[Adult City] Lonely Officialdom (Final Episode) - Part 2

Chapter Nine: Women's Underwear

Li Huan's home wasn't far from the town government. It was a government-subsidized housing unit, three bedrooms and a living room, elegantly decorated. The layout of the entire house gave a very refined feeling, clearly done by Li Huan herself. It was just a mystery how she, having only been there for six months and holding a relatively low position, managed to get this coveted house. Rumor had it that even a newly arrived deputy mayor couldn't get one.

Entering the living room, a sumptuous dinner and birthday cake had already been laid out on the table by the housekeeper. The entire living room was decorated with balloons, ribbons, and flowers, creating a dreamlike fairytale world. It was clear that the host had arranged and decorated it in advance, which immediately restored Xiao Feifei's excitement.

While the little princess went upstairs to change, Li Huan sat down on the sofa next to Zhang Bing, her watery eyes radiating tenderness. "Feifei seems very happy today. She'll probably play a little late, which will take up some of your time. Don't introduce her."

"Sister Huan, what are you saying! I'm free tonight, and I really love Feifei. It's only right that I spend her birthday with her and make her happy."

"Hehe, it seems you two really hit it off. You got along so well right away. To be honest, Feifei has never been this close to a man since she was born. Seeing her so happy makes me so happy. I'm really grateful to you!" Li Huan's expression showed a hint of sadness, but it quickly disappeared, and she returned to a cheerful and teasing tone. "By the way, what were you two whispering to each other before getting in the car? You wouldn't even let me hear? Do you two have a secret already?" She then winked playfully at Zhang Bing, and then couldn't help but laugh herself.

"Hehe, there is indeed a secret, and I can't tell you. This was specially instructed by my darling Feifei, unless you bribe me." Zhang Bing was relaxed and couldn't help but tease, deliberately whetting Li Huan's appetite.

"The little guy is getting arrogant, huh?" Li Huan quickly ran to Zhang Bing's side, hugged his arm, and placed one hand on his waist, pinching his soft flesh. "You even dare to tease your older sister? Will you tell me or not?" After saying that, she deliberately breathed on his ear, her ambiguous expression almost making Zhang Bing lose his mind again.

"Brother, you can't tell, this is a secret between the two of us, Mom can't know!" The little princess came running out, just in time to hear her mother's interrogation, and quickly ran over to help, climbing into Zhang Bing's arms and intimately hugging his neck. When Li Huan saw his daughter coming over, he quickly let go of Zhang Bing's hand, blushing as he sat back in his original spot. The thought of his daughter seeing his intimate expression with Zhang Bing made his face burn. Fortunately, the little princess came to his rescue, clamoring that she was hungry and wanted to eat.

There were only the three of them at the table. The aunt had already finished eating and gone to rest. The meal was all about the little princess, who continued her afternoon shopping spree, gesturing and ordering around like a little adult. The two adults had to suppress their laughter, which was quite uncomfortable, but they still tried their best to accommodate her. Li Huan, in particular, thought about how her daughter had been born without a father and had been subjected to gossip at kindergarten, making her always depressed. Today, with Zhang Bing present, she was noticeably more excited and mischievous than usual, so Li Huan doted on her even more. She even let her drink a little bit of the dry red wine that she usually wouldn't allow the little one to touch, after Fei Fei's repeated requests, not wanting the little princess to be unhappy in the slightest.

When it was time for cake, Zhang Bing told Li Huan, who was a little dizzy from drinking too much, to sit still. She quickly turned off all the lights except for a pale yellow wall lamp, then lit four candles symbolizing the little princess's fourth birthday. With a smile, she invited out the little princess, who was already flushed from drinking and slumped in her chair, looking at Zhang Bing with curiosity and pride.

Little Feifei knew that making a wish was a big deal, especially since she had a very strong wish today. Looking at her mother, her innocent eyes were full of anticipation. "Dear Mommy, will my wish come true?"

Li Huan kissed the little one, picked her up, and put her on a chair. "Of course Feifei's wish will come true! Mommy will definitely help you make it come true."

After the little princess finished making her wish, the three of them each ate a little cake. Zhang Bing then started a cake war, giving Feifei a hard kiss with his cake-covered mouth, getting her covered in cream. He then quickly ran to Li Huan, grabbed two lumps of cream from the table, and smeared them all over her face before mischievously running away. This angered the two "tigers," who chased after Zhang Bing relentlessly, smearing him with cream all over his body. Little Feifei, being too short, ended up smearing cake all over his clothes and pants. Finally, Zhang Bing had to hug both of them tightly to stop the war.

The three of them hugged each other, filling the dimly lit room with a warm atmosphere. "Mommy, it feels so good to hug you, doesn't it? I want to hug you like this every day, okay?" Fei Fei's childish voice reminded the two adults. Li Huan hurriedly pushed Zhang Bing away, pretending to go call the nanny to clean the table, ignoring the little princess.

Because the living room was messy and all three of their clothes were covered in cream, they needed to be changed. So Li Huan asked the nanny to take the little princess to take a bath, and then said apologetically to Zhang Bing, "Fei Fei seems to rely on you a lot. To make her happy, you shouldn't leave today, otherwise she might make a fuss when she comes back from her bath. I'll take you to take a bath first. You don't have any clothes, so you can wear one of my pajamas for now. Take your dirty clothes back and let the nanny wash them for you. It'll be fine by tomorrow morning, okay?" Her tone was unusually shy. After all, it was the first time she had ever let a man stay overnight and wear her pajamas. Even she, usually so generous, couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

Zhang Bing, even more shy, had been flirting with this alluring woman many times today, each time leaving him thrilled but also incredibly embarrassed. He knew Li Huan's suggestion was the best method, so he reluctantly scratched his head and agreed.

Li Huan, blushing, led Zhang Bing to her room and found him a not-too-bright women's nightgown—one she really liked and had worn yesterday. This guy was lucky to have it. Li Huan's face burned, and after handing it to him, she pushed him into the adjacent bathroom.

Zhang Bing was also embarrassed; the nightgown in his hand had a strong body odor, undoubtedly Li Huan's, which stirred his imagination. Even with the shower running at full blast, he couldn't extinguish the burning desire within him. The flirtatious moments of the day kept replaying in his mind, and his penis grew increasingly erect. Finally, risking a cold, he took a cold shower before reluctantly putting on Li Huan's nightgown. But another problem immediately arose. He'd worn his underwear all day, and with all the activity today, it definitely needed washing. So he was currently without underwear. He couldn't very well go out in his pajamas, could he? With that thought in mind, Zhang Bing walked to the bathroom door and knocked.

"What is it? Wait a moment while you're done washing, I'll be right there." Li Huan's voice was a little nervous. She had just taken off her clothes and was about to change into her pajamas, wearing only a three-piece underwear set. Zhang Bing's knock startled her; she hadn't expected him to finish washing so quickly.

"Um… Sister Huan… could you find me some underwear?" Zhang Bing said, a little hesitantly.

Underwear? Li Huan blushed, and spat, "Why are you asking me? Where are your own?"

Zhang Bing was embarrassed: "My underwear is very dirty and needs washing."

"I… I can't help it, I don't have any men's things at home." Li Huan's face turned bright red. He actually asked her for underwear; just thinking about it made her blush.

"Then...what should I do? I can't just wear nothing underneath, just a nightgown." Zhang Bing was troubled. "Without underwear, it'll be all bare. You'd feel uncomfortable too, wouldn't you?"

The analogy was a bit much. Li Huan blushed and said angrily, "Ugh, don't compare me to that!"

"Yes, yes. I misspoke, sorry Huan-jie." Li Huan's tone was unfriendly, and Zhang Bing quickly smiled apologetically.

Li Huan pondered for a moment, then said, "...How about...how about I find you an old one?" After Li Huan finished speaking, her face instantly turned bright red.

An old one? Zhang Bing hesitated slightly, something was better than nothing: "An old one is fine, hehe. But it has to be clean, don't give me anything that's been worn, unwashed, and smelly."

Li Huan was annoyed and ignored him, just telling him to wait.

Zhang Bing returned to silence in the bathroom, but Li Huan hesitated in the bedroom. The "old underwear" she mentioned referred to her own underwear—both new and old. The problem was that the new underwear was all sexy, practically see-through; how could she let that guy see it? All that was left were her own worn, washed underwear, some of which were quite plain. But giving him her intimate items, with her exposed...how embarrassing! Li Huan went to the wardrobe, rummaging through the underwear. A sea of colorful options filled her eyes. Normally, she wouldn't have thought much of it, but now, finding a pair for Zhang Bing, it seemed every pair was sexy and transparent, every pair unfit for the light.

