Chapter 776: Three Blazing Fires of a New Official

The next day of his appointment.

Upon entering the city hall, Lin Dongfan keenly sensed that something was off about this year's atmosphere.

The staff he encountered in the hallway all had smiles as standard as copy‑paste, each bowing and greeting him: "Good morning, Mayor Lin!"

But everyone's eyes darted away, their steps hurried, as if they were avoiding a plague god.

The mayor's office is on the east side of the third floor, sunny and spacious, but the décor remains as it was ten years ago.

A deep‑red desk, a black leather sofa, and on the wall hangs a calligraphy piece reading "Sea Embraces All Rivers," signed by the former mayor, Wang Qigang.

Secretary Xiao Chen, a twenty‑seven‑or‑eight‑year‑old young man wearing glasses, looked capable, but his words were watertight: "Mayor Lin, your schedule has been preliminarily arranged. At 9 a. m., a departmental work‑report meeting; at 2 p. m., a survey of the development zone; tonight… nothing scheduled yet."

Lin Dongfan flipped through the schedule and asked with a smile, "Xiao Chen, who set this schedule?"

"It was drafted by the office according to convention," Xiao Chen replied readily.

"Convention?"

Lin Dongfan put the schedule down: "Fine, let's go by convention. But I'll add a few departments to the morning report meeting—Housing, Public Security, Letters and Visits, and… the West Suburb Subdistrict Office.

Notify them to be present at nine sharp."

Xiao Chen hesitated: "Mayor Lin, do we need to report this to Secretary Wang? According to past convention, such inter‑departmental meetings…"

"No need," Lin Dongfan interrupted. "Now that I'm mayor, listening to a few departments report work—do I still have to report to anyone? Go notify them."

Xiao Chen wanted to say more but held back, then nodded: "All right, I'll go right away."

He turned and left the office, his steps a little hurried.

Lin Dongfan walked to the window, watching government vehicles stream into the courtyard below; he felt as clear as a mirror that an invisible "Tai Chi push‑hand" contest had officially begun.

At nine sharp, in the small meeting room, people filled both sides of the long conference table.

Besides the departments Lin Dongfan had named, the heads of several other departments also "rushed over upon hearing the news," ostensibly to "study" the meeting's spirit.

Smoke lingered in the meeting room.

Although no‑smoking signs were posted prominently on the walls, a few hardened smokers still lit up, nothing able to stop their addiction to nicotine.

Lin Dongfan sat in the chief seat, a notebook spread before him, turning a pen in his hand.

"Let's begin."

Lin Dongfan turned to the Housing Bureau chief: "Housing Bureau, you're up. First, explain the overall situation of compensation for the demolition of the West Suburb Old Mining Area, and also how the compensation standard for Liu Guizhi's household—500,000—was calculated."

The Housing Bureau chief was a man in his fifties with thinning hair, surname Zhou.

He pushed his glasses up.

He opened a thick document.

He read aloud verbatim: "According to Articles 3 and 15 of Wuzhou City's Urban House Demolition Management Regulations, combined with the West Suburb area's controlled detailed planning and land assessment report, referencing similar real‑estate market prices in the same locality, after evaluation by a professional agency…"

He droned on for a full five minutes, nothing but clauses and jargon.

At first listen it sounded very professional.

But on closer inspection, damn it—there wasn't a single plain sentence!

Yet Lin Dongfan patiently heard him out, then asked Chief Zhou: "So, how much should Liu Guizhi's household actually be compensated?"

Chief Zhou closed the document.

He put on a troubled look: "This… situation is rather special. Her house is self‑built, property rights unclear, floor area disputed. Moreover, the land‑use plan for the area has been adjusted…"

"Just tell me, according to your most accurate calculation, how much should be paid?"

Lin Dongfan sharply cut off his nonsense.

Chief Zhou wiped his sweat: "Roughly… between eight hundred thousand and one million two hundred thousand."

"But I recall you said 4.5 million yesterday," Lin Dongfan reminded him.

"That's the theoretical maximum," Zhou hurriedly explained. "Actual implementation must weigh many factors, such as fiscal capacity and overall project balance…"

"All right, I got it." Lin Dongfan nodded, jotting a note: "Next, the Public Security department—report on the investigation progress of Liu Jianjun's death case."

Political Commissar Li of the Public Security Sub‑bureau sat upright, stern‑faced: "Mayor Lin, we attach great importance to this case. Last night we formed a task force, pulled relevant materials overnight, and questioned some of the parties involved…"

Lin Dongfan bluntly said: "Give the conclusion."

"This… is still under investigation," Li said impeccably: "The case is complex; investigation takes time. We've extracted Liu Jianjun's medical records, and the forensic pathologist is conducting a pathological analysis. The interrogation records of the relevant parties are also being collated…"

"How long will it take?"

"Hard to say," he replied. "If it goes fast, a week; if slow, maybe one or two months. We must be responsible to the law and to the facts—we can't rush to a conclusion."

"Understood." Lin Dongfan made another note: "Letters and Visits Bureau—tell us about the petitioning situation regarding the West Suburb demolition."

The head of the Letters and Visits Bureau was a middle‑aged woman.

She spoke rapidly: "Mayor Lin, our letters‑and‑visits window is always open to the public. We have recorded all complaints about the West Suburb demolition. This year we've accepted… let me see… a total of twenty‑three related petitions. Eighteen have been forwarded to the responsible units, and five are still being processed."

"What are the specific problems, and how have they been resolved?" Lin Dongfan pressed.

