[Adult City] Lonely Officialdom (Final Chapter) - 10

Chapter 57 Daughter-in-Law

The next morning, while Zhang Bing was still in bed, Hong Gang knocked on the door to say goodbye. He was going to take his sister's motorcycle to catch the bus. Songshang Village was too remote, and there were very few buses going to the city, so if he was in a hurry, he had to go to the town to catch a bus. His sister also had to work at Chunya Mountain Villa for a few more days because the construction company's business license and other documents hadn't been issued yet. Zhang Bing didn't dare trouble County Chief Ma with these small matters, but instead entrusted Wang Yicheng, who promised to handle it for him within a week and register the company under the county construction company, allowing them to share the county construction company's qualifications.

Zhang Bing remembered Jiang Yan saying she wanted to go out for a drive today. Driving in the countryside was inconvenient, the roads were bad, so riding a motorcycle was better. He asked his sister to take his motorcycle and drive Hong Gang back to the city, leaving the motorcycle for him. Having a vehicle would be much more comfortable, and his sister, of course, had no problem with it.

After sleeping comfortably for another hour, Zhang Bing woke up to find the sun shining brightly outside. Listening to the cheerful birdsong, he couldn't help but admire Jiang Yan's good fortune. Wasn't this perfect weather for a winter outing? The girl had chatted with him late last night; she should be awake by now. He should get up too, otherwise his mother would come knocking on the door to urge him to get up for breakfast. He felt embarrassed in front of the girl; usually, his parents had to wake him up, and his sister sometimes teased him for this rare display of affection.

Breakfast was indeed prepared. To accommodate this pampered young lady from Beijing, his mother had made mung bean porridge and had his sister get up early to buy a bag of small steamed buns from the only supermarket in the village center. The elderly couple ate their usual rice noodles.

After knocking for a while, there was no response. The two girls were probably still asleep. Zhang Bing shook his head, noticed the door wasn't locked, and went inside. Jiang Yan was the only one still fast asleep in bed, her eyes closed. Her mouth was slightly open, and there were traces of drool on the pillow. Her hair was casually disheveled, covering half of her delicate face. Her whole body was twisted in the blankets like a snake, a sleeping beauty pose that was extremely alluring. Zhang Bing guessed that Xue'er had also left with his sister and the others, probably to go home to pack her things for work. Looking at this buddy he had made up with last night, his mischievous heart was stirred again. He raised his hand and slapped her on the bottom. "Lazybones, get up!"

The snake-like beauty on the bed twisted her body, then fell silent, muttering, "It's still early, let me sleep a little longer!"

Zhang Bing found it amusing. He guessed that this girl still thought she was at home, and was probably talking in her sleep. He slapped her butt hard again. "If you don't get up, the pervert will come!"

"Ah, you jerk Zhang Bing, how did you get in here, and why did you slap my butt?" A scream woke the girl up completely. She threw off the covers and sat up abruptly, rubbing her butt and glaring at the bad guy. She didn't notice that her thighs were also exposed under the covers. Her pajamas weren't long enough, and her entire thighs were clearly visible, with a glimpse of her white panties.

Since he was her friend, Zhang Bing didn't want to look too much, but he still wanted to tease her. He grinned mischievously and deliberately made a funny face. "My god, these thighs are much better than those flat-chested ones. Oh, and they're white panties!" Then he hurriedly ran towards the door.

"Ah, go to hell!" The girl finally realized she was exposed and angrily grabbed a pillow to throw at the running man. Zhang Bing, who had already safely reached the door, caught her and said with a smile, "The floor is dirty. This is your only pillow!" Then he tossed it back to her, closed the door, and ran away.

About twenty minutes later, Jiang Yan finally emerged, fully dressed. She didn't lash out at Zhang Bing again; instead, she was gentle and polite, her words as sweet as honey, making the two elderly people beside her very happy. They praised the girl for being sensible and likable, and told her to stay a few more days.

"Thank you, Uncle and Auntie. I really like it here, and I'll be troubling you for a while longer!" These words made Zhang Bing's heart pound. He almost choked on his porridge. He hoped she was just being polite; if she was, he'd be in for a world of trouble. This girl was too much of a nuisance; she'd definitely be clinging to him, her friend, wanting him to stay. But he had so much work to do; he didn't have time for her. He definitely couldn't say this to his parents, or he'd be scolded.

