In name only: I will break the chess game in Handong!

"Fine! All my salary and bonuses from over ten years are now down to 120,000 yuan. Zhong Xiaoai, you said such nice things before, that you were saving my salary and bonuses so I wouldn't squander them. Now the truth is out, you bitch!"

My money! My money!

Hou Liangping's eyes were red, and after venting for a while, he put the bank card back into his pocket.

Regardless of the amount, at least Hou Liangping won't have to rely on Zhong Xiaoai for food anymore.

Upon arriving at the procuratorate, Hou Liangping went straight to the office of Chief Prosecutor Ji Changming.

Without knocking, Hou Liangping pushed the door open and entered, immediately addressing him as "Old Ji."

Inside the room, Ji Changming was chatting with Executive Prosecutor Lin Guoping. Ji Changming was about to retire.

He also knew that Lin Guoping would be the next chief prosecutor without any surprises, and the two had been chatting and getting to know each other very well during this time.

"Oh, Prosecutor Lin is here too?"

Lin Guoping smiled and nodded, then stood up.

"Ji Jian, I'm leaving now."

"Then Comrade Guoping, you can go ahead and get busy."

Only after Lin Guoping left did Ji Changming turn to Hou Liangping with a gloomy expression and say, "Remember to knock next time you come in. You're so impetuous and don't follow any rules."

Hou Liangping didn't care about these details at all.

"Hey, Lao Ji, what's our relationship? Being too polite won't do. Oh, right, I came to tell you something."

Ji Changming frowned.

"What is it?"

"That's right. A few days ago, Secretary Sha asked me to have a talk with the Provincial Party Committee. He said that our Anti-Corruption Bureau's work focus has been somewhat off track recently, and asked me, as the director, to do a good job of self-criticism."

I am willing to reflect on my actions, and I also hope that you, Lao Ji, can be more lenient and give us more autonomy in the future.

Ji Changming rolled his eyes.

"Don't even think about it, Liangping. I know your personality too well. You can't just touch provincial-level officials. As for the others, your anti-corruption bureau can investigate on its own as long as there is evidence."

This is all the permissions I can grant.

"Isn't that the same as not giving it at all?"

"Go away, that's my attitude. If you don't like it, go investigate the clues yourself."

If it weren't for Hou Liangping's role in infuriating Chen Yanshi, Ji Changming wouldn't really want to get close to Hou Liangping. Of course, he's keeping his distance for now, after all, it's a non-stick pan.

The previously tense atmosphere in Handong has been put on pause these past few days, with both Zhong Xiaoai and Hou Liangping busy with their own work.

Back home, they would tease each other. Chen Hai was busy supervising the construction, while Zhao Ruilong was even simpler. In the past few days, he had gradually become interested in Tang Chuchu. She was light, graceful, eloquent, and had great emotional value. Who wouldn't love her?

Such tranquility is rather eerie.

After getting off work on Friday, Chen Hai returned home and felt a pang of sadness looking at the deserted living room.

Just then, Wang Fuzhen returned from picking up her son, Xiao Piqiu. As soon as she entered the door, seeing her son's bewildered expression, Wang Fuzhen couldn't help but tear up.

"mom!"

When Chen Hai saw his mother, even though he was already forty, he couldn't help but bow his head and wipe away his tears in front of Wang Fuzhen. At this moment, Xiao Piqiu was also no longer as cheerful as before, but instead remained silent and blank.

"Hai Zi, don't be sad. Those who are alive should always look forward. Besides, your father is over eighty years old, which is a long life."

"Your mom doesn't ask for anything else now, just that you and Little Ball are doing well, that's enough."

Chen Hai's soft spot was stirred, and his desire for revenge seemed to be gradually worn away and dissolved.

"I understand, Mom!"

"Well, that's good to know. I can't take care of Little Ball for many more years. You should remarry soon. A family needs a woman who understands and cares for it to make it work."

"I promise your mother!"

On the same day, Chen Luo returned to Jingzhou.

In the morning, I'll handle some work related to the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and in the afternoon, there will be a Standing Committee meeting.

He went home after the meeting ended.

As night fell, Gao Yuliang looked rather uneasy in the No. 3 building of the Provincial Party Committee. He had considered it several times in the past few days, but he just couldn't make up his mind.

Are his problems serious?

To be honest, if Gao Yuliang were a department-level cadre, his problems would be considered quite serious, but Gao Yuliang was a deputy provincial-level cadre, the deputy secretary of the Handong Provincial Party Committee!

The divorce and the birth of a child, coupled with the use of power to secretly support the Shanshui Group, are not particularly serious offenses; it's simply a matter of attitude.

"What should we do next?"

Gao Yuliang was deep in thought when his phone rang.

I picked it up and saw it belonged to the old Party Secretary.

He answered the call with a frown.

"Old Party Secretary, aren't you resting yet?"

"No, lately someone's been eyeing my position, how can I sleep?"

These words made Gao Yuliang fall silent for a moment.

"Yu Liang, I heard that Hou Liangping, the current director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Handong Procuratorate, was once your student? And the newly appointed deputy secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, Zhong Xiaoai, is also your student?"

Gao Yuliang immediately understood.

"Old Party Secretary, I used to teach them law classes, but the two of them have similar personalities. Hou Liangping can even say things like 'I love my teacher, but I love the truth more.'"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Lichun's tone became more amiable.

"Is that so? That's interesting. Yuliang, I had already recommended your name to the higher-ups, but things didn't go as planned and Sha Ruijin was sent in instead. You won't blame me, will you?"

"Secretary, you flatter me. Both the thunder and the rain are acts of kindness from Heaven. Besides, I, Gao Yuliang, am a cadre of the people. I believe the organization has given full consideration to any decision it makes."

"That's good! Yuliang, it's said that scholars have integrity, and I believe you're not the kind of person who's two-faced. After this matter is over, I'll recommend you again, but only to the Provincial Political Consultative Conference. What do you think?"

"Thank you so much, former Party Secretary!"

"Okay, that's all I have to say."

By the way, Ruilong is in Handong. Could you look after him for me? He's my only son, and I really don't want to lose him.

That last sentence was the key point. Hearing this, Gao Yuliang felt a headache coming on. He took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Don't worry, Secretary Gao, Handong is very safe and secure!"

After hanging up the phone, Gao Yuliang, who had been hesitant, made a final decision.

If Zhao Lichun could abandon Zhao Ruilong, Gao Yuliang might still fight alongside him and withstand the pressure. But if they desperately protect Zhao Ruilong, they have absolutely no chance.

You, Zhao Lichun, want to protect your son, but doesn't Gao Yuliang want to pave the way for his daughter, Gao Fangfang?

Having made up his mind, Gao Yuliang decided to completely sever ties with the Zhao family, even if the severance wasn't clean. He would actively confess to the organization and, if he was lucky, even be able to retire.

Upon realizing this, the confusion in Gao Yuliang's eyes vanished, replaced by sharpness and decisiveness.