Chapter 1957

Chapter 1957: Chapter 1957

Wei Shoucheng seemed not to hear, and left the office on his own.

"Threatening me?" Song Guanchao looked at the open door, gave a light laugh, picked up the phone, and started searching numbers in his contacts.

He did not like to bully others using power, nor did he want to trouble friends.

Regarding Wei Zejun, he had already shown restraint, even breaking his own past principles.

In the past, he would have handed the evidence over to the police and had Wei Zejun arrested.

Now he only kept the evidence, yet the other party was unaware of his kindness, repeatedly testing his limits, even threatening him using Provincial Committee leaders, and framing him right in front of him.

Song Guanchao was merely mindful of the bigger picture, but it didn’t mean anyone could step over him.

Soon, his searching finger paused, and on the screen was a number tagged with the name "Cao Wenxuan."

He dialed the number, bringing the phone to his ear.

Amidst the beeping, the call connected.

"Hello, who is this?"

"Brother Cao, it’s me."

"You... Xiao Song?" Cao Wenxuan’s voice was filled with surprise and uncertainty.

"It’s me." Song Guanchao smiled and said, "Am I interrupting your work?"

"You rascal, I thought you had forgotten me. I heard you’ve been to Beijing a few times in the past two years?" Cao Wenxuan was full of resentment and blamed him.

"All work-related, couldn’t find the time, otherwise I would have visited you for a drink." Song Guanchao quickly admitted his mistake.

"You brat." After a playful scold, Cao Wenxuan asked, "Well, what’s up? What do you need from me?"

Song Guanchao asked, "Are you still at the Central Disciplinary Inspection Committee?"

"Where else could I be? Alas, this position is busy as hell. Every few days, there’s a case to handle. You’re lucky, call me half a day later, my phone might not be reachable. Alright, don’t beat around the bush. In my impression, you’re not such a person. What’s the matter?"

"You’re with the Disciplinary Committee, naturally contacting you for reporting."

"Reporting who? I heard you’re into politics now? You wouldn’t be reporting a competitor, would you?"

"The son of a businessman." Song Guanchao briefly explained the situation to him.

Cao Wenxuan said, "The son of the richest man in your city... It’s not a big deal as long as he’s not the province’s richest man. To what extent do you want this to go? Have him stay inside for a few years, or just scare him a bit?"

Song Guanchao replied, "Just scare him a bit. I don’t really want to make this absolute."

Despite Cao Wenxuan’s simple words, Wei Shoucheng is still the provincial capital’s richest man and quite influential.

Sending his son inside would make things unmanageable.

The power of a nuclear bomb lies not in the damage it can cause when detonated but in the intimidation before it explodes.

This principle is something Song Guanchao understands better than anyone.

He chatted a while with Cao Wenxuan about the details before calling Lu Zhizhong.

This task still needed Governor Lu to handle personally.

Firstly, to add a mysterious background for credibility.

Secondly, it could distance himself from any implications.

Song Guanchao always preferred not to expose his connections for being discreet, but more so not to become the focus.

Moreover, when everyone knows your connections reach far and wide, you can’t participate in certain things, and people around you won’t speak the truth, only flattering you.

Lu Zhizhong was one of the few who knew the background of Song Guanchao, but even he understood only a little.

Listening to him now, even though Lu Zhizhong was mentally prepared, he was still secretly shocked.

After all, that was the leadership of the Central Disciplinary Inspection Committee, cooperating just because of one phone call.

"I understand." Lu Zhizhong asked, "With Wei Shoucheng framing and planting evidence, should I give the Provincial Office a heads-up first?"

"No need, I’ll handle it here."

The phone had barely hung up when Tan Miao’s urgent call came in, "Director Song, I received a report here, alleging you of bribery."

"Wei Shoucheng?"

"Yes... You know?"

"He tried to frame me right in front of me, what do you think?"

"What’s going on?" Tan Miao looked confused.

Song Guanchao asked, "Has he asked you to summon me for investigation?"

"Yes."

"Give me the address, I’ll come over later."

He put away his phone and sought out Wu Qiangwei before leaving.

Such a big matter, he must inform Wu Qiangwei so she wouldn’t worry.

"Why did you get tangled up with him?" Wu Qiangwei was angry, thinking Song Guanchao could handle it well, but it turned out this way.

Song Guanchao said innocently, "It’s not my intention. I called Governor Lu, reported it, and he asked me to confront it directly. He even said no matter the consequences, he could handle it."

Wu Qiangwei got angrier: "Are you an idiot? You believe his words? What if he can’t handle it?"

"He can’t possibly... Governor Lu has quite the network, doesn’t he?"

"You..." Wu Qiangwei was infuriated, her chest heaving, her delicate eyebrows furrowed.

She thought for a few seconds and said, "Did you inform him about the Disciplinary Committee’s investigation?"

"I did."

"What did Governor Lu say?"

"He asked me to cooperate with the Disciplinary Committee, and leave the rest to him."

Song Guanchao in turn comforted her, "Since Governor Lu has said so, there shouldn’t be anything going wrong. Don’t worry too much. I’ll go talk with the Disciplinary Committee. Besides, black can’t turn white, and white can’t turn black."

Wu Qiangwei exhaled heavily, feeling utterly speechless. She didn’t know whether to call Song Guanchao naive or curse him an idiot.

Despite usually being shrewd, how could he simply believe what Lu Zhizhong said now? She really didn’t know what to say.

"Go ahead." Wu Qiangwei was at a loss, not wanting to talk to him.

Song Guanchao stood up, and the sound of footsteps suddenly echoed in her ears.

By the time she looked up, Song Guanchao was already in front of her.

Song Guanchao cupped her face, planted a kiss on her forehead: "It’s okay, don’t worry. If Governor Lu can’t handle it, I’ll just throw out the evidence against Wei Zejun."

Wu Qiangwei sighed involuntarily, "Throwing it out is easy, but if the situation escalates, how do you intend to clean it up? Have you thought about it?"

Song Guanchao thought for a moment and prepared to speak, before Wu Qiangwei took his hand away: "Next time something like this happens, I won’t let you act recklessly like this."

She regretted it a bit, from the beginning, she shouldn’t have let him handle it.

Actually, she anticipated this outcome—that Song Guanchao might take things out of control.

For the sake of their relationship, she didn’t intervene, giving Song Guanchao significant freedom.

Unexpectedly, the situation did develop as anticipated, really spiraling out of control.

At this point, it was too late to say anything.

Song Guanchao looked helpless and did not explain further, turned and left the office.

He drove to the address sent by Tan Miao—it’s a hotel, also the Disciplinary Committee’s designated holding room.

Entering the hotel lobby, he saw two familiar figures, Bao Qi and Tan Miao, and the two secretaries.

"Director Song, Secretary Tan has mentioned to you, right?" Bao Qi’s expression was serious, but Song Guanchao still caught a hint of schadenfreude in his eyes.

"It’s been mentioned."

"Secretary Tan, take him up."

"Director Song, come with me."

Inside the elevator, Tan Miao showed a bitter smile: "Why did you offend Chairman Wei?"