"Hehe, good, good! Jiang Yan, you can stay as long as you like. Your aunt and uncle both like you very much. You're used to living in Beijing in the north, so coming to our rural area in the south to feel the fresh air is good for you. It will definitely make you even more beautiful! If you'd like, you can even spend the New Year with us, hehe!" The mother was overjoyed last night when she saw the beautiful Jiang Yan. She had heard her son mention several times that he had a girlfriend in Beijing, and she had been complaining that he hadn't brought her home to meet them. But yesterday, she suddenly arrived. Not only was she very beautiful, but she was also very polite and sensible to the elderly. The elderly woman even heard them whispering in the living room when she got up to use the bathroom last night, which made her even more delighted. After smiling and expressing her affection for the girl, she turned to Zhang Bing, who had been silently drinking his porridge. "Zhang Bing, try to spend less time out these days and more time with Xiao Jiang. Go hiking, visit the reservoir, and take her to the provincial capital to buy her some new clothes. Don't you dare bully her, or your mother will be furious!"

Zhang Bing was practically begging for his mother's approval. He had come home too late yesterday and had only told his parents that Jiang Yan was from Beijing and was visiting for a few days. He guessed his parents had misunderstood and thought he had brought his girlfriend home. After all, he had mentioned Long Xin to his parents, but hadn't given them any specifics, not even her name. He looked up at Jiang Yan, who was blushing and smiling, pretending to drink her porridge without saying a word. He was too lazy to say anything more, just giving his mother appeasement and discussing lunch.

"Mom, what are we having for lunch?"

"I'll kill one of our old hens later, and have your dad go to the pharmacy to buy some medicinal herbs. We'll have stewed old hen for lunch!" His mother had clearly already planned it out.

"Didn't you always say those old hens were for the New Year? You didn't even kill them when County Chief Ma and

the others came last time, saying you wanted to raise them a little longer." "Who said I wouldn't? It's Xiao Jiang's first time visiting our home, and she came all the way from Beijing, she must be very tired, and she's a bit thin, of course she needs to be nourished! Xiao Jiang, if you like it today, we'll kill all those dozen or so for you, so you can be more nutritious, more beautiful and radiant." Mom smiled so happily that her wrinkles seemed to lessen, almost as if she was saying, "You're my daughter-in-law, of course I treat you better than anyone else."

Ugh, we're back to this topic again. Judging from Mom's expression, the misunderstanding is quite deep. I should explain it to them to avoid embarrassment later. Zhang Bing was about to speak when she heard Jiang Yan speak up, "Thank you, Auntie! With you and Uncle taking such good care of me, I'll definitely be very happy staying here!"

Good heavens, what does this girl mean? This is practically a tacit admission of her status as her daughter-in-law! Isn't this just asking for trouble? Zhang Bing understood that Jiang Yan had absolutely no romantic feelings for him at the moment; she only considered him a trusted friend. Now, however, she was acting like this. Besides pleasing her parents, she definitely had other ulterior motives. This girl had too many wicked thoughts, impossible to guard against, and always forced Zhang Bing to comply. But now that Jiang Yan wasn't denying it, there was no point in telling the truth; it would only get her scolded.

"By the way, Jiang Yan, who else is in your family?" The investigation was beginning.

“I’m an only child, and I have my grandparents and parents too, haha!” The girl answered politely, her innocent appearance seemingly oblivious to her mother’s intentions. “Auntie, your porridge is so delicious!”

“Really? I’m glad you like it. I’ll make it for you often from now on! Here, let me get you another bowl?”

“No need, Auntie, how could I trouble you to serve us younger generation? I can do it myself!” She declined her mother’s offer, and after serving the porridge, she said to Zhang Bing, “Zhang Bing, I’ve had enough. The rest is yours, don’t waste it!”

“Do you think I’m a pig? That’s so much!” Zhang Bing was already annoyed and glared at her.

“Auntie, Zhang Bing is bullying me!” The girl immediately complained to her mother, who was standing up to lash out. “He’s always very impatient with me and doesn’t want to play with me! He used to not let me come to our house, and I had to beg him to come this time!” The girl added fuel to the fire, adding another crime to Zhang Bing’s list.

