Chapter 2666: I Speak Without a Script

Three people sat down. Tang Wenjuan took away the two teacups on the coffee table, then poured three more cups of tea and brought them over, and then silently withdrew.

Du Changhe said very politely: "Director Zhou, I came unannounced today—did I disturb your work?"

"I am indeed busy, but not so much that I have no time to receive guests." Zhou Andong smiled, took out a cigarette and offered one to each of them. Knowing their purpose well, he still asked: "Director Du, Chief Hou, your visit must be for some matter, I presume."

Du Changhe glanced at Hou Guanghai, but as soon as Hou Guanghai sat down, he began observing his nose with his eyes, observing his heart with his nose, and letting his heart roam freely in a state of divine wandering. Because he knew very well that saying anything would be useless—Zhou Andong would never give them face. On the contrary, the more he said, the more likely he would provoke Zhou Andong's displeasure.

So, on the way here, this guy had already figured it out. Since you, Du Changhe, insist on seeing Zhou Andong, I, as your subordinate, naturally cannot say anything. But after seeing Zhou Andong, I can only remain silent. I must not provoke Zhou Andong's displeasure when trouble is about to descend upon me—otherwise, the loss would outweigh the gain.

Seeing Hou Guanghai's demeanor, Du Changhe was so angry he nearly choked, and could only force a smile to hide his embarrassment: "Director Zhou, I heard that Wen Liang had an unpleasant encounter with your sister?"

"Wen Liang?" Zhou Andong asked doubtfully: "I don't know this person. Did you get it wrong?"

Du Changhe explained: "Wen Liang is Wen Sanmao."

"Oh!" Zhou Andong suddenly understood: "I know Wen Sanmao, but I've never met him. He did indeed intend harm toward my sister, and I originally planned to teach him a lesson. But afterward, he stopped harassing my sister, so I didn't pursue the matter."

Du Changhe's eye twitched, his eyes scanning Zhou Andong's face, trying to discern something—at least to determine whether Zhou Andong was lying. In the end, he was disappointed; Zhou Andong's expression was completely natural, as if he truly hadn't cared about Wen Sanmao at all.

But upon careful thought, this was perfectly normal. Wen Sanmao is just a somewhat bigger hoodlum, and the two of them belong to different worlds. Even if they met, Zhou Andong probably wouldn't even glance at Wen Sanmao.

"Wen Sanmao has been arrested." Du Changhe's eyes flickered: "But I don't know which precinct arrested him, or where he was taken. As a deputy bureau chief, I have no idea. So when I learned that Wen Sanmao had an unpleasant encounter with your sister, I decided to come and ask you."

"Deputy Director Du, if you say that, I'll take it as a joke." Zhou Andong smiled and shook his head: "You're a deputy chief of the Municipal Bureau—you don't even know who arrested Wen Sanmao or where he was taken, yet you come to ask me, the factory manager of a woolen mill? You're not joking—you're up to something."

Du Changhe felt a breath stuck in his chest, unable to rise. Since he became a bureau leader, he had never felt this suffocated before. No matter who it was, even other leaders in the bureau, would give him some face.

But facing Zhou Andong, the pent-up anger in his chest could only be suppressed. Even if he knew Wen Sanmao's arrest was orchestrated by Zhou Andong behind the scenes, he could do nothing. Even if Zhou Andong admitted it but refused to tell him where Wen Sanmao was, he would be helpless.

"Enough!" Zhou Andong had no fondness for Du Changhe. As for Hou Guanghai, he glanced at him, smirked inwardly, and thought: birds of a feather: "I still have important matters to see Mayor Wang in the city. Let's end this here."

Zhou Andong no longer paid attention to Du Changhe, turned and walked to his desk, picked up the reform plan, and walked out.

Tang Wenjuan had been standing outside the door. Seeing Zhou Andong come out, she hurriedly said: "Factory Director, are you going out?"

Zhou Andong nodded: "I'm going to the city to see Mayor Wang. I won't be coming back. After work, you can go home directly. The symposium will be held at Jinwan Hotel—just go there tomorrow morning."

"Understood!" Tang Wenjuan replied: "Should I have the factory office prepare your speech?"

"No need!" Zhou Andong said with a smile: "I speak without a script."

Tang Wenjuan had no doubt about this—or rather, anyone familiar with Zhou Andong would not doubt it.

Du Changhe and Hou Guanghai came out. Du Changhe's expression was not good, and he had lost his earlier obedient demeanor, giving Zhou Andong a cold glance.

"Since Director Zhou still has matters to attend to, we'll take our leave."

Zhou Andong said with a smile: "I'll see Director Du and Chief Hou off."

"Please don't trouble yourself!" Du Changhe said with a skin-deep smile: "I wouldn't dare let Director Zhou see us off."

"I'm just being polite." Zhou Andong's smile remained, but he gave no face: "I was going to the city anyway."

The muscles on Du Changhe's face twitched violently. Indeed, fame does not live up to reality. At this moment, he didn't know how to describe Zhou Andong. He had done everything shameless to climb up. Now it seems his cultivation is still lacking. To speak of shamelessness, Zhou Andong surpasses him.

Just like this situation—if it were me, no matter what I thought inside, I would definitely maintain mutual respect. After all, we have no deep grudges, and we're both navigating the bureaucracy. You may indeed hold a higher rank now, but who can guarantee you'll always suppress me?

So it's not just Du Changhe—anyone in this situation, unless it's a feud of killing fathers and stealing wives, would definitely give the other party face and maintain surface peace.

Du Changhe snorted, turned and walked away. Hou Guanghai, however, smiled at Zhou Andong, lowered his posture, and said: "Director Zhou, I've disturbed you. If you need any help in the future, just give me a call."

After speaking, Hou Guanghai also waited for Zhou Andong's reply, then turned and followed Du Changhe.

Watching Du Changhe and Hou Guanghai disappear around the stairwell corner, Zhou Andong said with a smile: "Hou Guanghai, this deputy chief, has far more scheming than Du Changhe, this deputy bureau chief. If his background is clean, his future achievements will surely surpass Du Changhe's. It's just a pity that he's so close to leaders like Du Changhe—he probably won't stay clean either."

Zhou Andong shook his head, gave Tang Wenjuan a few more instructions, then walked toward the stairwell.

Municipal Government!

Wang Jianmin held the last document he had just signed, then slowly closed it, stood up, stretched his somewhat fatigued body, and picked up the cigarette on his desk to light it.

Yesterday noon, after Hong Jinyan was taken away, less than ten minutes passed before he received the report. At the same time, he thought: the reform of the woolen mill—Zhou Andong's side must already be prepared. And as Zhou Andong delivered that final blow to Hong Jinyan, it was the opening of the woolen mill's reform. Estimated, it won't take a week before the reform plan is delivered to my hands.

Wang Jianmin paced slowly to the window, casually glanced toward the gate, and then saw a Mercedes-Benz drive through the gate. Because the distance was a bit far, he couldn't see the license plate clearly, but Wang Jianmin was certain—it was Zhou Andong's car.