Chen Feng went to the material warehouse first, where he saw Qin Yan staring intently at the materials with a serious expression, remaining silent.
"Vice Town Chief Qin, it's quite hot here. Let's go back to the office," Chen Feng suggested in a low voice.
He was Qin Yan's driver and, in a sense, her personal attendant. If Qin Yan wasn't feeling well, he couldn't drive. This would not only affect his income but also displease his superiors if he seemed inattentive.
"Go and call the site supervisor," Qin Yan said, frowning.
Chen Feng was taken aback. Normally, inspections from higher authorities were announced in advance. This meant the site supervisor should have known Qin Yan was coming. However, judging by Qin Yan's current expression, it was clear she hadn't given advance notice. Unannounced inspections were the most perilous for those being inspected.
"What? Vice Town Chief Qin is here?" As expected, the site supervisor looked astonished.
"Vice Town Chief Qin arrived early this morning and is currently in the material warehouse, looking displeased. Tell me in advance, what's going on?" Chen Feng asked seriously. He wanted to try and get information from the site supervisor; if successful, he could help Qin Yan.
"Driver Chen, I'm being framed. I've always managed affairs at the construction site diligently. Vice Town Chief Qin's inspection was sudden, and she's unhappy. I have no idea what I've done wrong!" the site supervisor replied with a wronged expression.
Chen Feng was confused by the site supervisor's act. Could he have wrongly accused the supervisor?
"Tell me, how much money did you pocket?" Qin Yan stared intently at the site supervisor standing before her.
"Vice Town Chief Qin, I am innocent. This is the expansion project of Phase IV of the Mingshan Town Industrial Zone, a key project supervised by higher authorities. Even if you gave me a hundred times the courage, I wouldn't dare to mess around," the site supervisor replied solemnly.
Chen Feng, standing nearby, observed the distant construction site. Everything appeared orderly. He then looked at the site supervisor, whose expression seemed earnest. As for the financial statements, Chen Feng had subtly probed earlier and found no significant issues. Therefore, Chen Feng felt inclined to speak on behalf of the site supervisor, but he restrained himself from speaking. When a leader is angry, anyone who interjects is asking for trouble.
"Let me remind you, I'm in charge of Mingshan Town's economy. I'm not some experimental lab rat who understands nothing. Considering your long-standing relationship with the Town Chief, I'm giving you a chance to save face. If you refuse to cooperate, I'll have to make you," Qin Yan stated decisively.
"Vice Town Chief Qin, this is a false accusation," the site supervisor retorted stubbornly. The manipulations in the site materials were flawless, undetectable even by experts. He figured a woman wouldn't be able to find any flaws.
"I'm giving you an opportunity, and you refuse it. Then don't blame me. To be frank, at first, I just wanted you to return what you had taken. But now..." Qin Yan gave the site supervisor a cold glance and then made a call to the Town Chief.
Qin Yan made the call from a distance, so the site supervisor and Chen Feng had no idea what she said to the Town Chief. Chen Feng stood awkwardly beside the site supervisor, feeling somewhat lost watching the scene unfold. Everyone seemed like an actor, and he couldn't tell who was genuine and who was fake. The political arena truly was a complex vortex, fraught with hidden dangers.
"I've already spoken with the Town Chief. You will no longer be responsible for projects here," Qin Yan said sternly.
"Vice Town Chief Qin, don't forget, you are only a deputy. I am under the Town Chief's command. What can you do to me?" The site supervisor, seeing that Qin Yan had completely fallen out with him, decided to stop holding back.
"Hmph, you think too highly of yourself. Let me tell you, not only do I attach great importance to the expansion project of Phase IV of the Mingshan Town Industrial Zone, but the Town Chief does as well. Pocketing some money wasn't a big deal. However, you chose to pocket money in the wrong place. Your path ends here," Qin Yan said, looking directly at the site supervisor with a chilling gaze.
Chen Feng was impressed by Qin Yan; he doubted he could ever learn that kind of demeanor in a hundred years.