After much searching, only one pair of plain black underwear was acceptable. It was simple, made of pure cotton, not see-through, breathable, and comfortable—something she loved. But now, she had no choice but to let the guy have it.

Just as Zhang Bing was getting impatient in the bathroom, there was a soft knock on the door. Overjoyed to have underwear to wear, Zhang Bing hurriedly opened the door a crack. Li Huan's slender hand reached in, holding a bundle of pure black underwear. Zhang Bing quickly took it, closing the door and putting it on without even thanking her. It was

very soft, with a pleasant feel; the quality seemed good. Zhang Bing happily unfolded the soft fabric in his hands. But when he saw the lace trim and cute bow at the waistband, he was stunned. This… wasn't this women's underwear? Could it be Huan-jie's? Wait, she just said there were no men's things in the house, so this underwear must be hers? Damn it, no wonder she was so embarrassed; a grown man wearing women's underwear, wouldn't that be laughable? The thought that this underwear belonged to Li Huan made Zhang Bing's heart race! Filled with resentment, Zhang Bing put on the women's underwear, looked in the mirror, and saw that it was neither male nor female—awkward! With the pajamas covering her, it was barely enough to hide her. She just needed to be careful while playing and not let her little brother rebel.

Chapter Ten: Dancing in Pajamas

. After Li Huan finished showering and changing into her pajamas, Zhang Bing and the little princess were already playing on the sofa. They lay on the sofa, giggling and tickling each other. Zhang Bing occasionally protected the little princess, preventing her from falling to the ground. This made the little one even more unrestrained and mischievous. Sometimes she would deliberately twist and turn against her brother, accidentally tilting to the ground. When her brother scrambled to straighten her, she would tickle him again. She loved the feeling of being loved and pampered by her brother; it was different from how she acted spoiled with her mother. She would scold her, and she couldn't make a fuss for too long, otherwise her mother would get tired. The sensible girl knew her mother had to take care of her and work, and she couldn't let her mother get too tired. Playing with her grandfather wasn't always enjoyable either; he was old, and lifting her up a couple of times would tire him out. He wouldn't play with her much, at most letting her play around him by herself, watching with a smile, occasionally patting her little head. She rarely saw the other uncles and brothers; her mother never brought them home to play with her. So, looking at this brother who was so happy playing with her, she really liked him and wanted him to come and play with her more often.

Li Huan wore a pinkish-yellow nightgown, and a snow-white towel wrapped around her long hair. Zhang Bing's eyes widened suddenly. The thin nightgown couldn't hide her shapely figure; instead, it accentuated her slender waist, making that part of her waist appear empty. Her high, full breasts accentuated her proud curves. Perhaps because she wasn't wearing a bra, her two small nipples stubbornly stood out under the warm orange light. Beneath her skirt, two long, slender, and firm white legs were visible.

Li Huan dried her long, wet hair with a towel, her hands raised, her chest trembling slightly beneath her clothes—a beautiful picture of a woman emerging from a bath. Zhang Bing felt his blood rushing, and his recently quiet penis immediately became restless again, eager to jump inside her butterfly-patterned panties.

Li Huan already felt embarrassed wearing pajamas in front of a man she wasn't very familiar with, but she was too lazy to change, so she went down dressed as is. When she noticed Zhang Bing's intense gaze, the steam in the bathroom combined with the effects of the alcohol had already made her face flushed. Looking down at herself, she felt a sense of ambiguity, and her face turned even redder. She glared fiercely at Zhang Bing, then, without bothering to dry her hair any further, took the towel and wrapped it around her chest.

"Brother, Daddy, isn't Mommy pretty? Do you like Mommy as much as you like Feifei?" Feifei noticed their little interaction and was very happy. She had always thought her mother was as beautiful as she was. Since her brother said he liked her, judging from his gaze, he must like her mother too. In her excitement, she unintentionally revealed her secret with her brother.

"Yes, Mommy is as pretty as Feifei, and I like her very much too." Zhang Bing didn't notice the grammatical error and kissed the little princess without thinking, pulling her into his arms.

But Li Huan noticed the grammatical error. Brother, Daddy? What kind of address is that? Kids just do whatever they want. But Feifei seemed to call him that naturally, and Zhang Bing didn't object. Could it be that they had planned it? Thinking back to their shopping trip and their secret conversation before getting into the car, Li Huan felt a sense of helplessness mixed with a little flutter in her heart. But she couldn't say anything and could only pretend nothing was wrong.

"Mommy, I want to dance! You have to dance at the birthday party, they do it on TV!" The little one came up with another idea.

Li Huan sighed. She would just indulge her today, even though the idea seemed absurd. A four-year-old girl wanting to dance?

The wall lamps were still on, the stereo and TV were on, and to the accompaniment of romantic rhythms, Zhang Bing politely invited the little princess standing on the sofa, holding her petite body and letting her jump on the sofa. The four-year-old couldn't dance at all; she simply clung to her brother's neck and bounced around, occasionally kicking him with her little legs. Finally, not satisfied, she had her brother carry her off the sofa to the TV to practice dance steps, humming an unknown tune happily.

Tired of playing, seeing her mother sitting on the sofa watching her, the little one's eyes lit up with another idea, "Mommy, I'm tired. Come dance with my brother, I want to watch you dance."

Li Huan froze. Dancing in pajamas? She wasn't even wearing a bra! How embarrassing! But she couldn't resist her daughter's persuasion, so she agreed, pulling the towel she was holding to her chest down and carefully taking Zhang Bing's hand. But when Zhang Bing put his arm around her waist, the heat penetrated the thin pajamas to her skin and into her heart, just like the hand that had been on her chest that afternoon, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable and flustered. But the more chaotic the situation, the more mistakes she made. One wrong step caused her to step on Zhang Bing's foot. She hurriedly pulled her foot back, tripping over her other leg and falling backward. Luckily, Zhang Bing reacted quickly, tightening his grip on her waist and pulling her back. However, the momentum pulled them closer, and Li Huan ended up in Zhang Bing's arms. Before she could struggle, Zhang Bing held her tightly around the waist, preventing her from leaving.

Zhang Bing felt even more overwhelmed. The mature woman's aura was so strong, her skin so soft to the touch. With each dance step, his hand would occasionally slide to her smooth, shapely buttocks. He wanted his hand to stay there forever, to move lower and lower, to explore that boundless allure. He walked along, lost in thought, when he glanced down and nearly had a nosebleed. His pajamas were loose, the neckline low, giving him a clear view of her entire chest: snow-white pectoral muscles, a deep cleavage, and round, hemispherical breasts on either side, even the two proudly erect brown nipples were clearly visible, jiggling with each step, radiating deep allure. Zhang Bing tried hard to control himself, but his little brother wasn't having the same idea, constantly trying to pop out from his tight underwear, finally breaking free and forming a prominent point under his pajamas, occasionally brushing against Li Huan's lower abdomen with each step. When Li Huan climbed into his arms, his desire reacted immediately, his hands tightening, his little brother pressing against Li Huan's vulva, his chest feeling the fullness, softness, and slight hardness of her breasts. However, he still had some sense of reason, knowing that Xiao Feifei was watching, and didn't make any further moves.

Li Huan was somewhat afraid of this intimacy. While she was still somewhat sober, she quickly made her escape after the dance, sitting on the sofa, her face flushed and panting heavily. Just then, Fei Fei got tired of playing and insisted on going to sleep, asking Zhang Bing to carry her upstairs to bed. This gave the awkward situation a break, ending this damned dance party.

After putting the little princess to sleep, neither of them dared to linger in the ambiguous living room any longer. Since everyone was a bit tired, Li Huan escorted Zhang Bing to the guest room. Li Huan prepared toiletries and made the bed for Zhang Bing. Zhang Bing followed her outside, watching her bustling about like a devoted wife. Feeling a warm glow, Zhang Bing suddenly had an impulse and hugged Li Huan from behind, resting her head on Li Huan's neck. "Sister Huan, thank you. No one has ever been so considerate to me. I love it!" Before Li Huan could react, she immediately let go and ran into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Li Huan leaned softly against the headboard, recalling Zhang Bing's sudden hug and all the ambiguous moments of the day. She found herself somewhat enjoying this feeling, as if they hadn't just known each other for two months, but were old friends, an old married couple of twenty years. While tidying up, she had been completely focused, like a wife tidying up for her husband, enjoying it immensely. She was completely unaware of the man following her, someone she had only recently met, and felt no awkwardness whatsoever. She never brought men home, yet today she had given him her pajamas and underwear, enjoying the feeling of his embrace.

