15: Back to work

"My son has been very resilient and independent since he was little. He won't be easily disheartened by gossip. I believe in my son."

Zhang Chunhua encouraged Lin Zifeng in her own way.

Lin Zifeng nodded in undeniable agreement, and the family of three quickly finished breakfast.

Not long after breakfast, his phone rang. Seeing that it was Zhou Hua calling, he hung up the phone as usual.

"Dad, Mom, the driver is here to pick me up. I'm going to work."

He said, picking up his briefcase from the table and heading out the door.

The couple saw him to the door, watched him go downstairs, and then turned back home.

Lin Zifeng got into the passenger seat of the car downstairs.

Zhou Hua drove towards Junyue Hotel.

While driving, Zhou Hua said, "Zifeng, how much longer do you think County Magistrate Zhang can stay in Yushu County? Even the people in the county town have predicted that County Magistrate Zhang won't be staying in Yushu County for long."

"Brother Zhou, I can't answer such a question, because like you, I don't know any news."

Lin Zifeng couldn't possibly gossip and tell Zhou Hua anything related to the matter.

At this time, it was better to be discreet and tight-lipped. As the saying goes, trouble comes from the mouth, and he wouldn't make such a mistake.

"Now that it's just the two of us brothers in the car, I dare to say some things.

What do you think County Magistrate Zhang was thinking? To mess around with a divorced woman and get caught.

Such a young county magistrate, if he hadn't taken this detour, he would definitely have a boundless future!

It's really not worth it to cause the current situation because of a woman."

Zhou Hua said with emotion.

"Brother Zhou, some things are beyond our comprehension. County Magistrate Zhang might not be too affected by this matter, after all, it's not a big deal."

Lin Zifeng said vaguely.

The two chatted all the way, and Zhou Hua drove the car to the entrance of Junyue Hotel.

He quickly got out of the car and called Zhang Yuhao. The call was quickly connected. "county magistrate, we are already downstairs."

Zhang Yuhao grunted and hung up the phone.

A few minutes later, Zhang Yuhao walked out of the hotel entrance. He quickly opened the back car door, and after Zhang Yuhao got in, he closed the door and returned to the passenger seat.

The car drove towards the County Party Committee and County Government compound. Due to Zhang Yuhao getting in, the atmosphere in the car was a bit heavy.

The car drove into the County Party Committee and County Government compound and stopped in front of the main hall.

Lin Zifeng, as before, quickly got out of the car, opened the back door, and after Zhang Yuhao got out, followed behind him and walked upstairs.

The two walked into Zhang Yuhao's office together.

As usual, he first made a cup of tea for Zhang Yuhao, then meticulously began to clean the office.

More than ten minutes later, after he had tidied the office spotlessly, he said, "Boss, if you have no other instructions, I'll go out first."

Zhang Yuhao nodded in satisfaction, without speaking.

Only then did he leave the office and return to his own small office.

After tidying up his own small office, he made himself a cup of tea, sat behind his desk, and began reading the newspaper as usual.

The morning was almost over, yet no one came to report work to the county magistrate.

This would have been absolutely impossible before, and it made Lin Zifeng see the reality of officialdom even more clearly.

Just then, his work phone rang.

Seeing that it was a call from the County Party Committee Office, he quickly answered it.

"Hello, I'm Lin Zifeng. How can I help you?"

"Hello Secretary Lin, please inform the county magistrate that the County Party Standing Committee will be held punctually at 2 PM. Please ask the county magistrate to attend on time."

After receiving the notice from the County Party Committee Office, he stood up and walked out of his office.

He arrived at Zhang Yuhao's office door, knocked, and then walked in.

"Is something wrong, Zifeng?"

Zhang Yuhao looked up, asking with a somewhat dispirited expression.

"Boss, the County Party Committee Office just issued a notice that the County Party Standing Committee will be held punctually at 2 PM.

It's almost noon, let's go for lunch!"

He quickly reported.

Zhang Yuhao nodded, stood up, and walked out of the office.

As the two walked to the cafeteria, other staff members they encountered, though still smiling, greeted Zhang Yuhao.

However, it was evident that the smiles on their faces were not genuine, and their eyes revealed a sense of distance.

Zhang Yuhao's face maintained a polite smile, frequently nodding in acknowledgment to those who greeted him.

He appeared to be unchanged from before, hiding his thoughts very well.

Lin Zifeng couldn't help but nod silently to himself, thinking, 'He truly deserves to have been a county magistrate for two years. This ability to hide his thoughts is something ordinary people can't achieve.'

The two arrived at a private room in the cafeteria.

The cafeteria staff, unchanged from before, still brought the pre-prepared meals into the private room.

After respectfully greeting Zhang Yuhao, they exited the private room.

Zhang Yuhao's mood was noticeably better. Lin Zifeng thought to himself, 'Even though Zhang Yuhao is in trouble, others dare to discuss him behind his back and gossip about him.

But in front of him, no one dares to be presumptuous!'

After all, he is the county magistrate, a dignified Division Level Cadre. As long as he doesn't leave Yushu County for even a day, he remains the head of the County Government.

One word from him could change a person's fate.

After finishing lunch together, they left the cafeteria and returned to the office.

Just as Zhang Yuhao was about to go to the inner lounge to rest for a while, his phone rang.

Seeing that it was Zhao Yulin calling, he quickly answered the phone and respectfully greeted, "Brother Zhao."

"Yuhao, I'm giving you a heads-up. This morning, the transfer order concerning your work has already been issued.

The order was sent by fax and should have reached Yushu County by now."

"Brother Zhao, may I ask which department I've been transferred to?"

He asked with anticipation.

"Yuhao, Governor Chen is still very concerned about you. I originally thought you'd be sidelined for a while!

Unexpectedly, my guess wasn't entirely correct.

You will be transferred to the Provincial Department of Finance to serve as the Deputy Director of the Office, with your Division Level Cadre rank unchanged.

This is already the best outcome, something I hadn't even thought of before."

The reason Zhao Yulin gave him a heads-up was to do him a favor.

He had thought that Chen Yuanhua was unwilling to let his son-in-law be sidelined, which was why he was helping Zhang Yuhao like this!

If he had known that this was Chen Yuanhua's last time helping Zhang Haoyu, and that he would sever ties with Zhang Yuhao afterward, he wouldn't have made this call!