"Yes, we're looking for you." A stern, unfamiliar male voice suddenly came from behind.
She was startled and looked back to see a police officer in uniform flashing his ID, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "You'll have to come with us."
Fortunately, everyone's attention was on the registration at that moment, and no one noticed the commotion in this corner.
The sudden appearance of the uncle policeman confused Chen Xiran a bit, but her subconscious told her it was better to cooperate.
She obediently got into the police car.
It wasn't until the car started and pulled away from the noisy crowd that she belatedly realized what was happening, her voice trembling slightly: "Me…? Am I… going to jail?"
The officer in the front seat glanced at her in the rearview mirror and calmly retorted:
"Quite a few parents have jointly reported that a 'talent scout' specializes in tricking children into paying registration fees for non-existent training and promising debut, draining both their dreams and their money. You're quite the storyteller."
Chen Xiran's heart was in a complete panic at this moment, and she subconsciously replied: "Well… well, that would certainly warrant jail…"
The policeman turned back and gave her a meaningful look: "Heh, you're quite self-aware."
"But… it shouldn't be me!" Chen Xiran wailed inwardly, wishing she could cry.
She looked at the cold iron bars in the middle of the police car and, for the first time, felt a real fear of "being unable to transmigrate":
What if she got stuck this time and could never transmigrate again? And in jail, where would she find the opportunity to change Jian Ci's fated trajectory?
She took a deep breath, trying to force a harmless smile, and said to the uncle policeman in front with a grin:
"Um… Uncle Policeman, do you usually watch… science fiction movies? Like those about time travel, possession…"
Before she could finish, the policeman in the passenger seat shot her a sharp glare, a warning that "you'd better behave."
She immediately shut up, feeling even more despair inwardly: Which transmigrator ends up like me, about to go to jail?! This is such a disgrace to the transmigration community!
At this moment, some iron window flower BGM would be perfect.
Then she thought, perhaps intense physical stimulation could trigger transmigration? Like last time when she fell and accidentally transmigrated?
With her heart pounding, she suddenly hugged the iron railing in front of her and began to gently bang her forehead against it!
After a few thuds, she slumped her head down, her long hair falling to cover her cheeks, and whispered in despair: "Why haven't I transmigrated yet… why haven't I transmigrated…"
The policeman in the passenger seat was taken aback by her sudden strange behavior and couldn't help but turn back to ask with concern: "You—"
Chen Xiran acted as if she hadn't heard, suddenly lifted her head, and exclaimed with a sudden realization, "Ah!" startling the policeman.
She remembered! Jian Ci had indeed mentioned in an interview that he had encountered two 'talent scouts' in his early years.
The first was a swindler who bamboozled him and Mama Tan with honeyed words, making it sound incredibly real.
It wasn't until later that person appeared on a legal program that they realized they had been deceived!
"No wonder…" She began to listlessly tap her forehead against the iron railing again, "I recommended it so sincerely, with such passionate eyes and confident tone… it's no wonder they didn't believe me!"
This was simply perfect acting tailor-made for a scammer!
The two policemen in the front exchanged a look that said, "Is there something wrong with her?" and silently sped up.
Upon arriving at the police station, the car door opened.
As soon as Chen Xiran got out, she started doing strenuous exercise, trying to trigger the 'transmigration mechanism' by increasing her heart rate.
While hopping and skipping, she was 'escorted' into the police station, mumbling silently.
Passersby stared in amazement, having never seen a 'suspect' with such an… energetic state of mind.
She prayed desperately in her heart: "Transmigrate quickly!!! Please! Right now!"
However, everything around her remained steady, and her consciousness clearly told her: You are still here.
The police station was quiet, with only the sound of a few duty officers typing on keyboards and the gentle splashing of water as a cleaning aunt mopped the floor.
Just as she was feeling confused and on the verge of a breakdown, a commotion came from the entrance.
Aunt Wang, who had argued with her that morning, was striding in angrily, holding Mama Tan's wrist.
"In my thirty years of life, I've never been so wronged!" Aunt Wang yelled at the duty officer as soon as she entered. "A woman, speaking sarcastically and insultingly!"
Mama Tan, standing beside her, said in a gentle but firm tone:
"Auntie, please calm down. If it was truly my son's friend, I don't believe she would say those things for no reason. There must be a misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding could there be!" Aunt Wang became even angrier. "I think she's an accomplice! Your son was dancing on stage, and this woman was jumping around below better than anyone! They're obviously a pair, one swindling money, the other building hype!"
Chen Xiran: "……" It's over, jumping too enthusiastically is also a crime.
Chen Xiran listened, completely bewildered, but these disputes were unimportant to her at the moment.
Mama Tan is here, so does that mean…
Her eyes frantically searched the police station entrance, and indeed, she saw that familiar, youthful figure—Jian Ci was looking inside with concern.
An opportunity! She had to explain clearly!
Taking advantage of the fact that the police escorting her were distracted by the argument, Chen Xiran suddenly turned and bolted towards Jian Ci at the entrance!
Her sudden movement caused a stir and immediately caught Jian Ci's attention. His gaze swept over the crowd, looking puzzled.
Freedom was within reach! She could even see the pattern on his jacket, just a few steps away from the door, and heading straight for him.
However, all her impulse and hope ended one step short.
She stepped on the slippery floor that the cleaning aunt had just mopped, still gleaming under the light!
"Splat!"
With a dull thud, she completely lost her balance, her arms flailing comically in the air, before crashing forward violently in an extremely awkward, face-first position.
She hit the cold tiles heavily, even sliding a short distance pathetically due to inertia.
…Forget it. Some misunderstandings are perhaps best left to exist forever.
Chen Xiran lay on the ground, only a desperate sob filling her mind.
The police behind her reacted instantly, rushing forward to pin her down securely.
At the entrance, Jian Ci's gaze casually swept over the police station lobby—the officers were all busy with their work, and the minor commotion in this corner had quickly subsided.
He seemed to catch a glimpse of a blurry figure being quickly helped up by the police and taken towards a deep corridor leading to an interrogation room, not even seeing if it was a man or a woman before nonchalantly looking away.
Mama Tan's attention was also drawn by the noise, but she only caught a fleeting glimpse of a receding figure being led away by the police at the door of the interrogation room.