Chapter 773

The meeting room on the second floor of the western suburb police station had never been this lively.

Less than twenty minutes.

Over thirty square meters of space was filled with more than a dozen people; Lin Dongfan and Wang Qigang sat on one side of the long conference table, while the other side was filled with department heads arriving one after another.

The street office director, deputy director of the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, section chief of the Letters and Calls Bureau, political commissar of the public security sub-bureau, and others all had solemn faces, their complex glances furtively directed at the newly appointed Mayor Lin.

On the chairs against the wall sat the humiliated mother and daughter.

The woman was Liu Guizhi, who was tightly hugging her daughter, her body still trembling slightly. She had clearly never seen such a scene, never imagining that anyone would stand up for her, a widow and orphan.

Before her lay a plastic bag containing her husband's death certificate, medical records, and the demolition agreement signed and stamped with his fingerprint.

At the meeting room doorway.

Bald Lao San and two other thugs who could still move were watched by the police, standing there afraid to enter. Lao San still bore injuries on his face, his eyes darting, completely lacking the arrogance he had shown during the day.

Most eye-catching was the young man at the end of the conference table, wearing an Armani suit and slicked-back hair.

He was the representative sent by the Zhao Group—Zhao Ming, a distant cousin of Zhao Tianyu.

He sat with one leg crossed over the other, playing with a lighter, his face wearing a half-smile, as if saying, "I'm just here to go through the motions."

The atmosphere in the meeting room was oppressive.

Chief Zhang personally poured tea, his hand shaking so the cup clinked. As he poured tea for Lin Dongfan, he bent his waist almost double: "Mayor Lin, your tea..."

"Just leave it there."

Lin Dongfan didn't look at him, his gaze sweeping the room: "Is everyone here?"

Wang Qigang cleared his throat: "Comrade Dongfan, the heads of the relevant departments have all arrived. This is Zhao Ming, representative of the Zhao Group. Chengxin Demolition Company is a subsidiary of the Zhao Group, so..."

"Understood." Lin Dongfan nodded, looking at Liu Guizhi: "Liu Guizhi, please tell us what happened. Don't be afraid, speak slowly."

Everyone's eyes focused on this frail woman.

Liu Guizhi lifted her head, her eye sockets reddening again.

She opened her mouth, her voice as thin as a mosquito: "My... my husband is Liu Jianjun, thirty-three years old. Our house in the western suburb old mining area was passed down from our ancestors... Three months ago, people from Chengxin Company came to us, saying they wanted to demolish..."

She spoke haltingly for over ten minutes.

When she mentioned her husband refusing to sign, she described how Chengxin's people blocked the door daily, cut off water and electricity, and splashed feces and paint to intimidate them.

When she spoke of that Wednesday last week, over a dozen thugs surrounded her husband, shoved him, snatched his asthma inhaler, and he died that night at home.

When she spoke of today, before her husband's memorial, these people still tried to force her to sign, threatening her daughter's safety.

At the end, she burst into tears, clutching her daughter and sobbing uncontrollably.

The meeting room fell into a terrifying silence.

The street office director wiped sweat from his forehead, the deputy director of the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau lowered his head to flip through his notebook, and the section chief of the Letters and Calls Bureau gazed at his nose, then his heart.

Only Zhao Ming continued to play with his lighter, the "click-click" sound especially grating.

"I understand the situation." Lin Dongfan waited for Liu Guizhi's emotions to ease slightly, then looked at Lao San: "Lao San, is what Liu Guizhi said true?"

Lao San flinched, stammering: "Well... not entirely... we were just negotiating compensation normally; her husband died of his own illness..."

"Normal compensation?" Lin Dongfan picked up the agreement on the table: "This agreement offers a compensation of 500,000. Liu Guizhi's house is a three-story building with a courtyard, with a construction area of 240 square meters. According to Wuzhou City's latest demolition compensation standards, the average price of commercial housing in the same area is 23,000 per square meter—how should the compensation be calculated?"

He looked at the deputy director of the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau.

The deputy director, steeling himself, said: "According to policy... either property exchange or monetary compensation. For monetary compensation, one should reference the local commercial housing prices, plus renovation, ancillary facilities, and relocation subsidies... roughly... roughly..."

"About how much?" Lin Dongfan pressed.

"Roughly... about 4.5 million."

As the deputy director's words fell, the meeting room filled with the sound of sharp intakes of breath—500,000 versus 4.5 million, a ninefold difference!

"Nine times." Lin Dongfan set down the agreement, looking at Zhao Ming: "General Manager Zhao, does your company know about this compensation standard?"

Zhao Ming finally put down his lighter, shrugged: "Mayor Lin, demolition compensation is a market matter—willing to hit, willing to be hit. The agreement was signed by Liu Jianjun himself, the fingerprint his own. Black and white, it's legal and valid."

"He signed it under threats, harassment, and having his water and electricity cut off." Lin Dongfan's voice grew colder: "Such an agreement can be applied for revocation under the law."

"Then go sue him in court." Zhao Ming smiled, fearless: "But Mayor Lin, I need to remind you of one thing. The Cloud Peak Mountain Villa project is a key municipal project, already delayed for half a year. Further delay would hold up the schedule, affect Wuzhou's investment attraction environment—this responsibility... who will bear it?"

A naked threat.

Wang Qigang furrowed his brows but said nothing.

Lin Dongfan glanced at Zhao Ming for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled: "General Manager Zhao is right—key projects cannot be delayed."

