Official Career Storm
Chapter 398

Chapter 398: Chapter 398

Song Guanchao remained silent for a long while before Wu Qiangwei asked again, "I talked to Liang Hao, and he didn’t agree. You had contacted him beforehand, right?"

"Mm."

"So, you had a plan from very early on."

"Yes."

"But you didn’t tell me."

"No."

"Why?"

Song Guanchao said, "I thought you were planning to change secretaries."

Wu Qiangwei snorted lightly, "When did I ever say I wanted to change secretaries?"

"I never said you did, but that was the impression I got."

"Just because you got that impression doesn’t mean it’s what I meant. Song Guanchao, stop making wild guesses!"

Facing Wu Qiangwei’s fury, like that of a small enraged lion, Song Guanchao scratched his head, "Alright, it was a lack of timely communication between us, I misunderstood."

Wu Qiangwei huffed softly and said, "Tell me, how did you persuade Tu Zhaorui?"

Song Guanchao laid out the whole story before her.

It felt to Wu Qiangwei like hearing a story.

The grievances between Tu Zhaorui and County Magistrate Hou were so deep.

Yet, what surprised her most wasn’t that, but how Song Guanchao, from these superficial grievances alone, had peeled away layers to deduce that Tu Zhaorui and Hao Jiajia had a romantic relationship.

She wondered if she could have deduced the same.

It seemed not.

She couldn’t see that layer.

Wu Qiangwei asked, "Is there anything else you’re hiding from me?"

"No." Song Guanchao shook his head, then suddenly recalled that there indeed was something else.

"Well, there actually is one more thing."

"What?"

"The cash in the trunk. I have evidence now."

"When did you find out?"

"A few days ago."

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"I thought you were planning to change secretaries."

"..." This all-too-convenient excuse left Wu Qiangwei unable to erupt.

"Then why haven’t you told Secretary Wang?"

"It’s not the right time."

Song Guanchao said, "I was planning to wait until the committee meeting, where Secretary Tu finalizes the nominations, then find an opportunity to speak."

After a brief thought, Wu Qiangwei understood his reasoning.

"Now would be the time to speak."

"No rush." Song Guanchao said, "Let’s wait until Zeng Li’s brother helps clarify things for me first."

"What if he refuses to stand up for you?"

"No... he shouldn’t."

He initially intended to be more affirmative, but considering Wu Qiangwei didn’t know about his relationship with Zeng Yingrong, he opted for a more subtle approach.

"That night, I met with him. Her brother doesn’t seem like that kind of person. Besides, you also stepped in, so there shouldn’t be any surprises."

"Then let’s wait."

Wu Qiangwei said, "After her brother steps up to clear things up, then you return."

"Okay."

Song Guanchao nodded, then suddenly, he remembered something else.

"Well..."

"Are you still hiding something from me?" Wu Qiangwei guessed from his expression.

"Yeah." Song Guanchao was rather embarrassed.

Wu Qiangwei exhaled, "Speak."

"That Lu Xiaotian in Dujiang County. I plan to remove him."

"Don’t touch him!" Wu Qiangwei said, "You’ve just eased your relationship with Secretary Tu, and now removing him, how would you explain that?"

It was because of Lu Xiaotian’s appearance at the factory that Tu Zhaorui had gone to the province to file a report.

Song Guanchao said, "Has Secretary Tu’s personnel appointment been issued?"

"It has."

"That’s it, then. He is soon going to take office in Guangyue City, and it won’t conflict with my plan."

"And, I’m not solely targeting Lu Xiaotian."

Song Guanchao gave a sly smile, "Secretary, what do you think if we take over the high-speed train project?"

Wu Qiangwei said, "Secretary Lu mentioned today at the standing committee meeting, he wants to snatch it from Mayor Zheng’s hands. In such a situation, I could indeed cooperate with Mayor Zheng and get a share of the pie."

"It’s not about getting a share of the pie."

Song Guanchao shook his head, "I mean, take it over completely."

"How can we take it over?"

