Chapter 158: Town Leaders Visit to Apologize

"Huh? Eldest nephew, why did you go to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection? This... this..."

Yang Haomin stared with wide eyes, finding it hard to believe his ears.

The Commission for Discipline Inspection still felt very distant to him, and people in the village rarely ever had any contact with discipline inspection officers.

Let alone officials from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, he couldn't even catch a glimpse of the town's discipline inspection secretary once in a blue moon.

Yet now, the eldest nephew he had watched grow up was already an official at the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection?

While this made him thrilled for Yang Dong, it also made him somewhat reserved.

"Our team leader is the head of the working group dispatched by the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, a deputy section-chief level cadre!"

The town was not far from Xiaoyang Village, and Jiang Hu drove there in just a few minutes.

As he stepped on the brake, he added this remark to hint at Yang Haomin.

He felt that when Yang Dong introduced himself earlier, he had been far too polite, lacking any intimidating aura whatsoever.

Being a person from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection and being the head of a working group from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection were two entirely different concepts.

The former was at most a general cadre of the Municipal Commission, but the latter was a Municipal Commission leader wielding immense power of life and death.

"What on earth? A deputy section-chief level leader?"

Yang Haomin was just pushing the car door open to get out, but hearing Jiang Hu's supplementary explanation from the side, he almost strained his back.

With a look of utter shock on his face, his mind went somewhat blank as he gazed at Yang Dong.

A deputy section-chief level cadre? Doesn't that mean he was on the same rank as the town committee members of Xiashui Town?

A deputy town mayor? A deputy party secretary? And the discipline inspection secretary, were they all on the same rank?

No, even more than that.

The young man was a deputy section-chief level leader from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection; if he were ever sent down to a town, he would have to be promoted to a full section-chief level at the bare minimum, otherwise, it would be considered a demotion.

In other words, Yang Dong was currently a deputy section-chief level leader, and within the jurisdiction of Xiashui Town, he could even be regarded as equivalent to a full section-chief level cadre.

Putting it that way, didn't this mean that after all these years, Xiaoyang Village had finally produced its very first official within the state system?

He didn't count; he was just a village branch secretary.

Yang Dong was the only true official from the village.

No wonder the town party secretary Gong Hongyang and the town mayor Jin Hemin had been so polite to Yang Dong, even acting with extreme deference and a faint undertone of fear.

The head of a working group from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, and specifically the head of the working group stationed in Kaiyang County.

That was an immense amount of power.

"Uncle Yang, don't listen to his nonsense. I'm just a little team leader, nothing special."

Yang Dong smiled and explained to Yang Haomin as he stepped out of the car.

Jiang Hu also got out, but he refuted Yang Dong's words.

"I'm not talking nonsense, Team Leader. You're just being too modest."

He knew how to measure his words, and after adding this sentence, he said no more.

Whatever remained was left for the village branch secretary Yang Haomin to digest.

Yang Haomin didn't even know how he had gotten out of the car. It wasn't until he followed Yang Dong and the others inside the house that he finally snapped back to reality.

"Mother of my child, what happened to your face? Who hit you?"

Seeing the palm print on Du Yuxiang's face, Yang Wenwen immediately frowned, a surge of anger in his eyes.

His wife had been beaten? How could this be tolerated?

"Oh, alright, alright. Our eldest son can handle it, so stop worrying blindly."

"Don't cause trouble for our eldest son, let's both just keep quiet."

"I'm going to go cook for our eldest son."

Du Yuxiang glared at Yang Wenwen, refusing to let him bring up the matter again.

She walked straight towards the kitchen to cook for her son and his colleagues.

"Uncle Yang, have lunch at my house today. You and my dad can share a few drinks."

Yang Dong signaled to Yang Haomin as he spoke.

Since he wasn't often in the village, there would inevitably be times in the future when he would need to ask favors from the village branch secretary; human favors should be used when appropriate, and there was no need to shy away from it.

"Ah, good, good."

Yang Haomin nodded repeatedly, his attitude unconsciously growing much more polite, and his previously straight back even bowed slightly.

Yet Yang Haomin didn't notice any of these reactions; they were entirely subconscious, though they also revealed certain inherent instincts.

To him, Yang Dong was no longer just an eldest nephew, but a superior.

A deputy section-chief level cadre was inherently a leader in his eyes.

Not to mention that Yang Dong was only twenty-six years old. A twenty-six-year-old deputy section-chief? At least within the borders of Kaiyang County, that was as rare as a phoenix's feather and a unicorn's horn.

