Chapter 326: with translation of chapter title

After Zhu Xianhua was escorted onto the vehicle, he racked his brains the whole way trying to come up with a countermeasure.

Three years ago.

The province was piloting reforms, promoting a scheme for cadre exchange appointments.

At that time, Zhu Xianhua was the Section Chief of the Propaganda Department of the Jianglan Provincial Bureau of Radio and Television, pressed hard by his superiors, leading a tough life with no chance of promotion.

To seize the opportunity of institutional reform, he aimed to climb one step higher.

He sought out Sun Fucheng's daughter, Sun Zhiqing, first using two million as a bribe, then promising her that once he rose to power he would guarantee smooth sailing for the artists of Qingguo Media, allowing their programs to air without hindrance.

Seeing Zhu Xianhua so sensible, Sun Zhiqing reached out to help him.

Not long after.

Zhu Xianhua was then transferred to Jianglan Television as deputy station chief, a rank equivalent to vice-department level.

Lu Zhou said Zhu Xianhua had used Sun Fucheng's back door, which wasn't really a problem. Although Zhu Xianhua wasn't qualified to speak directly with Sun Fucheng, Sun Zhiqing was his daughter.

Clinging to Sun Zhiqing's thigh is tantamount to clinging to Sun Fucheng's thigh.

Now Sun Fucheng has died suddenly, and public opinion has blamed Lin Dongfan. Even if Zhu Xianhua were stupid, he would understand that he is merely a point of entry for Lin Dongfan's counterattack.

Put bluntly, he's just cannon fodder; when immortals clash, the little shrimp suffer.

During these three years as deputy station chief, he indeed reaped many benefits, having slept with numerous female celebrities—too many to count on one hand.

The Range Rover Li Hengbo gave him was merely the tip of the iceberg.

If Lin Dongfan really investigated him to the end, it wouldn't be a matter of just three years; he could be sentenced to life imprisonment at any moment, and reaching that point would truly make him a ruined man.

"Section Chief Lin, I only took that car in a moment of foolishness," Zhu Xianhua said with a placating smile, trying to persuade Lin Dongfan: "I sincerely regret it; can you…?"

"No."

Lin Dongfan leaned back in his seat and directly cut off Zhu Xianhua's words.

The vehicle continued forward.

Lin Dongfan looked forward to the next stop, smiling: "Zhu Xianhua, do you really think you could hide heaven and cross the sea with all you've done these years?"

Zhu Xianhua's heart skipped a beat, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

But he still forced himself to stay calm: "Section Chief Lin, I really haven't done anything else wrong—just this car; isn't admitting my mistake enough?"

"Whether or not you did anything else, we'll know after the investigation."

Lin Dongfan stopped paying attention to him and closed his eyes to rest.

Half an hour later.

The car arrived at the place where the Range Rover was parked—the Jianglan Provincial Television Station.

Zhu Xianhua, nervous and weak-kneed, dawdled, unwilling to get out, until Lin Dongfan gave him a push: "Did you piss your pants? Get out quickly."

Only then did Zhu Xianhua steel himself to get out, hoping Lin Dongfan would find nothing.

"Is this your Range Rover?"

Lin Dongfan walked around the champagne-colored Range Rover, inspecting it, and the more he looked, the more he thought Little Li's gesture wasn't grand enough—he hadn't even given the top model.

The on‑road price of this Range Rover was only about 1.5 million.

Zhu Xianhua stammered with a bitter‑gourd face: "Section… Section Chief Lin, you've seen the car—could you give me a ride home? I want to go back and put on some clothes; I'm really cold…"

Saying this, Zhu Xianhua drew his arms tighter, seeming to shiver in the cold wind.

But it's the season of the "autumn tiger" right now.

Even after the sun set and the evening breeze blew gently, Wuzhou's temperature was still over twenty degrees! Damn it, even acting doesn't take the objective conditions into account.