She didn’t say anything discouraging like ’we can’t take it.’

She knew Song Guanchao well. He wouldn’t take on something unless he was sure of it, let alone mention it.

After all, she was not the type to shrink back directly when faced with difficulties.

"It’s simple," Song Guanchao said. "When they find that the high-speed train project can’t proceed as scheduled, that’s your cue to step in, Secretary."

"Do you want to create trouble for them?"

"No," Song Guanchao shook his head. "The trouble is already there; they can’t hide from it or avoid it."

Wu Qiangwei understood what he meant, although Song Guanchao did not specify how it should be executed.

But knowing that there was such a plan was enough for her.

It wasn’t necessary to go into every little detail.

Being a leader, the most important thing is to utilize people effectively.

To utilize people means to delegate appropriately.

In this regard, Wu Qiangwei had learned early on.

Song Guanchao took off his straw hat and handed it to her, "Wear this."

"No need, there’s no sun."

"Wear it," insisted Song Guanchao. "UV rays won’t disappear just because there’s no sun. The UV rays reflecting off the river, after a few hours, can darken your skin."

Hearing that she might get tanned, Wu Qiangwei obediently took the hat and put it on.

Song Guanchao tilted his head to look at her profile and her slender neck.

Wu Qiangwei, dressed in casual clothes, looked really beautiful.

They walked along the river for a while, then turned back.

Seeing the old man still fishing and the grandmother accompanying him, Wu Qiangwei suddenly became playful, "Is fishing fun?"

"It’s quite fun, and pretty addictive too."

"Addictive?"

"Yes."

"Can you teach me?"

"Are you sure you want to fish?" Song Guanchao said. "You might end up smelling of fish, which can be quite unpleasant."

"I want to fish."

"Okay, I’ll teach you."

When the two approached, the grandmother, smiling broadly, asked, "My dear, why don’t you stay for dinner tonight?"

"My grandmother cooks deliciously," Song Guanchao thought of his grandfather wanting to eat duck and said, "Grandma, cook some beer duck tonight, I’m in the mood for it."

"Then you catch a duck after fishing, and I’ll let Aunt Fang know."

"Alright."

Song Guanchao patted the stool, "Sit down, I’ll teach you how to fish."

Watching her grandson patiently and meticulously teach Wu Qiangwei how to fish, the grandmother stood up with a smiling face and said, "I’ll head back first; don’t fish too late."

Once the grandmother had walked far enough, Wu Qiangwei suddenly whispered, "Later, you’ll accompany me to town."

"What for?"

"Shh, keep your voice down, don’t let grandfather hear."

Wu Qiangwei spoke quietly into his ear, her breath warm on his earlobe, stirring in Song Guanchao a ticklish feeling and some strange thoughts.

"When I was on my way here, I forgot to buy some things. Later, you can accompany me to buy some tobacco and alcohol."

She had rarely visited other people’s homes and, having come in a hurry, forgot to bring some customary gifts.

Song Guanchao, also whispering into her ear with nonchalance, said, "My grandparents don’t really care about these things."

Wu Qiangwei shrank her neck, "Just accompany me."

"Alright, I will listen to the leader."

"Hmph, don’t call me Secretary when we are outside."

"So what should I call you? Qiangwei? Weiwei? Xiao Wu? Little Weiwei? Ah Wei?"

Song Guanchao purposely teased.

It was as if there was an almost imperceptible thin membrane separating them, shielding them from each other.

Song Guanchao could not break through the membrane, and Wu Qiangwei dared not.

Hence, their relationship seemed strange, at times distant, at times close.

"There’s a fish biting, pull the rod now!" Song Guanchao suddenly said, grabbing her hand placed on the fishing rod and quickly jerking the rod upward.

The great pulling force from the fish line tugged at the rod, transmitting to Wu Qiangwei’s hand.

Wu Qiangwei didn’t feel the pulling force, only feeling Song Guanchao’s hand tightly enveloping her own, causing her heart to beat violently without reason.

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