Sure enough, the mother, who was about to stand up and scold her son for being more polite to Jiang Yan, became even angrier. She walked over and smacked him on the head a few times. "How can you talk like that? Xiao Jiang is a special guest in our family. You must treat him well. You must take him with you these days and he's not allowed to run off and fool around outside alone!" Then she turned to Jiang Yan with an apologetic look. "Xiao Jiang, don't worry, Auntie will stand up for you. I doubt he'll dare to resist. If he bullies you again, just tell Auntie, and I'll stand up for you! Now you know the way to our house. Come over often, and I promise Zhang Bing will keep you company!"

The girl's face remained red. She made a face at Zhang Bing, who was glaring at her, and then happily thanked her mother. "Thank you, Auntie. You're just as good to me as my mom!"

Wow! Zhang Bing couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't let this girl cause trouble any longer. He put down his bowl and said, "I'm full. Go get the motorcycle. Jiang Yan, hurry up, I'll take you to the reservoir."

Chapter 58 Village Chief's Assistant

"Little girl, were you doing that on purpose? What's your scheme?" Once out of his parents' sight, Zhang Bing started to settle scores with Jiang Yan. He had to find out the truth and warn her not to mess around, otherwise who knows what kind of trouble would arise. The last rumor incident had already put him in a very passive position, and it was Huan Jie who endured the grievances and helped him smooth things over. If it happened again this time, and the protagonist was different, then his reputation as a pervert would probably be confirmed.

"What 'little girl'? That's awful! Hey, I'm warning you, if you bully me, go tell on me again. I can't bear to see you being scolded by your mother like that!" The girl clearly wanted to change the subject and didn't want to tell him.

"What else could you be but a little brat? No chest, no butt, all you do is act pitiful to my mom and then whine to me. Do you really think I won't bully you just because I consider you a buddy?" Zhang Bing was so angry he wanted to say something malicious to save face.

The girl's hand, which was on her waist, was about to pinch him, but he stopped her. "Don't do anything rash! I'm riding this motorcycle. If we crash into a ditch or a paddy field, it'll be terrible!"

"If you insult me like that again, I don't care about crashing or dying, I'm going to teach you a lesson! Humph!" The girl was furious. Any woman would go crazy if she was called flat-chested and flat-butt.

"Promise me you won't cause trouble anymore, and if you explain it to my family, I won't tell anyone! Okay?" Finally seeing a glimmer of hope in getting rid of this witch, Zhang Bing was very happy.

"No way! I just won't agree. What are you going to do about it? If I make myself clear, you'll definitely kick me out today so you can go mess around with your girlfriends. I know you too well!" The girl was cunning, smiling smugly, but she reached out and hugged Zhang Bing's waist. "Let you take advantage of me, so you won't keep saying this young lady isn't... you know."

Actually, Jiang Yan's breasts were definitely not flat-chested, and they were quite large. Pressing tightly against Zhang Bing's back, even with thick clothes in between, he could still clearly feel the softness, which was very comfortable. But Zhang Bing still teased her, "Hmm, a little bit, but only slightly better than flat-chested."

The girl didn't say anything. This was the most outrageous thing she had ever done in her life. Pressing tightly against this man, she felt a little flustered and a little happy. It seemed to feel good, and the hug was very comfortable. But he wasn't her boyfriend. How embarrassing! The last boyfriend she had only ever held her hand. Before things could develop further, her father saw through his ulterior motives and chased him away.

"By the way, Jiang Yan, I need to talk to you about something. I'm too busy to keep you company. Can you find someone to come and keep you company tomorrow?" He figured if he couldn't get rid of her, he'd let her stay. After all, it was only a short time until the New Year, and she still had work to do. She couldn't stay here indefinitely; she'd get tired of it eventually. But he needed someone to keep her company during this time, otherwise, her constant clinging would be a hassle. It wasn't that he disliked having her with him, but there were many things that were inconvenient to do with her. They weren't work-related, and she wasn't his girlfriend, so it wasn't easy to introduce her to him.

