Chapter 22: A Thunderclap (Part 1)

  Lu Zhong returned home in the evening, but saw Tong Susu standing alone in front of the courtyard gate. At this time, the bright moon was in the sky, and the surrounding trees and houses were like they had put on a silver gauze. Tong Susu, dressed in white clothes and pants, looked like a holy girl with a radiant effect in a game, noble and elegant, with a million charms, but her slender waist, curved hips, and long beautiful legs, which made people's noses bleed with perfect curves, were not effects that a holy girl could produce.

  When she saw Lu Zhong, her delicate face burst into a brilliant smile, and she opened her arms: "BABY, come give me a hug!" After experiencing this period of confusion, humiliation, and fear, seeing Lu Zhong made her feel as if she had seen the closest relative, the big rough man in front of her was already her only friend.

  Lu Zhong was speechless for a moment, but it could be seen that her mood had improved a lot, and she also felt relieved.

  Du Xiaohu was sadly parking two bicycles in the courtyard when Tong Suxin suddenly dragged Lu Zheng into the inner room, handing him an envelope and saying: "Return this to you, and thank you!" Her tone was very sincere.

  Lu Zhong knew there was definitely money inside, looked her up and down a few times, and said: "If you want to use it, just use it first, I'm not in a hurry."

  Tong Su's big eyes stared at Lu Zhong and said, "Zhongzi, to be honest, where did you get so much money? You'd better not get involved with Du Xiaohu, otherwise, you won't be able to turn back. My dad... is a lesson from the past..." Her tone sank again as she spoke.

  Lu Zhong smiled and said, "I have my own count." He thought to himself that Xiaohu, such a simple person, had become a villain in his eyes. With your ability to judge people, you don't need to teach me about human nature anymore. Then he asked, "How is Uncle?"

  Tong Su shook her head and didn't want to talk about the topic, but Lu Zhong had already guessed from her expression that something must have changed, so he asked: "Then what are your plans for the future?"

  Tong Su was silent for a moment and said: "I still have some money in my hand, I want to do some small business."

  Lu Zhong shook his head and said, "Doing business is not easy, especially for a girl. Have you really lost your job at the market?" Looking at Tong Su's performance, things might have turned around.

  Tong SuSu let out a soft sigh and nodded slightly.

  There were some things she couldn't tell Lu Zhong, and during her days of activity in Wushan, she began to be treated coldly everywhere, her situation was very miserable, until later she finally met with her father and found the right person.

  Now, she vaguely understands that her father took the fall for someone else, and it involves complex human struggles that are beyond her comprehension. The people she met later were just agents of some person, telling her not to worry about her father's situation, even if he really went to jail, he wouldn't suffer, and after his release, there would be arrangements made. As for Tong Su, the person told her that she was in a precarious situation at work, so it was best to take some money and hide out for a while, preferably returning to her hometown of Guangning where her relatives were, someone could take care of her, and also alleviate her father's worries.

  Although only got this limited information, compared to the confusion and helplessness of that time, it's much better now. Father also entrusted her to live a good life, and mother still wants her to take care of herself.

  And her mother, who would soon be released from the detention center, knew that she was now her mother's hope, and she had to live strong for herself and her mother, waiting for the day when her father would come out and they could reunite as a family.

  Lu Zhong thought for a moment and said: "If you haven't figured out what to do yet, I have an idea. How about going to the county TV station?" Although he didn't go find Tong Su, Lu Zhong still cared about her situation and told Li Xiangyang about it. Li Xiangyang readily agreed, saying it was no problem.

  Tong SuSu let out a bitter laugh: "It's not about whether I want to go or not, it's just that they wouldn't possibly want me. My situation is known by the county officials."

  "Want to go then it's fine, I've already spoken with Li Xiangyang and he agreed to help arrange for you."

