[Adult City] Lonely Officialdom (Final Chapter) - 4

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Romantic

Journey for Two Running out of the lobby and out of the Phoenix Tower, as if by unspoken agreement, the two didn't go to the parking lot. Instead, they jogged to a nearby leisure square. Seeing a quiet patch of grass, exhausted from running, they collapsed onto the grass, glanced at each other, and then burst into laughter. They lay side-by-side , gazing at the distant stars.

"Little girl, you've got some skills!" Zhang Bing felt he hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time, as if he had returned to his student days, to that innocent time when men and women only dared to hold hands, lying on the grass counting stars and talking about their dreams—what a romantic era! Unfortunately, that was gone forever. He had been with several women, and it was all coffee, candlelight, roses, and then straight to bed. He rarely felt that lingering, hesitant feeling of even touching hands. But

in this moment, he felt it. "Brother Zhang Bing, was it fun?" Ma Pei ignored his question. She was happy. For a moment, she felt they were true lovers, possessing the purest and most romantic love in the world—this was her pursuit! She liked Zhang Bing, and the more they got to know each other, the more she liked him. She knew she was already deeply in love with her first love, so she longed for a perfect love. However, Zhang Bing was usually very busy, and she could tell that he only doted on her like a younger sister. So she needed to find an opportunity, a chance to make Zhang Bing's heart flutter. Now, she felt she had never had such a good opportunity to express her feelings to the man beside her. She turned her head to look at Zhang Bing's profile, and took his hand. "Brother Bing, we really have great chemistry! Otherwise, we wouldn't have had such a comfortable and romantic moment! We just cooperated perfectly to seriously reject the bad guy's pleas, and then happily ran out to enjoy our own romance. It's so touching!"

Zhang Bing didn't speak. He closed his eyes, still savoring this boundless romance in his mind. He suddenly realized that deep down, he really pursued this kind of romance, always relentlessly. Perhaps the nickname "Love Saint" came from this pursuit. You see, he was actually very well-behaved during his school years. He kept pursuing girls he liked for the sake of romance, but he never had a relationship with any woman. He lay quietly, savoring the tranquility in his heart within the romance, the comfort that permeated his very bones. He almost wanted to moan with pleasure. This comfort was like the complete relaxation after sex. The soft grass transformed into a gentle bed, and he lay there contentedly, not thinking about anything, yet everything could flash through his mind and flow away. He heard his wife's whispered words, so soft and sweet, gently expressing her love for him, and playfully kissing his lips. But when he tried to catch that fragrance, he couldn't find it. He reached out and embraced her delicate body. It was still so fragrant, still so smooth. Even after his furious thrusting, not a single bead of sweat concealed its beauty. He held this body he loved so dearly, tracing her eyebrows, her eyes, her lips, sliding down her high breasts, feeling the softness of her abdomen, the delicate length of her legs, then stopping at her round, fragrant buttocks, gently caressing them. There was no lust, only the desire to hold this fragrant body here, forever—

Ma Pei, seeing Zhang Bing remain silent several times, thought he was angry. She slowly crawled to his side, as usual, wrapping his arm around her chest, lifting her head to gaze at the man adoringly, wanting to complain about his lack of romantic understanding. After watching for a long time, she realized he wasn't angry at all, but rather enjoying the atmosphere, as if lost in thought, or perhaps asleep. Looking at the smile on his lips, he resembled a little boy, playfully licking his tongue, seemingly savoring something. Ma Pei looked at the man she had only known for less than a week, yet it felt like she had known him for a very long time, perhaps three years? Her father had been talking about him constantly since returning from Beijing, praising his excellence, his loyalty, his gentleness, and his strength. He had planted a seed of youth in her heart. Seeing her friends in pairs filled her with envy, expectation, and pride. She secretly compared her roommates' boyfriends to this man, finding him superior to everyone else. Therefore, she had always adhered to her beliefs, rejecting countless love letters and roses. Even though he wouldn't be back this year, she had already told her family that she would go to Beijing after graduation next year to pursue the man who had lived in her dreams for three years. Finally, they met. He was so gentle, spoke with such confidence, and acted with even more proactive and reliable methods than her father had described. She knew that she was hopelessly in love with him, even though they were six years apart. She didn't care; she couldn't live without him.

Lost in her own thoughts, Ma Pei felt the warmth of his arm, and the pressure of her delicate breasts against it. She could even feel the cherries on her breasts hardening slightly from the heat of his arm. Each movement of his arm sent a shiver through her soul, an indescribable pleasure, so comfortable. Was this the pleasure of physical contact between a man and a woman? Her face was flushed and burning. She longed to offer her lips to this man, her first kiss. Everyone said kissing was wonderful, it must be even more wonderful than this, right? She looked around. There were hardly any people in the winter wilderness. She grew bolder and gently kissed the man's slightly parted lips. The moment their lips met, it felt so good, so trembling. She felt her soul was connected to his. Oh my god, he even stuck his tongue into her mouth? He was awake. He knew she was kissing him? Ma Pei almost jumped up. So ashamed, so incredibly ashamed! She immediately got off him, lay back down beside him, and closed her eyes. She couldn't bear to look at him.

Suddenly, his hand moved, pulling away from her breasts and pulling her into his arms. She froze, unsure of his intentions. She felt both fear and anticipation, but the embrace was comfortable and safe. She knew she didn't want to leave, so despite the intimate position, the close proximity, and his complete placement of her on his body, her full breasts pressed against his chest, one leg draped over his abdomen, and the heat of his growing erection reaching her thigh, she remained still. Her heart pounded, but she didn't struggle to leave, clinging to the beautiful feeling. If he wanted it, she would give it to him; she had already fallen in love with him, and several of her roommates weren't prostitutes. Ma Pei lay on top of the man, her body becoming even more sensitive. She closed her eyes, feeling his hands gently caressing her eyebrows, then her lips, her breasts, her lower abdomen, her thighs. Oh my god, his hands moved incessantly on her shameful buttocks—so stimulating, so comfortable! Ma Pei felt herself succumbing. She felt weak all over, her panties damp and warm, and a stream of moisture welled up from her untouched pubic area. A moan escaped her nostrils involuntarily—

Zhang Bing's hands had been caressing her fragrant buttocks for a long time. He gradually sensed his wife's panting and moaning. He knew she was aroused again. So be it, let him use his spear to explore more of his wife's beauty. He mounted her, but suddenly heard a cry of surprise, and felt his chest being pushed open… Wait, no, that's not his wife's voice?

Zhang Bing jolted awake, realizing he was on top of Ma Pei. Ma Pei clutched her chest in fright, her face flushed with embarrassment as she looked at him. Seeing him open his eyes, she became even more embarrassed, burying her face almost in her breasts. "Brother Bing, not now, it's too cold outside. If you—if you want, let's go—let's go to a hotel?"

Zhang Bing knew what was going on. Damn it, what was this? He almost took advantage of a virgin in his dream, and in the open at that! He was mortified. He couldn't explain himself, so he quickly got up, grabbed Ma Pei's hand, and ran. He was terrified of that romantic, ambiguous scene. They ran all the way to the parking lot, and once they were in the car, Zhang Bing's heart finally calmed down. The brief respite had calmed him considerably. He turned to Ma Pei and smiled apologetically, "Little Pei, I was a bit crazy just now. I'm sorry, don't mind. I'll take you home now, it's late!" He then started the car.

