NOVEL NEXT Chapter 344: 344 is embarrassed again
Liu Zhizhong knew that Zhang Yuxing felt the meeting had been insufficient, for some things remained unsaid. Perhaps he would have to go to Du Yuesheng's office alone to give this "stubborn donkey" a good talking to?
So, when they were leaving the conference room, Liu Zhizhong formally asked, "Mayor Zhang, should I accompany you, or shall I wait for you in the car?"
By then, plenty of people were leaving the meeting, and Zhang Yuxing replied to Liu Zhizhong with icy disdain, "Of course, you should accompany me. A male secretary and a female mayor exchanging opinions in an office with no secretary present, what would others think if word spread? Liu Zhizhong, can you use your brain?"
"Oh, okay, I understand."
Zhang Yuxing's scolding of Liu Zhizhong had been overheard by many who secretly thought the poor fellow really had it tough; who knew if one day he'd be given the boot for not serving well enough...
But who knew just how well Liu Zhizhong had it? Heh heh!
It wasn't long before Liu Zhizhong accompanied Zhang Yuxing into Du Yuesheng's office.
In the familiar office, Liu Zhizhong could certainly recall many a thrilling experience from the past... Ah, as if it all happened just yesterday!
Du Yuesheng instructed his secretary Wen Jiabao to serve fresh tea for Zhang and Liu and invited them to sit down.
Wen Jiabao, truly Du Yuesheng's close confidant and secretary, was in reality the younger brother of Du Yuesheng's first wife, now 38 with "Glasses," quite the cultivated and somewhat melancholic figure who seldom spoke.
Over the years, rising in rank beneath his brother-in-law, Wen Jiabao had taken charge of many things for him! Naturally, he had skilfully collected a fair bit of money for himself as well.
Once they sat down, Wen Jiabao respectfully stood behind Du Yuesheng, ready to serve.
Liu Zhizhong, too, obediently stood at Zhang Yuxing's back—such was the life of a secretary.
However, Du Yuesheng held a grudge against Liu Zhizhong. After all, Liu Zhizhong had given him a hard time with that Luo Yanling incident.
Fortunately, that incident was behind them and no longer a concern, it remained an unspoken understanding among them.
Liu Zhizhong knew when to quit while he was ahead, not pushing Du Yuesheng too hard. So as for Lu Yuqing's case, he no longer used his leverage over Du Yuesheng, for it was spent and could not be used again.
In officialdom, for someone of his rank to have once used leverage to suppress Du Yuesheng was already quite something. To use the same piece of evidence over and over would be signing one's own death warrant!
There had been precedents for such situations in the past.
So essentially, the attitude was to let bygones be bygones once the storm had passed, and to settle any grudges later.
Du Yuesheng then spoke with an awkward warmth, "Ah, my dear Yue Xing, you really put me in a tight spot at the meeting today! Such matters, we could have discussed privately. To bring it up in the meeting like that, I truly... am impressed by you, truly!"
Saying this, he even made a gesture of respect.
Zhang Yuxing let out a snort and scoffed, "You bastard, you're worried about 'losing face'? Isn't that why I've come to discuss this matter with you in private?"
"Ah? You…" Du Yuesheng was caught off guard, having assumed Zhang Yuxing wanted to discuss something else! After all, a secretary and a mayor were both of the same administrative ranking, with the former overseeing the entire Party and the latter in charge of the government, also serving as the first deputy secretary of the Party. It was quite normal for them to exchange views.
Who could've guessed Zhang Yuxing would keep digging into the matter?
Given the presence of his brother-in-law and the resentful Liu Zhizhong, Du Yuesheng was once again embarrassed.
He hurriedly plastered on a smile and said, "Dear Yue Xing, why don't we let bygones be bygones? I've already made my position clear at the meeting..."
"How many people take what was said at the meeting seriously?" Zhang Yuxing interrupted in a cold voice.
Du Yuesheng, at a loss for words, could only laugh awkwardly and spread his hands, "Okay then, say what you want to say, I'll listen, I'll listen… Isn't that alright?"