Chapter 702

On February 7th, 1987, the tenth day of the first lunar month, Li Ye finally returned to work at the Qingqi Company.

As soon as he entered the unit, Li Ye felt something was wrong, because from the moment his Santana entered the factory gate, countless people were casting glances at his car, and several people even showed expressions of disdain.

【What's the matter? I took leave to visit relatives, and now you're comparing yourselves to me?】

Many workers in this era had simple minds, and they would disdain anyone who used connections to fake illness, so Li Ye didn't pay it any mind.

But Li Ye didn't feel ashamed either; he had asked for leave to visit his hometown, and Section Chief Ding Zhiwen had personally approved a one-week leave slip—it was reasonable and compliant, and he had even taken one day less than allowed!

However, as soon as Li Ye entered the Supply Section office, his master, Old Ding, stood up and said: "Li Ye, you're back. It just so happens there's something you need to run an errand for. Go to our brother unit in Jincheng and verify the new contract for the car audio recorders..."

"Ah?"

Li Ye was a bit surprised. Why was he being pushed out the door as soon as he got back? Something must be up!

Looking at his master Old Ding's expression, there was indeed something unusual.

"Alright then, I'll pack up and go right away."

Li Ye agreed and left with a few contract documents; he would find an opportunity to figure out what was going on after leaving the unit.

But before Li Ye could even leave the door, two people came in from outside and blocked him.

"Li Ye, someone has reported some situations regarding you; come with us for a moment!"

「. 」

Li Ye was very surprised.

Because one of these two people was Director Lu Zhizhang of the Factory Office, and the other was actually Xiao Jingang from the Party Office.

What major crime had he committed? It had actually alarmed even Deputy Director Xiao, who was in charge of the unit's discipline inspection work?

Looking at Xiao Jingang's expression and listening to his tone, the other party was clearly coming with ill intent, making it feel as if they regarded him as a bad element who had infiltrated the organization.

However, Lu Zhizhang subsequently said: "Li Ye, don't be nervous. We just need to understand some situations; it won't take much time and won't delay your work."

Lu Zhizhang had attended Li Ye's wedding, so he knew Li Ye's background; looking at him, he seemed much more relaxed.

Li Ye said indifferently: "Let's go then!"

He asked himself if he had acted uprightly and honestly, and had never done anything to let the unit down, so what was the harm in going for a trip?

Li Ye followed the two to the Party Office, and Xiao Jingang didn't dawdle, directly throwing a photo at Li Ye.

"Comrade Li Ye, as a Party member, you should have strict self-requirements regarding your conduct.

Yet you are clearly a married man, so how could you be hugging and cuddling with another woman? Now that you've stirred up so much gossip, it's brought very bad influence to the unit and yourself. Now you must actively confess the facts and accept the unit's questioning and investigation..."

Li Ye took the photo and glanced at it, his expression immediately turning cold.

The photo showed Li Ye and Watching Liu Muhan "tugging" and "hugging and cuddling."

During the industry exhibition last year, Li Ye and Watching Liu Muhan had met at the Cherokee booth. Watching Liu Muhan insisted on giving Li Ye a wedding gift, but Li Ye didn't want it. The two tugged for a long time, and finally, Watching Liu Muhan forcibly stuffed the money into Li Ye's pants pocket before she would stop.

And the level of this snapshot was quite high; it just so happened that Watching Liu Muhan's arm was around Li Ye, and because she was laughing, it made people have wild thoughts at a glance.

"This photo... is taken quite well."

Li Ye raised his head coldly, looked at Lu Zhizhang and Xiao Jingang, and said: "I am willing to cooperate with the unit to clarify the truth of this matter, but I must know who provided this photo and who is stirring up trouble."

"Who provided the photo is not important; what's important is your personal conduct... Who is the woman in the photo? What is your relationship, that you would actually be in broad daylight..."

Xiao Jingang might have been doing similar things all along, so the words he spoke were very severe, but Li Ye had no interest in listening to these empty, grand principles.

Li Ye directly interrupted: "Deputy Director Xiao, the source of this photo is very important. If someone reported me anonymously, I have nothing to say; if someone reported me under their real name, then I am willing to confront them face-to-face."

