Zhou Fangyu returned to the Finance Department in high spirits. This was the first time he'd returned to the office since he'd started studying at the Provincial Party Committee's Party School. He couldn't remember how many days it had been since he'd last left the office. Come to think of it, it should've been fourteen days ago. Yes, two weeks ago. Zhou Fangyu remembered now. He'd left the office with his tail between his legs that day to report to the Provincial Party Committee's Party School. This was the first time he'd returned in two weeks. Compared to the gloom he'd felt when he left, Zhou Fangyu was in high spirits this time.
Zhou Fangyu's appearance caused quite a bit of discussion within the Finance Department. Everyone was respectful in front of Zhou Fangyu, but as soon as he entered his office, the discussion behind him grew louder and louder. In Zhou Fangyu's absence, the Executive Deputy Director, Ling Su, had been in charge of the bureau's daily affairs. Deputy Director Yang Tianqing had also been actively involved in the bureau's daily affairs, vaguely opposing Ling Su. Especially since someone had personally said that they'd heard Yang Tianqing arguing with Ling Su in his office.
Although there was no concrete evidence to back up these rumors, the people within the Finance Department believed them. Judging from the current situation in the bureau, Yang Tianqing was indeed fighting with Ling Su for power. Ling Su was the Executive Deputy Director, so he should've been in charge of the bureau's affairs when the Director wasn't around. However, Yang Tianqing refused to submit to Ling Su, and the conflict between the two was on the verge of becoming public.
However, there was one thing that had to be mentioned here: Yang Tianqing and Ling Su were fighting for power under the premise that Zhou Fangyu might not be able to keep his position as the Director any longer. Today, Zhou Fangyu had suddenly returned, and he appeared to be in high spirits. The expression on his face was one that Yang Tianqing and Ling Su were all too familiar with. This confused both of them at the same time. Had Zhou Fangyu's brain gone bad from studying at the Party School?
Ling Su was the first to enter Zhou Fangyu's office. As the Executive Deputy Director, he'd gone to Zhou Fangyu's office under the guise of reporting on the bureau's internal affairs for the past two weeks. Ling Su had to find out if anything had happened to Zhou Fangyu. He'd long since seen the throne of the Finance Department's Chief as his in the bag. If Zhou Fangyu continued to sit in that position, then his beautiful dream would be dashed.
Ling Su stayed in Zhou Fangyu's office for about half an hour before he came out with flagging interest. He tried to sound out Zhou Fangyu, but the answer he got was something he didn't want to hear. Zhou Fangyu's words implied that he was about to end his studies at the provincial party school soon and return to the bureau to oversee work. At the same time, Zhou Fangyu praised Ling Su's diligent work for the past few days and ensured that there were no flaws in the bureau's work.
Damn it, do you still think you're the Chief? I'd like to see how long you can stay in that position. Ling Su cursed Zhou Fangyu inwardly the moment he walked out of his office. The last thing he wanted was to see Zhou Fangyu continue to be the Chief. If Zhou Fangyu didn't step down, then Zhou Fangyu was blocking his way forward. There was no way Ling Su would be happy about that. That was why Ling Su was particularly pissed off when Zhou Fangyu continued to put on the airs of a Chief as usual. Ling Su had quickly gotten into his role in the past few days when Zhou Fangyu wasn't around. He'd assumed that Zhou Fangyu would step down without a doubt. Now that Zhou Fangyu was talking to him with the tone of a Deputy Director, Ling Su couldn't help but feel angry.
Ling Su saw Yang Tianqing poking his head in from outside as soon as he walked out of Zhou Fangyu's office. As soon as their eyes met, Yang Tianqing turned his head in another direction, ignoring Ling Su and walking straight into Zhou Fangyu's office. As for Ling Su, he was already in a bad mood. He snorted coldly and ignored Yang Tianqing, turning to leave.
"Chief Zhou, why are you back?" Yang Tianqing sat down on a chair in front of Zhou Fangyu's desk, facing him with a flattering smile. Of course, this was all an act. His thoughts were no different from Ling Su's — he couldn't wait for Zhou Fangyu to get the hell out of here. With Chen Xing's support, the position of Chief wasn't too far away for him. Anyways, he had a lot to look forward to. What did Zhou Fangyu have to say now that he'd come back so full of himself?
"What, can't I come back? Tianqing, are you saying that you don't want me to come back? " Zhou Fangyu looked at Yang Tianqing mockingly. Although he wasn't in the bureau, he knew everything that was going on inside. Yang Tianqing and Ling Su were competing with each other in the bureau, trying to rope in the middle-level officers. Zhou Fangyu knew all of this. He knew that Yang Tianqing had his eyes on the position of Chief, and he also knew that Yang Tianqing had Chen Xing's support. Now that Yang Tianqing had followed Ling Su in, it was obvious that he was here to sound him out.
