Chapter 1458

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Xiao Hua, come sit quickly! Keep Uncle Liu company for a couple of drinks!"

Seeing Wang Xiaohua approach, Liu Xinwen immediately greeted him warmly and affectionately.

He saw that Wang Xiaohua wasn't wearing the suit Liu Yumeng had bought, and his heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

But very quickly he became steady as Mount Tai again.

Because the thing he had handed over to Wang Xiaohua tonight, he had full confidence that he could persuade Wang Xiaohua to go deal with Xiao Xueqing.

"Good evening, Director Liu. I caught a cold today and took cephalosporin this afternoon, so I'm afraid I can't keep you company drinking. Truly sorry."

Wang Xiaohua directly refused to drink with Liu Xinwen.

This is a major taboo in officialdom!

Refusing to drink with someone who outranks you — isn't that tantamount to career suicide?

It's not that Wang Xiaohua hadn't thought of this point.

But he still refused.

Because he wanted to make his attitude clear.

He belonged neither to Xiao Xueqing's camp nor to Liu Xinwen's camp.

He had his own persistence, his own set of governance principles!

"Is that so? Hehe, then I won't force it."

Liu Xinwen's expression turned a bit unsightly, but he still endured it.

Tonight's matter, he had prepared for so long; he couldn't possibly abandon the plan just because of a sentence or two from Wang Xiaohua.

So he said:

"Then how about this: you drink Coca-Cola with my daughter, I'll drink alcohol. I'm not one for so many rules — Coca-Cola and liquor can still be toasted together!"

Wang Xiaohua accepted Liu Xinwen's proposal with a perfectly easy conscience:

"Then thank you, Director Liu. Since you've put it that way, I'll drink Coca-Cola."

Liu Xinwen chuckled:

"Don't be so polite. What's with the politeness between us? I said to call me Uncle Liu — don't call me Director Liu. We're not at the unit on duty right now; we're at my home!"

But Wang Xiaohua said:

"Director Liu holds high position; naturally, whether on duty or off duty, you're always the Bureau Chief. Serving the people doesn't distinguish between on-duty and off-duty hours."

Liu Xinwen chuckled:

"Xiao Hua, what you say makes sense! Then suit yourself — address me however you like. I'm very easygoing; I don't have that much red tape!"

Liu Yumeng spoke up at this moment:

"Dad, how come you're so tolerant toward Wang Xiaohua, but impose all kinds of rules on me? That's unfair of you!"

Liu Xinwen replied:

"Isn't it because you lack self-discipline? If you had even half of Xiao Hua's self-discipline, you wouldn't have only tested into a junior college back during the college entrance exam! You were in the Liberal Arts Special Top Class, yet got into a junior college — you set a record back then!"

Liu Yumeng rolled her eyes in return:

"Am I not doing better than most of the class right now? And I listen to you, I'm filial to you, I followed your instructions and returned to our hometown to work — isn't that better than most people's children? What else do you want?"

Liu Xinwen chuckled:

"That talk of yours isn't false. Hurry up and pour Coca-Cola for Xiao Hua!"

This brief exchange between Liu Xinwen and Liu Yumeng revealed a tremendous amount of information.

It was very obvious that Liu Yumeng's entry into the Liberal Arts Special Top Class back then was the result of Liu Xinwen's maneuvering; otherwise, with her grades, it would have been impossible for her to attend the special class.

Wang Xiaohua silently committed this information to memory, without showing any reaction.

At this moment Liu Yumeng came over to pour Coca-Cola for Wang Xiaohua, and muttered disparagingly:

"Wang Xiaohua, since you took cephalosporin today, why didn't you tell me earlier? You made my dad lose face!"

Wang Xiaohua said:

"You didn't tell me in advance that I was coming to your house tonight either. Besides, my cold with a runny nose — you've been able to see that all along."

Liu Xinwen laughed heartily at this point:

"Alright, alright, you two stop bickering. Whether we drink alcohol or not doesn't matter — we're just here for a good time!"

Wang Xiaohua raised his Coca-Cola at this moment:

"Director Liu, may I ask what matter you asked me over for tonight?"

But Liu Xinwen said:

"No rush. Drink first, eat first."

Then he downed it in one gulp.

Liu Xinwen's wife arranged things and brought out bowls and chopsticks for everyone.

Then they ate together.

Wang Xiaohua didn't ask further either, just ate his meal with a perfectly easy conscience.

Until the meal was finished.

Liu Xinwen still hadn't spoken.

Wang Xiaohua stood up to say goodbye:

"Director Liu, it's getting late, I should head back. Thank you for your hospitality tonight!"

Seeing Wang Xiaohua's reaction, Liu Xinwen couldn't help but be stunned.

He had been waiting for Wang Xiaohua to speak up again.

To seize the initiative.

But unexpectedly, Wang Xiaohua didn't speak up to ask even once until he finished the meal.

On the contrary, after finishing the meal, he said his goodbyes and prepared to leave.

In fact, Wang Xiaohua doing this was merely transmitting a signal to Liu Xinwen.

That is, what Liu Xinwen thought Wang Xiaohua would consider very important was merely his own wishful thinking; Wang Xiaohua didn't consider it very important at all.

At this point Liu Xinwen had no choice but to speak:

"Xiao Hua, don't rush. We haven't even talked about the matter yet. No need to be in such a hurry to leave!"

Wang Xiaohua then sat back down:

"Then I'm all ears. Director Liu, whatever you have to say, just say it directly."

Liu Xinwen then said:

"Xiao Hua, back when you tested into Tsinghua University, you received a scholarship issued by the County Government. Do you still remember this matter?"

Wang Xiaohua was stunned.

He immediately understood.

So Liu Xinwen wanted to make an issue out of the scholarship matter from back then.

"I remember. The county gave me 300,000 scholarship money. To this day I'm still grateful to the County Government!"

Wang Xiaohua responded like this.

It could be called watertight.

Liu Xinwen then asked:

"Then do you know how much assistance funds the County Government collected from the County Town's entrepreneurs back then?"

Wang Xiaohua then said:

"That I didn't go inquire about. I only know that back then that 300,000 scholarship brought enormous help to my impoverished family. The house at home that had never been finished got built because of that 300,000."

At this Liu Xinwen shook his head and sighed:

"Xiao Hua, looks like you're still too young, completely unaware how deep the water runs in this matter!"

How could Wang Xiaohua not know? Back then Xiao Xueqing used this matter to forcibly solicit donations from dozens of County Town entrepreneurs, in the name of advertising for their enterprises, ultimately raising at least hundreds of thousands, even tens of millions, yet the amount that finally fell into Wang Xiaohua's pocket was only 300,000.

He was merely pretending to be confused in front of Liu Xinwen.

After all, Liu Xinwen wasn't anything good.

He absolutely couldn't let Liu Xinwen easily manipulate his emotions, let alone let Liu Xinwen lead him by the nose.

"Oh? Is that so? How deep is this water?" Wang Xiaohua pretended to know nothing, asking curiously.

Liu Xinwen then said:

"Back then Xiao Xueqing used your testing into Tsinghua as leverage, forcibly making ten or so county entrepreneurs donate, in the name of advertising for their enterprises, ultimately raising tens of millions in funds. Of this sum, only 300,000 fell into your pocket. Additionally, approximately one million was used to establish a 'Wang Xiaohua Scholarship Fund' in the County Town, rewarding students with good college entrance exam scores every year. As for the remaining majority of the money, its whereabouts are unknown."

Wang Xiaohua looked at Liu Xinwen and asked:

"So, Director Liu, after all these years have passed, you're only now telling me these things. What do you mean by this?"

……