  Tong Su muttered: "How is this possible?" Li Xiangyang had met him before, the deputy director of the county propaganda department and the head of the county radio and television bureau, was the real boss of the county TV station, but his own family had such a thing, the municipal station fired him, would the county station dare to use him?

  Lu Zhong knew her concerns and said, "Everything will go through the normal procedures. The county government is currently short-handed, if it were in the past, I wouldn't even ask you to come. Don't worry, no one will be staring at you all the time."

  Tong Su thought about it and nodded slightly, but didn't think much of it. It turned out that Lu Zhong still had some energy in Guangning, and Li Xiangyang was giving him face.

  "Hey, how do you know Li Xiangyang? You're quite familiar with him?" Tong Susu asked curiously.

  Just then Du Xiaohu came in to move the bedding for Lu Zhong and said disdainfully, "Zhongzi Ge is giving him face, who does Li Xiangyang think he is?"

  Tong SuSu giggled, big men together, most like to flatter each other.

  Lu Zhong honestly answered her question: "After I retired from the army, I worked as a deputy political commissar at the county bureau and helped Li Xiangyang's nephew with a case."

  Lu Zhong said something ambiguous, but Tong Su thought it was crooked and sighed: "Zhongzi, such things are better not to get involved."

  Lu Zhong was taken aback for a moment, then immediately knew what Tong Su was thinking. He thought he had helped Li Xiangyang's nephew settle something and smiled, but didn't want to explain it to her either.

  Tong Su Su curiously tilted her pretty face, sizing up Lu Zhun, "You really were a soldier? Transferring to the auxiliary corps, that's gotta be at the regimental or company level cadres, right?"

  Lu Zhong smiled and said: "Having been on the front line, the county is considered... taken care of."

  Tong Su didn't quite understand the policy of changing professions either. She let out an "ah" and became even more curious about Lu Zhong, asking: "Then you, have you ever killed anyone?"

  Lu Zhong's mind buzzed for a moment, and in an instant, he seemed to have returned to the mountain slope shrouded in blood, where everything seemed to be crimson, and under his bayonet, those gruesome corpses.

  "Never mind, go to sleep." Lu Zhong waved his hand and walked out.

  Tong Su was startled by Lu Zhong's gaze just now, and as she looked at his back, she gradually fell into deep thought.

  ……

  The sky was a deep, foreboding black, with clouds that seemed to weigh heavily on one's head, making it hard to breathe. Streaks of lightning tore through the air, followed by a deafening clap of thunder that shook the earth. The ground trembled and quaked, as if it too were trembling with fear. And then, torrential rains came pouring down in sheets. It was August in Guangning, right in the midst of the sweltering rainy season.

  The conference room on the third floor of the county bureau was filled with smoke, and Liu Baojun, secretary of the county party committee's political and legal committee and vice-county head, was "listening in" on a meeting chaired by Ma Yuewu to arrange the next stage of work for the county bureau.

  At present, during the period of great change, the county bureau has a lot of work to arrange in all aspects. Firstly, with the development of Wushan economy, the floating population in surrounding counties and districts has increased geometrically, especially Guangning, as a leisure resort, relying on Wushan's opening-up to the outside world, its economy is developing rapidly, but the pressure brought by the floating population is also increasing day by day.

  The municipal bureau has issued a document, requiring each county and district bureau to carry out the "anti-pickpocketing" special struggle, striking against all types of hostile elements that undermine the socialist economy, in order to maintain good social order. Guangning County is one of the hardest hit areas by pickpocketing gangs and is also one of the main battlefields for this special struggle.

  Apart from the "anti-pickpocketing" campaign, another major event for the county bureau was the establishment of a fire brigade (a deputy department-level unit) specifically responsible for firefighting, supervision and fire prevention work. At the same time, it accepted the county traffic management station's traffic police team (also a deputy department-level unit), all of which were necessary for Guangning's economic development.

  The meeting room was not large, and the old smokers were too many, choking. Even Lu Zhong, who occasionally smoked one or two cigarettes, couldn't help but frown.

