDs were tossed carelessly back onto the table. Wang Zhu simply nodded with ease.

Xu Mingjie suppressed his rage and said stiffly, “Now that we’re settled, can you show us your driver’s license and ID card?”

“Didn’t bring them,” Wang Zhu replied cleanly, a mischievous smile still lingering on his face.

Xu Mingjie’s eyes widened. “Who are you trying to fool? You drove here, and you’re telling us you don’t have your license?”

Wang Zhu adopted a posture of complete certainty. “I just don’t have them. If you don’t believe me, come search me.”

Xu Mingjie paused. He genuinely hesitated to move forward and search Wang Zhu. This was a public venue; according to government mandates, open spaces in service industries were required to have surveillance cameras. If he actually searched Wang Zhu, the footage alone would cause him serious trouble!

Even a clay figurine has three parts of fire, and the overweight officer, Zhong Wei, finally couldn't tolerate his attitude anymore. He said in a cold voice, “Sir, we are performing official duties. If you continue to refuse cooperation like this, we will have to take other measures.”

“I was just thinking of taking some other measures myself,” Wang Zhu said dismissively. “I was driving along peacefully, breaking no traffic laws and committing no crime, so why was I snapped by your electronic eye? And why was it spread across the internet? Does the traffic management department think they’re so important that they can violate my right to privacy?”

“Right to privacy?” Xu Mingjie let out a strange laugh. “We aren’t here because we care about your privacy. We are here to temporarily seize your driver’s license on suspicion of dangerous driving, and to clearly investigate the identity of the other party involved!”

“What is her identity and what business is that of yours?” Wang Zhu countered, unruffled.

“It certainly has relevance,” Zhong Wei interjected. “If the prosecutor decides to press charges against you both, she will need to testify.”

“Oh,” Wang Zhu nodded faintly. “Press charges for what?”

Xu Mingjie impatiently cut in. “Didn’t I just say? You are suspected of dangerous driving—you are criminal suspects!”

“Dangerous driving? Then I’d like to ask Officer Xu and Officer Zhong: I wasn’t speeding, I didn’t run a red light, and I wasn’t driving in the wrong lane. Where is the danger?” Wang Zhu asked irritably.

“Don’t play word games with us, that trick won’t work!” Xu Mingjie poked repeatedly at the photo on the table with his finger. “Even an idiot can see what you two were doing. This is a major traffic artery with a speed limit of sixty kilometers per hour, not the side of a road! The nature of the offense is far worse than drunk driving!”

“Is it really that serious?” Wang Zhu tilted his head to ask Siyuan.

Siyuan fought back a smile, thinking that whether it was serious or not was beside the point, but if she managed to give these officers an aneurysm, that would certainly be serious.

“I also think they’re making a mountain out of a molehill,” she said, secretly smiling but speaking with a serious air. “Bending over to pick up something while the car is moving—that counts as dangerous driving? Endangering public safety?”

Xu Mingjie nearly choked on her words. Zhong Wei was struck dumb and couldn't speak. Then Wang Zhu burst out laughing and said, “Exactly! The one speeding was that Porsche next to us, not me. The dangerous driving and endangering public safety is the fault of that car’s driver.”

“Don’t twist the facts!” Zhong Wei was exasperated, tapping the table. “The evidence is right here, you can’t deny it!”

“There is nothing for me to admit,” Wang Zhu glanced at him and said calmly. “I know that you, like those idle netizens, are guessing from this photo that the woman was performing some act men enjoy on me. But that’s simply not true. I have never met that woman. I was just giving her a ride because she was going the same way that day. She accidentally dropped her phone near my feet, and since I was driving, she bent over to pick it up herself. That moment happened to be captured in the photograph—that is the entire sequence of events.”

“You can tell that flimsy story to the judge yourself later,” Zhong Wei said, realizing Wang Zhu intended to resist to the end. He shook his head and pulled out a pen and notebook from his briefcase to start taking notes.

Xu Mingjie suddenly asked, “How much money did you charge that woman for the ride?”

“Save your entrapment tactics for someone else,” Wang Zhu said dismissively, waving his index finger at him.

Xu Mingjie’s single eyelid twitched; he wished he could pull out a pair of handcuffs right then and drag this recalcitrant fellow back to the precinct. Unfortunately, that desire remained only a fantasy, as clerical traffic police officers were never issued restricted items like handcuffs!

