Chapter 181: Showdown

Xue Bing's showdown-style conversation finally allowed me to see her most hidden thoughts.

For a woman to reach her level is truly masterful. What love, what vows—it's all bullshit. Whether man or woman, those who know the times are the heroes—that really is a classic saying through the ages!

Once you understand a person's thoughts, the control is at your own feet. It's like driving a car; no matter how dangerous the road is, the person who can step on the brake at the most critical moment will never be afraid.

Of course, once you understand a person, you have to bear the saddest result. Therefore, between people—whether husband and wife, friends, brothers, or even father and son—everyone needs to keep a little mystery. Don't let others see through you, because seeing through doesn't lose yourself, but hurts others.

Xue Bing took a big detour and finally stopped at the roadblock. In fact, her foot was still on the accelerator, ready to rush into the roadblock and perish together at any time.

Huang Weiwei was the roadblock in her path, and her goal might not just be me; after passing this roadblock, she might also reach her own shore. But if the roadblock made her see no hope for another path, she would perish with the roadblock. And this result was the one I least wanted to see.

Therefore, stabilizing emotions was the most important thing right now.

Xue Bing left in my vague feeling, leaving me alone in the office, watching a spider in the corner hanging from the ceiling. I thought it would fall directly to the ground and get dizzy, but I didn't expect it to stabilize itself half a foot from the ground. After pausing for a few seconds, it climbed back up along the silk thread it had spat out, hanging upside down from the ceiling, opening a pair of bright eyes and looking at me with contempt.

A fire rose in me; I took off a shoe and threw it viciously at it. It didn't move, seemingly knowing I was bluffing. It didn't look at me, stopped for a while, and crawled to the other side, leaving me with an illusory shadow.

I slumped helplessly into the chair, looking at the pile of documents on the table, my eyes dazzled.

The phone on the table rang a few times; I picked it up listlessly. As soon as it was close to my ear, I heard Huang Qishan shouting, "Chen Feng, are you still alive?"

I replied angrily, "Rest assured, even if you die, I won't."

"Good that you're not dead. Still staying in that broken office waiting for pie to fall from the sky?"

"Nothing to do." I was even more listless.

"The land compensation money has arrived, don't you know?"

"None of my business. I don't have money to distribute."

"You really don't have money to distribute. Guo Wei doesn't have money to distribute either, yet you're still sitting at home, while he has been running to the county for two days. Can't you have some pursuit in life? If you don't have money to distribute, can't you make sure others don't get it either?" He reminded me earnestly.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing special. Think about it yourself." He hung up the phone.

The receiver in my hand buzzed; I sat blankly for a long time before suddenly understanding.

Sun Demao's minibus had just left, and the township government's courtyard was empty, without a single person.

I pulled the phone from my waist and called Hao Qiang.

Hao Qiang didn't say a word, and in less than five minutes, he drove the three-wheeled motorcycle in front of me, jutting his chin toward the cargo bed to signal me to get on. Before my butt was even steady, he released the clutch, and the motorcycle shot out, almost throwing me off.

Arriving at the county town, I walked straight to Huang Qishan's office.

Halfway there, I ran into County Magistrate Liu Qimeng's secretary. Seeing my hurried look, he joked, "Here to grab money, right!"

I had no mind to pay attention to him and gave him a grin as an answer. Walking to Huang Qishan's office, I found the door locked. I knocked for a long time with no response, and feeling angry, I raised my foot and kicked it. With a loud *bang*, several heads poked out from the neighboring office, jeering, "Smash it, smash it and you'll find Secretary Huang."

The land compensation money couldn't fall into Guo Wei's hands; that was the purpose of my hurried arrival.

Once the land money fell into Guo Wei's hands, the people of Laoyingzui wouldn't get a single cent. The people of Laoyingzui Village, unable to get the money, might even burn down the township government. At that time, the law wouldn't punish the masses, and no one would be able to clean up this mess. More importantly, if Laoyingzui Village couldn't get the land compensation, the land acquisition for the mineral water factory would be written in the wind.

Guo Wei had high-pressure methods, and he was grandiosely talking about relocation. The report on Suxi Township's relocation had run around the county, the city, and even the province, and the instructions received were all to agree to the relocation, but with no money given.

Without money, you can't relocate a fart. Guo Wei couldn't conjure money, and neither could I. Without money, you can't move an inch!

