Flip the table and divide the family property! Take his wife and daughter into the mountains and eat

The guard received the order, bowed his head in response, turned around, and quietly retreated, closing the heavy wooden door of the ward behind him.

Silence returned to the ward.

Song Qingshan didn't look at the old scar anymore; he just held the teacup and skimmed off the tea leaves one by one.

Old Scar, on the other hand, lay limp on the hospital bed like a deflated balloon, his eyes tightly closed, even his breathing was deliberately very soft, and the only sound in the room was the faint electronic ticking of the electrocardiogram monitor next to him.

Less than half a minute later, a slightly noisy series of footsteps came from the corridor, mixed with the "squeak" of leather shoes stepping on the wet water stains.

The door was pushed open again.

A damp smell, carrying the chill of the torrential rain outside, instantly hit me.

As Chen Jianguo, the deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, stepped into the room, half of his body, along with his dark blue cadre jacket, was completely soaked. A few strands of hair on his forehead were stuck to his scalp, and water was dripping down his cheeks.

"Elder Song, I've come to apologize to you with a bundle of thorns on my back!"

As soon as Chen Jianguo entered, he didn't even bother to wipe the rain from his face. He quickly took a few steps forward, his face filled with just the right amount of apprehension and guilt: "The recent mess of state-owned enterprise reform in the city was so intense, the higher-ups were pushing so hard, I was constantly in meetings, I really didn't have time to visit you. Today, after the Standing Committee meeting, I heard from Comrade Li Yuanchao that you weren't feeling well and had been admitted to the hospital. I was so worried! I didn't even go home, I just grabbed Comrade Li Yuanchao and rushed here. And now, it's raining so hard outside, I haven't even had time to buy anything decent, please don't be angry with me!"

Foreign Trade Bureau Director Li Yuanchao followed half a step behind him, leaning his dripping folding umbrella against the corner of the wall, and also tried to smooth things over with a forced smile: "Yes, Old Song, when Comrade Jianguo heard that you were hospitalized, he was so anxious that he slapped his thigh and dragged me out. We didn't even have time to change our clothes, please forgive us for being so intrusive."

Song Qingshan sat in his chair without even moving his buttocks, simply watching these two figures, who were considered top leaders in the city, put on a show in front of him.

"Please sit down, I don't stand on ceremony here."

Song Qingshan raised his hand and pointed to the two benches beside him, his tone neither warm nor cold: "Deputy Secretary Chen is now a pillar of the city, highly valued by the higher-ups, and it's only right that he bears heavy responsibilities. I'm already flattered that he could take the time out of his busy schedule to visit an old man like me who's almost in his grave. However, you two busy people usually don't even get to see each other, so for you two to be able to come together today is truly a great honor."

"Old Song, you flatter me. In your eyes, I will always be just a soldier..."

Chen Jianguo had just unbuttoned his wet jacket and was about to follow Song Qingshan's lead to express his loyalty when he turned his head and his gaze suddenly fell on the hospital bed on the inside of the ward.

When Chen Jianguo saw the old scar on the hospital bed, whose hands and feet were covered in plaster casts, whose body was oozing dark red blood, and who looked like a living dead, the smile on his face froze for a moment.

A fleeting look of surprise and suspicion flashed across his usually shrewd eyes, and his brows furrowed into a tight knot in an instant.

"This...Mr. Song, why is there an outsider in this ward?"

Chen Jianguo swallowed back the polite words he was about to say, pointed at the old scar, turned to Song Qingshan, and his tone immediately carried a hint of sternness and dissatisfaction befitting a leader: "What's wrong with the Municipal Hospital these days? They're becoming more and more unruly. You are a veteran leader who shed blood for the revolution, still bearing old wounds. Putting someone covered in blood and of unknown origin in the same room as you—what if they offend you or pass on some illness to you? Can they bear that responsibility?"

Li Yuanchao, the director of the Foreign Trade Bureau, did not rush to make trouble.

He stood aside, took two steps forward to the bedside, and looked around with interest. His gaze lingered on the plaster casts and blood-soaked gauze before he slowly said, "This person is seriously injured. With severed arms and legs and covered in blood, it doesn't look like a simple bump or bruise. It looks like he's had a blood feud with someone."

Song Qingshan raised his eyelids and glanced at Li Yuanchao indifferently.

"Whatever the grudge or hatred, now that he's been brought to the hospital, he's a patient waiting for his life to be saved."

Song Qingshan put down his teacup and leaned back in his chair: "This has nothing to do with the hospital. I heard from the guard, Xiao Liu, that there's a shortage of hospital beds lately, and many people who come to see a doctor can't even find a bed and have to sleep on the floor in the corridor. I felt really bad about that."

The old man withdrew his gaze and continued indifferently, "I figured my room was half empty anyway, so I let them bring the person in. It's just that this retired old man is doing something practical for the people again."

Upon hearing Song Qingshan's impeccable and righteous words, Chen Jianguo's expression froze slightly, and all the words he had originally intended to use as a pretext to probe were firmly stuck in his throat.

But he was a seasoned official and reacted quickly, immediately putting on a smile again.

"You're so much more enlightened!"

Chen Jianguo followed the steps down the stairs, his flattery flawless: "You always think of the masses, even when you're sick, you don't forget to care for the people. If it were some of our comrades, how could they possibly think of anything else? It's only because of you, sir, that we younger generation are truly ashamed of our own lack of virtue."

"Alright, stop flattering me."

Song Qingshan put down his teacup, slightly raised his eyelids, and directly interrupted Chen Jianguo's incessant chatter: "I know my own temperament very well. You two busy people, besides coming to see this old man today, what else do you have to do for you? Just say it."

Chen Jianguo was taken aback, but his smile remained unchanged, and he quickly waved his hand.

"Mr. Song, what are you saying? I really didn't come here today for anything else."

Chen Jianguo bowed slightly, his tone extremely sincere: "I was just thinking that since I took on the responsibility of the municipal party committee, I've been so busy that I haven't had a moment to spare, and I haven't been able to come see you for more than half a year. I really feel bad about that. After the meeting today, I came over without delay, and I happened to run into Comrade Li Yuanchao downstairs, so we came up together."

"Oh, it's on my way."

Song Qingshan gave a noncommittal reply.

He turned his head, his gaze passing directly past Chen Jianguo and landing on Li Yuanchao, who had been mostly silent to the side.

"Comrade Li Yuanchao."

Song Qingshan looked at him, his tone calm yet sharp enough to leave no room for argument: "And you? You didn't just drop by to see me, did you?"

Upon hearing Song Qingshan call his name, Li Yuanchao's previously amused expression vanished, and his demeanor turned serious.

Instead of continuing Chen Jianguo's line of dialogue, he glanced at Chen Jianguo intentionally or unintentionally.

"Mr. Song, I didn't come here on my way; I came specifically to see you."

Li Yuanchao straightened up and got straight to the point: "I've heard that you've always been very concerned about the transformation of state-owned enterprises in our city. Recently, the transformation of Hongxing Machinery Factory has run into some major problems, the workers' morale is very unstable, and there's a lot of commotion in the factory. I'm not sure what to do, so I came here today specifically to hear your instructions."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jianguo, who had been smiling, suddenly twitched at the corner of his eye, and his face visibly darkened.