C4 Crossing Hurdles Expert

Yu Hai was pleased with the outcome of his visit, particularly impressed by Xue Lang's conduct.

After Lee Wenming had spoken, he set the tone, "Xue, in light of your selfless act of heroism, the leadership has decided to award you generously. Such actions must be celebrated and encouraged. Please, share with us the details of the incident so we can all understand what transpired."

No sooner had Yu Hai finished than Deputy Director Lee Shuwu chimed in, "Right, Xue, could you walk us through what happened? Was anyone else there? Make sure to include everyone involved."

Xue Lang was unfamiliar with Lee Shuwu, but he caught a suggestive look in his eyes. Following his gaze, Xue Lang was taken aback to spot a familiar face—none other than Young Master Hao.

It dawned on Xue Lang that Lee Shuwu was likely aligned with the previous director and was subtly prompting him to bring up Hao Jianhua.

Well, well, just the person I was looking for!

With an inward scoff, Xue Lang maintained his composure and began, "My area was adjacent to Cui Ying's forest belt. I was clearing the forest when, out of nowhere, the bear appeared. I'm not sure how or from where, but I owe thanks to someone whose timely intervention helped avert a tragedy."

The room was abuzz with the revelation that someone else had a hand in the rescue. Everyone's gaze fixed on Xue Lang; they were all spread out by forty or fifty meters in the forest, and those farther away had been oblivious to the unfolding events. They had scattered at the sight of the bear, and those who hadn't seen it had been deterred by its roars. Xue Lang was about to recount the events as they had happened.

With the room's attention riveted on him, Xue Lang continued evenly, "The person I'm referring to is Hao Jianhua from the Materials Department."

A collective "Oh..." rippled through the crowd as they shifted their gaze to Hao Jianhua, who was standing at the back, clearly not expecting to be part of the narrative.

Caught off guard by the mention, Hao Jianhua felt a surge of relief, suspecting that Ye Si had managed to sway this stubborn young man in his favor.

As all eyes turned to him, Hao Jianhua responded with feigned modesty, "Truthfully, I didn't do much—just what was expected of me. We're all colleagues, after all."

Yu Hai glanced over, giving a nod of acknowledgment but remained silent. He then turned back to Xue Lang, gesturing for him to carry on.

Lee Shuwu pulled out a notebook and subtly commended Xue Lang, gesturing for him to go on.

As all eyes shifted to him, Xue Lang resumed his story, "I was wearing a cotton hat at the time, which affected my hearing. I was busy working when suddenly, a figure dashed by not too far from me. Startled, I looked up to see this person moving with incredible speed, leaping through the snow as if flying, effortlessly clearing a stretch of woods over a meter wide and half a meter tall."

Hao Jianhua felt a sense of foreboding as Xue Lang spoke. The rest, not quite grasping the significance, listened intently, some even taking notes.

Without pausing, Xue Lang went on, "I recognized him—it was Hao Jianhua. I thought maybe a wolf was chasing him. Instinctively, I looked back in the direction he'd come from and saw Cui Ying being tackled by a bear. In shock, I grabbed an axe and charged in, ending up in a scuffle with the bear. That's how it all went down."

Lee Shuwu, having missed the part about Hao Jianhua and oblivious to his beet-red face behind him, quickly interjected as Xue Lang finished, "Xue, what exactly did Hao Jianhua do then?"

With a glance and a smile, Xue Lang replied, "Hao Jianhua? He took off running, hurdling with impressive speed."

Before Xue Lang could even finish, the ward erupted in stifled laughter as everyone turned to stare at Hao Jianhua. Their looks said it all, even to the most oblivious.

If there had been a hole in the ground, Hao Jianhua would have dived right in. But he was stuck—unable to run or speak, standing there, his face the color of a liver, brain frozen.

In the ensuing silence, Lee Shuwu shot Xue Lang a stern look and closed his notebook.

Lee Wenming hadn't expected Xue Lang to be so blunt and worried about the fallout, though he found himself speechless.

Lee Chunjiang, ever the sage, gave Xue Lang a regretful shake of his head.

Yu Hai glanced at the mortified Hao Jianhua, then meaningfully at Lee Shuwu, before turning back and commenting, "It's commendable to speak the truth. It looks like you were right—we really should thank Hao Jianhua. He played his part, using his speed to alert you to the danger nearby."

Xue Lang refrained from mentioning that he had witnessed Hao Jianhua drawing out the bear and, in a desperate bid to escape, pushing down Cui Ying. Noticing the director's evident revulsion, he calmly affirmed, "Indeed, that's the case."

The tension in the room was palpable; no one dared to crack a smile, despite the discomfort. They all maintained stoic expressions, resembling meditating monks. Hao Jianhua alone wished for the impossible—a wall-piercing or tunneling escape—as his mind buzzed with a deafening silence.

Yu Hai cast another glance at Xue Lang, his suspicions now taking shape.

With years of political savvy and nearing fifty, Yu Hai knew all too well the implications of keeping someone who openly challenged authority close—it was akin to harboring a live bomb.

After a brief pause, Yu Hai addressed the room, "Xue's selfless act of bravery deserves significant recognition. Section Chief Lee, look into any issues Xue might be facing and take care of them. His attendance record should not suffer during his hospital stay, and ensure the medical expenses are fully covered by the finance department—no exceptions."

