Open Your Eyes and Look, You Fools-This Is Secretary Sha of Handong!

The sight stunned everyone in the room.

They stared in disbelief, hardly able to trust their eyes.

"Wh-what's going on?"

A businessman wearing a gold chain couldn't help muttering, "That young man looks barely over thirty, but Director Wu is a deputy department chief with real power!"

"Exactly. Director Wu was looking down his nose at us just now. Why's he so respectful to some young pup?"

The person beside him looked just as baffled.

Yang Guohua was even more confused. He tugged at Wu Liangde's sleeve. "Brother-in-law, who... who is he?"

Wu Liangde ignored him. Cold sweat had soaked through the back of his shirt.

He never imagined he would run into Secretary Zhou here!

This was Secretary Sha's personal secretary!

As the saying went, even the gatekeeper of a powerful man had influence.

And a top leader's secretary was often called the "number-two chief."

His rank might not look impressive, but he had the leader's ear.

It was no exaggeration to say that department chiefs lined up for a chance to invite Secretary Zhou to dinner.

Countless businesspeople had thrown money around and still failed to get his phone number.

After Wu Liangde transferred to Handong, he had pulled several strings to invite Secretary Zhou to a casual meal. He hadn't even received a reply.

"Secretary Zhou, what brings you here?"

Wu Liangde's voice trembled without his realizing it. He spoke with extreme caution.

"Hmph!"

Secretary Zhou snorted and glanced at him. "You were throwing your weight around just now, Director Wu. Quite the display!"

The casually delivered remark made Wu Liangde's heart clench.

He knew that if Secretary Sha heard about this, he was finished!

"A misunderstanding! It was all a misunderstanding!"

Wu Liangde hurriedly waved his hands. "I only just got here. I don't know the whole story yet..."

"Brother-in-law, who is he?"

Yang Guohua couldn't hold back and asked again.

"Whew..."

Wu Liangde took a deep breath. In a voice bordering on reverence, he said, "This is Secretary Zhou, the top secretary to Handong's provincial party chief!"

The room erupted.

"Dad, what... what do we do?" Yang Jiaojiao's voice shook uncontrollably.

Li Hongyan panicked too. "How did we end up offending someone so important?"

Yang Guohua forced himself to stay calm and lowered his voice. "Don't panic! I reckon that old man is just an elderly relative. Secretary Zhou is the one who really matters!"

"This might even be our chance to make a connection with Secretary Zhou!"

With that, he grabbed the bottle of liquor on the table, filled a glass to the brim, and steeled himself as he walked over to Secretary Zhou with a broad smile.

"Secretary Zhou, we've gotten off on the wrong foot today. It was all a misunderstanding!"

"I'll drink three glasses as an apology!"

Yang Guohua tipped back his head and downed three glasses in a row.

Secretary Zhou didn't even look up. He ignored him completely.

"A misunderstanding?"

Yue Xiaofei stepped forward and faced Yang Guohua, his voice ringing out.

"You stole my mother's recognition as a Martyr, fraudulently claimed financial aid meant for poor students, and even extorted people. You call all that a misunderstanding?"

"My mother gave her life for that honor, and your daughter wore it on her wrist to show off!"

"Your daughter spent money meant to keep poor students in school on handbags!"

"You think one word—'misunderstanding'—wipes away crimes like those?"

Yang Guohua had no answer. Humiliated, he flew into a rage. "You little brat—"

"Shut up!"

Wu Liangde barked at him. He didn't know what Yue Xiaofei's relationship with Secretary Zhou was, but he didn't dare offend him now.

"Guohua, apologize to Yue Xiaofei at once. Then we can discuss compensation!"

Yang Guohua's face darkened, but he didn't dare disobey. Through gritted teeth, he told Yue Xiaofei, "I'm sorry."

Yang Jiaojiao looked even less willing. She mumbled a barely audible "Sorry."

"Not enough! Not nearly enough!"

Eyes red, Yue Xiaofei glared at the Yang Family.

"You think an apology makes it all go away?"

"Not a chance!"

"The Yang Family must apologize publicly, return every cent they stole, and turn themselves in!"

"Otherwise, even if it costs me my life, I'll expose every last one of your dirty secrets!!!"

Each word struck like thunder!

