Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 517 A Woman with a Miserable Fate

Facing Zheng Mingxing's gaze, Zhou Hui lowered her head and remained silent.

However, Zheng Mingxing had no intention of using his power to intimidate or bully Zhou Hui, so he quickly added with a smile, "Ms. Zhou, please don't be anxious. I've already reiterated that you own this cat! As long as no one complains, I have no objection to you keeping this cat. Besides, Ms. Zhou, I've looked into your family situation a little. I heard that your daughter's condition isn't quite right, and this cat was bought specifically to keep her company, right?"

Seeing Zhou Hui's wary and even panicked expression, Zheng Mingxing calmly continued, "This cat is very important to you and your family. As a police officer, how could I possibly take it away from your home? To be honest, when I learned that your daughter had dropped out of school due to depression, and that only this cat's companionship could help her relax, I felt sympathy and compassion. I am a police officer, and I cannot harm you and your daughter for my own selfish gain. So what I'm trying to say has nothing to do with the cat; it's mainly that the Zhanghe Police Station hopes to provide you and your daughter with any assistance we can. I hope you understand that."

"help me?"

Zhou Hui looked up in astonishment, not understanding why Zheng Mingxing would say such a thing. Police officers aren't charities; there are plenty of people in this world who need help, why her of all people?

Having experienced much hardship in society, Zhou Hui is wary of any kindness shown to her.

"Haha... You can understand, it's your cat that brought us together."

Zheng Mingxing looked at Lin Ge, who was lying on the single sofa next to him, yawning.

The water in the kettle boiled, making a gurgling sound. This sound attracted the little doll, which jumped down from Zhou Hui's arms, curiously tilting its head and eagerly trying to jump onto the table.

"Holy crap, that's boiling water!"

Seeing that the little doll was about to jump up, Lin Ge's expression changed and he rushed over, grabbed the little doll by the back of its neck, and pressed it firmly to the ground.

"Meow!!"

The little doll bumped its head on the ground and cried out in pain. It turned its head and cried out to Lingo with a wronged expression, not understanding why the big cat was bullying it.

"You idiot, do you want to turn into a scalded cat?"

Lin Ge angrily tapped the little rag doll's head repeatedly with his paw, like striking a wooden fish. The little rag doll didn't try to dodge; it just lay there motionless, meowing pitifully.

"Look... how good their relationship is."

Zheng Mingxing smiled and pointed at Lin Ge and the little puppet over there.

"Your cat... has taken a liking to my Lele?"

Zhou Hui hesitated before she finally understood what was going on. The cats had been quite unruly yesterday, but seeing how well-behaved Lele was in front of one of them, she knew exactly what was happening.
Zheng Mingxing chuckled awkwardly and said, "Actually... it's Mimi's kitten who's taken a liking to your cat. In other words, that... Mimi, is your Lele's father-in-law?"

"..."

Zhou Hui's face instantly darkened.

Is this policeman insane? For the sake of a cat's kitten, he went to such lengths to create such a huge mess?

But remembering Zheng Mingxing's words about being willing to help her family, Zhou Hui could only suppress her anger. She knew that the police were people she couldn't afford to offend, and she also knew that this bastard really had something on her, and that Lele's background was illegitimate.

"So... what do you want to do? I'll give Lele to you, and we'll just call it even, okay?"

Zhou Hui reluctantly compromised.

“Ms. Zhou, you’ve got it wrong. The matter of the two cats and my intention to help you are not the same thing.”

Zheng Mingxing wasn't in a hurry. He simply poured some water into Zhou Hui's teacup on the table before continuing, "I understand your family situation. I can only express my regret about your ex-husband's imprisonment. It hasn't been easy for you raising the children these past few years, and we are heartbroken to see them in this state because of what happened back then. As a police agency, it's our duty to cooperate with the community to care for the families of those involved in cases. Do you understand what the police station's responsibility is? So I hope you won't overthink it. If you have time, we can accompany you to the hospital to take the children for a checkup, and we can get some fee reductions."

