Chapter 354: Chapter 352-353: Open and Aboveboard (Part 3)
Gu’er straightened her back. As Lin Shan’s daughter, she was proud.
Director Zhao also glanced at Gu’er, surprised to find Lin Shan’s daughter here.
"On what grounds? I’ll tell you on what grounds. You’re the ones who drove those two cars into the village, aren’t you?"
Director You seemed extremely excited.
"Yes."
Gu’er nodded. There was no need for her to deny it.
"Good, as long as you admit the cars are yours. You’re not state cadres, so you aren’t assigned official vehicles. Where did you get them?"
Director You asked Gu’er.
"We bought them."
Gu’er wasn’t flustered. She wasn’t afraid of their attacks.
"Bought them? HAHA! You admit you bought them. Then tell everyone how much these two cars are worth."
Director You laughed boisterously. ’Gu’er is so foolish,’ he thought. ’She’s handing me evidence on a silver platter. Now taking Lin Shan down will be easy.’
"The two cars cost over a hundred thousand yuan."
Gu’er looked at him, her reply calm.
"Did you hear that, folks? She’s Lin Shan’s daughter, and her two cars cost nearly two hundred thousand! Where would a young woman like her get that kind of money? I don’t need to tell you where it came from, do I? It’s your hard-earned money! Lin Shan stuffed it all into his own pockets! And you still say he’s a good man? Now you see, don’t you? He’s a parasite, sucking your blood! It’s all just an act. He’s nothing but scum!"
Director You shouted.
His words stirred up a lot of discussion. Many people began whispering to each other, starting to believe him. To them, two hundred thousand was an astronomical figure.
"This car is mine, and the other belongs to the mall. Why are you trying to pin this on Uncle Lin?"
Li Zhi stepped forward.
"Who’d believe that? You could beat me to death and I still wouldn’t believe these cars have nothing to do with Lin Shan."
The sneer on Director You’s face infuriated Li Zhi.
Gu’er shook her head at him. It was impossible to simply extricate themselves.
"Why are you only talking about these two cars? We also have a five-story shopping mall in the city. That’s worth a lot more than these cars."
Gu’er remained unruffled.
"Did you hear that, folks? She admitted it herself!"
Director You’s eyes gleamed like those of a starving wolf.
The crowd’s murmuring grew louder. The scales in many people’s minds began to tip.
"I don’t care what anyone else says, Secretary Lin is a good man. If it weren’t for him, an old woman like me would probably be six feet under by now. I won’t stand for anyone speaking ill of him."
The old woman with the cane spoke up.
"That’s right. This old man will say his piece, too. I refuse to believe Secretary Lin is that kind of person."
An old man walked out from inside a house. He was very old, his face a canvas of wrinkles, but he still seemed to have a good bit of vigor.
Their words carried some weight, and those who had been swayed by the accusations began to waver again.
"You claim these cars and the mall were bought with the people’s hard-earned money, that my father embezzled state funds and pocketed them. Well, the mall’s permits were personally approved by the city’s mayor and party secretary. They were the ones who cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony. They even helped arrange fifty employees for me. When Vice Secretary Yuan from the province came for an inspection, he visited the mall too. He praised me and told the city officials to support our work, encouraging me to do a good job. So, by your logic, are you saying that Vice Secretary Yuan, the city’s party secretary, and the mayor are all in league with my father? That they all carved up the people’s hard-earned money and stuffed it into their own pockets?"
Gu’er asked Director You.
Gu’er’s voice wasn’t loud, but beads of sweat appeared on Director You’s forehead. He didn’t dare nod in agreement to such a statement. He couldn’t afford to offend a single one of the people Gu’er had mentioned. If he agreed, forget being a township office director tomorrow—he’d be in jail.
Director Chen’s expression turned ugly. He knew Gu’er was using powerful names as a shield, but he couldn’t say anything to refute her.
"Secretary Yuan, the mayor, and the party secretary supported you, but that was to support a private enterprise. They hoped you would contribute to the country and help solve unemployment. They didn’t tell you to seek personal gain. Don’t try to drag everyone into this."
Seeing Director You speechless, Director Chen had no choice but to speak up.
"Heh, so you admit they supported us as an enterprise. Our mall has employees. We conduct normal business and make a normal profit. Isn’t it right to earn money for our efforts? Let’s not even get into how this car isn’t mine. Even if it were, what’s wrong with that? Our money was earned through hard work, not corruption. Why are you trying to pin this on my father?"
Gu’er challenged Director Chen.
Director Chen glanced at Gu’er. ’I didn’t expect Lin Shan’s daughter to be so composed and eloquent,’ he thought.
"We have no issue with you earning money. But where did you get the capital to open the mall? Do you dare say Lin Shan didn’t embezzle it?"
Director You yelled.
"I dare say it wasn’t."
Gu’er stood tall, her words resolute.
"Then please clarify the source of this money. Otherwise, we won’t be able to justify ourselves when we report back."
Director Chen stared intently at Gu’er.
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Author’s Note: I’ve had some family matters to attend to and haven’t had time to get online. I’m posting two Chapters at once to make up for it. Thank you to *1202.qdcn, Lan Niao Fei, and Book Friend 121115232747609 for the monthly tickets, and thank you all for your support.
