"And the approval signatures on these accounts..."
Li Changhai interjected at the opportune moment.
"Section Chief Su, please confess honestly if you have any questions. The organization will consider your attitude."
Su Mingde, seeing the scrutinizing gazes of the three men, suddenly understood something.
His face turned deathly pale, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.
at the same time.
The family compound of the Metallurgical Bureau.
Liu Meijuan hummed a little tune as she prepared dinner in the kitchen.
Today, she specially made braised pork ribs, Su Mingde's favorite dish, and also opened a bottle of red wine to celebrate her husband's one-month anniversary of being promoted to deputy section chief.
The phone rang abruptly, shattering the warm atmosphere in the kitchen.
"Hello?"
Liu Meijuan wiped her hands and answered the phone.
"Miss Liu...?"
The voice on the other end of the phone was that of an unfamiliar man, visibly nervous.
"I'm Xiao Wang from the Metallurgical Bureau's office. Section Chief Su... he's been taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission!"
The spatula in Liu Meijuan's hand fell to the ground with a "clatter," and she instantly felt dizzy.
"What did you say? When did this happen?"
"Just now, around 4 PM. Director Li brought two people from the Discipline Inspection Commission into Section Chief Su's office, and then..."
The voice on the other end of the phone grew softer and softer.
"Ms. Liu, please think of something quickly; I heard the problem is very serious."
After hanging up the phone, Liu Meijuan stood there, feeling her legs go weak.
She mechanically turned off the gas stove, her mind a complete mess.
Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind.
Go find your father, only your father can save Mingde!
She grabbed her keys and wallet and rushed out the door.
The security guard at the municipal party committee's residential compound recognized Liu Meijuan and let her through immediately.
She ran all the way to the front of her father's two-story house and pressed the doorbell with trembling fingers.
The door opened, and Director Liu stood in the doorway in his home clothes, showing no surprise whatsoever, as if he had already expected his daughter to come.
"Dad! Mingde, he..."
Liu Meijuan's voice was choked with sobs.
"Come in and we'll talk."
Director Liu interrupted her, stepped aside to let his daughter in, then looked outside warily to make sure no one was watching before closing the door.
In the living room, the tea that Director Liu had just brewed was still steaming, and several slips of paper covered with phone numbers were scattered on the coffee table.
Liu Meijuan noticed that her father's study door was half open, the desk lamp was on, and the telephone receiver was not properly hung up.
It was clear that the father had been making frequent phone calls.
"Dad, you already know?"
Liu Meijuan slumped onto the sofa, her voice trembling.
Director Liu did not answer immediately, but walked to the liquor cabinet and poured two glasses of brandy.
He handed a glass to his daughter, took a sip himself, and then slowly spoke.
"Li Changhai just called me."
Liu Meijuan's eyes widened.
What did he say?
He spoke very politely, but his meaning was very clear.
Director Liu sneered.
"When problems arose with the accounts handled by Mingde, they just did their job properly"—bullshit!
Liu Meijuan's tears welled up again.
"Dad, Mingde can't possibly be involved! He's only been deputy section chief for a few days, and those accounts are from before!"
"Of course I know."
Director Liu's tone was also somewhat angry.
"The question is, why did Li Changhai suddenly target Mingde?"
He stood up and paced back and forth in the living room.
"I made several phone calls before I finally got a hint from Lao Zhou."
Director Liu stopped and looked at his daughter.
"It must be a problem with the Ministry of Metallurgy; they desperately need a scapegoat. Someone has to take the blame for the Ministry's messy affairs over the past few years."
Liu Meijuan's face turned deathly pale.
"So...Mingde, he..."
"Don't you understand?"
Director Liu slammed his wine glass down.
"Li Changhai is making an example of Mingde! At least 200,000 yuan of the Ministry of Metallurgical's safety production funds haven't been accounted for in recent years. Now that the higher-ups are investigating, he needs to find someone to take the blame!"
Liu Meijuan suddenly stood up.
"Dad! You have to save Mingde! He's in jail, what am I going to do? You still have connections, don't you? Go find Minister Zhang, go find Secretary Wang..."
"it's useless!"
Director Liu interrupted sharply.
"You think I haven't tried? Li Changhai is determined this time, he won't even give me face!"
His voice suddenly sounded tired.
"I thought that kid was obedient and I even considered grooming him as my successor, but I never expected my luck to be so bad..."
Liu Meijuan seemed to have all her strength drained away, and slumped back onto the sofa.
She suddenly remembered something and grabbed her father's hand.
"Dad, what...what am I going to do? If Mingde goes in, what about my pregnancy, and..."
Director Liu's expression became complicated. He remained silent for a few seconds before speaking as if he had made up his mind.
"I'll contact the hospital for you in a bit, and you'll have the surgery first thing tomorrow morning."
"Surgery? What kind of surgery?"
Liu Meijuan didn't react for a moment.
What kind of surgery are you referring to?
Director Liu stared sternly at his daughter's abdomen.
"You brat, get rid of him right now, he's so annoying to look at..."
Liu Meijuan instinctively clutched her stomach, her face turning deathly pale.
"Dad! This is your own grandson!"
"fart!"
Director Liu slammed his fist on the table.
"This child is a stain from birth! You're only twenty-five. You can have another one after an abortion. Do you think other men are like Su Mingde, able to accept a pregnant woman?"
Large tears rolled down Liu Meijuan's cheeks.
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