Chapter 33:
Rashly stepping into someone else's life isn't a clever choice. It's akin to feeling a discomfort in your nasal passage, and suddenly, someone extends their hand to pick your nose.
Setting aside whether they can hit the right spot or if it brings any relief, your initial reaction is pure disgust. It's because they dared to use their fingers to pick your nose.
Emotions, life, and family are similar. Lin Qi looked at Vera, who seemed to be drowning, lightly embraced her, and then released her, asking with concern, "Are you okay? You seem to be in a terrible state right now..."
Her face and lips were slightly pale, as if she had experienced a severe shock. She looked up at Lin Qi, quickly averted her gaze, and began packing her things. "I have some matters to attend to. I need to take a leave. I hope you'll approve..."
She wiped away tears while fiddling with various personal items. Lin Qi nodded in agreement, "Of course, it's your right. And also..."
Vera looked up at him, and he looked back at her. "If you need any help, give me a call."
Grateful, Vera briefly gripped Lin Qi's arm, then swiftly stood up and left. Gap had another social engagement today. She felt that witnessing certain things first hand might be better. Maybe... she needed an excuse to deceive herself and let life continue.
Possibly, she wasn't ready to admit this fact. She needed to find evidence to contradict herself.
After Vera left, Lin Qi waited for about three hours. During that time, Richard and his two other salesmen had come to the office twice. They were accumulating more money and exchanging it at an increasingly rapid pace. Everyone was doing the same.
Whether the other two individuals provided Richard with some advantages or for other reasons, Richard disclosed how he managed to convert all the money into loose change so quickly. As a result, transactions between Lin Qi and Mr. Fox became more frequent.
After 3:30 PM, Lin Qi instructed them to continue collecting and return for exchange the next morning. After double-checking the money, he handed it over to Mr. Fox's representatives and also had a brief conversation with Mr. Fox over the phone.
"Lin Qi, my friend, do you know that many people in Sabin City are depositing money into banks using your method?" Mr. Fox's tone remained calm, simply stating an existing reality.
As more of Mr. Fox's money flowed rapidly into the banks of Sabin City, those in the industry had more or less figured out how he was doing it. They began following Mr. Fox's approach, converting money into change and depositing it in banks after taxes.
The key difference was they didn't involve an "intermediary" like Mr. Fox, avoiding the additional ten percent transaction fee.
Some among his associates had repeatedly inquired why Mr. Fox maintained a good trading relationship with Lin Qi instead of directly exchanging the loose change. They calculated that in this way, he could save ten percent, and the pace would be somewhat even faster. Moreover, ten percent of money numbering in the hundreds of thousands or even millions was not a small figure.
Though tempted, Mr. Fox hadn't taken the step like those people. He shared this information with Lin Qi, seeking his perspective.
Lin Qi felt Mr. Fox lived up to his name. After a moment of contemplation, he said over the phone, "Mr. Fox, it's hard to find a mosquito among a thousand flies, but finding a fly among a thousand mosquitoes is quite simple."
"When we are the only ones doing it, nobody will pay attention to our actions; we're just a minority after all. However, when everyone joins in, they will only force certain people to act."
"This will spark a war. My only advice to you..." He chuckled softly. "Don't take money from others. Soon enough, you'll understand why I say this."
Mr. Fox, feeling somewhat concerned after listening, asked, "Should we pause for a while?"
"No, there's no need. We're conducting legal business. Why stop? I actually hope they investigate our transactions. It could clear any doubts about us."
Lin Qi didn't finish his words. If the Federal Tax Bureau investigated him without finding anything, it would be a form of unconventional advertising, potentially increasing people's inclination to collaborate with him. However, Mr. Fox didn't need to know these details.
After exchanging a few irrelevant words, they hung up. Lin Qi glanced at the phone, shook his head, and began handling tasks that Vera would have typically managed.
Vera had taught him how to register his income. The business operations of the Great Empire were currently straightforward, so it wasn't overly complicated.
After taking the money to the tax bureau for verification and then depositing it into the bank, with the registration proof from the tax bureau, this portion of his money could seamlessly enter the legal circulation system of the bank.
When Richard and his associates came tomorrow to exchange the loose change, he would simply write a cash check. Carrying too much cash wasn't safe.
This approach aimed to avoid potential loopholes and further refine his personal financial transactions. When the bank assessed his credit in the future, it would likely be higher accordingly.
Later in the evening, he returned to the second floor of the small bar.
The scorching summer had finally arrived late, and the temperature kept rising. Without an air conditioner or a fan, this street-facing house felt like it was about to turn into a steamer.
With the temperature increasing, more people came in the evening to enjoy cold drinks. Coupled with the dancers performing more energetically, the bar stayed open until around eleven or twelve every night.
The noisy environment began to wear on Lin Qi. Considering the substantial amount of money he now had, he contemplated buying a house, which would be far superior in terms of security and convenience compared to the current place.
As he pondered about the type of house to buy and its price, a knock interrupted his thoughts.
He sat up, grabbed a screwdriver, and stood by the door, softly asking, "Who's there?"
"Police, sir. We'd like to have a talk with you." Lin Qi casually placed the screwdriver in the pocket of his nearby clothing and opened the door slightly, revealing two police officers in uniform standing outside.
Slightly impatiently, one of them displayed their badge and informed Lin Qi that they were officers from the Sabin City Police Department.
Lin Qi opened the door wider, welcoming the two officers inside. They looked around casually but stopped near the entrance.
"Lin Qi?" one of the officers asked.
After Lin Qi nodded, the officer took out a small notebook and a pen, proceeding to inquire further, "A few days ago, your apartment got broken in?"
Lin Qi nodded again, providing precise timings and the responding police precinct, which matched the information the officers had.
"I've read the incident report. It mentioned a stolen silver ring..."
"No, it was a gold ring, officer!" Lin Qi decisively interrupted the officer and added, "Inside the ring, there's an engraving My Dearest Catherine.' It was meant to be a gift for my girlfriend."
The two officers exchanged glances, essentially confirming that there weren't any issues with Lin Qi's statement. This meant that the guy they arrested today was the culprit.
In the afternoon, they had identified Michael Junior's identity and family background. Surprisingly, Michael Junior turned out to be the only child of the head of the tax bureau investigation team, which complicated matters for the precinct chief.
They had already reported the solved burglary case to other precincts and the state police department, including inputting Michael Junior's personal information and his photograph. The information spread quickly, and almost the entire state's police force was now updated on this case's progress.
The assistant chief (Note 1.) of the Sabin City Police Department - the administrative deputy chief of the police department - felt it would be best if they could settle with Lin Qi privately. Not because the police were afraid of Michael; an investigation team leader didn't have the clout to make an entire police department fear him. It was to avoid potential conflicts.
He even hinted to the officers that if Lin Qi agreed to drop the case, he could receive some benefits to compensate for his loss. That was the purpose behind the visit of the two officers.
Note 1. In the Sabin City Police Department, the Assistant Chief served as the administrative deputy to the police chief, a role akin to the deputy chief of police found only in first-tier cities in the Baylor Federation. There were only twenty first-tier cities, excluding Sabin City.Please vote for this novel at /series/blackstone-code/
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