Chen Sheng was stunned, then stammered, "This... this is all my own money."
"Your own money?"
Zhao Qi wished he could slap him, "As a director, where did you get so much money!"
"Chen Sheng, I'm telling you, you're finished!"
"You'll spend the rest of your life in jail!"
Chen Sheng knew he was completely finished.
With the shady dealings he had engaged in, if it fell into the hands of the Procuratorate, the rest of his life wouldn't be enough to serve in jail!
He quickly knelt at Zhao Qi's feet, sobbing and wailing with a runny nose, "Director Zhao! Director Zhao!"
"I know I was wrong, I truly know I was wrong!"
"Consider my hard work, if not my merit, and spare me this once!"
Zhao Qi snorted coldly, "Spare you this once? What a colossal joke!"
"If I spare you this time, what about last time, and the time before that?"
"You scoundrel have caused enough trouble, this is not something I can forgive!"
Chen Sheng sat on the ground, stunned, his eyes vacant, like a wooden chicken.
When he accepted the money, he never imagined this day would come.
But today, he realized that this day had arrived so quickly...
Afterward, Chen Sheng was taken away by people from the Procuratorate.
Zhao Qi clasped Wu Tian's hands, saying with gratitude, "Wu Tian, you saved my life first, and now you've purged such a malignant tumor from our bureau. I truly don't know what to say!"
"If you ever need my help in the future, just say the word, and I will never refuse!"
Wu Tian smiled, "Director Zhao, please don't say that, you're making me feel embarrassed."
"I'll say it again, my purpose for coming here is to get running water connected for our village and Luotu Village."
"So, as long as Director Zhao can fulfill this wish for me, I will be immensely grateful."
Zhao Qi waved his hand grandly, "Such a small matter, no problem!"
"Furthermore, I will strive to get you the best preferential policies, so that everyone can have the cheapest running water!"
Wang Damao was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes.
This was the best thing he had done since becoming village chief, how could he not be happy?
Since the matter was settled, in the following days, the water plant began connecting running water to every household in Taohua Village.
Originally, Wu Tian had intended to attribute all the credit to Wang Damao.
But unexpectedly, Wang Damao was quite righteous and explained the entire process as it happened.
Suddenly, Wu Tian became a sought-after commodity. Villagers with daughters came to propose marriage, and those without daughters wished they could have one right away.
Wu Tian was overwhelmed by the matchmaking proposals, wishing he could escape.
After about ten days, Wu Tian's home finally became a bit quieter.
One noon, Wu Tian, feeling bored, was watching the workers install pipes at the village entrance with Bai Xue.
Bai Xue chuckled and said, "Wu Tian, how have these days been?"
"Seeing so many people coming to propose marriage, have you become overwhelmed?"
Wu Tian said helplessly, "Sister Bai Xue, please don't tease me."
"You have no idea how I've been these past few days, it's been too painful."
"Why would it be painful?" Bai Xue asked with a smile. "It's a good thing to have people proposing marriage, you're so outstanding, everyone wants to marry you!"
She paused, then blushing, added, "If it weren't for the fact that I'm a widow and I fear you'd dislike me, I would have wanted to marry you myself."
Bai Xue's words were actually true. She always regretted getting married so young.
She actually didn't like her husband at all; their marriage was entirely due to a childhood betrothal.
If she hadn't experienced such things, she would have had the courage to confess to Wu Tian.
Facing Bai Xue's words, Wu Tian shook his head and said, "Sister Bai Xue, please don't say that. I've never disliked you."
"I think Sister Bai Xue is a very good person. If I could marry you as my wife, it would truly be a blessing!"
Hearing this, Bai Xue was deeply moved, almost to tears.
She was about to probe a bit further when, at that moment, several black vans drove into the village.
The door of the leading van opened, and a woman stepped out.
The woman was over fifty years old. Although she was well-maintained, the wrinkles around her eyes were still visible.
Behind the woman, over twenty men who looked like thugs alighted from the vans.
Instantly, a fierce aura enveloped the village entrance.
Bai Xue had never seen such a scene and was immediately frightened.
She shrunk back slightly behind Wu Tian and whispered, "Xiao, Xiao Tian, who are these people?"
Wu Tian also frowned slightly.
He didn't recognize these people, but from their appearance alone, it was clear they were not here with good intentions!
The woman in the lead glanced at Taohua Village with a look of disdain.
She curled her lips and said, "This poor, remote place is so dirty. The place is dirty, and the people are dirty too."
She spotted Wu Tian and walked towards him, swaying her hips.
She said in a condescending tone, "Hey, you rural bumpkin, I need to ask you something."
"Who are you calling a rural bumpkin?" Wu Tian's expression turned unpleasant.
The woman sneered, "Oh, what is it? You don't seem to like it when I call you a rural bumpkin?"
"Don't put on airs in front of me. My status is not something a pauper like you can compare to."
She took out a hundred-yuan bill from her pocket and waved it in front of Wu Tian.
"Look closely, this is a hundred yuan. If you answer my question, it's yours."
Wu Tian felt that this woman was utterly uncivilized!
If it weren't illegal to deface currency, he would have torn that hundred-yuan bill to shreds.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few bills, and waved them too, saying, "This is five hundred yuan. If you answer my question, this money is yours!"
The woman was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected this fellow from the countryside to dare be so insolent towards her.
The wrinkles around her eyes twitched slightly with anger, and she said darkly, "You little thing, you dare to insult me with money?"
"Let me tell you, I'm a businesswoman in the city. Do you know how rich I am?"
"Don't try to test my limits, or you'll regret it!"
Wu Tian said coldly, "I don't care what you do, what does that have to do with me."
"I'm asking what you're here for. Since you look down on us, why are you here?"
The woman said angrily, "Do you think I want to be here? If my husband hadn't had an accident here, I wouldn't have come!"
"Your husband?" Wu Tian was taken aback, then his expression turned strange.
"Your husband... are you talking about Liu Song?"