146: Chapter 146 Another one

Secretary Hao Fanren looked around the room and his gaze landed on Xiao Bei, causing him to pause visibly—he seemed to find Xiao Bei familiar, but couldn't place him for a moment.

The yellow-haired man pointed at Xiao Bei: "Brother-in-law, it's this brat. He's obstructing official business and insulting law enforcement officers!"

Secretary Hao Fanren frowned and scrutinized Xiao Bei: "Which unit are you from? Do you know that obstructing law enforcement is an illegal act?"

Xiao Bei looked at him calmly: "Secretary Hao Fanren, what impressive official authority you wield. Condoning thugs to pose as law enforcement to collect protection money—is this your method of governance?"

Secretary Hao Fanren's expression changed. He wondered how Xiao Bei knew him, but after a second thought, he quickly changed his expression. After all, he was the secretary to the Party Secretary; it wasn't strange to be recognized with his reputation. "Nonsense! Xiao Mu is a temporary worker from the Market Management Office; the fees all have proper procedures!"

He turned to the police officers: "Take this person who is disturbing social order back for investigation!"

The two police officers stepped forward to make an arrest. Xiao Bei finally stood up: "Secretary Hao Fanren, you dare to arrest even me?"

This sharp reprimand made Secretary Hao Fanren tremble all over. Xiao Bei's voice echoed in the breakfast shop, and Secretary Hao Fanren's face instantly turned pale. He narrowed his eyes, fine beads of sweat oozing from his forehead, and his fingers began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Who… who exactly are you?" Secretary Hao Fanren's voice was clearly lacking confidence.

Xiao Bei sneered, quietly reached his right hand into his pocket, and blindly typed a text message to Team Leader Zhang Yining: [Hongxiang Town breakfast shop, urgently requesting Mayor Qin.]

"Secretary Hao Fanren doesn't even recognize the leaders of the county he works in?" Xiao Bei deliberately raised his voice so everyone in the shop could hear: "I am Deputy County Magistrate Xiao, Xiao Bei, of Jinhe County."

The shop immediately erupted in an uproar. The shop owner, Old Chen, widened his eyes, and the rag in his hand dropped to the floor. The yellow-haired Xiao Mu's face changed instantly, and he subconsciously took two steps back.

"B-brother-in-law…" Xiao Mu stammered as he tugged on Secretary Hao Fanren's sleeve, "Is he… is he really the County Magistrate?"

Secretary Hao Fanren's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his eyes flickering uncertainly. Xiao Bei noticed his right hand quietly reaching toward his lower back—a mobile phone was tucked there.

"Bullshit!" Secretary Hao Fanren suddenly roared, the panic on his face instantly replaced by ferocity. "I am the secretary to the Party Secretary; what kind of leaders have I not seen? Deputy County Magistrate Xiao just spoke at the county-wide cadre meeting last week. With your demeanor, you dare to impersonate a county leader?"

He turned to the two police officers, his voice suddenly raised an octave: "This person is impersonating a state cadre, which is an even graver crime! Handcuff him for me!"

Xiao Bei's heart sank. He hadn't expected Secretary Hao Fanren to be this daring. The two police officers exchanged hesitant glances, and the older one spoke up: "Secretary Hao Fanren, perhaps we should verify his identity first…"

"Verify my ass!" Secretary Hao Fanren rudely interrupted him. "Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua will be here soon. Do you want to lose your jobs or fail your year-end performance review?"

Hearing the words "Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua," the two police officers were clearly swayed. The younger one had already taken out his handcuffs and was walking toward Xiao Bei.

Xiao Bei's brain raced. He had to stall for time until Mayor Qin arrived. Just as the police officer was about to touch his wrist, Xiao Bei suddenly laughed.

"Secretary Hao Fanren, in 2019 you entered the Town Government through Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua's connections, and in 2020 you were in charge of the town's farmers' market renovation project, where you embezzled 170,000 yuan in project funds."