"Eldest son, what actually happened to your mom? Who hit her? How was the matter resolved?"

Yang Wenwen still cared deeply for his wife, so he couldn't help but ask Yang Dong.

Yang Dong patiently explained the cause and effect of the incident to Yang Wenwen.

"That's how it is. But don't worry, Dad, Mom's issue will definitely be resolved."

After explaining the whole story, Yang Dong reassured Yang Wenwen.

The matter should not be blown out of proportion to avoid being exploited by people with ulterior motives.

"Director Yang? Are you home?"

"Director Yang? Is this your house?"

Just as they were talking, shouting echoed from the courtyard.

The voice was quite familiar, having parted ways only shortly before.

Both Yang Dong and Yang Haomin looked out the window toward the courtyard.

Sure enough, visitors had arrived.

Seeing the people who had just entered the courtyard, Yang Dong felt it necessary out of propriety and reason to go out and welcome them.

When Yang Haomin saw the individuals in the courtyard, a look of "as expected" crossed his face.

These town leaders had undoubtedly come over to offer formal apologies.

After all, Yang Dong's status had changed, and since such an incident had happened to Yang Dong's mother Du Yuxiang, the town leaders naturally had to make amends and apologize.

Offering an apology might have nothing to do with right and wrong, but was done entirely to ingratiate themselves with Yang Dong.

"Secretary Gong, Mayor Jin, what brings you here?"

Yang Dong pushed open the door, walked out into the courtyard, and proactively extended his hand.

He shook hands first with Gong Hongyang, the party secretary of Xiashui Town, and then with Jin Hemin, the town mayor.

However, there were more than just these two; three other individuals followed closely behind.

Yang Dong did not recognize any of these three people.

Judging by their attire, however, they were all town officials.

"Director Yang, you left the Industry and Commerce Law Enforcement Station without saying a word, and that really leaves us feeling uneasy."

Jin Hemin spoke with a smile on his face, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

"Exactly, younger brother Yang, you really shouldn't torment your old brother like this. I'm already over fifty years old; I can't take this kind of torture."

Gong Hongyang chimed in, taking over Jin Hemin's thread with a bitter smile as he addressed Yang Dong.

"Leaders, who might these gentlemen be?"

Yang Dong smiled and left the question unanswered, changing the subject instead to the three people standing behind.

Wanting him to show mercy now? That was going to be a bit difficult.

"Come, come, let me introduce them to Director Yang."

Seeing that Yang Dong completely ignored his prompt, Gong Hongyang felt a twinge of helplessness, but still maintained a smiling face as he introduced the three people behind him.

"This is Qi Shan, the deputy party secretary of Xiashui Town."

Seeing Gong Hongyang introduce him to Yang Dong, Qi Shan stepped forward and extended his hand to shake Yang Dong's.

"Director Yang, Team Leader Yang, I have long admired your reputation. You truly are young and promising."

Compliments poured out of Qi Shan's mouth as if they cost nothing.

Yang Dong maintained a polite demeanor, smiling and saying to Qi Shan, "I don't deserve Secretary Qi's excessive praise."

"This is Guo Wei, the discipline inspection secretary of Xiashui Town!"

Gong Hongyang continued, introducing the next town official.

Yang Dong looked with a hint of surprise at the man in his early thirties standing before him.

He looked to be around thirty-three or thirty-four, extremely young indeed.

"Director Yang, I suppose I'm now a soldier under your command. After all, you are a leader from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Guo Wei walked forward openly. Dressed in casual wear, he looked very energetic and capable, completely lacking the gloomy airs of an older official.

"Secretary Guo is too polite. I'm no leader; rather, here in Xiashui Town, I will have to rely on a seasoned and capable local general like yourself."

Yang Dong exchanged polite pleasantries with Guo Wei and shook his hand.

"Lastly, this is Hong Gang, the director of the Industry and Commerce Law Enforcement Station."

Gong Hongyang knew very well that sooner or later, this matter had to be faced.

Thus, he bit the bullet and introduced Hong Gang to Yang Dong.

The outcome, however, could be easily imagined.

While Yang Dong's face had previously worn a smiling and amiable expression, the moment he heard the name of the director of the Industry and Commerce Law Enforcement Station, the smile on his face faded bit by bit.

"Oh, so you are Director Hong. I've heard a lot about you!"

Yang Dong spoke proactively without a trace of a smile on his face, even taking the initiative to extend his hand.

Yet the more Yang Dong acted this way, the more terrified and panicked Hong Gang became, his heart racing as he felt his palms slick with sweat.