When Zhang Bing returned from washing up, Li Huan stood up, her face flushed, head bowed: "Your change of clothes are hanging on the balcony outside your room. You can change into them this morning. As for my pajamas and—my clothes, put them in the bathroom after you change, I'll come and collect them." She couldn't bring herself to say the word "underwear," the thought of her underwear being worn by this man making her face flush. She finished speaking and hurriedly ran out.

Before she even reached the door, she hesitated, then turned back, glanced at the man five years her junior, gritted her teeth, and suddenly hugged Zhang Bing, kissing her on the cheek. "Thank you, Fei Fei's brother and father. Fei Fei is very happy today, and so is I." Then she ran out the door, leaving Zhang Bing stunned. A few minutes later, she collapsed heavily onto the bed, dejected.

Chapter Eleven: The Plan is Out.

The next morning, Li Huan reverted to his old ways, unaffected by the previous night. He still flirted with Zhang Bing, still clung to her arm, and still teased her from time to time, only now their expressions were even more intimate. While eating breakfast, Li Huan thought for a moment, her expression unusually serious: "My dear brother, if you trust your sister, take my old Jetta back. Consider it a gift from me. You'll be traveling to various places frequently, and it'll be very inconvenient without a car."

Zhang Bing was stunned. This news was hard to digest. Li Huan had already helped him a lot, and now she wanted to give him a car—that was too much of a favor. "Sister Huan, this isn't right. I can't accept something for nothing. This gift is too much."

"Alright, don't be so polite. I originally wanted to give you the car I got. That's why I called you here yesterday. Celebrating Fei Fei's birthday was just a side thing. Trust me, I won't hurt you. I genuinely want to help you."

Zhang Bing scratched his head, still unwilling to accept. "Sister Huan, I'm sorry, I don't know how to drive yet, so having the car now is useless to me."

“If you don’t know how, learn. I’ll teach you. A grown man like you has no planning skills at all. How will you make contacts in the county or province if you can’t drive? Are you going to take the bus? That would be such a waste of time, and you probably wouldn’t even be able to get into the county government.”

Zhang Bing thought about it and agreed. Not being able to drive really would make things very difficult. When it came to making investments, even if the town provided him with a car, would he still need a driver? Besides, cars were scarce in town, and he probably wouldn’t get many chances to use one. He could tell that Li Huan was genuinely trying to help him. Although he didn’t know her motives, it didn’t matter. He didn’t have anything to gain anyway, so he readily agreed. The two agreed to take a few days off to practice driving. As for the driver’s license, Li Huan said she would get it for him in a week.

Li Huan's office wasn't busy to begin with, and with his deputy, a single phone call resolved the issue. Zhang Bing, however, faced more trouble. He spent a long time explaining to the old Party Secretary over the phone that he would independently complete the entire Hongqi Lake development plan this week. Since the necessary documents were all in various offices in the town, he would be staying there for the time being to facilitate his work. The old Party Secretary considered it for a long time before agreeing, which finally put Zhang Bing at ease.

Zhang Bing stayed at Li Huan's house for a week. Li Huan, citing future work needs, took him to the county town to buy several sets of clothes, both underwear and outerwear, so he wouldn't have to worry about wearing women's underwear anymore. Zhang Bing spent his mornings learning to drive and his afternoons working with Li Huan on the plan. Li Huan, being more knowledgeable and experienced, offered many valuable suggestions, which Zhang Bing found more practical and efficient than discussing with the old Party Secretary. Of course, the happiest person was Xiao Feifei. Every day, her mother, brother, and father would take her to and from school and play with her in the evenings. She was happier than ever this week, and several times she blurted out her brother's and father's names, though the two adults knew it was just childish talk and didn't take it seriously.

After a week, Zhang Bing's driving skills were basically up to standard. He drove the Jetta very well, and Li Huan was able to drive the BMW very steadily. They also got their driver's licenses smoothly. Most importantly, after several revisions, the Hongqi Lake development plan was successfully completed, and the two felt quite satisfied with the whole plan.

The entire plan primarily leverages natural landscapes and historical sites, aiming to transform Hongqi Lake and the entire Songshang Village into a secluded, lush, and scenic resort destination. The focus will be on developing high-end conference facilities, hotels, restaurants, and upscale residential areas. Simultaneously, it plans to construct leisure and recreational projects, including a food and beverage commercial street, a film and television industry base, outdoor sports fields, a waterfront leisure and sightseeing area, and a water park. Furthermore, it will comprehensively develop the water surface, islands, mountains, and forests of Hongqi Lake, leasing approximately 2,300 mu of water surface and purchasing 3,300 mu of surrounding land, while preserving some of the original ecological state to create scenic forests. As for supporting infrastructure, a small waterworks and a large power station will be built nearby, along with gas pipelines connecting to the county seat. The project is estimated to have a total investment of approximately 1.5 billion yuan, with a construction period of two years. Initial development investment of at least 300 million yuan is required, mainly for the construction of hotels and upscale residences. The government will need to provide 800 million yuan in matching funds, primarily for road construction, the waterworks and sewage treatment plant, and the laying of gas pipelines.

After reviewing the document several times and consulting with several relevant office managers, the two decided it was fine. They went to Li Huan's office, printed out two copies, and personally proofread the text again before taking the still-smelling printed copy home. Their week's work was officially complete.

After dinner, the three sat in the living room. Usually busy with work, they were finally free today, and knowing they would be parting tomorrow, a deep sense of reluctance filled the air. Little Feifei had gotten used to calling him "brother" and "dad" at home these past few days, clinging to Zhang Bing constantly, even climbing onto his neck, playing by herself, expressing her reluctance to part with him in her own way. The clever girl knew not to disturb her mother and brother's conversation; if there was nothing else, her brother would definitely play games with her.

"Xiao Bing, your plan is finished. How are you planning to work from now on? Tell me, and I'll give you some advice." Now that they were quite close, Li Huan no longer called him "college student village chief."

"After I go back tomorrow and have the village committee discuss and approve it, I will immediately submit it to the town government for approval. As long as the town agrees, I will immediately take this plan to the investors I have already contacted. They have already accepted my personal invitation and sent people here before, but the level was relatively low, and since our investment promotion plan was not finalized at that time, we did not discuss it in detail. However, they are still very optimistic about this project. So this time I will talk to their senior management in detail, and it would be best to invite them to come and see for themselves. It would be even better if they could meet with the town or county leaders. Then we can see what the leaders think and determine the next step."

"I'm not trying to discourage you, but your approach has too many flaws. First, you only have a vague investment plan or proposal from the town. Going to investors with that lacks sincerity and won't be convincing. Second, I suggest you go to the county to understand the specifics of the main road project—the progress, funding, and the qualifications of the construction companies are all essential. Add that to your proposal so you can show investors that the county is making significant improvements to the investment environment and demonstrate its commitment to attracting investment. Third, find someone with connections in the county or province to find a similar project that has recently been completed for comparison. Also, try to find out the relevant investment incentives offered by the county and province. This will give you a solid foundation when answering investors and make your arguments more persuasive." Li Huan knew Zhang Bing was new to officialdom and had never done anything like this before, so he patiently guided him.

Although the words were rather blunt and unpleasant, Zhang Bing knew these suggestions made a lot of sense, and looked at Li Huan gratefully, "Sister Huan, thank you. I don't have much experience in this area, so I'll need your help."

"By the way, do you have any connections in the province or county? Do you need any help? You'll have a hard time getting these things done without connections."

"I won't lie to you, Sister Huan, I know County Chief Ma. He guided and supported me in this village chief election. As for the province, I don't have any connections yet." Zhang Bing hadn't told anyone about County Chief Ma's connections, but she trusted her older sister.

"Hehe, you've got some powerful backing, huh? Not bad. With County Chief Ma's help, you should be able to solve your problem. But if you can't, call me, and I'll help you. Let me tell you, I have quite a few connections in the province, hehe." Li Huan gave him a flirtatious look, her smiling expression tinged with sadness.

"Hehe, I knew Huan-jie was the best to me. I'll always think of you first when I need something."

"By the way, if you're going to the county or the province, take my BMW. These days, security guards judge people by their cars. If you drive your Jetta, they might not let you in." Zhang Bing believed him. He'd had plenty of experience handling things in Beijing, so he readily agreed. He rarely stood on ceremony with Li Huan these days.

Chapter Twelve: Holding Me While I Sleep

Li Huan had more to say to him, but after looking at his daughter, he stopped. He picked up the little princess, who was almost asleep on her brother's lap. "Feifei, baby, shall we go to sleep?"

