A man in Handong: living off Zhong Xiaoai

Li Xia couldn't hold back any longer from the moment Chen Hai started making the phone call.

She now sees the good-for-nothing she once thought of becoming so arrogant, and even laughing.

What are you laughing about in the office? Don't you even respect us senior colleagues?

In this office, besides me, Li Xia, who has the right to laugh out loud, does Chen Hai, this spineless coward, have the right to laugh as well?

Now I'm going to teach him a lesson and let him know that I, Teacher Li Xia, am angry!

"Chen Hai, you made a phone call during work hours, and then laughed after you finished. Isn't that a bad thing to do?"

Chen Hai frowned after hearing Li Xia's words.

What? You always order me around doing this and that, but now I'm making a phone call that doesn't even last three minutes, plus I smiled, and you still can't do this?!

Wang Shanwen picked up the newspaper on the table, looked at Qi Tongwei's photo on it, and pursed his lips.

"What's wrong, young man? Did the governor of Handong Province in the newspaper promote you?"

After hearing Wang Shanwen's words, Li Xia chuckled again.

When Wang Shanwen heard Li Xia's laughter and thought about what he had just said, he couldn't help but laugh along with her.

Zhou Jianxin didn't want to smile, but after hearing Wang Shanwen's words, a smile appeared on his lips.

Chen Hai does no work all day, yet he's indulging in wild fantasies; it's laughable. He even called the newly appointed provincial governor "brother-in-law" after seeing his photo in the newspaper.

That's not all. After calling him "brother-in-law," he even picked up the phone himself and said that the newly appointed governor of Handong Province in the photo wanted to arrange a job for him. Is this Chen Hai either a madman or suffering from the kind of delusional disorder described in the newspapers?

"Chen Hai, don't make phone calls in the office anymore. The two teachers behind you are working, and you'll disturb them!"

Chen Hai listened as Zhou Jianxin, acting like a leader, reprimanded him indiscriminately.

He glanced back at Wang Shanwen, who was holding a newspaper and almost never put it down, and Li Xia, who was covering her mouth and smugly gossiping about everyone else.

In an instant, Chen Hai decided he could no longer tolerate it. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

"Director Zhou, since I came to this office, I've done all the work myself. Out of respect for comrades Wang Shanwen and Li Xia, I've always taken the lead in enduring hardship. These two teachers are always late or leave early, but I just don't want to argue with them because of their age. However, they think my leniency is a sign of weakness, and they point fingers at me every day! Doesn't our country value equality and mutual respect? Why is it that my respect for comrades Wang Shanwen and Li Xia is met with their unfair treatment?"

Upon hearing Chen Hai's words, Wang Shanwen immediately became displeased, slammed the newspaper in his hand on the table, and stood up with a "bang".

What is Chen Hai saying? He is about to become the deputy director, how can he stand by and expose his shortcomings in front of Zhou Jianxin?

If a senior colleague speaks ill of another to the leader, it's out of care and encouragement for a junior colleague; but if the other colleague speaks ill of another to the leader, it's considered tattling, a sign of poor character and low moral standards!

"Chen Hai! Don't talk nonsense in front of Director Zhou. You're not the only one in the room. Teacher Li Xia and I are both watching you!"

As he spoke, Wang Shanwen deliberately turned around to look at Li Xia, whose expression was rather unpleasant.

Wang Shanwen's intention was clear: he wanted Li Xia to join forces with him to deal with Chen Hai.

Li Xia had been giggling the whole time, and she hadn't stopped laughing even when Chen Hai was speaking.

In that instant, after Li Xia clearly heard Chen Hai's words, her giggles disappeared, replaced by a look of astonishment.

She didn't realize what Chen Hai, the spineless coward who had been serving her tea and water for years, had just said.

Li Xia also stood up angrily, glaring at Chen Hai with a vicious look.

"Chen Hai, what are you saying? You work here, haven't you received enough care and attention from me and Teacher Shanwen? Put your hand on your heart and tell me, doesn't your conscience hurt after saying those words?!"

Li Xia felt that Chen Hai's outburst was purely accidental.

Having observed Chen Hai for so many years, how could I not know whether he was a coward or not?

Therefore, Li Xia was very certain that Chen Hai had just made a boastful statement out of a moment of self-righteousness.

But can what we believe to be true be true? Of course not.

I reckon that after being scolded by me and Wang Shanwen, Chen Hai's initial arrogance has probably been scared off.

Zhou Jianxin nodded when he heard what Wang Shanwen and Li Xia said.

Of course I trust the older comrades, why would I trust the young Chen Hai?

"Chen Hai, if you don't do a good job, it's a matter of ability. If you don't humbly learn from the senior comrades, that's a matter of attitude. But now you're slandering the senior comrades, and that's a matter of your character."

Upon hearing Zhou Jianxin's words, Chen Hai burst into laughter.

No wonder this township judicial office has always had this kind of atmosphere; this must be the legendary "if the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too."

Chen Hai approached Zhou Jianxin and said expressionlessly.

"Respect is not about endless tolerance and obedience!"

As he spoke, Chen (Wang Dezhao) Hai looked at the three people around him who were still in shock.

Then, he continued.

"I've said everything I needed to say. I have no reason to lie or slander others. Slandering others and lying are both purposeful!"

As he spoke, Chen Hai pointed to Wang Shanwen and Li Xia standing to the side.

"For example, these two clearly do nothing every day, yet they still go around saying what kind of work they've done. They lie to keep their jobs. As for them slandering me in front of you, Director Zhou, it's to create a comparison, to make you, a fool, see just how outstanding they really are!"

At this point, Chen Hai smiled.