Lin Dongfan couldn't be bothered with him, directly ordering Tang Xia: "Search the vehicle."

"Hmm."

After putting on white gloves, Tang Xia first opened the Range Rover's trunk and inspected it carefully.

He was slightly disappointed; the trunk held only a case of Maotai, two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes, and a set of black‑silk‑feeling lingerie—nothing else.

Tang Xia held up the black silk, examined it, and laughed: "Deputy Station Chief Zhu, you sure know how to have fun. I didn't expect someone your age to still have such varied tastes."

"Someone else borrowed my car a few days ago; this is something they left in my vehicle, not mine." Seeing Lin Dongfan and Tang Xia, among others, looking at him with contempt, Zhu Xianhua glumly argued: "This really isn't mine—this thing doesn't even cover the flesh; wearing it is like wearing nothing. Why would I buy it?"

"Since you like acting so much, keep at it—I'll see how long you can keep it up." Speaking lightly, Lin Dongfan gestured to Tang Xia: "Keep searching."

"Old Zhu, it's not too late to come clean now; once I find something, you'll have a reason to cry."

Saying this, Tang Xia opened both side doors.

So everyone could see the interior.

Then he went back onto the vehicle to search.

At first, Tang Xia was full of confidence, because the intelligence indicated that Zhu Xianhua's Range Rover hid a large amount of illicit money.

To his surprise, after searching to the end he didn't even see a copper coin.

Tang Xia helplessly shook his head at Lin Dongfan, indicating he'd found nothing, which also made Lin Dongfan a little surprised—could the intelligence be wrong?

"I really don't understand what there is to search in a car, suspecting I hid illicit money there." Seeing the anti‑corruption bureau come up empty‑handed, Zhu Xianhua's courage grew, and he smiled faintly: "Section Chief Lin, I advise you not to waste time here—what corrupt official would stash cash in a car? Nobody's that stupid."

"I've never thought you were smart."

Lin Dongfan tossed off the remark casually, leaving Zhu Xianhua annoyed and speechless.

We still have to keep searching.

This time, Lin Dongfan put on white gloves and personally got onto the vehicle to search.

Lin Dongfan produced a box‑cutter, got on the vehicle, and began feeling the seat material; if something felt off he would slash it directly, scoring the genuine‑leather seat.

Zhu Xianhua's eyes bulged in shock: "Section Chief Lin, this genuine leather is expensive."

"My mood is also valuable; I advise you not to ruin my mood, or you won't be able to afford the compensation." Lin Dongfan then slashed again, treating the driver's seat to a "peeling."

Soon the seat's "frame" was revealed, made of pure gold.

Lin Dongfan smiled at Zhu Xianhua: "Take a look at your gold‑plated seat—really imposing! Come on, now I want to hear your excuses; please start your performance."

"!!!"

Zhu Xianhua's face instantly turned deathly pale.

He stammered, explaining: "This... I really don't know what's going on. When Li Hengbo gave me this car... gave it to me, he didn't say the seat was made of gold; I had no idea..."

"You really won't shed a tear until you see the coffin."

While chatting and laughing, Lin Dongfan tapped the golden seat with his box-opening knife; that clear, pleasant metallic sound was truly not ordinary luxury.

Who would believe the nonsense of a jianghu swindler?

Lin Dongfan asked with a smile: "Did you run into some trouble last year and go have your fortune told?"

"!!!"

Zhu Xianhua broke out in a cold sweat from nervousness, lowering his head and not daring to make a sound.

Lin Dongfan added: "That swindler told you: you lack metal in the Five Elements, have no support from your six relatives. After returning home, you let your imagination run wild, drove your Land Rover to a private modification shop, and had the boss make a pure gold seat back. That both made up for your lacking metal in your fate and gave you a gold backing. You two are something—one dares to tell fortunes, the other dares to believe them. If that swindler told you you lacked wisdom in the Five Elements, would you have to take apart your brain to modify it?"