Sent to the countryside, I turned the health center into a top-tier hospital.

Chen Ping could only take a deep breath, straighten the collar of his white coat, and walk onto the stage.

The report was neither bad nor good.

He read Cui Ying's manuscript aloud from beginning to end without stumbling or making any mistakes, but his voice lacked the relaxed rhythm he had when he spoke in the county auditorium last time.

His gaze would unconsciously drift to the third row every now and then. Su Wenzong sat there, his expression unchanged from beginning to end, as if he were listening to a report that had nothing to do with him.

Several times between paragraphs, Chen Ping tried to speed up his speech so he could finish quickly and go down to find him, but with hundreds of eyes watching him, he could only read each word in a methodical manner.

As usual, there was a Q&A session after the report. Chen Ping mechanically answered a few questions. When he got to the third one, he caught a glimpse of Su Wenzong standing up from his seat and walking out along the aisle.

He almost stood up to chase after him, but he forced himself back down, switched the microphone to his other hand, and continued answering the next question.

When the entire process was over and he looked down at the audience, the third row was already empty.

After the event, a group of people surrounded Chen Ping to exchange contact information.

Several of his former colleagues from the Municipal People's Hospital patted him on the shoulder and said, "Director Chen, you're truly a hidden talent. It was a waste of your abilities to have you as the purchasing director before."

Several unfamiliar doctors squeezed in with notebooks to ask him questions, their attitudes sincere. He couldn't refuse them, so he had to answer them one by one.

By the time the last person to ask questions left, the conference room was already mostly empty, and Su Wenzong was nowhere to be seen.

Dean Ma and County Head Fang squeezed through the crowd, both with smiles on their faces.

County Chief Fang said that the city had arranged a simple dinner for Chen Ping that evening, and that they would return to the county together early the next morning.

Chen Ping shook his head and said that he had some personal matters to attend to in Tianhai City, and told them not to worry about him.

County Magistrate Fang glanced at him, didn't ask any questions, just patted him on the shoulder and said, "Call me if you need anything," before leaving with Dean Ma.

Evening comes earlier in Tianhai City than in Siping Township. The tall buildings block the setting sun, and the streetlights have already turned on.

After seeing off Dean Ma and County Head Fang, Chen Ping took a taxi directly to Su Wenzong's house.

At this point, Su Wenzong couldn't possibly be going back to the hospital; he must have gone home.

Chen Ping went up to the fourth floor with ease, stood in front of the security door on the left for a few seconds, and then knocked three times.

The door opened.

Su Wenzong stood at the door, wearing a dark gray loungewear sweater and holding a TV remote control.

When he saw Chen Ping standing outside the door, he was clearly taken aback. He hadn't expected Chen Ping to appear at this time.

Logically, at this time of day, Chen Ping should be having dinner with those leaders, arranged by the city.

"Come in." Su Wenzong didn't ask any further questions and stepped aside to let Chen Ping in.

"What happened to Su Meng? I tried calling her, but I couldn't get in touch with her at all. She's not at the station either," Chen Ping asked directly.

Following Su Wenzong, his former father-in-law, Chen Ping didn't have much desire to communicate or say much.

He wouldn't have come here if it weren't to find Su Meng.

Su Wenzong was taken aback and looked at Chen Ping: "What do you want with Meng'er?"

"I'm worried about her..." Chen Ping answered directly.

"You're already divorced, why are you still worried about her?" Su Wenzong seemed to be deliberately making things difficult for Chen Ping.

"We're divorced, but we've loved each other for years. I'm just worried about her, afraid something might happen to her." Chen Ping looked directly at Su Wenzong. "Has something happened to Meng'er?"

Su Wenzong sighed, sat on the sofa, took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag.

Seeing Su Wenzong's expression, Chen Ping knew he had guessed correctly; something must have happened to Su Meng.

Chen Ping sat down opposite Su Wenzong, but instead of pressing him for answers, he also took a cigarette and lit it.

The two grown men sat facing each other, smoking in silence, and the room soon filled with smoke.

Su Wenzong finally let out a breath after finishing the cigarette. "Meng'er has been isolated for investigation."

"Isolation and investigation? Why?" Chen Ping was somewhat shocked, not expecting it to be so serious.

Anyone in a leadership position knows the significance of isolating and investigating four individuals.

If you're under investigation, they can skin you alive, no matter what.

Su Wenzong remained silent for a while before speaking, his voice sounding much older than usual, "The 500,000 yuan she allocated to the Siping Township Health Center was poached by Qi Guofu."

"They said the procedures were irregular, there were doubts about the use of funds, and they also said she had a relationship of transferring benefits with the Siping Township Health Center. The disciplinary committee has intervened, and she has been in isolation for investigation for several days."

"Wasn't Qi Guofu investigated for misconduct a long time ago? Now the director is Xu Wenshan?" Chen Ping asked, full of doubt. "Then why is Qi Guofu implicating Su Meng?"

"Isn't it obvious? Of course, someone instructed Qi Guofu to do this. In order to make his crime less serious, Qi Guofu will bite whoever he is told to bite," Su Wenzong said helplessly.

"Who ordered it?" Chen Ping asked anxiously.

Su Wenzong didn't answer him, but looked at Chen Ping with the same look he was giving an idiot.

Feeling Su Wenzong's gaze, Chen Ping realized that he had asked a bit foolish questions.

Without even asking, everyone knows it's Xiao Lei; no one else has that ability.

"How many days has she been inside?" Chen Ping asked.

"Today is the third day."

Chen Ping didn't ask any further questions.

He got up, opened the door, and went downstairs without looking back.

There were hardly any people left on the street, and the streetlights cast his long shadow.

At this moment, Chen Ping felt helpless, not knowing who to turn to to save Su Meng.

Looking for Old Song?

But he's already retired; he can still help manage things related to his homestead.

But cases like Su Meng's involve the investigation of leading cadres, which is something that ordinary people cannot interfere with.

Moreover, if the relationship isn't particularly good, no one will care about such things, since it's a thankless and troublesome task that might just cause trouble for themselves.

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Ping decided to try going to Cui Ying's house.

He knew exactly what Cui Ying thought of him, and he also knew how Cui Ying's parents treated him.

Now in Tianhai City, the only person he can talk to and has connections with is Cui Ying's father.

Chen Ping hailed a taxi and headed straight for Cui Ying's villa.

The villa in Cui Ying's house was brightly lit, and the light coming through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room made the bamboo in the yard shine.

Chen Ping rang the doorbell. The nanny opened the door. Cui Ying's father was sitting on the living room sofa reading a newspaper, while Cui Ying's mother was peeling an apple next to him.

Seeing Chen Ping enter, the elderly couple stood up happily. Cui Ying's mother quickly put down the fruit knife and gestured for him to sit down. Then, glancing behind him, her smile faltered for a moment: "Didn't Yingying come back with you?"