Ma Pei had just finished saying those embarrassing words and was still berating herself for being shameless when Zhang Bing pulled her up and ran towards the car. She thought Zhang Bing was in a rush of desire and couldn't wait to take her to a hotel, feeling both excited and disappointed, but then she heard this. Forgetting her embarrassment, she looked up at Bing-gege with a puzzled expression. He was expressionless, even somewhat serious. It seemed he was telling the truth. Was he angry because she had rejected him earlier? She panicked and stammered, "Bing-gege, I really didn't mean to—reject—you, it was just too cold there, and—and there were people walking by!"

Zhang Bing hadn't expected this girl to actually fall in love with him, willing to give herself to him, seemingly reckless. He felt a pang of fear; he already had too many women, and he didn't have much feeling for her yet. Besides, she was a student, and the county magistrate's daughter—sleeping with her would cause serious trouble. He quickly explained, "Xiao Pei, you misunderstood. What happened just now was my fault. You might not believe it, but I was dreaming, so I unknowingly violated you. I've always thought of you as a younger sister; I'm truly sorry!"

A younger sister? No way! Ma Pei was completely awake now. She knew he had always treated her like a younger sister, never noticing her deep affection. Since he was back in this state, whatever the reason—whether it was to cover up or anger at her earlier lack of cooperation—none of it mattered anymore. What mattered was making this man fall in love with her, accept her love, and tonight was the perfect opportunity. Tomorrow he would definitely go home to talk to his father about work and say goodbye, and the day after tomorrow he would return home. So tonight she had to take action to express her love; otherwise, what if such an excellent man was snatched away by someone else after he returned to his hometown? She was a little anxious because she hadn't seized the opportunity to confess her feelings earlier. Even if it meant sacrificing herself, as long as she could keep his heart, she would be satisfied. Ma Pei's mind was stuck in a rut, focused solely on how to express her love to Brother Bing. She knew that a direct confession wouldn't work; she had to seduce him under certain conditions. Then, an idea struck her.

"Brother Bing, could you take me back to school to change my clothes? My clothes are dirty from lying on the ground, and I'll get scolded when I get back." This request was reasonable, and Zhang Bing had no choice but to agree.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Ma Pei's Confession .

After parking the car at the school gate, Ma Pei took Zhang Bing's arm and walked towards the dormitory. She didn't want him to drive the car in. Firstly, she liked strolling with Zhang Bing in the quiet campus, like other couples, so she decided to take a longer route; secondly, she needed to secretly check if anyone was in the dormitory. She needed a private place just for the two of them to express her feelings. Finally, she confirmed that no one was in the dormitory. After a stroll like a couple, Brother Bing seemed to have regained some of his romantic feelings, and his gaze towards her held a hint of girlfriend affection before he led Zhang Bing into the dormitory.

The little girl wasn't mistaken. Zhang Bing returned to the university campus, and memories flooded his mind again. Because of his family's poverty, he hadn't had a girlfriend during his university years, which he always regretted. Now, Ma Pei was walking with him on a shady path covered with fallen maple leaves. Feeling the fullness of the girl's body against his arm, the romance from the grass seemed to return. The person beside him seemed to be the wife he had been waiting for. Perhaps this girl really would become his wife? That seemed like something everyone would be happy to see—young, beautiful, from a good family, deeply devoted to him, and able to help him in his career! Maybe, it all depends on fate!

The pink-decorated dormitory was filled with the romance and warmth of a girl. There were four beds, and the room was filled with a girlish fragrance, making you feel very comfortable. Ma Pei pulled him to a bed by the window and sat down next to him. "Brother Bing, this is my bed. What do you think?"

Zhang Bing looked around and could tell that the little girl was very clean. The bed was spotless. There was a big teddy bear on the bedside table, with glasses over its bulging panda eyes. It was probably the little girl's handiwork. There was a pair of cute little dog patterns embroidered on the pillow. Judging from the neat handwriting, could the little girl have embroidered them herself? He looked at Ma Pei with a questioning gaze, "Did you embroider this yourself?"

He thought she would be embarrassed because her technique wasn't very good, but to his surprise, she was very proud, "Yes, isn't it beautiful? I'm the best embroiderer in our dorm, hehe!" Seeing that she didn't receive the praise she expected, she shook Zhang Bing's arm, "Brother Bing, praise me! It wasn't easy for me to embroider this. The needle pricked my fingers many times, and I bled a lot!"

When they entered the room, they both took off their coats, wearing only their warm underwear. The fullness of her breasts was much clearer now, and he could even feel the small bumps. Zhang Bing felt overwhelmed. "Alright, hurry up and change your clothes. I still need to take you home. Little girl, you always want to be praised!"

Actually, Zhang Bing didn't mean anything by it; he just said it casually. But Ma Pei reacted very strongly: "Little girl, little girl, where am I small? Look!" After saying that, she stood up, spun around to show Zhang Bing her perfect figure, and finally puffed out her chest, bringing her high breasts close to Zhang Bing's eyes.

Seeing the ample bosom within reach, Zhang Bing was dumbfounded. Ma Pei was wearing a black, warm bra and a pair of tight-fitting leggings, which hugged her exquisite, elegant body, making one's breath catch. Her body was very slender, her waist so thin it could be encircled by a single hand, but her breasts were so full and firm they seemed about to burst out of her clothes. Zhang Bing judged them to be no less than Zhang Qingyun's. Such a slender woman possessed such proud, perfect breasts that showed no signs of sagging. The strong visual contrast made Zhang Bing feel a surge of lust and his mouth water. Seeing him dumbfounded, Ma Pei felt a little shy, but also a little proud. She was very satisfied with her figure, especially her breasts, which were much larger than average and looked extremely alluring under her tight clothes. In the summer, she only dared to wear casual clothes, most afraid of attracting the lewd gazes of men, those gazes were simply consuming her. To seduce her beloved man, she had deliberately taken off her coat and trousers under the pretense, revealing a black, tight-fitting outfit that accentuated her perfect figure. She couldn't believe that Brother Bing wouldn't be tempted; after all, books said men were powerless against beautiful women.

Ma Pei secretly rejoiced at the effect she had created, proving that her beauty was indeed attracting Brother Bing. Suppressing her shyness, she leaned down, supporting herself on Zhang Bing's shoulders, letting her large breasts touch his face. She whispered in his ear, "Brother Bing, isn't Xiao Pei quite big? Isn't she pretty?"

"Pretty!" Zhang Bing was somewhat dazed; the visual impact was too great. He tilted his head back slightly, forcing a wry smile as he tried to avoid the oncoming torrent.

"Then, does Brother Bing like it?" the little girl pressed her advantage.

Zhang Bing could only smile wryly. The question was ambiguous, but if he answered "no," it would mean he didn't like his sister, which would probably cause an immediate rebellion. So he could only back away a little more and reply, "I like her!"

The little girl was quite pleased with herself, not noticing how intimate the position was. Zhang Bing was practically lying on the bed, and she was almost completely on top of him. She looked at the man she loved with deep affection and softly uttered her heartfelt words, "Brother Bing, I like you too, I love you!" Before Zhang Bing could react, her beautiful lips suddenly kissed his.

Oh my god, I was kissed by a woman! Zhang Bing didn't expect this seemingly gentle girl to be so proactive. He tried to back away, but his body was already leaning forward, and he ended up lying directly on the bed. Ma Pei also leaned on top of him, their mouths to mouths, chests to chests, thighs to thighs, and Zhang Bing's hands, which were trying to grab onto something for balance, unintentionally landed on her slender waist. Even through their thin clothes, both could feel a strong tremor in their bodies, a dual tremor of physical and sexual tremor caused by this sudden, intimate contact.

