33: Chapter 33 Radio Interview

At seven in the evening, the welcome banquet began promptly in the hotel's banquet hall.

The banquet hall was decorated simply and elegantly, with several exquisite dishes placed on the tables, meeting the reception standards without lacking decorum.

General Manager Yang Wenxuan sat in the seat of honor and said to everyone with a smile, "Today's banquet is quite simple, but very warm. I thank the comrades of Canglan City."

Mayor Qin raised her glass and smiled, "Party Secretary Yang, fellow leaders, welcome to Canglan City. We will certainly cooperate fully with the work of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and strive for the comprehensive victory of the anti-organized crime struggle as soon as possible."

Everyone raised their glasses, and the banquet proceeded in a harmonious atmosphere.

Xiao Bei stood to the side, constantly monitoring every detail of the banquet to ensure everything proceeded smoothly.

Subsequently, the investigation by the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection's steering group in Canglan City progressed very smoothly. Within a few short days, multiple officials, led by Deputy County Magistrate Ni Siyuan of Beijiang County, were placed under investigation.

As the case deepened, more and more "protective umbrellas" surfaced, causing shockwaves throughout the officialdom of Canglan City.

Mayor Qin's decisive actions and iron-fisted methods quickly reached the provincial level.

The Deputy Party Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Song De'an, gave a high evaluation of her work and even praised her by name at a provincial work conference.

"Comrade Qin Ruoxi has performed outstandingly in the anti-organized crime work in Canglan City. She dares to tackle tough issues and dig deep into the roots of corruption; she is worthy of learning from by cadres across the province."

These words from Song De'an undoubtedly added a significant stroke to Qin Ruoxi's political career.

However, just as Qin Ruoxi was riding the crest of her popularity, Director Yan Jinghui of the Municipal Government Office could no longer sit still.

Suspended from his duties for self-reflection, he holed up at home all day, feeling both resentful and terrified.

He knew that if he did not take action, he would very likely become the next target for liquidation.

In the dead of night, Yan Jinghui quietly dialed a number.

A deep and dignified voice came from the other end of the line, "Hello, why are you calling so late? What is it?"

Yan Jinghui lowered his voice, his tone tinged with anxiety, "Leader, we cannot let things go on like this! Qin Ruoxi is currently at the height of her momentum, and the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection's steering group is investigating so tightly. Deputy County Magistrate Ni Siyuan has already been arrested, and I'm afraid more people will be implicated next. We must find a way quickly, otherwise..."

The other end of the line was silent for a moment, then said coldly, "What are you panicking about? Deputy County Magistrate Ni Siyuan is just a small character; how much could he possibly know? Your current task is to steady yourself and not lose your footing."

Yan Jinghui wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said urgently, "Leader, Qin Ruoxi is no pushover; she is clearly coming for us this time. If we let her continue investigating like this, I'm afraid even you will be implicated. We must strike first; we cannot just sit here and wait for our doom!"

The voice on the other end remained calm, yet carried a hint of sinister coldness, "Jinghui, you are too impatient. No matter how capable Qin Ruoxi is, she is just an outsider. Her foundation in Canglan City is still shallow; she can't stir up any big waves. As for the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection's steering group, no matter how tightly they investigate, they need evidence. Without evidence, what can they do to me?"

Yan Jinghui gritted his teeth and whispered, "Leader, Qin Ruoxi has already set her sights on me. This suspension for self-reflection is just the beginning. I'm afraid she will target me next, and when that happens..."

"What are you afraid of?" The voice on the other end suddenly rose with a hint of anger, "You are my person. If Qin Ruoxi dares to touch you, she is going against me! Rest assured, with me here, she cannot turn the world upside down."

Hearing this, Yan Jinghui felt slightly more at ease, but still said worriedly, "Leader, Qin Ruoxi's arrival is aggressive this time. Shouldn't we do something? For example... create some trouble for her so she is too busy to handle herself?"

The other end of the line was silent for a moment, then a low, cold laugh came through, "Jinghui, you are right. No matter how capable Qin Ruoxi is, she needs people to handle things for her. That Xiao Bei must be eliminated. If we can start with Xiao Bei and make her lose her right-hand man, or even cause a rift between them, Qin Ruoxi's offensive will naturally weaken."

A glint of malice flashed in Yan Jinghui's eyes as he lowered his voice, "Leader, you mean... to stir up trouble concerning Xiao Bei? But this kid is too clever; he's not easy to deal with. I tried to frame him last time, and as a result..."

The voice on the other end carried a hint of disdain, "Clever? Even the most clever person has weaknesses. Xiao Bei is young and inexperienced; this is the time he is most easily exploited. As long as we manipulate things a little, we can plunge him into a predicament. When that happens, no matter how much Qin Ruoxi trusts him, she will develop doubts."

Yan Jinghui furrowed his brow and asked tentatively, "Leader, do you have a specific plan?"

The voice on the other end lowered a few decibels, "Listen carefully, we will do this next..."

Listening to the instructions from the other end of the line, the expression on Yan Jinghui's face gradually shifted from anxiety to malice, and finally, he even revealed a smug smile.

"Leader, your plan is truly brilliant! This way, even if Xiao Bei jumps into the Yellow River, he won't be able to wash himself clean. No matter how much Qin Ruoxi trusts him, she will inevitably develop a grudge."

The voice on the other end said coldly, "Remember, this matter must be done cleanly and efficiently; do not leave any handles. You arrange it personally. Find a few trustworthy people and make sure the act is convincing."

Yan Jinghui nodded repeatedly, "Rest assured, I will handle it properly; I will never let anyone suspect us."

After hanging up the phone, Yan Jinghui let out a long sigh of relief, and the gloom on his face was swept away.

After a while, he picked up the phone again and dialed a number, "Hello, I need you to do something for me..."

The next morning, as soon as Xiao Bei walked into the office, the phone on his desk rang.

He put down his briefcase, picked up the phone, and asked politely, "Hello, this is the Mayor's office. Who are you looking for?"

A middle-aged man's voice with a hint of a smile came from the other end, "Secretary Xiao, good morning! I am Station President Jia Chengzhi of Canglan City Television."

Secretary Xiao was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "Station Chief Jia, hello. Calling so early, is there any important matter?"

Jia Chengzhi laughed heartily, his tone filled with warmth, "Secretary Xiao, sorry to bother you. It is like this: our Canglan City Television is currently doing a special report on the anti-organized crime struggle. Mayor Qin's work performance during this period has been very outstanding, and we would like to conduct an exclusive interview with her. However, Mayor Qin is extremely busy with her official duties, and we don't want to disturb her directly, so we wanted to communicate with you first to see if we could arrange a time?"