Chapter Six: Intimate Conversation

  After three cups of wine, all kinds of emotions surged to the top. Zhou Zheng suppressed the turmoil in his heart, deeply aware of the mission of this trip back to Yongsheng County, hoping that Wang Pu could help Zhou Zheng collect Zhou Qiuball's criminal records in Yongsheng County. This was an urgent matter, but how to find a breakthrough? This became the first element of handling the case.

  "There's something I want to talk to you about, Bao Chu." Taking advantage of Yang Tao being busy cooking in the kitchen, he hastily brought up the matter with Wang Baochu.

  "Old leader, just speak directly! You and I are not outsiders." Wang Pu was an impatient person.

  "It's like this, after receiving multiple reports from the masses about Yongsheng County Party Secretary Zhou Qiball, who has been found to have engaged in illegal and disciplinary behavior. Under the entrustment of higher-level leadership, I was arranged to come to Yongsheng County to find a breakthrough point. What do you think is the way to find this breakthrough point?" Zhou asked Wang Puchu.

  "Has the top level noticed the severity of the problem? That's great!" Wang Pu was excited like a child.

  "This time, we're not following the usual organizational procedures. It's a covert investigation, and on the surface, I'm just here in Yongsheng County for research purposes. You're the only one among the county officials who knows about this matter, so you must keep it confidential. This is a life-or-death struggle." Zhou Zheng briefed him seriously on the situation.

  Wang Pu Chu's trust in Zhou Zheng surged with a wave of delight: "Old leader, thank you for your trust. I'll guarantee to complete the task with my life on the line and never let the organization down."

  "Haha, let's not get sidetracked. I didn't ask you to risk your life, but to complete a great mission and ensure your safe return. If something happens to you, how can I explain it to your siblings? Tell me, what do you plan to do?" Zhou tried to ease the tension.

  "If we want to find a breakthrough, we should look for clues from within our own ranks and also from the criminal gang in Yongsheng County. Oh, by the way, you met 'Huang Batian', the big boss of the underworld today, who is said to have some kind of connection with the Secretary of Yongsheng County Committee. Maybe this is also a major breakthrough." Wang Pu Chu said out his own thinking in one breath.

  "Good, but we must remember not to be impatient and rush into things. We need to be steady and cautious, focusing on gathering evidence. We can't let Zhou Qiball discover that we're investigating him, or it will be like stirring up a hornet's nest." Zhou Zheng worried that Wang Puchu would carelessly stir up trouble.

  "Don't worry, I'll secretly collect evidence with a deaf and dumb attitude." Wang Pu thought of this somewhat inappropriate phrase.

  "Right, pretending to be deaf and dumb." Zhou Zheng and Wang Pu exchanged a knowing smile.

  "What are you two so happy about?" Yang Tao brought out a plate of steaming hot stir-fried pork kidneys with chili peppers from the kitchen.

  "Talking about things between men." Wang Pucho hastily replied.

  "We were talking about state and national affairs, little brother and sister, are you interested?" Zhou Zheng added.

  "Old leader, I'm not interested. Now I'm only interested in the male lead of 'My Fair Princess'." Yang Tao deliberately glanced at Wang Pu with her eyes.

  "This feeling is good, from now on I won't have to worry about you anymore, you've already found a place to settle down." Wang Pu suddenly became sour.

  At this time, Zhou Zheng was like an outsider, unrelated and secretly pleased.

  "I'm afraid I've let you down, old leader."

  "This is good, you two newlyweds, arguing and making a lively scene. You two arguing isn't something new, I'm already used to it. Hehe" Zhou Zheng thought that watching them argue was like watching a TV drama.

  "It's always her, she likes to provoke me whenever there's nothing going on." Wang Pu Chu shouted at Qu.

  "I didn't provoke you, it's your own vinegar jar is too big." Yangtao is also called Qu.

  "I think I understand now, you two are both innocent and misunderstood. Come, today I will use wine to wash away your grievances, it's all my fault as the matchmaker for causing trouble back then." Zhou Zheng also seemed to be moved to tears.

  They both felt embarrassed by Zhou Zheng's words and their faces turned red as they hurriedly apologized to him.

  Zhou Zhengke would never think of it this way, as he genuinely regarded the two as his own brother and sister-in-law.

  "No need for politeness, let's share this cup together." As they said that, the three of them raised their cups and downed it in one gulp.

  Just then, Wang Dagui, secretary of the Yongsheng County Discipline Inspection Commission, called in.