"No way! I've decided. I'll basically be staying at your place for the next month before the New Year. The scenery here is beautiful, the air is fresh, it's a hundred times better than Beijing! The school didn't schedule any classes for me this year, and now they've only arranged a few trial lectures and discussion classes. Lots of time will be boring, so I'll just follow you around on your project. I don't need anyone else to keep me company." The girl had clearly already made up her mind; she was just telling Zhang Bing, her tone commanding him to obey.

"Hey buddy, this won't do! Aren't you deliberately trying to make people misunderstand me? Last night you said you'd help me win over those older women, and today you've changed your mind and want to sabotage things. You haven't fallen for me overnight, have you?" Zhang Bing thought it was better to use reverse psychology on the young girl, after all, she was kind-hearted.

"That's a different matter! Don't forget I'm an investor. It's okay for an investor to come with you to inspect projects, right? It won't cause any misunderstandings!"

"Inspecting projects is fine, but you can't inspect for a whole month, can you? Besides, the inspection team won't follow a small village official like me around. They should stay at the project site and conduct research. How about you go with the Huasheng Group's inspection team when they come in a couple of days?

" "What am I inspecting? I've already heard about the investment I promised to help you get. They'll be here to inspect the project the day after tomorrow." The girl told Zhang Bing some unexpected good news, but she wasn't in high spirits, still worrying about finding a reason to stay and follow him. Actually, she didn't necessarily want to stay for a month; it was mainly because she felt good following this guy—fulfilling and relaxed—much better than her friends in Beijing who were always talking about cosmetics and sports cars, constantly comparing and showing off. Besides, if she could help Zhang Bing secure more investment, not only would her friend be happy, but she could also prove her abilities to her parents and stop them from always seeing her as a child who needed protection.

"Really? What kind of company are they? How much investment can they provide?" Upon receiving this good news, Zhang Bing was skeptical. He hadn't expected this young woman to actually introduce him to investors; he had initially thought it was just empty boasting. He had always regarded Jiang Yan as a delicate flower, someone who could only be nurtured and protected. He was overjoyed that she could genuinely help him, as he was currently worried about where to find the remaining investment. Although he had several connected companies, their initial interest was lukewarm, and with the year-end approaching, most companies were focused on liquidating accounts and distributing dividends, unlikely to invest their funds.

"The company is called Huolin Real Estate, and the CEO's surname is Yu. He personally led the team this time. They say the projects are worth hundreds of millions, but he requests to see the investigation report from Huasheng Group, as he trusts their authority." Jiang Yan was somewhat smug. After all, she had done Zhang Bing a huge favor with just a small gesture. Her old classmate, Yu Lin, was also very grateful. Yu Lin was the son of a high-ranking official and had been involved in real estate investment since his school days, reportedly doing quite well thanks to his family connections. So, she tried contacting him. Unexpectedly, Yu Lin immediately agreed to invest when he heard that Huasheng Group was also interested. In Yu Lin's words, "When have I ever seen Huasheng's investments fail in the past two years?" Indeed, Huasheng's investments had not only not lost money in the past two years, but had made a huge profit.

"Hehe, that's great! Why didn't you say so sooner? I could have gotten some more sleep! Haha, Jiang Yan, you've done me a huge favor! You secured 500 million in investment in a week! You're the best investment expert!" Zhang Bing was delighted and rarely praised the girl.

"Hmph, don't you know who I am? See if you still dare to underestimate me and call me 'little girl'!" Zhang Bing could imagine the girl's smug, arrogant expression. Girls were like that—cute, innocent, and content. Just as he was about to praise her a few more times, he heard her exclaim, "Ah! I've got it!" "Zhang Bing, you said it yourself, I'm an outstanding investment promotion expert. Now I'm your investment promotion staff, so of course I have to work with you! What title should I give others? Investment Promotion Specialist? Too common, not suitable for someone as outstanding as me! By the way, you're the village chief, so I'll call you Village Chief Assistant, how about that?" After saying that, she put her head on Zhang Bing's back and kept nodding her chin at him to express her smugness.

Zhang Bing smiled wryly. This girl was still thinking of reasons to follow him. It seemed she was determined to annoy him to death. Oh well, she had helped him so much. As long as these two investments could be finalized, the work before the end of the year would be much easier. It didn't matter if she followed. After all, his biggest job now was to receive the two inspection teams that were coming. Moreover, that General Manager Yu from Huolin Real Estate definitely had a close relationship with Jiang Yan, so he also needed her to receive them. He would just have to grant her request.