Ma Pei was stunned. This was absolutely not part of her plan. She had only wanted to use the previous scene to express her love, to let her beloved understand her feelings. Although she was willing to offer her body to this man, she was definitely not seducing him. During their embrace in the grass, because of their thick coats, she hadn't felt much of the man's body. But now it was all too clear. Having never been physically intimate with a man before, she was flushed. The man's firm chest gave her a sense of security, and the unique scent emanating from him made her weak. Suddenly, she felt this was the perfect opportunity to further express her feelings. She glanced at the man, wrapped her arms around his neck, and offered her red lips again.

Like lightning striking fire, Zhang Bing was no longer a novice; he was extremely familiar with women's bodies and had absolutely no resistance to such intense temptation. Seeing those soft, red lips groping haphazardly within him, he could no longer restrain himself. He hooked his arms around her neck and pressed his thick lips against hers, guiding this inexperienced girl slowly into a paradise of pleasure. Their lips met, and Zhang Bing tentatively pried open Ma Pei's teeth with his tongue, gently slipping inside. After countless collisions, he entwined his tongue with her smooth, moist tongue, slowly sucking and swallowing, constantly gulping down her sweet saliva. He would occasionally rotate his tongue gently in her mouth, stimulating her sensitive spots, slowly guiding this inexperienced girl to savor the pleasures of kissing. His hands also became restless. Since this girl wanted him to compare the size of her breasts, he naturally wouldn't hold back. He quietly slipped his hand under her clothes, gently stroking her soft waist. Once she was comfortable and felt comfortable, he slowly moved upwards, gently caressing her smooth back. Then, his large hand moved to her firm breasts, slipping inside her bra. Her breasts, never touched by a man before, were incredibly firm. He had never felt such firm and large breasts before, and he couldn't help but squeeze them hard.

"Ah!" Ma Pei's face and body trembled. She abruptly withdrew from their intertwined lips and tongue, pressing her small hand to her breasts that Zhang Bing had violated. "Brother Bing, be gentle, it hurts!" The pain and the pleasure of being violated made her voice tremble violently, like a frightened little rabbit. Her lack of experience was easily discernible.

Startled by the voice, Zhang Bing's mind cleared somewhat. He had been about to seduce County Magistrate Ma's daughter, a young virgin. Although she and her family were happy to see this kind of relationship, premature actions were probably forbidden, as evidenced by Ma Pei's strict upbringing. Therefore, it was inappropriate for him to have a relationship with her now. Putting aside her status as a student, just considering the feelings involved, did he love her? Did he intend to have a long-term relationship with her, or even marry her? He had already chosen a career path in government, and his relationship with County Magistrate Ma would become increasingly close. Would seduce her daughter now be beneficial to his future? The more Zhang Bing thought about it, the more confused he became, and the more cold sweat he broke out in. It seemed that all the answers were negative, or at least uncertain! Yet, he had foolishly almost slept with a young girl twice in one night! He stood there, one hand still lingering on her towering, firm breasts, at a loss—after a long while, seeing Ma Pei's uneasy expression, he pulled his wandering hand away, straightened her clothes, sat up, hugged Ma Pei, gently kissed her, and looked into the girl's eyes, "Xiao Pei, I understand your feelings for me, thank you for your affection for your brother! I promise you, let's date first and develop our relationship slowly, okay? After all, we haven't known each other for very long, and I've always thought of you as a little sister." He had just figured out the girl's feelings, so his tone was very gentle, and he was negotiating with her.

The girl suddenly threw herself into her brother's arms and burst into tears. "Brother Bing, I really love you so much! I'm willing to give you everything! Ever since Dad came back from Beijing, your image has been etched in my heart from her daily praise of you. I secretly compared you to other boys and found that they were all inferior to you. So even though we've only been officially dating for a week, it feels like a very long time. It's just that this week I witnessed your excellence firsthand, which made me like you even more!" The girl paused, then shyly looked up at her brother. "Brother Bing, you won't laugh at Xiao Pei's naivety, will you?"

Zhang Bing looked lovingly at her beautiful face, which was streaked with tears, and felt his heart melting. He gently wiped away the tears from her face. "Good girl, don't cry anymore. If you cry again, your brother will be sad. Your brother won't laugh at you; he's only touched. Thank you, Xiao Pei, for your love!"

"Then I will wait for you, brother! I will wait for you to fall in love with me! I want to be your best, most beautiful, and most comfortable girlfriend!" The little girl knew she had won today. She was confident she could conquer this outstanding man, as long as he gave her a chance.

"Yes, brother also hopes to fall in love with you soon!" Zhang Bing smiled lewdly at her, casually squeezing her wonderfully soft breasts. "They're so big, they feel so good to touch!"

The girl wasn't intimidated by Zhang Bing's lecherous appearance. She puffed out her chest and bravely placed her brother's hand on her breasts. "Brother, you can touch me anytime you want, Xiao Pei is very willing, even if it's my body!" Then she paused and added, "My body is only for brother to touch! It feels so good when brother touches Xiao Pei! I like it very much!"

Zhang Bing felt a surge of heat rush to his lower abdomen from these aphrodisiac words, and his little brother instantly became erect. Fortunately, this... It was getting late, and he only lingered for a few moments, lightly touching the girl's breasts before forcibly stopping. He pushed her up, saying, "Okay, Xiao Pei, go change your clothes. It's getting late, your family will worry, and I'll get scolded, hehe!"

The girl obediently went to the wardrobe to find clothes, quickly finding two sets for Zhang Bing to choose from. After deciding on one, she blushed and started to take off her tight underwear to change, completely disregarding Zhang Bing. Zhang Bing was terrified and quickly ran over to stop her, putting down the clothes she was halfway off. "Xiao Pei, be good, don't change in front of your brother. Go to the bathroom to change."

"No! I've said it before, Xiao Pei's body will always belong to you alone, brother. What's wrong with looking? I trust you!"

The girl insisted on her belief. She wasn't trying to seduce Zhang Bing again; she just didn't want to hide anything from the man she loved. Her body and soul belonged entirely to him.

"No! I know Xiao Pei trusts me and likes me, but I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself. Xiao Pei is just too beautiful; it would make me get a nosebleed." Zhang Bing half-jokingly pushed her into the bathroom. He really couldn't stand this girl's enthusiasm. Damn it, he was going to have a three-hundred-round battle with Qing'er as soon as he got home that night. He felt like he was about to suffocate from being seduced by her. He deliberately turned on the TV to avoid listening to the rustling sounds of changing clothes inside; it was torture.

A moment later, the door opened, and the girl's head peeked out. Seeing Zhang Bing turn around to face the door, she smiled mischievously, then suddenly ran out wearing only a bra and panties. She ran up to Zhang Bing, hugged him tightly, and kissed him. Then, to Zhang Bing's astonishment, she spun around and whispered in his ear, "I'm going to seduce you, brother. Am I pretty?" Before he could react, she ran back into the bathroom and closed the door, leaving Zhang Bing with a bloodshot nose and a mess of eyes: Damn it, she's too tempting! If she dares to come out and seduce me like that again, I'll just push her down without a second thought!

This time, Ma Pei didn't cause any trouble. She obediently changed her clothes and came out, keeping a distance from the man whose eyes were red from her provocation. She put on her coat before walking over. "Brother, am I pretty? See if someone still calls me 'little girl'?" Then she tilted her head defiantly.