"..."

Zhou Hui fell silent; she truly hadn't expected Zheng Mingxing to know so much about her affairs.

As a family member of a criminal, she was always ashamed to talk about her family's situation. Sometimes, she would accidentally let slip the truth, and she would always be fired from her job. After a while, Zhou Hui became more honest and specifically looked for jobs that didn't require social security contributions or formal labor contracts. Although these jobs paid less, at least the private bosses didn't have many requirements. After get off work, she would find part-time jobs, and although life was hard, she was able to keep going.

When the police directly exposed her hidden secret, Zhou Hui immediately felt embarrassed and nervous. Criminals and police seem to be perpetually opposing concepts. And as a family member of a criminal, she was always worried about being seen as the bad guy.

But this time, since it involved her child, Zhou Hui was really unwilling to give up.

My daughter's condition is visibly worsening, severely impacting her schooling and daily life. She's already missed a year of school; if she doesn't get better soon... what will become of her?!

Although her political background check has been severely affected because of her scoundrel father, and she may even face numerous difficulties finding employment in the future, wouldn't it be even worse if she didn't continue her education, ending up like herself, spending her life doing odd jobs and achieving nothing?

Lin Ge turned to look at Zhou Hui, completely surprised that this woman had such an identity.

She was actually the family member of a criminal offender? And she even had a daughter suffering from depression? What an unfortunate family! And it seems that everything started because of her husband's one impulsive act and criminal behavior.

"Then... I'll have to trouble you!"

Zhou Hui stood up and bowed deeply, ultimately choosing to compromise for the sake of her child.

"It's all part of the job."

Zheng Mingxing smiled and reached out his hand to Zhou Hui.

The two agreed that Zhou Hui would bring her daughter out the next morning, and Zheng Mingxing would pick them up to go to the hospital together. Zheng Mingxing would also help with all the necessary documents and hardship certificates, providing verification and issuance. Furthermore, Zheng Mingxing promised Zhou Hui that he would help her apply for some relief from the community and find her a more suitable job. Zhou Hui was naturally overwhelmed with gratitude, and the tears of bitterness she had held back for the past few years finally flowed out. "He... accidentally killed someone! I told him long ago not to be so short-tempered, not to be so impulsive! But who would have thought that such a small argument would escalate into a fatal incident because of a punch? Ha... He's fine, he got a seven-year sentence and didn't send a single letter home while he was in prison. But to reduce his sentence and get a pardon, reducing it from ten to seven years, the family sold everything they could and borrowed from everyone they could! Over 800,000 yuan! They sold everything they owned and still have over 300,000 yuan in debt. How are people supposed to live like this? People see the family's situation and don't come to collect the debt. But how can an individual just renege on their debts?"

As Zhou Hui spoke, she wiped away her tears, while Yan Ziming gently comforted her and handed her tissues.

In front of the two women, Lin Ge sat quietly on Zheng Mingxing's desk, next to a small ragdoll cat that had curiously touched the kettle and only calmed down after being burned. Indeed, every cat is incredibly curious, even the most well-behaved ones.

It seemed that she had been suppressing her emotions for a long time. Zhou Hui's tears flowed continuously, and she finally found someone to listen to her complaints.

Even though it was already past her work hours, she continued sitting down, “Anxi used to be a lively girl, but her father became a murderer, and she was ridiculed and pointed at at school. It seemed even the teachers had a problem with her. She couldn't neglect her studies, and I couldn't understand why I forced her to go to school, which ended up causing this poor child to develop depression. Now she's afraid to go out, and even reading for a short while makes her dizzy and vomit. We don't have the money to go to a big hospital, so we just went to the community clinic and got some medicine. But the doctor said it's a mental illness, and it's not easy to cure! We need to go to a big city for treatment, but where am I going to get the money?”

