Chapter 58

Preserving the administrative post by means of making meritorious service despite guilt, only an internal party disciplinary action was given.

Regarding this punishment result for Yin Qiuhong, it was somewhat unsatisfactory, giving the feeling that Chu Jinsong no longer deserved the title of 'steel straight man', and he dared not confront the Executive faction head-on.

Put under party probation for two years!

The severity of this punishment looks like a decisive blow; within the next two years, if Yin Qiuhong makes another mistake, the next step can directly expel her party membership.

But in reality, it may not be so ideal.

Today she committed such a serious mistake, yet they couldn't give her a double expulsion; next time they could expel her party membership?

From a certain perspective:

Whether today or in the future, it ultimately comes down to a contest of power and courage! As long as you, Chu Jinsong, dare not use iron-fisted tactics against Xiao Yunce, you will have to keep compromising!

In view of the above considerations.

After Lin Dongfan finished the meeting, he first went to the restroom, and after finishing, he rushed straight to Chu Jinsong's office to vent a couple of sentences, only to find Leng Chuan also present.

"Sorry, I went to the wrong place, you guys continue talking."

Lin Dongfan didn't want to disturb the two big shots' private chat, so he turned around and left.

"Come back."

From behind came the father-in-law's voice, a bit stern.

Lin Dongfan had no choice but to steel himself and enter the office, and casually closed the door.

Leng Chuan saw Lin Dongfan's gloomy expression, smiled and asked: "There's some good news; do you want to hear it?"

"You can't even handle Yin Qiuhong; what good news could there be?"

Saying that, Lin Dongfan glanced at the two big shots' reactions, then felt speechless again. Having been so blunt himself, the two big shots actually smiled without anger—truly thick-skinned.

Leng Chuan laughed: "Your personnel file has already been transferred to the Provincial Anti-Corruption Bureau, and you've been promoted to Section Chief of Investigation Section One, Division One of the Anti-Corruption Bureau—isn't that good news?"

"Old Chief Leng, you're giving me a big surprise, a huge consolation prize."

Lin Dongfan grinned.

On this evening so gloomy he couldn't even muster a complaint, suddenly this happened, indeed giving a feeling of happiness like finding sweet rain after Along drought and having bananas when constipated.

In today's battle, that little slut Yin Qiuhong received a party probation for two years.

I, on the other hand, was promoted to a section-level minor leader.

With comparison comes happiness; Lin Dongfan's mood instantly became much more relaxed.

Now we settle the section-level matters; later, after cracking the 9·28 major case, when rewards are given according to merit, we can conduct commendations based on the section-level foundation.

In the future, it's also possible to be promoted to deputy division-level; rising smoothly to the clouds is imminent.

Just thinking about this excites him; Lin Dongfan on the spot brewed a cup of tea for Leng Bureau Chief: "Old Chief Leng, thank you for your cultivation of me—this isn't just a surprise, you're paving the way for me."

"You kid aren't clueless either; you see things clearly." Leng Chuan laughed as he took the tea cup; he indeed deserved Lin Dongfan's respect.

Chu Jinsong smiled and asked: "Just now you stormed in angry; what did you want to say?"

"Dad… no, Secretary Chu, I was just about to say…" Lin Dongfan turned his thoughts, then solemnly declared: "You don't use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken; you two rest, I'll handle taking down Yin Qiuhong."

"That's about right."

Chu Jinsong knew Lin Dongfan was holding in his anger today, and lightly patted his shoulder: "If today we give Yin Qiuhong a double expulsion, letting her leave the officialdom, then truly no one could restrain her; she could flee at any time. Temporarily retaining her administrative post is also to restrain her."

"The Chu secretary is right." Leng Chuan spoke bluntly: "Today you all are just superficial injuries; nobody has reached the level of minor injury. Even if we arrest them, they'd have to be released after two days, and we can't prosecute. If we now give her a double expulsion, it's tantamount to letting the tiger return to the mountain. Either we don't arrest, or if we arrest we must ensure she has no way out."

"Hmm."

After hearing the bosses' words, Lin Dongfan suddenly felt a bit ashamed.

He felt he indeed was a bit rash, his thinking not thorough enough. The bosses' real target for arrest is not Yin Qiuhong; no, the real target is Xiao Yunce.

Yin Qiuhong is nothing more than a pawn under Xiao Yunce.

Taking this pawn, if it cannot pose a lethal threat to the commander, then it's tantamount to making a pointless move—capturing it would be meaningless.

In other words:

Giving Yin Qiuhong a double expulsion is of little significance; only by arresting her, detaining her so she cannot leave, can we follow the clue to uncover Xiao Yunce behind her.

Lin Dongfan said: "Just now Yang Qing called me, saying he already obtained the negatives of those memorial photos; he expects to develop the photos tomorrow."

"This matter should not be made public for now; just pretend the negatives are gone." Chu Jinsong said: "Yin Qiuhong didn't claim she had reopened the investigation of the 9·28 forest fire case? Now she also snatched the memorial photos; we might as well first see how they handle this matter. Chief Leng, what do you think?"

"I think it's fine." Leng Chuan nodded in agreement.

Lin Dongfan also nodded, indicating agreement.

The memorial photo issue has already caused an uproar; if Yin Qiuhong publicly admits that indeed 11 people died in the fire, it would be tantamount to slapping her own face.

