As he thought this, Qiu Tu also came to his senses and replied with a smile, "Thank you for your concern, Director Qin."
"I'm still getting accustomed to the public service. As for whether I'm used to it or not...?"
"Well, I can only say that I am a member of the Investigation Bureau, so no matter what tasks my superiors assign to me, I will get used to them."
Listening to Qiu Tu's utterly official response, Qin Zhengguang smiled and patted Qiu Tu's shoulder, "It's good to have that awareness."
"However, if you're not used to it, you can talk to me."
"If you're willing, I can go have a chat with the Bureau Chief and transfer you to our Public Security Bureau."
Hearing Qin Zhengguang's words, Qiu Tu looked at him seriously to make sure he wasn't just being polite, then his eyebrows slightly lifted, and he replied with a smile, "Thank you for your concern, Director Qin."
"If I need to, I will definitely trouble you."
Qin Zhengguang "hmmed" in response, then gestured to Qiu Tu before they started walking towards the Investigation Bureau building together.
Meanwhile, as they walked, Qiu Tu wasn't idle. He glanced at Qin Zhengguang walking beside him and tentatively asked, "Director Qin, are you familiar with Vice President Tian?"
"Vice President Tian?" Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Qin Zhengguang clearly paused for a moment.
After hesitating briefly, he shook his head smilingly, "I'm not very familiar with Vice President Tian."
"But my eldest brother, my third brother, and... Fourth Brother have quite a good relationship with him."
When mentioning "Fourth Brother," Qin Zhengguang's expression visibly soured.
On hearing this, Qiu Tu's eyebrows slightly furrowed, 'Commissioner Qin, Third Brother Qin, Old Fourth Qin all have good relations with Vice President Tian?'
It was normal for a city hall commissioner and a major businessman to be acquainted with Vice President Tian, but why would Old Fourth Qin, a tough guy, have dealings with him?
At this moment, seeing Qiu Tu ask such a question, Qin Zhengguang curiously countered, "Chief Qiu, why do you ask this? Has something happened to Vice President Tian?"
Hearing Qin Zhengguang's question, Qiu Tu recovered his wits and was just about to give a perfunctory reply.
However, at that moment, a familiar voice called out from behind them, "Qiu Tu?"
Hearing that call, Qiu Tu, who had been quite relaxed, suddenly tensed up.
Because... that was Secretary Bai's voice.
'Why would I encounter him at a time ?'
With that thought, Qiu Tu stealthily swept his gaze over the entire first-floor lobby of the Investigation Bureau building.
Perhaps because it was during work hours, there were a lot of investigators coming and going in the lobby.
Seeing this, Qiu Tu felt slightly stirred: although it wasn't the most ideal scene, could it be an opportunity to save Old Bai?
At this time, hearing the voice behind him, Qin Zhengguang also looked back.
Seeing that it was Secretary Bai, he turned around, smiling as he patted Qiu Tu's arm, then prepared to leave swiftly.
But the moment his right foot stepped forward, Qiu Tu suddenly reached out and grabbed him.
This action left Qin Zhengguang bewildered.
He stopped walking, surprised, and looked at Qiu Tu, not understanding what Qiu Tu was up to.
At this moment, Qiu Tu, while holding on to Qin Zhengguang, turned around and saluted the approaching Secretary Bai with a standard gesture, saying in a distant, formal tone, "Good day, sir!"
Seeing Qiu Tu's action, Secretary Bai was slightly taken aback as well, and his pace involuntarily slowed down, his gaze flickering.
At that moment, Qin Zhengguang standing next to Qiu Tu was already completely dumbfounded.
In the Investigation Bureau with so many senior staff, who didn't know that Qiu Tu was brought up by Secretary Bai's own hand?
It was because of Secretary Bai's recommendation that Qiu Tu managed to catch Yan Chen's eye, be put to good use, and step by step reach his current position.
Therefore, Secretary Bai could be said to have been the benefactor who recognized Qiu Tu's potential. And the label of being part of Secretary Bai's loyalists had long been stamped upon him.
Yet now, Qiu Tu was being so cold to Secretary Bai?
There must be something fishy going on!
At this moment, Qin Zhengguang felt as if he had wandered into a "Melon Field," looking back and forth between Qiu Tu and Secretary Bai, his heart filled with curiosity...
But at that time, Qiu Tu did not give Qin Zhengguang the chance to continue "watching the show."
After asking and receiving a response, his expression cooled. Then he nodded slightly to Secretary Bai, turned around pulling Qin Zhengguang, and walked away.
Qin Zhengguang was reluctant to leave, but... he had to. So he smiled at Secretary Bai, and then was pulled by Qiu Tu into the elevator.
The two men stood inside the elevator, while Secretary Bai stood outside.
Qiu Tu and Secretary Bai looked at each other across the space.
