Chapter 235: Chapter 234: Zhou Chen is Smart This Time_2

Translator: 549690339

Huang Pingan was feeling restless. After experiencing Nie Zhenbang’s fury and witnessing the public’s outrage, he began to feel afraid. He was just an official of rank. It was very likely that he would become cannon fodder in the upcoming struggle.

After a moment of silence, Huang Pingan murmured, “County Mayor, about Deputy Mayor Zhou…”

Bayaer interrupted Huang Pingan before he could finish his sentence, saying firmly, “Old Huang, don’t mention Deputy Mayor Zhou now. Yes, Deputy Mayor Zhou did say that Lixian’s education should be at the forefront of the city, and even the country, as a flagship. However, Deputy Mayor Zhou never specified that you, Huang Pingan, should build such a luxurious bathroom. Don’t say anything rash.”

Being a leader, Bayaer was well aware of the ins and outs. Deputy Mayor Zhou never mentioned building a bathroom – it was just a subtle hint. If he attempted to shift the blame onto Zhou, he would definitely deny any involvement. Furthermore, without Zhou’s support, they stood no chance in the face of Nie Zhenbang’s power.

Such was the art of interpreting leaders’ intentions in the officialdom. If correctly interpreted, one could gain favor and promotion. If misinterpreted, it could be lethal.

In any case, if a job were well-executed, it would reflect positively on the leaders. If issues arose, they were your sole responsibility. If you shouldered the blame, the leaders might support you. Try to shift blame upward, and no one would defend your tarnished reputation.

The car drove directly into the compound of the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government. The staff looked askance at Bayaer’s disheveled state.

At this moment, maintaining one’s official position took precedence over preserving one’s image. The Deputy Mayor Zhou Chen’s office was on the fourth floor of the government building.

Truth be told, Zhou Chen was not fond of the fourth floor. He had a personal prejudice against the number four. However, his rank dictated his office’s location. Just like the other deputy mayors, he had to work on the fourth floor.

As soon as Bayaer entered Zhou Chen’s office, he immediately asked, chuckling, “Secretary Zhou, is the Mayor here?”

Bayaer was well-acquainted with Zhou Chen’s secretary, Zhou Wang. After all, the Mayor played a crucial role in Lixian. Consequently, Zhou Wang stood up enthusiastically and asked, surprised, “Old Ba, what happened to you? Who beat you?”

The mention of the incident sparked regret in Bayaer. He regretted allowing Mayor Ma to strike down his plans like a dog snapping up a dumpling. It was now harder to make amends than scaling the sky. If things spiraled out of control, he would be thrown into even bigger hot water.

With a bitter smile, Bayaer shook his head and said, “Secretary Zhou, nevermind it. I was caught off guard by a thug. Is the Mayor free? I have urgent news to report.”

Upon entering his office, Zhou Chen smiled and indicated, “County Mayor Ba is here. Please be seated. What happened to your head? You look like you’ve been hit with a blunt object.”

At this, Bayaer took a seat, with Huang Pingan following suit hesitantly, feeling very constrained. After a moment of contemplation, Bayaer said, “Mayor, we have failed your expectations. Lixian’s education has run into issues. Nie Zhenbang unexpectedly returned from Urumqi. Upon his return, he inspected several local primary and middle schools. He was quite furious about the bathroom initiative we have undertaken. Now, it seems he is preparing to make his move against us.”

Taking a short pause, Bayaer continued, “Mayor, we failed to carry out your directives properly and fell into subjectivism. We ask for your criticism and punishment.”

Gazing at the two men before him, Zhou Chen felt irritated. Impotent anger seethed within him as he compared his subordinates to Nie Zhenbang’s competent team. Zhou Chen was fully aware of the bathroom crisis and agreed it wasn’t handled well. However, he let it slide to vex Nie Zhenbang. Now, Nie Zhenbang had hardly returned when these two came running terrified to seek Zhou Chen’s help. He was beginning to regret his initial indifference. He should have listened to the words of wisdom and focused on his work with the financial backing and support from Bazhou City. He could have quickly produced results while Nie Zhenbang took the spotlight.

To tell you the truth, Zhou Chen was not accepting the situation lying down. Consequently, he had tried causing trouble for Nie Zhenbang. However, Zhou Chen did not anticipate getting embroiled in trouble himself while failing to steal Nie Zhenbang’s limelight. Now, he was in a dilemma.

Should he provide protection? There were no obvious solutions. If he didn’t, his reputation would be tarnished. If his underlings risked harm for him, and he casually washed his hands off the matter, who would trust him in the future? Who would dare to seek his patronage?

He had to provide protection, but he needed to find the right strategy. Zhou Chen fell into deep thought. After a while, he looked up at Bayaer and Huang Pingan and said, “You two, go back for now. I am aware of the situation. I will handle it. Don’t worry, with me here, the sky won’t fall down.”

At Zhou Chen’s words, Bayaer visibly relaxed. Apparently, his decision to admit his mistake straightaway upon arrival had paid off. At least Zhou Chen had made his stance clear. With his support, Bayaer no longer had reason to worry. It wasn’t reasonable to expect a clear decision from Zhou Chen at the spur of the moment, considering he was just a Deputy Mayor. Even a Mayor or top leader couldn’t have instantly promised a solution.

Shortly thereafter, Bayaer stood up and respectfully said, “Mayor, we won’t disturb you further. Please carry on with your work.”

Once Bayaer and Huang Pingan had left, Zhou Chen picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. After a brief wait, a voice came through from the other end, “Chen, what made you call me?”

The voice was steady with an underlying confidence and magnanimity. In contrast, Zhou Chen seemed rather obsequious as he laughed and said, “Brother Hua, are you busy? I need to consult you about a matter. My people have provoked Nie Zhenbang. The problem is that Nie Zhenbang has the upper hand. I’m caught between a rock and a hard place. Brother Hua, could you give me some advice on how to handle this situation?”

PS: A large chapter of over 3600 words, courtesy of Old Cai. Saving as much as possible for my brothers and sisters. Here’s the update. Not feeling too well today, so this is it for now. Please recommend and vote. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for recommendations and monthly votes at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)