Chapter 943: Removing the Bad Apple

When Ye Jiaying entered Room 310, Lin Dongfan was standing by the window smoking.

The nightscape of Gold Stream County, though in recent years it has caught up with the dazzling pace, still lags 108,000 li behind Wuzhou; the issue of economic development must be urgently put on the agenda.

"Left?"

Lin Dongfan didn't turn around, just stubbed out the cigarette butt in the ashtray on the windowsill.

Ye Jiaying closed the door, leaned against the door panel, and let out Along breath: "She left, crying and whining like a stray dog."

Lin Dongfan turned and asked with a smile: "No fight broke out, right?"

"You guess."

Ye Jiaying gazed at Lin Dongfan with a smile.

Lin Dongfan has never been good at guessing games. He sat down on the sofa and poured himself a cup of tea.

Ye Jiaying also walked over, sat opposite, and recounted what had just happened in detail.

When mentioning that Wan Xiaoqing was wearing a sexy camisole nightgown, leaning against the headboard and scrolling on her phone, Lin Dongfan's brow furrowed slightly.

And when mentioning Wan Xiaoqing's unfilial conduct, Lin Dongfan's brow furrowed even deeper.

Ye Jiaying added finally: "A female official who was dismissed ran all the way to the county seat, sneaking into the mayor's bed. What's even more puzzling is that the staff at the county Party committee guesthouse actually gave her a room key. Shouldn't you summon the county leaders and give them a proper lesson?"

"Let's skip the lesson."

Lin Dongfan lit a cigarette, looking thoughtful.

Ye Jiaying questioned: "You wouldn't actually enjoy this kind of service, would you? If the person who came today weren't Wan Xiaoqing but another female official, wouldn't you..."

When touching on the sensitive issue, Ye Jiaying hinted at it and then stopped, not continuing.

Lin Dongfan took a puff of cigarette gloomily: "Where did you get that idea? I didn't mean that."

"Then what do you mean?"

Ye Jiaying rarely shows anger in front of Lin Dongfan, but this time she is genuinely angry.

Because she knows very well:

Now the entire city is watching Lin Dongfan's every move.

At this critical juncture, if Lin Dongfan makes even a misstep, he could be caught with a fatal flaw at any moment, leading to endless trouble!

Of course...

Lin Dongfan also knew that Ye Jiaying was worried about her own future.

Lin Dongfan patiently explained: "The Party Secretary of Gold Stream County, Comrade Liu Zhenbang, whom you also saw during the inspection earlier, is an upright person. He has worked in Gold Stream for five years, lifting a poor county to the middle tier of the city. Not greedy or corrupt, he truly has the people's interests at heart; he is a person who gets things done."

"You want to reuse him?"

Ye Jiaying caught the meaning in Lin Dongfan's words.

Lin Dongfan replied noncommittally: "After this project in Gold Stream County is settled, I plan to recommend him to the province and nominate him as vice mayor."

"You have that much confidence in him?" Ye Jiaying asked.

Lin Dongfan pondered: "If today I called him over and gave him a dressing-down, it might crush his morale. Then what would people think? They'd say I, Lin Dongfan, lack magnanimity, even blaming him over such a small matter; who would then willingly follow my orders? That would not be conducive to unity."

"If that's your consideration, then I support you."

Ye Jiaying now understood: Lin Dongfan intends to start building his own power base, breaking the awkward situation of the "parachute faction" having no local roots.

After all, the reason Lin Dongfan asked her to invest in Gold Stream County today is also to give Liu Zhenbang a political achievement.

If Liu Zhenbang's performance record is sufficiently impressive,

the next step of recommending Liu Zhenbang to the provincial committee will be much easier.

Having realized this, Ye Jiaying said: "Rest assured, I'll take care of the investment in Gold Stream County as soon as I get back to the company."

Ye Jiaying gazed at Lin Dongfan with affection.

