The mistress smiled and said: "I'm afraid Director Gao will look down on us country folks." As she spoke, she walked up lightly, bringing a whiff of fragrance.

  She wore high heels for the first time today, showing off her slender figure. She walked a bit unsteadily, but in the eyes of Old Zhao and Little Wang, she was quite alluring. They rarely came into contact with such fashionable and delicate women. After drinking some wine, they couldn't help but feel parched and tempted by their boss's wife's seductive swaying hips.

  There aren't many dishes on the table, but they're all hearty ones like braised chicken with mushrooms, full of flavor and aroma. The wine is a bottle of Fen liquor brought by Gao Zhikai.

  The boss's wife poured a cup of wine, gently moved over and touched the cup on Gao Zhikai's table with her own, saying in a sweet tone: "Director Gao, I wish you a smooth career!"

  Xiao Wang jeered from the side: "This won't do! Boss lady, for the first time drinking with us Director Gao, shouldn't you at least come up with a toast to show your sincerity?"

  The boss's wife's face turned red, and Old Zhao was grinning from ear to ear, chiming in on the side, with a burning fire in his heart, as if he could only vent by teasing this little daughter-in-law.

  The boss's wife, with a red face, drank the wine in her cup in one gulp, and smiled: "High Bureau, Zhao Ke, Wang Ke, you drink slowly." She turned around, just about to leave, but didn't expect to be stopped by Little Wang. Little Wang smiled and said: "Boss's wife, how about this? I'll have a drink with you, and then you can have another one with High Bureau."

  The boss's wife had no choice but to smile and agree, so she downed a cup with Little Wang and Old Zhao each, then turned around and toasted Gao Zhikai with another cup of wine. Just as she was about to leave, Little Wang stretched out his arm to stop her, "Boss's wife, you haven't had a drink with our Director Gao yet, that doesn't count, let's do it again, two cups of cross-drinking."

  The boss's wife smiled and said: "Congratulations, you all have a great career. Wang Ke, I just had four cups in a row and can't hold it anymore. Don't tease me."

  Xiao Wang's face sank: "Who are you kidding? Who are you joking with? I heard that you and Lu Zhong have drunk the cup of union! How, our High Bureau doesn't have a bigger face than Lu Zhong?"

  The boss's wife often socializes with customers, but it's just a matter of raising a glass. Just now, when Little Wang said to drink a toast, she thought he was joking. Now, looking at the situation, it seems that the newcomers are not here for good intentions. She did have a toast with Lu Zhong once, but her husband, Boss Wang, was present at that gathering, and everyone was just joking around and drinking to liven up the atmosphere. But today, these police officers are clearly here looking for trouble.

  The boss's wife also heard the news, it seems that Lu Zhong is going to leave Guangning. This high-ranking deputy director, I suppose, was a former rival of Director Lu's, otherwise, he would have been seen at every one of Director Lu's banquets.

  Anyway, as a couple running a business in Guangning, the first thing we can't afford to offend is the public security bureau.

  The boss's wife had no choice but to pour another glass of wine and went over to prepare for a toast with Gao Zhikai.

  When Xiao Wang started bullying the boss's wife, Gao Zhikai was about to stop him, but then he heard that this young woman had drunk with Lu Zheng. The words that were on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back, and instead, looking at this little rascal who was unwilling but still had to accompany himself to drink, in his heart, there was a faint sense of revenge against Lu Zheng.

  Moreover, this beautifully dressed lovely young woman came closer, and under her thin clothes, with every movement of her body, it was all revealed. Gao Zhikai's heart skipped a beat, he slowly raised his arm, waiting for her to put her slender arm in, feeling her soft body, thinking that it would be a unique pleasure.

  Who knew that the boss's wife wore high heels for the first time, and Gao Zhikai happened to be sitting steadily on the fishing platform. She could only bend down to drink the cross-cup wine, and with a heart full of shame, she lost her focus for a moment, twisted her foot, stumbled, and spilled a cup of wine squarely onto Gao Zhikai's face.

  Several people in the room were stunned for a moment.

  Gao Zhikai suddenly stood up, slapped the boss's wife with a loud slap, almost knocking her to the ground. He then strode away from the table, leaving behind one sentence: "You wait for the closure!"

  No matter whether the boss's wife was being deliberate or not, Gao Zhikai found it hard to swallow this tone. Moreover, after Lu Zheng left, he would have come looking for trouble at Dongmi Garden anyway, and today just happened to be the right time.

  Lao Zhao and Xiao Wang were stunned for a moment, then hurriedly chased after them.

  The boss's wife covered her face, tears streaming down uncontrollably. These people are too much, they're bullying us too much!

  ……

  Gao Zhikai returned home that night and called his younger brother to drink a few more cups, getting drunk until he was dizzy. The next day when he woke up, it was already almost eight o'clock.

  Gao Zhikai slowly got up, and for some reason, he had an uncomfortable feeling in his heart. He hadn't slept well for a long time.

  He usually gets up at 6:30 every day, regardless of wind or rain.

  Last night was really too relaxing, and it's never been his style.

  Knocking his head, Gao Zhikai got up to wash his face and brush his teeth. Although today the joint investigation team formed by the county discipline inspection commission and the bureau's discipline inspection group would start investigating Du Xiaohu's case, he wasn't in a hurry. The real show would be the investigation team sent down from the municipal bureau after a few days.

  County Discipline Inspection Commission Peng Hongjun led the investigation team, what's there to worry about? Peng Hongjun, this person, perhaps hates Lu Zheng more than himself.

  Gao Zhikai was eating his breakfast on the table in a slow and steady manner. Today, he would use his best state to welcome the investigation team's inquiry.

