Chen Fang could tell.

So could everyone present.

But no one countered.

Everyone thought it made sense.

This shows that Ding Guiqi indeed had high prestige in the government office.

Of course, his tardiness today was also deliberate, clearly meant to intimidate Chen Fang.

"Ahem..."

Chen Fang cleared his throat.

He turned to Zou Ru and asked, "Comrade Zou Ru, how old are you this year?"

Zou Ru was taken aback.

He didn't know what Chen Fang was implying.

He answered, "I am 41 years old this year."

"Oh, 41 already, haven't you been weaned yet?"

This question startled everyone, making them take a sharp look at him again.

Zou Ru was also startled, his face suddenly flushing red as he asked, "Secretary-General Chen, what do you mean by that?"

"It means nothing much. Without Comrade Ding Guiqi, you, Secretary Zou, can't even start a meeting. If one day Comrade Ding Guiqi is no longer here at our city government office, are you not even capable of being Deputy Secretary-General? How is that different from a child who can't leave his mother's side?"

Chen Fang asked.

As soon as he finished speaking,

someone covered their mouth and giggled.

Zou Ru immediately became furious with embarrassment.

He slammed the table and stood up, angrily saying, "Chen Fang, watch your mouth! Is this something you, a Secretary-General, should say?"

Chen Fang scoffed and said, "I am the top official. I said let's start the meeting, but you said we have to wait for Ding Guiqi. Is that something a subordinate should say?"

That statement hit home.

Zou Ru was left speechless.

Seeing this, Wu Aimin tried to step in for Zou Ru, saying, "Secretary-General Chen, we didn't mean it that way. We thought since this is the first meeting you are calling, everyone should be present. As the second-in-command, it doesn't seem appropriate for it to start without Comrade Ding Guiqi."

"Whose rules? Ding Guiqi's rules? Or your rules, Wu Aimin?"

Chen Fang asked.

Wu Aimin's face also flushed red immediately.

Stammering, he said, "The rules of our city government office?"

"Who set those rules?"

Chen Fang continued to ask.

Wu Aimin pursed his lips and said, "It has always been done this way. It was the same when Secretary Zhang was here."

"Oh, so it was like that when Zhang Guoran (the former city government Secretary-General) was around. Unfortunately, my last name isn't Zhang, it's Chen. I don't like it this way, is that okay?"

Chen Fang asked.

Wu Aimin opened his mouth but for a moment couldn't think of a comeback,

and could only sulkily close his mouth.

Chen Fang scanned everyone present.

He declared, "Starting today, a new rule: the meeting time I set is the time it begins. No matter who is late, we will no longer wait; they will be treated as absent without leave."

"Secretary-General Chen, you really carry quite an authority."

Suddenly,

a voice came from the door.

Chen Fang turned around and saw a man in his thirties suddenly appear at the door.

The man wore a polo shirt and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

His hair was neatly groomed, making him look quite handsome.

He was about as tall as Chen Fang,

at least about six feet tall.

His elegant and refined appearance would likely be very popular among girls.

The moment this person appeared,

Everyone present, except for Chen Fang, respectfully stood up.

They called out attentively, "Hello, Secretary Ding."

Ding Guiqi was very pleased with the scene.

He waved to everyone, gesturing for them to sit down, then walked to his seat and sat down.

He sighed deeply and said to Chen Fang, "Secretary Chen, I am really sorry, I was too lazy getting up from my nap and came late to the meeting. You won't mark me as absent, right?"

This statement had an even more provocative flavor.

The disdainful look in his eyes seemed to tell Chen Fang, "If you dare, mark me as absent."

If Chen Fang didn't mark it, then the rule he just added was equivalent to talking in vain.

If he did mark it, Ding Guiqi would certainly not give him face either.

Just when everyone thought Chen Fang was in a dilemma that he couldn't handle,

Chen Fang smiled and said, "Comrade Guiqi, what are you talking about? How could this be considered an absence?"

"Haha..."

Hearing what Chen Fang said,

Ding Guiqi smiled.

He thought he was so great, but after all that, just a guy who's all talk, and disdainfully said, "Then thank you very much for your generosity, Secretary Chen."

At this time, everyone in the audience felt the same.

Especially Zou Ru and Wu Aimin, their expressions also began to look smug.

Chen Fang gestured with his hand and said, "Comrade Guiqi just mentioned that he was late because he couldn't wake up from his nap; we can't consider this an absence. This should be considered negligence of duty, or even dereliction of duty, don't you think?"

Boom!

Like a bolt from the blue.

Everyone's expression stiffened on their faces.

Ding Guiqi's smile seemed to freeze all at once.

Absence is a minor matter.

Negligence and dereliction of duty, however, are serious issues.

They would warrant disciplinary actions.

With Ding Guiqi's promotion imminent, if such allegations were attached to him, wouldn't that block his way forward?

His face turned dark.

He asked, "Chen Fang, what do you mean?"

Chen Fang slightly smiled and said, "I didn't mean anything. Wasn't it you who just said that you missed the meeting because you overslept? Everyone heard it, and I'm not making this up. There are corresponding regulations in our discipline code. Do I need to fetch them for you to see?"

Ding Guiqi was at a loss for words.

He had tried to put Chen Fang in his place with his bold words.

If it had been anyone else, they might not have taken it seriously nor focused on the details so much.

But Chen Fang was different; he took it seriously and directly escalated the issue.

Seeing that he was now somewhat unable to descend from his position,

Chen Fang said, "Of course, if a comrade occasionally breaks the rules, we shouldn't strike him down with one blow. We should give him an opportunity to grow. This is Comrade Guiqi's first mistake, and I can overlook it. But if it happens again, it'll be considered dereliction of duty. We'll settle new scores and old accounts together. Comrade Guiqi, what do you think?"

Ding Guiqi felt bitter inside.

His face was clouded with gloom.

He could only sullenly say, "You are the secretary, you have the final say."

Chen Fang laughed heartily and said, "That's the right attitude. Alright, that was just a small interlude, let's move on. We'll have a short meeting now, and everyone will briefly report on their current work. Comrade Guiqi, you start."

Ding Guiqi was still angry.

He crossed his arms and didn't want to speak.

Chen Fang casually said, "Comrade Guiqi hasn't been neglecting his work just because he's been sleeping, has he? It seems we might need to add another charge of negligence."

Ding Guiqi, feeling helpless,

simply briefed everyone on his work.

With his lead,

no one else dared to slack off.

One by one, they dutifully reported their work.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.