Family connections: From special recruitment by the county committee to the pinnacle of power

Meanwhile, Xu Shuai arrived at Su Qing's house early in the morning, and told Su Qing and Zhou Shujuan with a smug look on his face that Hongyunlai had been fined six thousand yuan the day before.

After hearing Xu Shuai's explanation, Zhou Shujuan asked excitedly, "They fined so much money! How much will we get back?"

Even if only half of the six thousand yuan is given to the mother and daughter, that's still three thousand yuan!

To everyone's surprise, Su Qing frowned and said, "Mom, what do you take that money for? How much can we possibly get? We can't take a single penny!"

Su Qing was the top scorer in the written exam, so she has that much common sense.

Even if Xu Hansheng's family was fined 6,000 yuan, or even 600,000 yuan, it would have nothing to do with them. At most, people were just helping them vent their anger.

Xu Shuai chuckled sheepishly and said, "Auntie, this money all has to be handed over to the government; we won't get a single penny. However, we can use this incident as leverage to go to Xu Hansheng's house and demand the wages they owe you!"

"Otherwise, next time it won't be six thousand!"

"Just label them as refusing to rectify their practices and shut them down!"

Upon hearing Xu Shuai's words, Zhou Shujuan was immediately intrigued and stood up, saying, "Really?"

Su Qing hurriedly stopped Zhou Shujuan and said, "Mom, that's enough. Xu Hansheng's family has already been fined. Let's just let this matter go."

Su Qing knew perfectly well whether Xu Hansheng's family owed Zhou Shujuan wages.

She had agreed to Zhou Shujuan's request only because she was still angry with Xu Hansheng.

But some things must be done in moderation; once things get out of hand, it's hard to handle.

She and Xu Shuai haven't received their admission notices yet. If this matter affects their jobs, it would be a loss for them.

Xu Shuai, however, said with a disdainful look, "Xiao Qing, don't worry, nothing will happen. I don't believe that Xu Hansheng's parents haven't learned their lesson after just being fined six thousand yuan."

"Let's go, we'll go with Auntie to Xu Hansheng's house and demand our wages! I don't believe his parents would dare say a word against it!"

Now, he felt he could finally breathe a sigh of relief and hold his head high.

Back in high school, Xu Hansheng stole his girlfriend, leaving Xu Shuai incredibly angry.

But at that time, his father was not the deputy director of the county government office, but just an unknown deputy section chief.

It sounds nice to say he's a deputy section chief, but in reality, he's just a deputy section-level cadre with pitifully little power.

Even if he wanted revenge, he would have nowhere to retaliate.

But things are different now. His father is now a deputy section chief, and he will soon be reporting to the county government office.

Where is Xu Hansheng?

He's just a rich playboy.

What does money matter in the face of power?

Yesterday, he only asked two acquaintances to give Xu Hansheng's house a good beating. Now, would Xu Hansheng and his parents dare to cause any trouble?

It's time for him to show off his power in front of Xu Hansheng!

The thought of Xu Hansheng throwing five yuan at his face and taking Su Qing away from him made Xu Shuai feel like a fire was burning in his heart!

They say fortunes change every thirty years, but in just six short years, he's already gotten his revenge for that arrow that struck him!

Xu Shuai was even a little impatient to see the angry yet helpless faces of Xu Hansheng and his parents.

Finally, at Xu Shuai's insistence, the three of them arrived at Hongyunlai Restaurant together.

As soon as Xu Shuai pushed open the restaurant door, he saw Xu Hansheng, who had just returned to the store and taken over Li Xiuru's job of collecting payments at the bar.

"How many of you are dining here? Let me make it clear first, this restaurant does not offer discounts!"

Xu Hansheng had a harmless smile on his face, but he deliberately emphasized the last few words, "no debts," making them sound extremely jarring. This attracted the attention of many customers in the shop, who turned their heads to look at Xu Shuai and his companions.

"Xu Hansheng, who do you think you are!"

Su Qing was truly provoked by Xu Hansheng's words.

Since leaving Xu Hansheng, she has never eaten a "pretty meal" again. Let alone a fancy restaurant that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars, even eating at Hongyunlai is a luxury for her.

Although the portions at Xu Hansheng's restaurant are small, the prices are very high. A simple stir-fry with vegetables costs twenty or thirty yuan, and meat dishes start at fifty yuan.

Two or three people, or even three to five hundred, simply wouldn't be enough.

You could say that eating here is all about prestige and quality!

After all, three to five hundred yuan is half a month's salary for ordinary wage earners.

Now Zhou Shujuan has been fired again, and she doesn't even have a livelihood for the next two weeks. How can she afford to eat at such an expensive restaurant?

Xu Hansheng smiled faintly and said expressionlessly, "Of course I'm talking about you guys. I'll repeat myself, this shop will not give you any credit."

"Xu Hansheng, we didn't come here to eat!"

Xu Shuai's face darkened, and he said in a cold voice.

"If you're not here for a meal, then I'm sorry, you're not welcome. Please leave immediately, or I'll call the police!"

Xu Hansheng said calmly.

Xu Shuai snorted coldly and said, "What, you've already forgotten what you were punished for? Looks like the punishment was too lenient!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Hansheng looked at Xu Shuai with surprise.

It wasn't that Xu Hansheng hadn't guessed that Xu Shuai was behind it all; he just hadn't expected Xu Shuai to be so brainless as to say it out loud.

Xu Hansheng smiled faintly and said, "So, you're saying you instructed... no, it should be your father, Director Xu, who instructed them to come to my house to impose a fine?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Shuai immediately realized something was amiss and quickly changed his tune, saying, "Stop talking nonsense! Your family's shabby restaurant doesn't need my dad to target you! I just happen to be well-informed and know that your family was fined yesterday for hygiene issues!"

"Let me tell you, if you know what's good for you, you'd better pay Aunt Zhou's back wages right now, or we're going to report you to the labor bureau!"

His implication was that if Xu Hansheng dared to utter even the slightest dissent, he would use his father's connections to embarrass Xu Hansheng again at the Labor Bureau.

Seeing that Xu Hansheng didn't speak, Su Qing thought he was scared, so she stepped forward, took Xu Shuai's arm and said, "Xu Hansheng, we've been together for six years after all. As long as you settle my mother's salary for this month, we won't pursue this matter."

"Otherwise, your family will be in big trouble at the labor bureau. You've prepared for the exam, so you should know that the penalties for withholding wages are severe!"

"It might even affect your civil service exam next year!"

Xu Hansheng chuckled lightly, ignoring Su Qing completely, and turned to look at the door.

Just then, Xu Shuai's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was an unfamiliar number, so he hung up immediately.

But the next second, that number called him again.

Xu Shuai answered the phone somewhat impatiently, "Hello, who is this?"

"Hello, we are from the County Discipline Inspection Commission. Are you Xu Shuai?" a cold voice came from the phone.

Discipline Inspection Commission?

Xu Shuai was taken aback at first, then answered somewhat awkwardly, "I...I am."

"Where are you right now?" The cold voice came from the other end of the phone again.

"I...I'm at Hongyunlai..." Xu Shuai stammered.

"Wait there, we're coming to find you!" After saying that, the other end of the phone hung up.

Before long, two young men in disciplinary committee uniforms pushed open the hotel room door and approached Xu Shuai, saying, "You're Xu Shuai? Come with us!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Shuai was completely stunned, staring blankly at the two discipline inspection cadres and asking, "Why...why?"