Zhou Jiaming was already feeling guilty, and when he heard Xiao Wang's words, he immediately jumped up and said, "You're talking nonsense! I didn't! I didn't!"
His reaction was so strong that it drew the attention of everyone who was following the matter, and some people's gazes even changed.
Just as Zhang Qinghua said, there are many smart people in Hongqi Village. Just one action by Zhou Jiaming was enough for some people to confirm that what Xiao Wang said was true.
However, no one said anything; everyone just watched quietly.
Xiao Wang was so anxious that he couldn't care less about anything else. Zhou Jiaming's behavior also made him react strongly.
"You're talking nonsense. I think you embezzled those subsidies. If you don't have them, then give them to me."
"I only let you collect the money so that Accountant Zhang wouldn't have to make an extra trip. I never expected you to just take it and not give it back."
“I asked you for the money two or three times, and each time you made excuses and refused to give it to me. I think you embezzled the money and can’t come up with it.”
Believe it or not, although Xiao Wang is incompetent and timid, he has a vivid imagination and actually came up with the truth.
Hearing Xiao Wang's almost unequivocal words, Zhou Jiaming felt uneasy.
How would he know? Who told him? Luo Weijia?
Could it be that Luo Weijia couldn't come up with the money, so he had Xiao Wang smear him? Zhou Jiaming had no choice but to resort to scheming.
However, regardless of whether it's what he thinks or not, it's crucial to appease Xiao Wang at this point, otherwise, if things escalate, no one will escape unscathed.
"Comrade Wang, you can't talk nonsense." He suppressed his panic. "I just haven't had time because I've been busy with work lately."
“That money will be very useful. You can’t doubt the hearts of our comrades; we are all people who dedicate ourselves to the motherland.”
"Okay, I'll definitely bring the money to you tonight, alright? I have work to do in the fields, I really can't leave."
Zhou Jiaming can only stall for time, hoping to buy himself a minute.
The hope is that Luo Weijia will be smart and capable, and return the money in full that night.
"No, it has to be done now. Someone from town is coming to inspect, and we can't wait until tonight," Xiao Wang practically shouted.
"What? What did you say? Someone from town is here to inspect? Inspect what? Subsidies? How come I didn't know?" Zhou Jiaming panicked.
If the townspeople find out, I'm doomed, and might even go to jail.
"Otherwise, why do you think I came to find you? Hurry up, go down the mountain, and hand the money over to Accountant Zhang. Hurry up!" Xiao Wang said in a trembling voice.
The two looked at each other, both appearing flustered, which aroused suspicion among the villagers of Hongqi Village who were watching.
Could it be that Zhou Jiaming really embezzled funds? Or was it the militia's subsidy money?
Families with members in the militia paid special attention, listening intently even while they were still working.
Daqing and Zhang Qinghua almost burst out laughing. Xiao Wang is truly an amazing teammate.
This approach is very popular! As for the person in question, it's obviously Song Lili and her group.
Neither of them originally intended to use the townspeople in their dealings. They never expected that Xiao Wang would intimidate Zhou Jiaming like this.
Judging from Zhou Jiaming's expression, he seemed to have believed it as well.
Haha, what a pair of idiots.
Even if the militia captain of Xiawa Village really said it, the people from the town wouldn't come so quickly, since it's still unknown whether it's true or not.
We can't just convict someone based on a single sentence, can we? If that were the case, who would dare to do anything in the future?
Only Xiao Wang, driven by his own fear, would be afraid. Zhou Jiaming, influenced by Xiao Wang's fear, would believe it.
In a little while, Zhou Jiaming will probably realize what's happening. Xiao Wang will probably do it soon too.
However, this was not the outcome Zhang Qinghua wanted to see.
As Zhou Jiaming and Xiao Wang stared at each other like two roosters, he stepped forward.
"Captain Zhou, I heard from Comrade Wang that the subsidy money was received a long time ago? Why didn't you give it to me? Why didn't you tell me? If Comrade Wang hadn't told me today, I wouldn't have known."
The speaker has their own meaning, and the listener has their own meaning.
Those who heard this were telling the truth that Zhou Jiaming deliberately didn't tell the accountant about the existence of this money, because he wanted to embezzle it.
In his panic, Zhou Jiaming failed to grasp the hidden meaning in Zhang Qinghua's words and replied with the same words he had used to Xiao Wang.
"I was just too busy and forgot. I'll bring it to you tonight." Zhou Jiaming said in a kind tone, putting on the airs of what he considered an elder.
"I don't think so. Didn't Comrade Wang just say that he asked you several times but you didn't give it to him? Captain Zhou, I, as the militia captain, didn't even know that there was a subsidy."
Daqing followed closely behind Zhang Qinghua, speaking with a smile.
"This...I...I am..."
“I know you’re too busy, but I’ve been busy too lately. But as soon as I heard about the subsidy from Comrade Wang, I immediately came to find you.”
Although Daqing's meaning wasn't so explicit, it indirectly confirmed Zhang Qinghua's words: Zhou Jiaming wanted to embezzle the money.
Even Zhou Jiaming, who was slow to notice, could tell now, because Daqing's tone was so obvious.
"Kid, don't talk nonsense. I was just busy and forgot." Zhou Jiaming's attitude towards Daqing was not as good as Xiao Wang's.
"Captain Zhou, are you talking like a three-year-old? Being busy is no excuse. I don't believe that so many days have passed and you haven't thought of it even once?" Zhang Qinghua said coolly.
“I’m the accountant. If someone from town really comes to check the money this time, then I’ll be the one who ends up being blamed.”
"Captain Zhou, I don't think I've offended you, have I? How could you do such a thing?"
Zhang Qinghua stared coldly at Zhou Jiaming, the icy look in his eyes easily noticeable.
He was because of what Song Lili said last night, that Zhou Jiaming wanted to find an opportunity to make Song Lili suffer.
So now that he's seized the opportunity, he'll teach Zhou Jiaming a lesson.
Xiao Wang chimed in, "That's right, you're supposed to be the brigade leader, yet your ideological awareness is so low, you actually want to embezzle the people's property."
Once this label is attached and confirmed, things could get really serious.
Zhou Jiaming was frightened by Xiao Wang's increasingly serious words, and coupled with the suspicious looks around him, he gradually lost his mind.
"I didn't, I really didn't, you have to believe me, I really didn't take it." It was all Luo Weijia who took it.
“How can we trust you? You really can’t come up with that money,” Zhang Qinghua said at just the right moment.
“I didn’t take it. I didn’t take that money. I originally intended to give it to the accountant. I never thought of embezzling it.”
"But just as I was about to give it to the accountant..."
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