Chapter 8 – Yu Jianmin Gets Caught

The room was pitch black, so he couldn’t see a thing. He hadn’t taken more than a few steps when he suddenly let out a scream and collapsed to the ground.

Yu Jingjing curled her lips into a smirk. She immediately got out of bed and turned on the light, revealing Yu Jianmin clutching his leg and howling in pain. He had just stepped on a bear trap—his foot was completely caught, and the sharp metal teeth were biting into him, blood gushing from the wound.

But when he saw Yu Jingjing standing safe and sound in the living room, he stammered, “W-Why… why are you still up, you damn girl?”

His drug hadn’t worked. Could it have been fake?

Yu Jingjing smiled. “I knew you’d come, so I prepared this just for you.”

Then she quickly put on a frightened and surprised expression. “Cousin… What are you doing here in the middle of the night? Are you trying to steal from me?”

She rushed to the door, opened it, and shouted into the hallway, “Help! Someone broke into my house! A thief broke in! I’m so scared!”

“Don’t shout, stop shouting!”

But Yu Jingjing didn’t care what Yu Jianmin said. The neighbors quickly got up and came over, only to find Yu Jianmin with his leg trapped in the bear trap.

“Oh my! Climbing through windows in the dead of night—what are you trying to do?” someone asked, feigning innocence.

“I-I wasn’t doing anything! I just came to check on my cousin!”

“You think we’ll believe that? You couldn’t come during the day? Had to climb through the window at night?”

Yu Jingjing explained to everyone, “I live alone and was afraid something might happen, so I bought this trap from outside. I didn’t expect the thief to be my cousin.”

“He definitely came to steal money. If…” That neighbor didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear—Yu Jianmin might have done something worse to Yu Jingjing.

Yu Jingjing trembled all over. “W-What should I do? I’m really scared…”

The neighbors, who had all received gifts from Yu Jingjing the night before, naturally stood on her side.

“Jingjing, he broke in during the night to do something bad. Better let the police handle this.”

They were not only worried for Yu Jingjing but for themselves, too.

If Yu Jianmin was desperate enough to climb into her window for money, he might do the same to their homes one day. A guy like that should be locked up if they wanted peace of mind.

“Yes, I think that’s best. Even though he’s my cousin, they never treated me like family. Can someone help me call the police?”

Someone immediately did. The police arrived, assessed the situation, and took Yu Jianmin away.

Yu Jingjing once again thanked the kind-hearted neighbors. After they all returned to their homes, she clapped her hands in satisfaction—one more problem dealt with. Since he’d visited her home, it was only fair that she returned the favor.

But she still had a deal to make with Master Kui tonight. After the transaction, she would pay a visit to her uncle’s home.

Taking advantage of the night while everyone was asleep again, she quietly climbed over the wall and left the compound.

Just one kilometer from her meeting point with Master Kui, she entered her storage space, changed into her daytime “bucktooth girl” disguise, and stepped out. Checking the time, she still had half an hour before the transaction.

Once there, she took out all the grains and fruits from her space and waited for Master Kui to arrive.

Before long, Master Kui showed up with his men to pick up the goods.

They followed the usual procedure—inspect the goods, deliver the cash. While Yu Jingjing was counting the thick stack of money in her hands, Master Kui stared at her, full of praise. “Xiao Bao-meimei, you count money like a pro. You must be in big business.”

They were practically a match made in heaven.

Yu Jingjing felt a lump in her throat at the nickname, but she didn’t let it bother her. Names, like faces, were just masks. As long as he didn’t cross a line, she wouldn’t fuss.

After quickly counting and stashing the money, she turned to leave.

“Xiao Bao-meimei, wait.”

“Master Kui, is there anything else?”

He chuckled. “I just wanted to ask—how old are you, and do you have a partner?”

“I’m thirty… and yes, I do.”

“Me too!” he said, nervously twisting his thick fingers. “What do you think of me? Maybe we could start… a different kind of transaction. It wouldn’t interfere with our families.”

Cough cough. Yu Jingjing really wanted to slap him twice, but she didn’t want to dirty her hands. “Master Kui, I’m a proper businesswoman.”

“But I really like you.”

“…”

Who would’ve thought even dressed like this, she still wasn’t safe?

“Master Kui, if there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”

Kui was clearly disappointed. “When will we trade here again?”

He even had a rose hidden behind his back, but now had no chance to present it.

“Here?” As if! She was going to the countryside soon and had no plans to return. “Seven days from now, same time. Can you handle this much grain?”

“Yes, yes! I’ll be waiting for you, Xiao Bao-meimei!”

Yu Jingjing quickly disappeared into the night. Master Kui lingered, staring longingly in her direction.

