chsdbacks Page 190
Page 190
"Finally, we must also prepare for the worst. If things truly become irreversible, we must have a plan in place."
215. Li Dakang, having nowhere else to turn, went to the door to take sides.
215. Li Dakang, having nowhere else to turn, went to the door to take sides.
Zhong Xiaoai was arrested and detained in the Beijing No. 3 Detention Center for the time being.
Zhong Xiaoai was emotional: "I'm pregnant now, you can't treat me like this. I'm about to give birth."
"Take off your clothes and have your body checked."
The female prison guard carried out the orders expressionlessly, moving as gently as possible. Zhong Xiaoai was in tears, her hands tightly protecting her abdomen, her voice trembling: "Please, the child is innocent."
The prison doctor arrived quickly to check on the fetus's condition; the atmosphere was tense and oppressive.
Zhong Xiaoai felt that she had been utterly humiliated and had no dignity whatsoever.
Yes, this is a detention center.
The prison guard paused for a moment, his eyes softening slightly, and said in a gentle voice, "We will ensure your and your child's safety."
"Well then, Zhong Xiaoai, because of your special circumstances, we will give you a single room as a special consideration."
"If your water breaks, you must report it to the ward immediately."
"We will take you to the hospital as soon as possible."
Zhong Xiaoai gritted her teeth, tears blurring her vision, yet a faint hope rose in her heart.
. . . . . .
At the same time, Lin Yunfei returned to the military compound he hadn't seen in a long time and met his wife Zhao Lan.
With tears in her eyes, Zhao Lan hugged Lin Yunfei tightly, her voice choked with sobs, "You're finally back. Do you know how worried I was about you?"
"I'm sorry, Lanlan, it's all my fault."
Lin Yunfei gently patted Zhao Lan's back, his eyes reddening: "From now on, I will stay by your side and the child's side, and I will never let you suffer again."
Zhao Lan raised her head, her tears still wet, but a relieved smile appeared on her face.
The two looked at each other, and their unwavering belief grew even stronger.
573 Mother Liu Ruyan walked into the living room and asked softly, "Yunfei, how is the matter in Handong being handled?"
"Mom... this?"
Lin Yunfei frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "The situation in Handong is quite complicated. We arrested Zhao Lichun's cousin for drug trafficking, arms smuggling, running a casino, murder, and bribery."
"But don't worry, I'll handle it."
Liu Ruyan nodded gently, her eyes revealing her trust in her son, and then looked at Zhao Lan with concern: "Lanlan, how have you been lately? Don't overwork yourself."
Zhao Lan smiled gently: "Mom, I'm fine, don't worry about me too much."
Looking at his mother and wife, Lin Yunfei felt a surge of warmth in his heart and secretly vowed to protect his family.
Liu Ruyan said calmly, "If you ask me, your father doesn't care about you at all. You've been promoted to vice-ministerial level in such a short time."
"Such a heavy workload will wear you out."
"Lin Hu, you bastard! You ruined my son's life, I'm not finished with you!"
Liu Ruyan dialed her husband Lin Hu's private cell phone directly.
Lin Hu's calm voice came quickly from the other end of the phone: "Ruyan, what's wrong? Why are you calling me in such a hurry?"
Liu Ruyan was furious and, disregarding her son and daughter-in-law who were beside her, immediately started yelling, "Lin Hu, you heartless bastard! You made our son do so much work. Do you want to wear him out? He just got back. Do you know how hard he's worked?"
Lin Hu gave a wry smile on the other end of the phone: "Ruyan, don't get agitated. Yunfei is capable, so it's only right that he takes on more work. It's good for his growth."
Liu Ruyan wasn't having any of it: "What do you mean by 'growing up'? I just want my son to be healthy. If you continue to be so indifferent to his life or death, I'll never forgive you."
Seeing his mother so agitated, Lin Yunfei quickly stepped forward to comfort her, saying, "Mom, Dad is only doing this for my own good. Please don't be angry."
Zhao Lan chimed in, "Mom, Yunfei is right. Dad must have his reasons."
Liu Ruyan calmed down a bit and said into the phone, "Lin Hu, I don't care, you have to reduce Yunfei's workload from now on, or I won't let you off the hook."
Lin Hu replied helplessly on the other end of the phone, "Okay, okay, I understand. I'll arrange it, so don't worry about it."
Liu Ruyan hung up the phone with satisfaction, then turned to Lin Yunfei and Zhao Lan and said, "If you two have anything to say in the future, you must tell me. Don't keep it to yourselves."
Lin Yunfei and Zhao Lan exchanged a smile and replied in unison, "Okay, Mom."
. . . . .
Office building of the Guangming District Committee, Handong Province.
Li Dakang, his face full of annoyance, put down the phone and cursed, "Damn it, these people were all subservient to me when I was the Party Secretary."
"Now I've been demoted three ranks and become the head of Guangming District."
"Nobody answers the phone."
"Even if you answer the phone, you'll just be talking official jargon and platitudes."
"The March 28 bombing killed so many people. All the issues fell on my shoulders."
"And the merchants of the past, everyone kept their distance from me."
Li Dakang muttered to himself, his face full of resentment.
Li Dakang, you need to pull yourself together.
“Yes, District Chief Li, you have to face reality.” Secretary Xiao Jin stood beside him.
After much hesitation, Li Dakang decided to go find Lin Yunfei.
He originally didn't want to go, but his old boss, Zhao Lichun, didn't like him at all.
Lin Yunfei might be able to help.
He inquired and learned that Lin Yunfei was not in Jingzhou City.