  "Director Zhou, hello! I'm Wang Dagui, when are you coming back? Why didn't you even give a notice!"

  "Oh, Wang San! Your news is really timely, I just got back too." "Wang San" was the nickname given to Wang Da Ge by Zhou Zheng, because the county's disciplinary inspection work always ranked third in the city. This Zhou Zheng also had a big king nickname.

  "Yes, you're back, but you didn't even show your face to the brothers. You came back so quietly that outsiders would think our disciplinary inspection system comrades are not united." Wang Da Ge handed Zhou Zheng's military ID.

  "Wang San, your mouth is also very reasonable now, okay, how do you want to behave? I'll listen carefully." Zhou Zheng's tone was like a Peking Opera actor, which made Yang Tao giggle. Wang Pu Chu quickly put his index finger in his mouth and made a "shh" sound, hinting at Yang Tao to be quiet.

  "Alright, Secretary Zhou, Yongsheng County is your hometown and I'm half a native of Yongsheng. Considering the time now, you should have finished dinner too. Let me invite you to 'Mingxiangju' teahouse for some tea!" Wang Dagui seemed to know Zhou Zheng's temperament. Zhou Zheng was generally not fond of going to restaurants and drinking heavily.

  "Alright, have it your way! I'll be over in fifteen minutes." Zhou Zheng didn't drag his feet; he also wanted to test Wang Dagun's bottom line.

  "See you in fifteen minutes."

  "Alright."

  Fifteen minutes later, Zhou Zheng arrived at the "Ming Xiang Ju" teahouse, where Wang Da Ge was already waiting at the door with a beaming smile. He greeted Zhou warmly, shook hands, and exchanged pleasantries before leading him to a private room called "Cloud Peak Elegant Seat". As soon as they entered the room, the fragrance of tea wafted through the air, and it turned out that Wang Da Ge had already arranged for the server to brew the tea. It seemed that Wang was quite familiar with Zhou's taste in tea. After taking their seats, Zhou didn't wait for Wang to pour the tea, but instead poured a cup himself, brought it to his nose, took a sniff, and suddenly felt invigorated and refreshed. "Good tea! Still, our hometown's high-altitude tea is the best."

  It's actually not a high-end tea, just a green tea from a high-altitude area. Due to the high mountains and long-term cloud cover, this tea has a unique flavor, rich taste, pure fragrance, and a smooth mouthfeel.

  "This tea is good, but not the best quality. The top-grade ones have all been shipped out of the county to Beijing and Shanghai. What we have here are mostly second or third-rate teas." Wang Dagui was apparently a connoisseur of tea as well.

  "It's enough, it's enough. Being able to drink such tea, this life is without regret. Actually, drinking tea is about understanding a person's heart. You think it tastes good, with subtle flavors, savoring carefully, rich and colorful."

  "Secretary Zhou, you're really a man of temperament. Drinking tea can reveal one's life philosophy. I thought only high-end tea could enter the heart and spleen. But it turns out that you, sir, actually like drinking this 'rustic tea'." Wang Daqi seems to disagree with Zhou Zheng's "tea way".

  "The quality of tea depends on the person, and from the appearance of the tea alone, it can be divided into black tea, green tea, and many other categories. Tea is just tea, it can't become rice, but it helps to cultivate one's body and mind." As soon as he mentioned tea, Zhou Zheng became interested.

  "Haha, Comrade Zhou Zheng, I think you can establish a Tea Tasting Association and be the president yourself." Wang Dagui teased Zhou Zheng.

  "I actually had such an intention, but now the tea is getting more and more expensive, I can barely afford to drink it myself. If I set up a association, I'd be surprised if I didn't go bankrupt." Zhou said seriously.

  Zhou Zheng was too straightforward and didn't know how to "play with money". He always thought of his own salary in everything. Even for general official banquets, he would save wherever possible. When some old comrades came from afar to visit him, he wouldn't even use public funds to treat them to a meal, instead inviting them back home to cook himself, making the comrades feel embarrassed not to help with the cooking.

  "Never mind the tea, I've invited Secretary Zhou today. Mainly to brief you on some situations in Yongsheng County and also to discuss some things that have been puzzling me, it's suffocating if we don't talk about them."

  "Finally, to the point, I'll see how long you can hold on?" Zhou Zheng knew that Wang Dagui must have something to say. As the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission in this territory of Yongsheng, whoever it is has to hold back, holding back well means a complete retreat, not holding back well means demotion and transfer is not impossible.