Approximately an hour later, there was a knock on the door from Xia Gang. Inside, Zhou Chaoguo stood up before Xia Gang could come in, "Secretary, you have a busy schedule, so I won't disturb you further. Later, I will head straight back to Yizhou City and definitely address the matter in Shuǐshān County with utmost seriousness. I'll muster the elite and handle the investigation thoroughly to present a satisfactory result to the organization."
"Secretary, it's almost eight o'clock," Xia Gang entered and, following the old routine, mentioned the time. He didn't specify what the matter was about.
This gave some leeway when dealing with certain unperceptive officials. At eight o'clock, one could say there's a social engagement, an activity, or some other business—a host of possible excuses. Of course, such obtuse officials were not common. Zhou Chaoguo certainly knew how things worked.