"I want my brother and dad to stay with me. I don't want my brother to leave. I want to live with my brother, dad, and mom. Mom, that's my birthday wish." The little one opened her eyes groggily, still trying to climb into her brother's arms.

Zhang Bing was shocked, and Li Huan was also stunned. They looked at each other at the same time, then lowered their heads. After a long while, Li Huan finally picked up the sleeping little princess and went upstairs.

Zhang Bing was still sitting in the living room, still surprised by the little princess's words. He knew she missed her father, but he didn't understand this family. He hadn't seen any trace of a man in this house, and Li Huan hadn't mentioned these things to him either. He could tell she was sensitive and sad about these matters, so he didn't ask.

Li Huan quietly came downstairs. She had changed into a nightgown and, seeing the silent and somewhat troubled Zhang Bing, gently sat down beside him, leaning on his shoulder. "Feifei, you've had a hard time these past few days."

Zhang Bing was no longer afraid of this ambiguity; he enjoyed it. The alluring scent of the woman, the feeling of leaning against the soft sofa—it was truly comfortable. He got up, turned on the stereo, found some soft music, opened a bottle of red wine, placed two glasses on the coffee table, and then sat back down, letting Li Huan lean against him again. "That's the most comfortable way to be," he said. "Soft music, romantic red wine, and a stunningly beautiful woman—it's truly enjoyable! With this kind of enjoyment, I'd gladly endure any hardship." He then playfully leaned closer to Li Huan and took a deep sniff. "Not bad, not bad at all, an even more exquisite beauty than the most exquisite."

Seeing his antics, Li Huan burst out laughing and pinched his tenderest waist hard, only letting go when Zhang Bing cried out in pain. "Enjoying it was great, wasn't it? Want that exquisite beauty to give you a massage?" He glared at him fiercely, his eyes brimming with alluring charm.

She casually handed Zhang Bing a glass of red wine, a broad smile spreading across her face. "Not bad, kid. You even know your sister is a stunning beauty. I haven't spoiled you for nothing." She then exaggeratedly ruffled his hair. "Come on, cheers, to our sibling bond."

"Xiao Bing, I'm curious. You were doing so well in Beijing, why did you come back to be a village cadre? And even if you wanted to be an official, shouldn't you have taken the civil service exam? If you had a good relationship with County Chief Ma, it should have been easy to get you a position in the county." Li Huan had wanted to ask this question for a long time. Entering the officialdom wasn't easy; she had experienced this deeply since childhood. She feared that her somewhat passionate younger brother had genuinely returned with the intention of serving the people. Although she could tell from small things that he had been planning this for a long time, his thinking wasn't very mature, and he didn't have enough understanding of the officialdom. She was afraid he would suffer losses.

"Sister Huan, I know what you're worried about. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Becoming a village cadre was County Chief Ma's suggestion, and it's something I've longed for. I hope I can do something for my hometown; our village is too poor. Let me tell you my plan: once the Hongqi Lake development is finalized, I'll take the civil service exam by the year after next at the latest. According to County Chief Ma, if I do well in this investment promotion, he'll arrange for me to be the deputy director of the county's development zone or the director of the county government's office, mainly responsible for investment promotion and reception work. This is laying a foundation now, which will be beneficial for my future work. Then I'll think about..." "The way is to climb up step by step." Zhang Bing thought for a moment, then simply told Li Huan that he was willing to wholeheartedly trust his older sister. "Speaking of my relationship with County Chief Ma, it all started with investment promotion. At that time, I was working in Beijing, and he went to Huakong Group to discuss investment matters. I happened to have a classmate there, and I helped him a lot. Later, through my classmate's connections, I contacted several companies for him, so our relationship became very good. He suggested that I return to my hometown to work, and I also felt that being an official was not bad, that I could do more things, and that I could have a better life, so after thinking about it for a long time, I decided to come back."

"Hehe, it seems that you are quite shrewd, and you have some brains!" Li Huan hugged his arm tighter, not minding at all that his arm was pressing against her breasts; she felt very comfortable. "You are so eager to develop in investment promotion, do you have connections? You didn't become so confident after helping County Chief Ma contact business a few times, did you?" She was afraid that he would not know his place and be used and then kicked aside. Given her younger brother's current personality, he would suffer a terrible fate.

"I'll know my place. I understand the ways of the world. I don't have any connections, but most of my classmates work in major companies and government ministries in Beijing, so I think I still have resources I can utilize. I guess County Chief Ma values me for that. But to be honest, I really don't know what path I'll take in the future. For now, I can only rely on County Chief Ma. As things develop in the officialdom, I'll have to see how things unfold. But I believe I will definitely make a name for myself." Zhang Bing's words were tinged with disappointment, feeling lost about the career path he had so painstakingly chosen, but he was confident—it was his vow.

Li Huan could sense the determination in the young man's tone. She remained silent for a long time, then stood up and stared into Zhang Bing's eyes before suddenly changing the subject: "My darling Feifei likes you a lot. She can't live without you anymore. I guess I'll never see her this happy again."

Zhang Bing hesitated for a moment, meeting Li Huan's gaze, before mustering his courage: "Sister Huan, don't say that. I like my darling Feifei very much too. I—I like it here too. I've had a wonderful week here. Really, I love being with you and Feifei. It's so warm and happy! Even if I'm busy in the future, I'll still come often, as long as you don't mind." His face was slightly red, but his gaze remained sincere and open. However, his expression quickly darkened, and he turned his face away from Li Huan, asking softly, "Sister Huan, there's a question I've had in my heart for a long time. Can I ask you? Where is Feifei's father?" His tone clearly betrayed his nervousness. He was afraid Li Huan would become angry, and even more afraid of ruining this rare moment of warmth, but he couldn't hide it any longer.

For a moment, Li Huan was very nervous. The first half of her words turned her nervousness into excitement, while the second half calmed her down. She had originally planned to tell him the answer to this question when she came downstairs. She tried to hide the sadness caused by this question, quietly wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and asked in a somewhat ethereal tone, "Would you like to hear me tell a story?"

Zhang Bing knew that the following story would be the answer to his question. He hesitated for a moment, but seeing the sadness mixed with that beauty and the tears in the corners of her eyes, he decided to listen. He didn't say anything, but turned around and gently embraced that soft body.

"There was a woman from a prominent family; her father was the vice governor of the province. She received an excellent education from a young age and had a very high opinion of herself. One day, she fell in love with a man who treated her very well. This man was a very successful businessman. For him, she used her father's name to help him secure government connections, which led to his business's great success, making it a well-known large enterprise in the province. They eventually married, and she felt her marriage was blissful. However, not long after the marriage, she accidentally discovered that her husband was also involved in smuggling and drug trafficking, and had other women on the side. She was merely a protector for her husband's business. She was heartbroken, but because she still loved this man, she said nothing. Because her husband was often away, she became bored and began to drown her sorrows in alcohol every day. She frequented bars and even deliberately tried to emulate the promiscuous behavior of other women. However, because of love and her upbringing, she couldn't bring herself to do anything immoral. Even more tragically, because she still held onto a sliver of hope for her love, she stopped her own younger brother from shooting her husband during a police operation to arrest him. As a result, her younger brother was instead killed by the criminals." She was shot and killed by the criminal gang. Her husband was eventually arrested and executed. Tragically, she discovered she was pregnant with the child of that hateful man. Out of a sense of maternal responsibility, she gave birth to her daughter and raised her with her. However, she felt she had let her family down, so she chose to escape. She decided to leave the provincial capital and live alone with her daughter. To avoid running into acquaintances, she had to constantly change jobs, from the provincial capital to the county, and from the county to the town. She felt sorry for her parents, even though they didn't blame her and always hoped she would return. She couldn't face them, only occasionally sending her daughter to them so they could see their granddaughter. She also felt sorry for her daughter. She knew her daughter missed her father and often asked her mother why other children had both a father and a mother while she only had a mother. But the only answer she received was her mother's tears.

Although Zhang Bing knew there would be a story, he didn't expect it to be so tragic. He could only hold this pitiful yet respectable woman tightly in his arms, gently kissing her face and the tears that kept flowing.

Soft music still echoed in the dimly lit living room—the same "Butterfly Lovers," a song that had moved countless men and women to tears. It resonated with the woman in his arms, her face streaked with tears. Whether from the alcohol or excitement, she was flushed, her fair neck tinged with pink, and the exposed chest muscles beneath her disheveled nightgown glowed with a pale pink light. Looking at her tightly closed eyes, her trembling eyelashes, and her pale, bluish lips, he suddenly felt an urge. He wanted to kiss those lips, to share her pain with his passion and comfort, to restore her radiant beauty. Without hesitation, he kissed her, simultaneously pulling her onto his lap.

