Official Career Storm

Chapter 1610

This remark piqued Xiao Song’s interest a bit.

He scratched his ear, "Let’s hear it."

Mayor Fang said, "Secretary Xue has arrested a journalist."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Song guessed what he wanted to say: "Which journalist?"

"Journalist from the Ministry of Propaganda!" Mayor Fang said, "Secretary Xue plans to silence them. If you let me go, I’ll tell you the journalist’s location."

"Heh." Xiao Song took out his phone and called Lin Wanqiu: "Come in."

Mayor Fang was a bit angry. Did this bastard not hear what I said?

Or did he think I was lying?

"The journalist is in great danger. Just let me go and I’ll tell you her location immediately."

Just as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the door outside. Li Zhijun went over to open it.

Two women walked in one after another.

Mayor Fang instinctively glanced over, just about to look away, when he suddenly froze.

Her?

How could it be her?

"Is the journalist Mayor Fang mentioned her?" Xiao Song’s voice sounded in his ear.

Mayor Fang opened his mouth, feeling utterly hopeless.

He had hoped to use Su Nanzhi as a trump card in exchange for freedom.

However, Xiao Song had already rescued her.

"Director Song, I’m willing to cooperate!" Mayor Fang had a complete change of tune, giving up any resistance: "Whatever you want to know, I’ll cooperate!"

Xiao Song was very satisfied with his attitude and said to Lin Wanqiu, "Journalist Lin, turn on the camera and get this on record."

Lin Wanqiu responded with a hum, took out a portable camera from her bag, turned it on and placed it on the coffee table, filming Mayor Fang.

Lin Wanqiu asked the questions, and he answered.

As a journalist from the Ministry of Propaganda, Lin Wanqiu had excellent conversational skills, asking all the important questions.

Wu Qiangwei and the others also perked up, listening closely.

Xiao Song was not interested in these things. He took his phone and went upstairs to call Lu Zhizhong.

"Governor Lu, what did Governor Li say?"

"He wants to communicate with Secretary Zhuang and hasn’t gotten back to me yet."

Xiao Song calculated the time. He had informed Lu Zhizhong at around nine o’clock.

It was now afternoon, and more than four hours had passed, yet there was still no result?

Xiao Song couldn’t help but suspect whether the top leaders of Wu Province had climbed up the ladder through connections.

As the head official of a province, lacking decisiveness in critical matters was simply unimaginable.

"The opportunity is theirs, if they don’t cherish it, then just leave them alone for now."

Xiao Song asked, "Have the provincial department and city bureau been notified properly?"

Lu Zhizhong: "Hall Director Qi is gathering personnel, it requires some time. Liang Jianfeng’s side should already be on the way."

"Alright, have them contact Mayor Wu once they arrive."

After hanging up the phone, he was about to head downstairs when he suddenly heard footsteps on the stairs.

After a moment, he saw Wu Qiangwei coming up from around the corner of the stairs.

"Governor Lu?" Wu Qiangwei asked.

"Yes." Xiao Song replied, "Director Liang is on the way, Hall Director Qi will be a bit later. There’s no movement from Wu Province’s side."

He briefly explained the situation.

Wu Qiangwei pondered, "There’s something off about Wu Province’s side."

Xiao Song: "You’re worried that some leaders in the Provincial Committee were already aware of the situation in Pinghai City, and are deliberately stalling?"

Wu Qiangwei nodded.

"I don’t think it’s necessarily the case." Xiao Song said, "It could also be that they simply don’t trust the information provided by Governor Lu."

"Perhaps." Wu Qiangwei didn’t waste energy on this topic, "What do you plan to do next?"

"First, wait for Director Liang and the others to arrive, then proceed to make arrests directly."

Xiao Song glanced downstairs and, hearing nothing, turned towards Wu Qiangwei.

Noticing his gaze, Wu Qiangwei raised her eyebrows and whispered, "What are you doing..."

Xiao Song had already wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her on the lips.