After looking, she laughed again: "Over these years, you've changed quite a bit, becoming ever more steady—aren't you men supposed to stay young till death?"

"Am I getting old?" Lin Dongfan frowned, his sword-like brows knitting.

Ye Jiaying laughed: "No teasing, let's get to the point—someone like Wan Xiaoqing, a harmful element, shouldn't you start clearing them out?"

"I'm weighing it." Lin Dongfan took a deep drag of his cigarette.

Ye Jiaying said: "What's there to ponder? Her father was already angered to death by her, she doesn't care about anything, yet she came here to sneak into the mayor's bed. Such a person, when she was a bureau chief, ran roughshod; even after being dismissed she doesn't stop. If we keep her in the cadre ranks, she will eventually bring disaster to the people."

"Regarding her unfilial conduct, it's indeed hateful."

Saying that, Lin Dongfan picked up the phone on the table and dialed the number of Secretary Shi Liantang of the Discipline Commission.

The phone rang twice.

From the other end came Shi Liantang's voice: "Mayor Lin."

"Old Shi, I have something to tell you." Lin Dongfan got straight to the point: "Wan Xiaoqing came to Gold Stream County today, entered my room without permission, and slipped into my bed."

"Slipped into my bed?!"

On the other end, Shi Liantang was obviously shocked, his voice dropping considerably: "Mayor Lin, did she manage to sleep with you?"

"I didn't let her succeed."

Lin Dongfan said solemnly: "But this matter is serious in nature. A dismissed official who doesn't repent but instead doubles down—you must follow procedure and deal with it strictly and promptly."

"Should historical issues also be investigated to the bottom?" Shi Liantang asked.

Lin Dongfan said: "Old Wan has already been angered to death by her; not investigating her would truly be a sorry to Old Wan. We should start investigating from the day she joined the workforce and handle her accordingly."

"Understood, any other instructions?"

"That's it for now."

Lin Dongfan hung up the phone.

Then he called the Municipal Affairs Office: "Notify below, the posthumous affairs of Comrade Wan Yan shall be handled by his former unit, the Civil Affairs Bureau, taking the lead to establish a funeral committee, with the Old Cadres Bureau, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, etc., assisting. As for the standards, follow past conventions, making sure to reflect the organization's care for veteran comrades."

"Mayor Lin, Comrade Wan Yan has passed away?"

The person from the Municipal Affairs Office stared blankly.

Lin Dongfan didn't answer this question: "Implement it as soon as possible. Also, notify Wan Xiaqing, order her to go back to observe mourning. Tell her, the organization's handling, we'll talk after she finishes the funeral."

After hanging up, Lin Dongfan threw his phone onto the sofa, still holding back his anger.

Ye Jiaying shook her head and sighed: "This Wan Xiaqing is truly a heartless beast. Her father was angered to death by her, yet she doesn't care at all."

"Wan Lao never helped him with connections before his death, and she bears a grudge." Lin Dongfan said: "Wan Lao lived a clean and honest life, yet he gave birth to such a daughter—truly a misfortune for the family."

Ye Jiaying shook her head speechlessly, turned around and brewed a cup of tea for Lin Dongfan.

Soon after.

Lao Ba knocked and entered, reporting to Lin Dongfan: "Boss, just now Jingcheng called, saying Wang Qigang entered the capital this afternoon and has been running around Jingcheng pulling strings."

"I wouldn't have guessed, his legs are still pretty nimble." Lin Dongfan chuckled lightly: "I guess the people from the Central Organization Department haven't talked to him yet, so he's getting restless, afraid of having old scores settled."

"The hope of a lateral transfer to Nanzhou has been dashed; this time he's come to the capital to pull strings, I think he's looking for a way to get transferred into the capital, into a ministerial agency." Ye Jiaying analyzed.

Lin Dongfan replied dismissively: "Let him run; I want to see which leader of a ministerial agency in Jingcheng dares to take him in."