Taking advantage of the moment when Qin Zhengguang was not paying attention, Qiu Tu's head moved slightly left and right.
Because he was in the elevator, the outside investigators couldn't see him – only Secretary Bai, who was directly in front of him, saw the movement.
Secretary Bai's brow furrowed slightly, as if he had thought of something.
The elevator doors slowly closed...
And just as they were about to close, Secretary Bai's expression subtly changed, he cast a resentful glance at Qiu Tu and then spat on the ground, muttering under his breath, "What a thing! Ungrateful! Doesn't know when he's well off!"
Accompanying that mutter, the elevator doors sealed shut, as if severing the inside world from the outside.
And faintly hearing Secretary Bai's response, Qiu Tu also completely relaxed; he still had an understanding with Old Bai...
As the elevator ascended slowly, Qin Zhengguang scanned Qiu Tu multiple times throughout the ride and finally couldn't help himself, "Chief Qiu and Secretary Bai...?"
Hearing Qin Zhengguang's words, Qiu Tu pretended to just snap back to reality, then he 'oh'-ed, smiling hastily as he said, "There's nothing between us. All normal. Director Qin misunderstood."
At that moment, the elevator doors opened, reaching the 5th floor, which was the office level of the Public Security Bureau.
Qin Zhengguang's face revealed an "I've seen through it all" expression, smiling as he patted Qiu Tu and teased, "I haven't even said anything yet. How do you know I misunderstood?"
After saying that, he laughed 'haha' twice, with the smile of a victor, and stepped out of the elevator.
And behind him, an expression of chagrin involuntarily appeared on Qiu Tu's face, as if Qin Zhengguang really had seen through him.
Only when Qin Zhengguang's figure had completely vanished did his expression slowly return to normal, and his eyes started to playfully twinkle.
Every good show needs an audience, and Qin Zhengguang was clearly a qualified one.
With his preconceived notions, the incident of his conflict with Secretary Bai would likely spread throughout the Investigation Bureau quickly.
Moreover, with so many investigators coming and going in the lobby just before, there would certainly be some who noticed the abnormality between himself and Secretary Bai. They would add fuel to the fire as the topic spread.
So, he believed it wouldn't take long for this matter to reach the ears of Jia Shu and Yan Chen.
He and Secretary Bai had a very good relationship just yesterday. And now, they're suddenly at odds this morning?
Under these circumstances, they would easily suspect that the conflict with Secretary Bai might have something to do with the phone call last night.
If Secretary Bai had been tipping him off, there would be no reason for them to fall out.
Therefore, the call from Secretary Bai last night was most likely about something else.
With this preconception in place, handling the rest with Secretary Bai would be easy.
He just needed to come up with some lie about their conflict when it was appropriate, such as when Yan Chen asked, and he could use that opportunity to clear a lot of suspicions.
And even if there weren't a good opportunity to explain, as long as the fake news reached Yan Chen and Jia Shu's ears, it would influence their judgment regarding Secretary Bai's potential betrayal.
Even if, retreating ten thousand steps, Qiu Tu had guessed everything about the true nature of the incident wrong, and last night wasn't a scheme,
It was beneficial for Qiu Tu, enmeshed in a great vortex, to keep his distance from Secretary Bai for Secretary Bai's own good as well.
With these thoughts, Qiu Tu felt that he had truly invested a lot of care for both himself and Secretary Bai...
'Old Bai, I've done all I could. The rest is up to you...'
Thinking thus, the elevator doors closed slowly, and then it continued its ascent.
Soon, he arrived at the 9th floor.
Qiu Tu got off the elevator and headed towards the office area of the Interrogation Section.
On his way, Qiu Tu was not idle; he kept a discreet watch on the Political Department Investigators coming and going.
Just as he had surmised, the whole Political Department was not busier than usual because of the female spy's death; everything was as orderly as in the days before.
This showed that the information was indeed being contained, only leaking out quietly through a few hidden channels.
This was indeed very consistent with the theory of a "trap."
While thinking this, Qiu Tu also reached the Interrogation Section.
But as soon as he arrived, his subordinate Song Qing found him.
Saluting Qiu Tu, Song Qing reported respectfully, "Chief, the Commissioner wants to see you."
Qiu Tu glanced at Song Qing's "Loyalty."
After yesterday's "strike declaration," Song Qing's Loyalty finally exceeded 30, reaching 31 points.
This indicated that she now saw him as a normal superior, without the inclination to "resist orders" or "speak ill behind his back."
Thinking this, Qiu Tu also probed with a question, "What does the Commissioner want to discuss with me?"
Indeed, the loyal Song Qing hesitated briefly but still whispered a piece of news to Qiu Tu, "It seems he wants to talk to you about Cao Dabiao and his issues."
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