My sister broke off her engagement to marry someone richer? My older sister married me and became in

The Red Stone Forest Farm was shrouded in white mist in the early morning, and the temperature was several degrees lower than yesterday.

Gao Jianjun pushed open the wooden door to the deputy director's office, put down his things, picked up the thermos, and shook it.

It was completely empty inside.

"Sun Defa!"

Gao Jianjun shouted down the corridor. Usually at this time, Sun Defa, the accountant, would have already prepared the hot water and placed it on the table.

He felt even more agitated and slammed the kettle down.

"How do they all do their jobs!"

The door to the finance department across the street was pushed open, and an employee named Lao Li poked his head out and handed over a note.

"Director Gao, Old Sun didn't come today."

"There was a note on his desk saying he had taken sick leave due to an emergency."

Gao Jianjun's scalp tightened, but he steadily took the item, and his gentle smile returned to his face.

"The weather is changing so fast these days, you need to take care of yourself."

After closing the door, Gao Jianjun's face darkened.

Sun Defa was a very timid man; he would run downstairs even if he were to fart.

It is absolutely impossible to submit a note privately without asking for leave in person.

The penmanship on the note in his hand was crooked and messy.

Gao Jianjun crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it on the floor, then picked up the walkie-talkie.

"Zhao from the security department, come up here!"

Less than two minutes later, Xiao Zhao, wearing a green coat, ran up.

"Deputy Director Gao, you wanted to see me?"

"Take some people to Building 3 in the family compound and take a look. Sun De has fallen ill; go and see if it's serious."

Xiao Zhao agreed and ran downstairs.

……

Two hours later.

Hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, and Xiao Zhao stood panting at the doorway.

"Director Gao, there's a big iron lock on Old Sun's door from the outside."

"Aunt Wang next door gets up early. She said she saw Old Sun pushing his bicycle away yesterday evening when it was almost dark."

Gao Jianjun stubbed out his cigarette, his breathing becoming heavy.

"He must have gone to see a doctor. Did he bring anything with him?"

"Aunt Wang said she brought it. She saw Accountant Sun with a big package tied to the back seat while she was cooking upstairs, and his canvas bag was also stuffed full."

Gao Jianjun felt a sudden heaviness in his chest and waved for Xiao Zhao to leave.

After pacing back and forth a few times, Gao Jianjun grabbed the black telephone with a crank handle on the table.

"Connect me to the Zhao Family Village Brigade Headquarters."

After waiting for nearly five minutes, a hoarse male voice came through the receiver.

"Who is it?"

"I am Gao Jianjun from the forest farm, and I'm looking for your village chief, Zhao."

"That's me. Did Director Gao need something from me?"

"Has Sun Defa returned to your village? There's some material at the threshing ground that needs his review."

"No."

The village chief coughed twice on the other end of the line.

"His wife did come back with the baby the day before yesterday."

Gao Jianjun's vision went black, and he almost lost his balance.

"His wife said he hasn't gone anywhere. Should we go back and check?"

The village chief laughed heartily.

"That's impossible. His wife was just saying yesterday that he's busy at the forest farm and wants to stay there all the time."

Gao Jianjun couldn't hear what was said after that; his mind was a complete mess.

After hanging up the phone, Gao Jianjun paced back and forth in the room.

"Something's not right... This whole thing has a sinister feel to it from beginning to end."

How could a perfectly healthy person just vanish into thin air like that? He even abandoned his wife and children...

This doesn't make sense. Unless, staying is more terrible than abandoning his family and home. What is he afraid of? And who is he hiding from?

Gao Jianjun rubbed his wildly twitching eyelids.

Wait, what about that thing Skinny Monkey mentioned yesterday morning...

The lantern fell over by itself? The fire burned the paper before burning the wood? At the time, I was so busy cursing them as useless, but now, looking back, it's full of flaws!

