Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Tough
'Mayor, your bag,' Xiao Su, the driver and messenger, delivered Wang Ganqing to his doorstep and handed him the car keys and briefcase. Usually, he keeps the car keys, too, but not for a few days, let alone the end of the year, when the leaders might even go to his house at night to give gifts.
The meal was already on the table, and his son was still watching TV. As he watched his wife bring over the pork rib soup, he pulled the chair out from under him, making a harsh sound on the concrete floor. 'Ouch, could you be a little more careful?' his son called impatiently from over there.
'Who are you throwing a fit at?' His wife was not a pushover either, and she also picked up a chair and slammed it on the floor. 'I serve you well, and you get mad at me?'
'You tell me. I was just telling you in the office to think long and hard about it. But no, as soon as you get downstairs, you put people down. It's one thing to talk about your daughter, but to talk about their looks! Do you think those people who were laughing at the time felt good? You know what they say: 'When the lips are gone, the teeth will feel the cold. There are a lot of people like Old Huang, who are in their prime but are still being told off by a young woman like you. After they laugh, don't they feel sad?
When other people come to your home, you say a few sarcastic things, and they just have to take it. At work, in front of so many people, who can stand it? You think the town government is your fucking fiefdom? You think I can cover everything up just because I'm in the town government? It's this time of year, and instead of staying at home to entertain those people who come to visit, you have the time to go to work and act like a fool. Do you think I'm having too easy a time?
His long speech had a little effect on his wife's arrogance, 'But I just can't help being angry. For the two factories in town, you have granted land and waived this fee and that fee. But every year during the holidays, what they give you is either cigarettes or wine, all everyday goods. Last year, when my daughter got married, such a big event, what did they give? A thousand yuan for each family. This year, when your mother had a birthday, what did they give? Still only a thousand yuan. And look at Lao Fang, the iron sand vendor. When there's something going on in his family, has he ever given less than 3,000 yuan?
As you can see, Lao Fang's wife came to tell me this afternoon that Feng's son, who is still studying, has just started dating Huang Chengzhong's ugly daughter and is going to buy her a car worth hundreds of thousands of yuan. Do you know how much money they have? They are only giving you such a small amount, do they even consider you?
The richest person in town, as everyone said before, is Lao Fang, who sells iron sand in town. He is the one who bought a Jetta. In the afternoon, he sent his wife to the mayor's house to deliver New Year's gifts, various nourishing products plus cash, and it was another 3,000 yuan upwards. He is the most solid of all the gift-givers. While the two women were chatting, Lao Fang's family told the mayor's wife about the things that have been circulating in town these days.
The Lao Fang family must have had an ulterior motive in mentioning such things. Before last year, their family was very prosperous in town. Little did they know that the Feng family, who came from a remote corner of the mountains, had some kind of lucky charm and had invested several million in the town to set up two factories, leaving their family far behind. It was inevitable that they felt a little uncomfortable. They had also put the Mayor's wife on before, but this time the effect was the best.
The mayor's wife, upon hearing this, could not help but sit still. After hastily seeing the guests out, she rushed to the town government to find Wang Ganqing. Wang Ganqing was inevitably a little upset when he heard, but at the workplace, it was not good to tell his wife everything, so he just said that they would discuss it in the long term. He never expected that as soon as she stepped downstairs, she and Huang Chengzhong started arguing.
'Of course they can ignore me. You know who I'm working for, but do you know who the Fungs work for? Apart from Mayor Fang, the president of their company is the daughter of the director of the provincial planning commission, someone who sees the provincial leaders all the time. What do you expect them to do?
Besides, why did the Fang family give such a heavy gift? Because their family mines iron sand, and the river section needs my approval. What is the Feng family begging me for? Haven't you seen that they have now moved their factory to their village? You are ostensibly making things difficult for Huang Chengzhong, but anyone with half a heart can see that you are taking it out on him. Once this matter is mentioned, Feng Zhanchang will know that you are dissatisfied with him, won't he?
You don't even need Feng Zhenchang to make a phone call. As soon as his son tells Mayor Fang's daughter and Director Jin's daughter, do you think I can keep my position as the head of the soldiers? Do you think County Magistrate Zhao can protect me then?
You old woman with short hair and long experience, you're just causing trouble!
