Chapter 992: An upright person fears no slanting shadow

The next morning.

When Lin Dongfan walked out of the hotel, he received a call from the Municipal Party Committee Office notifying that the meeting would start at nine.

Today's meeting was presided over by Character of the Municipal Party Committee, targeting some problems in the public security system, so Fu Xinping also attended the meeting.

Fu Xinping sat in the last seat, his back ramrod straight, exuding an air of righteousness.

Character cleared his throat, pointed a finger, and said: "Today's agenda has only one item—the issue of Zhou Haidong, chief of the Jinkou Sub-bureau."

As he spoke, Character swept his gaze over everyone present, lingering on Lin Dongfan for two extra seconds.

Those two seconds of pause.

It was enemies meeting, hatred making his teeth itch!

However, thinking that he had only recently taken office, every encounter with Lin Dongfan had ended in dismal failure, already drawing two rebukes from the Provincial Party Committee; Character's heart strings tightened again.

He had no choice but to suppress his emotions and put on the magnanimous air of a premier whose belly could hold a boat.

Character steadied himself.

He continued: "Zhou Haidong abused his power, overturned right and wrong, and has already been removed from office. Mayor Lin handled this promptly, avoiding greater negative impact. The Municipal Party Committee affirms this."

The sharp-eyed attendees exchanged glances; Character first raised then lowered his tone—was he taking a strategy of first praising then criticizing?

Indeed!

Just then, Character suddenly shifted gears: "But Wuzhou is so big, with emergencies every day. If everyone acts by striking first and reporting later, how can the Municipal Party Committee's coordination work proceed? The Faction is also a department under the Municipal Party Committee's leadership, not anyone's private troop."

Character spoke very slowly, each word seeming to have lingered in his mouth before being spat out.

He did not name names.

But everyone present knew whom he meant, and they all glanced at Lin Dongfan without prior agreement.

Lin Dongfan acted as if nothing were wrong, chuckling in reply: "Secretary Character is quite right; the Municipal Party Committee's coordination indeed needs strengthening. But the Zhou Haidong matter involves the victim being criminally detained instead of the perpetrator. At the time the situation was urgent, I could only handle it first and report later. If there was anything improper, I accept criticism."

As soon as those words left his mouth, Character was instantly speechless, feeling as if he had punched a cotton ball.

I never expected Lin Dongfan to be this shameless.

When he should have objected, he didn't!

He actually accepted criticism!

Damn it!

Who asked you to accept criticism?

You should put on the airs of a big boss from the capital circle and slam the table to rise up!

You should say, "I just did it this way!"

You should say, "Do I need to greet you lot of trash just to take down a small sub-bureau chief?"

You should say, "I handle whoever I want to handle!"

Only this matches the fierce nature of a princeling from the capital circle—who told you to accept criticism? Damn it! Since you accepted criticism, how can I, Character, still blast you? What reason do I have left to file a complaint with the Provincial Party Committee?

Just thinking about this makes my chest feel choked.

Character picked up his tea cup and took two gulps, striving to press down that fire in his heart, constantly reminding himself: he must never act like a brainless hothead pursuing relentless attacks, or else he'd be the one to suffer.

Better to borrow strength to strike strength.

Thinking this through, Character gave Fu Xinping in the last seat a meaningful look.

Unexpectedly, Fu Xinping acted like a deaf and dumb corpse, sitting there motionless! Damn it, are you also hoping to reap the profit of the snipe and clam quarrel, letting the fisherman gain?

In his anger.

Character directly pointed at Fu Xinping and said, "Comrade Fu Xinping, Zhou Haiping is your subordinate—don't you have any opinion on this matter?"

"'Well...' Fu Xinping gave an embarrassed grin."

Character, enduring the annoyance, urged: "Speak plainly, stop beating around the bush!"

