"County Magistrate Jiang, please do as you please."

Chen Fang responded.

Jiang Tuo then stood up and said to Director of the People's Congress Guo Ruiliang, who was toasting at the time, "Old Guo, keep Secretary Chen company for a bit."

At this point, Guo Ruiliang was already slightly inebriated.

His face was flushed, his head swayed to and fro, and his tongue seemed to be swelling up.

He slapped his chest and said, "It's fine, County Magistrate Jiang, you... you go on with your work, I'll keep Secretary Chen company."

Having said that, he sat down next to Chen Fang, right where Jiang Tuo had just been.

Ma Shizhen, who had been standing by, immediately came over to pour Guo Ruiliang some wine.

It wasn't clear whether Guo Ruiliang's hand was shaking on purpose.

Or Ma Shizhen was distracted elsewhere.

By accident.

The wine in the glass was over-poured.

And splashed all over Guo Ruiliang.

"Ay, what are you doing? Are those two eyeballs just for show?"

Flustered, Guo Ruiliang stood up and chastised Ma Shizhen.

Ma Shizhen was greatly shocked.

He hurriedly fetched some paper towels and began wiping Guo Ruiliang down.

Guo Ruiliang, with evident disgust, pushed Ma Shizhen's hand away, snatched the paper towels, and muttered, "You're really like a pig, can't do anything right, useless! Absolutely useless!"

After being scolded.

Ma Shizhen still managed a sycophantic smile.

He nervously stood aside, nodding.

Guo Ruiliang grew more annoyed as he wiped.

Suddenly, he lifted his hand as if he was about to slap Ma Shizhen across the face.

His eyes then caught a glimpse of Chen Fang.

He grudgingly retracted his hand.

Raising his glass, he first drank with Chen Fang.

Then he declared loudly, "Drinking like this is no fun, how about we have Director Ma perform a little show?"

"Great!"

A chorus of cheers immediately erupted.

"Director Guo, with so many people around, that's not quite appropriate," Ma Shizhen said with an embarrassed look, whispering to Guo Ruiliang.

Guo Ruiliang, with a disdainful expression, replied, "What's not appropriate? Performing a piece to entertain Secretary Chen, how can that be wrong? Right, Secretary Chen?"

Chen Fang did not know what Guo Ruiliang was up to.

He simply smiled faintly.

As an acknowledgement.

Seeing that Chen Fang did not intervene.

Guo Ruiliang said to the crowd, "Well then, I've heard that Director Ma's imitation of a dog's bark is unparalleled, why don't we treat everyone to a demonstration?"

"Hahaha... yes, yes, yes, let's have Director Ma do it."

Under the influence of alcohol.

Everyone joined in the laughter and applause.

Ma Shizhen's face turned crimson.

He appeared very reluctant.

Imitating a dog's bark in front of nearly all of Guanghe County's leaders was nothing short of outright humiliation.

In Chen Fang's view.

Ma Shizhen, as the Director of the County Party Secretary's Office, should not stoop to doing such a thing.

To his surprise, Ma Shizhen hesitated for just a moment before saying, "Alright then, since Director Guo likes it, I, Ma Shizhen, will give it a try."

Once he said this.

The room fell silent.

Ma Shizhen gathered his thoughts.

And suddenly let out a "woof."

Seeing this, the crowd erupted into laughter.

Encouraged, Ma Shizhen became even more enthusiastic, barking "woof woof woof" a dozen times in a row.

The laughter continued long and uproarious.

Guo Ruiliang was laughing so hard he couldn't even straighten up.

He leaned close to Chen Fang and asked, "Secretary Chen, isn't Director Ma's imitation of a dog's bark incredibly lifelike?"

Watching this.

Chen Fang seemed to catch on to something.

From the moment Jiang Tuo rose to leave, to Guo Ruiliang's probing question, it was all prearranged.

This was a test for him.

Without any surprises, it should be Jiang Tuo's doing.

Chen Fang is the County Party Secretary.

The top leader of the county committee.

And Ma Shizhen is the director of the county committee office.

Theoretically, Chen Fang's top aide.

If one's own top aide barks like a dog in front of everyone, doesn't that imply that Chen Fang is a dog too?

If he praises Ma Shizhen for doing a good job barking, it would mean either he's too foolish to notice the trickery involved or too cowardly to call it out publicly.

Of course.

There's an even worse possibility.

It could be seen as an acknowledgment that he, too, is a dog.

So what if he loses his temper?

The person setting up the situation probably hopes for this outcome the most.

Having just arrived in Guanghe County and not yet comfortably settled in, he doesn't have the strength to challenge Jiang Tuo yet. If he were to fall out with him now, he would be the one humiliated, as if slapping his own face.

This is a problem with no solution.

Because no matter how one tries to solve it, it's a deadlock.

Then look at Guo Ruiliang's smug and disdainful gaze.

He seemed completely indifferent to whatever answer Chen Fang gives.

Because he's prepared for any response.

In the banquet hall.

Silence suddenly fell.

Everyone also turned their eyes toward Chen Fang, eagerly anticipating the drama to unfold.

Chen Fang smiled faintly.

He said, "Director Guo, this question truly leaves me at a loss for an answer."

"What's the matter? Does Secretary Chen think Director Ma's imitation isn't accurate?"

Guo Ruiliang asked.

Chen Fang waved his hand and said, "Whether it's accurate or not, I can't tell. After all, I am human and do not understand canine barks. Since Director Guo enjoys it so much, I assume you must have a deep understanding in this area, right?"

With this remark.

Zhang Shihua beside him couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Guo Ruiliang's face darkened instantly.

Chen Fang's implication was clear.

He was human and couldn't judge dog barks.

But Guo Ruiliang was different. It was he who had Ma Shizhen imitate barking, showing that he loved hearing dogs bark.

It was also a roundabout way of calling Guo Ruiliang a dog.

Guo Ruiliang bit his lip.

He stood up straight.

Without giving Ma Shizhen as much as a glance.

He said, "Director Ma, it seems your performance is not up to par, Secretary Chen doesn't like it. How about this, why don't you imitate a dog crawling, crawling around the table one lap, how about that?"

Ma Shizhen panicked.

He whispered, "Director Guo, isn't that inappropriate?"

Guo Ruiliang snorted coldly and said, "What's inappropriate about it? What, are you not giving me face? Or are you not giving everyone else face?"

"No, no, no, that's not what I mean."

Ma Shizhen hastily waved his hands.

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "As long as the leaders are happy, I'll crawl; I'll just do it."

In this process.

Guo Ruiliang kept his eyes fixed on Chen Fang.

There was a provocative look in his gaze.

In Guo Ruiliang's view, since his test had already been seen through by Chen Fang.

It had now been laid out in the open.

He intended to humiliate Ma Shizhen.

To achieve the aim of humiliating Chen Fang.

He wanted to see how Chen Fang, the County Party Secretary, would respond when his office director, Ma Shizhen, imitated crawling like a dog.

Just as Ma Shizhen was about to bend his knees in front of everyone.

Chen Fang suddenly stood up.

One hand grasped Ma Shizhen's shoulder.

Ma Shizhen's body tried to kneel, but he couldn't.

"Ha ha, Secretary Chen, what's the meaning of this? Zhou Yu against Huang Gai, one willing to beat and the other willing to suffer, don't tell me you think Director Ma isn't willing? Besides, everyone is enjoying the show, aren't you putting a damper on things, Secretary Chen?"

Guo Ruiliang poured himself a glass of wine.

He took a sip, speaking in a half-mocking, half-serious tone.

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.