"Chief Zhou, you've misunderstood me. Why would I have such thoughts? This bureau can lose anyone but you, Chief Zhou. During your absence, I've been waiting day and night for you to come back, Chief Zhou." Yang Tianqing said with a smile, not hesitating to flatter Zhou Fangyu. "Is that so?
It's rare for you to have such thoughts. Your words have finally made me feel a little better. Aiya, the world is dangerous these days, and people's hearts aren't what they used to be. When I went to the party school for advanced studies, I don't know how many people started gossiping behind my back, hoping that something would happen to me sooner. Now that I'm back, I'm afraid a lot of people are disappointed. " Zhou Fangyu looked at Yang Tianqing with a smile, as if Yang Tianqing's words had really hit the nail on the head.
"Chief Zhou, you're right. People nowadays have rotten hearts. They can't be compared to the past." Yang Tianqing echoed Zhou Fangyu's words with a smile, but his heart skipped a beat. What did Zhou Fangyu mean? Was Zhou Fangyu hinting that he would be able to get through this hurdle smoothly and continue in his position as Chief?
That's right. People's hearts are rotten these days. Zhou Fangyu looked at Yang Tianqing with a half-smile and changed the topic. "Tianqing, you have to take on more work in the bureau from now on. Capable people do more work. I don't think your current responsibilities are enough. I just left Mayor Chen's place, and Mayor Chen praised your abilities. You have to take on more heavy responsibilities in the future. I believe that with your abilities, you can definitely do a better job than Ling Su."
"Chief Zhou, you … you're making me feel ashamed." Yang Tianqing was stunned when he heard Zhou Fangyu's words. Then, he looked at Zhou Fangyu in confusion. He was shocked. What did Zhou Fangyu mean? Especially when he mentioned Chen Xing on purpose. Could it be … Yang Tianqing thought of a possibility, and his expression turned ugly. If Zhou Fangyu had really used some tricks to make Chen Xing approve of him, then the others could forget about having any hopes of becoming Chief.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of. If you're capable, then you're capable. I've worked with you guys for so long. I know very well who's capable and who's not. Tianqing, you're much more capable than Ling Su." Zhou Fangyu smiled faintly. Anyone could lie. Since Yang Tianqing had obtained Chen Xing's support, he didn't mind showing goodwill to Yang Tianqing.
"Chief Zhou, your praise is making me feel a little embarrassed." Yang Tianqing smiled a little embarrassedly, but his mind was spinning rapidly. What was Zhou Fangyu's goal of belittling Ling Su and praising him in such an unusual manner? Did Zhou Fangyu know that Yang Tianqing and Ling Su had been hostile toward each other for the past few days and wanted to make things worse between them? Or perhaps Zhou Fangyu had received some sort of instruction from Chen Xing?
Yang Tianqing left Zhou Fangyu's office with a stomach full of questions. Yang Tianqing couldn't understand Zhou Fangyu's attitude no matter how hard he thought about it. Zhou Fangyu, on the other hand, watched Yang Tianqing's departing figure with a cold smile on his lips. Now that he was relying on Chen Xing's side, he and Yang Tianqing might be on the same side in the future. However, in the depths of Zhou Fangyu's heart, he still saw Yang Tianqing as an enemy. Anyone who dared to covet his position was his mortal enemy.
Zhou Fangyu wouldn't let a single one of them go. If he had the chance in the future, Zhou Fangyu would definitely trample Yang Tianqing to the ground. Right now, he only needed to express his goodwill to Yang Tianqing. The most important thing for him now was to protect his own position. Yang Tianqing now had a say in Chen Xing's side, so Zhou Fangyu didn't want to cause more trouble for himself. However, it was undeniable that Zhou Fangyu had purposely held back on Yang Tianqing. Otherwise, he could've told Yang Tianqing everything today. However, he was purposely playing Tai Chi with Yang Tianqing. He wanted to stab Ling Su in the back. He didn't dare speak of such things to others. If Yang Tianqing got drunk one day and passed out, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Should I make a trip to Mayor Chen's place? Yang Tianqing frowned and wondered if he should go to Chen Xing's place. The information revealed by Zhou Fangyu made him think of Chen Xing's place.
Yang Tianqing went to Chen Xing's office and told him about Zhou Fangyu's return from the Party School. Seeing that Chen Xing didn't have much of a reaction, Yang Tianqing knew that Zhou Fangyu didn't lie to him. It seemed that Zhou Fangyu did go to Chen Xing's office before returning to the bureau. Yang Tianqing thought that the information revealed by Zhou Fangyu was probably true. Yang Tianqing felt inexplicably agitated. He didn't know what methods Zhou Fangyu had used to make Chen Xing approve of him. This was a very bad thing for Yang Tianqing. Chen Xing had promised to help him become the director of the Finance Bureau. Now it seemed that his efforts were in vain.
