Chapter 3776: You Are Old Chen

For cadres in government agencies, everyone holds an iron rice bowl. Everyone just puts in the minimum effort required, and no one is willing to truly lay down their life for the sake of the nation's cause.

Seeing Zhao Desan's anxious look, Biaozi muttered: "Big brother, it's a pity that I, Biaozi, can beat people, but I can't kill dogs. If there was a butcher among our brothers who could kill dogs, that would be great. Damn it, first solve their ten Tibetan mastiffs for them, and see how he can still be arrogant!"

Zhao Desan sighed and said, "Indeed, in the 21st century, the scarcest thing is talent."

Zhao Desan returned to the District Committee and got out of the car to find Sister Wu. In her office, she saw Zhao Desan's dejected look and realized that the progress of the matter might not be satisfactory, so she asked, "Has there been any progress on the relocation work at the Dongxing Fertilizer Plant?"

Zhao Desan furrowed his brows, looking dejected. He gave a bitter smile and said, "Sister Wu, I didn't expect this relocation work to be so difficult. There hasn't been any progress yet. That Xu Dongxing is asking for an exorbitant price, insisting on twenty million. If they don't get twenty million in compensation, they won't relocate."

Hearing Zhao Desan's report, Wu Min immediately became angry. Her eyebrows arched, and she said, "Then force the relocation! Just now, Deputy Secretary Liu called me to ask about the relocation work in Chengguan Street. If there is no breakthrough at the Dongxing Fertilizer Plant, how am I supposed to answer to the higher-ups? Xiao Zhao, for the sake of my reputation and for your own future, I have entrusted this task to you. You must chew through this hard bone!"

Zhao Desan knew that Sister Wu was taking a certain risk by handing this task to him and that she had high hopes for him. Zhao Desan nodded and said solemnly, "Sister Wu, I understand. Please give me a few more days, and I will find a way to complete this task."

Wu Min knew that compared to others, at least Zhao Desan would do his best in this work and wouldn't just go through the motions like other agency cadres. She pinned all her hopes on Zhao Desan. Seeing him looking so solemn at this moment, Wu Min felt a little more confident. She gave Zhao Desan a faint smile and said, "Then it's all up to you. As long as you can successfully complete the relocation of the Dongxing Fertilizer Plant this time and chew through this hard bone that other leading cadres have shied away from, you won't be far from the position of Deputy District Mayor."

Sister Wu's words made Zhao Desan feel warm inside. Once upon a time, he never would have imagined that the district would offer such mouth-watering conditions for a single job. Deputy District Mayor—that was several levels higher than his current status. Although it sounded a bit like a dream, it had been decided at the District Party Committee meeting. As long as he completed this task, no one would be able to say anything.

The next day, Zhao Desan led Biaozi and Daniu to the vicinity of Chengguan Street to supervise the relocation work of other residential houses. For ordinary residents, the relocation compensation was quite high, so the work proceeded very smoothly. Within a day, a large area of ordinary houses was razed to the ground amidst the roaring of loaders and excavators. After a day of work, the three of them were exhausted. When evening arrived, Daniu asked Zhao Desan to treat them to a meal to reward Biaozi and himself.

Biaozi was tall and sturdy, and by now he was both hungry and sleepy. He made a suggestion to Zhao Desan and Daniu: "Big Brother, how about this? The three of us have been busy all day, and I, who was supposed to be your driver, have also transformed into one of you government cadres. Let's not eat at a restaurant tonight. Let's buy some ready-made cooked food—pig liver, pig intestines, pig head meat—and take it back to where we're staying. We can eat and drink while we talk, how about that?"

Hearing Biaozi put it that way, Zhao Desan suddenly felt it was a pretty good suggestion. Having eaten too many fancy banquets with big fish and meat, Zhao Desan actually quite longed for that kind of free and easy life of eating meat in big mouthfuls and drinking wine from big bowls. Thus, he agreed to Biaozi's suggestion, and the three of them drove off, looking for a cooked food specialty store nearby.

After driving around the area three times, they finally found a storefront called "Old Zhu's Meat Shop" next to a fertilizer and feed store. Biaozi was immediately excited. He parked the car near Old Zhu's Meat Shop, and Zhao Desan and Daniu waited in the car while Biaozi jumped out to buy the cooked food.