Zhao Ming's face showed a pleased smile.

But Lin Dongfan's next sentence froze his smile: "So, today we are right here to settle the problem."

Saying this, Lin Dongfan suddenly turned his head toward Wang Qigang: "Comrade Secretary Wang, you are a veteran leader of Wuzhou—what do you think is the proper way to handle this?"

The ball was kicked to Wang Qigang's feet.

Wang Qigang silently cursed in his heart, but kept a professional smile: "Comrade Dongfan is right—people's interests are no small matter."

"This matter, I think we should handle it in several aspects:"

"First, we must reassess the actual losses of Comrade Liu Guizhi's family and compensate accordingly."

"Second, we must severely criticize Chengxin Company's improper conduct during the demolition."

"Third..."

When he got to the point, Wang Qigang fixed his gaze on Zhao Ming: "As a socially responsible enterprise, the Zhao Group should proactively take responsibility and give the victims' families a satisfactory explanation."

The words sounded fine, but were all empty.

Reassess? How? Severely criticize? Then what? Take responsibility? What does a "satisfactory" explanation mean?

No details given, leaving plenty of operational room.

Zhao Ming caught the subtext and immediately declared: "Secretary Wang is right! Our Zhao Group has always obeyed laws and cared for the people. In that case, we will give Liu Guizhi's family compensation at the highest standard! Plus an extra 200,000 as consolation money! How about it, Elder Sister Liu—is that enough sincerity now?"

He looked at Liu Guizhi, his eyes bearing a sense of charity.

Liu Guizhi froze, not knowing for a moment whether she should agree.

"Wait a moment." Lin Dongfan spoke.

Everyone looked at him.

"Let's talk about compensation later." Lin Dongfan looked at Lao San: "First, let me ask: on Wednesday last week, you surrounded Liu Jianjun and seized his asthma inhaler—did that really happen?"

Lao San's face changed: "No… no! We were just arguing, we didn't lay a hand on him!"

"You didn't lay a hand on him?" Lin Dongfan looked at Liu Guizhi: "Liu Guizhi, were you there that day?"

"I…" Liu Guizhi nodded: "I was inside the house, saw it from the window. Over a dozen people surrounded my husband, pushing him, hitting him, cursing him… someone snatched the medicine from his pocket…"

"You're talking nonsense!" Lao San flared up.

"Whether it's nonsense, an investigation will show." Lin Dongfan looked at the Public Security Bureau's political commissar: "Political Commissar Li, for a public security case with clear accusations, how do you intend to handle it?"

Political Commissar Li hastily expressed his stance: "If there's suspicion of criminal crime, we should file a case and investigate strictly."

"Did the western suburb police station accept the case?" Lin Dongfan asked.

Political Commissar Li looked at Chief Zhang.

Chief Zhang's legs went weak, almost kneeling: "I… I thought at the time… I thought it was just an ordinary civil dispute…"

"An ordinary civil dispute?" Lin Dongfan picked up the death certificate on the table and slammed it down hard: "People are dead, and it's still just an ordinary dispute?!"

The slam on the table made a huge bang, shocking everyone present.

Lin Dongfan swept his gaze over everyone present: "Today's meeting was originally meant only to resolve the demolition compensation issue. But now it seems things aren't that simple. How exactly did Liu Jianjun die? Was it death from a sudden illness, or was he beaten and his medicine snatched, leading to death? This needs a thorough investigation by the public security organs."

He paused, then spoke each word clearly:

"My suggestion is: first, have the City Bureau's Criminal Investigation Detachment intervene and re‑investigate Liu Jianjun's death; second, conduct a comprehensive review of all actions taken by Chengxin Company in the western suburb demolition; third, before the investigation results are out, suspend all construction on the Cloud Peak Mountain Villa project that involves Liu Guizhi's land parcel."

The three suggestions, each as sharp as a blade.

Zhao Ming jumped to his feet: "Mayor Lin! What do you mean? Halt the project? Do you know how much money a one‑day stoppage loses? Millions!"

"I know." Lin Dongfan calmly looked at him: "But I also know that human life is more important than money."

"You!!"

Zhao Ming still wanted to say something, but Wang Qigang stopped him with a glance.

Wang Qigang took a deep breath and slowly said: "Comrade Dongfan's suggestion… makes sense. The people's lives and safety should indeed come first. In that case, Political Commissar Li, immediately arrange for the Criminal Investigation Detachment to intervene and investigate. As for the Housing and Urban‑Rural Development Bureau, first suspend construction in that area."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Lin Dongfan with a complex expression: "Comrade Dongfan, do you think this approach will work?"

"I have no objection." Lin Dongfan nodded: "However, Secretary Wang, I have one more request."

"Go ahead."

"All the department heads present today, as well as the representatives of Chengxin Company and the Zhao Group, each write a report on today's meeting, stating clearly what they heard, what they saw, and what they will do next." Lin Dongfan stood up, his gaze sweeping over the faces—some shocked, some flustered, some grim: "In three days I want to see these reports placed on my desk."

Saying that, Lin Dongfan walked over to Liu Guizhi again.

Speaking gently, he expressed concern for this widow and orphan: "Liu Guizhi, take your child home first. Rest assured, the government will give you a fair resolution on this matter."

Liu Guizhi looked at him, tears streaming down again, pulling her daughter as she prepared to kneel.

Lin Dongfan hurriedly steadied her: "Don't do that; the ones who ought to kneel are those who bullied you."