"You should first correct your attitude and explain the answers to the questions we've raised; as for the rest, you don't need to worry about it..."

Xiao Jingang was interrupted by Li Ye, clearly feeling somewhat displeased, and the look he gave Li Ye became even sharper.

Li Ye glanced at him and stopped talking.

Since this matter involved Watching Liu Muhan, he had nothing to say until the principal party appeared.

At the time, Li Ye remembered very clearly that just when he and Watching Liu Muhan were tugging at each other, Guan Liang, the unit's pen-pusher and the general manager's secretary, had slowly passed by with a camera slung over his shoulder.

Looking at the shooting angle of this photo, how could Li Ye not know that the photographer was Guan Liang?

Since you're splashing dirty water on me, then let's stop with the dark, hidden daggers and just face each other directly. If I don't beat the shit out of you, my name isn't Li.

"Li Ye, watch your attitude. Are you trying to make me write this incident into your file?"

Xiao Jingang was furious. Matters of personal conduct were a very important moral judgment standard for a Party member. He had already raised the big stick, yet Li Ye still wouldn't honestly confess—how could he not be angry?

Li Ye said faintly: "What do you want me to explain? This matter is clearly a despicable rumor and frame-up. If you want to convict me based on just one photo, then go ahead and convict me."

"Clap~"

"What are you being arrogant about..."

Xiao Jingang slammed the table and was about to scold Li Ye.

Lu Zhizhang hurriedly stopped him and then said to Li Ye in a friendly manner: "Li Ye, when someone reports this kind of thing, we have to look into it; it's just going through the normal procedures. Just explain clearly who the woman in the photo is and what your relationship is. As long as it's a normal relationship, we won't wrong you."

Li Ye said calmly: "Without her consent, I cannot disclose her identity information for no reason; this is personal privacy.

And if the reporter doesn't dare to stand out openly, I have no interest in dealing with this kind of malicious slander.

Weren't there enough people wronged to death in the past few years? Now they're actually using this set of tricks on me again..."

「. 」

Li Ye's toughness didn't surprise Lu Zhizhang too much.

Of course he believed that Li Ye had no relationship with Watching Liu Muhan. A son-in-law of a ministerial-level cadre actually having an affair in broad daylight? What kind of brains did they have?

However, with Li Ye being so tough, it wasn't easy for Lu Zhizhang to just smooth things over.

So he could only take a side.

Lu Zhizhang turned to Xiao Jingang and said: "I also think it's inappropriate to conclude that Li Ye has conduct problems based on just one photo. Why don't we investigate further? Let's call the person who reported it over as well and handle this matter fairly and clearly."

Lu Zhizhang was able to climb to the position of Factory Office Director, so he was naturally a slick and clever person; he had already guessed Li Ye's intentions.

Li Ye wanted to blow this matter up.

Then he, Lu Zhizhang, would cooperate with Li Ye to blow it up.

。。。。。。。。。

Li Ye indeed wanted to blow this matter up.

Because if you don't blow it up, it's very difficult to explain this kind of dirty water-splashing to the people around you.

I say I don't have an affair with Watching Liu Muhan, but how can you prove it? Who among the gossiping crowd would believe it?

Especially since Li Ye was so high-profile—promoted to deputy section chief in half a year and owning a private car—if they didn't target him, who would they target?

Rumors, rumors—the more they spread, the more outrageous they become, until in the end, they can turn the dead into the living.

So, one must drag the reporter out, nail that petty person firmly to the wall, and let everyone watch, only then can the public's interest be shifted to the other party.

As for whether he offended Xiao Jingang, that was no longer important at all.

It had been less than three years since Li Ye went from being an activist to a full Party member, and his file clearly recorded the reasons: first, leading the Gunjun Literature Society to achieve great results, and second, receiving an official commendation for his courageous act of righteousness.

For such an excellent youth to be treated so "solemnly" because of a single photo—did one even need to ask the reason?

This was about stirring up trouble!

Xiao Jingang was on the same line as Guan Liang, and they were targeting Li Ye this time.

By pinning a groundless charge on you, they could bring it up whenever it was time for promotion; after all, you couldn't explain it clearly, could you?

So since it was already this cruel, did one still need to distinguish right from wrong?

If you participated, that was original sin; you had to take the beating and stand at attention.