You just need to do your job well. Zhou Fangyu's return may not be a bad thing for you. Cooperate with him. Chen Xing said to Yang Tianqing. Today, Zhou Fangyu came to him and very sincerely expressed his loyalty. After careful consideration, Chen Xing realized Zhou Fangyu's value again. Taking down Zhou Fangyu might not be more beneficial than letting Zhou Fangyu remain as the director. Firstly, the Municipal Party Committee's Secretary, Ge Jian-ming, was also eyeing the power of finance. Taking down Zhou Fangyu was easy, but supporting one of his own might not be so easy.
Ge Jian-ming would definitely try his best to let Ling Su ascend to the position. Ling Su was now the Executive Deputy Director, and it would be perfectly justifiable for him to take over Zhou Fangyu's position. It would be much more difficult for Chen Xing to let Yang Tianqing ascend to the position. This was one of the reasons Chen Xing had to consider carefully. Of course, if Chen Xing was determined to help Yang Tianqing ascend to the position, Ge Jian-ming would have a similarly difficult time helping Ling Su ascend to the position. After all, the Finance Department was an agency directly under the municipal government. Ge Jian-ming was not in the right to extend its influence so far.
Other than Ge Jian-ming, Zhou Fangyu had actually taken the initiative to mention that he had something on Ling Su. This was a pleasant surprise for Chen Xing. If he could remove the nail that Ge Jian-ming had planted in the Finance Department, Chen Xing would definitely not let this opportunity slip by. He wouldn't take the initiative to dip his hands into the organization's personnel, but he didn't want Ge Jian-ming to extend its influence too far either. If he could borrow Zhou Fangyu's hand to take care of Ling Su, why not? Chen Xing had no reason to reject Zhou Fangyu's offer.
After taking care of Ling Su, if Ge Jian-ming wanted to vent his anger, he could direct it at Zhou Fangyu. Even if Zhou Fangyu was sacrificed, Ge Jian-ming could still replace Ling Su with his own men. This was Chen Xing's plan. Zhou Fangyu was now a chess piece in his hands. Currently, he still had some value, and Chen Xing wanted him to fully display his value.
Naturally, Chen Xing couldn't tell Yang Tianqing what he was planning. As a subordinate, Yang Tianqing could only obey. This was the natural law of the jungle in the system.
I will carry out Mayor Chen's orders to the best of my ability. Yang Tianqing couldn't hide the disappointment in his eyes. Since Chen Xing had spoken like this, there was an eighty to ninety percent chance that he was going to protect Zhou Fangyu. If that were to happen, then his dream of becoming the bureau chief would be dashed. It would be strange if Yang Tianqing was happy about this. It was only in Chen Xing's presence that Yang Tianqing didn't dare to show even the slightest bit of dissatisfaction. He could only act as if he was obedient to the bigger picture. This was his helplessness. A higher rank could crush a lower rank, and the one with greater power was always right. How could he dare to say that Chen Xing had previously promised to support him to become the bureau chief, and now he was going back on his word?
Work hard. There will be plenty of opportunities for improvement. There's no rush. Chen Xing could see Yang Tianqing's disappointment. He smiled and comforted him. Yang Tianqing was his man now. He couldn't just let him run without giving him food. It was necessary to comfort him appropriately.
Mayor Chen, you're right. I don't dare to think too much now. I just want to work hard and complete the task that Mayor Chen has given me. Yang Tianqing said with a very proper attitude. However, he smiled bitterly in his heart. If there was a chance to improve, who would want to wait for the future? If he missed this opportunity, there wouldn't be another one. In the system, every position had its own pit. As long as it was a position with real power, everyone would fight for it. Not to mention the position of the head of an extremely important bureau like the Finance Bureau. Who wouldn't be jealous?
Chen Xing was very satisfied with Yang Tianqing's attitude. He told Yang Tianqing a few words and let Yang Tianqing go back.
When the sun rose in the east and set in the west, the colorful night slowly began. Chen Xing left the office at six o 'clock on time. He was going to attend Lin Hong's wedding tonight. The wedding would be held in the restaurant that Lin Hong opened on Coastal Avenue. When Chen Xing arrived at the restaurant, the parking lot, which used to be full of cars, was very empty tonight. Except for a few cars that were dressed like wedding cars, there were almost no other cars.
Lin Hong and Yan Jun stood at the entrance of the restaurant to welcome the guests. When they saw Chen Xing's figure at the entrance of the restaurant, Lin Hong's smile was especially bright. Mayor Chen, you're finally here. If you didn't come, I would have called to urge you. You're the only guest left tonight.
