Chapter 54: Slander

Jiang Zhaoyang couldn't help but offer a bitter smile, fully aware of how fantastical his own thoughts were.

While such a notion was laughable, it was also the instinctive reaction of a person seeking hope amidst adversity.

Meanwhile, Qiu Hong was feeling profoundly depressed, his mood so heavy it felt as though it could drip water.

His relationship with County Magistrate Zhang Chaoshen was like a cup of lukewarm water in the dead of winter—neither hot nor cold, entirely unremarkable.

Qiu Hong did give gifts, but never generously, so naturally, he failed to catch anyone's eye.

Once, during the Chinese New Year, he went to pay his respects, bringing a red envelope containing a mere one thousand yuan.

However, Zhang Chaoshen had merely glanced at it contemptuously and tossed it aside, leaving the red envelope discarded on the spacious sofa.

At that moment, Qiu Hong's face had flushed crimson, a tangle of embarrassment and humiliation robbing him of the ability to hold his head high.

This time, with the town mayor's position vacant, all sorts of speculations and discussions had been swirling endlessly.

Qiu Hong had originally thought that, following past conventions and certain internal "tacit understandings," he ought to be the undisputed choice for the successor.

To achieve this goal, Qiu Hong had privately engaged in a flurry of activities.

He had deliberately visited several leaders at the county level, hoping to secure their support and recommendation.

During every single conversation, he had carefully measured his words, expressing his aspirations without appearing overly eager.

He had strived for perfection in every single detail.

Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he had ultimately ended up drawing water with a bamboo basket—completely empty-handed.

To make progress was difficult!

Without backing and powerful patrons, it was simply too hard!

This time, seeing Jiang Zhaoyang included on the candidate list, Qiu Hong surmised that Jiang Zhaoyang must have robust backing supporting him from behind the scenes.

Otherwise, in this intricate and labyrinthine world of officialdom, how could a nobody so easily stand out from the crowd?

Now, upon inquiry, Jiang Zhaoyang's words hit him like a bucket of cold water, chilling him to the bone from head to toe.

It plunged him into an icy abyss, leaving him utterly disappointed.

As it turned out, in this fierce competition, Jiang Zhaoyang was merely acting as a foil for someone else—a practically negligible, expendable presence.

Between the two equally matched candidates, He Di and Jiang Zhaoyang, Qiu Hong's internal balance undoubtedly tipped in favor of Jiang Zhaoyang.

He admired Jiang Zhaoyang's modesty and talent, believing that such a person was a rare stream of pure water within the bureaucratic ranks.

However, the cruelty of reality forced him to face a chilling truth: in the treacherous and shifting world of officialdom, talent and effort were simply not enough to determine everything.

Reality often delivered a harsh slap to the face.

When Jiang Zhaoyang bade him farewell, Qiu Hong managed a forced smile and, after a long pause, uttered only a single word: "Take care!"

Meanwhile, Chen Qiong on the other end had fallen into an unprecedented predicament.

As the organizer of this election, he had originally pinned high hopes on He Di.

However, when two staff members handed the vote-verification results to him, his mind felt as though it had been struck by a heavyweight bomb, exploding with a deafening roar.

His vision went black, and sparks danced before his eyes.

Immediately afterward, a wave of intense dizziness washed over him, making it difficult for him to even stand steady.

It was utterly beyond expectation.

"This... how is this possible?" Chen Qiong muttered to himself, his voice trembling with disbelief.

He widened his eyes, staring fixedly at the tally sheet in his hands.

The numbers upon it felt like chilling arrows, mercilessly piercing his heart.

He Di's vote count was so meager it defied all his imagination.

Forget crossing the majority threshold; he hadn't even cleared the fifteen percent mark.

This meant that, aside from a handful of leaders within the Party committee and government, virtually no one else had voted for him.

Conversely, Jiang Zhaoyang's vote count was far ahead, shocking Chen Qiong and leaving him utterly astounded.

That figure wasn't just leading; it had reached a staggering height—over eighty percent—like a brilliant flash of lightning tearing through the night sky, illuminating Chen Qiong's bewildered face.

Chen Qiong had worked in organizational affairs for many years and had witnessed all sorts of scenarios, but the scene before him was undoubtedly the most shocking of his career.

Such a situation completely shattered his perceptions, leaving him momentarily unable to accept it.

Yet reality dealt Chen Qiong a resounding slap—He Di's grassroots support was unexpectedly abysmal, which left him utterly astonished!

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhaoyang, who was merely supposed to be a foil, possessed a surprisingly robust foundation of grassroots support.

It was simply beyond belief!

With a suspicious expression, he asked Lin Weiquan, "What kind of person is this Jiang Zhaoyang anyway?"

Hearing this, Lin Weiquan's expression darkened, and a disdainful smirk curved the corner of his lips. "This Jiang Zhaoyang? He's the textbook definition of a slacker on the job."

"His attitude toward work is perfunctory. Every day he just goes through the motions, completely devoid of passion or a sense of responsibility."

"As for his character, he's even more cynical, always fond of making untimely jokes, giving people a frivolous and unreliable impression."

"As for his work style, needless to say, it's completely floating in the clouds. He tackles everything without a clear goal, acting entirely on impulse."

"To reform him, to make him more grounded, steady, and responsible in his work, I assigned him to the reservoir. The result was a massive disappointment."

At this point, Lin Weiquan's tone turned somewhat indignant. "He bears a certain degree of responsibility for the decline in rare forestry animal species."

"Minister Chen, do you know? Not only is he the reservoir manager, but he also holds the concurrent responsibility of a forest ranger."

"Yet, he constantly neglects his duties, causing several rare animals to suffer sharp population declines due to a lack of protection."

Right after finishing his defamation of Jiang Zhaoyang, Lin Weiquan abruptly slapped his forehead, as if suddenly recalling something important.

His expression instantly turned complex, hesitation and struggle flickering in his eyes.

He stopped short of speaking, opening his mouth several times before stubbornly swallowing his words back down.

In the end, he sighed. "Actually, I... I have one more thing I haven't told you. About Jiang Zhaoyang..."

"Secretary Lin, is there something difficult for you to say? Could it be that there is some untold story hidden behind Jiang Zhaoyang?" Chen Qiong couldn't help asking.

Lin Weiquan let out a soft sigh, lightly tapping his fingers on the desktop as if weighing the weight of his upcoming words. "Yes, I just remembered a phone call I received during dinner yesterday."

"What phone call?" Chen Qiong's attention was instantly captured; he leaned forward slightly, listening with rapt concentration.

"You could say it was from his prospective father-in-law."

"What did he say?" Chen Qiong pressed further.

Lin Weiquan remained silent for a moment before speaking. "He said that Jiang Zhaoyang has grown fickle and inconstant in his affections, having completely turned into a different person."

"He loves flirting outside, mingling and messing around with all sorts of women, living a debauched and hedonistic life."

"What's even more shocking is that he's actually planning to abandon the girlfriend—no, his fiancée—whom he has been with for many years, all to pursue so-called novelty and thrills."