Those were two whole truckloads of completely dried red pine, things that catch fire at the slightest touch. How could it be that not a single piece of wood was damaged, but the gasoline drum stuffed with the fake account was completely burned to ashes?

What kind of fire in the world has eyes like that?!

This is not an accident; someone is precisely destroying evidence... or, is covering up the truth that the ledgers have long been switched!

If the fire was set on purpose... then who could it be?

"Those who've been targeting me lately, getting in my way..."

In a flash, Gao Jianjun gritted his teeth and spat out a name.

"Lu Qingshan!"

It can only be him!

No wonder this kid suddenly changed his personality after taking over the transportation planning department.

Given his usual troublesome temper, if they deliberately blocked his oil approval, he should have thrown a tantrum long ago. How could he possibly swallow his anger?

I go to and from get off work on time every day, and pretend to rummage through piles of old papers right under my nose...

Calm down? He's not calming down, he's just covering for himself! He's putting on an act!

Gao Jianjun was drenched in sweat and muttered to himself.

"Bringing up old grievances is a pretense; their real intention is to find out my secrets. Playing the subservient card is a facade; their true purpose is to secretly plot against me!"

The missing person, the burned bucket, the abnormal Lu Qingshan...

"Damn, it all clicked! This kid set a trap right under my nose, and he's just waiting to pull it in!"

Gao Jianjun covered his face with both hands, his fingernails almost digging into his flesh.

Before my eyes was a mixture of blood red and pitch black.

That damned ledger contained records of smuggling debts totaling hundreds of thousands over three years.

That thing is probably in Lu Qingshan's coat pocket right now.

Fear crept up his bones, and Gao Jianjun's knees buckled, causing him to collapse heavily into the leather sofa.

Once this matter reaches the county bureau, there won't even be a chance to return the stolen goods and make a contribution; the direct outcome will be being sent to the execution ground and forced to eat black dates!

"We can't wait... we absolutely can't wait to die..."

Gao Jianjun suddenly opened his eyes, his eye sockets filled with scarlet blood vessels.

More than a dozen hours have passed since Sun Defa went missing last night, and Lu Qingshan has not reported it to the police, while things are completely calm on Director Li's side.

That little bastard is holding back a big move!

He needs to act quickly!

Gao Jianjun sat up abruptly, grabbed the crank telephone, and nearly broke the crank.

"Get me to the infrastructure department! Immediately!"

As soon as the call connected, Gao Jianjun growled at the top of his lungs:

"Li Jianye! Come to my office! Now! Immediately!"

With a "smack," the microphone was slammed hard onto the landline.

After a few minutes of waiting.

The office door was slowly pushed open.

Li Jianye sauntered in, carrying a peeling green enamel teacup.

His breath was still warm as he asked, "Director Gao, what's the matter...?"

Gao Jianjun strode over, clicked the door shut, and pulled out the key, stuffing it into his pocket.

"Sun Defa has broken."

Gao Jianjun's voice was extremely low, like a chilling wind blowing from the cracks of a coffin.

Li Jianye's hand jerked violently, and the scalding hot tea splashed directly onto the back of his hand and his cotton shoes.

"The person...the person is gone?!"

Gao Jianjun's face was gloomy.

"I don't care if he's dead or alive, it's just that he can't be found!"

Gao Jianjun slammed the leave slip on the table, his eyes twitching violently.

Li Jianye's face turned pale instantly.

"Who's targeting us? We'll settle that score..."

Gao Jianjun grabbed Li Jianye by the collar, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"You know that's good! I suspect it's that brat Lu Qingshan..."

"The important thing now is to wait for Lu Qingshan to expose us. You, me, and everyone who's shared the profits over the years—none of us will escape! We'll all be sent to be shot!"

Li Jianye leaned against the cold door panel, his voice trembling with sobs as he roared.

"Deputy Director Gao, I'm still young, I'm still young!"

Gao Jianjun stared intently at Li Jianye's bulging pupils, gritting his teeth as he said:

"It's still uncertain who will emerge victorious!"