“Well, that’s that, then,” Wang Zhu signaled Siyuan with an eye movement, patted his backside, and stood up. “I’ve said what I needed to say, and I’ve explained everything. Whether you believe it or not, it’s the truth. If there is nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”

“You can’t leave!” Xu Mingjie suddenly stood up. “Hand over your driver’s license and sign the written statement before you go!”

“You can try to stop me,” Wang Zhu said with a look of disdain, sizing him up. He made a gesture like he was dialing a phone to Siyuan as a farewell, then strode out.

Xu Mingjie truly wanted to stop Wang Zhu, but upon glancing at Wang Zhu’s physique—the visible contours of muscle beneath his clothing—and contrasting that with his own frail build, he reluctantly gave up.

Zhong Wei, however, remained extremely calm about Wang Zhu’s departure. He quietly signaled Xu Mingjie, and the single-eyelid officer immediately understood, temporarily suppressing the fit of anger he had just worked up.

“Sister Si,” Zhong Wei said to Siyuan. “Because your friend refused to cooperate, we have no choice but to temporarily impound your vehicle.”

“What?” Siyuan expressed shock. “Impound? You mean you’re going to take my car away?”

“That’s correct,” Zhong Wei replied with a purely official air. “Only once your friend goes to the precinct, admits his wrongdoing, and accepts the penalty we assign can you retrieve the car.”

“On top of that,” Xu Mingjie added stiffly from the side, “you must also deposit two thousand yuan as collateral and pay a fine of ten thousand yuan. Originally, your friend was supposed to pay these fees, but as you saw, he refused to cooperate, so we have to impose these penalties on your vehicle. You are suffering on his behalf.”

“But…” Hearing that not only would the car be seized, but so much money was required, the young woman was at a total loss. “But I only lent the car to him for a little while! I am a law-abiding citizen; I didn’t do anything!”

“There’s nothing that can be done; the law is stipulated this way,” Zhong Wei said, spreading his hands.

“But I’m just a university student; I don’t have much income…” Siyuan pleaded with a tearful expression. “Officers, please think of a way, can you show some leniency? I’ll accept paying more money, but ten thousand is truly too much.”

“You haven’t fully grasped the situation, have you?” Xu Mingjie said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. “A ten-thousand-yuan fine is actually the smaller amount. Do you think the collateral is easy to get back? Do you imagine the seized vehicle will return to you in one piece?”

“Uh…” Siyuan instantly froze in stunned silence!

Meanwhile, Wang Zhu, sitting in the car, was secretly observing the scene using his X-ray vision. Siyuan’s performance was making him unable to suppress his mirth. That clever girl was getting increasingly sharp; she certainly knew how to manipulate people!

“Officer Zhong, please help me out,” Siyuan begged. “I’ll pay more money, I don’t care, just please don’t take my car. Anything is fine!”

Zhong Wei, the slightly overweight officer, showed a thoughtful expression. “Seeing as you’re a female college student, things must be tough for you... But this kind of thing, I don’t have the final say…”

“Why are you talking so much to her?” Xu Mingjie immediately played the bad cop. “We have business back at the station. Just have her sign the statement quickly, and bring the fine and collateral to the precinct tomorrow morning to get the car!”

“But I have something important tomorrow morning…” Siyuan looked at him worriedly.

“If you can’t come, have someone else go for you. If you don’t show up, your license will be revoked, and you’ll face detention for disturbing public order!” Xu Mingjie stated without courtesy.

So, Siyuan reluctantly asked them to wait a little longer. She took out her phone to call Wang Zhu, who naturally rejected the call immediately. Siyuan called several more times out of reluctance, but Wang Zhu kept declining, and eventually, he even hung up. Finally, she helplessly signed the statement.

Xu Mingjie led the way out. Zhong Wei seemed to hesitate for a moment, then handed Siyuan a business card, telling her to call him if she had ‘matters to discuss,’ before hurrying out of the tea bar door after Xu Mingjie.

Siyuan was naturally left to pay the bill. When she watched the two traffic police officers close the van doors and drive away, the look of misery on her face quickly morphed into a smug grin. The waiter, focused on counting her change, remained completely oblivious to this brilliant change of expression!