By the time Zhang Bing took her home, it was already 11 o'clock. This time, the little girl didn't force her brother Zhang Bing to take her inside. She just kissed him on the cheek, then pouted and waited for something without saying a word. Only after Zhang Bing realized he had kissed her lips did she blush and jump out of the car, wave goodbye, and happily skip home. Zhang Bing drove back quickly; he needed to find Zhang Qingyun to put out the fire. That night, he and Qing'er made love three more times, until both of them were exhausted and fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Education

Song Xue'er was very annoyed and angry lately. She was annoyed because of work problems; news had it that a woman in the village who was a "professional father of more than one child" was pregnant again—her fifth pregnancy. Because all her previous children were daughters, she insisted on having a son, refusing to give up until she had one. The man in the family was incredibly stubborn; to have more children, he had sold their house and was living with friends with his wife and elderly parents. Now, the town, strictly enforcing family planning, had called specifically to name the family, forbidding them from having any more children. Xue'er had tried several times to persuade the woman to have an abortion, but to no avail. The man even said, "If I don't have a son to carry on the family line, I'll have no one to rely on when I die. The government might as well kill me now." Xue'er was also angry at Zhang Bing; he completely disregarded her. Last time he came back from town after writing some documents, she had dressed up specially, only to find that Zhang Bing... He didn't even glance at her, just kept discussing work with her, completely oblivious to her feelings. And that wasn't all; after the meeting, she vaguely hinted that she wanted to talk to him about some personal matters and invited him to her home for dinner, but he flatly refused, saying he'd talk about it after work. Now he's gone to the county, and she's only received two phone calls, both only about work, without a single attempt to ask how she was doing. This morning, she finally mustered the courage to call him, ostensibly asking him to help buy some clothes in the county town, but actually hinting that he should try to win her over, but he still refused, saying he was too busy and worried the clothes wouldn't suit him. What a jerk! Then why does he have time to play with that little girl named Feifei? Wait, Feifei seems to be the daughter of that sleazy person in the Party and Government Office. Could he have fallen for that woman? This is a big problem. There seemed to be rumors about this a few days ago, but she hadn't paid attention and didn't know the details. It seems she needs to investigate further. That woman doesn't look like a good woman; she can't let Zhang Bing be ruined by her.

But as annoyed and angry as she is, she still has to do her work. Yesterday, Zhang Bing called to say the plan would be finished today, and the county promised that as long as there was investment, the county's matching funds would be allocated according to plan. Hearing this good news, the old Party Secretary couldn't sit still. This morning, he went to the reservoir alone to check the surrounding situation and to understand the difficulties that might arise during the development process, so as to be prepared in advance. She had to stay in the office. Fortunately, the family planning statistics for several groups hadn't been completed yet, so she could take advantage of the situation to finish them quickly, as the town government had urged her several times. Xue'er was absentmindedly compiling the reports while thinking about how to make Zhang Bing look bad and make him leave that **** person's side. Her reason was that she didn't want her comrades to go astray, but what was she really thinking?

Zhang Bing was really busy today. County Chief Ma called early in the morning, asking him to speed up the progress and finish the data compilation work for the plan this morning. He wanted to hear the work reports from the three of them this afternoon. This disrupted their original work plan, leaving the three of them no choice but to work at full speed, hastily completing the data compilation for the Highway Bureau's highway construction this year before rushing back to the hotel to work on the materials. They even had a rare lunch of fast food, something Section Chief Xu hadn't eaten in years, but unexpectedly, he had to indulge in something different for Zhang Bing's sake, making Zhang Bing quite embarrassed. However, they managed to finish the work before the county head's deadline.

At 3 PM, the three of them entered County Head Ma's office on time. After reviewing the completed materials, County Head Ma casually asked Director Ma and Section Chief Xu some questions, expressing his appreciation for their work and thanking them for their cooperation and support of Zhang Bing's work. The two, understanding the rules of officialdom, immediately got up to leave.

"Xiao Bing, you must have been working very hard these past few days?" After the others left, County Head Ma personally made Zhang Bing a cup of tea and sat down next to him, having high hopes for this young man.

"County Head Ma, I've received a lot of your care these past few days. The work has gone very smoothly; it's not hard at all!" Zhang Bing was as polite as ever.

“Xiao Bing, how should I put it? Are you wondering why I kept you behind to talk to you alone? And let me tell you, I've canceled all my other plans for this afternoon!” The county magistrate gradually became serious and sat down in his office chair, facing Zhang Bing.

Zhang Bing was also puzzled. He shook his head and looked at the magistrate.

“You know I have high expectations for you, and I've heard that my daughter really likes you. Of course, I don't interfere in your young people's affairs, but in short, I hope you have a better future, and I will provide you with the greatest support!” The magistrate paused after speaking, looking at Zhang Bing who was still confused. “Looking at your expression now, I feel even more that it was necessary to talk to you this afternoon!” The magistrate took a sip of water, got up, and slowly paced back and forth in his office two or three times before looking at Zhang Bing. “Do you think you understand the officialdom? Are you truly prepared to navigate it?” He waved his hand. “No! Young man, I already talked to you about this at home last time…” "There are some rules of officialdom, but I've noticed you haven't taken them to heart or applied them!"

Seeing Zhang Bing open his mouth to argue, County Chief Ma waved his hand to stop him. "Don't argue. I don't need you to explain these things today. Whether as your elder or as Ma Pei's father, I'm here to give you some pointers. So I hope you'll remember what I'm saying today, think about it more often, and absorb and apply it. Of course, these are private words and absolutely cannot be uttered. You must understand this; you can't tell anyone! These words should have been said at home, but Director Liu has arranged a social dinner for you tonight, and you're to bring Ma Pei, so I had to say them in the office beforehand."

"Let's start by talking about your strengths: sincerity, reliability, caring for others, loyalty to friends, strong independent thinking, and excellent organizational and analytical skills. These are all conclusions I've drawn from my years of experience interacting with you. Of course, loyalty might not be a virtue, but it's necessary in officialdom, provided you're on the right side. There may be many opportunists in officialdom, but they certainly won't rise to a higher level. Your kindness is a strength in ordinary times, but in officialdom, it's a weakness. 'Kindness is often taken advantage of,' as the old saying goes. Kindness is the worst enemy in officialdom. If you don't completely destroy someone, it's a life-or-death struggle. As long as they're alive, they'll definitely use more methods to retaliate. There's no such thing as the 'grateful' ending you find in novels where someone is spared." "This is the same principle I told you last time about being good at highlighting your achievements. Think about it carefully! And here are some of your biggest shortcomings, which I've observed over this period: stubbornness, immature social skills, inflexibility, carelessness in your lifestyle, and most importantly, you only know how to bury yourself in hard work, but you don't know how to leverage influence or utilize resources, and you don't know how to cultivate relationships with leaders." The county head gave him a stern look. "I just emphasized that I'm helping you today as an elder, so don't worry or argue. I'll analyze it for you slowly. In officialdom, it's about knowing when to stop. Today I've completely laid everything bare, violating the rules of officialdom. Listen carefully, because no one will ever teach you like this again, except for family and friends. Even the best leaders wouldn't treat you like this."

