Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 134 If you want to find fault, you can always find a pretext.

Lin Xue seemed to find traces of her first love in Wu Zhiyuan.

Most people find it hard to forget their first love.

Especially for Lin Xue, whose marriage later failed, she divorced her husband and had no children, so she probably misses the beauty of her first love even more.

Upon entering the bedroom, Wu Zhiyuan was astonished.

It feels like Lam Suet's style has completely changed.

She usually wears black clothes, but her bedroom is decorated mainly in pink.

Pink blankets, pink mosquito nets, pink wallpaper.

It seems that every woman has a hidden girlish heart.

I don't understand why people are still putting up mosquito nets in late autumn. Perhaps they want to have a more private little world.

Wu Zhiyuan's gaze inadvertently swept over the bedside table, where a photo frame was placed.

The photo shows a young Lin Xue, smiling brightly and radiating youthful energy, nestled beside a handsome, sunny boy.

The boy looked about eight or nine parts like him.

This isn't the group photo he saw when he helped with the move last time.

Lin Xue noticed his gaze, picked up the photo frame, and asked softly, "Zhiyuan, look at this person, doesn't he look a lot like you?"

Wu Zhiyuan already knew that he resembled Lin Xue's first boyfriend, but he pretended to be surprised: "Sister Lin, now that you mention it, it's true."

The world is truly amazing; two people with no blood relation can look so alike.

"There are a lot of people who look alike." Lin Xue sat on the edge of the bed and smiled slightly. "A few years ago, I watched a TV show called 'Super Imitation Show,' and many people looked like singers."

I remember someone who looked like Andy Lau, and even had a similar voice. His rendition of "Forgetful Water" was incredibly similar.

Following Lin Xue's words, Wu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Yes, Sister Lin, I've seen that show too. There was also someone imitating Jay Chou, and their unclear pronunciation was so accurate."

However, looking like a celebrity is fine, but looking like a wanted criminal is a real problem.

Lin Xue was amused and burst out laughing, completely different from her usual rigid and serious image.

"Zhiyuan, you're quite humorous." Lin Xue put the photo frame back on the bedside table, her tone full of emotion. "Looking at you makes me feel a little dazed, and it reminds me of many things from my youth."

Lin Xue's smile faded, her gaze distant, as if she were lost in memories: "He was my college classmate and my first love."

We have a very good relationship. We've been dating for three years. If nothing unexpected happens, I will marry him, become his wife, and live a happy life together.

However, on the eve of graduation, he happened to see a woman jumping into the river to commit suicide while passing by the riverbank, and he jumped in without hesitation to save her.

He is a good swimmer and a very good swimmer; however, no matter how good a swimmer is, rescuing someone is still a skill.

After the woman jumped into the river, she didn't want to die anymore. She clung to him, and the two of them sank to the bottom of the water.

I cried my heart out, I cried so hard that the world seemed to end.

My youth, my first love, my virginity, all my most beautiful fantasies about love, all went with him, lost in that cold river.

As Lin Xue spoke, her eyes welled up with tears.

Wu Zhiyuan handed Lin Xue a tissue.

While wiping away her tears, Lin Xue continued, "After graduating from university, I joined the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection."

I don't date, I don't laugh, I work myself to death to numb myself.

When I was almost thirty, my family pressured me to get married, and I had no choice but to marry a man.

That man also worked for the government, and to be honest, I didn't love him.

He treated me fairly well, trying to warm my cold heart.

However, he was only infatuated with me because at that time, my heart belonged only to my first boyfriend. Looking back now, I really did wrong him.

We divorced two years after we got married. At that time, he was secretly seeing another girl.

When I found out, I didn't cry or make a scene; I calmly broke up with him. Because, to be honest, I had no feelings for him, and it was very unfair to him.

Zhiyuan, look at me. I look glamorous, but I'm actually a complete mess.

Sigh, maybe I'm just being too fixated on things, unable to pull myself out of feelings from years ago.

Lin Xue's words sounded like self-mockery, yet also like an explanation.

"Sister Lin, let bygones be bygones," Wu Zhiyuan said softly, unsure how to comfort her.

"Yes, it's all in the past." Lin Xue changed the subject. "Zhiyuan, give me a back massage."

You gave me shoulder massages the last two times; your technique was really good, and I really enjoyed them. I didn't know you had this skill. Do I need to lie face down on the bed?

"Yes, you can just lie face down on the bed so your muscles can completely relax."

Wu Zhiyuan first pressed on her shoulders and neck, then slowly moved downwards.

Lin Xue started talking about work, and the topic turned to Ai Kun: "Zhiyuan, several times, Ai Kun pleaded with me, not only for Chen Zhenglei's case, but also for other cases, but I turned them down."

Ai Kun was very unhappy. When Youwei was in Longcheng, I was close to him. He already disliked me.

Ai Kun specifically went to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection to complain about me.

Wu Zhiyuan was taken aback: "Complain? What is he complaining about?"

Lin Xue sneered, her tone laced with sarcasm: "They say I 'established an independent kingdom, disobeyed the municipal party committee, especially the main leaders,' and that I 'selectively combat corruption, targeting specific cadres and damaging the political ecology of Longcheng.' They're just finding fault where none exists!"

Wu Zhiyuan asked softly, "What's the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection's attitude?"

"This kind of complaint is all too common in officialdom."

Luo Shutian, the secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, is an upright and fair person.

He called me mainly to find out what was going on and to remind me to pay attention to my work methods and maintain team unity.

He made it clear that the work of the Discipline Inspection Commission must adhere to principles, investigate every case, and fight corruption. This is our duty, and we will not be timid or hesitant just because someone reports us.

Ai Kun's complaint isn't scary, but as you know, Chiang Kai-shek's army is behind Ai Kun. If Chiang Kai-shek's army wants to touch me, it won't be difficult.

Of course, Jiang Jun can't dismiss me because I haven't done anything wrong, but he can transfer me elsewhere. Or, he can use me further. In short, he can prevent me from taking charge of the Longcheng City Discipline Inspection Commission.

Wu Zhiyuan was shocked. Xu Youwei had been defeated and fled Longcheng. If Lin Xue were to be transferred as well, he would truly have no one to rely on.

In officialdom, having no powerful backers is like being a child without parents.

"Sister Lin, you're not really going to be transferred, are you?"

"Zhiyuan, I was just saying, don't be nervous. So far, I haven't heard anything about me being transferred."

Wu Zhiyuan suddenly remembered that the USB drive he had obtained from the fugitive Da Long's attic contained an indecent video of Ai Kun.

If Aquin insists on suppressing him, he should confront Aquin at the appropriate time.

That video, while it might not send Ai Qun to jail, could certainly give him a run for his money.

Wu Zhiyuan felt disgusted by this behavior of holding someone's secrets and using them to blackmail them.

But if you drive a person to the brink, then what they can grasp is no longer the moral high ground, but the straw for survival.