「5:00 PM.」

「Jin City.」

「A detention center.」

"Qin... Uncle Qin."

Under Song Tiancheng's fierce gaze, Song Yun reluctantly called out. After saying it, he lowered his head. He seemed somewhat ashamed to speak.

Qin Mu also appeared to feel a bit awkward. After Wang Dachui had agreed to defend Song Yun, they had gone to the detention center. They planned to first get a detailed understanding of the situation from Song Yun.

However, upon meeting, Song Tiancheng had insisted Song Yun call Qin Mu "Uncle." In the span of a single day, he had acquired a new "big niece" and, on top of that, a "big nephew"—both in their forties.

"A grown man acting all coy, what does that look like?" Song Tiancheng, with a stern face, scolded again. He then said, "Your Uncle Qin is here to help you this time. Whatever questions he has, you answer truthfully. Don't conceal anything."

Hearing this, Song Yun finally raised his head, a flicker of light passing through his dim eyes. He had long known about the upcoming prosecution.

The proposed sentence... was twelve years!

None of the other inmates awaiting trial in the detention center faced a heavier potential sentence than his! Once they heard he might be sentenced to a twelve-year term, they couldn't help but treat him with newfound respect.

Unknowingly... he had nearly become the boss of all the inmates. Under him were those charged with throwing objects from heights, fraudulent contracting by illegal intermediaries, poisoning food deliveries, and a pair of constantly cursing mother and daughter... These people had all been sentenced and were waiting for prison spots to open up. During exercise time, he had gotten to know them.

Aside from another middle-aged couple rumored to have been sentenced to twenty years, he now had the longest potential sentence in the entire detention center.

To his surprise... these people all seemed to harbor a deep grudge against someone named Qin Mu, gnashing their teeth in hatred.

It just so happened that this Qin Mu shared a surname with his Uncle Qin.

"Alright, let's talk more after we leave the detention center," said Qin Mu, glancing at his "big nephew," also with a sense of discomfort.

Following that, he and Song Tiancheng helped Song Yun arrange bail pending trial.

Bail pending trial was actually a very humane procedure. One simply had to submit an application to the public security authorities. Those who met the requirements could be temporarily released from detention to await trial outside.

Generally speaking, apart from crimes of injury or crimes of endangerment, other offenses could be approved for bail pending trial if they were not judged to be of great social danger.

Take Song Yun's situation, for example. His situation involved parrots he had raised himself. They posed little harm to society, the environment, or ecology, thus fulfilling the conditions for bail pending trial.

The only incongruity... was that his potential sentence was outrageously high.

「An hour later,」

The bail pending trial procedures were completed. After being detained for several days, Song Yun finally walked out of the detention center. He saw the light of day once more.

The group returned to the nursing home and began to review the case details.

"The trial starts in six days. You answer whatever I ask you," Qin Mu said to Song Yun, getting straight to the point.

Song Yun nodded gravely. After being detained for several days, he didn't want to return there for a single moment longer!

"When did you start raising these parakeets?"

"Five years ago."

"How did you acquire them initially?"

"Five years ago, I found a parakeet in the woods in the countryside and brought it back to raise. Later, I grew fond of this hobby and decided to breed them, so I bought another one for pairing."

Qin Mu's expression brightened slightly as he raised his eyebrows and asked, "So, you're saying that you initially purchased just one?"

Song Yun nodded and spoke frankly, "The parakeets I raise are Fei's parakeets. They have brightly colored feathers. Initially, I didn't know much about them. Then, I did some research, bought many books, and accidentally bred sixteen of them. Together with the first two, there were a total of eighteen."

Speaking of this, his face was filled with regret. If he had known the sentence for this 'thing' was so severe, he wouldn't have blindly messed around with it for five years. In the end... he had even gotten himself into this mess.

"A total... of eighteen?" Qin Mu frowned and asked again for confirmation.

This number indeed constituted "especially serious circumstances" as specified in judicial interpretations. No wonder the prosecution's sentencing recommendation was a direct twelve years!

Song Yun nodded.

"During the breeding period, did you ever sell any parakeets?"

"No. It was just recently that I sold three to those customers, one thousand each. I originally didn't want to sell them, but they kept insisting..."

"What was your purpose for raising them?"

"It was just a hobby. I run a farmhouse inn, and since I had free time, I raised them."

"..."

"What statements did you make to the prosecutors during your detention?"

"I... I just told them what I've told you, and then I signed some document..."

Qin Mu suddenly paused and knitted his brows. "What document did you sign?"

Song Yun swallowed hard. Uncertainly, he said, "I think it was called something like a Guilty Plea and Sentence Agreement..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Qin Mu's expression changed slightly.

That kind of document is typically signed before the court hearing.

However... most criminal defendants don't voluntarily sign this type of agreement. Once signed, it means admitting guilt and accepting responsibility. In court, this leads to a very unfavorable situation. Because... you then either plead guilty or you don't. If you refuse to plead guilty, you have to overturn your previous guilty plea.

"I... I-I don't know! A lawyer told me that by actively pleading guilty, I could receive a lighter sentence. But how was I to know they'd turn around and recommend twelve years for me...?"

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