Miss Lin sent me the invitation in person. I don't dare not come. Chen Xing responded jokingly. He glanced at Lin Hong and Yan Jun. Yan Jun, who always had a cool face, also smiled tonight. Seeing Chen Xing staring at him and smiling a little unnaturally, Chen Xing joked with a smile. "Yan Jun, right? I always see you smiling tonight. I thought you didn't know how to smile."
Mayor Chen,
"Our Yan Jun is shy and not good with words. Don't laugh at him." Lin Hong said with a smile.
"When a woman has a boyfriend, she is really a tigress who protects her calf. It seems that I can't talk nonsense." Chen Xing said with a smile. He was very emotional in his heart. Who would have thought that Lin Hong, who used to be called a vicious beauty, would have such a warm side. Love, could actually change her so much. "
After chatting for a while at the entrance, Lin Hong and his wife led the way in front of Chen Xing. Lin Hong introduced to Chen Xing with a smile as they walked. There were only five tables tonight. There weren't many people, so the banquet would be held in the hall.
It was good to hold it in the hall. It was lively. It was better than holding it separately in the private rooms. It would not have the atmosphere. Chen Xing smiled and nodded casually. He was surprised that Lin Hong invited so few guests. There were only five tables for a wedding banquet, which was very few. Previously, Lin Hong said that it was just a simple banquet. Chen Xing thought it was a joke. He didn't expect it to be true.
"Mayor Chen, this is my parents." Lin Hong pointed to an old couple beside Chen Xing and introduced them.
"Hello, Uncle and Auntie." When Chen Xing heard that the old couple beside them were Lin Hong's parents, he quickly stood up.
Lin Hong's parents were undoubtedly the kind of honest old farmers who worked in the fields all day. Their skin was tanned and time had left wrinkles of different depths on their faces. After hearing their daughter's introduction, both of them knew that Chen Xing was one of the top officials in Nanzhou City. They cautiously shook hands with Chen Xing with a simple and honest smile on their faces. They didn't know what to say.
"Mayor Chen, my parents are not good with words. Please don't take it to heart." Lin Hong smiled apologetically at Chen Xing.
"Miss Lin, don't you know who I am? Chen Xing smiled and shook his head. Chen Xing had always been respectful to the elders.
After exchanging greetings, they sat down again. After hearing Lin Hong's words, Chen Xing knew that Lin Hong invited all her relatives from her hometown. She didn't invite any friends in Nanzhou City. Chen Xing could feel that when Lin Hong mentioned those so-called friends in the city, there was a mocking look in the depth of his eyes. Obviously, Lin Hong didn't think those people were real friends. In other words, Chen Xing was the only "outsider" tonight. This made Chen Xing feel a little uncomfortable.
"Xiao Hong, your third uncle hasn't come yet. Hurry up and make a call." Lin Hong's father suddenly said.
"Dad, there's no need to ask. If he wanted to come, he would have come a long time ago. It's already so late, and I don't think he will come." A trace of disgust flashed across Lin Hong's face. She was very disgusted with her third uncle. Back then, her third uncle could become the secretary of the Town Party Committee because she helped Li Haocheng. When she was Li Haocheng's lover, Li Haocheng always called her every now and then and cared about this and that, just like his own daughter. When Li Haocheng had an accident, her third uncle knew that she had lost her support and might be involved in the power struggle in the city. Her life was precarious, so he immediately changed his face and became very cold to her family. If her brother hadn't mentioned it on the phone, Lin Hong would still be in the dark.
"No matter what, he is still your third uncle. Just call him again. If he doesn't come, then forget it." Lin Hong's father tried to persuade her.
Unable to dissuade her father's insistence, Lin Hong could only make another call. In the past, her relationship with her family was very strained. When her parents heard that she was a mistress in Nanzhou, they once came to argue with her, asking her to go back to her hometown. They even said that if she didn't go back, they would cut off their relationship as father and daughter. In the end, Lin Hong didn't go back, and the result could be imagined. For a long time, she and her family were basically strangers, and they didn't interact with each other. Now that the relationship between father and daughter had improved, Lin Hong especially cherished it.
In fact, during the time when she and her family were at loggerheads, her third uncle was very diligent in visiting her. He even said that he would help persuade her parents. Now that she was able to sit with her parents again, it might be because of her third uncle's help. But thinking about it carefully, he must have taken a fancy to her special relationship with Li Haocheng. Otherwise, why would he be so attentive?
"Dad, I don't know where Third Uncle is. He said that he might not come, so we don't need to worry about him." After the call, Lin Hong turned to her father and said.
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