Leng Xiangmei mulled it over but didn't agree.
"Why should I believe you? Why should I believe a corrupt official like you?" she asked.
"Director Leng, we have to be honest here, hand on heart. Though for you, that might be a bit of a handful, given your… prominent figure. But you can't just throw your conscience out the window because it's hard to reach!
"Look at these cheap clothes I'm wearing—no, they're knockoffs from some online bargain bin. What corrupt official is as poor as me? A shabby official like me would be the laughingstock of his peers, wouldn't he?"
Qin Shou mocked himself.
Leng Xiangmei was an intelligent woman. She quickly analyzed the situation.
Qin Shou must know he couldn't escape punishment and wanted to redeem himself by performing a meritorious service.
That was why he had offered to be her informant, to help her catch other corrupt officials.
Qin Shou had been around Changle County for so many years that he'd become the County Party Secretary's chief secretary, and he was involved in corruption himself. He must know a great deal about the inner workings of Changle County.
She might as well release this small fish, Qin Shou, back into the cesspool of Changle County to lure out the big fish.
As for trusting Qin Shou, Leng Xiangmei would absolutely never do that.
As the director of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection's Eighth Review and Investigation Office, Leng Xiangmei had a lot of work to do and many corrupt officials to investigate.
So, if there wasn't a major breakthrough in Changle County, she couldn't possibly focus all her energy here.
Therefore, Leng Xiangmei decided to leave someone trustworthy behind in Changle County to continue investigating the corrupt officials here after she left.
The person she planned to leave behind was, of course, Liu Qiang.
Since he started working under her, Liu Qiang had been diligent and conscientious, never slacking off. No matter what task she gave him, he completed it well.
One could even say that Liu Qiang was now Leng Xiangmei's most capable subordinate, her confidant.
Leng Xiangmei was pondering how to arrange the next steps of her work.
But when she looked up, she saw Qin Shou still staring intently at her proud assets, his eyes practically glued to them.
This infuriated Leng Xiangmei, and she slammed her hand on the table again.
Smack!
"Qin Shou, what are you looking at?"
"Of course, I'm admiring your heroic posture, Director Leng, while waiting for you to assign me a mission. I want to fight alongside you and help you catch all the parasites in Changle County!"
"You are the parasite!"
"Even if I am, you've already caught me, Director Leng! I can't run away anyway, so just give me a chance to atone for my crimes!"
"Fine! I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself! You can go! But you are not to leave Changle County! And you must guarantee that you'll be available whenever I summon you!
"If you dare to run, the moment I catch you, I'll have you detained, even without evidence. I'll strip you of your freedom first, and then I'll take my time to find proof of your corruption and bribery!" This chapter was copied from novelping dot com without permission.
With that, Leng Xiangmei opened the door to the review room.
"Get out!"
"Director Leng, you're so fierce. No wonder you can't find a husband!"
"You…"
Leng Xiangmei was so angry she wanted to kill Qin Shou.
But the bastard's feet seemed to be greased—he ran faster than a rabbit.
"Qin Shou, I will get the evidence on you! After I'm done using you, I'll bring you, this little parasite, to justice and send you to prison! If I can't do it, I'll never get married! I'll stay single forever! I'll die alone!"
Leng Xiangmei clenched her fists, silently making a solemn vow in her heart.
Liu Qiang had just gone to the restroom. While there, he had sent a message to Xiong Gang, reporting that Leng Xiangmei was concerned about Wu Yuqin's accidental death in a car crash.
As soon as he walked out of the restroom, Liu Qiang saw Qin Shou.
He was stunned for a moment.
Qin Shou waved at him and greeted, "Assistant Liu, hello!"
Hearing this title, Liu Qiang was delighted.
He had always dreamed of becoming Leng Xiangmei's assistant.
If he could become the director's assistant, although it wasn't a promotion in rank, his status would be greatly elevated.
Then, he would be Leng Xiangmei's representative. In the Eighth Review and Investigation Office, he would be the unofficial second-in-command.
After a moment of happiness, Liu Qiang asked, puzzled, "How did you get out?"
"Director Leng interrogated me for half the day and finally discovered that I'm a good person, an honest official who hasn't embezzled a single cent. So, she just let me go."
Qin Shou's words made Liu Qiang suspicious.
However, seeing Leng Xiangmei standing at the door of the review room, looking in their direction without calling for him to take Qin Shou back, Liu Qiang didn't give him any trouble.
"It's too early to say if you're a good person or not! Director Leng let you go this time to give you a chance to confess on your own initiative.
"So, you go back and think it over carefully, then come and confess everything. Otherwise, when we find out, the punishment will be severe!"
Liu Qiang had already received instructions from Xiong Gang: everything in Changle County was to be pinned on Qin Shou.
For Liu Qiang, handling the Changle County case was an opportunity to pledge his allegiance to Xiong Gang.
No one who navigated the world of officialdom was clean.
You didn't even need a brain to figure it out; it was absolutely impossible for Qin Shou to be clean.
So, Liu Qiang agreeing to Xiong Gang's request to handle Qin Shou's case this way was just a matter of splashing a little more dirty water on someone who was already filthy.
Although this approach had minor moral flaws, it certainly didn't violate any major principles.
Qin Shou left.
Liu Qiang walked up to Leng Xiangmei.
"Little Liu, go get Wan Defu," Leng Xiangmei ordered.
"Who is Wan Defu?" Liu Qiang asked, confused.
"Wan Defu is Wan Hongbing's son. Qin Shou just showed me a surveillance video. The footage shows Wan Defu and his men carrying that large suitcase into Qin Shou's house and hiding it under his bed.
"So, go get Wan Defu now. I want to ask him what's going on. After I'm done with Wan Defu, I need to return to the city. The work here in Changle County will be your responsibility."
Leng Xiangmei had decided to give Liu Qiang a significant role. She wanted to groom him, so she decided to hand over the Changle County work to him to train his ability to handle things independently.
"Yes, Director Leng!"
Liu Qiang didn't go to find Wan Defu directly. Instead, he first made a call to Xiong Gang.
"Qiang-zi, what's up?" Xiong Gang always called Liu Qiang 'Qiang-zi' to sound more familiar.
"Brother Gang, Director Leng told me to bring in Wan Defu. She said Qin Shou showed her a surveillance video of Wan Defu putting that suitcase under his bed," Liu Qiang briefly reported.
"Where is that suitcase?"
"All the evidence is in the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection's office in Changle County. They've set aside a special room to store it."
"Got it! Make sure that evidence is protected! Don't let anything go wrong!"
With that, Xiong Gang hung up the phone.
County Committee Building, Office of the Director of the County Committee General Office.
Ruan Xiangyu was applying a face mask when her phone suddenly rang.
She took her phone out of her LV bag and saw it was a call from Xiong Gang.
"Secretary Xiong, what's the matter?"
"Director Ruan, Qin Shou had a surveillance camera in his house. It recorded the entire process of Wan Defu putting that large suitcase under his bed. Right now, the suitcase is in the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection's office in Changle County."
"Okay, I understand."
...