Chapter 4

**Update Time: June 29, 2012**

*(Make a wish, hoping that the number of red tickets received each day will exceed the number of words updated; or, let's play a game where "you give me as many red tickets as I update words"?)*

Ge Yongqiu had intended to use the Secretary-General's authority to suppress Shen Huai, but never expected that Shen Huai would neither be intimidated nor coerced, leaving him at a loss on how to deal with this thorn in his side.

Originally, Ge Yongqiu could have directly reported the matter to Chen Mingde, the vice mayor and member of the Standing Committee. After all, Chen Mingde could still suppress Shen Huai, even if he were to show favoritism, he would not allow Shen Huai to cause such chaos at the city steel plant.

However, Ge Yongqiu did not expect Shen Huai to be so domineering, directing his criticism straight at the management of the city steel plant. This situation left him no choice but to think deeply.

Seeing his brother-in-law finally stand up pitifully, his face swollen and covered in blood, Ge Yongqiu tried to control himself, but his anger boiled and surged inside him, making his whole body tremble.

After a long while, Ge Yongqiu finally thought to have someone take his brother-in-law to the factory medical room for treatment.

Shen Huai glanced at the other employees in the office and said to Ge Yongqiu, "Secretary Ge, if there's nothing else, I'll head back to the city." He held a copy of the investigation report and walked out.

Staying any longer would only make Shen Huai lose face. Since Ge Yongqiu was helpless against him, he naturally hoped this brute would leave as soon as possible.

Ge Yongqiu sat there, his face cold, and said nothing as Shen Huai walked out confidently. The others were intimidated by Shen Huai's presence and dared not speak a word or offer any comfort to Ge Yongqiu.

The older employees understood the relationship between Zhou Dazui and Ge Yongqiu. Seeing Ge Yongqiu's trembling hands, they knew he was on the verge of exploding. No one would provoke this powder keg for no reason. Even if they wanted to flatter him, this was not the time.

"Where are all the people from the city steel plant?" Ge Yongqiu, in a fit of rage, smashed a glass on the table. For so long, not a single leader from the city steel plant had shown up, which made him both ashamed and angry.

"Factory Manager Gu went to Xinjin on a temporary trip. Before leaving, he specifically asked Section Chief Zhou to receive Secretary Ge," an older employee replied cautiously, adding, "Shall I check if Factory Manager Xu is at home?" He bowed and walked out, but no one returned for a long time.

***************

Although the city steel plant had been in a mess for the past few years, it was still the largest industrial enterprise in Donghua City, covering a vast area.

Shen Huai drove away and caught up with Zhao Dong, Xiao Li, and his sister-in-law Chen Dan on the tree-lined road from the office building to the factory gate.

"There's still a long way to the station, I'll take you there!" Shen Huai drove up and poked his head out to say.

Chen Dan and Xiao Li were somewhat hesitant but did not refuse; Zhao Dong, worried, also got into the car.

Xiao Li, like a wounded animal, remained silent throughout the journey. Shen Huai only saw her occasional gaze through the rearview mirror, and Chen Dan only said a few words of thanks. Zhao Dong did not know what to say to Shen Huai and remained silent throughout the trip.

At the No. 9 bus stop back to Meixi Town, Shen Huai stopped the car and turned to look at Xiao Li and his sister-in-law Chen Dan, saying, "The city is used to muddling through, so this matter may not have a good outcome..."

Shen Huai was no longer the naive secretary of the municipal government. Over the years, he had seen through the ins and outs of Donghua. Beating up Zhou Dazui today would at most earn him a scolding from Chen Mingde, or a more severe reprimand and a written apology, but nothing too serious. However, the city would not likely support a high compensation:

"Try to get as much compensation as possible; as long as it's enough for Xiao Li to go to college, don't insist on more. Zhao Section Chief, don't let this cause any conflict with the factory..."

Shen Huai found a pen on the dashboard, tore open a pack of cigarettes, and wrote his phone number on a piece of paper. He was afraid of giving it directly to Xiao Li and Chen Dan, so he handed it to Zhao Dong: "Zhao Section Chief, if anything happens, you can call me at this number..."

Watching Zhao Dong, Xiao Li, and Chen Dan get out of the car, Shen Huai, suppressing the pain in his heart, drove away.

It was fortunate that Zhao Dong and Chen Dan were with Xiao Li, which made him feel a bit more at ease. Otherwise, with Xiao Li, who was only sixteen years old and not yet fifteen in legal age, living alone, how could he not be worried?

Chen Dan, pushing her disheveled hair behind her ear, looked somewhat haggard, but her clear and beautiful face remained unchanged. Though her clothes were simple, they could not hide her mature and plump figure, which was something the still underdeveloped and weak Xiao Li could not match.

Chen Dan did not notice that everyone on the platform was involuntarily looking at her. Instead, she stared at the car that had driven away, feeling melancholy: If her husband, Xiao Li's brother-in-law, had such a domineering spirit, she and Xiao Li would not have been bullied at the city steel plant.