Wu Qiangwei was startled, her eyes wide open, her peripheral vision constantly checking the stairs, afraid that someone might come up and catch them.

She gently pushed against his chest, but Xiao Song’s arms were like iron clamps, holding her firmly in place.

After a few futile pushes, she resignedly let him kiss her.

Ever since their relationship was officially established, Xiao Song would seize any opportunity to hug and cuddle her like a love-struck puppy, overly attached.

Wu Qiangwei didn’t resist being intimate with him; she was just worried someone might notice.

Luckily, at least until now, Xiao Song hadn’t shown any unusual behavior in front of others.

Suddenly, Wu Qiangwei felt something pressing against her lower belly.

With Xiao Song’s slow and teasing movements, she immediately knew what it was.

This little pervert!

She glared at him shyly, and Xiao Song flashed a mischievous grin, grabbed her hand, and stuffed it into his pants.

When she grasped Xiao Song, her small hand trembled a bit.

Soon after, Xiao Song also put his hand into her pants, kneading her soft, bouncy bottom.

In the quiet second-floor hallway, only the sounds of their increasingly heavy breathing and the rustling of their bodies could be heard.

...

Wu Province, Provincial Committee Building.

Governor Li and Director Hou from the Provincial Public Security Department were currently in Secretary Zhuang’s office discussing important matters.

The office was filled with smoke, and the three of them wore serious expressions, with no one speaking.

After a long time, Secretary Zhuang asked, "Do you think we should make arrests?"

Governor Li was quite firm, "Yes!"

Director Hou said, "I’ll follow Secretary Zhuang’s lead."

"Sigh," Secretary Zhuang sighed, pressing his thumb against his forehead and rubbing it hard.

After a long internal struggle, Secretary Zhuang asked, "Governor Li, are you certain Governor Lu’s words are credible?"

"Not entirely, but I don’t think Governor Lu would joke about such matters. Moreover, the Nanjiang Provincial Public Security Bureau and Jiangzhou Public Security Bureau have already dispatched people to Pinghai City."

"They wouldn’t act without concrete evidence."

Governor Li felt a bit exhausted; there were some things he was reluctant to say.

For instance, he knew that the one making the real decisions was Xiao Song, and Governor Lu was just Xiao Song’s public face, his spokesperson.

But he wasn’t in a position to explain this to Secretary Zhuang.

In fact, he thought it was irrelevant whether he explained it or not. Nanjiang Province and Jiangzhou City had already sent people to make arrests, indicating they must have substantial evidence.

Without evidence, would they dare conduct cross-province arrests?

Even a three-year-old could understand this logic, yet Secretary Zhuang didn’t seem to get it.

Or perhaps he did, but his indecisive and hesitant nature made it difficult for him to make decisive decisions whenever big issues arose.

And his vacillating nature was a direct reason why Wu Province’s economy had always lagged behind.

For provinces like theirs, with mediocre economies, the personal abilities of the leading officials were extremely important for economic revitalization.

Over the years, Wu Province had actually had several opportunities.

For instance, when some international companies sought cooperation within the country, he would haggle over policy incentives. Before making any decision, he would go through meetings, gather input from all standing committee members, and ultimately decide by vote.

By the time this entire process was completed, those companies had already been poached by other cities, causing Wu Province to miss out on opportunities time and again.

His character could be euphemistically described as stable and conservative, but bluntly, it lacked decisiveness and initiative.

The so-called democratic voting was essentially a way to distribute responsibility because he was afraid of shouldering it himself.

In Governor Li’s view, Secretary Zhuang was not suitable to be the top leader.

He lacked the qualities a top leader should have.

After finishing a cigarette, Secretary Zhuang said, "Governor Li, why don’t you contact the other standing committee members and we’ll have a meeting to discuss this."

"..." Governor Li’s mouth twitched.

If it were about anything else, he would have let it slide.

But this matter directly concerned his reputation, even his political future.

He took a deep breath and said, "Secretary Zhuang, I have a suggestion."