Li Huan, still weeping, struggled slightly but quickly gave in, passionately embracing the neck of the man she trusted, responding with even greater fervor, her teeth parting to release her own.

After a long while, when the two separated, Li Huan had recovered from her grief. The passionate kiss had made her forget her sorrow and the past; her heart was completely at peace. When she came to her senses, she withdrew her slightly swollen tongue from Zhang Bing's mouth, looked at her pajamas, and was grateful that the man hadn't taken advantage of her. She was grateful for his understanding and love, and offered him a kiss in return, regaining her former flirtatious demeanor. "You're smart enough not to take advantage of your sister." She paused, then stretched languidly in Zhang Bing's arms. "Good brother, I'm sleepy. Carry me back to my room to sleep. I don't want to leave."

Zhang Bing smiled slightly, feeling great pity for this strong woman. Holding her mature body, he felt no lust whatsoever; only tenderness and respect filled his heart. Gently carrying her to the room and placing her on the bed, he found she seemed to be asleep. He shook his head, covered her with the blanket, carefully wiped away the remaining tear stains, and turned to leave.

Li Huan suddenly opened her eyes, grabbed his hand, and her face turned bright red again. "Good brother, will you sleep with me? I'm afraid of having nightmares every night." Before he could speak, she pulled him to the bed, lay down with him under the covers, put her arms around his shoulders, and snuggled into his arms. "So comfortable!" She looked at him with a blush. "Sleep like this, hold me, and don't do anything bad!"

Chapter Thirteen Meeting County Chief Ma

When the warm winter sun shone in, Song Xue'er stretched comfortably before getting out of bed, feeling refreshed. How comfortable! Looking at the bright sunshine and listening to the clear birdsong and fragrant flowers of the mountain village, she felt that everything today was so wonderful. Although she had worked very late yesterday, she had slept soundly and sweetly because that guy was coming back today. Although she didn't know how well he had done, she believed he could do it well. She had confidence in herself and in him. Having just taken over village affairs, she had to learn everything from scratch, just like when she first went to Guangzhou after graduating from vocational school. Everything required adaptation, and she had to be careful. However, after a few days, she was already carrying out her work step by step under Secretary Luo's guidance. Currently, her main focus, family planning, was progressing very well. Everyone was very cooperative with this kind and beautiful young woman, and they were willing to talk to her about their difficulties, saving her a lot of trouble.

Thinking about his return, her heart was in turmoil. She had initially thought highly of him, having heard many things about him. Who knew that guy would be so blind, openly rejecting her during a blind date, leaving her, confident as she was, humiliated, and becoming a laughingstock among her close friends. So she decided to get revenge; she wanted to prove she was better than him, that he had misjudged her. Therefore, she became good friends with him, getting to know him better. When she heard he was running for village chief, she gave up the idea of going out to work again and also ran for women's director—she wanted to show him how excellent she was. But after getting to know him over the past few days, especially through their work interactions after his election, she found that her initial resentment had slowly turned into admiration, and even a touch of affection. She clearly sensed that the way the director of the Party and Government Office at the town government was so affectionate towards Zhang Bing had made her jealous, and his nervous departure to find that woman after his report had made her even angrier. That woman was so flirtatious;

she really didn't know how to respect herself! Xue'er felt a strong urge to see Zhang Bing, to see that ordinary face, and to discuss issues and work with him. She didn't know if this meant she was falling for him. She felt that although her work was going smoothly, she had no one to talk to, and Zhang Bing was the only person she could share common interests with. To be honest, she wasn't quite used to the atmosphere and customs of the countryside. As a woman who had spent so much time in the big city, she liked the hustle and bustle, the civilization, and the hustle and bustle of the city, and was used to its indifference. Back home, the villagers were simple and warm, but also vulgar and lazy. The quiet woman had never really liked the vulgarity, which was why she rarely stayed at home. Although she loved her hometown and her family, and although she tried her best to tolerate the direct and ugly jokes, she still couldn't stand the habit of these people constantly talking about sex. Whether men or women, they always told those dirty jokes freely in front of her, a virgin, and talked mysteriously about which woman slept with whom last night. Some even deliberately humiliated her, asking if it was like what they said on TV, with prostitutes everywhere, and whether she had been taken to sleep with rich young men and high-ranking officials. She was frustrated by all of this, feeling unable to communicate with these people. She knew they meant no harm; it was just their habit, not an attempt to humiliate her. This angered her, but she felt helpless. She hoped Zhang Bing would return so she could discuss her feelings with him.

As the warm winter sun streamed into the room through the window, Li Huan opened her eyes, a happy smile on her face. Looking at the man smiling gently at her, she said, "So comfortable! Thank you, Xiao Bing. I haven't slept so soundly and comfortably in ages!"

Zhang Bing lovingly tucked her in, kissing her cheek. "The sun's shining on your bottom, time to get up!"

"Ugh! So vulgar!" The little woman playfully pinched his waist, then quickly rubbed it tenderly, snuggling her head into his arms. "Comfortable, let's sleep a little longer." She then nestled against him again.

"Ah—" The woman suddenly jumped, her face instantly turning red. She had tried to put her legs on him, but had touched something hard and warm. Of course, she knew what it was. She felt a mix of emotion and sadness. She glanced at Zhang Bing and asked, "Was it uncomfortable for you last night?"

Zhang Bing knew what she meant, and it was true. Holding a mature woman and being unable to move was something most people couldn't handle. It had kept him up all night, and his penis had been hard the whole time. Hearing the woman's direct words, he felt a little embarrassed, but his penis became even more erect. He could only smile wryly, hug the woman tighter, and remain silent.

Neither of them spoke again. After a long while, Li Huan, trembling, took his hand and reached for her breasts, pressing his incredibly hot hand against her full breasts. Just as Zhang Bing's fingers twitched, testing the feel and about to escalate the movement, Li Huan jumped up like a startled rabbit, hurriedly getting off the bed. Once she was far from the floor, she glared at the man on the bed, saying, "Consider that your compensation, don't overthink it! Okay, time to get up, I'm going to take a shower." Then she quickly ran into the bathroom and slammed the door shut, leaving a dumbfounded Zhang Bing who wanted nothing more than to break down the door and take her right there.

After breakfast, he took Xiao Feifei to kindergarten, promising to call her every night, before riding his motorcycle away from the warm nest he had stayed in for a week, returning to Songshang Village with reluctance and anticipation. He had to take the motorcycle home, so he didn't take the Jetta yet, agreeing to come back and get it next time he went to the county town.

Things went smoothly. The old Party Secretary and Song Xue'er both agreed with his plan. However, Song Xue'er, based on her hotel management experience, added some professional suggestions to the hotel and club construction plan—something Zhang Bing had hoped she would do upon her return; after all, everyone has their own expertise! Early the next morning, Zhang Bing rode on the old Party Secretary's motorcycle, and the two arrived at Mayor Huang's office early to report to the mayor. Mayor Huang, being impatient, immediately convened a meeting of mayors, and Zhang Bing's plan was unanimously approved. However, there were some disagreements regarding the government's matching funds, which required more detailed planning and approval from higher-level leaders.

By noon, the meeting ended, and the old Party Secretary, preoccupied with a mountain of village affairs, rushed back. Zhang Bing had lunch at Li Huan's house and drove straight to the county seat.

On the way, he called the county government office, requesting a meeting with County Head Ma. He could have directly contacted County Head Ma via his personal phone, but Li Huan's words made him wary; officialdom was unpredictable, and it was better to keep a low profile. This was official business, and going through the government office's comprehensive section was the proper procedure. Fortunately, the staff in the General Affairs Section were very dedicated and didn't ignore him because he was just a lowly village official. They eventually agreed to meet at the office at 3:30 PM.

At 3:10 PM, Zhang Bing appeared in the General Affairs Section. After learning the reason for his visit, County Magistrate Ma's secretary, Wang Yicheng, warmly greeted him and asked him to wait in his office. Wang Yicheng had been working for County Magistrate Ma for three years. He had occasionally heard of Zhang Bing from the county magistrate, but he didn't know he had returned from Beijing. However, he had been cautious, and when he heard colleagues mention Zhang Bing's name, he wondered if it was the same person. He had consulted with the magistrate beforehand. Judging from the county magistrate's enthusiasm in setting aside other matters to arrange the meeting, Wang Yicheng knew he had made the right bet. Therefore, he dared not be negligent in the slightest towards Zhang Bing, showing none of his usual superiority. This touched Zhang Bing, who was unaware of the situation, and surprised the other secretaries in the General Affairs Section: Who was this guy? Why was the usually arrogant Secretary Wang so polite to a village official? When Zhang Bing emerged from County Chief Ma's office, news of this village official was circulating throughout the government offices. People looked at him with surprise and confusion, especially after County Chief Ma saw him out.