"Let's look at some recent events to help you understand better. First, you haven't taken sides or deliberately cultivated relationships with leaders. Everyone in Changxiang County knows you're one of my people, and you probably think so yourself, but you've never expressed your loyalty to me, right? Maybe you think it's just a formality, something embarrassing to do, and that it's fine as long as you know it in your heart, right? But have you considered that the officialdom is fickle? If you don't express your stance, how will others know your loyalty? What is a leader? A leader is someone who gets what they deserve, so every leader needs a team of subordinates to support them. Therefore, leaders must also reciprocate the support of these subordinates, giving them more benefits than others. Factions in officialdom are very obvious; it's difficult to survive and thrive without aligning yourself with the right people." "You think that good ability will lead to promotion. Besides, regarding networking with leaders, we've known each other for years, and I'm the one who brought you back to develop your career. But look at yourself, all you did after coming back was give me a phone call, and you only come to me when you have difficulties, right? Others are afraid of not finding connections, but you have connections and don't cultivate them, you need me to arrange things for you: I had Ma Pei tell you that my family has a lot of influence, but you never went to visit them with Yaya; you know Director Liu, but you never contact him, he always has to come to you, and Yaya said you don't even have his phone number, right? Xiaobing, even the best relationships need constant maintenance. Let me tell you, even with our current good relationship, if you ignore me for six months or a year, I definitely won't talk to you when you come to me again, let alone help you."

"Let's talk about the second point: your interpersonal skills are immature. You've been in the county government office for a week now. How many friends do you think you've made that you can talk to and get help from? I've observed that you haven't even gotten along well with Director Ma and Section Chief Xu, who work with you. Your relationship is just so-so. This isn't normal. If any official who has no vested interests with them had been here for a week, they would definitely have made some connections and established some interest groups, instead of achieving nothing like you! Moreover, you've offended some people. The rumors prove that you leaked your future plans, which is why someone wants to ruin your reputation. Of course, this incident also shows that you're not careful about your personal conduct. I know the rumors are false, but the fact that someone fabricated rumors based on half-truths shows that you weren't careful. In officialdom, the temptations of money and women are frequent, and many times you have to play along, but you must never give anyone a handle to use against you. You must remember that."

"Third, leveraging influence is crucial! For example, when you first arrived, I deliberately showed you how much I valued you in front of Director Ma and the others, even personally escorting you to the door. This was to let you leverage that influence. Without me saying much, these actions would be spread throughout the entire organization by Director Ma and the office staff, making things easier for you. That, in your case, is leveraging influence. As a subordinate, you must learn to leverage influence, to borrow the prestige of your superiors. Remember, in officialdom, people don't easily offend others. Unless someone has completely figured out your hand, they won't act rashly. Even if they hate you to the core, they'll wait until they're absolutely certain of victory; otherwise, they'll just be polite and vague. But judging from your actions, you haven't learned to leverage influence, and your hand has been easily figured out."

"Fourth, flexibility. This includes flexibility in language and action. Take the incident with Young Master Zhu, for example. When rescuing your friend, it's understandable that our girl acted without thinking, but you are unforgivable. Could someone who openly assaults people in that kind of place not have connections? Knowing they have connections and still going alone is reckless. Why didn't you plan ahead? Even just telling me where you were would have been. At least if you were taken away, we would know what happened and could have started the rescue. Not for your own sake, but for our girl's." "Isn't that right? When his father came to plead for him, it was the girl who spoke up again. For an official, that's abnormal. I know you might think that Director Liu is her second uncle and has nothing to do with you, but you're wrong. A man shouldn't stand behind a woman, and you should also realize that the girl has always listened to you. We've never considered you an outsider, yet you've consistently excluded yourself. This isn't good for you. Your silence has strained your relationship with the Zhu brothers, which is very wrong. If it were someone else, the relationship might be much better." "

In short, you still haven't transitioned from the work mode of a foreign company employee to the perspective of an official, both in your thinking and actions, understand? I know this takes time, but I can't give you too much time. The enemy won't prepare for you; you need to understand that." After saying this, County Magistrate Ma finished his tea in one gulp. He had done everything he could for this young man. If he still didn't understand, then no matter how much he was trained, his future would be limited. He couldn't blame him. After resting for a while, he continued processing his documents, leaving Zhang Bing to sit quietly and ponder his words.

Half an hour later, Zhang Bing stood up and bowed respectfully to County Chief Ma. "Uncle Ma, thank you for your hard work. I've already grasped some of it and will carefully consider it when I get back. Please rest assured, I will definitely meet your requirements!"

"Hehe, it's not about meeting my requirements. If you still only have a small county chief by now, that's not very impressive! You need to set higher standards for yourself!"

"Yes, I'll remember!"

"Alright, it's getting late. You should hurry up and pick up my daughter. Take good care of her in the future. She cares about you a lot, much more than she does about her old man, haha!" County Chief Ma gave him a meaningful look. When Zhang Bing was almost at the door, he suddenly asked, "I heard you know Vice Governor Li?"

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Old Secretary's Assault

After leaving the county government, before even getting into the car, Zhang Bing received a call from Song Xue'er. Her voice was extremely anxious, almost crying. "Zhang Bing, the old secretary has been assaulted!"

"What happened? Don't worry, tell me slowly."

"I heard there was a conflict with the people from Longwang Village over the development of Hongqi Lake. I don't know the specifics. You need to come back quickly; I don't know what to do. They're currently taking the old Party Secretary to the town hospital!"

Zhang Bing considered for a moment. He couldn't handle the Longwang Village situation, and his return wouldn't help. He needed the town's support. He should listen to Li Huan's opinion. "Wait a moment, I'll call you back later."

Li Huan answered the phone quickly, and she seemed happy to hear it. "You brat, missing your sister? You haven't called at night for days. I really want to beat you up!"

This reminded Zhang Bing of what County Chief Ma had said earlier. It seemed she had indeed neglected her. Li Huan was very important to him, both personally and professionally. But he didn't have time to think about those things now. "Sister Huan, I'm sorry! Have you heard about what happened in our village? I heard our old Party Secretary is injured!"

"You brat, I thought you remembered me, but it turns out you're still bothering me with official business. Don't worry, just stay put. Coming back won't help you. I'll handle everything for you. I'm going to call Chief Huang from the police station now. When you come back tomorrow, I'll have everything sorted out and I'll let you know the results!"

"Thank you, Sister Huan. I'll bring Feifei back tomorrow morning!" After hanging up, Zhang Bing quickly told Song Xue'er to take care of the old secretary. The town had already sent people to handle the matter, and he himself would go to the hospital to see the old secretary tomorrow.

This time, Director Liu took them to a birthday banquet for a member of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee. He introduced Zhang Bing and Song Xue'er to all the Standing Committee members and quietly told Zhang Bing about their respective factional struggles. Based on County Chief Ma's words, Zhang Bing carefully observed and discovered many things he had previously overlooked. Seeing the ubiquitous struggle between the two factions, led by the mayor and the municipal party secretary, he once again deeply understood the cruelty of officialdom. He told himself to be more cautious and cherish his current resources and relationships while working hard. More importantly, he had pleasant conversations with several officials who held real power, and Ma Pei told him that these people belonged to her father's faction.

After leaving the banquet, seeing that it was still early, he called Governor Li's house to arrange to pick up Xiao Feifei the next morning, and then went straight back to Qing'er's house. He felt he had been too busy these past few days and hadn't had time to think about his actions. As County Chief Ma had said, his thoughtless actions were dangerous and had brought a lot of trouble. Moreover, he felt he needed to have a serious talk with Zhang Qingyun. This woman, willing to be his mistress, was willing to give him everything, yet he had never properly spoken to her, even sleeping with her more often than having formal conversations. He couldn't give a woman who loved him this terrible feeling; otherwise, he would not only feel guilty, but their relationship would certainly be over. His feelings for this woman were complex; memories of his first love occupied a major part, but Qing'er's current gentleness and tolerance also touched him to some extent. So, regardless of whether what he told himself was true, at the very least, he couldn't hurt her! To Zhang Bing's delight, the conversation went smoothly. He could sense that this woman had given him her heart and was willing to cherish that beautiful first love for a lifetime. That night, they didn't make love, but quietly embraced each other, reminiscing about their past years and the joys and sorrows they had shared. They felt incredibly close to each other. In the morning, like young lovers, they made a loving breakfast together, feeding each other bite by bite. The tenderness in Qing'er's eyes was something Zhang Bing would remember clearly even twenty years later. At that moment, he knew he had truly fallen in love with this woman and could no longer escape her gentleness.