Zhang Bing stopped the car, turned around, patted the girl's head, and gently touched her slightly reddened face, his expression serious. "Alright, to reward your contributions, I, the village chief, have decided to appoint you as the village chief's assistant, specifically in charge of investment promotion. You can also accompany me to various occasions. Is that acceptable?" Before he could finish speaking, he burst into laughter, pinching the girl's nose. "However, this position has no salary. I will personally provide your food and lodging; you'll be my personal secretary. How about that?"

"Ugh, don't pinch my nose! No salary is fine, I'll just ask you for money when I'm short. We're buddies, right? But don't call me personal secretary, it sounds awful. Who wants to be your personal secretary? I'm working for thousands of villagers in Songshang Village!" With the problem solved, Jiang Yan was overjoyed and started to whine and argue with Zhang Bing again.

Upon receiving the good news, Zhang Bing decided not to argue with her. It was good to make her happy, so he didn't say anything and started the car again. "Let's go! I'll show you around the beautiful scenery today!"

Chapter 59 Apology

Xue'er got up very early. Yesterday's events had been too much of a shock. She hadn't expected Zhang Bing to be so jealous. Although Jiang Yan had acted as a buffer, she hadn't waited for Zhang Bing's expected apology. She didn't even need his apology; as long as he spoke to her and showed any sign of reconciliation, she would forgive him and reconcile. But he didn't. She had even overheard Jiang Yan and Zhang Bing's late-night conversation in the room. Jiang Yan had explained everything clearly, but he still hadn't come to talk to her, just dragging his feet. This made her very angry: Did she mean so little to this man? Did he have no feelings for her at all? So she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and got up very early. Looking at the sleeping Jiang Yan, she was very envious. That man was so doting and indulgent towards her; why was he so cold to her? The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She was also afraid that Zhang Bing would continue his awful attitude towards her today; if that happened, she didn't know if she would go crazy. So, without saying goodbye, she followed her sister and the others

in their car. Back home, her mother was making breakfast. Seeing her return, she hurriedly asked how her day had gone. Since she wouldn't be coming for dinner, she had called home beforehand to tell her mother she was in the provincial capital with Zhang Bing. Her mother knew her daughter's thoughts and supported her, thinking Zhang Bing was an excellent man, absolutely worthy of a woman's beauty.

"Didn't you say a friend came over last night and you were staying at Zhang Bing's house? Why are you back alone?" Her astute mother sensed something was wrong.

"I needed to get ready for work, so I came back this morning," Xue'er said, pretending nothing was wrong to avoid worrying her family.

"You could have had breakfast with them before coming back. Why didn't he see you off?" Her daughter looked very tired, which her mother could tell.

"Mom, are you kidding me? Stop asking so many questions! Let me finish my meal in peace. I'm in a hurry to get to work!"

"Okay, okay, I won't ask. I won't pry into your young people's affairs. As long as you're happy, your dad and I are at ease!"

Her mother's words seemed to have a hidden meaning, but Xue'er, preoccupied with her troubles, didn't notice. Her mother had heard that the county magistrate and a group of people had come to the village for an inspection a couple of days ago. Two very pretty girls had been accompanying Zhang Bing the whole time. One was Director Li Huan from the town, and the other seemed to be the county magistrate's daughter. Both women were very affectionate towards Zhang Bing. She'd heard that the county magistrate had come specifically to find a partner! If these two women were to compete with her daughter, would Xue'er still have a chance? She knew that women were very persistent, but no mother wanted her children to get hurt. And persistent people are most easily hurt, not because she lacked confidence in her daughter's looks or abilities, but because she had seen too many men on TV who, for power or money, often chose those who could help them, rather than those who truly loved them. Now, seeing her daughter return from Zhang Bing's house with such a bad expression, she was even more worried.

Xue'er was afraid her family would notice something was wrong, so she hurriedly left home for work. She knew Zhang Bing wouldn't come to the village committee today, and the old Party Secretary probably wouldn't come either unless there was nothing wrong. There, she could calm herself down quietly and avoid being noticed. She had always been a strong-willed person; she believed she could only solve her own relationship problems, and relying on others was always a bad idea. Lost in thought, she dealt with some odds and ends. Seeing that Zhang Bing hadn't called her, she guessed he was having fun with Jiang Yan. She was cursing the bastard Zhang Bing in her heart when the phone rang. She saw it was indeed that jerk's number.