“But I have no reason to lie or slander them, because I have no demands of you, Director Zhou, or this judicial office! I'm leaving! I'll never come back!”

Chapter 424 I'll establish my authority when he returns

After saying this, Chen Hai picked up some things on the table that he thought were meaningful, including the fountain pen he had kept as a memento at the Department of Political Science and Law of Handong University.

When I bought this pen, I had no idea that I would end up working in this absurd rural judicial office for so many years.

Thinking of this, Chen Hai suddenly let out a cold laugh, then picked up his pen and started to walk out.

At this point, Zhou Jianxin had already gotten angry.

This Chen Hai not only slandered the old comrades, but also disrespected me, and even made a boastful statement that he was leaving.

Damn it! It's not that I look down on Chen Hai, but if he really has some powerful brother-in-law, let alone a provincial governor.

Even if his brother-in-law is a town mayor, how could he not know? Over the years, has no one ever given him a heads-up?

He even said that lying and slander are always purposeful—your purpose is too obvious! He just wants to convince himself and everyone else that his brother-in-law is the new governor of Handong Province, trying to scare everyone with this fabricated story! He's absolutely insane!

Zhou Jianxin pointed at Chen Hai's back and shouted loudly.

"Chen Hai! If you really have that kind of ability, don't just leave! Isn't your brother-in-law the provincial governor? If he really is, he can get rid of the town mayor with a single word! I'm not looking down on you, but if you have that kind of ability, then get rid of me from 617 and fire those two teachers, Shanwen and Lixia, who have been bullying you! Can you do that?!"

Chen Hai was about to leave when he suddenly stopped at the door after hearing Zhou Jianxin's words.

When Wang Shanwen saw this, he chuckled and was intimidated by the director. The director was indeed the director; he had been promoted to section chief at a young age, not even 50. His vision was truly different!

The leader speaks with confidence. If I want to become the deputy director of this judicial office in the future, I'll be a deputy section-level cadre. I need to learn from him and speak with confidence.

Now I can practice with the director, so that I won't be unaccustomed to the way the leader speaks when I become the deputy section chief.

"Chen Hai! Either do as Director Zhou says, or apologize right now!"

After saying those two sentences, Wang Shanwen felt that he had acted like a leader. He suddenly felt that his way of speaking was not bad, and he was a little pleased with himself. He said it really well! He really looked like a deputy section chief!

I couldn't help but smile.

Li Xia was quite shocked at first, but she didn't expect that Chen Hai would actually stop after Zhou Jianxin (cgbh) said just one sentence.

Li Xia immediately smiled and shook her head. As long as he had just walked out, she would have respected him.

The governor of Handong Province is Chen Hai's brother-in-law; that's a no-brainer, it's definitely impossible.

It's impossible for Chen Hai to leave this office and transfer elsewhere.

But if he dared to go out, at least he would have some backbone. But now he's just standing there.

What does this mean? A coward is a coward, just admit it! What's with all this talk of respect? Seriously!

"Chen Hai, apologize now! Not only Director Zhou, but Teacher Shanwen and I are also very angry!"

Everyone stared at Chen Hai's retreating figure with expressions of utter disdain, waiting to see him turn around and make a fool of himself.

But to everyone's surprise, when Chen Hai turned around, he had a calm expression and smiled.

"Alright! Director Zhou, I almost forgot that this was another way to solve the problem. Fine, then you can wait to be kicked out!"

After saying that, Chen Hai left without looking back.

Zhou Jianxin, Wang Shanwen, and Li Xia saw that Chen Hai had really left.

They looked at each other, their faces filled with disbelief.

None of the three understood where Chen Hai's confidence came from as he walked out of the office after putting on a show with his phone.

Could this be the legendary case of deceiving oneself before deceiving others? Chen Hai successfully deceived himself, believing that his brother-in-law was the newly appointed governor of Handong Province.

Zhou Jianxin frowned and looked at Wang Shanwen and Li Xia with a puzzled expression.

"gone?"

Wang Shanwen also looked puzzled.

"Is this child just sitting around at work all day? Li Xia and I have been too good to him. He's like a flower in a greenhouse, never been criticized. Today, after being criticized like this, he can't take it and has gone crazy?"

Li Xia took a deep breath, feeling extremely angry.

"Yes! Director Zhou, look at him! He was just slandering us, and when he gave me that look, he showed absolutely no respect whatsoever! It's because Shanwen and I have been too nice to this young man that he's become so unruly and dares to throw a tantrum right in front of you. Look how terrible that is!"

Zhou Jianxin nodded as he listened to what Wang Shanwen and Li Xia said.

"Shanwen, I have to criticize you for this! You want to become the deputy director of our town's judicial office? If you keep indulging new comrades like this, how will you lead the team and take on responsibilities in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Shanwen immediately broke into a smile.

"Oh! Don't worry, Chief Zhou! I'll give that kid a good talking-to when he gets back!"

After hearing Wang Shanwen's words, Zhou Jianxin nodded and walked away with his hands behind his back.

Wang Shanwen believed that Chen Hai would definitely come back. If he didn't come back, where would he go? Would he really go to Handong Province to find the governor in the newspaper photo and call him his brother-in-law?

Why doesn't he turn on the TV and go find Yang Mi on the screen to call her "sister-in-law"?

When Chen Hai comes back, I will definitely establish my authority and let him know the gap between him and me, the future deputy section chief!

Li Xia was a little unhappy after hearing Wang Shanwen's words. That bastard really went to Zhou Jianxin to run around trying to get his deputy director position.

Hmph! What is that?!

Thinking of this, she glanced at Chen Hai's empty seat and felt a moment of worry.