It was fortunate that the city steel plant had colleagues like Zhao Dong, who had helped them. Otherwise, she and Xiao Li might not even have been able to enter the office building.

Zhao Dong, holding the piece of paper with a string of numbers, said to Chen Dan and Xiao Li with a bitter smile, "What Secretary Shen said is true. The best outcome might be to help Xiao Li get enough money for college. Even if that doesn't work, Xiao Li doesn't need to worry. Although Haiwen is gone, I, as well as Haipeng and Zhou Ming, are still your brothers and will not let you suffer..."

Saying this, Zhao Dong also felt deeply ashamed of his own helplessness.

Under someone else's roof, one has to bow one's head. He had no background and had worked hard to reach the position of head of the production technology department in the general office. The situation did not allow him to stand up against Gu Tong and Zhou Dazui.

Watching Shen Huai drive away, Zhao Dong felt an indescribable envy.

He thought that although Shen Huai seemed to be just a small secretary in the city, he dared to beat up Ge Yongqiu's brother-in-law, Gu Tong's confidant, and the head of the city steel plant's production safety department without any hesitation, and then leave unscathed. That was what it meant to have a strong background.

Over the years, Zhao Dong had seen through many things. Although he did not know much about Shen Huai, he knew that Shen Huai's background was not ordinary and was definitely not just a regular municipal government secretary.

***************

Although Zhou Dazui had been hit several times on the face, his face was full of muscle, and he walked with a wobble, so he was not seriously injured. His nose had been bleeding, making his face look terrifying, but after being bandaged in the medical room, he had recovered.

More than the physical injuries, the fact that he had been beaten in front of his subordinates by someone from the city, which damaged his dignity, was more painful. Who could swallow this humiliation? If he did, he would become a laughingstock in the entire factory.

The worst part was that his brother-in-law had been standing there, watching him get beaten, which made him even angrier.

With half his face bandaged, Zhou Dazui returned to the office and saw employees still lingering. His face turned red with shame and anger, and he shouted in a sharp voice, "Get back to work! Are you all waiting to eat shit in the office?" He drove everyone out.

Ge Yongqiu, sitting in the office, was still fuming. Seeing his brother-in-law return in such a state, he became even more annoyed.

"Brother-in-law, this brute didn't just hit me, he hit you! This can't just be left like this!"

"Stop talking so much nonsense," Ge Yongqiu said irritably, thinking that if his brother-in-law had some backbone, even if he had fought with Shen Huai, it would have made him look better. This useless person only realized his shame now?

"I'm not talking nonsense. Is this brute your subordinate? Did he beat me up in front of you and then walk away? If this gets out, how many years will people laugh? Brother-in-law, you can't even deal with such a small fish?"

"Don't talk about things you don't understand," Ge Yongqiu said, sitting in his brother-in-law's office, feeling the pain of the situation. "Gu Tong went to Xinjin temporarily and is not in the factory. None of the other deputy factory managers stepped forward. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

Seeing his brother-in-law actually follow his line of thought, Ge Yongqiu wanted to slap him again: he was really a pig-brain.

The city steel plant had a close relationship with the city. Factory Manager Gu Tong and the deputy factory managers were well aware of the city's political landscape.

Everyone knew that he was a supporter of Mayor Gao, while Shen Huai was Secretary Chen Mingde's secretary. Shen Huai beating up his brother-in-law in front of him in the office—none of the deputy factory managers would want to get involved in this mess.

Ge Yongqiu had to patiently explain to his brother-in-law, "I'm afraid Chen Mingde wants this brute to make a big deal out of this."

"What does Chen Mingde want to make a big deal out of?"

"Are you really stupid or just pretending?"

Ge Yongqiu felt despair at his brother-in-law's lack of education and only interest in eating, drinking, and womanizing, but to calm the situation, he had to soothe his emotions. Otherwise, his brother-in-law might run to his sister and cause chaos at home.

"Chen Mingde was directly sent by the provincial government to Donghua. He became a member of the Standing Committee and then the vice mayor, responsible for economic affairs—the provincial government clearly wants Chen Mingde to replace Mayor Gao."

"Ah?" Zhou Dazui, who had never thought about the deeper implications, was stunned, his face still burning with pain, but he dared not speak.

He began to understand that if Mayor Gao was replaced, his brother-in-law would not have a good time, and if his brother-in-law did not have a good time, his days of enjoying the benefits at the city steel plant would be over. Thinking about this, Zhou Dazui felt that being beaten by Shen Huai was not such a big deal: losing face was one thing, but losing his position was another.

Seeing his brother-in-law calm down, Ge Yongqiu said earnestly:

"You must understand that Mayor Gao cannot afford to make a single mistake and cannot give Chen Mingde an excuse to cause trouble. I need to report this to Mayor Gao first. You stand there and don't say a word..."