"Bragging, keep bragging. I have over a decade of acquaintance with the Town Chief. I don't believe..." The site supervisor continued to be stubborn. However, midway through his defiance, he couldn't maintain it any longer. The Town Chief himself called, telling him to stop embarrassing himself at the construction site.
"Vice Town Chief Qin, there's something I'd really like to ask," Chen Feng couldn't suppress his curiosity and asked Qin Yan on the way back. The site supervisor clearly was an experienced veteran, a cunning fox who colluded with the Town Chief. How did Qin Yan, a deputy town chief, manage to take him down so easily?
"Are you trying to ask why the Town Chief didn't protect his subordinate?"
"Yes! I heard from people on the construction site that this site supervisor has had decades of acquaintance with the Town Chief..." Chen Feng explained in a low voice.
"Chen Feng, you're a university graduate and have studied history. You must have heard the saying: 'There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests.' In the past, when the site supervisor could bring benefits to the Town Chief, their relationship was naturally good. However, now, the site supervisor randomly pocketed money without regard for the occasion or location, causing significant hidden dangers to the progress and quality of the Phase IV project of the Mingshan Town Industrial Zone. Naturally, the Town Chief would unhesitatingly abandon the site supervisor."
"Vice Town Chief Qin, to be honest, I really couldn't tell what shady dealings the site supervisor was up to."
"If you could have seen it, you would be in my position. This site supervisor, blinded by greed, actually tampered with the steel, which is the most crucial material, by substituting S-steel with H-steel. The Phase IV project of the Mingshan Town Industrial Zone is the first major project I've taken on. It must succeed, and it cannot fail. Anyone who causes trouble will be dealt with by me," Qin Yan said, her eyes filled with a murderous intent.
"Vice Town Chief Qin, if I may say, I feel like the steel materials on the construction site all look similar..."
"It's not just you who thinks that; most people do. To be honest, I spent five full years preparing to take this position, constantly reading books on rural economy. I can spot the subtle differences in various steel materials at a glance."
Chen Feng stopped asking. He decided then and there to go to the library to buy books after work. If female leaders were this driven, diligently studying professional books to improve themselves, he, as a man with ambitions, should also strive to improve himself.
"Vice Town Chief Xiao, something bad has happened," an administrative assistant rushed into the Mingshan Town Deputy Town Chief's office.
"What's with the fuss? Did you see a ghost in broad daylight?" Xiao Ming glared fiercely at the assistant.
"That site supervisor has been fired by Qin Yan."
"Nonsense! Anyone with a brain knows that Old Li has had decades of acquaintance with the Town Chief. Has Qin Yan lost her mind to mess with the Town Chief's people?" Xiao Ming replied dismissively.
"Vice Town Chief Xiao, I haven't figured out the specifics, but Old Li has indeed been fired by that woman, Qin Yan," the assistant said earnestly.
Seeing the assistant's expression, Xiao Ming realized he wasn't lying. He immediately panicked. Old Li provided him with substantial benefits every year. If he were truly fired by Qin Yan, wouldn't he lose a lot of money? With that thought, Xiao Ming prepared to call Old Li to verify, but then Old Li entered the office, his eyes bloodshot.
"Vice Town Chief Xiao, you and I must find a way to drive that woman Qin Yan away. As long as she's in Mingshan Town, neither of us will have peace," Old Li said indignantly.
"Old Li, that's not right. Given your relationship with the Town Chief, would the Town Chief just stand by and do nothing?" Xiao Ming asked, puzzled.
"Vice Town Chief Xiao, don't you know the Town Chief's character? He always prioritizes benefits over relationships. I don't know what benefits Qin Yan offered the Town Chief to make him abandon me without a second thought," Old Li continued, still fuming.
"Hmm, it seems I underestimated this woman. Don't worry, right now, there's something that can make Qin Yan disappear back to wherever she came from..." Xiao Ming said with a smug, sinister smile.