Undercurrents and Waves
After Liu Tianyuan's apology and Lan Tongtong's phone call, life seemed to return to a semblance of peace. Mo Xiaochi, still taking leave, stayed home with Lan Tongtong, finding ways to cheer her up. Lan Tongtong's heart gradually calmed down under the warmth of his company, and the scars on her wrists and ankles gradually faded.
But the careful Lan Tongtong discovered that Mo Zhichi's behavior had been a little abnormal in recent days.
He no longer spent most of his time in the living room reading or handling trivial matters, as he had before. Instead, he often locked himself in the study, staying there for hours. The study door was always closed, and it was very quiet inside. There was no sound of people talking on the phone, only the occasional very faint sound of keyboard tapping or the rustling of papers.
What troubled Lan Tongtong even more was that every time Mo Zhichi emerged from his study, his expression was unpleasant. It wasn't anger, but a deep, oppressive solemnity. An unbreakable gloom hung between his brows, and his eyes were sharper and colder than usual, as if a storm was brewing. He would quietly walk to the balcony, light a cigarette, and stare blankly into the distance, emanating a depressing aura that kept no one near him.
Even the carefree Mo Xiaochi noticed that his father was acting strangely, and asked Lan Tongtong privately, "Sister Tongtong, what's wrong with my dad? He seems weird, like he's worried about something."
Lan Tongtong shook her head, equally filled with doubt and a hint of unease. She suspected that Brother Mo might still be busy with Liu Feng's affairs, or perhaps preparing for Liu Tianyuan's subsequent moves. But seeing how secretive and heavy his state was, it seemed like there was more to it than that.
Once, Lan Tongtong took the opportunity to deliver some fruit and gently knocked on the study door. The keyboard tapping sound inside stopped abruptly. After a few seconds, Mo Zhichi said in a deep voice, "Come in."
Lan Tongtong pushed the door open and saw Mo Zhichi sitting in front of the computer. The screen seemed to be a document interface, but the moment she entered, he quickly switched to the news page. His movements were quick, but Lan Tongtong still caught the fleeting concealment.
"Brother Mo, have some fruit." Lan Tongtong put the fruit plate on the table and asked casually, "You seem very busy lately? Are you dealing with a case?"
Mo Zhichi picked up an apple and spoke in a relaxed tone, but his eyes flickered a little: "Yeah, some trivial matters, nothing. You don't have to worry about it, just have a good rest."
His evasive answers only made Lan Tongtong more certain that he was doing something important that he didn't want them to know. She felt a little uncomfortable at being left out, but even more worried about Mo Zhichi. She feared he would bear too much pressure on his own for her sake, or even do something dangerous.
This hidden depression persisted for several days. Lan Tongtong and Mo Xiaochi were cautious, not daring to disturb him too much, but their inner worry grew day by day. They could sense a turbulent undercurrent beneath the calm surface. Mo Zhichi was like a lurking cheetah, sharpening his claws in the darkness, waiting for the perfect moment to strike a fatal blow.
And what he was planning was likely to completely change the course of the entire incident, and even set off a bigger wave. Lan Tongtong vaguely felt that a bigger storm might be quietly brewing.
The secretive and oppressive atmosphere that had enveloped the Mo family for the past few days was completely broken on a seemingly ordinary morning.
Mo Xiaochi was the first to notice something was wrong. She was scrolling through her phone when she suddenly exclaimed, "Dad! Sister Tongtong! Look! Something big has happened!"
Lan Tongtong and Mo Zhichi leaned over upon hearing the noise. Mo Xiaochi's phone screen displayed a popular post from an influential local online forum. The title read, "Real-name Report: Tianma Investment Vice President Liu Tianyuan Abuses Power, Disregards Safety, Paves the Way for His Son, and Has a Long History of Misdeeds!"
The poster is an anonymous account, but the content of the post is extremely detailed, professional, and extremely lethal!
