Chapter 642: Someone

Leader Qi saw Xi Lianghong turn and walk away, snorted, and felt contempt.

He said it was all for the town's consideration, but he didn't believe Xi Lianghong could be without any selfish motive.

He judged others by himself.

Anyway, he did have one.

When the higher-ups issued this target, Wu An's figure flashed through his mind.

The last time county and city leaders came for inspection, Wu An performed brilliantly.

Coupled with what he's doing now, calling him an outstanding youth of the county is more than fitting.

But he felt that Xi Lianghong was close to Wu An, which made him hesitant at the time.

Moreover, the elder leader asked him to chat, so after much deliberation, he submitted Shen Nan.

That also aligned with his interests.

He could also repay Elder Shen's favor, making it a win‑win.

Now that Xi Lianghong is challenging him, he is even more convinced his original decision was correct.

Even if Xi Lianghong is right and has no selfish motive, going against him is still unacceptable!

In the brief moment he lifted the microphone, these thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind.

Hearing the superior's voice, he quickly concealed his expression and greeted with a smile.

"The county's outstanding youth candidate you submitted was rejected," the superior said bluntly. "Resubmit your selection."

Leader Qi's complexion changed.

Sensing the superior's tone wasn't good, he instinctively stood up: "What's going on?"

"You ask me, I want to ask you—did you do the work properly, and is the submitter qualified?"

"This…"

Whether it's enough is up to them; now it's clear Shen Nan isn't qualified.

That's unusual.

Previously, even if candidates didn't fully meet the criteria, most were turned a blind eye to.

Submitting a candidate seems simple, but the underlying situation is complex, and such outright rejections rarely occur under normal circumstances.

"You must take this task seriously and select based on fairness, justice, and openness."

"Don't harm others or yourself."

The superior's words were blunt, already quite severe.

He hurriedly reassured repeatedly and cautiously asked, "Did the higher-ups provide any guidance?"

The superior cleared his throat and said, "Last time you accompanied the city leaders, wasn't the young man from your town named Wu An performing well?"

"Also, didn't you read today's newspaper?"

"Does Fuyuan Town have anyone who better meets the outstanding youth standards than him?"

Every sentence the superior said was a questioning, showing considerable dissatisfaction with him.

After all, the higher-ups rejected the candidate; what does that indicate?

It shows his selection was inaccurate, and that during the process of handing the list to the superiors, everyone's work fell short.

Leader Qi quickly said, "I didn't expect him to be that capable."

"It's good that your town produced such a talented youth."

"Yes, yes, yes."

"Of course, I'm just offering a suggestion; the concrete work still falls to you."

Hearing the superior say that, Leader Qi understood the situation.

He hung up.

Leader Qi only then realized he was drenched in sweat; a gust of wind made his back feel cold.

The more he thought, the more dread grew.

He also grew increasingly angry.

Damn.

Could it be that Wu An's head has been sharpened to a point?

You can't even step on it.

Had he known this, he shouldn't have submitted Shen Nan in the first place.

Now it's a mess.

Even if he resubmits Wu An, that favor won't fall on him.

He even suspects the higher-ups rejected Shen Nan because Wu An complained to them.

He sat down.

He took a drag, lifted his briefcase, and hurriedly drove away from Zhendayuan.

…

On the other side.

After Ma Weiqun's briefing, Chen Lao Da's suspicion was essentially cleared.

But that doesn't mean he's blameless; after all, he supplied "criminal tools" to Ma Weiqun and was heavily fined a large sum.

Chen Lao Da felt truly aggrieved.

He didn't know what Ma Weiqun was up to; otherwise, even if he were given a hundred doses of courage, he still wouldn't dare cooperate with Ma Weiqun.

But he couldn't claim to be wronged.

Because he didn't know, they only fined him; otherwise he could never have been released.

After all this trouble.

Chen Lao Da had just returned home, hadn't even taken a sip of water, when the Chen family came to his door.

The Chen family's two trawlers were bought jointly by the Chen-surname investors.

He is the biggest shareholder and also in charge of operations.

Before this, the annual dividends given to the clanspeople were still quite good, although it was a case of 'you good, I good, everyone good'.

But after this year's fishing moratorium ended, things went wrong: the trawler had an accident, Chen Baosheng was beaten and fined.

The Chen family members who had invested were unhappy.

They felt Chen Lao Da was always stirring up trouble, not making money properly, and demanded he give an explanation.

Chen Lao Da painstakingly explained: "The recent events, everyone knows, many things are not because of me."

Then nobody listened to his explanation.

The Chen family came together this time, plainly just to cause him trouble.

Chen Family Elder: "I think the recent troubles our Chen family has encountered are inseparable from Wu An of Xixi Village."

"First it was Chen Long's family, then it's you."

"This has made the Chen surname's reputation in the village reek."

Chen Lao Da kept nodding.

These words really hit the mark in his heart.

Originally he got involved with Wu An just to help Chen Long's family out, thinking the other party was just a youngster he could easily handle, but now it's turned out that he's the one whose household is unsettled.

To speak frankly.

Chen Lao Da now deeply regrets it; if he had known earlier, he wouldn't have helped Chen Long's family with the pig's head, and perhaps none of these later troubles would have occurred.

The Clan Elder glanced at him, then changed tone: "You still have the nerve to nod."

"Originally, to help Chen Long's family, you went to Xixi Village to stir up trouble, and that was your doing."

"Later, Lao Fu went to Wu An's boat to work, and you also stirred up trouble for people."

"Later, your second son was beaten, and you also slandered that it was Wu An who did it."

"You had Ah Shui cause trouble for the Meijia boy."

"You insisted on taking in Ma Weiqun and his gang—what was the result?"

Chen Lao Da hearing this, his face turned extremely grim: "Old Third Uncle, do you really think all this is my fault?"

The Clan Elder snorted angrily: "Otherwise, what do you think I'm doing, hobbling over with my cane to chat with you?"

Others also started speaking up.

"Speak kindly and prosperity follows, but you keep causing trouble over and over—what good can come of that?"

"I've heard that Wu An kid has strong luck; if you cause trouble for him, even Goddess Mazu won't spare you."

Chen Lao Da was already frazzled, and now his own family came to cause him trouble, with everyone criticizing him.

It exploded on the spot.

The meeting had been fine, but as they talked, it almost came to blows.

After all this, the Chen family's hearts were scattered, and they demanded to split up.

Chen Lao Da had no choice but to agree.

Originally he had enough money to buy out the trawlers entirely, but after these two bouts of trouble, his finances were drained, leaving no spare money to acquire the trawlers.

After everyone's unanimous discussion, the Clan Elder finally decided: "Sell the boats."

By rights, Chen Lao Da has absolute control over the trawlers; as long as he doesn't agree, no one can sell the fishing boats, but here the clan is the greatest authority.

By now, he dare not not listen.

So the problem arises: suddenly finding someone to take over the trawlers is not that easy.

Who should this trawler be sold to?