Guo Wei originally had a plan: in the farmers' market next to the new township government, he would give each household in Laoyingzui Village a stall. After the plan was released, Laoyingzui Village didn't buy it. In their view, building a farmers' market in Suxi Township, which was far away, what would they sell? Who would buy it? The entire township had less than a hundred urban residents, and most were "half-side households"—who didn't have a few cents of vegetable plots? Who didn't raise three or five chickens or ducks?

Anxious, I turned around upstairs and downstairs, but couldn't even find a shadow of Huang Qishan. I called his phone, and this kid actually turned it off. This spy, since he called me to tip me off, now that I've come, he's hiding and refusing to see me.

Unable to find anyone, I was both angry and anxious, so I simply sat on the steps of the County Committee Building, took out a cigarette, lit it, and smoked unhurriedly.

Before I finished one cigarette, Liu Qimeng's secretary ran over, saying the County Magistrate heard I was smoking on the steps and told me to go in and talk.

Following the secretary into County Magistrate Liu's office, I sat on the sofa and shouted for the secretary to pour water.

Having run and searched for people all the way, my throat was almost smoking. After a cup of water, my heart calmed down, and I became much clearer.

"What are you here for?" County Magistrate Liu was majestic, his tone cold.

"I'm looking for Secretary Huang of the Youth League Committee." I said, handing the cup to the secretary and signaling for another one.

"What are you looking for him for? Here to ask for money?" County Magistrate Liu tapped his fingers lightly on the table, not looking at me.

"No." I answered very cleanly.

"What plan are you hatching? I can see it clearly." County Magistrate Liu suddenly smiled, "Let me tell you. The County Committee held a meeting yesterday; the land compensation money will be decided by the Standing Committee, and no one can move it randomly."

I let go of half my worry, hesitated, and said, "Hasn't Secretary Guo been here for two days?"

"You mean Guo Wei? He was here half an hour ago. Why? Aren't you on the same side?" County Magistrate Liu stared at me strangely, "What play are you two singing?"

"Magistrate, I'm not singing a play; he is." I reported Guo Wei's thoughts one by one. After listening to my report with a furrowed brow, County Magistrate Liu slammed his fist on the desk and cursed, "Good kid, almost fooled me too."

Now it was my turn to be strange; I looked at County Magistrate Liu and shrank my mouth.

"You go back first. This money concerns the livelihood of the common people; the County Committee won't easily listen to one side's opinion." County Magistrate Liu warned me, "Don't learn from Deng Hanyu and the others; don't chase money like flies chasing rotten fish, understand?"

I nodded very seriously, with a slave-like appearance.

In front of leaders, being a slave is always better than being a person. Leaders all like slaves; no leader likes a subordinate who acts on their own initiative.

Just as I reached the door, County Magistrate Liu called me back and asked, "The mineral water factory you told me about last time, it seems there's no movement?"

I had to turn back, standing in front of his desk, and said fearfully, "There was a problem with the investment."

"Others don't want to invest?"

"It's that we don't dare to take it."

"Tell me, why don't you dare to take it?" County Magistrate Liu looked at me with interest and smiled.

I stammered for a long time, not daring to say Guo Wei's meaning.

County Magistrate Liu seemed to understand my concerns; he said lightly, "Little Chen, as long as the money comes legitimately, you take it boldly. Don't be afraid of trouble; I'll back you up."

"I'm afraid the committee members will have conflicts."

"Whoever obstructs economic development cannot stay in a leadership position. Understand?" County Magistrate Liu took a pack of cigarettes from the drawer and threw it to me, "I heard you were smoking on the steps at the entrance of the County Committee just now. Not bad, you have courage and bravery. Take it and smoke."

I took it with both hands again, feeling as excited as if my butt were on fire.

"Smoke less," he exhorted, "You're not married yet; smoking too much is bad for the next generation."

I smiled awkwardly, not daring to talk back.

"I heard Minister Huang's daughter held the spirit tablet for your father?" County Magistrate Liu probed me.

I hurriedly explained, "It was originally Qishan holding it; I don't know what she meant, she insisted on holding it."

"You kid, playing dumb. In Hengyue City, what kind of people hold the spirit tablet?"

"Family." I answered honestly.

"You go back first and handle your water factory matter as soon as possible. The expressway is about to start construction; the Municipal Expressway Headquarters has a requirement, and you might need to cooperate and work together at that time. The County Committee hasn't studied this matter yet, so don't spread it, understand?"

I nodded seriously, my heart jumping violently. The Deputy Director of the Expressway Headquarters was Deputy Bureau Chief Chen Yazhi, Huang Weiwei's mother. The headquarters naming me to cooperate in the work was definitely Chen Yazhi's idea. ===== CHAPTER 182 =====