As a last resort, Li Dakang could only turn to Lin Yunfei's confidant, Sun Liancheng.
. . . . .
That evening, Li Dakang arrived at Sun Liancheng's house carrying a box of apples.
"Hey, isn't this Li Dakang, the Secretary Li, who always keeps his word?"
Sun Liancheng greeted him with a smile and took the apple: "District Chief Li, what a rare guest! Please come in. Let's sit down and talk about it."
Sun Liancheng was overjoyed and teased.
Li Dakang responded with a wry smile: "Secretary Sun, please... don't make fun of me. I'm here today to ask you for help."
"Help? How can I help?"
"Back then, District Chief Li had such an arrogant and domineering attitude. He treated me like a grandson."
Sun Liancheng spoke slowly, his tone sarcastic and mocking.
“Secretary Sun, I apologize for what happened in the past. I really need your support now. The March 28th bombing is suffocating me. Could you please offer some guidance, considering our past relationship?” Li Dakang’s tone was sincere, with a hint of helplessness and expectation in his eyes.
Sun Liancheng remained silent for a moment, his smile gradually fading as he pondered how to respond.
“Li Dakang, you’re not the same person you were back then. Let me think about it. After all, the March 28 Incident had a huge impact, and none of us want to see more tragedies. Go back first, and I will give you an answer as soon as possible,” Sun Liancheng said slowly and in a deep voice.
Li Dakang felt slightly relieved and slowly stood up.
He nodded slightly, his eyes full of gratitude: "Secretary Sun, then I'll trouble you. I'll wait for your news at home. This matter is of utmost importance to me, and I hope you can put in the effort."
Sun Liancheng waved his hand, feigning ease, and said, "Alright, District Chief Li, don't take it too seriously. Since I said I'd consider it, I will take it seriously. Go back and wait for news."
After thanking Sun Liancheng again, Li Dakang turned and slowly left Sun Liancheng's house. Walking home, he felt conflicted, both hoping Sun Liancheng would offer good advice and fearing a negative response.
Back home, Li Dakang sat on the sofa and fell into deep thought.
He recalled the fall from municipal party secretary to district head, and the change in attitude of those who had once flattered him. His heart was filled with bitterness.
Just then, the phone rang, breaking the silence in the room. Li Dakang jumped up and quickly answered it. An unfamiliar voice came from the other end: "District Chief Li, this is the Discipline Inspection Commission of Handong Province. We have some questions regarding the March 28th bombing case that require your cooperation in the investigation."
Li Dakang's heart sank, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Okay, I will cooperate. When and where?"
The person on the other end of the phone said, "Come to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection office at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."
After hanging up the phone, Li Dakang felt an unprecedented pressure.
He knew this investigation could have a significant impact on his future. But he also understood that he had to face it bravely, and perhaps it was also an opportunity to prove himself.
That night, Li Dakang tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He repeatedly pondered how to deal with the disciplinary committee's investigation and how to explain the various issues surrounding the March 28th bombing. He finally managed to drift off to sleep as dawn broke.
The next morning, Li Dakang arrived at the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection office with a heavy heart. He took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and went inside.
The atmosphere in the office was heavy. Several disciplinary committee staff members sat solemnly at the desk. The head of the disciplinary committee looked up at Li Dakang, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable authority: "District Chief Li, regarding the March 28th bombing, as one of the main persons in charge at the time, you need to truthfully explain the relevant circumstances. Now, please explain what safety precautions you took before the explosion."
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Li Dakang's forehead. He tried to calm himself down and began to describe in detail the work arrangements before the incident, but his voice still revealed a hint of tension and unease: "At that time, we organized multiple safety inspections and also required relevant companies to make rectifications..."
The discipline inspection officials listened attentively and took careful notes, occasionally raising pointed questions: "How well have these inspection and rectification measures been implemented? Are there any relevant records or evidence that can be provided?"
Li Dakang felt his heart pounding. He tried his best to recall every detail and answer the disciplinary officials' questions completely. As the questioning deepened, he felt increasing pressure, as if he were standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to fall into an abyss at any moment.
After answering a series of questions, Li Dakang sat in his chair, awaiting further instructions from the disciplinary officials. At that moment, he was filled with anxiety and unease, unsure of what the final outcome of this investigation would be.
216. Sha Ruijin had no one else available, so he promoted Li Dakang again.
216. Sha Ruijin had no one else available, so he promoted Li Dakang again.
The provincial discipline inspection official closed his notebook, his gaze sharply fixed on Li Dakang: "District Chief Li, we will further verify the information you provided. Currently, it appears there may be a more complex chain of interests behind the bombing. We hope you will continue to cooperate with our investigation."
"And the corruption issue involving 500 million yuan of funds allocated for the renovation of Jingzhou Zhongfu Group."
Li Dakang nodded repeatedly, subconsciously standing up with a fawning expression, beads of sweat sliding down his face: "I will, I will cooperate fully. I also hope to find out the truth as soon as possible and give the victims justice."
The provincial discipline inspection official's expression was extremely serious, his eyes piercing: "Li Dakang, you must answer the next question truthfully. During Ding Yizhen's tenure as vice mayor of Jingzhou City, he embezzled and laundered a staggering 815 million yuan."
"At the time, you were a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee and the Secretary of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee... were you really completely unaware?"
Li Dakang stiffened, a hint of panic flashing across his face, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "I...I really didn't find Ding Yizhen to have done such a thing."
"At the time, I was mainly focused on urban development and projects that benefit people's livelihoods, and I didn't pay much attention to his private financial situation."