"Xue'er, it's me, Zhang Bing."

She didn't speak. She assumed he was calling to apologize, and she had to wait for him to apologize before speaking; otherwise, letting him off too easily would be a betrayal of the grievances she had suffered yesterday.

"Here's the thing, Jiang Yan has contacted another investor for us, called Huolin Real Estate, a large real estate company in Beijing. The CEO is confirmed to come in person the day after tomorrow for an inspection, which clashes with Huasheng Group's schedule. We just contacted both companies separately, and they don't have any special requirements for the reception. Huolin Real Estate even requested that we receive them together and act as a unit. This means our original reception plan can't be used. I just called Mayor Huang, and he requested that everything be prioritized for our village, with the town providing support. So I'd like to trouble you to..." "I'm going to draft a new plan. This afternoon I'll invite the old Party Secretary over to discuss the details and refine the plan. Tomorrow morning I'll report to the town and county. So I'll have to trouble you, okay?"

Xue'er didn't hear the words she was expecting, but she wasn't too disappointed. This guy was really capable; in such a short time, he had managed to get two companies to come and inspect the area, and their intentions were very clear. He was truly an excellent man. You see, the Hongqi Lake plan had been in the works for three years, but countless people in Chunhua Town and Songshang Village had tried to attract investment without success, wasting a lot of money in the process. Now he had it all done in a month. What else could it be but excellent? When the tasks were assigned, she was responsible for attracting investment and receiving visitors, so writing the plan was her duty. Moreover, her previous experience in hotel management made it easy for her.

"No problem, I'll finish writing it this morning, and we'll discuss it together this afternoon." She put aside her personal emotions. After all, this was an important matter that did good for everyone, and she knew what was important.

"I suggest you budget more, so that even if the money isn't spent, it can be used for our future expenses when it goes to the village. Maybe we can even go on a few more publicly funded trips, right? By the way, I discussed it with the old Party Secretary, and you'll be responsible for tomorrow's report, whether it's to the town or the county. You'd better be prepared!" This jerk was clearly trying to tease her, deliberately bringing it up now. She had no experience; it used to be Zhang Bing's job, or the old Party Secretary would cover for her. How could it be her turn?

"That's your or the old Party Secretary's job, don't make things difficult for me!" She deliberately put on a stern face, her tone sharp.

"Xue'er, the old Party Secretary said that we'll be doing more and more work in the future, and the three of us aren't allowed to take on too much responsibility, so we want to train you. And we all believe in your abilities, as long as we give you a chance!" Zhang Bing paused, then began to goad her, "What kind of officials and bosses haven't you seen in those Shenzhen hotels? Are you afraid of a county head? Xue'er is very beautiful and outstanding, there's definitely no problem!"

Xue'er heard the girl on the phone laughing uncontrollably. She knew it was Jiang Yan. Her face flushed slightly, a mixture of sweetness and embarrassment. This guy was praising her in front of a woman, and in such a cheesy way—how shameless! But was it so hard to say an apology? Did he have to resort to such roundabout ways to make her laugh? Humph, I won't let you have your way!

But before she could answer, Zhang Bing seemed to anticipate her refusal and hurriedly said, "Xue'er, it's settled then, I believe in you! By the way, let's have lunch at my house together, I'll pick you up, and the old Party Secretary will come too, it'll be a celebration!" Then he hung up.

This guy, he's just being a liar! Xue'er cursed inwardly, but smiled outwardly. "Heh, what an interesting man. So proud, and so jealous. He even fought over me yesterday—but he's rejected my feelings several times. What an interesting fellow." Thinking this, she felt much more relaxed than before and happily started working on the reception plan.

Zhang Bing hung up the phone and let out a long breath, which made Jiang Yan beside him laugh so hard she bent over. "Dude, you're awesome!"

"What's wrong? What's so funny?" Zhang Bing asked knowingly, though he couldn't help but laugh himself. He must have looked quite embarrassed just now. Damn it, apologizing to a woman is so hard; he still didn't have the courage to say it.