At 3:30, Zhang Bing was promptly invited into the office. County Chief Ma was still writing something at his large desk, not looking up. When he finished and saw Zhang Bing still standing there waiting for him, he hurriedly stood up and pulled Zhang Bing to sit on the sofa. "Hehe, Xiao Bing, I've been waiting for you! Don't be so polite with your uncle, sit wherever you like." Then he turned to Secretary Wang, "Xiao Wang, let's get acquainted. This is Zhang Bing, the current village chief of Songshang Village in Chunhua Town, our county's first college graduate village chief. Let me tell you, I personally recruited him from Beijing. You might become colleagues in the future. If Zhang Bing needs anything, tell me immediately. Give him your phone number later." "Bing, try your best to help him while I'm not around."

Secretary Wang was taken aback. He understood what County Chief Ma meant; he was directly telling him that Zhang Bing was very important. As County Chief Ma's confidant, he knew the weight of these words. If word got out, Zhang Bing's status would immediately change. But the quick-witted secretary didn't think too much about it and immediately walked up with a smile to shake hands with Zhang Bing again. "Hehe, Village Chief Zhang, I'm Wang Yicheng. You can just call me Yicheng. Let's get closer in the future." Then, without needing County Chief Ma's instructions, he went to his office, got a new cup, brewed a cup of tea for Zhang Bing with good tea leaves, and then left. County

Chief Ma was 45 years old this year, of medium build, and a little overweight. He was said to be among the first batch of college graduates during the reform era. He was most proud of the fact that he still didn't have a single gray hair and didn't need to wear glasses. He had been the county chief of Changxiang County for two years and had done a fairly good job with outstanding achievements. He was expected to be promoted again next year, succeeding Chen Ran, the soon-to-be county party secretary. He looked at Zhang Bing, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "How's it going, Xiao Bing? Is the village official job going smoothly? You've been back for months now, and apart from a phone call when you came back and a message when you were elected, you haven't paid any attention to me. I've invited you to come over, but you

won't come. When did you become so distant?" "County Chief Ma, thank you for your concern. My work is going well. I'm under your leadership now, so how could I be distant? I'm just afraid you're busy and don't want to bother you, haha!" Zhang Bing was a little reserved. His recent experience in officialdom had taught him the meaning of superiors and inferiors, whereas his previous interactions with Ma Youcai were more casual, so he felt somewhat uncomfortable.

"Alright, you seem rather uncomfortable, lacking the ease we displayed when we met in Beijing." County Chief Ma chuckled, picked up his teacup from his desk, took a sip, and then sat back down beside him. "Let's discuss your work in detail this afternoon. Although we talked about some plans in Beijing, they weren't very specific. I'd like to learn more, and I'll do my best to help if I can. Afterwards, I'll invite you to my home for dinner tonight so you can meet your aunt and sister. They've been very grateful to you for saving my life." "

Hehe, I'd be delighted. I happened to bring some local specialties from my hometown for you." Zhang Bing didn't stand on ceremony. Having spent some time together in Beijing, he knew County Chief Ma disliked people who were overly sentimental. He then took out the report from his laptop bag. "This is the development plan for Hongqi Lake that I prepared. Please take a look."

"Hehe, that's pretty fast. Have your town leaders reviewed it?"

Seeing Zhang Bing nod, County Chief Ma sat down and carefully examined the materials. He read them very thoroughly, pondering as he went, and occasionally asking Zhang Bing questions. By the time he finished, almost an hour had passed. "Alright, I've finished reading the materials. They're well-written. Now, tell me your specific ideas and what you need my help with. I know you don't come here without a reason, so don't be shy with your uncle." He smiled at Zhang Bing, feeling very happy for the young man. After all, he knew that completing the materials in such a short time required a lot of work.

Zhang Bing glanced at County Chief Ma. "Then I won't stand on ceremony?" Seeing the county chief smile and nod, he continued, "My application needs some additional information. First, I need details about the main road project in the county, including progress, funding, and the qualifications of the construction companies, especially information about our town. This will demonstrate our determination to attract investment and show the improvement in the investment environment to potential investors. Second, I need to find a completed project similar to the Hongqi Lake development to review their project planning and investment policies for reference, so I can further refine my proposal. I can't solve these two problems myself; I need information from relevant departments at the county or provincial levels. That's why I have to ask for your help." Zhang Bing spoke cautiously. To be honest, he didn't like asking for help. Although he had helped County Chief Ma a lot before, it always felt like he was being asked for something in return. Helping others was a pleasant and convenient thing, but asking for help felt awkward.

"When will you be ready?" The county head got up and poured tea into Zhang Bing's cup. "Comrade, it's natural to seek help from leaders when you encounter difficulties. It would be abnormal not to. Look at how cautious you are, as if you've caused me a lot of trouble. I invited you to work for our hometown, so of course I have to support your work. Besides, I'm your superior. Even without our personal relationship, I must strongly support this normal work!" After saying that, he thought for a moment, "It seems I was a bit naive when I called you back. I forgot to tell you some of the rules of officialdom. After all, this is different from working in a foreign company. It's not appropriate to talk about these things in the office. Let's discuss it in detail when we get home tonight."

County Head Ma picked up the document again and flipped through it. "How about this, I'll call Section Chief Xu from the county government's investment promotion office over for you. She's an expert in this area. Let her guide you. I'll also have her and Director Ma from the office take you to look up the information you need. I'll fully support your work. How about that?"

After telling him to sit down, County Head Ma called Section Chief Xu and Director Ma over. Section Chief Xu was a young and beautiful woman, comparable to Li Huan, very capable, and always had a professional smile on her face. Director Ma was an older man who had served as the director of the county government office for six years; he was a skilled writer and would retire next year. After everyone arrived, County Head Ma stated his requirements, and the two promised to cooperate fully. The county head then instructed Director Ma to arrange for Zhang Bing to stay at the county hotel. For the next few days, neither of them needed to come to the office; they could go directly to the hotel to assist Zhang Bing in completing the plan. If anything came up, they could simply call him.

Chapter Fourteen:

When the young woman, Ma Pei, came out of the office, it was already after work hours. Director Ma personally accompanied Zhang Bing to the hotel to arrange everything and told him to rest early. He and Section Chief Xu would arrive at the hotel promptly the next morning to begin work. He also invited Zhang Bing to dinner, showing great hospitality. However, remembering his appointment with County Head Ma, Zhang Bing politely declined, saying he already had plans with friends. He could tell that Director Ma was trying to get information out of him, probably wanting to know his relationship with the county head, so he responded very carefully.

At 6 o'clock, Secretary Wang's phone rang, and he arrived at the hotel entrance in 5 minutes to pick Zhang Bing up and take him to County Chief Ma's house. Zhang Bing, thinking he would be returning later and not wanting to trouble Secretary Wang with driving him back and forth, waited at the entrance himself. Secretary Wang arrived precisely 5 minutes later, quite surprised to see Zhang Bing's car. After all, the county town wasn't wealthy, and car owners were rare. He hadn't expected a village official to have his own car; this guy seemed even more impressive, and he had to think highly of him. With the intention of making his acquaintance, Secretary Wang got into Zhang Bing's car and sent his driver back.

"Village Chief Zhang, County Chief Ma wants us to come to his house for dinner at 6:30. We still have time, so let's drive slowly," Secretary Wang said, noticing Zhang Bing was driving rather fast.

"Hehe, Secretary Wang, the village chief is nothing compared to you. To save face for me, please call me by my name. I'll drive slowly," Zhang Bing replied, also wanting to befriend him, knowing he'd likely interact with him frequently in the future, and being friendly was his forte.

"Alright, we're not that far apart in age, no need for such formalities. Let's just call each other buddies. You call me Yicheng, and I'll call you Zhang Bing, how about that?" Secretary Wang spoke quite sincerely. He had already gleaned several clues from County Chief Ma's special introduction today, especially the phrase "we'll be colleagues in the future." This clearly indicated that he should get along well with this person who was even younger than him, and also suggested that this young man had an extraordinary relationship with County Chief Ma, and that he had great potential.

