Chapter 23: It Was You All Along

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone’s eyes widened in sheer shock, Tang Chunyan included. She had guessed that Lu Hao would give Niu Dashan a hard time, but she never expected him to be so ruthless right out of the gate, cutting straight into his salary.

Lu Hao was quite satisfied with their reactions. This was exactly the effect he wanted—to make an example of the most prominent troublemaker, Niu Dashan. He had to strike hard, or no one would ever take his authority as Director seriously.

"Chunyan, call Niu Dashan later and tell him this is his first warning. If it happens again, I will file a report with the discipline inspection leadership and request an investigation into him," Lu Hao added.

At this, the three newcomers looked at Lu Hao with a change in their expressions. They knew Niu Dashan was a notorious scoundrel in Fangshui Township. Would someone like that really let Lu Hao off the hook after being treated this way? No one spoke, but everyone was curious to see how far this conflict would escalate.

"From now on, all poverty alleviation work will be subject to performance reviews. Those who do well will receive plenty of bonuses and subsidies, but those who don't—like Niu Dashan—won't get a single penny beyond their basic salary. I don't think anyone here has an issue with money," Lu Hao said, checking his watch before standing up. "That’s all for today’s meeting. Dismissed!"

Not long after he returned to his office, Tang Chunyan knocked on his door. Sitting on the sofa, she said earnestly, "Director, you penalized Niu Dashan so severely that he certainly won't accept it. He will definitely retaliate against you."

"Does he even have the right not to accept it? Besides, if Niu Dashan does nothing and gets paid the same as everyone else in the office, wouldn't you all feel resentful?" Lu Hao asked.

Tang Chunyan hesitated for a moment, her expression worried. "I know that, but I'm just concerned because he is a notorious thug."

Lu Hao smiled, knowing she was looking out for him. "It's fine. If he dares to pull any of his thuggish tricks on me, I’ll show him what I’m capable of. Since I’m sitting in this chair, I must have the ability to bring him to heel."

Tang Chunyan was momentarily stunned, but she understood his resolve to get the poverty alleviation work done. As a local of Fangshui, she naturally wanted the township to overcome poverty. "Don't worry," she said firmly. "I will give you my full cooperation."

"Good. Then you must manage the office's purse strings carefully. The reason there were such huge messes in the past was that the accounts didn't match and funds were squandered. As long as the money is managed properly, no major issues will arise. From now on, no one can touch a single cent without my signature." This was something Lu Hao had planned long ago.

"Leave it to me. Not a single penny will be out of place," Tang Chunyan promised, nodding solemnly.

***

Around three in the afternoon, Niu Dashan finally stomped into the Poverty Alleviation Office in a rage. After Tang Chunyan had called him several times, he finally answered. Once he heard what Lu Hao had said, he arrived at work as if he had been injected with adrenaline.

From his office, Lu Hao could hear Niu Dashan cursing and swearing. He knew, of course, that the insults were directed at him, but he also knew that this confrontation was inevitable.

True enough, less than a minute later, his office door was kicked open. Niu Dashan stormed in, looking as if he wanted to eat someone alive. He slammed his hand onto Lu Hao’s desk and roared, "You, Lu! What gives you the right to dock my pay?"

"The fact that I am the Director of the Poverty Alleviation Office now!" Lu Hao replied calmly.

"You... you bastard!" Niu Dashan, blinded by rage, threw a punch at Lu Hao’s face, but Lu Hao dodged it with a quick step aside.

"I’m warning you, this is the township government building, and you’re already under disciplinary probation. If you dare to lay a finger on me, you’ll be the one who ends up in real trouble," Lu Hao sneered.

Niu Dashan was trembling with rage, but he knew Lu Hao was right. With his current disciplinary status, if he hit Lu Hao, he might even be fired. He forced down his fury, pointed a finger at Lu Hao’s face from a distance, and threatened, "You just wait! This isn't over between us!"

"Remember to be here early tomorrow, or your annual performance bonus will be wiped out," Lu Hao reminded him.

Just then, his office phone rang. It was Sun Xiaolei from the Party and Government Office: "Director Lu, Secretary Lin wants you to come to her office. She says she needs to have an organizational talk with you."

An organizational talk was standard procedure. He had been in Fangshui for a while, and now that he had taken on the important role of Director of the Poverty Alleviation Office, he wasn't surprised. He had heard the name "Secretary Lin" more than once; others had told him that she had spoken up for him several times.

Lu Hao was not only grateful but also curious about her. He had never met her, and he felt a flutter of excitement at the prospect of finally doing so. Rumor had it that Secretary Lin was the most beautiful woman in Fangshui Township; he truly wondered how stunning she could be.

Not daring to delay, Lu Hao grabbed his work notebook and headed to Secretary Lin’s door. He took a deep breath before giving a gentle knock.

"Come in!"

***

A woman’s voice drifted from inside, sounding inexplicably familiar to Lu Hao. He pushed the door open, and as he stepped inside, he saw a woman sitting at her desk, watching him with a smile.

Lu Hao was completely stunned; his mind went blank.

"What? Don't recognize me anymore?" Lu Hao’s expression was exactly as Lin Xiyue had expected, and she chuckled softly.

After several seconds, Lu Hao finally regained his senses and stammered, "You... you are Secretary Lin?"

"Didn't you look at the sign on the door? I'm sitting right here, could it be a fake? Don't just stand there like a fool, come in and sit down," Lin Xiyue said, beckoning him with a smile.

Lu Hao remained in a state of utter shock. As she gestured for him to sit, he complied stiffly. It took a long moment before he hurriedly added, "Thank you... Secretary Lin."

"Why are you so nervous? You’re usually so lively when you see me; why are you acting so timid today? Does the fact that I’m your leader turn me into a stranger, even though we’ve gone running and eaten together?" Lin Xiyue teased, watching his nervous demeanor.

"No, Secretary Lin, I..." Lu Hao’s face flushed with embarrassment, and he struggled to find his words. He didn't know how to face her, given the massive change in their professional relationship.

"Alright, when there’s no one else around, you can still call me Xiaoyue. Would you like some tea? If so, make it yourself." She hoped that by saying this, he would relax.

Lu Hao hurriedly grabbed a cup to make tea. The distraction helped him calm down a bit. "Xiaoyue, I really didn't expect you to be Secretary Lin. I’ve heard people say she was very mysterious."

Lin Xiyue looked at him with curiosity. "What else did they say about me?"

Lu Hao scratched his head in embarrassment and continued, "They said you were beautiful, had powerful connections, and were the number one beauty in Fangshui Township. They also said you were as cold as ice, a loner, and liked to snap at people—but that part is clearly nonsense."

Lin Xiyue looked at him with a soft gaze and chuckled, "They weren't wrong. It's just that I’ve never snapped at you."