The post didn't directly mention Liu Feng's attempted assault on Lan Tongtong (apparently to protect the victim's privacy), but instead pointed the finger at her father, Liu Tianyuan, for serious misconduct at work. Using rigorous engineering terminology, the complaint detailed at least three confirmed violations of regulations during Liu Tianyuan's tenure as director of a key project (the initial phase of the current project):
Specific pile foundation issues: A key pile foundation in a particular section was clearly identified as having a slight shrinkage during testing and should have been scrapped. However, at Liu Tianyuan's behest, the test report was tampered with and ultimately accepted. The post included screenshots of the original test data, a photocopy of the tampered report for comparison, and anonymous testimony from the relevant technician (with audio removed), providing a clear and complete chain of evidence.
Specific beam issues: A prefabricated box girder exhibited anomalies during the tensioning process, posing a potential quality risk and requiring scrapping. However, Liu Tianyuan, citing a "tight construction schedule," insisted on passing the inspection. The post included photos of the construction logbook, objections from the supervisor (a signed draft rejected by Liu Tianyuan), and photos of concealed areas of the beam after installation, revealing minor cracks.
Relationship to Recent Events: The post concludes with a clever twist, connecting this incident to the recent, highly publicized case of "Liu Feng's attempted rape of a female technician." The post argues that Liu Tianyuan's arrogance stems from his habit of abusing his power, providing a "model" and "encouragement" for his son Liu Feng's reckless behavior. The post asks, "How can a leader who disregards project safety and laws and regulations be expected to shoulder such a heavy responsibility? Is his son's current misdeeds the inevitable result of his father's long-standing dereliction of duty and disregard for rules?"
This report boasts rigorous logic, solid evidence, and rich illustrations, combining professionalism with explosive content. It cleverly avoids publicly detailing the sexual assault case, instead focusing on Liu Tianyuan's own misconduct at work, striking directly at the core of the issue. Construction quality issues are a red line, a point of greatest public concern.
The post was quickly reposted across major social media platforms, skyrocketing in popularity! The keywords "official son," "project quality," "abuse of power for personal gain," and "attempted □□"—they combined to instantly ignite public outrage. Public opinion overwhelmingly condemned Liu Tianyuan and his son, and calls for a thorough investigation grew louder and louder.
Lan Tongtong was so shocked that she was speechless as she watched the comments scrolling across her phone screen and the ever-climbing trending search rankings. She suddenly looked up at Mo Zhichi who was standing beside her.
Mo Zhichi's face showed no sign of surprise. He stared calmly at the screen, his eyes piercing, his lips curled up in a barely perceptible, icy arc. His days of seclusion and repression had finally come to fruition.
"Brother Mo...this...this is you..." Lan Tongtong's voice trembled.
Mo Zhichi didn't directly admit or deny it. He put down his phone and turned his gaze to Lan Tongtong, his eyes gentle but firm. "Tongtong, you see, to bring down a big tree, you can't just cut off the branches and leaves, you have to dig up its roots. The reason Liu Tianyuan dared to exert pressure so recklessly was because he relied on his power and thought he could keep the lid on it. Now, the lid has been lifted."
His words were calm, yet carried the power of thunder.
Lan Tongtong understood instantly. Mo Zhichi had resigned from his position as director not just to escape the pressure, but also to free himself from the constraints of his status, allowing him to gather evidence with greater freedom and determination, and launch that fatal attack! His "strange" behavior over the past few days was a subtle plot and preparation! He had chosen the most precise, irrefutable angle to deliver the heaviest blow to Liu Tianyuan!
Sure enough, within an hour, all kinds of news came pouring in:
First, the project department group exploded, and colleagues were talking about it;
Then, someone with inside information said that the city had set up a joint investigation team overnight to conduct a thorough investigation into the issues raised in the post.
Later, Lan Tongtong received a call from the Public Security Bureau informing her that the review process for Liu Feng's case would be stricter due to new circumstances (his father might be suspected of obstructing justice, etc.), and asked her to rest assured.
There are even rumors that Liu Tianyuan has been suspended from all positions and is undergoing organizational review!
Mo Zhichi's tactic of "encircling Wei to save Zhao", or "cutting off the firewood from under the cauldron", not only completely destroyed Liu Tianyuan's ability to intervene in his son's case, but also dragged himself into an abyss of no return!
Lan Tongtong looked at Mo Zhichi's resolute profile, her heart filled with indescribable shock and gratitude. To help her get justice, Brother Mo not only sacrificed his career, but also secretly planned and laid out such a sophisticated and ruthless game!
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