"Hehe, okay, then I'll take advantage of that. County Chief Ma doesn't like formalities, and I imagine you, as his most favored person, are no different. So I won't stand on ceremony, Brother Yicheng." Zhang Bing clearly revealed some information, making it seem like his relationship with County Chief Ma was special. He was afraid these people would look down on him; these people were all slick and opportunistic.

"If we still have time after dinner, how about I take you to the county town for some entertainment?"

"Hehe, thanks, Brother Yicheng. We'll see. County Magistrate Ma might have something to discuss after dinner. If not today, then tomorrow. I'll treat you to karaoke."

The two chatted for a while and soon arrived. The person who opened the door was a pretty young woman in her early twenties. Her red sweater showed her lively personality, and her ample breasts looked very sexy. When she saw Zhang Bing, she was stunned for a moment. Her first reaction was to close the door immediately. She said lazily, "County Magistrate Ma isn't home." Before she could finish speaking, she saw Secretary Wang peeking out from behind and realized she had made a mistake. She blushed and hurriedly reopened the door she was about to close, taking two pairs of slippers from the shoe rack inside for them to change into. When she bent over, Zhang Bing could clearly see a sexy black lace bra and half of her tender flesh that was barely covered through the round neckline.

The girl immediately showed her personality. After Zhang Bing changed into slippers, she promptly and attentively placed his leather shoes on the shoe rack, blushing as she apologized, "You must be Brother Zhang Bing? I'm Ma Pei. I'm sorry, I thought you were one of those people who came to deliver gifts, so—please don't be angry."

Seeing such a bright and beautiful girl, Zhang Bing was in a good mood and deliberately joked with her, holding up the gift ribbon in his hand, "I am Zhang Bing, that's true, but I really did come to deliver a gift."

"Hehe, don't laugh at me! I've heard my dad talk about you a lot, about his bad deeds in Beijing, saying that if it weren't for you, he might have been sold to a remote mountain village by a swindler, and he certainly wouldn't have his current political achievements! I really admire you!" The girl playfully wrinkled her little nose, then, without any hesitation, hugged Zhang Bing's arm and walked inside.

"Hehe, admiring Xiao Bing and then trying to chase him away, little girl, you're really something!" A woman in her forties laughed and came out from behind the screen, teasing her daughter.

"Mom, how can you say that?" "I really wanted to meet Brother Zhang Bing, whom I've heard so much about, so I went to the door to greet him. Who would have thought—" The girl, Ma Pei, blushed even more. Her eyes darted around, and she snatched Zhang Bing's bag, stuffing it into her mother's hand. "Hehe, I wasn't wrong! Brother Zhang Bing just said he came to give you a gift." She then smiled smugly at Zhang Bing and winked.

Seeing the woman frown, Zhang Bing immediately chimed in, "Auntie, it's just some things from home—pollution-free tea oil, tea leaves, and some herbs from the countryside. These things are healthy, natural, and pollution-free."

"Alright, Shuqin, just accept them. I like these things from the countryside. It wasn't easy for Xiao Bing to bring them all this way, especially those herbs. I love them the most. I make tea with them every day; they're much better than those expensive health supplements." County Magistrate Ma's voice came from the living room. "Peipei, bring Xiao Bing over and sit down. We'll have dinner soon."

The girl skipped and hopped over, hugging Zhang Bing as she sat down next to him. "Dad, I think Brother Zhang Bing is even better than you described! Why didn't you let him come home sooner so I could see my idol?" She shook Zhang Bing's arm twice, happily complaining to her father. "

Oh? Tell me, what's so great about your Brother Zhang Bing? He wouldn't let him in just now, but he's clinging to him like glue! A grown woman like you isn't shy at all!" County Magistrate Ma chuckled, finding his little girl's antics amusing.

"Dad, if you say that again, I'm never making you midnight snacks again!" "Ma Pei, completely oblivious to being ridiculed, ran to her father and acted coquettishly, 'Of course Brother Zhang Bing is great! There are three reasons: First, he's selfless. He helped you so much in Jinghua, but you haven't asked for anything in return these past few years. Instead, you wanted to use him to work, tricking him into becoming a small village official; second, he came all the way from home and brought you so many things just because you treated him to a meal. These things are priceless; you can't buy them even if you have money in the county town; third, my first impression of him was very good. He'll definitely take me out to play often in the future, and you'll have no reason to stop him anymore, hehe!' The girl hugged her father, her face full of anticipation.

'Haha, after saying so much, your true colors are showing! You're so eager to go out and play that you're using Xiao Bing as a shield! You!'" The father shook his head affectionately and playfully tapped her little head.

The girl sensed a softening in her father's tone and quickly winked at Zhang Bing. Zhang Bing understood the meaning of their conversation and knew that County Magistrate Ma had tacitly approved. He was happy to do such a favor. "County Magistrate Ma," he said, "if you have time, I'll take Ma Pei out to play. We're not that far apart in age, she'll have a lot of fun. I promise I'll pick her up safely and bring her back home safely, hehe."

These words made the girl beam with joy. Seeing her father nod, she excitedly danced around, "Brother Zhang Bing is so nice! Let's go out to sing karaoke after dinner, haha!"

Ma Pei, probably having been confined to her home for a long time, was especially kind to Zhang Bing during the meal, constantly putting food on his plate. She was particularly happy when she heard Secretary Wang say that he had driven himself there; she had just been complaining about the inconvenience of not having a car and being worried about not being able to get a taxi at night.

After dinner, County Magistrate Ma called Zhang Bing to his study for a half-hour chat, mainly admonishing him about some unspoken rules of officialdom. He advised him to observe more, listen more, and speak less; to act with high profile but remain humble in his personal life; to see things through to the end; to report difficulties to his superiors; to ensure his superiors knew about his achievements and not let others easily steal them; to learn how to claim credit; and sometimes, to know how to deflect blame, otherwise, survival in officialdom would be difficult. He had originally planned to go into detail, but Ma Pei kept urging him to go out and play, so County Magistrate Ma could only smile wryly and wave the conversation to end, telling Zhang Bing to keep her company and take good care of her.

Chapter Fifteen: First Love.

Secretary Wang had originally planned to introduce Zhang Bing to a few friends from his official circle, but with Ma Pei involved, he dared not do so and could only let Ma Pei make the arrangements. However, the girl insisted on driving over ten kilometers to the provincial capital to pick up two of her classmates at Xiangbei University. After some chatter, the girls decided to go to Rolling Stone Karaoke and then go ice skating at the Youth Palace.

Rolling Stone was the largest karaoke bar in the city, and its decor was indeed luxurious. They booked a small private room, and the girls ordered a large amount of snacks before heading off to sing. Zhang Bing and Secretary Wang felt it was pointless to compete with the girls, so they ordered a case of beer, preparing for a drinking contest. Zhang Bing had a high alcohol tolerance and was confident that a few bottles of beer wouldn't affect his driving.

The five men ate, drank, and had a great time. Even Zhang Bing, who couldn't sing, was dragged by the girls to sing a terribly off-key rendition of "Two Tigers," which made everyone burst into laughter. Ma Pei, in particular, laughed so hard she practically threw herself into Zhang Bing's arms, letting her two classmates tease her that she had finally found her sweetheart. This made Ma Pei blush, but she still clung to Zhang Bing, looking very happy, her face flushed as she let her companions tease her. Zhang Bing, however, didn't care. He had heard this kind of teasing many times before and didn't take it to heart. He even occasionally told jokes and flirted with the two beauties, making them giggle.

The soundproofing in the private room wasn't very good, and sounds from the main hall and the next room could occasionally be heard. The two men, who were quietly drinking, suddenly seemed to hear a girl's cries for help coming from the next room. They listened carefully, but then it stopped. A little while later, Zhang Bing could clearly hear a girl crying and begging for mercy, but then it stopped again, as if her mouth had been gagged. The two men ignored it, assuming it was either harassment of a waitress or coercion. They thought such things were commonplace in entertainment venues, and that it was none of their business; the youthful fervor of fresh out of school was gone.

But it seemed the matter wasn't over. A loud bang echoed as a door was slammed shut, followed by cries and shouts of fighting down the corridor. A woman screamed, "**Help!**!" but was quickly gagged, leaving only muffled groans and the sound of a body being dragged across the floor. The two men wouldn't have intervened initially, but the three hot-blooded girls heard it too. Ma Pei dragged Zhang Bing into the corridor, where they saw two men dragging a glamorous woman in a suit towards a private room, a white napkin stuffed in her mouth. By the time they pushed through the crowd and reached the room, the two men were already inside, their voices barely audible as the door closed.

