Chapter 802

Leaving the Municipal Party Committee building, Shi Liantang felt as if he were holding a hot potato in his hand.

Wang Qigang's remark "You're still young, opportunities will always exist" sounded encouraging on the surface, but it was hardly different from "Figure it out yourself!"

Not to mention the earlier remark "Going too far will not only hurt others but also easily hurt oneself," which is nothing short of a blatant warning.

Shi Liantang did not go back to the Discipline Inspection Commission building.

He turned and went straight to Lin Dongfan's office; the busy Mayor Lin was reviewing documents without looking up: "Back? Pour your own tea."

This casual attitude actually relieved Shi Liantang.

He really feared that Lin Dongfan would be like Wang Qigang, putting on an inscrutable airs with a somewhat amiable smile to intimidate him.

"Mayor Lin."

Shi Liantang sat opposite, without pouring tea: "Secretary Wang just looked for me."

"Hmm."

Lin Dongfan put down his pen, looked up with a faint smile: "Your complexion looks awful—did you get scolded badly?"

"Not really." Shi Liantang gave a wry smile: "Secretary Wang is quite capable; he didn't utter a single harsh word, yet every sentence sent a chill down one's back..."

He recounted the earlier conversation verbatim.

When mentioning Wang Qigang's demand to "control the scope, stop at the point," Lin Dongfan raised his eyebrows; when mentioning the warning "act with measure," Lin Dongfan laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" Shi Liantang complained gloomily: "I'm going up under pressure, pressed so hard my waist can barely straighten."

"I'm laughing because Secretary Wang's words are indeed spot-on."

Lin Dongfan leaned back, crossed his hands on the desk: "Applying pressure without spelling it out, leaving room both inside and outside the words—truly a veteran leader tested by time."

Shi Liantang pushed his glasses: "So... what should we do now?"

"What should we do?"

Lin Dongfan rose and walked to the window, looking downstairs: "We should investigate what needs investigating, handle what needs handling. Didn't Secretary Wang say 'investigate according to law and regulations, get to the bottom'? We are merely implementing the Municipal Party Committee's instructions."

"But..."

Shi Liantang wanted to speak but stopped.

"But what? Afraid he'll give you a hard time?" Lin Dongfan turned, wearing a half-smile: "Old Shi, I ask you—if you back off now, will Secretary Wang be grateful to you?"

Shi Liantang was stunned by the question, lost for words.

Quite obvious.

That won't happen.

If he were really intimidated into backing off after a bit of pressure, the other side would only think Shi Liantang is a soft persimmon easily squeezed.

Lin Dongfan returned to his desk.

He added: "Zhou Hongwei's case has already caused an uproar across the city; if you back off now, what will the public think? Some people, once pressured, immediately withdraw—does this anti-corruption effort play favorites?"

Shi Liantang kept his head low, silent.

"So then..."

Lin Dongfan lifted his tea and took a sip.

He spoke slowly: "Since we've already drawn the bow, there's no turning back. Pressure is sure to exist; just remember this: if the sky falls, I, Lin Dongfan, will hold it up."

These last words were said lightly, but they carried great weight.

This is basically a reassurance pill.

The stone weighing on Shi Liantang's heart finally fell to the ground. Today Mayor Lin being able to state his position clearly on this matter shows that Shi Liantang didn't misjudge the person.

"Then what next..."

Shi Liantang waited quietly for Lin Dongfan's instructions.

"Next, you do what you should." Lin Dongfan picked up the documents again: "Zhou Hongwei's interrogation needs to be sped up, digging deeper for leads. I estimate he holds the lifelines of many people in his hands."

"You mean..."

"Be swift—since we've already stirred the hornet's nest, we might as well go all the way. Land Resources Bureau, Environmental Protection Bureau, Development and Reform Commission... any department tied to project approval won't escape."

Speaking, Lin Dongfan smiled.

He continued: "Over the years at the Housing and Construction Bureau, how many people who gave him gifts or asked for favors could Zhou Hongwei remember? But he surely remembers who shared cake with him."

Shi Liantang nodded, as if understanding.

Mayor Lin's meaning is to pry more tigers and flies out of Zhou Hongwei's mouth.

"By the way..."

Lin Dongfan suddenly recalled: "Didn't Secretary Wang say we must consider the big picture and not disrupt work? How about this: tomorrow hold a meeting of the Housing and Construction Bureau cadres, you personally give a talk on Party conduct and clean governance, and meanwhile announce the city's decision to have the Executive Deputy Director act as bureau chief, ensuring project approvals aren't stalled."

Shi Liantang's eyes lit up.

That's a high-level move.

It both responds to Wang Qigang's "big picture" argument and stabilizes the situation in the Housing and Construction Bureau.

More importantly, that Executive Deputy Director of the Housing and Construction Bureau was transferred from the province this year and is not allied with Zhou Hongwei.

"Good, I'll get ready now." Shi Liantang stood up.

"Wait."

Lin Dongfan called him to stop.

He further instructed: "When interrogating Zhou Hongwei, pay attention to method—he's currently hoping an old leader will pull strings for him. You must make him understand that even if the Heavenly King himself came, it wouldn't help."

"Understood."

Shi Liantang nodded, turned and left.

The office door closed.

Lin Dongfan picked up his phone and sent a WeChat message to Chu Lingxi: "Add two more dishes tonight, I'm treating Old Shi to dinner."

"What does Secretary Shi like to eat?" Chu Lingxi almost instantly replied.

Lin Dongfan thought: "Spicy, the spicier the better. This person has fire inside, needs to let it out."

……

Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission case handling point.

Zhou Hongwei was locked in a room less than ten square meters.

No windows, only a single incandescent bulb, lit twenty-four hours a day.

The walls are light green, said to stabilize emotions. But Zhou Hongwei's mood is far from stable.

He sat on the hard plank bed, eyes fixed on the door.

Already several hours have passed.

No one came to interrogate him.

No one came to tell him what was happening outside.

This kind of tormented wait is more torturous than direct coercion.

He kept replaying last night's scene in his mind: the fish pond, the gold bars, and Lin Dongfan's half-smiling face, as well as Secretary Wang, who showed no reaction after the incident.

"Impossible…… Secretary Wang would never ignore me……"

Zhou Hongwei muttered anxiously, worry written all over his face.

The door suddenly opened.

Discipline Inspection Commission's Sun Yongwen walked in with two young cadres, holding an interrogation record. Sun Yongwen sat opposite Zhou Hongwei without speaking, first placing a file bag on the table.

"Zhou Hongwei." Sun Yongwen's eyes flashed like lightning, staring directly at Zhou Hongwei opposite him: "Have you thought it through?"

"What do I mean by thinking it through?" Zhou Hongwei retorted, neck stiff: "I didn't do anything! Those things in the pond aren't mine! Someone framed me!"

"You really won't cry until you see the coffin."

Having expected Zhou Hongwei to be stubborn, Sun Yongwen opened the file bag, pulled out a stack of photos, and laid them out one by one in front of Zhou Hongwei.

The first photo shows the whole fish pond, with a pump truck at work.

The second is a close-up of the gold bars, glittering.

The third shows US dollars, green bills stacked in a small hill.

The fourth shows the porcelain, with experts appraising it.

"The one who framed you really spared no expense." Sun Yongwen tapped the photos: "Worth twenty million, just thrown away. Zhou Hongchuan, which enemy is so lavish? To actually spend twenty million to frame you."

!!!

Facing Sun Yongwen's sarcasm, Zhou Hongwei's face flushed red, wanting to retort but not knowing what to say.