If she still refuses to admit that 11 people died, when responsibility is pursued later, Xiao Yunce won't be able to bear it either.

Leng Chuan instructed Lin Dongfan: "The matter of falsifying the death toll, we already have evidence in hand. For now, you first shift the investigation direction to corruption issues, and as soon as possible grasp Yin Qiuhong's corruption evidence."

"Hmm, but there's something..."

Lin Dongfan wanted to speak but held back, glancing at his father-in-law Chu Jinsong.

Chu Jinsong understood implicitly and countered: "Is it about Yang Tao's disappearance?"

"Hmm." Lin Dongfan said worriedly: "Yang Tao's whereabouts are unknown now; Secretary Chu, shouldn't we send someone to investigate? It's a matter of life and death."

"Tomorrow I will consult with the Faction." Chu Jinsong said.

Lin Dongfan thought, then said: "Could we let Yang Qing be in charge of the investigation? Yang Qing got beaten today, he's holding in anger, likely will be more motivated."

"No problem."

The father-in-law's demands to the son-in-law are always met.

Leng Chuan stood aside, chuckling: "Dongfan, Yang Qing is your close buddy; repeatedly dragging him into trouble, aren't you afraid he'll curse you behind your back?"

"I just remembered, my wife is still waiting for me to go home; you guys keep chatting."

Lin Dongfan turned and left, slipping away faster than a rabbit.

Seeing Lin Dongfan avoid answering about his guilty conscience, displaying shamelessness to the fullest, Leng Chuan shook his head with a faint smile.

Couldn't help laughing and teasing Chu Jinsong: "Chu Secretary, your good son-in-law went home to keep his wife company, what about you?"

"These days, he's either injured and hospitalized or fighting on the front lines, hardly ever at home—what's wrong with going home to keep his wife company?"

In the midst of chatting and laughing, Chu Jinsong brewed another two cups of tea.

He again earnestly advised Leng Chuan: "You're only in your early forties; hurry up and find someone to marry—your daughter also needs someone to look after her."

Leng Chuan smiled, picked up his tea and drank it all in one go.

No one knows whether he is feeling grief or joy; since his wife died in a car accident, over the past few months, his life seems to have been reduced to just one thing—work.

He devoted himself entirely to work, leaving his daughter in the care of his parents.

A typical workaholic.

The more Chu Jinsong understood him, the more speechless he became, unable to resist advising again: "A child's childhood is limited; if you have time, go back and keep her company more—she needs you."

"All we talk about are things that make your heart ache." Leng Chuan refilled his own cup of tea, speaking solemnly: "The car accident my wife went through was not an accident."

"Not an accident?" Chu Jinsong's face showed slight surprise.

Leng Chuan shook his head: "Back then, Dongfan went to the province to deliver medicine to you; someone wanted to take him out, and they staged a multi-vehicle collision on the highway. Dongfan's driving skills are good, so he fortunately avoided disaster..."

"Any evidence?" Chu Jinsong's face grew increasingly solemn.

Leng Chuan shook his head again and angrily drained the tea in his cup.

He slowly replied: "There's no evidence, but I went with the Provincial Public Security Department personnel to inspect the scene, and it was indeed a man-made car accident; the at-fault driver has already fled abroad."

"Damn it!"

Chu Jinsong slammed his fist on the coffee table, making the tea splash everywhere.

Leng Chuan spoke solemnly: "Those people helped by the Executive will do anything. Therefore, my stance is either not to arrest them, or if we do arrest them, we must ensure they have no way out."

"Does Lin Dongfan know or not that that car accident wasn't an accident?" Chu Jinsong asked.

Leng Chuan gave an embarrassed smile: "I can't tell him this. If he finds out the accident was staged because someone wanted to take him out, leading to my wife's innocent death, wouldn't he die of guilt? You also shouldn't tell him this—there's no need to add to his psychological burden; let him calm down and focus on investigating the 9·28 major case."

Chu Jinsong nodded glumly, his mood also sinking to the extreme.

After all, the root cause of this matter isn't Lin Dongfan, but him, Chu Jinsong. If Lin Dongfan hadn't gone to deliver medicine for him, that fatal car accident wouldn't have happened.

He pondered for a moment.

Chu Jinsong again advised Leng Chuan: "You're currently on official business in Nanzhou, and you'll be stationed there for Along time; leaving your daughter at home isn't an option. Otherwise, you should bring her over and hire a live-in nanny. Later I can also have Teacher Shen help you look after her—Teacher Shen is a very meticulous person who loves children."

"Want to make it up to me?" Leng Chuan spoke bluntly: "Chu Secretary, the fact that I can tell you this today shows we're already on the same rope, like grasshoppers, one family—no need for polite talk between two households."

Chu Jinsong said with a smile: "It's not just politeness; Teacher Shen really does like children. Now she wants to retire early, rarely goes to school to teach. Idle at home, being idle is still being idle."

"Lingxi isn't already pregnant?" Leng Chuan laughed: "Just wait a few more months and there will be a grandchild to hold."

Chu Jinsong smiled contemptuously: "I've already said what needed to be said. You know in your own heart whether you want to bring your daughter close to care for her—you're over forty, where does all this affectation come from?"

"Alright, let me think about it for two days."

Leng Chuan really does want to bring his daughter close.

It's not that he's worried his parents at home won't take good care of the child; mainly, after his daughter's car accident, she was left with cognitive impairment and needs rehabilitative cognitive training.