Chapter 464: You Have No Right to Talk to Me

Fang dama craned her neck to see the scene below, and hurriedly waved her hand.

"It's bad, it's bad, Laimao's leader is here, Xiao Lu, the police chief, you'd better hide."

Mei Ju quickly set aside the household chores in her hands, letting Lu Cheng leave the Grand Courtyard first; it's not good to clash head‑on with the leader.

Lu Cheng was unmoved; this is his house, there's no reason for him to hide.

While speaking, a middle‑aged man in a dark‑blue Mao suit walked up the stairs and headed straight for Room 305.

Lu Cheng stood at the doorway, having just denied Fang dama's request to borrow the house.

"Hey, Comrade, you're from the Railway Bureau."

Song Director's tone was unfriendly, and Lu Cheng lifted his eyelid: "Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm the director in charge of Heating for the Grand Courtyard in the General Affairs Section, my surname is Song."

Lu Cheng was too lazy to introduce himself: "Just say what you want, I'm busy here."

Song Director glanced around, not knowing what Lu Cheng was busy with, and a circle of women nearby were busy gossiping, which was fine.

"You know what the matter is, release the person quickly."

Lu Cheng shook his head: "That won't do; I just heard Laimao trying to hit me, showing his reformation education is insufficient, and we can't waste the progress made."

When this leader arrives, if he came up politely saying a few nice words, Lu Cheng would be too lazy to fuss, but since he came with this attitude, Lu Cheng decided not to release the person.

Mainly, Song Director came in angry, feeling that with his senior seniority, he needn't be polite to a young guy.

Unexpectedly, Lu Cheng was not afraid of the leader at all.

Song Director could only first reason, pointing at Laimao in the Grand Courtyard on the first floor, and said.

"What you're doing is wrong, Laimao's father was an old revolutionary worker, and in an accident he sacrificed his life to protect collective property; as the sole son of that old hero, Laimao is the pride of our Boiler Room."

Lu Cheng felt helpless; nowadays people's thoughts include many who are radical and seeking novelty, as well as many like Song Director who cling to old‑generation thinking, single‑minded.

"My words may be harsh, Song Director: treating someone careless at work who only flirts with his wife as an honor of your unit shows your Boiler Room lacks any drive for progress."

"Hey, it's not you who...," Song Director inhaled, and his words were not just harsh, they were damn awful.

"Alright, alright, I won't waste words with you, release the person quickly; our Boiler Room is short of staff."

"Let me tell you, if Laimao can't go to work today, delaying the delivery of Heating to everyone later, the responsibility falls on you."

The other side actually brought up Heating, and Lu Cheng had just arrived hearing about insufficient heating supply.

Since they'll be staying here for several days, it's a matter of personal interest; Lu Cheng needed to make the other side face this issue.

"Threaten me? You're not threatening me; you're threatening the over a thousand worker families in the Grand Courtyard. Using Heating, a livelihood project, to threaten people—you're unfit as a director."

"If you have the guts, shut off the Heating and see whether the workers revolt against your Boiler Room, then it's over."

Song Director opened his mouth, realizing he had spoken hastily and incorrectly, while Lu Cheng's words were the truth.

If he truly dared to shut off the Heating, it would only ignite the anger of everyone in the Grand Courtyard.

Moreover, the Grand Courtyard also houses leaders of various departments; even if you gave him ten chances, he wouldn't dare actually stop the Heating.

"Don't exacerbate the conflict, who said we'd stop the Heating? I didn't say..." Song Director hurriedly defended.

"I'm telling you to release Laimao, don't affect our work; I'm not negotiating with you."

Lu Cheng laughed, stood up and asked: "Not a negotiation? Then it's an order! What rank are you?"

Mentioning rank, Song Director tidied his Mao suit and then proudly said.

"Thanks to the leader's favor, on May 6 last year at 10:12 AM, I was officially promoted to Deputy Section."

Seeing the other's proud demeanor, Lu Cheng was bewildered; is a Deputy Section supposed to be that proud?

Beside them, Fang dama whispered: "In the past, Lao Song also worked in the Boiler Room, not very cultured."

Lu Cheng nodded in understanding; rising from a grassroots ordinary Boiler Room worker, solidly working his way up, even as a Deputy Section, it's indeed worthy of pride.

But regarding Laimao, Lu Cheng still didn't intend to let it go so easily.

He then, like Song Director, also tidied his clothes.

"Then you're still unfit to talk to me; I'm a proper Section Chief, let your Section Chief come over."

"You..."

Song Director took a deep breath: "Our Section Chief went to He Province to coordinate coal matters, he's not in the Section."

"Then wait for him to return; I'm not in a hurry."

Seeing Lu Cheng's calm demeanor, Song Director really got angry.

"Are you sure you won't release the person?"

"It's not that I won't release him; I'm helping him correct his mistake."

"Insist on making a big fuss?"

"It's not me who wants to make a big fuss; he needs education to improve."

"..."

Song Director was speechless; he realized his question compared to Lu Cheng's answer was like a fist hitting cotton.

No wonder the young can be promoted to Section Chief.

Every sentence, though seemingly not a direct answer, is positioned at a high ideological level, making it irrefutable.

"Alright, you're slick‑tongued, I can't beat you!"

"Since you want to educate him, keep him shackled, don't release him, better freeze him to death, fully reform him; I'm taking my leave."

Song Director, seeing he couldn't win over Lu Cheng, simply vented his anger.

Downstairs, Laimao, seeing the savior Song Director storm away, hurriedly shouted.

"Hey Song Director, why did you leave? I'm still shackled here, get me out."

Song Director hesitated, looking at the iron pole used for drying clothes.

He wondered whether to pull the iron pole out by the root, so the handcuffs could be slid off along the pole, rather than staying frozen here.

Who could have known that Lu Cheng upstairs, as if he could read his thoughts, leaned on the railing and shouted.

"Song Director, that iron pillar is collective property; if anyone damages it and harms collective interests, I have the right to take them away."

That single sentence instantly dispelled Song Director's thought.

"Hey hey hey, Song Director, don't go, I'm still here… Hey, you should've rescued me, I'm about to freeze to death…"

But no one paid attention to Laimao; everyone was busy with their own affairs, and it was almost time for lunch. The aroma from the cylindrical building spread everywhere, and Laimao, anxious, kept hopping on the spot.

Fang dama, while cooking, said: "That little Lu Jingzhang, his mouth is too fierce; even Lao Song got sent away."

A neighbor nearby echoed: "Serves him right, Laimao really deserved to be dealt with like that, give him a good lesson."

"Exactly, before everyone considered his fiery lineage and let him off, but now finally someone dares to deal with him. Hey Lu Jingzhang, you should come back and stay more often."

"Indeed, Lu Jingzhang, I think as long as you live here, the order of this Railway Family Courtyard can improve."

Lu Cheng laughed and deliberately said: "I actually want to come over and stay more, it's just that I can't cook; if I stay at home I can eat the ready-made food my mother makes."

A neighbor immediately replied: "Hey, what's the problem? As long as you come, our family will share a bite with you, that'll be enough for you to eat."

"Alright then, but I can't eat for free. Next time I come, I'll bring some dishes for your family, consider it as the meal expense."

A few Big Aunts, hearing this, laughed heartily, thinking that Lu Jingzhang, although firm toward Laimao, did so because Laimao had indeed spread false rumors first.

As for these neighbors, Lu Cheng remains very friendly and generous.

Thus the several Big Aunts were inclined to inquire about Lu Cheng's marriage.