"What else do you want? I didn't know that Director Chen had such great power over the public, except in government buildings?"
A more composed voice, carrying the air of a superior, rang out at the door, interrupting Minister Chen's official tone.
Everyone turned around and saw a middle-aged man in a gray Zhongshan suit, with a refined yet dignified demeanor, stride in.
The visitor was none other than Vice Mayor Zhai of S City!
The anger and official arrogance on Director Chen's face were evident the moment he saw the person who had arrived.
Like a punctured balloon, it vanished without a trace in a flash.
Instead, they were met with extreme shock and unbelievable fear!
His eyes widened, his mouth slightly open, and he froze completely.
"Mayor Zhai...Mayor Zhai? You...what are you doing here?...What's going on?"
His tongue was tied in knots.
Vice Mayor Zhai ignored him, his gaze fixed directly on the old man with the cane, and walked straight over, his tone filled with concern and a hint of helplessness.
"Dad! What happened to you? I finally managed to squeeze in a moment to come see you, and in the time it took me to boil some water, you disappeared in the blink of an eye! I've been looking for you for ages!"
He held the old man's arm.
"Dad, are you alright?"
The old man snorted and tapped his cane on the ground.
"It's nothing! Did I just tell you? I suddenly fell ill outside and was rescued by two kind people. They took me home and left without even having a sip of water. I feel so bad about it and I can't stop thinking about it."
He looked up and pointed at Zhou Qiqi and Zhouzhou.
"Just now, when I went upstairs to water the flowers, I saw someone bullying someone in the neighbor's yard, and the person being bullied happened to be my little benefactor!"
The color drained from Director Chen's face instantly, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and his legs felt weak.
He never dreamed that this seemingly ordinary old man with mud on his trousers was actually Vice Mayor Zhai's father!
My earlier remarks about being a "casual old man" and "favoritism" were like slapping myself in the face in front of my superiors with a megaphone!
"Oh dear! Mr. Zhai! Look at me... I was truly blind to your greatness!"
The anger and official arrogance on Director Chen's face instantly transformed into extreme obsequiousness and fear. His back involuntarily bent, and his voice trembled.
"I knew it! Your demeanor and character are clearly extraordinary! I was so blind, so blind!"
He wanted to slap himself twice.
He abruptly turned to his wife and children, his voice urgent and stern:
"It's a misunderstanding! It's just kids playing around and not being able to stand properly! Jiaojiao! It must have been an accident! Stop crying!"
He desperately tried to signal to his wife with his eyes.
"Hurry up and apologize to the old man! The child is ignorant and made a fool of himself in front of you!"
Chen's mother was also stunned. No matter how domineering she was, she knew what the deputy mayor meant. He was her husband's boss's boss!
Her face flushed and paled in turns, her previous arrogance completely extinguished. She quickly pulled the still sobbing Chen Jiaojiao aside and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace at Old Master Zhai:
"Grandpa, I'm so sorry, so sorry! He's just a kid, he doesn't know any better, please don't take it to heart..."
As he spoke, he quickly pressed Jiaojiao down.
"Jiaojiao! Apologize to Grandpa right now!"
Chen Jiaojiao was held down by her mother and frightened by the scene. Coupled with the grievance that her dress was dirty, she burst into tears again, mumbling "I'm sorry" indistinctly.
Grandpa Zhai raised his white eyebrows, slammed his cane down heavily, and spoke in a loud voice.
"Why are you apologizing to me? The one who should apologize is this child!"
He pointed to Zhou Zhou behind Zhou Qiqi.
"What a good child! You almost wronged him to death! Look at those eyes! Do you think a wicked child like him would have them? Apologize! Apologize properly to Zhouzhou!"
Director Chen's fawning expression froze, and the sweat that had just dried on his forehead reappeared.
He quickly pulled his still-dazed wife along, and the two of them bowed slightly to that small, silent figure.
However, the way he bent over didn't seem as genuine as when he was bowing to Old Master Zhai; it was more like he was doing it reluctantly.
He mumbled a few words, "I'm sorry, little friend, it was a misunderstanding!"
His tone was perfunctory, as if he were just going through the motions; his eyes darted around, and he didn't even glance at Zhouzhou.
Chen Jiaojiao was held down by her mother, and she mumbled something along with her, her little face full of resentment.
"And her aunt too!"
The old man's eyes widened, and his piercing gaze swept over the three members of the Chen family.
"It's perfectly natural for adults to protect their children, yet you're bossing them around and making fun of them! You should apologize!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com