"Is that how you apologize? I feel like you're ordering a subordinate around, just like my dad's tone: 'Hmm, I believe in you; I have high hopes for you, do a good job.' Don't you think that's too hypocritical, especially to Xue'er?"

"Sigh, what do you know, little girl? Xue'er and I are such good friends, do we need to apologize? As long as we understand each other, that's enough! As for hypocrisy, that depends on the person you're talking to. I said that to stop Xue'er from making excuses, to give her confidence. It's not hypocrisy; only your dad's bureaucratic tone is hypocritical!" Zhang Bing knew he had gone a bit too far, but he couldn't lose face in front of the little girl, or she would laugh him to death, so he could only try to justify himself.

"If you call me 'little girl' again, I'll really get angry!" Xue'er's face changed instantly, and she ran over and grabbed Zhang Bing's ear.

"Stop! I was wrong, it's a beautiful woman, Jiang Yan, a beautiful woman!" He had just made an agreement not to call her that anymore, but the habit kicked in, and he paid the price. Zhang Bing quickly begged for forgiveness; there was no need to argue with a little girl over such a trivial matter.

"By the way, you said my dad was being bureaucratic and hypocritical. I'll ask you again, what exactly did my dad say to you that day? Wasn't he thanking you?" The smug girl stopped her punishment and moved on to the next question.

Zhang Bing didn't speak. He didn't want to lie to this innocent girl, nor did he want to tell her the content of their conversation that day; it wouldn't do her any good. He could only remain silent.

"Alright, you don't need to say anything, I understand. Humph, it must be my dad's doing. No wonder you kept avoiding me. I had to settle accounts with him. He's been keeping me so bored for days." Then, in a show of camaraderie, she put her arm around Zhang Bing's shoulder. "Buddy, don't worry about it. Don't pay any attention to my dad. He's actually very easy to talk to. I'll explain things to him."

"What do I have to worry about? I'm your buddy. I don't need to covet your looks, and I don't want to climb the social ladder through your family. Those things are too far removed from me. So, I'm not afraid of your dad at all. In fact, I think offending you is much scarier than offending your dad. Besides, I envy how much your family dotes on you. Such a high-ranking official personally came to your door to pick you up. It must have been about two miles, right? You should cherish it! The love of family is the best and truest love in the world!" Zhang Bing had only intended to state the facts, using Jiang Yan's words to tell her family that he wouldn't take advantage of them and that she didn't need to worry about him having ulterior motives. However, this unexpectedly triggered his own reflection, leading him to earnestly advise the girl not to be so stubborn in opposing her family's care. Although Jiang Yan hadn't mentioned any conflicts with her family, seeing her insistence on coming to this small county alone and her resolute dismissal of the bodyguards, he knew she was defiant.

Jiang Yan might be naive, but that was just her way of avoiding thinking things through. In reality, she was very clever. She understood the meaning behind Zhang Bing's seemingly joking words. Yes, they were buddies, buddies without any vested interests—how wonderful! Her family would feel more at ease about her relationship with him, right? Yes, she had to tell her family about what had happened these past few days, both to show them her abilities and to let them know Zhang Bing's character, so they would feel reassured about her life here.

She could see sincerity in Zhang Bing's later sighs and persuasion in his emotional eyes; perhaps he was at that moment reminiscing about the kindness his parents had shown him! Yes, family is always the best for you, regardless of the methods or processes; at least their intentions are good—they want to protect you. She understood this very well, which was why she had never truly fallen out with her family, but had always tolerated their excessive care for her. These past few days, she had deliberately kept an eye out and managed to get rid of all three groups of bodyguards protecting her. She even had a huge fight with her father, forbidding him from interfering with her or monitoring her anymore. Her terrible attitude must have infuriated him; she could picture his helpless, worried, and angry expression, and the amused and exasperated looks on her family's faces. She had been incredibly smug then, because her father had finally agreed to her conditions and reaffirmed his promise. She had gained a decisive advantage in the contest, which was quite remarkable. Now, thinking back, had she gone too far? Had she failed to consider her family's worries? Had her terrible attitude hurt her father? Yes, Zhang Bing was right. Tonight, she needed to comfort her father and apologize, telling her family that she missed them and loved them, and that she would visit them often.