"To rob and force someone in broad daylight! There's no law! Brother Zhang Bing, we must save that woman!" Ma Pei was furious, but as a woman, she was powerless and could only ask Zhang Bing for advice.

Zhang Bing had no choice; since the young lady had spoken, he had to act. He exchanged a glance with Secretary Wang, walked to the door, and knocked.

"What do you want?" came an impatient voice from inside, probably standing by the door.

"Just delivering drinks, sir. You just ordered orange juice." Zhang Bing pretended to be a waiter, hoping to trick the door into opening first and see what was going on. They

must have hit the jackpot; the door opened a crack, and the impatient Ma Pei took the lead, kicking the door open and rushing inside, the others quickly following. The scene was utterly appalling. There were seven people in the room: three men and four women. The three men were dressed in brightly colored clothes, clearly spoiled brats. Two of them were grabbing a beautiful woman who was half-naked, her mouth still gagged, her clothes torn to shreds, her skirt pulled up to her waist, her black stockings and red underwear exuding a deadly allure. Her face was a mixture of anger and sorrow, tears streaming down her cheeks. Three alluringly dressed women sat on the sofa nearby, watching the spectacle with schadenfreude; they were clearly nightclub hostesses. Another man, who had just opened the door, was now standing beside them. Wait a minute, the woman being bullied looked familiar—she looked like a high school classmate!

"What are you doing? Don't you know the rules?" A slightly older man released the woman and walked towards them; he was clearly the leader.

"What are you doing? Have you no shame? Raping a woman in broad daylight?" Ma Pei, a sheltered child, had never known the darkness of society and was naturally filled with rage.

"Hehe, I didn't expect a virgin to come to my door like this, what a rare sight! Little beauty, do you want to save this woman? No problem, come have a few drinks with me, and I'll release her right away." The lecherous young man was completely captivated by Ma Pei's beauty and innocence. He grinned and brought the wine to Ma Pei's face, reaching for her hand.

Zhang Bing, fearing Ma Pei would be taken advantage of, quickly kicked him, striking him right in the groin. The man immediately rolled on the ground in pain, the red wine and glass falling on him, hitting him squarely in the face. The shattered glass immediately caused blood to stream down his face. Strike the snake at its vital point, an essential technique for attacking the enemy—this was Zhang Bing's experience. He was short and had the appearance of a weak scholar, so he had to be ruthless, otherwise he might suffer the consequences.

"Who are you guys? Dude, give me your names so the brothers can give you a piece of their mind!" The young man who had been kicked in a vital spot was furious. After he felt a little better, he picked up a bottle and was about to fight back when another, more mature young man stopped him, whispered something in his ear, and then looked up and asked Zhang Bing and the others.

Wang Yicheng was familiar with this kind of occasion. The provincial capital was a murky place, and he was afraid Ma Pei and Zhang Bing would cause trouble again, so he quickly stepped forward with a smile, "Gentlemen, we are from the Changxiang County government. This is the daughter of our County Chief Ma. We know her, could you please do

us a favor?" "You country bumpkins from the county dare to come to the provincial capital and act tough? You're asking for trouble, daring to interrupt my good time! Let me tell you, my father is the head of the local police station, and my uncle is the director of the Furong District Public Security Bureau. You dare mess with me! Xiao Liu, call Captain Shi and have him bring some men here. We'll deal with them at the station, lock them up for ten days or half a month before releasing them." The young thug, slightly calmer now, started shouting again when he heard the other party's background was inferior to his.

Zhang Bing was trying to remember who the woman was. He walked over to her, helped her up, and took off his coat to put it on her. That's right, Zhang Qingyun, his first love! "Are you Zhang Qingyun?" Zhang Bing was very uncertain.

"Thank you! I'm Zhang Qingyun, and you are—ah, Zhang Bing? Is that you?" The woman gripped his hand tightly.

Just as he was about to reunite with his old classmate, Zhang Bing was startled by the young man's words. It was exactly what he feared. The door was blocked by a man; he and several women would have a hard time getting out. He needed to call for help. But he had no connections in the provincial capital. The man was in the city's public security system; even County Chief Ma couldn't reach him. Li Huan had said he could contact her father, Vice Governor Li, if there were any difficulties, but Zhang Bing was unwilling to take that step until it was absolutely necessary. He couldn't let Li Huan face what she didn't want to face because of him.

He quickly gathered his men together: "As you can see, this can't be resolved peacefully. The other side is in the public security system, so we have to find connections, preferably in the city or provincial public security system. Otherwise, we'll be in trouble if they call their police. Everyone, think quickly if you have any connections like that. The officer must be at least at the division level, higher than the police station chief.

" "No problem, I'll find my second uncle. He's the director of the provincial city public security bureau. I'm not afraid of them." Only then did everyone realize that Ma Pei was confident and not as naive as he seemed.

After Ma Pei finished her call and said her second uncle would arrive in ten minutes, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, hoping the other side's men would arrive slowly so they would be safe.

But reality was cruel. Six minutes later, Captain Shi, the man the thug had mentioned, appeared in the private room with five policemen. Without a word, they surrounded and monitored Zhang Bing and his group of six. After comforting the thug and arranging for a police car to take him to the hospital for a check-up, they ordered all six of them to be handcuffed and taken away. Before leaving, the thug slapped Zhang Bing twice, saying, "Kid, just you wait, I'll give you a good beating! Let's see if he dares to be arrogant with me again!"

Fortunately, these events delayed things considerably. When it was time to handcuff Ma Pei, her phone rang. After answering, Ma Pei cried and said a few words before walking towards Captain Shi: "Director Liu from the Municipal Public Security Bureau wants you to take this call."

"Damn it, you little bitch! What kind of damn Director Liu is this? Trying to stall me for time? Let me tell you, no way! You've offended our station chief's precious son. Our station chief said you'll all be detained for half a month, and then we'll see how his son handles you, hmph!" He slapped the phone out of Ma Pei's hand, turned around and yelled at his subordinates, "What the hell are you doing? Cuff her and bring her to the station for questioning right now. Give these gangsters a good beating!"

"You can't get rid of them, but I'll get rid of you!" A very authoritative baritone voice rang out at the door, and a middle-aged police officer with a square face appeared at the door with a group of police officers. "Take all these law-breaking scumbags back to the city bureau."

"Second Uncle!" Ma Pei, who was about to be handcuffed, was extremely aggrieved and ran into her uncle's arms, crying loudly. "You're finally here! I was almost taken away by them! They couldn't get away with it, so they tried to detain us. They even slapped Brother Zhang Bing twice just now. You have to arrest all these bad guys. By the way, the leader is the son of the police station chief; he's being taken to the hospital."

"Taken to the hospital? You got into a fight?" Ma Pei didn't explain clearly on the phone, only saying that some police officers were bullying her and trying to arrest her and her friends, and that she needed her uncle to come and save her.

Ma Pei stopped crying and started laughing, her face flushed. She pulled her uncle over to Zhang Bing and took his arm, which had just been unlocked from its handcuffs. "This is Brother Zhang Bing. We came out to sing karaoke. To save that woman who was being raped, Brother Zhang Bing kicked that big bad guy."

"Alright, I'll handle this. Everything's fine here now, and it's getting late. You should go home quickly. Do you want me to take you?" Her second uncle could tell that Ma Pei had a good impression of Zhang Bing, but this wasn't the time to talk about it. He had many things to deal with, and he could ask his sister or brother-in-law later.

"No need. Dad said Brother Zhang Bing should take me home and ensure my safety." Ma Pei wasn't stupid at this moment. She didn't want to be separated from Zhang Bing now; she hadn't had enough fun yet, so she used her father's name.

"Oh? Okay, since your dad has given permission, I won't interfere. I thought you'd snuck out." The second uncle knew their family was very strict, so since his brother-in-law had given permission, there was no problem. However, he was more interested in Zhang Bing. "When you have time, bring your brother Zhang Bing to my house." Then he gave Zhang Bing a meaningful look, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Young man, please take good care of this girl for me. Come visit sometime." He then hurriedly left.

After the police left, everyone lost interest. Plus, Zhang Qingyun was still shaken and needed rest and a change of clothes, so they decided to hurry home. Six people were a bit cramped, but the girls were all quite thin, so they managed to squeeze in. They first took Ma Pei's classmate back to school, then returned to the county town, first dropping off Secretary Wang, then handing Ma Pei over to County Chief Ma. Zhang Bing then went back to the city and arrived at Zhang Qingyun's residence.

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