Chapter 45 Turning Off the Lights

Ye Ziyi flipped through her phone contacts and then made a call.

As soon as the line connected, a pleasant and melodious voice sounded from the other end: "Beauty Ye, what wind is blowing today that actually makes you call me?"

"Shanshan, does your television station still need material?" Ye Ziyi asked directly.

"We do. The station's viewership ratings are getting worse and worse. Nowadays, people all love scrolling through short videos; even our television station is operating accounts on Douyin and Kuaishou. What's wrong, do you have some explosive material?"

"A township under our county suffered a forest fire in the early hours of this morning. I have a video here. See if you can report on it. He is the key figure in fighting the fire, and you can also go deep into the grassroots to conduct interviews. I'll arrange for people here to cooperate."

While speaking, Ye Ziyi sent the video she had just saved from Douyin.

By evening, personnel from the Jianglin City Television Station had rushed to the fire scene to conduct interviews and filming.

Lin Xiyue secretly arranged for them to also interview quite a few members of the public who had participated in firefighting efforts.

...

County Hospital.

Fang Jing was taking care of Lu Hao very patiently, and in the evening, she even bought Lu Hao's favorite meat-stuffed pancakes from outside.

"It's getting late. You should hurry home. I can take care of myself here," Lu Hao said after finishing his meal.

Just now, Fang Jianguo had called Fang Jing twice to urge her to return. How could Lu Hao have the face to let Fang Jing stay and keep vigil at the hospital?

If it were the past, Fang Jianguo and his wife would certainly have rushed over to the hospital to visit him. But now that he had lost his utility value, they certainly wouldn't come. It was already not bad that they weren't forcing Fang Jing to break off their engagement immediately.

"I'll call my dad later and won't go back tonight. Your legs can't move for the next couple of days, and it's inconvenient even to go to the bathroom at night. Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on the IV drips and promptly call the nurse to change them," Fang Jing said without hesitation.

If she listened to her parents and didn't stay tonight, even if Lu Hao didn't say anything out loud, he would definitely feel uncomfortable in his heart. Moreover, no matter what, she was still Lu Hao's fiancée at present, and staying to take care of Lu Hao was her responsibility.

Especially since Lu Hao would very likely be disciplined now, and in the worst-case scenario, expelled, she and Lu Hao would likely break up due to strong opposition from their families. Therefore, no matter which angle she considered it from, Fang Jing wanted to stay and accompany Lu Hao a bit more.

Lu Hao was stunned, and a warmth welled up in his heart.

Fang Jing hadn't listened to her parents, and he was quite happy about it.

Taking advantage of the nurse coming in to change the IV drip, Fang Jing went to the corridor and dialed Fang Jianguo's number.

"No way. You and Lu Hao aren't married yet. What kind of picture does it paint for you to stay there and take care of him? In case the two of you break up in the future, it won't look good for you when word gets out," Fang Jianguo said with a frown from the other end of the line.

"Jingjing, come home quickly. Call Lu Hao's mother and let her go take care of Lu Hao," Jiang Lan also chimed in with opposition through the phone.

"Mom, Dad, Lu Hao doesn't want to worry his mother, so he hasn't told her yet. That's why I definitely have to stay and take care of Lu Hao," Fang Jing said firmly this time.

"Suit yourself, but let's get things clear beforehand. I heard that County Magistrate Li is dead set on expelling Lu Hao this time. Once he is kicked out of the civil service ranks, you must break up with him," Fang Jianguo said in an unquestionable tone.

If he wanted to climb higher in official circles, he certainly needed a more outstanding son-in-law, and Lu Hao clearly didn't measure up anymore.

"The disciplinary action hasn't even been officially handed down yet. Don't be so arbitrary," Fang Jing frowned, then repeated what Lin Xiyue had told her to Fang Jianguo.

After Lu Hao was transferred to Fangshui Township, she had also indirectly learned about the leadership team there. Lin Xiyue still had connections behind her; perhaps she really could help Lu Hao. Fang Jing still held onto hope.

After she finished speaking, Fang Jianguo was visibly stunned for a moment, but still said with dissatisfaction, "If you put it that way, Lu Hao might not be expelled, but he might end up with some other disciplinary record. In short, as long as he can't get promoted to deputy section chief, you just break up with him."

"I know. I'll consider it." Fang Jing grew somewhat impatient and simply hung up Fang Jianguo's call.

Returning to the ward, she continued to feed Lu Hao his medicine with a smile, and even the nurse praised the two of them as a match made in heaven.

That same night, Fang Jing stayed right there.

Lu Hao's ward had two hospital beds, and the other one was unoccupied, so Fang Jing simply slept on that one.

In the middle of the night, Fang Jing called the nurse to change the IV drip and helped Lu Hao go to the bathroom.

After she returned from emptying the urinal, Lu Hao stared at Fang Jing's beautiful back, feeling a bit feverish all over.

Thinking about the years he and Fang Jing had spent together, Fang Jing was still very gentle and considerate. She was pretty, had a good job, and a great figure. Who didn't have flaws? What more could he possibly be unsatisfied with?

"What's wrong with you? You've been staring at me," Fang Jing touched her face, thinking there was something on it.

"I... feel a bit stuffy," Lu Hao licked his lips.

"Didn't you just pee..."

Just as Fang Jing finished speaking, she suddenly realized something. Her face instantly flushed with embarrassment. She sat by the bed, slapped Lu Hao playfully, and chided coquettishly, "Oh, you're injured and still not behaving, harboring all sorts of messy thoughts."

"How can I not think about it? It's been how long since I touched you? I'll move carefully, it should be fine." Lu Hao pulled Fang Jing's hand and reached it under the quilt.

Fang Jing's face turned somewhat red. She pulled her hand out, ran over to turn off the lights, and locked the ward door by the way.

...

Anxing County Bathhouse Private VIP Room.

Besides Li Zhen and Li Haotian, Wang Shaojie was also present this time.

He lived in the same residential compound as Li Zhen, and he had managed to get promoted to deputy section chief precisely by pulling strings through Li Zhen.

The three of them enjoyed the foot massage from the pretty young attendants for a good while. Then Wang Shaojie waved his hand, signaling them to temporarily withdraw.

Seeing that all outsiders had left, Li Zhen looked thoroughly satisfied and said, "Township Head Li, you handled things very well this time. Forest fire prevention is a high-voltage line. Whoever dares to neglect their duty will be shown no leniency. Both Lu Hao and Hong Haifeng must face severe punishment."

Li Haotian's mouth split into a wide grin as he hurriedly buttered up, "They have already been suspended from their duties. What the next step of disciplinary action will be is entirely up to your word."

Li Zhen looked immensely pleased with himself, yet still put on a hypocritical front, saying, "You can't quite put it that way. After all, I still have Secretary Ye above me. She has already assumed her post, but Secretary Ye said there's no rush to publish the red-headed appointment document. Moreover, apart from a few members of the county committee standing committee, she hasn't met anyone else. Even I can't guess what medicine she's selling in her gourd.

However, we still need to give her a heads-up regarding the punishment for Lu Hao and Hong Haifeng. Otherwise, she might think I cover the sky with one hand in Anxing County."

Wang Shaojie smiled knowingly and quickly chimed in, "County Magistrate Li is right. Secretary Ye is from the provincial capital and is unfamiliar with the place. We're all locals; the surface-level respect we owe her must still be maintained." The implication was that keeping up appearances was enough; behind the scenes, who cared whether she was the county committee secretary? Even if someone from the provincial level was a powerful dragon crossing the river, facing local bullies like them in Anxing County, they still had to coil up.