Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 6: Scheming and plotting to climb the ladder.

Wu Zhiyuan put on a wronged and indignant expression, as if he had been misunderstood: "Section Chief Wang! What you said is too hurtful!"

I swear to God! I didn't suggest sucking snake venom; you begged me to do it!

At the time, I had no idea it was a non-venomous snake; sucking snake venom is a life-threatening activity!

You cried and begged me, saying that if I died, we could "live together in the underworld".

I saved you, and now I'm being called a thug? If I'd known it would turn out this way, I'd rather have just stood by and watched the show!

The doctor reassured them, saying, "The situation was urgent at the time, and since we're not professionals, it's understandable that we mistook one snake for another."

Huang Jianbo also tried to smooth things over, saying, "Section Chief Wang, it was a false alarm. It's good that you're alright!"

Xiao Wu meant well but made a mistake, mistaking the snake for a snake. Let's be understanding.

Wang Meili is suffering in silence; no matter how much she throws a tantrum now, others will see her as repaying kindness with enmity.

She angrily got into the ambulance, still very scared. What if the doctor made a wrong judgment? That would be dangerous.

Gan Simiao's showy research trip ended abruptly.

……

Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes.

Qinglongshan Forest Farm is also a small world of its own.

The forest farm is a sub-departmental level public institution under the Municipal Forestry Bureau.

The employees here represent two extremes.

Some have connections, such as relatives of leaders, who are affiliated with the forest farm, work there occasionally, and have a stable income.

Others are those without a background or who have been suppressed.

For example, Zhu Datong.

Wu Zhiyuan and Zhu Datong have known each other for several years and are considered good friends.

Although it's true that it's difficult for colleagues to become friends, Wu Zhiyuan was an administrative employee while Zhu Datong was a public institution employee, meaning they weren't on the same promotion path.

Zhu Datong is a few years older than Wu Zhiyuan, and is married but has no children.

My wife is a nurse at the Municipal People's Hospital, and she is a colleague of Su Taohong. She is also very beautiful.

Zhu Datong graduated from an agricultural university with a degree in forestry. He entered the Municipal Forestry Resources Monitoring Center, a public institution directly under the Municipal Forestry Bureau, through a recruitment examination for public institutions.

This guy is guileless and innocent, but he has one flaw: he's outspoken and can't keep secrets. He often says whatever comes to mind without considering the occasion.

At the beginning of the year, he said something like "Gan Si Miao has become Gan the Cripple," which was overheard by Gan Simiao who happened to be passing by.

Soon after, Gan Simiao gave him special "attention" and, on the grounds of "strengthening forest fire prevention," sent him to Qinglongshan Forest Farm.

During that time, Gan Simiao's leg became lame, he limped, and according to his explanation, he tripped and twisted his ankle while going down the stairs.

However, rumors circulated within the bureau that Gan Simiao was having an affair with her mistress when her husband happened to return home. Left with no other option, he jumped from the building, spraining his ankle despite the low floor.

Wu Zhiyuan had heard rumors about Gan the Cripple long ago.

Gan Simiao was notorious for his womanizing and had a penchant for visiting his lovers' homes.

The ancients said that a wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as a stolen one, and a stolen one is not as good as one that cannot be stolen.

Wu Zhiyuan had reason to suspect that the man who stole from his house that night might have been Gan Simiao.

If so, how did he and Su Taohong meet?

Gan Simiao is fifty years old, and Su Taohong is about the same age as his daughter. What does she want from being with him?

However, Wu Zhiyuan rejected Gan Simiao's application.

Rumors circulated that Gan Semiao was "Gan Simiao" (meaning "Gan Four Seconds"), but judging from the noises heard at the door that night, Gan Semiao did not seem to possess such an ability.

Moreover, the day afterward, Wu Zhiyuan made a special observation and found that Gan Simiao was walking normally and was not limping.

……

Huang Jianbo called Wu Zhiyuan and Zhu Datong to his office.

To be honest, Huang Jianbo was not the kind of sycophant who would curry favor with the powerful. After Gan Simiao sent Wu Zhiyuan to the forest farm, he had hinted and even explicitly told Huang Jianbo to suppress Wu Zhiyuan, but Huang Jianbo did not comply.

"Zhiyuan, Datong, please have a seat." Huang Jianbo was as usual, neither enthusiastic nor pretentious towards his subordinates.

