Me! A high-ranking official!

"Alright!" Zhang Baocheng lost patience and slammed the softcover notebook on the table shut with a loud "smack".

"Do as I just said! Let Jianguo, in his central position, observe and learn from Dafang's experience in advancing projects; this is the best training in itself! He can take on a leading role next time there's a project!"

Zhang Baocheng stood up, picked up the teacup that Li Dafang had personally placed there, and without even glancing at Guo Nanguo, said, "Meeting adjourned! Everyone, get moving!"

After saying that, he pushed open the door and left without looking back.

The meeting room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Li Dafang quickly grabbed his notebook and slipped away. The other directors exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock and gossip. The director and deputy director publicly clashing over a junior staff member—this was the biggest news in the Culture and Tourism Bureau in recent years!

Zhao Jianguo remained seated, equally shocked.

He turned his head and took a deep look at Guo Nanguo, who was slowly twisting the lid of his teacup. Deputy Director Guo had just returned from his weekend vacation, and Zhao Jianguo hadn't even exchanged a few words with this kind old man before, nor had he offered him a cigarette.

In this corrupt government compound, why would Guo Nanguo risk offending the top leader and step forward to help him out when things were getting messy?

The mud beneath the surface of this situation seems to be deeper than he imagined.

Zhao Jianguo was the last to leave the meeting room.

In the corridor, people from several departments were gathered in twos and threes, whispering among themselves about the fierce competition that had just taken place at the meeting. When they saw him come out, their voices stopped abruptly, as if cut off by the wind. Several department heads gave him an unnatural smile and then slipped away.

Zhao Jianguo ignored them, paused briefly, then turned and walked directly to Guo Nanguo's deputy director's office at the other end of the corridor.

In the government compound, everyone carries an invisible label. Before today, he had just been demoted because of his mother-in-law's downfall, making him a fallen dog that anyone could kick. But based on Guo Nanguo's words at the meeting, in the eyes of those old hands, Zhao Jianguo has now firmly been labeled as Guo's confidant.

After all, unless there's a family connection or shared interests, which deputy would go to such lengths to protect a nobody who's clearly riding high? This is blatant protection!

Now that the blame had been placed on him, and Guo Nanguo had indeed helped him out, he decided not to hide anything anymore. He walked to the door and knocked twice.

"Enter."

Pushing open the door, you see Guo Nanguo sitting behind a large mahogany desk, leisurely fiddling with a set of Zisha Kung Fu tea utensils. Hot water is poured into the tea tray, and a cloud of white steam rises.

Upon seeing Zhao Jianguo, Guo Nanguo's chubby face broke into a signature Maitreya Buddha smile: "Jianguo's here, sit down, sit down."

He didn't sit on the sofa, but pulled out the chair in front of his desk, sat down properly with half his body against the chair, and smiled politely: "Director Guo, you are my supervisor. I've been here for several days now, and the first thing I should have done was report to you, but I haven't had the chance until today. Please don't mind."

Guo Nanguo waved his hand with a smile and pushed a steaming cup of tea in front of Zhao Jianguo: "Stop with the nonsense. To be honest, Zhang Baocheng got criticized by the county head a few days ago and threw a tantrum in the bureau. I got scolded too. I'm a petty person, and when I'm upset, I asked Zhang for a few days off and went fishing at the reservoir. I didn't get back until midnight last night. It's not your fault. What's up? Did you need something?"

He took the teacup with both hands and leaned forward slightly: "I'm here to report to you on the preliminary work of the Xiaozhai Village project, and by the way... thank you for your guidance at the meeting earlier."

Guo Nanguo picked up the small teacup, took a sip, and his smile faded slightly. He sighed and said, "You said it yourself, I am your supervisor. I am in charge of both the industrial and tourism sectors. Although I wasn't there when this plan was first started, I heard that the proposals you wrote were all done by you, running around until your legs were sore and your eyes were sore."

He paused, a sharp glint of military cunning flashing in his eyes: "I'm a former soldier. Although I've been working in this lowly government office for almost ten years, I have one principle: I can scold and beat my soldiers however I want behind closed doors, but if anyone tries to reach into my soldiers' pockets in front of me, that's a slap in my face!"

He was shocked to hear this. He had inquired before coming here and learned that Guo Nanguo had been transferred back to civilian life ten years ago at the rank of regimental commander. He thought that twenty years of military service had smoothed out his rough edges in the slow-paced cultural and tourism bureau, but he did not expect that the old man's protective military spirit was still there.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Guo Nanguo put on his smiling face again and waved his hand: "However, that's all I can say for you. Zhang Baocheng is the top leader. If he insists on making the decision, there's nothing I can do to change it. Although this is our first time dealing with each other, I can see that you are quick-witted and calm in the face of problems. Do a good job. In the government, there are all sorts of things going on, and you never know what will happen next. There will always be opportunities in the future."

"I understand, thank you, Director Guo." He nodded solemnly.

As he left Guo Nanguo's office, he let out a long sigh of relief. Although he had been tricked by Zhang Baocheng, he was fortunate to have met such a protective leader as Guo Nanguo in this cold and unforgiving situation.

As for Zhang Baocheng and Li Dafang's unsightly eating habits... he sneered, "Since you want to swallow the peach whole, skin and bones, don't blame me if you choke to death and I don't offer you water."

Back at the budget hotel, he took out his phone to check the material list sent by his fellow villager who was doing renovations, when he suddenly noticed a missed call on the screen. The caller ID showed Zhou Qingyan.

His heart skipped a beat. He had silenced his phone during the meeting and hadn't heard it. The new county party secretary had called him privately; this was no small matter.

He quickly called back, but after two rings, the call was immediately disconnected.

He paced around the room for over half an hour, phone in hand, his heart pounding in his chest. Just as he was about to call again, the phone rang.

He answered immediately, lowering his voice, "Secretary Zhou, you wanted to see me?"

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Qingyan's voice was low, tinged with weariness and an undeniable coldness: "Is there anyone with you?"

"No, I'm alone in the hotel," he quickly replied.

"This Wednesday, come with me to Huai'an County People's Hospital," Zhou Qingyan said quickly.

He was stunned. Huai'an County? That's a border county in the next province, more than two hours away by car. Why would the county party secretary go to a county hospital in another province during the long holiday?

On a whim, he blurted out in surprise, "Why go to the county hospital in the next province?"

The breathing on the other end of the phone noticeably quickened, followed by Zhou Qingyan's voice, filled with gritted teeth: "Abortion!"

"Beep...beep...beep..."

The call was abruptly ended.

As he listened to the dial tone on his phone, a bitter smile crept onto his lips, and the muscles in his face twitched slightly.

This woman is heartless. She wants to abort his child and then specifically asks him, the perpetrator, to personally deliver it. It's like rubbing salt into the wound and then kicking him while he's down.