"The problems mainly concern low compensation standards and rough demolition methods," the female head of the Letters and Visits Bureau said, flipping open her notebook: "We have transferred the issues to the Housing Bureau and the West Suburb Subdistrict Office in accordance with the Letters and Visits Regulations. At present, some residents have expressed understanding, while others are still in communication."

"What about Liu Guizhi's case—do you know about it?"

"We know; related issues are also a top priority for our bureau, listed as a key supervised case. Yesterday after the meeting, we immediately contacted the West Suburb Subdistrict Office, urging them to handle it properly and to soothe the public."

"Is that so?"

Lin Dongfan smiled, casually closed his notebook, and scanned the room.

The meeting room fell silent.

All eyes focused on Lin Dongfan alone, unsure what this big shot would do next, and everyone present felt a little uneasy.

A moment passed.

Lin Dongfan slowly spoke: "Everyone's reports were very detailed and comprehensive. The Housing Bureau explained policy, Public Security explained procedure, Letters and Visits explained procedure. It sounds like everything that should have been done was done, and everything that should have been present was present."

He paused, his tone still calm:

"But I have just one question—how exactly did Liu Guizhi's husband die? When will her family receive the compensation they're owed? And how will those who blocked doors, flung feces, and threatened her children be dealt with?"

No one spoke.

The director of the Housing Bureau, Zhou, lowered his head to flip through documents; the political commissar of the Public Security Sub-bureau, Li, stared at his teacup; and the female director of the Letters and Calls Bureau began to cough.

"Like this."

Lin Dongfan stood up, hands on the table, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and said: "I won't make things difficult for you. As I said yesterday, each of you should submit a situation report. Now I add one more condition: three days from now, still here, we will hold a second meeting. By then, I want to see three things."

He raised three fingers:

"First, the final compensation plan for Liu Guizhi's family, in black and white, signed and sealed."

"Second, the preliminary investigation conclusion of Liu Jianjun's death case, well-founded and evidence-based, able to withstand scrutiny."

"Third, the investigation report on all demolition activities by Integrity Demolition Company in the western suburbs, including but not limited to the handling results of threats, intimidation, and violent means."

Those present either felt nervous, embarrassed, or dismissive, letting out a light laugh.

Lin Dongfan again intensified his tone:

"If you can't produce it by then, or if what you produce is still the same old excuses, playing perfunctory games and passing the buck! Then I'm sorry, I can only conclude that the responsible comrades of the relevant departments lack the ability to fulfill their current posts! This opportunity is only once—you decide for yourselves."

Having said that, Lin Dongfan picked up his notebook, turned, and walked out of the meeting room.

The moment the door closed.

The meeting room instantly exploded in uproar.

"What does he mean? Is he threatening us?"

"Right off the bat he's targeting our departments—he doesn't just disregard us, he disregards Secretary Wang!"

"He's also a middle-aged man approaching forty—who would have thought he'd be so impulsive."

……

In the corridor, Lin Dongfan walked slowly.

Xiao Chen followed behind him, whispering: "Mayor, this way…… aren't you being too hasty? Many of the department heads are old-timers; they've been in Wuzhou for years, with deep-rooted connections……"

Lin Dongfan stopped, turned to look at him: "Xiao Chen, how many years have you worked in the Municipal Government Office?"

"Five years."

"Five years, then you should have dealt with several mayors." Lin Dongfan asked: "Tell me, how did they work?"

Xiao Chen hesitated a moment, then said softly: "Usually…… first get familiar with the situation, then advance gradually. Some matters…… can't be rushed……"

"Some things must not be rushed." Lin Dongfan repeated, smiling: "But some things, if not acted upon quickly, become too late—lives are at stake……"

Before he finished speaking, Lin Dongfan had already stepped forward to visit Liu Guizhi.

At the same time.

Municipal Party Committee Building, Wang Qigang's office.

The director of the Municipal Party Committee Office, Li Bin, was reporting the meeting situation to Wang Qigang: "……Basically, that's it. Mayor Lin flew into a rage, demanding results within three days, or else he'll remove people from office."

Wang Qigang leaned back in his chair, twirling a steel pen in his hand, his face expressionless.

"Young people, having fire is a good thing." Wang Qigang chuckled slowly: "But if the fire is too strong, it's easy to burn oneself. Any problems with the departments' reports? They're all by the book, right?"

"Yes, all by the book." Li Bin nodded: "But Mayor Lin seems dissatisfied……"

"He's dissatisfied because he doesn't understand Wuzhou's actual situation." Wang Qigang set down his pen: "Why has the western suburbs demolition been dragged on for so many years? Because the situation is too complex! Property rights are complex, historical legacy issues are complex, public demands are complex! Can it be solved by just slamming the table?"

Wang Qigang stood up.

He walked to the window and added: "Notify all departments, prepare materials seriously according to Mayor Lin's requirements. Investigate what needs investigating, research what needs researching. But……"

He turned around, his tone intensifying:

"We must act according to law and regulation, seek truth from facts. We cannot, just to please superiors, ignore reality and open holes recklessly. The stability of Wuzhou cannot be disturbed."

Li Bin understood: "Understood, I will convey your instructions downward."

"Furthermore……" Wang Qigang added: "Notify everyone, hold a brief briefing this afternoon. Some work disciplines need to be emphasized again."

"All right."

Li Bin left the office.

Wang Qigang sat back down, picked up a document on the desk. It was sent by the Zhao Group, the latest progress report on the Cloud Peak Mountain Villa project.

He glanced at it, picked up a red pencil, and drew a circle in the "demolition obstructed" column.

Then, in the blank space beside it, he wrote a small line: "Delays bring resolution."

The handwriting was calm, the strokes steady, as if everything were under control.