Xiao Bei said word by word, watching Secretary Hao Fanren's face grow increasingly ugly. Someone like Secretary Hao Fanren couldn't possibly be clean. Fortunately, Xiao Bei certainly knew the basic information of the personnel in the poverty alleviation area under his jurisdiction, but he had to gamble on the embezzlement amount, betting that Secretary Hao Fanren himself didn't know exactly how much he had embezzled.

The air in the shop seemed to freeze. Secretary Hao Fanren's lips trembled, and a flash of fear crossed his eyes. Xiao Bei knew his words had hit the mark.

"You… you are slandering me!" Secretary Hao Fanren roared, his tone fierce but weak, but his voice had lost its confidence.

Just then, a sharp screech of brakes came from outside the shop. Xiao Bei felt a surge of joy—had Mayor Qin arrived?

However, three strange men walked in. The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, sporting a meticulously combed-back hairstyle, with sinister eyes.

"What is going on?" the middle-aged man asked coldly.

Secretary Hao Fanren, as if seeing a savior, immediately went up to meet him: "Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua! This person is impersonating Deputy County Magistrate Xiao and also slandering us for embezzlement…"

Xiao Bei's heart sank—it wasn't Mayor Qin who had arrived, but the Party Secretary of Hongxiang Town, Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua. The situation had become more complicated.

Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua's sharp gaze swept over Xiao Bei, and he suddenly laughed: "Oh, isn't this Deputy County Magistrate Xiao? What wind blew you into our little place?"

The shop erupted in an uproar again. Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua had clearly received notice that Xiao Bei would be coming today, yet he asked this deliberately.

At this moment, Secretary Hao Fanren's face turned deathly pale, and his legs went weak, nearly causing him to collapse to the ground.

"Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua has a sharp eye," Xiao Bei said calmly, "I came to check on the live-streaming poverty alleviation project in Hongxiang Town, and I didn't expect to run into your secretary's brother-in-law collecting protection money."

Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua's smile froze on his face. He turned his head and glared fiercely at Secretary Hao Fanren, who was already ashen-faced.

"A misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding." Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua quickly adjusted his expression and enthusiastically shook Xiao Bei's hand. "Xiao Mu is a temporary worker from the Market Management Office; perhaps his working methods are a bit rough…"

"Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua," Xiao Bei pulled his hand back, his voice turning cold, "Are the blank receipts stamped with the Town Government's official seal also a misunderstanding?"

Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua's expression changed, and a flash of malice crossed his eyes. Just as the atmosphere was tense, the sound of police sirens suddenly came from outside the shop. Xiao Bei breathed a sigh of relief—this time it should be Mayor Qin.

However, the person who walked in was Executive Deputy County Magistrate Liu Fuzhi, followed by two staff members from the Discipline Inspection Commission. Xiao Bei's heart sank to the bottom—the situation was completely out of control.

"Oh, so lively?" Liu Fuzhi looked around with a smile, his gaze lingering on Xiao Bei for a few seconds, "Deputy County Magistrate Xiao is here too."

Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua immediately greeted him enthusiastically as if he had seen his own father: "County Magistrate Liu, welcome, welcome!"

Liu Fuzhi waved his hand: "I heard there was a beating incident in Hongxiang Town, so I came to take a look." He suddenly turned to Xiao Bei and asked meaningfully, "Is Deputy County Magistrate Xiao here to investigate?"

Xiao Bei keenly noticed that Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua and Liu Fuzhi exchanged a glance. This wasn't right—they seemed to have some kind of tacit understanding.

"I am here to check the live-streaming data," Xiao Bei answered cautiously.

Liu Fuzhi did not respond with any obvious expression, but suddenly said to Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua: "Old Qiao, I just received a report that someone in your town is impersonating a county leader to swindle people?"

Xiao Bei's pupils constricted—this was aimed at him!

Party Secretary Qiao Jianhua pretended to look at Xiao Bei, then looked at Secretary Hao Fanren: "This… might be a misunderstanding…"

"It's not a misunderstanding!" Secretary Hao Fanren suddenly jumped out, pointing at Xiao Bei and shouting, "Secretary Liu, this person is impersonating Deputy County Magistrate Xiao and also slandering us for embezzlement! I have evidence!"