Chen Qiao knew his wife would definitely not let the matter go, so he imdiately recounted the excuse he had concocted throughout the day.
"What?!" Mrs. Chen was shocked and said, "You...you actually accepted a bribe?!"
"Mmm," Chen Qiao nodded, saying, "Although it wasn't much money, I was still reported, so..."
"Damn it!" Mrs. Chen was stunned for a mont and said, "What does it matter if you took a little money? They can't possibly fire you over such a trifling matter. Besides, as a professor at Linjiang University, I don't believe you're the only one who has taken bribes. If there were a thorough investigation, I'm afraid everyone would be under suspicion."
"My dear, let it go," Chen Qiao said helplessly.
"No, I can't!" Mrs. Chen imdiately shook her head, then said, "We absolutely can't just let this matter rest. Zi Han has just gone to study in the United States, and there will be many more expenses in the future. Where will Zi Han's tuition co from if you're dismissed?"
"I'll figure out a way to handle the money!" Chen Qiao replied, "But let's not pursue this matter any further."
"Absolutely not. In my view, soone must be deliberately framing you behind your back!" Mrs. Chen looked at Chen Qiao earnestly.
"Even if that's the case, there's nothing we can do," Chen Qiao said with a helpless shake of his head, "After all, I have no background. All these years, I've built everything on my own effort. Now, if others want to target , I just have to accept my fate!"
"Old Chen, this isn't like you!" Mrs. Chen said anxiously, shaking her head.
"Let it be," Chen Qiao shook his head and said with a bitter smile, "Next year, I'll go to the provincial city to find a job. There are so many universities in the provincial city, and I'm at least a full professor of a national university. There should be plenty of schools eager to have ."
"Sigh..." Mrs. Chen sighed helplessly, looking very downcast.
It seed that matters had progressed to this point, and no matter how much fuss she made, it would probably be to no avail. Moreover, it was New Year's Eve tomorrow, and it was unlikely that the university would find a replacent. Therefore, Mrs. Chen had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill. She felt utterly helpless.
"Did you bring all your things back?" Mrs. Chen asked Chen Qiao.
"Mmm!" Chen Qiao nodded and said, "Everything's in the car, and the car is in the garage."
"You, oh you!" Mrs. Chen beca even more upset and said, "They dismiss you, and you just obediently leave without a word of protest? Do you really accept your fate just like that?"
"My dear, if they want gone, it does no good to stay by force!" Chen Qiao began, "If I really insisted on staying, they would certainly make life difficult for in countless ways. Why bother?"
After hearing this, Mrs. Chen nodded, "You do have a point. But if you go work in the provincial city, doesn't that an you won't be able to co ho every day?"
"For our daughter, let's endure it," Chen Qiao said, his internal turmoil unseen by anyone. Forced to swallow one's own teeth was a common saying indeed. University professors accepting bribes seed to have beco an unwritten rule. But Chen Qiao had always been upright and clean; in fact, he had never accepted such bribes. However, one cannot fend off the emotions; when he truly t a girl he liked, he did go a bit reckless.
Although that relationship had ended, and the two had gone their separate ways, Chen Qiao didn't expect that an incident from three years ago would give soone a handle against him. He began to speculate who could have leaked the affair. Not many people knew about it, perhaps only three to five people, all of them close friends. When the incident happened, they were very cautious and vowed to keep the secret to themselves.
But now, after only three years, it had blown up.
Chen Qiao also understood that there are no walls in the world that do not leak. No secret can be kept forever, and the effects linger on. He knew he had no choice but to swallow his own broken teeth.
With her husband losing his job, Mrs. Chen's spirits plumted. The family's expenses were primarily supported by her husband's salary. Although she also made a few thousand a month, that money was just about enough to cover the household expenses. Their daughter's tuition in the United States was extrely expensive, requiring a hundred thousand US dollars a year. There was still so savings at ho, but once that ran out, the family would be facing the possibility of complete destitution.
Therefore, Mrs. Chen felt a heavy burden on her heart. It was fortunate that her husband was a strong teacher, and if he really moved to the provincial city, he should be able to earn a substantial inco. For their daughter, the couple had to endure the pain of separation and live apart.
.........
In Fuxing Community, within just two days' ti, the half-kiloter Fuxing Road had all its streetlights replaced. With a streetlight every twenty ters, the total distance of over five hundred ters ant there stood around sixty to seventy lamp posts on both sides of the road. Each lamp post needed to change two bulbs. Moreover, over ten lamp posts required replacents, necessitating cranes and cherry pickers. Although these numbers may not seem significant, the project was indeed a massive one.
