Chapter 559: After All the Twists and Turns, Another Pit

Wang Docheng's remark "Let the relevant departments study and discuss it" lightly put a period on this gunpowder-filled meeting.

This is not the result Lv Yizhi wanted.

That fast-acting heart rescue pill he just took was probably wasted; in an instant his face turned deathly pale again, as if he had aged several years.

The top boss has already set the tone; continuing to argue would be ignorance of the rules and self-inflicted disgrace.

Suppressing his anger, Lv Yizhi could only glare fiercely at Lin Dongfan, his eyes full of malicious intent, which he made no effort to hide.

Song Changgen, on the other hand, remained composed, even showing a barely perceptible ease, as if he had just watched a splendid performance.

He was the first to stand, gave Wang Docheng a slight nod, and then left, walking with deliberate steps.

Chen Gang, as if pardoned, hurriedly slipped away, fearing that even a moment's delay would draw the wrath of some bigwig.

Lin Dongfan also rose, smoothed nonexistent wrinkles on his collar, didn't even glance at Lv Yizhi, and walked straight out.

"Lin Dongfan!"

Lv Yizhi's voice, strained with suppressed anger, sounded behind him.

Lin Dongfan paused, turned half sideways, raised an eyebrow: "Deputy Governor Lv, any further advice? Do you need me to elaborate further on the definition of 'double standards'?"

Lv Yizhi was choked with anger by his shameless attitude.

He forced down his anger and said: "Don't get too pleased with yourself! An investigation is about evidence! Before there's solid proof, you'd better watch what you say and do! Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

Lin Dongfan turned around, smiled narrowly, and interrupted him: "Deputy Governor Lv, are you trying to guide our anti-corruption bureau's investigation? Or do you want to preemptively charge us with 'defaming leaders'?"

"You!!"

Lv Yizhi pointed at him, trembling with rage, but could only manage to sputter: "You do as you please!"

Saying that, he left with a dark face, sleeves flung aside.

Lin Dongfan watched his somewhat panicked retreat, snorted, and thought that even glancing at him again would be a loss! As long as I, the young master, don't treat you as a leader, you're nothing but a fart, strutting about like a big shot!

Stepping out of the meeting hall building, the afternoon sun was somewhat glaring.

Lao Ba held a cigarette between his lips, leaning against the car door waiting, a personal bodyguard and driver. Now Lao Ba could be considered a semi-official employee, a temporary worker hired by the anti-corruption bureau.

"Want a Hua Zi cigarette to calm your nerves?"

Lao Ba handed over half a pack of cigarettes to Lin Dongfan, as if he had personally seen the tense, murderous atmosphere in the meeting room, with every pore of everyone present exuding the meaning "I understand."

"It wasn't me who got startled; someone actually popped a fast-acting heart rescue pill on the spot and nearly kicked the bucket."

Lin Dongfan and Lao Ba exchanged a smile; his hand was still honest, he swiftly took the cigarette, lit it, had just sat down in the car when his pocket phone rang again.

It was Peng Tianhua calling.

Just as he answered.

From the phone came a noisy voice: "Fan Ye, is the meeting over? How's the situation? Didn't turn into a fight, right? Let me tell you, just now while I was eating in the cafeteria, I heard several versions. Some said you and Deputy Governor Lv slammed the table and shouted at each other, some said Deputy Governor Lv had a heart attack on the spot, and some said Deputy Governor Lv ordered you to suspend duty for inspection on the spot... Which version is true? Hurry up and spill the beans to me."

Lin Dongfan held the phone away and snapped back irritably: "You bastard, are you working for the anti-corruption bureau or a gossip tabloid? So idle? No need to investigate the case?"

"Investigate! Why wouldn't we!"

Peng Tianhua's voice immediately turned a bit more serious, though it didn't last long.

The next second he started joking again: "But... Fan Ye, stakeouts and investigations still require meals, right? Let me tell you, the cafeteria today has braised pork ribs; I've grabbed a portion and saved it for you—if you don't come soon it'll get cold."

"You bastard, you're about to turn into a pig, all you know is to eat."

Lin Dongfan took a slow drag of smoke, rested his right elbow on the car window, the composure he should have was utterly unmistakable.

Peng Tianhua returned the smile: "Not eating the ribs is fine; I actually have legitimate business to report. Regarding that runaway nurse, Liu Wen, I've already picked up a few leads."

"Cut the nonsense, show me what you've got."

"Over the phone, a few words can't explain it, and moreover... this is somewhat coincidental and might have something to do with you." Peng Tianhua dangled the bait: "Come to the office cafeteria first; we can eat and chat. I've truly saved the braised pork ribs for you—I haven't even touched my chopsticks yet, guaranteeing you a surprise."

"Damn it, as bureau chief I still have to scramble for food in the cafeteria... just wait!"

……

In a corner of the Provincial Procuratorate cafeteria.

Peng Tianhua pushed the glossy, oily braised pork ribs toward Lin Dongfan and eagerly offered chopsticks: "Fan Ye, give it a try—the master chef really outdid himself today!"

"Is that it? This is the 'surprise' you mentioned?" Lin Dongfan glanced at it disdainfully; the color of the braised pork ribs was quite good, but the surprise was rather low-grade.

"No way, the surprise I meant is this."

Peng Tianhua chuckled, pulled out his phone, and opened a few photos: "We've looked into Liu Wen's social connections and her family's recent cash flow—guess what? Her bank account suddenly gained a 500,000 yuan transfer a month before the New Year, the sender's name... you'll never guess!"

Lin Dongfan lifted his soup bowl and replied offhandedly: "Qiao Lianzhou?"

"No way, Qiao Lianzhou isn't that stupid." Peng Tianhua leaned in, lowering his voice further: "The sender is Chu Lingxi..."

"Pfft!!!"

Completely unprepared, Lin Dongfan had just taken a mouthful of soup when he spat it all over the person opposite him.

Peng Tianhua remained as steady as an old dog!

He calmly took out two napkins, wiping the soup from his face while saying: "See, I told you you'd need some mental preparation—this surprise is too much for ordinary people to handle."

"Bullshit, my sweet naive wife could never be linked to Liu Wen!"

Lin Dongfan swallowed that breath, snatched the phone to examine the transfer record closely, and as he looked, his brows knotted into a tangled mess.

After a brief moment of thought.

Lin Dongfan then called Chu Lingxi right there: "Honey, did you transfer 500,000 to a nurse named Liu Wen before the New Year?"

"Five hundred thousand? What five hundred thousand?"

The voice on the phone sounded like a sleepy beauty just awakened by a call, murmuring incoherently. Apparently, the sweet naive one was napping and had tossed the kid aside, unattended.

Lin Dongfan asked gloomily: "Before the New Year, did your bank account transfer 500,000 to a nurse named Liu Wen, and you don't know about it?"

"Oh."

The voice on the phone was still muddled.

Lin Dongfan's brows furrowed tighter and tighter: "Oh, what does that mean? Is that you who transferred?"

"Wasn't it you who told me to transfer?" Chu Lingxi murmured: "Husband, I was kept awake all night by the baby, I'm so tired—can you let me finish my sleep first?"

!!!

Lin Dongfan was completely dazed—when did I ever ask you to transfer money?

He was puzzled in his heart.

He still doted on his wife in his words: "Then go ahead and sleep; give me a call when you wake up."