Zhou Hui became increasingly aggrieved as she spoke, hunching over and shedding tears, saying, "I'm such a shameless old woman! I heard that raising a cat is good for your mental health, so I found Lele wandering around outside while I was working. I was blinded by greed and just took her home! When I got back, I was terrified! Anxi's father is in jail, and if I go to jail too, what will she do at home alone, especially since she's sick? But... Anxi took a liking to Lele at first sight, she can smile now, and she can even talk to me. Seeing this, how could I bear to send Lele back? Besides praying to God that no one will find out, there's nothing I can do, sob sob sob..."

In the end, Zhou Hui covered her face and burst into tears.

"..."

Yan Ziming didn't know how to comfort Zhou Hui. The woman's actions were undoubtedly wrong! But her motivation was for the child, which stirred Yan Ziming's sympathy. Misfortunes never come singly; her husband was imprisoned for murder, her daughter was seriously ill, and the family was burdened with debt. What could she do?

To be honest, Yan Ziming couldn't even imagine what choice she would make if she were in that situation. It's too difficult for a woman to support such a broken family.

"Things will get better eventually! Cheer up, even if it's just for your daughter."

Zheng Mingxing didn't say much, nor was it possible for him to actually lock Zhou Hui up because of the cat. Besides, it had been over a month since Zhou Hui stole Lele, and no one had reported it to the police or seen any missing cat notices. He decided to put the matter aside for now.

Of course, if someone calls the police, the police station will definitely have to find a way to resolve the issue. It would be best to resolve it through mediation and use compensation instead of punishment; that little plush toy is worth at least several thousand yuan, and we don't want it to lead to any criminal liability.

Zheng Mingxing glanced at Zhou Hui, now only hoping that the woman hadn't lied about her explanation for taking the little doll away.

Zhou Hui left deeply moved, bowing repeatedly to express her gratitude.

Yan Ziming returned to Zheng Mingxing's side, tidied up the coffee table for him, and then said, "Instructor Zheng, do you think this Ms. Zhou really knows how serious her actions are? Why doesn't she think about what will happen to her daughter if she gets arrested too? I just secretly checked, and a gold-plated plush toy of slightly better quality is priced at seven or eight thousand yuan or more. And seven or eight thousand yuan is already considered a huge amount for theft, isn't it?"

"What does this have to do with you and me? Just because she's pitiful, does the police station have to disregard the law? Whether she takes the cat back or not is her own choice. If she does take it, and someone reports it, we can at most mediate and get the cat back. Are we supposed to break the rules and side with her just because she's pitiful? What if the other party insists on pursuing the matter to the end? We'll just have to follow the law and sentence them accordingly."

Zheng Mingxing glanced at Yan Ziming, indicating that she could go back to her post.

Looking at the little plush cat huddled behind Lin Ge, Zheng Mingxing felt another headache coming on. This cat was such a nuisance! Its origins and nature were unknown. Yet, both Zhou Hui and Mimi had gotten involved with it, and who knew what trouble it might cause later.

After thinking it over, Zheng Mingxing indicated that Lin Ge could also get lost.

As a dignified instructor at a police station, it's shameful that I had to exploit a loophole for a cat's sake. That bastard Nie Guoqiang claims to have become a cat slave—ha, how could that be? He only did this to win over the cat and make it serve the police station more diligently! Speaking of the Tiger virus outbreak, will Mimi be able to get a first-class merit award? Actually, a collective first-class merit award would be fine too; Zheng Mingxing isn't picky.

Thinking about going to Changshi to provide support, Zheng Mingxing returned to his desk, found the phone number of the Changshi Narcotics Control Detachment, and memorized it.

The next morning, Zhou Hui indeed brought her daughter Anxi to the police station. Zheng Mingxing had promised to pick her up, but perhaps worried about troubling him too much or for some other reason, she waited outside the police station early in the morning.