“Xiao Bao-meimei, I’ll be waiting… Just want to hear you call me Xiao Kui Kui, or Kui-ge~”

The men beside Master Kui: yue~ (disgusted)

Yu Jingjing originally wanted to raid her uncle’s house that night, but she thought better of it. If she cleaned them out tonight, they’d just cling to her again tomorrow. Better to wait until right before leaving and empty them out completely.

On her way home, she came to a higher wall, and Little Fortune suddenly chimed in, “Host, there’s a huge treasure in this courtyard.”

Yu Jingjing instantly became alert. “Are you some kind of enemy agent AI?”

Little Fortune quickly covered its mouth: 【No way! Just a slip of the tongue, Host! But seriously, there are tons of treasures inside.】

Looking around, Yu Jingjing realized this was the home of the deputy director of the Revolutionary Committee. Those guys were always raiding others’ homes. As the second-in-command, he must’ve stashed quite a lot of what he seized.

It was during this time that many national artifacts were smuggled abroad—no doubt sold by these corrupt officials.

Well, if that’s the case, she’d help the country guard its treasures. Once the skies cleared, she’d hand them in.

“Little Fortune, keep scanning for exact locations.”

【Got it. There’s a hidden room in their house.】

“Perfect. Let’s go.”

It was a small independent courtyard. Yu Jingjing climbed the wall, then blew sleeping powder through the window. Once everyone inside was knocked out, she entered. Following Little Fortune’s directions, she found a hidden chamber behind a cabinet in the study.

Inside were several huge chests filled to the brim. She opened them—antiques, paintings, gold, silver, you name it.

The shine was nearly blinding.

More accurately, it almost blinded her AI.

【Wow, Host, I’ve never seen so many treasures! Quick, quick, store them all!】

Yu Jingjing glanced at her system’s stingy expression. “I’m just a regular human, but you’re an AI. You’ve never seen this much treasure?”

【Never! That’s why I’m so obsessed with wealth—poverty made me this way!】

What could it do? It had to generate emotional value to make the host like it more.

In the last chest, Yu Jingjing even found a radio and several letters of treason.

Ha, not just a corrupt official—he was a traitor too.

They were about to flee with all these valuables. Good thing she found them first. She wasn’t letting them get away.

With a wave of her hand, the chests all disappeared into her space. Back home, she composed and mailed three anonymous reports—one to the Revolutionary Committee’s chief, one to the Public Security Bureau chief, and one to the National Security Bureau chief.

All for the country’s benefit and safety—she was really giving her all.

Afterward, she returned home, rewarded herself with a bunch of delicious crystal grapes from her space, and went to sleep contentedly.

Early the next morning, before dawn, three teams arrived at the deputy director’s home, turned it upside down, found the radio and traitorous letters, and arrested him.

But all three agencies were left wondering—who was the anonymous tipster? If they found out, they’d surely commend them.

Meanwhile, Yu Jingjing, freshly awake and laughing at her treasure trove in the space: Sometimes it’s right to take credit, but other times… one must be a nameless hero.

By broad daylight, the three members of the Yu family were still asleep. They’d stayed up all night waiting for Yu Jianmin to bring money and the deed, but ended up falling asleep again just before dawn.

Yu Jingjing’s eldest uncle was dreaming a sweet dream, almost laughing himself awake. “Hahaha, so much money, such a big house—it’s all going to be ours.”

But when he woke up, he was still in the same house. Yu Jianmin was nowhere in sight.

Old Madam Yu and Yu Yanjiao got up too. “Big brother, it’s already this late. Why hasn’t Jianmin come back yet?”

“I don’t know either,” Eldest Uncle replied. “He should’ve been back by midnight. He wouldn’t have stayed at her place again, right?”

“What for? To purposely let that wretched girl know he was the one who did the bad deed?”

“You’re right. Mom, I was being stupid.”

Suddenly, Yu Yanjiao frowned. “Dad, Grandma, my brother still hasn’t come back. Could he have taken the money and gone gambling? You know he has that problem.”

Eldest Uncle and Old Madam Yu immediately became anxious.

Eldest Uncle said, “Oh no, oh no. That brat’s messing around again! He had several thousand yuan in his hands—what if he lost it all at the gambling den? No, I have to go check and bring him back. We need to deposit that money right away.”

But just as he was about to head out, two police officers in uniform showed up at the door.

“Is this the home of Yu Jianmin?”

Out of natural fear and respect for the police, Eldest Uncle instantly sensed something was wrong and started stammering.

“Y-yes, this is Yu Jianmin’s house.”

“And you are?”

“I-I’m just the neighbor! Just a neighbor!” He quickly stepped aside, worried that Yu Jianmin’s mess would drag him down too.

The police just smiled and proceeded to look inside.

They informed Old Madam Yu and Yu Yanjiao that Yu Jianmin had been arrested last night for home invasion and robbery.