Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Political Achievement or Benefiting the Farmers?
Victory Village was especially bustling today.
The arrival of over ten village chiefs had sparked much discussion.
"Originally, | had asked the village to arrange meals to welcthem, but they didn’t go. At noon, they all went
to Cai Wenguang’s house for lunch, including Sun Shengbo, the current chief of Victory Village. Everyone went to
the Cai Family's house, except me, who wasn’t invited!"
Standing beside Lin Fan's car, Zhou Daguai hurriedly recounted the day’s events.
"Hmm, it looks like these people have already coordinated their stories."
Lin Fan smiled as he got out of the car and entered the village party branch with Zhou Daguai.
At that moment, in the meeting room, over a dozen village chiefs sat there, and Cai Wenguang, along with
several people from the Cai Family, also sat below. Holding a teacup, Cai wore a smile as he watched Lin Fan
enter. Today was the day they officially confronted each other.
"Respected village chiefs, you must have had a rich meal at noon."
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Lin Fan, sitting at the podium, sipped his tea and said, looking straight at Cai Wenguang sitting in the middle,
"Mr. Cai, even after retirement you haven't forgotten to shine brightly. Is this a way to save expenses for the
village committee?"
"I don’t have such high awareness."
Since Lin Fan had taken the initiative, Cai Wenguang, who had already coordinated the stories by noon, chuckled
and said, "These are all old friends. Since they cto Victory Village, of course, | had to extend my hospitality.
Deputy Mayor Lin wouldn't mindstealing a bit of the limelight, would you?"
"Of course not, after all, Mr. Cai has contributed a lifetto Victory Village, turning what was once a prosperous
village into what is now a poor village. Just for that ability alone, you should be respected."
Lin Fan's words instantly caused Cai Wenguang'’s face to change tically, and he said darkly, "Deputy Mayor
Lin, what do you mean by that? Are you blamingfor not fulfilling my duties? Then let the higher authorities
inspect my accounts to see if | have embezzled a penny from the village. You have had them inspected before,
why fear another check?"
"Of course, there's no need for an inspection. Just the fact that Victory Village has the last road in Red Flag
County is enough to prove that there really isn’t much oil and water in this village, so you definitely wouldn't
embezzle or accept bribes. But can you escape being accused of incompetence and laziness?"
Lin Fan put down his teacup and spat out a bit of tea leaf, but it felt as if he was spitting at Cai Wenguang.
"Fifteen years ago, because the soil in Victory Village was suitable for growing watermelons, many farmers
planted them extensively, which led the entire village to do the same. However, after a bountiful harvest, there
were poor sales until your village's Li Sheng helped you find channels to sell all the watermelons, making a little
margin in the process. But you led people to his door to demand a share, and the next year, the watermelons
rotted in the fields, uncollected, and Li Sheng’s family moved away. Since then, Victory Village went back to
planting corn. | am not wrong, am I?"
"As a villager, one should help sell the melons to fellow villagers without expecting payment. Making money in
the process is profiteering. As the village chief, wasn’t it my undeniable duty to manage that? Is there a
mistake?"
Cai Wenguang stood with his neck stiff and a defiant look.
"When the villagers’ watermelons rotted in the fields, why didn’t you, as the village chief, take undeniable
responsibility? | heard that back then you had broken your leg and took two months off work. Did your leg really
break, or were you feigning illness because you couldn't sell the melons?"
Lin Fan's words hit Cai Wenguang hard, and when these aged grievances were dredged up, even the Cai Family
members sitting around him cast unusual glances at him.
"Don’t try to sow discord here. Don't think that just because you are the Deputy Mayor | am afraid of you!"
Cai Wenguang’s face turned pale as he slammed his teacup down and stood up, "What you are doing now is
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmruining our farmlands and our food. You know that food is the lifeblood of the nation, and a nation lacking food is
a nation without life. To put it mildly, you are disregarding the lives of the common people for the sake of your
political achievements. To put it seriously, you are undermining the foundation of the country."
"Indeed, such moral high ground. Lacking your dozen villages’ food shakes the foundation of the country? Then,
what about the provinces that grow Chinese Herbal Medicine? Are they traitors? Then why does the country still
invest and build factories for them? I'm telling you, the diversification of agriculture is the true foundation of the
country. It is you who are rallying people against the government, who are the real traitors!"
Lin Fan slapped the table, "Don’t think | don’t understand what you're thinking. Isn't it just that you want to
retaliate for Cai Kui and Cai Xudong, who | had sent away? But what you're influencing is the future agricultural
framework of the entire Lotus Town, affecting the incof tens of thousands of people. Can you bear that
responsibility?"
"Don’t try to put a tall hat onhere!"
Cai Wenguang, seeing Lin Fan's reaction, instead showed a cold smile, "Don’t think | don’t know, you were the
one who brought in this investment company, you must have quite a stake in it. You just want to use your
position as Deputy Mayor to reap the benefits. Once the project succeeds, it boosts your political achievements,
and the profits go into your pocket. | see you as nothing but a worm. Well, Ill tell you now, everyone seated here
will not sign a cooperation contract with you, so just give up on that idea."
Just as he looked smug, a voice suddenly cfrom outside the door, "I will sign!"