  Ma Yuewu's voice is very high and full of energy, compared to Zhang Ju's slow and steady tone in the previous chapter, it gives people a different feeling.

  Liu Baojun was very cooperative with him, occasionally smiling and interjecting, agreeing with his opinions.

  Gao Zhikai's face was expressionless, and he just kept drinking tea water quietly.

  All the cadres present know that these three are the most popular candidates for the new director, and in private, they are very humble, never admitting anything, always calm and composed, making it really unclear who will win this time.

  Behind Ma Yuewu, the clearest is that County Party Committee Secretary Qiu Da and Secretary stand behind him. Even if this personnel change is very special, the county party committee does not have the final decision-making power for the appointment of the head of the county bureau, but there is no doubt that the opinion of the county party committee is still very important. If Secretary Qiu strives to fight for it, Ma Yuewu's chances are still great.

  Especially recently, county bureau's work meetings were almost all presided over by him.

  Liu Baojun, Secretary of the County Party Committee's Politics and Law Committee, is a high-ranking deputy county-level cadre who has been tasked with rectifying the Guangning County Bureau. Perhaps in the eyes of higher-level leaders, this is not a bad choice.

  Chu Chulang's investigation team left Guangning yesterday. Before Chu Chulang left, he was almost inseparable from Liu Baojun. It is said that Chu Chulang is a powerful and eloquent director in the provincial hall, and if he really makes an effort, it won't be difficult to appoint a deputy director-level cadre in the provincial public security system. Moreover, as the team leader responsible for investigating the Guangning police killing case, his words carry even more weight.

  So if the provincial government proposes to the county committee that Liu Baojun concurrently serves as the director of the county bureau, it's not strange at all.

  Only Gao Zhikai, who is said to have a close relationship with the heavens, but what exactly is behind his back, no one really knows. However, no one would deny that Gao Zhikai is also a hot candidate for county bureau chief, and perhaps even the most popular candidate.

  The more outsiders can't figure out what's going on, the scarier such people tend to be.

  The three hot candidates for the director's position have always been very cooperative with each other's work, but this harmony was finally broken today.

  When Liu Baojun suddenly suggested that Du Xiaohu take the post of head of the newly established fire prevention and control department, Ma Yuewu clearly expressed his opposition.

  He interrupted Liu Baojun's chatter, saying loudly: "Secretary Baojun, Du Xiaohu is still a bit too young, and he has only been in the deputy position for over a year. Although we now emphasize breaking through the ranks to promote people, I think Comrade Xiaohu should be tempered some more. Otherwise, let him act as the head of the department first." Ma Yuewu's voice was very loud and powerful, directly putting Liu Baojun in an awkward position.

  Ma Yuewu said, his eyes darting a glance at Lu Zhong.

  Now Lu Zhong, although neglected in the battle for the bureau chief, whoever gets to be the bureau chief will inevitably have to rely heavily on him. Among ordinary police officers in the county bureau, Lu Zhong has already been mythologized to a certain extent. No wonder, from cracking the 615 case to solving the true culprit of the Extinction Gate case with just one turn around the crime scene, and shooting down Zhang Zili, the Republic's number one outlaw, these are all plot twists that only legendary stories have.

  So, no matter who does this director, I hope to borrow his weight, especially Ma Yuewu, and even more need Lu Zhong to counterbalance Gao Zhi Kai.

  Ma Yuewu glanced at Lu Zhong, meaning to tell him that he had no opinion about Du Xiaohu.

  Liu Baojun smiled and nodded, saying: "Comrade Yuewu's proposal is very good. I am an outsider, not familiar with the business of the bureau, just expressing my personal opinion, and also welcome comrades to criticize and instruct." A light sentence, although very polite and humble, but also showed the leader's demeanor without being too heavy or too light. He nodded at Ma Yuewu, who was in charge of the county's political and legal work as a secretary and deputy county-level official, while you were just a high-ranking section chief.