  After dinner, he went downstairs and came to the green Jeep parked in front of the flower bed. Gao Zhikai let out a soft sigh and slowly stroked the metal shell of the jeep. This car had been with him for a long time, following him as he ran through the streets and alleys of Guangning. The hardships of these years were known only to it.

  Get in the car, start the engine, Gao Zhikai shook his head, not knowing why he was so melancholic today, maybe it's because the wine hasn't worn off yet?

  With this inexplicable emotion, Gao Zhikai slowly drove his Jeep into the county bureau's courtyard.

  His office is on the third floor of the office building, but he went to the second floor of the criminal investigation department first and made a circle. He didn't see Old Zhao, and a police officer from the criminal investigation department said that Old Zhao had gone to the county committee with Deputy Director Wei Qingxian early in the morning.

  Gao Zhikai finally felt at ease, thinking that he must have been summoned by the investigation team. Or perhaps, he went there himself? Old Zhao was indeed eager, not waiting for the investigation team to arrive, but rather going to report himself.

  Wei Qingxian, head of the discipline inspection team, finally did something right.

  Back in his office, Gao Zhikai opened today's newspaper and the entire front page was filled with news of the completion of China's Antarctic research station, Great Wall Station.

  International Edition Special Report: An in-depth analysis of a man named Gorbachev, who is likely to be elected as the General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party next month.

  Gao Zhikai nodded his head, this name sounds quite special.

  Turning to the domestic edition, many reform-themed news items are from Southern newspapers. "The nation's first regional airline - Xiamen Airlines Co., Ltd.'s Guangzhou-Xiamen route took off yesterday."

  "Qingyuan County Longtang District's professional chicken breeder Zhang Gangming's Qingyuan Shuihu Chicken Farm Guangzhou Poultry and Livestock Sales Department officially opened, this is the first poultry and livestock sales department in Guangzhou run by a rural professional household."

  "Ai Li Green Field Computer Co., Ltd. held its opening ceremony at the China Hotel, and it is the first Sino-foreign joint venture in Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone."

  "Shenzhen City Security Service Company was established, becoming the first municipal security service company in mainland China."

  News from the south, each one is fresh.

  Gao Zhikai was sipping tea and flipping through the newspaper, until the phone rang, he came back to his senses, subconsciously glanced at the clock on the wall, it was already past ten o'clock, more than two hours had passed, and he had been aimlessly reading the newspaper all this time, this was his state of mind these days, all of this was thanks to Lu Zheng.

  But such days will soon pass.

  "Hello, is this Deputy Director Gao Zhikai?"

  "Who am I? And who are you?" Gao Zhikai said while flipping through the newspaper with one hand.

  "It's me, Peng Hongjun!" said a male voice on the other end of the line.

  Gao Zhikai suddenly stopped folding the newspaper, smiled and said: "Secretary Peng, hello! Is it about my case? Should I go to your investigation team or will you come over? What's more convenient for you?"

  Peng Hongjun's voice was somewhat cold: "Xiao Gao, what's going on over there? What's the real story with this case? Get it clear and then report back to me. Don't spread rumors or try to deceive me!"

  Gao Zhikai was taken aback and asked: "What?"

  "Ask Zhao Mingbang yourself!" Peng Hongjun slammed down the phone.

  Gao Zhikai stood up abruptly, wanting to dial the phone again. After some thought, he put it down and asked Zhao Mingbang? Ask Zhao Mingbang?

  Gao Zhikai knew that something unexpected had happened and things were developing in an unpredictable direction.

  Gao Zhikai quickly walked downstairs and arrived at the criminal investigation department, but didn't expect that Hou Jianjun was also there. The criminal police were exceptionally busy, as if they had a big case.

  "What about Zhao Mingbang?" Gao Zhikai raised his voice and asked, but no one paid attention to him.

  Gao Zhikai asked a few more times, and finally someone replied: "I think he hasn't come back yet?"

  "Zhigai, let's go outside and talk." Hou Jianjun pulled Gao Zhigai out without explanation, closed the door behind them, and said: "There was a murder case yesterday, I'm busy with it now. According to regulations, you..."

  Hou Jianjun wanted to speak but stopped, and Gao Zhikai naturally understood what he meant.

  "I'll wait here then." Gao Zhikai suppressed his anger and stood in front of the door.

  "Suit yourself." Hou Jianjun shook his head helplessly and turned back into the house.

  Gao Zhikai waited for over half an hour and was getting impatient when he saw Zhao Mingbang walking towards him with his head hung low from the staircase.

  Gao Zhikai quickly walked over and pulled Zhao Mingbang into the men's restroom at the entrance of the stairs, closing the door behind them and locking it from the inside.

  Zhao Mingbang was startled and when he saw the person in front of him, his cry of surprise was swallowed back, but then he lowered his head again.

  "What's going on with you? What did you say in front of Peng Hongjun?" Gao Zhikai asked sternly.

  Zhao Mingbang did not make a sound, but simply hung his head listlessly.

  "What's going on?!" Gao Zhikai raised his voice.

  Zhao Mingbang, however, pulled out a deposit slip from his pocket and handed it to Gao Zhikai, saying: "I don't want this."

  Gao Zhikai flipped through it and took a look. The 5,000 yuan deposit slip had not been touched, which was handed over to Zhao Mingbang's hands after dinner last night.

  "How much money did Lu Zhong give you?" Gao Zhi Kai knew that Lu Zhong's family was in good condition, and he had been afraid of this beforehand, so not only did he give Zhao Ming Bang a deposit slip, but also made all sorts of promises to him on his official career path, and even subtly hinted at the connections behind his back.

  But unexpectedly, Zhao Mingbang changed his mind again.