Seeing Character's eyes blazing with anger,

Fu Xinping thought left and right, then threw caution to the wind with self-mockery: "Zhou Haiping was arrested; I'm the last person who knows the truth. In this matter, I, as the Faction chief, am just a figurehead—there's nothing to say."

The implication was to mock Lin Dongfan for arresting people without procedure, acting arbitrarily, and being contemptuous of others!

Without a doubt.

Fu Xinping's self-mockery precisely hit Character's psychological need.

Character then shifted his gaze to Lin Dongfan; seeing Lin Dongfan's furrowed brow not relaxing, Character felt pleased, thinking, "Let's see how you wriggle out of this."

Character also glanced at Executive Meng Qinghe.

Meng Qinghe, understanding the cue, smiled sarcastically: "Comrade Fu Xinping, don't play the victim—our Mayor Lin always handles things swiftly and decisively..."

Cough cough!

Seeing the sarcastic remarks escalate, Lin Dongfan decisively cleared his throat twice, cutting off Meng Qinghe's words, thinking, "You sons of bitches want to roast me over a fire? Not yet done!"

Lin Dongfan pointed his finger at the first sacrificial lamb, Fu Xinping: "Comrade Fu Xinping, you are Zhou Haiping's superior leader! Regarding the matter of Zhou Haiping's abuse of power and perversion of justice for personal gain, are you aware or not?"

As his words fell, all eyes gathered on Fu Xinping; his face turned ashen, the earlier self-mocking smile completely gone.

What does 'one sword seals the throat' mean?

This is 'one sword seals the throat'!

Many present sighed with regret.

Some watched silently.

Others secretly sighed: 'Fu Xinping, Fu Xinping, you truly don't know what's good for you—daring to speak rudely to Mayor Lin at this critical juncture...'

Before Fu Xinping could figure out how to answer this question,

Lin Dongfan then angrily pointed out: 'Zhou Haidong overturned right and wrong, released a rapist, and detained the victim instead. Could such an absurd act be done by him alone? Is there someone behind him pulling the strings?'

These words struck straight at the heart, instantly arousing Fu Xinping's defensive instincts.

Fu Xinping's face darkened with anger: 'Mayor Lin, what do you mean by that?'

"My meaning is, some people, don't think that hiding in the back lets you sleep soundly." Lin Dongfan stared at Fu Xinping, then slowly said: "Now taking the initiative to step forward and explain the matter counts as self-surrender. Otherwise, once the disciplinary commission clarifies Zhou Haidong's issue, no matter who is involved, they will be investigated to the end."

"!!!"

Fu Xinping glared at Lin Dongfan, gritting his teeth and staying silent.

This moment.

The meeting room was quiet to an eerie degree, as if shrouded in a thick aura of death, and Lin Dongfan was the grim reaper who held the power of life and death, making people feel awed and fearful.

Seeing that the meeting's pace had slipped out of his control, Character lightly tapped the table twice: "Alright, the matter of Zhou Haidong will be discussed after the disciplinary commission's investigation results come out."

Character said.

Character again took the opportunity to criticize Lin Dongfan: "Lin Mayor, since the investigation results aren't out yet, you shouldn't wield your power like a big stick to intimidate everywhere; this isn't conducive to unity. If you make people panic, who will have the mind to work?"

"Secretary Character, I don't like hearing that." Lin Dongfan retorted strongly: "As the saying goes, 'If you are upright, you need not fear a crooked shadow'; if you haven't done anything guilty, why fear criticism?"

"!!!"

Character gazed at Lin Dongfan with a smile, but inside he felt as stifled as a grandson.

On the contrary, Fu Xinping, upon hearing the phrase "If you are upright, you need not fear a crooked shadow," laughed and thought: "You Lin Dongfan also have the right to say 'If you are upright, you need not fear a crooked shadow'? Damn it! What were you doing with Su Qianqian in the hotel last night? Struggling until morning before leaving! When online public opinion erupts, I'll see how you die!"