She stood on the steps at the entrance of the service hall, holding an umbrella and carrying a large bag, seemingly oblivious to the curious stares of passersby.

Behind her, a girl dressed in black, with long black hair and black headphones, her face obscured, was quietly playing on her phone, head down. She seemed oblivious to her surroundings, completely absorbed in the game she was playing.

Zhou Hui waited for a while but Zheng Mingxing didn't come out. She became anxious and worried that things might have changed.

She didn't know that Zheng Mingxing had come early yesterday to discuss the matter with her because it involved Lin Ge. Normally, unless there are special circumstances, the police work according to their regular hours, and that's the only time they can work normally.

Zhou Hui grew increasingly anxious as she waited, yet she didn't want to miss this rare opportunity. She even secretly thought to herself, "With the police station's help, I could get a lot of benefits!" So, after some thought, Zhou Hui offered her umbrella to her daughter, but she waved it away. Left with no other option, she cautiously made her way to the neighbor's yard. The sliding gate was closed, so she tiptoed and peered inside. The yard was quiet early in the morning; the cats had all gone to their kennels, and she couldn't see anything. She couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

"Lele? Lele?"

Zhou Hui called out in a low voice, still reluctant to hand Lele over to the police station after much deliberation. She had looked up the cat online; it was so expensive! She would see if she could bring Lele back after the police station finished helping Anxi with her matter.

Anyway, it's my cat, so it's only right that I deal with it as I see fit. Even if the police station helped me, why should they ask for money or kickbacks? It's only natural for the police to do work for free!

The more Zhou Hui thought about it, the more reasonable her idea seemed, and she put Zheng Mingxing's reminder aside. However, seeing that she couldn't get Lele to come out after calling several times, Zhou Hui decided to temporarily give up on alerting Lele.

I'll definitely wait until my daughter recovers, or until I get the bribe from the police station, before I can even think about it. This cat is worth over ten thousand yuan. Even if I sell it for half price and use the little money I've saved, it should be enough to pay off a debt.

Thinking of something happy, Zhou Hui smiled, then turned back to the entrance of the service hall to continue waiting with her daughter.

"This guy, he's still up to his old tricks!"

Lin Ge peeked out from the cat house and quietly watched Zhou Hui's figure disappear.

He didn't know what Zhou Hui wanted by calling for the little rag doll—was it to reconnect? Or was she going to take it away? It didn't matter! After all, there are no saints in this world; everyone has their own little thoughts, and that's understandable. But although Zheng Mingxing didn't say it explicitly yesterday, he implied very clearly that Zhou Hui shouldn't be thinking about this cat anymore. Unless she really wanted to go to jail for theft or illegal possession, leaving her daughter alone and uncared for, she should have given up on the little rag doll as soon as possible.

If the little doll is in the police station, and someone calls to ask for it back, it's easy to mediate and get it returned or bought back, thus ending the case. But if it remains in her hands... do we really expect the police station to show favoritism and turn a blind eye to her?
Think more!
Playing the victim works for many people, and frankly, it can even be somewhat effective in police stations. However… this is only true if it doesn't involve criminal liability! A slight bias from a police station in minor cases is understandable; showing a little sympathy for someone in distress is human nature and a necessity for social stability. But once you cross the line and become a criminal suspect, you're essentially standing against the law. Why should the police protect you then?
"I just hope you don't really do anything wrong, and that you take responsibility for your daughter! The fact that you weren't caught stealing the cat this time is already a lenient treatment. But if you continue to be stubborn and think that you have the right and courage to disregard the law because of your family's circumstances, then don't regret it later! It would be so pitiful if your daughter really had to accept the reality of both her parents going to jail! But, isn't it your own fault?"

Lin Ge sighed and returned to the cat house. He looked up and saw the little Ragdoll cat curled up like a ball of fur, fast asleep on the cat tree. It had played on the cat tree for a long time last night and seemed quite adept at it, as if it often did so.

(End of this chapter)