Wu Zhiyuan and Zhu Datong exchanged a glance and sat down in the chairs opposite each other at the desk.

"Zhiyuan graduated from a 985 university, and Datong graduated from a 211 university; both are outstanding young talents."

Of the fifteen full-time employees at the forest farm, only two of you have regular bachelor's degrees, and both are from prestigious universities.

Huang Jianbo took a sip of water and continued, "It's a waste of talent to send you to the forest farm as forest rangers!"

But in many things, I have no choice in the matter.

Zhiyuan, we need to maintain appearances with Director Gan. You'll accompany Datong on patrols of the mountains and forests. Of course, I won't actually use you as forest rangers.

You patrol the mountains in the morning and organize documents in the office in the afternoon.

The people at the forest farm make countless mistakes even when writing a 200-word news article; not one of them knows how to use an Excel spreadsheet.

I know you're feeling wronged, so let me give you this advice: A temporary setback doesn't mean you're in a permanent predicament.

Huang Jianbo spoke frankly, with a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"Director Huang, I understand. I'm sorry to have troubled you," Wu Zhiyuan said first, his tone sincere.

He knew that Huang Jianbo had already done a remarkable job.

Zhu Datong chimed in, "Yes, Director, we know you're a good person."

Patrolling the mountains is fine, it's a good fit for my forestry major, it's just that Zhiyuan is a bit overqualified.

Huang Jianbo comforted them, saying, "You are still young, and experiencing some setbacks is not necessarily a bad thing."

After the two came out of Huang Jianbo's office, they were greeted by Deputy Director Wang Junhua.

Wang Junhua was in his forties, very short, about 1.6 meters tall, with a large, round belly.

He had a half-smile on his face, and his gaze fell on Wu Zhiyuan: "Oh, isn't this Comrade Wu Zhiyuan, a great contributor to our forest farm?"

I heard that last time you played the hero and almost "rescued" Section Chief Wang Meili from the Municipal Public Security Bureau to the underworld? Tsk tsk, young man, you've got guts, and your methods are quite novel.

Wang Junhua was an unpopular figure in the forest farm. He used to work at a township forestry station, but it is said that after currying favor with Gan Simiao, he was transferred to Qinglongshan Forest Farm and became a deputy section-level cadre.

There is an unconfirmed rumor that Wang Junhua, with a wild imagination, found a prostitute to impersonate his wife and deliver strawberries to Gan Simiao at night.

Wu Zhiyuan said calmly, "Director Wang is joking. The situation was urgent at the time, and I was only thinking about helping Section Chief Wang get out of danger. I didn't think about anything else."

Wang Junhua said with a forced smile, "The pressure of fire prevention is high lately, so don't stay cooped up in the office. Go patrol Xishantou now."

Especially in remote areas, extra care should be taken to check for fire hazards and signs of illegal logging or poaching.

Xishantou is the most remote and difficult-to-access area of ​​the forest farm. A round trip takes most of the day, and if you go now, it will definitely be dark by the time you get back. This is clearly a deliberate attempt to make things difficult for people.

"Director Wang, Director Huang just said..." Zhu Datong couldn't help but bring up Huang Jianbo.

Wang Junhua immediately interrupted him, his face darkening: "I'm the deputy director in charge, I have the authority to make adjustments based on the actual situation! What, you think I can't command you anymore?"

Looking at Wang Junhua's smug face, Wu Zhiyuan felt the pent-up frustration, grievances, and anger that had been building up in his chest for days burst through the dam of reason.

Betrayed by his girlfriend Su Taohong, suppressed by Gan Simiao, and treacherous by Wang Meili, and now even someone like Wang Junhua dares to step on him, Wu Zhiyuan suddenly felt an impulse to give up and do whatever he wanted.

Screw being cautious, screw the future!

I've already been relegated to this remote mountain area to work as a forest ranger, how much worse can things get?

So he said sarcastically, "Director Wang, let me tell you a true story. I know someone who, to curry favor with his lecherous boss, hired a beautiful woman to pretend to be his wife and deliver strawberries and other gifts to the boss late at night..."

Wow, that's some serious imagination and guts! It's truly an eye-opener for someone like me who just buries myself in hard work! Most people wouldn't come up with such a brilliant idea!