This voice...

Why does it sound so familiar?

Ding Mengxiang leaned in for a closer look.

His back was instantly soaked with sweat.

The somewhat balding man on the ground was actually the secretary-general of the city government, Liu Bainian.

And the other man...

When Ding Mengxiang turned around, he saw a familiar face. Not only did he break out in a cold sweat, but his hands and feet also began to tremble.

"Lv... leader... What are you doing here?"

Ding Mengxiang asked in a trembling voice.

He was right, he hadn't misseen.

The other man, naked, was none other than Lv Yifeng, the mayor of Wen'an City, his backer.

Lv Yifeng's face was stern.

He asked, "Ding Mengxiang, do you want to arrest me, is that it?"

"No, no, no, leader, it's a misunderstanding... It's not like that... I... I am..."

His mind was in complete disarray.

At that moment, he didn't know how to explain himself anymore.

Just then, Chen Fang rushed in, carrying two bath towels, one for Lv Yifeng and another for Liu Bainian, covering their exposed bodies.

Then he said to Ding Mengxiang, "Deputy County Magistrate Ding, stop explaining for now, let's withdraw the people first. If this blows up..."

"Withdraw, I'm withdrawing immediately..."

Ding Mengxiang shuddered.

He hurriedly waved at the police behind him.

He Zixiong immediately led his men to leave knowingly.

Chen Fang seized the opportunity to approach Lv Yifeng and whispered, "Leader, I've already had your driver wait at the back door. Follow me, and I'll take you down first. You can't show your face right now."

Lv Yifeng nodded.

He and Liu Bainian exited through the side door.

In a secluded spot, Chen Fang had their clothes ready.

The two quickly changed and, following Chen Fang's lead, arrived at the back door and indeed, their official car was waiting there.

Chen Fang saw the leaders off into the car.

Lv Yifeng still had an unhappy expression.

Seeing this, Chen Fang said, "Leader, about today's incident, I truly didn't expect this to happen. Now that it has, Hui Tonight can't do business either, so about that money..."

"All right, I know," Lv Yifeng said expressionlessly.

The car window then closed.

The car drove off, disappearing at the corner of the street.

Chen Fang returned to Hui Tonight's hall.

Seeing Chen Fang emerge,

Ding Mengxiang hurried up to meet him, looking around as he asked, "Where's the leader?"

"Both leaders have left."

"Ah? They left?"

Ding Mengxiang was about to chase after them but was held back by Chen Fang.

Chen Fang sighed and said, "Deputy County Magistrate Ding, the leader told me to convey to you that he doesn't blame you for this incident. After all, you were unaware of the situation."

"Right, right, right, I really didn't know the leader was here," Ding Mengxiang said eagerly.

Chen Fang patted him on the shoulder and said, "The leader knows what's in your heart, but during this period, you'd better not contact him. You need to avoid suspicion. Since you've initiated this with Hui Tonight, you'll have to see it through. Otherwise, rumors will start to spread again. Rumors are fearsome, after all. Some people saw what happened today, didn't they..."

"See it through? How am I supposed to do that?"

Ding Mengxiang asked.

Chen Fang feigned thoughtfulness for a moment and said, "Just use the excuse of the fire safety facilities not meeting standards to have them rectified."

"Good, I'll give the orders right away."

Ding Mengxiang was in a panic.

He had forgotten that the purpose of his visit was to take down Chen Fang.

At that moment, he believed Chen Fang was helping him, as nobody would actively request their own place to be shut down.

On the way back,

Lv Yifeng was gloomy the entire time.

Thinking about the embarrassment of the day, he couldn't help but feel burning anger.

With the forced closure of Tonight's Gathering also getting out, and a source of additional income gone, how could he not be furious?

He said to his secretary Yu Qing in the passenger seat, "Secretary Yu, from now on, do not answer any calls from Ding Mengxiang. If he comes looking for me, I'm never available. Got it?"

Yu Qing was clearly one of Lv Yifeng's people, how could she not understand what he meant.

She immediately nodded and said, "Yes, leader."

Three days after the Tonight's Gathering incident had passed.

Lv Yifeng asked Yu Qing again whether Ding Mengxiang had called recently.

Upon hearing that there hadn't been a single call, Lv Yifeng simply commented, "He's grown wings," and said nothing more.

After hearing Chen Fang's words, Ding Mengxiang had indeed not contacted Lv Yifeng these past few days.

But the more he thought about it, the more something felt off, although he couldn't quite put his finger on what the problem was.

It was only several days later.

That the city government work conference convened.

All the heads of the municipal agencies were gathered together.

At this meeting, Lv Yifeng harshly criticized the Jinde County government's inaction and low efficiency, and they were even used as a negative example.

Although Ding Mengxiang's name wasn't mentioned.

But who didn't know that Ding Mengxiang was the head of the Jinde County government?

At the commendation conference that followed.

Ten outstanding officials were awarded.

Among these ten, Deputy County Magistrate Ding Yuan of Jinde County was prominently on the list.

What the hell?

Wasn't that contradictory?

Political circles are full of sharp people; such a small detail was enough to show, indirectly, that Ding Mengxiang had fallen out of favor with Lv Yifeng.

After the meeting had ended.

Lv Yifeng met warmly with the ten outstanding officials.

Ding Yuan even received special treatment and was invited to have lunch with Lv Yifeng at noon.

This made Ding Mengxiang very anxious.

After the afternoon break ended.

An impatient Ding Mengxiang immediately called Yu Qing, requesting to see Lv Yifeng, but the reply he got was that Lv Yifeng was not available.

Ding Mengxiang was no fool.

If he had not understood the ins and outs of the situation at the beginning.

But considering the current circumstances, it seemed he could make out some clues.

After carefully examining Ding Yuan's background.

He sent Du Hongchun to Dongshan City.

Two days later.

Du Hongchun returned from out of town and almost rushed into Ding Mengxiang's office.

"Got results?"

Seeing Du Hongchun panting, Ding Mengxiang asked.

Du Hongchun took a deep breath.

And said, "Yes... there are results. From the late seventies to the early eighties, Ding Yuan was sent down to the countryside in Yangmei Town, Changming County. Among the sent-down youths with him, there was another person, guess who it was, leader?"

"Who?"

Ding Mengxiang asked.

Du Hongchun took another deep breath and said, "Chen Zhiguo, who is Chen Fang's father."

Boom!

Like a thunderclap out of a clear blue sky.

Ding Mengxiang abruptly stood up.

With a dark gaze, he pondered for a long time and asked, "Are you saying that Chen Fang and Ding Yuan have known each other for a long time?"

"From what I have investigated so far, that seems to be the case,"

Du Hongchun said.

Ding Mengxiang walked out from behind his desk, pacing back and forth in the office with his hands behind his back, murmuring, "I understand now, I understand. All of this was set up from the start. After Chen Fang came to Jinde County, he started drastic education reforms, all with the intent to use this matter to drive away Li Xiaomin, allowing Ding Yuan to rise to the position of County Magistrate."

"It's like the human calculation overrules the divine; after Li Xiaomin left, I was sent to this position, effectively blocking his way. Hence, from Tanhua Lane, he started setting traps for me. The Tonight's Gathering affair was also something he reminded me of, so I would fall out of favor with Mayor Lv and pave the way for his ascent."

"Ding Yuan, Chen Fang, you two really are good partners, playing both me and Mayor Lv..."

During this speech, Ding Mengxiang was grinding his teeth.

It was evident from his eyes that they were filled with a murderous intent.

Du Hongchun immediately asked, "Leader, should we report this matter to Mayor Lv?"

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