Chapter 2577: Finish Him Off

Sun Changsheng was clearly a bit intimidated, though what he feared was not Zhao Desan himself. After all, to him, a young man who had only been in the officialdom for five or six years was still too green to go toe-to-toe with an old hand like himself who had been in the game for ten or twenty years. However, considering the close relationship between Zhao Desan and the daughter of Secretary Jin, Sun Changsheng's expression still became somewhat wary. He offered a smile and said somewhat awkwardly, "Director Liu, you... you are also a young man. Young people are easily impulsive and impatient in everything they do. You don't need to take this matter to heart. I will discipline Mao Mao properly and teach him a lesson so he doesn't go around stirring up trouble at every turn. Today, I sincerely apologize to you on behalf of Mao Mao. Director Liu, I am sorry. I hope you, as a magnanimous person, won't hold a grudge against him."

"Where one can forgive, one should forgive" was the golden rule Su Qing had always admonished Zhao Desan with. Seeing that Sun Changsheng had already lowered his head and admitted his mistake, Zhao Desan did not intend to make things difficult for this old fox. He sighed, lit a cigarette, took a puff, and said with a sense of helplessness, "Since you, Director Sun, have said so, I, Zhao Desan, must give you this face. I am not the type of petty person to haggle over every ounce, but the premise is that you, Director Sun, must guarantee that your son will not play dirty with me in the future. Otherwise, as long as I, Zhao Desan, am not finished off by him, I will turn around and finish him off!"

Regarding the demand Zhao Desan put forward, Sun Changsheng naturally agreed readily. He nodded with a smile and said, "Director Liu, you can rest assured about this. I will definitely discipline him well. Mao Mao also knows he was wrong. To tell you the truth, he knew I invited you, Director Liu, to have tea today, and he specifically asked me to put in a good word for him."

"That's good then." Zhao Desan took a puff of his cigarette and let out a lukewarm laugh.

Sun Changsheng chuckled and changed the subject, asking him, "Director Liu, I heard a while ago that your Construction Committee had an activity for young party cadres to go to the grassroots level. Weren't you among them? Why didn't you end up going to the grassroots?"

As soon as Zhao Desan heard Sun Changsheng ask this, he knew this news must have been obtained by this old thing from Zheng the Bald Donkey. That old fox surnamed Zheng and this turtle-grandson Sun Changsheng were cut from the same cloth. Zhao Desan sneered and said to Sun Changsheng's face, "I won't hide it from you, Director Sun. Our Director Zheng actually wanted to arrange this activity to borrow this opportunity to legitimately send me to the grassroots and ruin me! Hmph! That old fox underestimates me, Zhao Desan, too much. Wanting to ruin me is not that easy. To be honest, in Hexi Province, apart from Secretary Jin, no one can do anything to me, Zhao Desan. I am not exaggerating. I suppose you know, Director Sun, what kind of relationship I have with Deputy Secretary Su of the Provincial Committee."

Sun Changsheng chuckled. Having personally learned from Zhao Desan's own mouth that Su Qing was his backer, he finally confirmed the rumor that Su Qing was secretly supporting Zhao Desan. Thus, he said insincerely, "Director Liu is right. It's fortunate you didn't go to the grassroots. If you had gone, it wouldn't be easy to get back up. Director Liu is not only young and promising, but also has this connection with Deputy Secretary Su. Your future is boundless."

Zhao Desan gave a noncommittal chuckle, exhaled a smoke ring, and suddenly thought of the land plot matter. Changing the subject, he asked, "Director Sun, since we are meeting today, I happen to have a matter I would like to consult you about."

"Director Liu, please ask..." Sun Changsheng said hurriedly.

"Is there any progress on the matter I asked you, Director Sun, to handle?" Zhao Desan stared at Sun Changsheng with a strange look and asked tactfully.

Sun Changsheng was a smart man and naturally understood what Zhao Desan was asking, but he deliberately played dumb and asked with a smile, "Which matter are you talking about?"

Damn it! Playing dumb with me! Seeing that this old fox refused to admit it voluntarily, a devious smile flashed across the corner of Zhao Desan's mouth, and he simply said bluntly, "Which matter could it be? It's the land plot matter!"

"Oh, you mean that piece of land?" Sun Changsheng then feigned sudden realization and continued, "I won't hide it from you, Director Liu, this matter is not very easy to handle..."

Before the old guy could finish, Zhao Desan couldn't help but interrupt, "What? Director Sun, do you want to go back on what you promised?"

"No, no..." Sun Changsheng shook his head hurriedly to deny it, and immediately explained, "Director Liu, you aren't involved in this, so you don't know. The procedures and processes are very complicated; it can't be done in a day or two. This is slow work and will take some time..."

"Isn't it just the procedures and formalities of reporting, approval, screening, and decision-making? How complicated can it be?" Zhao Desan was a bit suspicious that the old guy hadn't put any effort into handling this matter at all. Now, as long as the land matter wasn't settled, he felt embarrassed to take the initiative to contact Ma Lan.

"The procedures aren't complicated, but... but this piece of land involves too many issues. This... you know this, right, Director Liu?" Sun Changsheng found other excuses to say.

"Are you saying there are too many people fighting for this piece of land?" Zhao Desan asked bluntly. ===== CHAPTER 2578 =====