The earliest flight to Rongjiang Airport was at seven o'clock in the evening.

Chen Fang first took a leave from Mayor Ren Yiweng, then handed over the work of the Disciplinary Committee to Executive Deputy Secretary Yue Xinzhuo.

At eight o'clock in the evening, the plane to Yong'an Province took off on time.

By the time he emerged from the exit, it was almost ten o'clock.

Gao Younan was already waiting in the car.

In haste, he rushed to Rongjiang City Cancer Hospital, only to be told that Li Duming had been discharged and had returned to his home in Changming County.

This also meant that the hospital had given up on resuscitation.

Around twelve o'clock.

Chen Fang just came off the Changming County expressway toll station.

He received a call from Li Yi.

During the drive back, Chen Fang had tried contacting Li Yi multiple times. Though the calls went through, no one answered until finally, he got through. Chen Fang immediately asked, "Li Yi, where are you now?"

"Dad passed away this evening."

On the phone, Li Yi spoke with a choking voice.

Chen Fang's heart plunged heavily.

Silence lingered for a long while.

He asked, "I've already arrived at Changming County. I'm coming to your house right now."

"No need, we're already at the funeral home's mourning hall. You can come straight here,"

Li Yi said.

After hanging up the phone.

Chen Fang's heart remained unsettled for a long time.

Perhaps Li Duming did not have that natural closeness compared to Ding Yuan, but at his most needed moment, it was Li Duming who extended his help. Without him, Chen Fang's career might have "perished" early on.

He had been favored by Tan Yandong.

In the final moments, to help Chen Fang uncover the truth, he even postponed dealing with his own illness.

Such a person was worthy of his respect.

Upon arriving at Changming County Funeral Home.

As soon as Chen Fang got out of the car, he saw Ding Yuan coming out to meet him.

"You're here?"

Ding Yuan slapped his arm lightly.

Chen Fang responded with a hum and asked, "Mr. Li, he..."

"Go inside and see for yourself first. We can talk about other things later,"

Chen Fang nodded deeply.

He rushed into the mourning hall.

The mourning hall wasn't large, with a few people standing in small groups. In the middle of the wall hung a portrait. Below the portrait, there was a coffin.

His hurried steps slowed at that moment.

In the coffin.

It was not the familiar face of Li Duming.

Very thin, with deep-set eyes, it wasn't an exaggeration to say he looked like a dried husk.

Scenes flashed through his mind, one after another—situations of Li Duming talking with him, Li Duming wearing an apron cooking... like scenes from a film movie, frame by frame, passing before his eyes.

His heart tightened, a lump formed in his throat, and tears began to swirl in his eyes.

"Don't cry. Before he left, Dad said that no one should cry. Although he is gone, he has no regrets, and even when meeting his old brothers, he can walk with his head held high,"

He turned his head.

The speaker was Li Yi.

A smile surfaced on her face.

But this smile was also forcefully squeezed out.

"Why did it come to this?"

Chen Fang asked.

Li Yi smiled and said, "I've known about Dad's illness for a long time. I've advised him many times to get treatment, but he wouldn't listen to me. He said... he said..."

"What did he say?"

"He said that Uncle Tan's case hasn't been cleared yet; if he went for treatment, he would have to leave his post, but he couldn't leave his post because seeing you finally gave him hope, and being in the top position, he could help you a lot."

Li Yi said.

At that moment, Chen Fang's heart felt as if it were being torn apart.

It seemed that this was indeed the case.

Perhaps Li Duming also felt that his life was not going to last much longer, and knowing that Ding Yuan needed Chen Fang, he had sent Chen Fang to Jinde County; at least in Jinde County, Ding Yuan would protect him.

Chen Fang shuddered.

With a thud, he knelt on the ground and knocked his head against Li Duming's coffin three times.

He stood up.

He also wiped away the tears brimming in his eyes.

He said, "Alright, since Mr. Li doesn't want us crying, we won't cry."

At this time, his eyes scanned around.

He said in shock, "What's going on? Isn't Mr. Li the County Party Secretary? Why is this memorial hall so simply arranged?"

Looking around.

In the vast memorial hall, aside from a single coffin, there was almost nothing else. There is a certain standard for the funerals of system insiders; could it be that because it was getting late, nobody else knew about it?

Seemingly noticing the confusion in Chen Fang's eyes.

Li Yi said, "The county has already been notified. No one from the county party committee or county government is allowed to attend my dad's funeral."

"Why?"

Chen Fang shuddered as he asked, "Didn't Mr. Li die on duty? How could the county make such a decision?"

"It was Wu Junyong's decision."

Chen Fang was stunned and asked, "Wu Junyong? You mean Deputy Magistrate Wu Junyong?"

"He hasn't been the Deputy Magistrate for a long time. He is now the Magistrate,"

Li Yi said.

Chen Fang understood everything in an instant.

Wu Junyong had been a member of the county committee and deputy magistrate when Chen Fang was in Changming County, not even a standing committee member then.

Chen Fang didn't know him well.

But when Tan Yandong was around, he had described Wu Junyong as duplicitous, a typical opportunist, particularly adept at ingratiating himself.

Tan Yandong didn't like him.

Li Duming didn't like him either.

Several attempts to promote Wu Junyong to standing committee member were opposed by Li Duming.

It's undeniable that Wu Junyong had some capabilities; since he couldn't advance in his own county, he later found a way to transfer elsewhere. When Chen Fang was at the customs, Wu Junyong had transferred back as the Magistrate.

After taking office,

he often openly opposed Li Duming.

Their conflicts in Changming County were almost public.

Li Duming had collapsed during a meeting. Logically, even deeming it as a sacrifice in the line of duty wouldn't be excessive, but Wu Junyong didn't spare even the deceased. After Li Duming was sent for emergency treatment, Wu rapidly submitted a report suggesting that Li intentionally concealed his illness and requested the city to discipline him.

The city's reply had not yet arrived.

Wu Junyong then started to severely criticize Li Duming's "selfish" actions in public, framing his actions as a monopolization of power, portraying Li Duming as a maniac clinging to power.

This evening,

Upon receiving news of Li Duming's death,

Wu Junyong immediately ordered that no personnel from any unit in Changming County should pay their respects at the funeral home, threatening disciplinary actions against anyone who dared to go.

"I'll call him!"

Furious after hearing Li Yi's words, Chen Fang pulled out his phone.

Li Yi grabbed his arm and said, "Ah Fang, it doesn't matter, Dad didn't care about these things, and I don't want to disturb his peace either. If people from the county don't come, then let it be. People pass away; leave them be."

Chen Fang hugged Li Yi in his arms.

He said, "Okay, I promise you, I won't confront him, but I can't let Mr. Li's funeral be this humble. You stay here and keep Mr. Li company; I'll step outside for a bit."

With that,

Chen Fang walked out of the mourning hall.

He sighed deeply and pulled out his phone...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.