The town mayor sounded serious, and his wife panicked for a moment.
After all, her hubby is the one who holds the position of Mayor. Hearing Wang Ganqing say this, she realised that not only was her family unable to do anything about the Feng family, but someone else could easily get her husband removed from office.
'So what should we do?'
'Can't you do it? What do you think?'
At that moment, the door was knocked on, and someone asked from outside, 'Is Mayor Wang at home?'
The gift-givers are back!
'Ah, they're here,' said his wife, getting ready to open the door, 'What do you think we should do?'
'Go open the door! What to do, I have a plan.'
The door opened, and a couple with their hands full and smiling faces walked in. This was the norm these days. Wang Ganqing chatted with them for a while, then got up and walked upstairs. 'You sit down, I have to make some phone calls.'
'You're busy, Mayor, sorry to disturb you!' The couple hurriedly stood up.
'You sit down, don't mind him, there's always endless work at home,' the mayor's wife said.
Wang Ganqing's words were a bit exaggerated, but they were not impossible. Of course, the solution was very simple: just tell Huang Chengzhong to shut up.
He dialed Huang Chengzhong's phone number. Huang Chengzhong's voice sounded tired on the other end. 'Huang, I just found out about this too. I've just scolded my wife for it. Don't take it personally. She just doesn't know what to say, she doesn't mean any harm.
I heard that your daughter has found a good family, and we are happy for her. You adults should also worry about her and keep an eye on her, so that nothing goes wrong. Young people are just starting their lives, and everything is still up in the air.
The same goes for you. You still have a long life ahead of you, don't you think?
Anyway, I have already criticised my wife, so we can put this matter behind us today, and there is no need to mention it to anyone else. Okay! I still have to call the county leader to report on my work, so that's all for now.'
Wang Ganqing's words were a mixture of soft and hard, but actually they were mostly hard. He lightly and casually covered up his wife's public insult of his subordinate. It sounded like an apology, but it didn't sound like one at all. There was nothing he could do about it. After being the local tyrant for so long, he unconsciously spoke and acted in a way that resembled the American imperial style.
Of course, if his wife had insulted Feng Zhenchang today, Wang Ganqing would not have handled it in this way. He would have taken his wife to the person's house to apologise, and probably slapped the woman in the face to let off some steam. But Huang Chengzhong is just an employee with no background or connections, so he just let it go.
Huang Chengzhong hung up after a single 'mm'. Just now, after a few colleagues had seen him home, they all kept quiet about what had happened before. After a while of some lively banter, they dispersed, and no one else mentioned that he should treat them to a meal.
Of course, in front of his two daughters, he would never mention such a thing. But his mood was just like the spoiled rice wine his wife had made: bitter. He stayed in the courtyard smoking, pretending to be giving someone a ride.
The mayor's phone call made him even less inclined to get angry. 'Dad, it's so cold outside, come inside, dinner's ready!' Huang Jingping called out to him from the doorway.
Huang Chengzhong managed to force a smile, 'I'll be right there.'
After Wang Ganqing had finished talking to Huang Chengzhong, he thought it would be prudent to give Feng Zhenchang a call. fгeewebnovёl.com
'Hello, Mayor Wang, Happy New Year!' It sounded like there was a lot going on over the phone.
'I hope I'm not disturbing you, Boss Feng,' Wang Ganqing asked with a smile.
'Not at all, we're all at my father-in-law's,'
'Oh, your son and daughter have returned home, it's about time they met their grandfather,'
'Yes, they're both back. What can I do for you, Mayor?' Mei Guosheng was urging him to drink over the phone.
'Nothing much, just that you're a busy man, Mr Feng, and I'm afraid I won't be able to get through to you over the New Year. So I'm giving you an early New Year's greeting.'
'You're too kind, Mayor. I can't accept. First, I wish you a healthy and energetic Year of the Dragon!'
'Haha, thanks, then I won't disturb your family reunion.'
'Did Wang Ganqing call?' asked Mei Guoping.
'Yes, just to wish you an early Happy New Year.'
'This is a bit out of character for him, isn't it?' Mei Guoping was a little puzzled.
After becoming the director of the brick factory, he also went to Wang Ganqing's house several times and dealt with him a few times. He didn't even get to drink a cup of good tea, especially that shrew of his wife.