"Enough. Stop threatening to call your brother over every little thing. Do you think he isn't busy? That he can be bothered with just anything?" Yang Bin retorted, pulling out his phone to call Zhu Qianye with a very grave expression.

He had clearly sensed something was wrong. There's an old saying that officials cover for each other. While that might be an exaggeration, it captures a certain truth.

Namely, those who navigate officialdom rarely have an open falling out with one another. It was even more unthinkable now that Zhu Qianye had arrested his, Yang Bin's, own son. Could this really be something serious?

Just then, the call connected. "Hello, Old Yang?" a deep voice came through the receiver.

"Hello, Old Zhu. I think you owe me an explanation," Yang Bin demanded, his voice cold and filled with anger. "What on earth did my son Yuancheng do to warrant your personal intervention? Are you trying to make a point to me, Yang Bin?"

"An explanation? Old Yang, you should know that the only reason I'm even taking your call is out of respect for our many years of friendship."

Zhu Qianye was silent on the other end for a long moment. He finally sighed and said slowly, "I know why you're calling and what you want to say. But I'm sorry, I cannot disclose any specific details. You'll have to wait for the results of the investigation."

"That's all. I've made myself perfectly clear... You'd better fend for yourself." The line went dead as Zhu Qianye hung up.

Yang Bin remained frozen, still holding the phone to his ear. His face drained of color, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. It was no joke; with his years of political sensitivity and sharp instincts, he knew exactly what those words meant.

It meant his son had caused a monumental disaster, trouble so big it might even implicate him—the Director of the Municipal Organization Department!

Otherwise, Zhu Qianye would never have said such things. 'I cannot disclose any specific details'? 'Fend for yourself'!? His heart seized in his chest.

"Old Yang, what happened? What did that old bastard Zhu Qianye say? Did he agree to let him go?" Xiao Hongfang demanded, clearly oblivious to her husband's state, her voice full of impatience.

"Call Deputy Governor Xiao," came the reply in Yang Bin's hoarse voice. It sounded as if it took all his strength to speak, and the sound of it made her face fall.

"Wh-what? Old Yang, what's wrong with you?" Xiao Hongfang's face turned pale, her voice trembling slightly. She had never seen her husband like this.

SLAP!

Yang Bin shot up and slapped his wife across the face, stunning her. He roared hysterically, "Are you deaf? I told you to make the call! Call Deputy Governor Xiao! Call your brother!"

Xiao Hongfang clutched her burning cheek, completely floored. She had never imagined her husband would dare to treat her this way—to slap her so hard across the face. A strange panic seized her, and she trembled all over. "O-Old Yang, calm down, calm down! I'll call my brother right now."

With that, she immediately pulled out her phone and dialed her brother's number. Her hands shook as she said placatingly, "Old Yang, it's okay. My brother is a deputy governor; it'll definitely be fine. Please, don't be angry…"

Hearing his wife's words, the tension that had gripped Yang Bin since Zhu Qianye's call finally began to ease. The fierce look on his face softened considerably.

That's right. His wife's brother was a provincial leader, a deputy governor. Even though he wasn't an executive or in charge of their sector, the title 'Deputy Governor' alone was intimidating. Surely, despite how serious Zhu Qianye sounded, it would all be fine, right? Besides, he, Yang Bin, hadn't caused this mess. It was his son, Yang Yuancheng, who seemed to have offended someone he shouldn't have. But even so, no matter how powerful the other party was, would they really refuse to give face to Deputy Governor Xiao? At worst, they would just discipline his son. The consequences for him personally couldn't be that severe, could they?

As he mulled this over, the vicious look on his face gradually softened. Only then did he remember that he had just slapped his wife. A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face, but he quickly brushed it aside. "Let's hope so," he said.

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