Chapter 304 – The deciding vote! (1/2)

Xie Huilan is indifferent to the existing number of votes and played with her teacup on the table. She smiles and looks at Cao Xupeng.

From the start of the meeting, Cao Xupeng has been on Xiang Daofa’s side. Other than giving up his vote once, he had supported all the proposals put up by Secretary Xiang. But when Cao Xupeng saw Xie Huilan looking at him, he said. “… I support Dong Xuebing.” He did not give any explanation for his decision.

Yan Lianshan frowned and took a glanced at Cao Xupeng.

Geng Yuchao was surprised and took a deep breath.

It is four votes against four votes!

Xiang Daofa, Chen Tongbing, Huang Li, and a few others were not surprised by Cao Xupeng’s decision. Before the start of the meeting, Cao Xupeng had told Xiang Daofa that he will be voting for Dong Xuebing because Dong Xuebing had volunteered to replace him as a hostage during the jailbreak case. This is equivalent to saving his life, and he had to repay this favor no matter what. But he is also worried Xiang Daofa will misunderstand his action. That’s why he went to Xiang Daofa before the meeting to tell him about his decision.

Xiang Daofa did not get angry and was glad that Cao Xupeng had told him this before the meeting. If Cao Xupeng had not told him anything about this and voted for Dong Xuebing during the meeting, he will be mad.

Xiang Daofa had a faint smile on his face and was unfazed with Cao Xupeng’s vote.

Everything is still under his control.

Lian Yanshan and Geng Yuchao remembered some rumors and understood why Cao Xupeng supported Dong Xuebing. He was not supporting Xie Huilan and had voted for Dong Xuebing because he owes Dong Xuebing a favor.

Geng Yuchao suddenly felt his side might have the chance to turn the tides around!

Cheng Tongbing, Yang Tao, and the rest were not worried at all. Cao Xupeng’s decision will not change anything except giving Xie Huilan’s side one more vote. Nothing will change. Duan Zhengan, Director Xiong, and their votes will add up to six votes, and it’s more than half of the eleven votes.

It suddenly becomes tense for a while after Secretary Cao voted for Dong Xuebing, but it was only for a while.

The room was silent for a few seconds after Cao Xupeng vote.

Xie Huilan suddenly made an expected move. She looks at the Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, Duan Zhengan, and smiled. “Secretary Duan, what about you?”

Lian Yanshan, Chen Tongbing, and the rest were stunned. The way Xie Huilan asks this question is weird.

Geng Yuchao and Huang Li exchanged looks and don’t understand why Mayor Xie is asking someone from the Xiang’s Faction.

No one expected Duan Zhengan to switch sides too!

Geng Yuchao, Yang Tao, and the rest were speechless.

Xiang Daofa frowned and stared at Duan Zhengan angrily. Duan Zhengan had not discussed this with him about this, but he had heard rumors that the child Dong Xuebing saved at Fen Zhou City’s zoo is related to Duan Zhengan. Xiang Daofa thought nothing about it, and as he does not believe the rumors. But from Duan Zhengan’s decision, the rumor should be true.

What is Old Duan doing?!

Xiang Daofa is not angry with Duan Zhengan voting for Dong Xuebing. He is angry with him because Duan Zhengan had not informed him before the meeting.

At this time, Lian Yanshan, Chen Tongbing, and the rest remembered about the rumor they heard about the Wildlife Safari Zoo and understood why Duan Zhengan voted for Dong Xuebing. Some of the Committee Members’ faces changed and knew things are not looking good for them.

Geng Yuchao’s heart is racing.

Huang Li exchanged looks with Geng Yuchao.

Five votes against four votes!

Geng Yuchao is very excited. He had thought it is a bad decision for Mayor Xie to go against Secretary Xiang now, and she will stand no chance against him. But now, the tides had changed, and they are only one step away from victory. Five vs. four, and with Zhou Pingzhi’s vote, Mayor Xie will get six votes, and it is the majority votes!

We won?!

Geng Yuchao could not believe this is happening.

Huang Li had thought more about Xie Huilan’s actions than Geng Yuchao. He was deeply impressed with her, as he realized Xie Huilan had not brought up a few controversial issues and proposals to see her opponents’ reaction. She had done everything for this appointment issue. She knew from the start that Xiang Daofa controls most of the votes in the Committee, and what’s there to test their reactions? It will only increase her opponents’ morale and make her look bad.

But because of the sensitive issues, Xie Huilan brought up, Cao Xupeng and Duan Zhengan supported Xiang Daofa by voting for him and had made enough contributions. That’s why when it comes to the appointment of the Chief of the Investment Promotion Agency, they were not pressured to vote for Dong Xuebing. If Mayor Xie did nothing and brought up the issue of Dong Xuebing’s appointment, Cao Xupeng and Duan Zhengan might not support Dong Xuebing because of Xiang Daofa. Xie Huilan had provided them a platform to minimize their pressure to vote for Dong Xuebing.

What a grand strategy!

All this while, Xie Huilan had placed her bets on the last issue!

Five votes vs. four votes! Xie Huilan’s Faction can be declared the winner!

On the other hand, Lian Yanshan and Chen Tongbing were shocked. They had belittled Xie Huilan all this while and did not expect her to be so cunning.