Chapter 38

Chapter 30, Unraveling the Mystery of Qianchi (Part 2)

In the printing room, the machine hummed as it finally printed out the manuscript in Yang Zixuan's hand.

Yang Zixuan placed the silver bracelet and wallet on the table, took the manuscript from Chen Yuyu, picked up his briefcase, said a word of thanks, and walked out straight away...

"Hey, County Chief Yang, you haven't taken your bracelet and wallet yet!" Chen Yuyu suddenly noticed the items on the table and quickly picked them up to catch up with Yang Zixuan.

"These things, I bought them at Jiangming Department Store to give as gifts. Since I almost forgot them in the printing room, it means they have a connection with you. You can keep them as a small gift from me. If I need them, I can buy them again..." Yang Zixuan turned and smiled.

"But..." Chen Yuyu looked down at the silver bracelet and wallet in her hand. She often visited Jiangming Department Store, but could only look. Occasionally buying a hair clip or brooch would cost her more than half a month's salary, making her feel heartache and pain. The consumption level at Jiangming Department Store was not something a small employee in the printing room could afford. She also knew that the bracelet and wallet in her hand were definitely valuable.

Although she knew it was inappropriate to accept these things, her eyes couldn't leave the bracelet and wallet in her hand...

"There's no 'but.' Miss Yuyu, you are so beautiful, consider it a gift from me." Seeing her hesitation, Yang Zixuan quickly added fuel to the fire.

"Then I'll accept them." Chen Yuyu smiled. "In the future, the agendas for the city's standing committee meetings will be printed here. If there are any items related to your county's work, I'll call you. If you want to know anything, you can also call my home phone; I'm usually there after work..."

Yang Zixuan nodded with a smile. His purpose for this trip was already achieved. He strode out of the city committee building and hurried back to Hongshui.

Now, relying on Chen Yuyu, he at least had a relatively well-informed political information channel in the city.

In the office of the Hongshui County Finance Bureau, Guo Long paced back and forth, drank several cups of strong tea, but still felt restless.

Today, several old acquaintances from the county government and party committee had called the finance bureau to ask for money for the New Year, but he didn't dare to agree. He always did this; either he didn't open the budget, or he opened it all at once.

Although some old acquaintances privately resented him for not showing any face, they wouldn't complain openly, as he could treat everyone equally. But if he gave money to one unit first and another later, he would likely offend the latter.

However, Yang Zixuan had repeatedly instructed him to hold off for now. After all, it was almost twenty days before the New Year, and he would discuss the matter with him in a few days...

As the New Year approached, the weather in Qianchi Town was clear, but the atmosphere in the town government was subtly tense.

Li Zu stood at the entrance of the town government, smoking a water pipe intermittently, his eyes half-closed. Beside him was a tall and robust man, the town police station chief, Liang Fei!

"Old Li, are you really that heartless?" Liang Fei's lips twitched, his expression listless, no longer showing the usual arrogance and bullying in Qianchi Town. "Liang Li is my cousin, and you can ignore her, but Li Tian is also your cousin. How can you be so heartless to your own family?"

"I don't understand what you're saying." Li Zu remained unperturbed.

"Don't pretend to be confused. Liang Li and Li Tian have been missing for two days. I heard they were secretly taken to the county guesthouse by the county discipline inspection commission's Secretary Liu for review. Although few people in the town government saw this, I don't believe you haven't heard anything..." Liang Fei fiercely slapped the head of the old stone lion in front of the town government, his face full of anger.

"Then why are you coming to me?" Li Zu's aged face showed a bitter smile. "As you said, Secretary Liu personally arrested Liang Li and Li Tian. Do you think I can go to the guesthouse and ask them to release them? I, Li Zu, a small town secretary, am not a significant figure in Secretary Liu's eyes. He could crush me with a word..."

"I know you must have connections in the county!" Liang Fei said firmly. "After Qiu Nan jumped to his death, County Chief Yang and Deputy Secretary Lin had private talks with many town officials. Many people spoke ill of you, but County Chief Yang and Deputy Secretary Lin didn't touch you after they returned. You must have connections in the county!"

"That's because County Chief Yang is fair and doesn't believe the one-sided words of those scoundrels in the town." Li Zu sneered. "I, Li Zu, have always been upright and have nothing to fear. I'm not afraid of your group's underhanded tricks."

"If Liang Li and Li Tian were truly upright, they wouldn't fear the discipline inspection commission. If they are clean, I believe our party would not wrong them. They would naturally be able to walk out of the county guesthouse. But this assumption doesn't exist. I see clearly what you all have been doing. In recent years, how many bad things have you done to the people? How much of the social抚养费 (social support fees) collected by the family planning office has been reported? Most of it has ended up in your pockets! You, Liang Li, and Li Tian have all bought houses in the provincial capital. Where did the money come from?... Such cousins are better off without. Keeping them would only bring shame to our Li family. You still speak so grandly..."

Liang Fei's chest churned with emotion, his face cold and dark. "Are you really not going to get involved in this matter?"

Li Zu placed the water pipe against the wall and slowly walked into the town government gate. "Qiu Nan, originally a decent young man, was also dragged into the mire of corruption by you all. You incited him to oppose me at the town party committee meeting. His so-called reform of the town food factory was just a way to sell it off and make money for your group. I, Li Zu, may be old, but I see everything clearly."

"Instead of worrying about them, I advise you to think about how to protect yourself!"

Li Zu's words rang like thunder in Liang Fei's ears.

Back at the town police station, Liang Fei still felt dazed, muttering to himself, "Is the sky over Qianchi really going to change?"

Li Zu watched Liang Fei leave hurriedly and sighed. He dialed the county government office: "Hello, is County Chief Yang there? Please tell him that the town police station chief might flee tonight due to involvement in the corruption case of Liang Li and Li Tian. Please make the necessary arrangements..."

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