Chapter 84: Summoned for Interrogation

Shen Lingning was stunned for a moment, touched his daughter's head, took a deep breath, and followed the staff out.

As night gradually fell, the lights from the row of bungalows in the guesthouse were particularly eye-catching and disturbing in the dim courtyard.

In the guesthouse's conference room, the lights were dim and the air was filled with smoke, the smell of the cheap cigarette between Director Jiang's fingers.

Shen Lingning sat on the wooden chair opposite him, his back straight, his hands folded on his knees, his expression calm, only his slightly curled fingers revealed a hint of tension.

Director Jiang flipped through the pages of materials in his hand and didn't say anything for a long time. The only sounds were the rustling of turning papers and the slight crackling of burning tobacco.

The oppressive atmosphere almost solidified into substance.

"Comrade Shen Lingning."

He finally spoke, his voice flat and emotionless: "The original intention of the tea mountain project was good. However, we cannot ignore the problems raised by the masses."

He raised his eyelids, his gaze behind his lenses sharp. "The recruitment assessment may seem fair, but you set the standards, and you were also on the judging panel. Some say you prioritized those close to you. For example, Sun Xiulan and Liu Jinfeng."

Shen Lingning was mentally prepared, and his voice was clear and steady: “Director Jiang, the recruitment standards are announced in advance, the assessment process is open, and all applicants are present.

Although Comrade Sun Xiulan is old, she works meticulously and efficiently, weeding thoroughly and loosening the soil to the required depth;

Comrade Liu Jinfeng is very strong and completed the largest area.

Their test results are obvious to all, and they were not selected because of their personal relationship with me.

The scores of those who were not selected were indeed slightly lower. All records and the designated assessment areas are still available and can be reviewed at any time."

Director Jiang hummed a noncommittal "hmm" and pointed to another document: "What about this? The relief supplies from the Military Region Special Supply Department. It's quite large."

Why would the family of an ordinary battalion-level cadre receive this level of "comfort"?

This can easily lead to associations and even affect the morale of the troops.”

This question was more pointed and directed at the eye-catching packages.

Shen Lingning took a deep breath and clearly stated again the identity of godmother Wang Xiulan - the mother of a martyr, a retired cadre of the Provincial Women's Federation, and the relationship between Zhou Weiguo and his son.

Knowing that Director Jiang was being impartial, Shen Lingning was very cautious and did not mention his godfather Zhao Changhe again to avoid being implicated.

Shen Lingning also emphasized: "The supplies were delivered through formal channels and with complete procedures. If the organization deems it inappropriate, I can immediately hand them over and they will be distributed uniformly."

Her frank attitude and her non-evasiveness made the blind questioning seem untenable.

Director Jiang stared at her for a few seconds, as if trying to find any trace of guilt on her face, but failed.

He flicked the ash from his cigarette. "The source of the supplies is legal, so they don't need to be turned in. But Comrade Shen Lingning, you must always remember your identity.

You are a military family member, and now you are leading collective production. A tall tree attracts wind, so you must pay attention to your influence and maintain a simple and frugal style. Don't lose your way because of some external things."

These words sound like a warning as well as an admonition.

Shen Lingning nodded: “Thank you Director Jiang for reminding me, I understand.”

The questioning lasted for nearly an hour. Director Jiang's questions were tricky and covered all aspects including the tea mountain accounts, distribution plans, and contacts with local personnel. It was obvious that he had done his homework.

Shen Lingning responded to each question clearly and logically, with solid evidence, and all his answers stood up to scrutiny.

Finally, Director Jiang closed the materials. His tone seemed to soften a bit, but his eyes remained grave. "Okay, that's all for today. The organization will continue to monitor the tea mountain project. You should take care of yourself."

When Shen Lingning walked out of the meeting room, a layer of sweat broke out on his back, and the night wind blew, making him feel a little chilly.

But her heart gradually calmed down.

Although Director Jiang is strict, he does not seem to be completely unreasonable. It seems that he is just following a strict review procedure.

She suddenly remembered Fubao's nonsensical words: "Don't be afraid, Mom. Hello, uncle."

Could it be that the child's ignorant intuition had enabled him to sense that the serious-looking director had no ill intentions?

The thought made her feel a little relieved.

However, she didn't know that while she was being questioned, Li Hongmei, like a cat smelling blood, had quietly moved to the vicinity of the working group's temporary office.

He tried to "report the situation" to other staff members, exaggerating things like Shen Lingning "wins over people's hearts", "lives a luxurious life", and "has a godparent with unknown origins".

Fortunately, Political Commissar Zhang and Director Chen were prepared and sent someone to "invite" Li Hongmei away in time. They also seriously warned her not to make trouble again, otherwise she would be dealt with seriously.

Li Hongmei was met with a cold shoulder and returned home in disappointment, but the resentment in her eyes became more and more intense.

On the other side, Zhou Weiguo was not idle either.

He knew full well what Director Jiang's arrival meant, and he used his own channels to carefully inquire about Director Jiang's background and style.

I learned that although this person is strict and rigid, he attaches great importance to evidence and procedural justice, and has a reputation as "difficult to deal with but also abides by the rules", so I had an idea in mind.

At the same time, the commendation order for him to wipe out the Eagle bandits and be awarded the third-class merit was officially issued.

This is not only a personal honor for him, but also a timely rain, which has invisibly enhanced his and Shen Lingning's weight and voice in the base.

The family of an officer who has just made military achievements will naturally receive more protection and support for the projects they are carrying out to improve collective life.

This achievement became a solid barrier behind Shen Lingning.

In the evening, Zhou Weiguo returned home and saw Shen Lingning worrying about the boxes of supplies.

"It came at the wrong time. My godmother has been so kind to me, and it just so happened that this happened. Sigh..."

Shen Lingning sighed.

Zhou Weiguo was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I remember that before Jiang Weimin was transferred, there were major problems with the accounts.

He was secretly reselling supplies and might even be involved in deeper matters.”

He looked up at Shen Lingning in confusion, "Did you discover something before?"

Shen Lingning's heart skipped a beat. He didn't expect Zhou Weiguo to be so sharp.

She hesitated for a moment, thinking of Fubao's words "Hello, uncle".

I also thought of Director Jiang's eyes, which looked at me but did not seem completely cloudy, and the current serious situation.

If Jiang Weimin has any problems, she alone will not be able to solve the problem even if she adds space. Professional matters need to be done by professionals!

Thinking of this, she lowered her voice and told Zhou Weiguo that she had accidentally discovered that Jiang Weimin had hidden the secret account book and secretly taken it away.

After hearing this, Zhou Weiguo frowned and asked, "Where is the account book?"

Shen Lingning took out the small notebook wrapped in oilcloth from an extremely hidden compartment in the deepest part of the kang cabinet.