Qin Shou played the video, replaying the entire incident from start to finish.

Yang Wenqing had already witnessed the whole thing with her own eyes, so she wasn't the least bit shocked after watching the replay.

Even before watching the security footage, Yang Wenqing had already decided how she would handle the matter.

So, as soon as the video finished, she wasted no more time and immediately announced her resolution—one that would hold both parties accountable and ensure neither got the upper hand.

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The whole incident had started with Yang Song, so logically, he was the first person Yang Wenqing had to deal with.

"Yang Song," Yang Wenqing asked, "Qin Shou's transfer order hasn't been finalized yet. He is still the head of the Secretariat Division. Who told you to move his things out? And to just dump them in the hallway?"

"Uh..."

Yang Song was at a loss for words for a moment. In the end, he decided to take the fall and not drag his goddess into it.

"Secretary Yang, it was my own decision!"

Yang Wenqing, of course, knew he was lying. She pressed him coldly, "And why would you make a decision like that?"

"Because I can't stand Qin Shou. We have a history. So, when I heard he was being transferred to be the Station Chief at Jigong River Hydroelectric Station, I couldn't wait to move his things out of the division head's office."

Yang Song fabricated the excuse with a perfectly straight face.

Yang Wenqing naturally didn't believe such a ridiculous lie. However, she didn't dwell on it, deciding instead to resolve the matter quickly.

So she said, "In the video, Qin Shou was perfectly civil with you. He told you to move his things back, and he would let it go. But what did you say? You said, 'I ain't moving them. What are you gonna do, hit me?' So, Qin Shou hit you. You deserved it! Seeing as you've already taken a beating from him, we'll consider the matter of you moving his things without permission a lesson learned. I won't punish you further. Don't let it happen again!"

After reprimanding Yang Song, Yang Wenqing turned to Qin Shou.

Her gaze was now icy, sending a chill down his spine.

"Qin Shou, you have some nerve! How dare you openly assault a colleague? Yes, Yang Song was in the wrong, and he was practically begging for it! But as a public servant, it is wrong for you to lay hands on a colleague! Therefore, you must be punished! For assaulting a colleague, I am giving you a major demerit and demoting you from Division Head directly to a Level-Two Clerk. Furthermore, your eligibility for this year's performance awards is revoked. And all of your annual bonuses will be docked. You will only receive your base salary!"

After all, Qin Shou was a tenured public servant; firing him would be extremely difficult. Not to mention, he had powerful connections.

This was the most severe punishment Yang Wenqing could possibly give him.

Qin Shou was already mentally prepared for such a punishment. After all, he had foolishly slept with her, and it had been her first time.

To save face, she couldn't exactly report him to the police and have him thrown in jail. So, naturally, she could only use the power at her disposal to get back at him when the opportunity arose.

But Qin Shou didn't give a damn.

*Beating is affection, scolding is love.*

The harder Secretary Yang came down on him, the greater the chance she'd fall for him!

Hearing Secretary Yang's punishment for Qin Shou, Yang Song, who had been feeling indignant about getting beaten for nothing, was suddenly over the moon.

Qin Shou was demoted to a Level-Two Clerk, the lowest possible rank—the starting level for a public servant with only a junior college degree.

And he, Yang Song, was already a Principal Clerk! A Level-Four Principal Clerk, but still two whole ranks higher than Qin Shou!

He might not have gotten a promotion, but Qin Shou had been demoted!

This felt even better than getting a promotion himself!

A sense of superiority swelled within Yang Song. If it weren't for gravity holding him down, he probably would have floated right up into the sky.

When she saw Qin Shou just standing there with his hands in his pockets, looking like he couldn't care less even after she'd announced his punishment, Yang Wenqing grew annoyed.

She had intended to make him pay a price.

But here he was, demoted to a Level-Two Clerk, and he didn't seem to care in the slightest!

Then again, it made sense. With his powerful backing, forget a demotion—even if she fired him, he could just get another official post somewhere else.

With his connections, as long as he didn't break the law, no one could take away his iron rice bowl.

As for promotions and the like, with his lazy, devil-may-care attitude, he didn't seem like the ambitious type anyway.

It was like punching a fist into cotton. Yang Wenqing was furious.

So, she demanded, "Are you dissatisfied with my decision?"

"I am! Extremely dissatisfied! But what good would it do, even if I am? Is Secretary Yang going to rescind my punishment just because I'm unhappy about it?"

"No!"

"There you have it, then," Qin Shou said, rolling his eyes at her. "Secretary Yang, I just saw a rather interesting clip from the security footage. Would you care to take a look?"

Although she knew this guy was full of tricks and definitely up to no good, Yang Wenqing was still a little curious. She commanded, "Play it."

"Yes, Secretary Yang!"

With a light click of the mouse, Qin Shou started a video clip.

The star of the video was Wan Hongbing, who was looking at his phone. It seemed someone had sent him a text, but because of the distance, the content of the message was impossible to see.

That, however, was no obstacle for Qin Shou.

The main computer in the County Committee Building's security room might be garbage, but all the cameras were high-definition.

So, with a few simple keystrokes, Qin Shou just needed to zoom in a little to get a crystal-clear view of the message on Wan Hongbing's phone.

*Clack, clack, clack...*

Qin Shou's fingers danced across the keyboard.

Soon, the image zoomed in, and the message on the phone became clear. Not only could they see the content of the message, but they could also see who sent it.

It was Yang Song, telling Wan Hongbing to tamper with the security footage.

Yang Wenqing's face instantly darkened, and she glared at Wan Hongbing.

By now, Wan Hongbing was petrified.

He scrambled to explain, "Secretary Yang, you can't blame me! Yang Song put me up to it! I was wrong, I'll never do it again!"

"Wan Hongbing, you're finished as the head of the Security Department. Go be a gate guard! Your rank, like Qin Shou's, is hereby demoted to Level-Two Clerk. You will also receive a major demerit! All eligibility for performance and merit awards is revoked! All of your bonuses will be docked, and you will receive only your base salary!"

He had worked so hard to become the head of the Security Department, to finally become a deputy section-level leader. And now, all because of that bastard Yang Song, he was sent right back to square one!

Wan Hongbing hated Yang Song's guts.

Though he was filled with immense regret, he had no choice but to accept his fate.

He'd been caught red-handed by Secretary Yang. How could he deny it? How could he dare utter a single word of protest?

Finally, Yang Wenqing's gaze fell on Yang Song.

"Yang Song, you have some nerve, instigating Wan Hongbing to falsify evidence to deceive me! For this, you must be punished. Your rank is also demoted to Level-Two Clerk, and you will also receive a major demerit. Of course, your eligibility for any awards is also revoked! Furthermore, don't even think about getting a single cent of your bonus this year!

"Finally, the Secretariat Division is no longer a suitable place for you. Isn't the Jigong River Hydroelectric Station short-staffed? You'll be transferred to work there. As for your specific duties, the new Station Chief will assign them once their appointment is official."

What a brilliant move. She was making Yang Song Qin Shou's subordinate!

She had punished Yang Song while simultaneously planting a ticking time bomb for Qin Shou.

When the time came, the two of them would surely be at each other's throats.

Hearing Secretary Yang's decision, Yang Song was completely stunned. He was so dumbfounded that he froze on the spot, petrified.

He was being transferred to the Jigong River Hydroelectric Station... to work under Qin Shou?

How was he supposed to survive?

It was over. He was completely screwed.

---

Proofreader: Peter Pan