When picking up Xiao Feifei, Zhang Bing was surprised to find that Vice Governor Li and his wife were also waiting for him at home. They didn't say anything, but insisted that Zhang Bing wear a suit that the old lady had bought for him, saying it was a gift. Seeing the dashing young man in the designer suit, the old lady wiped away tears in her husband's arms again. Fortunately, Feifei's carefree laughter broke the somber atmosphere and the sorrow of parting.

Back in town, Zhang Bing immediately went to the hospital to visit the old Party Secretary. Li Huan was also there, while Xue'er had been persuaded to return to the village to take charge of the work. Fortunately, although the old Party Secretary's injuries looked terrible—his face and head were covered in bandages, and he had lost an arm—aside from a slight fracture and a small cut on his forehead, the rest were just abrasions and nothing serious. The fracture would heal with some rest. Seeing that the injuries weren't too severe, Zhang Bing finally had time to find out what had happened. After all, with the old Party Secretary in such a state, he needed to return to the village to handle the aftermath. Li Huan hesitated on this issue, stammering for a while before preparing to ask Zhang Bing to come out and talk, but the old Party Secretary on the bed stopped him: "Director Li, my face isn't worth much, so don't make things difficult for me. Let me, the person involved, tell Village Chief Zhang. That way, he can better help me clean up the mess!"

The situation was this: When the old Party Secretary was inspecting the area around the reservoir, he suddenly discovered that at the end of the reservoir, where it bordered Longwang Village, several villagers from Longwang Village had built temporary shacks and set up small shops on both sides of the road, even occupying half of the road and making traffic extremely difficult. The area was so congested that even a large truck could hardly pass through, which made Secretary Luo very anxious and angry. It was obvious that these buildings were newly constructed, and their purpose was self-evident: to target the currently much-discussed reservoir development, specifically the road construction and land acquisition. Because the reservoir was not within the jurisdiction of Longwang Village, its villagers were ineligible for compensation. However, due to historical reasons, the area within 500 meters of the border between the two villages had always been jointly managed by both villages—essentially a no-man's-land. Because this area had always been desolate, there had been no disputes. It's likely that some people from Longwang Village heard about the specific planning details and Songshang Village's work plan, and immediately saw an opportunity. They came up with this scheme to try and get a share of the compensation; more importantly, once the development plan was implemented, they would have to rely on the cement road already built by Longwang Village for transporting raw materials, and the road might even be widened, allowing them to extort even more money from these temporary buildings. The old Party Secretary, of course, wouldn't allow them to do that. He had finally managed to stop the villagers of Songshang Village from taking advantage of the situation to seize more of the compensation money. If he let others do the same, wouldn't the villagers of his own village rebel? That would make the development plan very difficult to implement. Thus, the old Party Secretary and the young men began arguing. Finally, one impulsive young man shoved the old Party Secretary, telling him to mind his own business. The old Party Secretary was standing by the roadside at the time, with a two-meter-deep stone ditch behind him. He fell into the ditch and was injured as a result.

"Village Chief Zhang, you must work with Longwang Village, under the coordination of the town government, to get their support for our construction. After all, development will bring them economic benefits! It's just that we neglected this aspect and didn't communicate with Longwang Village, which led to this situation. My injury is not serious, and we shouldn't pursue the responsibility of those young people too much. Your most important task is to go back and coordinate with Longwang Village immediately. Also, make sure to include Longwang Village in the development plan, since the Longwang Temple ruins and other historical sites are on their land, and these sites are part of our development plan." The very responsible old Party Secretary wanted to resolve the problem he had been struggling with for so long before he died. Now that there was a great chance, he was more enthusiastic than anyone else, so he earnestly instructed the young village chief.

It was already 11:30 a.m. when they left the hospital. Amidst Feifei's cheers, the three returned to Li Huan's house, where the aunt had prepared a sumptuous lunch for them.

"Sister Huan, how did you handle the scene yesterday?" After lunch, Zhang Bing began to consider the old Party Secretary's words and wanted to hear Li Huan's opinion.

"I had Chief Huang arrest the villager who assaulted the man and take him to the police station. We'll detain him for the night. That's how it is in township work; a little roughness can actually resolve things quickly. If we don't detain him for the night, they'll keep harassing you. Of course, how we handle things today is up to you." Li Huan knew his college-educated younger brother was too civilized and had never had any experience in township work, so he specifically reminded him.

Zhang Bing wasn't surprised by the idea of arresting someone and detaining them for the night. He'd seen many police stations in Beijing operate this way, quite tyrannically. Once you were in the police station, no matter how big or small the matter, you'd be kept in a detention cell for several hours without food, water, or anyone to talk to, euphemistically called "cooling down." Apparently, this was an open procedure and custom within the police system. But did township work require such a heavy hand? This made him think. He'd always believed that management needed to be humane, and he'd studied this deeply in his corporate career. So, this approach wouldn't work in townships? Thinking about what he'd seen during his time at home, he felt there was some truth to it. "Sister Huan, could you explain in more detail? The villagers are all very honest and kind. Presenting the reasons should be enough to persuade them. Why do you say it's better to be a bit forceful?"

"You know, I'm just afraid you'll use your management skills to work in the village. That won't work. Take family planning, for example. Everyone understands the principles—there's even a bonus for having only one child—but many people with strong feudalistic ideas just won't listen. What can you do? You can only forcibly arrest people and have them sterilized. Cut off their escape route, and they won't cause trouble anymore. Also, farmers have a strong herd mentality. No matter what, as long as you forcibly deal with a few holdouts, the others will obediently comply. If you try to reason with them, they won't listen. You can treat them to good food and drink and speak kindly, but they still won't agree. What can you do then? I'm not saying this to speak ill of farmers, but they are very opportunistic!"

“Alright then, I’ll listen to Huan-jie. I’ll pay attention to these things in my work from now on. As for the guy who hit someone, although Secretary Luo doesn’t plan to pursue the matter, I think since he’s been locked up for a night, let’s be a little tougher and have all the members of their village committee come to town to pick him up, explain the situation clearly, and see if they instigated or supported him. Let’s first dispel their arrogance in trying to profit from the highway, and then discuss and finalize the cooperation between the two villages in town before allowing them to take him back. That would be simpler, okay?” Zhang Bing was putting what he had learned to use. Since being rough could solve the problem better, being rough with relationships would be even better. He wasn’t a rigid person.

"You, trying to take advantage of your sister again? All you do is use me to help you, without ever giving me anything in return. It's so disheartening!" Li Huan sat down next to Zhang Bing, leaning affectionately on his shoulder and jokingly telling him, "Fine, I guess I owe you from my past life. I'll notify Longwang Village to come to my office later. I'll pressure them to agree in the name of the town government, but you'll be the one to talk to them about the specifics. Don't overcharge them, leave some room for maneuver so we can talk later!"