His fury filled the room!

Everyone could tell Yue Xiaofei wasn't bluffing. He meant every word.

He was ready to risk everything to bring them down!

"You little bastard, you—"

Yang Guohua trembled with anger. He had already humbled himself, yet the brat still refused to let it go.

Wu Liangde felt humiliated too.

But he didn't care about Yue Xiaofei. All he needed was to win Secretary Zhou over.

He leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Secretary Zhou, how about we let this matter go?"

"I was planning to partner with Guohua on that three-billion-yuan highway project. If you're interested, we could cut you in."

"There's enough money for everyone!"

Wu Liangde's meaning couldn't have been clearer.

He refused to believe Secretary Zhou wouldn't be tempted!

"Wu Liangde, how dare you!!!"

Just then, an angry roar exploded like thunder, shaking the room.

Boom!

At the back of the room, Sha Zhenjiang slowly rose to his feet.

He wasn't particularly imposing in stature, yet at that moment he seemed like a mountain rising from the earth, leaving everyone struggling to breathe.

An invisible pressure swept across the room.

"You... you're..."

Wu Liangde stared at Sha Zhenjiang's face. His pupils contracted, and he looked as though he had seen a ghost.

He rubbed his eyes hard, then pinched his thigh. The sharp pain told him—

This was no dream!

How could this be?!

It was the boss above his boss, the iron-fisted Secretary Sha Zhenjiang!

Wasn't he supposed to be at Qingshan Cemetery?

Hadn't he gone to pay his respects to that Martyr?

What was he doing at this little celebration banquet?

Could that Martyr be connected to Yue Xiaofei?

"Secretary... Secretary Sha?"

Wu Liangde's voice shook. His legs felt like lead, and he couldn't move.

Step! Step! Step!

Sha Zhenjiang walked toward him, each step landing like a blow to everyone's heart.

"Wu Liangde, do you know what you've done?!"

Wu Liangde went pale with terror. Sweat drenched him from head to toe.

"You old fool, who do you think you are?"

Yang Jiaojiao hadn't noticed anything strange about her uncle. She stamped her foot and snapped, "You're just a retired division chief! My uncle is second-in-command at the Department of Transport. He outranks you! What gives you the right to accuse him?"

"You must have a death wish. My uncle could have you thrown in prison without lifting a finger!"

"Shut up!"

Wu Liangde roared in fury, screaming inwardly.

For heaven's sake, shut your mouth!

Can't you see I'm scared stiff?

That's Sha Zhenjiang!

He can decide whether we live or die!

"Uncle!"

Yang Jiaojiao froze at his shout, then misunderstood and turned to glare at Sha Zhenjiang. "You old geezer, didn't you hear my uncle tell you to shut up? But that's not enough. You have to get on your knees and apologize to me, or—"

Her voice suddenly cut off.

Smack!

The sharp crack of a slap rang through the room.

Wu Liangde had slapped Yang Jiaojiao across the face.

The blow sent her sprawling to the floor, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

"Uncle, you... you hit me?!"

Yang Jiaojiao held her cheek, stunned.

Yang Guohua and Li Hongyan were dumbfounded too. Both stared at Wu Liangde.

She was the niece he had doted on since childhood!

He usually couldn't bear to speak harshly to her. Why had he struck her today?

But the next moment, everyone witnessed something even more unbelievable—

Thud!

Wu Liangde scrambled over to Sha Zhenjiang and dropped to both knees. They struck the floor with a dull thump.

A collective gasp swept through the room.

The second-in-command of the Handong Provincial Department of Transport had knelt before an old man?

"Secretary Sha! I was wrong. I know I was wrong!"

Wu Liangde looked ready to cry as he apologized desperately. "It was the Yang Family! They talked me into it! I've cut all ties with them! Please, have mercy and give me another chance!"

"Secretary Sha?"

The title struck Yang Guohua like a bolt of lightning. "Isn't... isn't he retired Division Chief Sha?" he stammered.

Li Hongyan was bewildered too. "Brother, are you sure? Who is this old man?"

"Open your eyes and take a good look—"

Secretary Zhou stepped forward and gestured respectfully toward Sha Zhenjiang, his voice booming like thunder:

"This is Sha Zhenjiang, the party secretary of Handong Province!"