Lee Wenming responded with a nod, "Understood, Director."

Turning to Xue Lang, Yu Hai offered a reassuring tone, "Xue, focus on your recovery and don't rush back to work. Your health is the priority."

Xue Lang noted Yu Hai's shift in demeanor but remained indifferent. Sensing the director was ready to leave, he expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Chair Yu, for taking the time to visit despite your busy schedule, and to the leadership team for your support."

Lee Shuwu, though internally fuming, held his tongue. As Xue Lang concluded, he interjected, "Director, the hospital called at dawn, requesting that we provide two caregivers to assist with Xue Lang's needs."

Yu Hai, eager to depart, instructed without looking back, "Handle it, Lee. Check which departments can spare someone now and assign two men."

Without waiting for a response, he directed his attention to Lee Wenming, "Section Chief Lee, you're in charge of Xue's case. Whatever is needed, I'll authorize it with my signature."

Lee Wenming nodded in agreement and cast a glance at the deputy director, a plan already forming in his mind.

Lee Shuwu was momentarily taken aback before shooting a fierce glare at Hao Jianhua. He turned back to address Xue, "You know, Chair Yu is incredibly busy with a lot of work to handle, yet he made time to visit you. You should be grateful."

Yu Hai found his exit cue, nodded, and with a smile, advised Xue to take good care of himself before heading out of the ward.

As everyone dispersed, Lee Chunjiang breathed a sigh of relief. He had been genuinely worried that Xue Lang might inadvertently reveal the incident with the meat. With the room emptying, he courteously added, "Rest up and heal well."

Not waiting for Xue Lang's response, he quickly rose to catch up with the departing group.

Once the room was clear, Hao Jianhua stood motionless for a full two minutes before he finally shuffled out, looking utterly lost.

He couldn't even bring himself to look at Xue Lang—not out of fear, but from an inability to face what he might do. Yet, he knew he couldn't do anything rash, especially with the leadership team having visited Xue Lang.

Little did he know that all would be revealed.

Xue Lang's earlier admission of his timidity was human nature—something that could be laughed off without much consequence. But as Hao Jianhua left Xue Lang's ward, Lee Wenming was already with Cui Ying.

Cui Ying despised Hao Jianhua. If he hadn't gone to her forest to impress her, hadn't chosen to cut the frozen mushrooms from that solitary, withered tree—awakening the hibernating bear—none of this would have happened. It was his panicked rush toward her, his pushing her down, that led to her being pinned by the bear, trapped beneath its weight.

The terror and hopelessness of that moment, when she was sure she was going to die, were still fresh. Yet, in the haze before passing out, she heard Xue Lang's cries and saw him charging to her rescue. His image was etched in her mind—so vivid, so towering.

In the hospital room, her closest friends were seething with rage, teeth clenched in fury. Lee Wenming was equally taken aback; he hadn't anticipated such a turn of events.

As a section chief with little ambition, Lee couldn't openly comment, but he gleaned insights from Yu Hai's account. He meticulously documented the details and had Cui Ying sign off on them. Then he cautioned, "Cui Ying, and all of you, keep today's conversation to yourselves, got it?"

The girl with the baby fat was incensed. "Why should we keep quiet? Why coddle that jerk?"

"Exactly! He's the one who should have been taken down by the bear. Cui Ying's ribs were broken because of his actions!"

"He shouldn't get off scot-free!"

Lee Wenming massaged his temples as he regarded the exasperated gas station attendants. With a resigned shake of his head, he left without further comment, after offering Cui Ying a few parting words of advice, and made a beeline for Xue Lang's hospital room.

He arrived shortly after Hao Jianhua had left. Xue Lang was pondering over whether to eat the fruit brought by the leaders right away or wait for the nurse to remove his IV and wash them first. That's when Section Chief Lee entered.

Without beating around the bush, Lee relayed Cui Ying's account succinctly and then probed, "Xue Lang, about what you said earlier in front of the director—I get the impression you were just trying to irk Hao Jianhua. Did you witness the whole incident?"

Xue Lang fell silent, considering his next move. He felt confident in handling Hao Jianhua on his own, without resorting to any underhanded tactics.

However, Cui Ying had already spoken up, and if Xue Lang remained silent, it could lead to accusations of slander against her. Cui Ying's family certainly couldn't hold a candle to the Hao family's connections—Hao Jianhua's father had been the head of the grain depot, after all.

After a moment's reflection, Xue Lang recounted the entire ordeal—from hearing the bear's growl and looking in its direction, to seeing it emerge from the hollow of the dead tree, to witnessing Hao Jianhua's panicked flight, to the moment Hao Jianhua reached Cui Ying and pushed her to the ground in his terror, and finally, to the bear knocking down Cui Ying as she tried to get up, and Xue Lang himself charging at the bear with an axe in hand.

Having completed his notes and cross-checked the details, Lee Wenming realized that both parties were essentially recounting the same story, with the sole omission of Hao Jianhua chopping the frozen mushrooms.

Alright then...

After securing Xue Lang's signature, Lee Wenming closed his notebook, ready to pass the buck to the director to determine if this was the pretext he had been looking for...