This sister of his was really too good to him. She even agreed to this thing of impersonating the town mayor without his knowledge. He originally just wanted Li Huan to talk to Mayor Huang and plead for them, only keeping in mind a one in ten thousand chance that the mayor would agree. After all, in a town mayor's eyes, all villages are treated equally, and there can be no special treatment. But Zhang Bing had no choice. The development project was still in the works. What could he promise Longwang Village? Agreeing now would be setting himself up for failure, so he could only think of using his power to pressure them and temporarily get by. Hearing that his sister wanted a reward, he immediately took out a gift he had bought in the provincial capital. "Sister Huan is so good to me, how could I not think of you? This bracelet is something I bought especially for you. I think it suits you perfectly. Try it on!" Then he grabbed Li Huan's right hand and put it on her wrist. "Hmm, not bad. The emerald green bracelet paired with your snow-white arm, any man would be swooning and getting a nosebleed!"

Li Huan was stunned when Zhang Bing took out the gift. She hadn't expected that her usually work-obsessed brother would actually buy her a gift. She didn't care what it was, as long as he had the thought of her. Her initial resentment at him for not calling her for days completely vanished. She obediently let him put the bracelet on her wrist. Hmm, it was indeed very beautiful. It seemed he had put a lot of thought into it. Thinking this, she felt sweet inside and wanted to tease him. "Oh, Xiao Bing, are you even a man? Why didn't I see you get a nosebleed?" She deliberately leaned against him seductively. She liked to see him embarrassed by her teasing.

"This? --- Aren't I your younger brother?" Zhang Bing could only touch his nose, feeling the mature body squeezing in, and dodge to the side.

"Oh, younger brother! But these hand seals are usually given by men to their girlfriends or lovers, meaning they want to keep them by their side, you know?" After saying that, he deliberately gave Zhang Bing a flirtatious wink.

"Ah? This—" Zhang Bing was both surprised and delighted, just like his feelings for Li Huan—a chaotic mix. He quickly changed the subject, "Sister Huan, when I took Feifei to meet your parents, your uncle and aunt seemed very shocked. What happened? When we came back, they even gave me this very expensive outfit they were wearing and insisted that I wear it to them."

Li Huan, who had been all smiles, immediately turned gloomy upon hearing this. She sat there for a long time, her face darkening, before finally looking up at Zhang Bing with a smile, "Hehe, they like you, don't overthink it. Anyway, I won't hurt you. Okay, I'll go see if Feifei is awake yet. We'll go to my office later." With that, she hurriedly ran off, leaving Zhang Bing looking puzzled. She had hoped to get an answer from Sister Huan, but it seemed unlikely. Sister Huan seemed to have something she couldn't say.

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Two Women's Responses

Ma Pei was very unhappy today. She didn't know why. She only knew that she couldn't concentrate on anything. It was as if the gloomy sky, apart from the morning sun, had no blue at all. Ma Pei sat in class. It was the last class of the afternoon, and the old history professor was rambling on and on. It was so annoying! Why wasn't class over yet? This week, she looked forward to the end of the school day the most. Usually, after school, her brother Zhang Bing would pick her up, and she could cling to his arm like a happy little bird, laughing and enjoying life to the fullest. Where would he take her today? Wouldn't he call to tell her? Was he going to keep it a secret and surprise her? Like in many stories, would a prince on a white horse walk up to her with 101 roses and take the beautiful princess away? Lost in her thoughts, she forgot her unhappiness, immersed in a romantic fantasy, and didn't even hear the bell ring.

"Peipei, what are you still doing sitting there after class? Your brother Bing is finally gone. Shouldn't you be going ice skating with us today?" Her best friend Xiaoyu's voice startled her. She looked up and saw the classroom was empty; everyone had left, and she was still sitting there, dumbfounded.

"Ah! Class is finally over, I have to go now. I'll go ice skating with you guys next time, Brother Bing must be getting impatient!" Ma Pei immediately jumped up and hurriedly packed her things to leave. She didn't want to keep her beloved man waiting too long, and besides, she would get tired if she really carried so many roses.

"My silly Pei Pei, where is your Brother Bing? Didn't you tell me this morning that he went home? You even complained to me that he didn't come to say goodbye when he left this morning." Xiao Yu grabbed her, feeling a little sorry for her infatuation. She had met Zhang Bing before; she and another girl had accompanied Ma Pei to Rolling Stone for the first time. She couldn't understand how the usually proud and beautiful Ma Pei could fall so deeply in love with such an ordinary man. It was said that the man had no money and no status, and that night was the first time they had met.

Ma Pei immediately deflated, sitting back down blankly. Yes, Zhang Bing had already gone back today, and she didn't know when he would come back to the city. No one would be picking her up anymore, and there would be no more warm arms to hold her. She tried hard to hold back her tears, but her heart was still heavy. She finally understood why she was unhappy today: Zhang Bing had taken her heart away too. She had been trying to deceive herself! Thinking of this, she lost all interest and softly told Xiaoyu, "I'm leaving now, I have things to do at home!"

Actually, there was nothing wrong at home, but she didn't want to spoil her friends' fun, nor did she want them to see her crying over love. She had always been a lively and cheerful girl, inheriting her father's strength and her mother's sunshine. Now, she just wanted to hurry back to her little room, call Bing, and tell him how much she missed him, and then cry her heart out about how weak she was. When she got home, she was surprised to find her parents sitting on the sofa, waiting for her to come home for dinner.

After dinner, instead of returning to his study as usual, her father exchanged a glance with her mother and beckoned to her, "Xiao Pei, come, play a game of chess with Dad. It's been a while since we played chess together."

She obediently went back to her study, grabbed a chess set, and started playing with her father. However, she was distracted and was quickly defeated by her father. Her father sighed, threw down the chess pieces, and sat down on the sofa. "Xiao Pei, being distracted is a big no-no when playing chess!"

Ma Pei had already noticed that her father was acting strangely today and knew he had something to say, so she sat there without saying a word. The mother, who had been watching the chess game, sat down beside her affectionately, taking her hand. "My dear daughter, are you unhappy today? Tell Mom!"

"No, I just had a lot of classes today, so I'm a little tired!"

"Then you need to rest more. You need to eat more when you're tired, otherwise you won't get enough nutrition. How about some fruit?"

"No, I don't have an appetite. I'm going back to my room to study."

Seeing that his daughter wanted to escape, County Magistrate Ma brought up the topic. He seemed to be talking to himself, "When Zhang Bing left, he told me to visit his house sometime. I thought I'd be free this weekend, so I wanted to go fishing at his house and check out the reservoir they're developing. It's a pity there's no one to accompany this old man!" He sighed regretfully after saying that.

"Really, Dad, you're going to Bing-ge's house this weekend?" Ma Pei stopped walking. Her voice, which had been low before, changed completely. She jumped excitedly to her father's side and hugged his arm. "Dad, you're the best to me. Of course, I can't bear to see you go alone. I've decided, I'll go with you!"

"Oh, why are you so excited? I haven't decided yet. I'm just planning here. Aren't you going to study? Go on, be a good student!" County Magistrate Ma looked at his daughter with feigned surprise. "You can't even concentrate on playing chess with your dad. How can you study with that kind of mentality? I really don't understand why young people these days are so strange."

Ma Pei stopped talking. She just blushed and kept protesting, looking at her father pitifully.

"Alright, Old Ma, stop teasing our precious daughter. Be careful she doesn't really get angry and keep you up all night, just like when she was little, haha!" It was a rare opportunity for the mother to joke with her daughter, so she naturally wouldn't miss it. Then her expression turned serious. "Xiao Pei, your father and I have been discussing this. We wanted to ask you about your feelings for Zhang Bing. We know you like him, but could you tell us how far things have progressed?"