However, just as Biaozi opened the car door, he suddenly saw a white Suzuki Changhe van driving over from across the street. As soon as the door opened, more than a dozen shifty-looking guys jumped out. Taking a closer look, the leader was none other than Xu Dongxing's eldest son, Xu Dalong, and Xu Dahu.

Suddenly seeing this scene, Zhao Desan widened his eyes and quickly shouted to Biaozi, "Biaozi, don't get out of the car yet!"

After having Biaozi sit back in the car, Zhao Desan furrowed his brows and stared intently at the dozen or so shifty-looking guys not far away, wanting to see what these two dog-spawn were up to!

He saw Xu Dalong and Xu Dahu leading more than a dozen fierce-looking social idlers—several of whom had dragon, tiger, or leopard tattoos on their bare arms. One look at their clothing and appearance told him they were no good. Each of them was carrying axes, knives, and clubs, acting aggressively and arrogantly as they bypassed Zhao Desan and entered the fertilizer store next to Old Zhu's Meat Shop!

As soon as Xu Dalong entered the store, he slammed an axe onto the wooden counter of the fertilizer store with a "thwack" and roared, "Damn it, tell your boss, Old Chen, to get out here!"

As soon as Xu Dalong finished speaking, an elderly man with white hair rushed out from the back room behind the counter of Old Chen's store. Looking terrified, he hurriedly said, "Gentlemen, what are you doing? Are you here to buy fertilizer?"

"Buy your mother's ass!" Xu Dalong was furious in front of the old man and cursed, "Open your dog eyes and look! Don't you even recognize your own Master Xu?"

The white-haired old man forced a smile and asked, "Manager Xu, why... why did you run to my little shop to buy fertilizer? Your family runs a fertilizer plant!"

Xu Dahu, who was on the side, was infuriated by Old Chen's words. He rushed over, grabbed the old man by the collar, and roared, "You old bastard, you don't know the rules! All fertilizer sales points in the entire Chengguan Street area must source their goods from our Dongxing Fertilizer Plant. It is strictly forbidden to source from other manufacturers! Don't you know that? I heard someone say that your Old Chen's fertilizer shop sourced a batch of fertilizer from outside yesterday. Is this true?"

It turned out that for all fertilizer sales points in Chengguan Street and the surrounding streets and townships, all fertilizer had to be sourced from the Dongxing Fertilizer Plant; sourcing from other channels was strictly prohibited. For many years, relying on their connections and strength, the Dongxing Fertilizer Plant had monopolized fertilizer sales in several surrounding counties and districts. Once they discovered someone selling fertilizer produced elsewhere, they would either forcefully confiscate it or smash the place up, using such underworld tactics to maintain the Dongxing Fertilizer Plant's monopoly in the Chanba District.

Xu Dalong shouted at Old Chen, "No need to look. The fertilizer you have displayed in your shop is not produced by our fertilizer plant. Stop talking nonsense to them. Brothers, confiscate the fertilizer and move it all to our Dongxing Fertilizer Plant!" As soon as he finished speaking, the dozen or so people rushed up to confiscate the fertilizer in Old Chen's agricultural trade store.

Seeing this situation, the white-haired old man couldn't take it anymore. He immediately stepped forward to block them and pleaded, "Gentlemen, please don't act yet. I really can't make the decision on this matter. I am not the boss of this shop; I'm just here to help. Whatever the matter is, you have to wait until our boss returns, then you can talk to him!"

Hearing the white-haired old man's words, Xu Dahu squinted at him and asked fiercely and with some surprise, "You aren't Old Chen?"

The white-haired old man said, "I am not Old Chen. My name is Old Donkey Head."

"Then where is Old Chen?" Xu Dalong asked fiercely.

The white-haired old man turned around and shouted loudly toward the back room, "Old Chen! Old Chen! Come out quickly, someone is here to rob our fertilizer!"

As soon as the words fell, a young man finally ran out from the back. He looked to be only twenty-something years old, with dark skin, a full beard, and a pair of nearsighted glasses on the bridge of his nose. He was holding a knife in his hand, looking rather out of place.

The young man ran over and demanded, "What are you guys doing?"