Chapter 3

As Liu Gang was unwrapping the cigarette pack, Lin Xi's heart tightened. Although he was almost certain that a deposit slip was hidden inside, he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. If he opened it and found nothing, he would be in a very awkward situation.

Lin Xi didn't worry for long. After Liu Gang peeled off the outer plastic film and opened the long cigarette box, a piece of hard paper appeared before the three of them.

Cao Weiguo picked it up and glanced at it, his face as stern as water. He said angrily, "Fifty thousand yuan, what a generous amount!"

In an era where a ten-thousand-yuan household could elicit envy, fifty thousand yuan was indeed a significant sum. No wonder Cao Weiguo, as a member of the Minszhou Municipal Party Committee and the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, was so moved.

"Young man, you are truly meticulous. If we hadn't been careful, this could have been a big problem," Cao Weiguo said solemnly. "Director Liu, call Secretary Ma now and report this matter. Have him directly place Niu Quanbao under double regulation and see what he has to say."

"Yes, Secretary!" Liu Gang stood up and was about to walk to the desk.

Seeing this, Lin Xi's eyes darted around, and he tentatively asked, "Secretary Cao, I have some thoughts. I wonder if I should speak them?"

"Go ahead!" As Cao Weiguo said this, he made a gesture for Liu Gang to stop.

"Secretary Cao, Director Liu, the other party clearly targeted my father. If you have Niu Quanbao controlled now and he resists, this could become a big problem," Lin Xi said with a worried look.

After hearing this, Cao Weiguo subconsciously looked at Liu Gang. Seeing the surprise on his face, he realized that if these words had come from an adult, it wouldn't be surprising. However, the person speaking was just a young, naive teenager, which made them look at him with new respect.

Cao Weiguo sized up Lin Xi and asked with interest, "Lin Xi, what do you think should be done?"

Lin Xi glanced at Cao Weiguo and humbly said, "Secretary Cao, since you asked for my opinion, I'll speak freely. If I say anything wrong, please don't blame me!"

"Don't worry, since the Secretary asked you to speak, how could he blame you?" Liu Gang also wanted to hear what Lin Xi had to say and reassured him.

After hearing this, Lin Xi shifted his buttocks and moved forward on the sofa, then said, "Secretary Cao, Director Liu, I think we should do nothing for now and just wait."

"Huh, what do you mean by that?" Liu Gang asked.

"Director Liu, think about it. Since the other party has made such a big move, they must have more tricks up their sleeve. We just need to act as if we know nothing and wait for their next move. Then we can act accordingly, achieving twice the result with half the effort," Lin Xi said, looking at Liu Gang but glancing at Cao Weiguo out of the corner of his eye.

With a loud thud, Cao Weiguo slapped the thick coffee table and said happily, "What a great example of 'the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind'!"

After hearing this, Lin Xi was completely reassured. He knew that the other party had accepted his suggestion. He thought for a moment and continued, "Secretary Cao, I think this matter is significant. You should send someone you trust, like Director Liu, to Qingyuan to keep an eye on things."

Cao Weiguo calling Liu Gang over indicated that he was his confidant. By saying this, Lin Xi not only praised Liu Gang but also indirectly complimented Cao Weiguo's discernment, achieving two goals at once.

Lin Xi had another reason for saying this: he didn't trust Deputy Secretary Ma. In his previous life, Ma was responsible for this matter, and the result was his father's miserable exit. This time, he certainly wouldn't entrust such an important task to him.

Cao Weiguo, with over twenty years of experience in the political arena, naturally understood Lin Xi's intentions. After some thought, he said, "Alright, Liu Gang, you go to Qingyuan too. I'll call Secretary Changfu in a moment."

Due to the sudden nature of the incident and its significance, Liu Gang didn't dare to delay. He found a car, took Lin Xi with him, and immediately headed to Qingyuan County.

After Liu Gang and Lin Xi left, Cao Weiguo immediately called Ma Changfu. In the call, he vaguely mentioned that Liu Gang was going to Qingyuan to assist and specifically asked about the whereabouts of Qingyuan County's County Chief, Lin Jiaqiang.

Upon learning that Lin Jiaqiang had been with Ma Changfu since the morning and hadn't left, Cao Weiguo was stunned. He thought to himself, could it be that the young man figured this out on his own? If so, Lin Jiaqiang must have a good son.

Before this, Cao Weiguo subconsciously thought that Lin Xi's actions were under the direction of Lin Jiaqiang. He agreed to Lin Xi's request to see what the leaders of Qingyuan County were up to. Now it seemed that his wish might not be fulfilled.

Sitting in the passenger seat of the Santana, Lin Xi's mind was never idle. He had been thinking about the two packs of cigarettes, and now that this matter was temporarily resolved, he began to consider the county machinery factory. He could remember very little, so he tried to get information from Liu Gang.

Since Lin Xi was just an eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy and had just spoken well of him in front of the Secretary, Liu Gang briefly explained the situation at the Qingyuan Machinery Factory.

A week ago, the employee dormitory under construction at the Qingyuan Machinery Factory suddenly collapsed, resulting in two deaths and one injury, a major safety responsibility accident. The city required the Safety Supervision Bureau to lead the investigation, with full cooperation from the Discipline Inspection Commission and the Public Security Bureau to uncover the issues and provide justice for the deceased.

After understanding the situation, Lin Xi began to grasp why Niu Quanbao had taken such a risk. The city's joint investigation team had been there for a week and must have found some leads. Niu Quanbao and others, feeling the pressure, had resorted to this tactic.

From the current situation, it was clear that the machinery factory issue was related to people in the county, and the individuals involved were of no small rank. In such a situation, his father had been pushed to the forefront as a scapegoat.

Although the other party's move was simple, its effect was significant. If he hadn't been aware beforehand, his father would have been very likely to fall into their trap, as his father's fate in his previous life clearly demonstrated.

Thinking about this, Lin Xi's thoughts became clearer.

As they approached Qingyuan, Lin Xi asked Liu Gang to drop him off at the bus station. When he went to the city, he had locked his bicycle there.

Before getting out of the car, Liu Gang specifically instructed Lin Xi to contact him if he discovered anything else. Lin Xi, of course, eagerly agreed.

After retrieving his bicycle, Lin Xi didn't go to the county government but headed straight to the Qingyuan Mall.

In the morning, Hao Xinyan had called to invite him to dinner. Since it was a girl's birthday, he couldn't go empty-handed. Buying a small gift was a must.