I slept with my sister's classmate, and she turned out to be my boss.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Liu Jianming sat in his office, brewing a cup of tea and leisurely sipping it.

He's been dragging his feet on the request for access to the documents for almost a week.

From "the process is underway" to "the leader is on a business trip," he changed his excuses several times. Every time the audit team called to urge him to come back, he had a new one.

He felt he had done a good job of stalling, neither breaking off relations nor providing materials, so that the audit team would eventually give up and the matter would simply be dropped.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

He turned his head and saw that Huang Shide was standing at the door.

The deputy director in charge, his immediate superior.

He quickly stood up, a smile on his face.

"Director Huang..."

He was about to say something when Huang Shide interrupted him.

"Come to my office."

Liu Jianming was a little confused. Usually, when Director Huang needed to contact him, he would call or have his secretary relay the message.

He almost never comes to the office to call him personally.

What's wrong with me today?

His mind raced: "What important matter could Director Huang have that he personally sought out me about?"

"Could it be a request for access...?"

He followed Huang Shide nervously, not daring to ask why.

After Huang Shide walked into the office and sat down, he pointed to the chair opposite him.

"sit."

Liu Jianming's heart skipped a beat. He sat down opposite Huang Shide, put his notebook on the table, and waited for Huang Shide to speak.

"Director Liu, what's the deal with that request for information from Qingshun County?"

It really is this...

Liu Jianming's fingers tightened slightly.

"Director Huang, we received that request for access... But retrieving the materials requires a procedure, and we need your signature—"

"I'm away on a business trip?"

Huang Shide interrupted him, his gaze fixed on Liu Jianming's face.

Liu Jianming's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"Director Huang, that's not what I meant. I meant—"

"What do you mean?"

Huang Shide's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a nail driven into Liu Jianming's ears.

"The audit team followed up three times, and you said, 'It's in the process.' The audit team followed up four times, and you said, 'The leader is away on a business trip.' Director Liu, when have I ever been away on a business trip? How come I didn't know?"

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Liu Jianming's forehead.

"Director Huang, I—"

"Don't speak yet."

Huang Shide picked up a document from the table and threw it in front of Liu Jianming.

Liu Jianming looked down and saw a letter urging action to be taken.

The document was an official document with the heading of the Provincial Audit Office and its official seal.

The content was formal, the wording polite, but every word carried an undeniable air of authority.

"The audit is nearing completion and we urgently need the relevant materials. Please provide your assistance."

The CC field reads:

The General Office of the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Huang Shide, the Deputy Director in charge, and the General Office of the Provincial Audit Office.

Liu Jianming stared at the urging letter, his hands beginning to tremble.

"Director Liu, the provincial audit department's follow-up letter has reached me. You're telling me it's 'going through the process'? How am I, the deputy director in charge, supposed to explain this to the audit department?"

"Director Huang, I...I'll handle it immediately."

"immediately?"

Huang Shide leaned back in his chair, staring at him.

"Director Liu, how many days have you had the request for the documents in your hands?"

Liu Jianming lowered his head, not daring to look Huang Shide in the eye.

"Director Liu, I have one more question for you."

Huang Shide's voice turned somber.

"Was it your own idea to suppress this request for information, or was someone else telling you to suppress it?"

Liu Jianming's fingers tightened suddenly.

"Director Huang, it's my fault...it was my negligence—"

"Liu Jianming".

Huang Shide didn't call him "Director Liu," but called him by his name directly.

In official circles, a change in address often signifies a change in attitude.

Calling someone by their name is tantamount to questioning them.

"How many years have you worked at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs?"

"Ten...ten years."

"Ten years. It wasn't easy to rise from a clerk to a deputy director."

Liu Jianming lowered his head and remained silent.

"Your brother-in-law is the executive deputy county head of Qingshun County, right?"

Liu Jianming's face turned pale instantly.

"Director Huang, I—"

"Liu Jianming, I have a few words to say to you. Listen carefully."

Liu Jianming raised his head and looked at Huang Shide.

"First, all materials from Qingshun County must be delivered to the audit team before the end of the workday today. Not a single one can be missing."

"Secondly, I will report this matter at the Party Committee meeting of the department. You should write a written self-criticism and submit it to the office."

"third--"

Huang Shide looked at him, his gaze darkening.

"Don't get involved in your brother-in-law's affairs anymore. What he did in Qingshun County is none of your business. If you keep helping him suppress evidence, the next time someone comes to you won't be me."

Liu Jianming opened his mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out.

"Also, I heard that the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection is paying attention to the matter of reviewing materials. Haven't you heard about it?"

Liu Jianming's heart sank immediately.

He had heard the news, of course, but someone else had relayed a message to him, telling him to hold back a bit.

He was just a minor deputy director-level official, and no one could afford to offend him.

Since this matter was related to Fang Mingyuan, he gritted his teeth and took the blame.

"I...I've heard about it."

He stammered a reply.

Huang Shide looked at him as if he were an idiot, and raised his voice a notch.

"Knowing that the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection is paying attention, why are you still not awake? Why are you so stubbornly clinging to your delusions?"

"Director Huang, I..."

Huang Shide raised his hand to stop him.

"Stop talking, just go..."

Liu Jianming stood up, his legs feeling a little weak.

He picked up the urging letter on the table, turned around and walked out.

"Liu Jianming".

Huang Shide called him again.

Liu Jianming stopped and turned around.

Huang Shide looked at him and emphasized again in a commanding tone:

"The materials must be sent over today."

Liu Jianming nodded, opened the door, and went out.

Back in his office, he closed the door, leaned against it, and let out a long sigh.

Huang Shide found out.

He knew the request for access had been suppressed, he knew Fang Mingyuan was his brother-in-law, and he knew he was helping Fang Mingyuan stall for time.

He might even know that Fang Mingyuan wasn't the only one behind this.

Liu Jianming walked behind the desk and sat down.

He opened the drawer, pulled out the access request from the very back, then picked up the phone and dialed the finance department's number.

"Old Zhang, get the original approval documents for that special fund in Liuhe Town, Qingshun County, right now. Get them all, the originals, not a single one can be missing."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

"Director Liu, didn't you say there was no rush?"

"I said immediately. Send it to the audit team before this afternoon."

"Okay, okay, I'll take care of it right away."

Liu Jianming hung up the phone, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling.

Huang Shide said, "The next time I come to see you, it won't be me"—this statement was meant to tell him:

This matter has already alarmed the higher-ups.

The provincial audit office sent a reminder letter to Huang Shide, which alarmed him.

There may be even higher-ups behind Huang Shide.

Liu Jianming picked up his phone and found Fang Mingyuan's number.

He wanted to call Fang Mingyuan and tell him that he couldn't hold back any longer, the materials had to be sent over today, and he should figure out a way to handle things on his end.

But after thinking about it, he didn't make the call.

It's not that I don't want to say it, it's that I'm afraid to say it.

If this phone number is traced, he's finished.

He then retrieved his call logs and chat history with Fang Mingyuan and deleted them all.

After thinking about it, I decided to delete all the contact information as well.

Fang Mingyuan's name disappeared from the contact list, as if he had never existed.

He didn't know if what he was doing was right, but Huang Shide said, "The next time someone comes to you, it won't be me."

Liu Jianming knew the weight of those words.

He didn't want it to come to that.

As for Fang Mingyuan—he did so many bad things.

You have to shoulder your own responsibilities.

He can't care about that anymore.