Looking at her serious parents, Ma Pei confirmed her initial feeling upon returning home. It seemed her parents wanted to confront Bing-gege (Zhang Bing's nickname). But how could she say it? She had gone to so much trouble, overcoming her girlish shyness, to get Bing-gege to clearly express his feelings, and he had agreed to give her a chance. But could she tell her family? Her parents definitely wanted them to clarify their relationship. Her eyes darted around. "We're doing great! I really like him, and he's very good to me too!"

"Alright, stop trying to fool your parents. Has he admitted you're his girlfriend or not?" County Magistrate Ma was somewhat helpless. Young people's affairs should be resolved by themselves; parents shouldn't interfere. Often, interference only makes things worse. But he had no choice. He just had to explain things clearly to his daughter. "Xiao Pei, it's not that I want to interfere in your private life, but we're an official family, and your marriage is related to the family's interests, so I have to be involved. Zhang Bing is a very promising young man, and I have high hopes for him and plan to cultivate him. If he's your boyfriend, then I will use the entire family's resources to promote and plan for his future, to ensure he rises to a position higher than mine. If not, I will still personally help him and arrange a job for him in the county, but from then on, it's up to him. I believe he knows that our family hopes you two will become a couple, but I asked him indirectly, and he didn't answer, so I just..." "You've come to ask me, so you understand. This is very important! And you should also know that he's also gotten in touch with Vice Governor Li. If we rashly help him and he ends up dumping us, not only will our family's interests be harmed, but Dad is also worried about hurting your feelings!" County Magistrate Ma was deeply moved. Today, he had to get to the bottom of things. He felt he understood Zhang Bing less and less. Yesterday, he had been so open with him; anyone else would have pledged their loyalty and told him everything, especially given the obvious hints in his words. But while he had pledged loyalty, he remained vague about other matters. He admitted to meeting Vice Governor Li, but claimed it was just a brief acquaintance—helping to send the governor's granddaughter there. This made him uneasy. According to his detailed investigation, Zhang Bing and the governor's daughter, Li Huan, had a very good relationship. The rumors had some basis in fact. Although Li Huan was already married with children and shouldn't be able to compete with Ma Pei, what if...? Moreover, this young man seems quite the ladies' man, with several female confidantes. Leaving aside the two rumored women, Li Huan and Song Xue'er, Director Liu said that judging from his demeanor, he probably has an ambiguous relationship with Zhang Qingyun, the one he rescued. Furthermore, there are the romantic entanglements in Beijing that he's genuinely worried about for his daughter. She's been listless since Zhang Bing left last night, and today her low spirits are heartbreaking; he has to come and worry about her.

"I confessed to Brother Bing, and he accepted, but he feels I'm not good enough for him and told me to think it over!" Her father's words weighed heavily on Ma Pei's mind. She knew she couldn't escape them. After thinking for a moment, she remained confident in herself. She was determined to win over Brother Bing and become his girlfriend, no matter who it was—Li Huan, Song Xue'er, or anyone else. She would defeat them all and become Brother Bing's closest person! So, blushing, she told a little white lie. She didn't want her beloved man's career to be hindered, which meant she needed her family's support. Of course, it would be even better if she could join forces with Vice Governor Li—that was possible. She wasn't stupid; she knew that Brother Bing bringing Li Huan's daughter to see her was Li Huan's way of showing her goodwill, indirectly acknowledging her position, and also showing that Li Huan truly cared for Brother Bing.

"That's good! But that kid is too tactless, actually letting our precious daughter confess to him first. I'll deal with him for you later, okay?" County Magistrate Ma was relieved now, and in a great mood, he joked with his daughter again. He trusted Zhang Bing's character; once he acknowledged his daughter's position, everything would be clear. As for yesterday's avoidance, he guessed it was just shyness and embarrassment. Seeing their daughter blush and threaten to hit him, the couple laughed heartily. "Alright, as long as Zhang Bing isn't in Beijing this week discussing investment, I'll go to his house for a relaxing trip! Hehe!" Looking at their daughter's pleading expression, they added, "Don't worry, you'll get your share. Even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws eventually, haha!" He never imagined that his daughter was lying to him; after all, he'd stolen her heart.

While the Ma family was enjoying their time together, Li Huan was being interrogated by his parents. The phone call had been going on for an hour.

"Dad, has Fei Fei been misbehaving and causing trouble for you and Mom?"

"Stop interrupting! I'm asking you what your feelings are for Zhang Bing. I've heard the rumors in your county, and I've even had people confirm that you two are indeed very close. He even stayed at your place for a week. And, you suddenly changed your car, was it so he could drive your old one? All this, just because he looks like your younger brother?" Vice Governor Li's tone was serious, but his emotions were running high. The moment he saw Zhang Bing, he understood why his daughter had brought a stranger to their home. This Zhang Bing looked so much like his deceased son! This explained the shock and disarray the elderly couple felt at the door. His demeanor and actions truly made them believe their son, Li Feng, was alive. Seeing their son's shadow, the couple were naturally overjoyed. However, the way he addressed Zhang Bing as "brother" and "father" filled them with suspicion. So, he quickly had everything investigated about Zhang Bing, even stopping his wife from wanting to adopt him as a godson. He needed to find out everything from his daughter, but it wasn't convenient to ask her while she was at home. The little girl was now fiercely protective of her "brother" and "father," forbidding anyone from speaking ill of him. Therefore, he could only make the call after Fei Fei left.

"Dad, of course it's because he looks so much like my brother! You know, Li Feng died because of my interference, so I've always been afraid to face it and felt so guilty. Seeing Zhang Bing is like seeing my brother's shadow, so I've tried my best to do something to make up for my mistakes! Zhang Bing is a very good person, he's capable at work, and he's very good to Fei Fei, so I've already considered him my own brother! Hehe!" Li Huan knew what her father meant; he suspected that she and Zhang Bing had romantic feelings for each other, not just sibling affection. Was she really as innocent as she claimed? She didn't know, and she didn't dare to think about it. Throughout their interactions, she had constantly reminded herself that he was the older sister, but could a sister have shared that passionate kiss that night? Could a sister let him hold her while she slept and feel so secure and comfortable? Could a sister hear her daughter call him "brother" or "dad" without any resentment, but rather with some joy? Could a sister, upon waking up that morning and seeing him in pain, inexplicably let him touch her breasts? But she couldn't tell her father any of this, because she loved him, wanted to cherish him, and wanted to help him selflessly. It wasn't just because he was like her own younger brother, but also because he was a good man, yet she felt unworthy of him. She had been married before, had a daughter, and was five years older than him. More importantly, there was already a woman there who was more suitable for him. When she asked Zhang Bing to take her daughter to see Ma Pei, she made up her mind that she was his sister, and she would wholeheartedly and selflessly help him. Therefore, today she pushed Zhang Bing home with tears in her eyes, ignoring her daughter's request for her brother and father to stay overnight, even though she didn't know if she would fall asleep in his warm arms again.

“Oh, that’s good. I’ve also looked into Zhang Bing. He’s a very good young man. Your mother wants to adopt him as her godson. Why don’t you bring him back sometime? Finding your brother’s whereabouts has given us something to look forward to. It’s like we have a son now, so you shouldn’t be so stubbornly running away! You haven’t been home for four years. Your parents miss you. We can’t let two old folks like us lose both our son and our daughter. We don’t blame you for what happened back then. Dad really doesn’t blame you anymore. Come back!” His father’s voice was old and heavy, which brought tears to Li Huan’s eyes.

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