Official Career Storm
Chapter 486

Chapter 486: Chapter 486

Chang Chuan entered the room and found himself in a state of extreme fear, unable to think calmly.

He was only jolted to his senses after a scolding by Zhang Meilin.

Yes, the Disciplinary Committee hadn’t put him under Shuanggui.

The words spoken by Zhang Meilin clearly left some room for negotiation.

"Secretary Zhang, I know I was wrong, please help me, could you?"

Zhang Meilin shook off his hand, lit a cigarette, and knitted his brows, looking very angry.

"Secretary Zhang..."

"Shut up!"

"Yes, I’ll shut up."

Chang Chuan closed his mouth, sat without moving, and although he was still nervous, he wasn’t as frightened as before.

He was thinking, analyzing.

The Disciplinary Committee had approached Zhang Meilin first, and Zhang Meilin must have spoken on his behalf, otherwise he wouldn’t be safe and sound now.

Moreover, it seemed like Zhang Meilin intended to protect him.

He had no personal connection with Zhang Meilin, so there was only one reason Zhang Meilin would protect him—he wanted to use this opportunity to bring him over to his side.

Simply put, Zhang Meilin didn’t have anyone he could rely on in Dujiang City, which is why he was protecting him.

Having understood this, Chang Chuan knew what to say.

"Secretary Zhang, if you help me, I’ll be your man from now on. If you tell me to go east, I absolutely won’t go west!"

He saw that after he spoke these words, the look in Zhang Meilin’s eyes wavered slightly and his expression changed a bit.

He knew he had struck a chord.

Zhang Meilin exhaled a puff of smoke and asked, "Who have you offended recently?"

"I...I don’t know," Chang Chuan said, somewhat confused.

"Think carefully, who have you offended!"

"I’ll think, I’ll think..."

Chang Chuan was also puzzled; who would report him?

In Dujiang City, he was known as a good guy.

He would assist with anything anyone asked him to do.

Wait a minute...

He thought of someone.

"Last month, the cafeteria at school number one went through an open tendering process. Dean Hu came to me, his brother-in-law wanted to take on the contract, but I couldn’t get it done for him..."

"The Dean Hu from the intermediate court?"

"Yes."

Zhang Meilin took a deep breath, a flash of fierce light in his eyes, and snorted heavily, "What perfect timing!"

"Right after Hou Wen falls, they report you. They want to catch my eye, huh!"

He glanced at Chang Chuan, "Do you know why I’m protecting you?"

Chang Chuan replied cautiously, "You’ve just arrived and are short-staffed."

"Being short-staffed is one reason."

Zhang Meilin said, "The real reason is Hou Wen!"

"Just after his downfall, the provincial authorities are watching closely. We can’t afford to have similar issues crop up at a time like this. Dujiang City can’t afford any turmoil for at least a year! Otherwise, how would others at the municipal level view me? They would think that I, as the top official, can’t even maintain basic stability!"

"I think Dean Hu’s goal is not you, but me!"

"He wants to drive me out of Dujiang City!"

He grabbed the documents and smacked them on the desk, "I can find a way to negotiate with the Disciplinary Committee, but you have to make me sure that you are worth it!"

"If you don’t show your expected value, even if the municipal and provincial authorities are not satisfied, I won’t protect you."

Chang Chuan immediately stood up, "I am willing to go through fire and water for Secretary Zhang!"

Secretary Zhang gestured for him to sit down, "Sit, I have some questions for you."

Chang Chuan sat down again, "Ask away, Secretary."

"I’ll ask you, who’s behind Dean Hu?"

Chang Chuan instinctively fell silent, but it immediately dawned on him that his fate was in Zhang Meilin’s hands.

He had just spoken of going through fire and water, yet now when asked a question, he stayed silent. What kind of going through fire and water was that?

"It’s Mr. Chen!"

"Which Mr. Chen?"

"Chen Guanyun."

"Him?" Zhang Meilin feigned surprise, though he had actually guessed it long ago.

"It looks like it was Mr. Chen who instructed Dean Hu."

"I’ll ask you again, has Mr. Chen ever expressed dissatisfaction with me privately?"

This time, Chang Chuan didn’t dare hesitate and nodded immediately, "He did express it, just a couple of days ago when he called us for a chat."

"What did you talk about?"

"This, I can tell you, Secretary Zhang, but please don’t be angry."

"Speak."

"Actually, the position you’re in should have been his. He’s very dissatisfied with you, feeling that you’ve blocked his way."

"Then did he say how he plans to deal with me?"

"He didn’t say that; he only mentioned wanting to win you over."

"Win me over?" Zhang Meilin laughed. "Setting someone up to report you, that’s called winning me over?"

Chang Chuan asked, "Secretary Zhang, didn’t Lu Xiaotian’s grandmother come to find you?"

"She did."

"Right, so that was an attempt to win you over. Did you not agree?"

"Mhm, I ignored it."

"That’s correct." Chang Chuan said, "Failing to win you over, they had to find another way to deal with you."

Zhang Meilin thought to himself, Song Guanchao really was something else, his analysis was spot on, having predicted everything perfectly.

After finishing a cigarette, Zhang Meilin threw the reporting materials at him, "Go back. Keep this matter to yourself. Keep a close watch on Chen Guanyun! If he gets me, you won’t get off easy either."

"If you cooperate well, I can pretend I haven’t seen these things. I will ask Minister Zhou from the City Disciplinary Inspection Committee to intervene on your behalf, securing you the position of Vice Mayor in charge of education. It shouldn’t be a big problem."

"But if you play tricks with me, then just as I can protect you today, I can also bring you down tomorrow!"

Grasping the materials, Zhang Meilin quickly assured him he absolutely would not, then left the room with a weight off his shoulders.

Coming out of the guesthouse, Chang Chuan took a deep breath.

Having skirted death, he felt nearly depleted.

"Damn it, Hu Youquan, you son of a bitch!"

The mere thought of being reported by Hu Youquan filled him with rage.

Fortunately, Zhang Meilin intercepted it.

Fortunately, Zhang Meilin stabilized the situation by keeping him safe.

Without these factors, he would already be under investigation by the Disciplinary Committee.

As for Zhang Meilin’s threats just now, he found them perfectly normal and wasn’t upset.

Anyone encountering such a situation would be furious.

Moreover, he felt that things were quite good now.

Hu Youquan and Chen Guanyun had already made their moves. Zhang Meilin surely wouldn’t let things rest and was definitely plotting against them.

Once these people fell, he would be like a loyal minister following Zhang Meilin!

And with leverage in Zhang Meilin’s hands, Zhang Meilin could trust him!

He was now one of Zhang Meilin’s trusted subordinates!

From a certain perspective, with the leverage in the other party’s hands, this relationship was even more unbreakable than a marriage!

Chang Chuan suddenly smiled, "A setback may turn out to be a blessing in disguise!"

In the room.

Zhang Meilin said, "Guan Chao, you really are prophetic, getting everything right."

Song Guanchao smiled without taking the bait, "It’s getting late, Brother Zhang should rest soon."

"Mhm, I’ll head back." Before leaving, Zhang Meilin unconsciously glanced at Fu Ying.

That look made Fu Ying blush, "I’m going back too."

"I’ll walk you out."

Song Guanchao followed along.

Fu Ying wanted to say there was no need, but the words didn’t make it past her lips.

After all, she was still hopeful.

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