This work on the road was completed swiftly, and the staff from the Fuxing Community Residents' Committee carried out the final inspection and paynt.
"Thank goodness, it only cost a little over one hundred and thirty thousand," Auntie Zhou said with a beaming smile, pleased that several hundred ters of road with sixty to seventy lights had not been too expensive.
"That's because we've worn out our lips bargaining," Old Li from the Family Planning Office walked in, laughing wryly, "To save so money, we truly exhausted our wits and pleaded till they felt sorry for us and gave us a discount."
"Yes, yes, you all have made a great contribution," Auntie Zhou chuckled.
"You really don't know!" sneered Old Li from the Family Planning Office. "I chatted with the guy in charge of the streetlight project. They sell those bulbs to the municipal officials for five hundred apiece, but they only charge us two hundred."
"Why's that?" Auntie Zhou was taken aback.
"To profit from the governnt's money," chuckled Old Li from the Family Planning Office. "And five hundred is on the cheaper side. So even charge a thousand for one, issue an invoice for two thousand per bulb, and then claim two thousand each for reimbursent."
Sss…
Auntie Zhou couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.
Just as the Residents' Committee was finishing up their final tally, suddenly, a military-green jeep sped in. Three n jumped out of the vehicle, the leader wearing a black leather jacket, his face dark, his eyes like an eagle's, and his nose hook-shaped. Two other n followed him. They made a beeline for the Fuxing Community Residents' Committee.
Boom, boom, boom...
The knocking was so loud, anyone would think it was a gang coming to start a fight.
Auntie Xiaohong opened the door and stared bewildered at the three imposing n, asking, "May I ask... who are you?"
"We are from the city's infrastructure project office," the leading man asserted, barging in uninvited and sitting down on the Residents' Committee's sofa. He demanded, "Where's your committee leader? Have him co out."
"Ah!" Seeing their manner, Xiaohong imdiately realized they were bad news. She hurriedly said, "Our... our Director Zhou is inside doing the accounts. I'll fetch him right away."
With that, Xiaohong scurried toward the finance office.
"Sister, we've got trouble. People from the city infrastructure office are here," Xiaohong said, her face panic-stricken. "They seem really angry. You... you better go check it out!"
Upon hearing this, Auntie Zhou said, "What are they here for? We don't have any cooperation with them, nor any connection."
"You better go quickly, or they might just tear down our little temple," Xiaohong said, imnsely anxious.
Auntie Zhou, sensing the situation was complicated, got up in a hurry and headed outside.
True enough, the atmosphere had shifted. The man in a black leather jacket sat on the sofa, looking displeased and sinister. The three wore morose expressions, seeming very unhappy, almost as if they were owed hundreds of thousands by soone.
"You are..." said Auntie Zhou as she walked out.
"Are you the person in charge of the Fuxing Community Residents' Committee?" the leader asked.
"Yes, I am. May I know what this is about..."
Before Auntie Zhou could finish, the leading man interrupted, "The streetlights on Fuxing Road, have you obtained a construction permit? Have you got the municipal engineering certification?"
"Ah?!" Auntie Zhou was taken aback. She hadn't considered that replacing a streetlight on a road she managed would require a permit from the city's infrastructure office? The idea was laughable, like needing the power company's permission to change a light bulb in one's own ho. Auntie Zhou began to laugh: "May I know your na?"
"Listen here, old lady, I'll tell you, this is Director Zhao from our city infrastructure office!" One of the n behind barked sharply.
"Oh, so you're Director Zhao!" Auntie Zhou smiled. "Then may I ask if I need to get a permit from the power bureau or from your city infrastructure office to replace a light bulb in my own house?"
"You..." Director Zhao snapped, raising his voice angrily, "Don't give any nonsense. I'm telling you that your construction on Fuxing Road is illegal. It must be rectified!"
"Rectified?" Auntie Zhou asked. "How so?"
"Take down everything that's been replaced, then obtain a permit from the city infrastructure office before you can reinstall it!" Director Zhao huffed.
"Isn't that as senseless as taking down your pants to fart?" Auntie Zhou said, sowhat puzzled.
The streetlights had already been installed, and now they were being asked to take them down again, get a permit, and then put them back up. It made no sense—what was the use of this permit? Was it only upon obtaining such permit that the construction would be secure? The most important thing was, the work was already done, and there had been no problems. And now they were being told to waste manpower and resources to dismantle it all, and then reinstall it after getting a certification.
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