Chapter Sixty: An Unexpected Incident During the Reception (Part 1)

Zhang Bing stood in the airport hall, anxiously checking his watch. In ten minutes, Yu Lin's plane would land. Jiang Yan had told him that this Mr. Yu was the son of a high-ranking official; his father was a vice minister of the Ministry of Construction, and his mother a director of the National Development and Reform Commission. From a young age, he defied his family's wishes to pursue business. He was quite capable, and with his family's power, he was thriving. He had heard that the people from Huasheng Group were arriving today, so he specially arranged to fly directly from Hong Kong at a similar time. What did this mean? Was he trying to curry favor with Huasheng Group? Given his status, there was no need for that, right? Of course, it couldn't possibly be for his own convenience in receiving them. Zhang Bing wasn't stupid enough to think he was so important. He was just a small village official, and among all the people picking them up, he had to stand at the back. Today, a deputy county head was leading the reception, and the mayor and secretary of Chunhua Town were also present. He was just standing obediently at the back with Xue'er and Jiang Yan. If they weren't the only ones among those being picked up, he probably wouldn't even be standing here. Actually, Zhang Bing's thinking was flawed. He hadn't considered the extraordinary position of Huasheng Group in the real estate industry. Huasheng Group was backed by powerful figures and was one of the top companies in the industry. Even with Yu Lin's status, he hadn't succeeded in establishing a connection with Huasheng Group several times. Now that he had this opportunity, he should seize it.

"Zhang Bing, when Yu Lin comes over, let's not announce it. Let the officials in front go find him themselves, okay?" Jiang Yan suddenly tugged at Zhang Bing's sleeve, waking him from his thoughts.

"Why?" Zhang Bing glanced at her warily and quickly asked. This girl was strange. In front of others, she was gentle, charming, and extremely polite, but in front of him, she was mischievous and often did things that made people laugh and cry. Today was a reception for investors, and many leaders were present. He couldn't be careless or let her act recklessly, otherwise, he wouldn't know how to handle the situation.

"Who told those guys to crane their necks and push their way forward, leaving us to wait in the back! Humph, they think they can ignore everyone just because they're high-ranking officials. They put you, the person in charge of attracting investment, in the back so you can go and flatter them. I can't stand people like that who just snatch the fruits of others' labor. If we don't say anything, let's see who they can get!" The girl pointed at the officials in front of her with a disdainful expression

. Zhang Bing smiled, feeling that this girl was really a bit childish, actually standing up for him. No! This girl felt that she had finally accomplished something big, and had even called home a few days ago to report the good news and receive praise. A childlike mentality of needing praise made her feel that she, as the hero, should be pushed to the front by everyone and shouldn't be ignored. After all, her classmates were here, and being respected in front of classmates was a great honor. Besides, her classmates had always thought of her as a pampered girl, always protected by her family and unable to survive on her own. Thinking of this, Zhang Bing felt he should praise the girl a few more times later, preferably in front of everyone at the dinner. That way, she would work even harder for him, essentially free labor, hehe.

"Don't worry, we won't forget your contribution! County Chief Ma said she'll personally toast you at the welcome banquet to thank you for your help!" Of course, he couldn't let her scheme work, so Zhang Bing quickly reassured her.

"Really? Hmph, it seems County Chief Ma has a good eye for talent. No wonder she's so supportive of you, hehe!" Her little scheme was exposed by Zhang Bing, and the girl blushed slightly, but she still took the opportunity to praise herself: I've helped you so much, of course I'm a hero too!

"Quick, pay attention, the people from this flight are coming out. Don't let President Yu not be able to find us, that would be a huge joke. He might get angry and leave, and the investment would be ruined." Zhang Bing pulled Jiang Yan forward so they wouldn't miss the people coming out.

"Don't worry, with me here, that guy Yu Lin definitely won't dare to run away, hmph!" Jiang Yan's words were actually true. Yu Lin's family background was far inferior to hers, and he had always been trying to curry favor with her. The girl had known this since they were in school.

"Alright, then I'll leave everything to Miss Jiang. Make sure Mr. Yu invests over 500 million!" This goading tactic worked well on the girl, and Zhang Bing certainly wouldn't miss it.

"Hey, Yu Lin's out, the one in the gray trench coat, with a beautiful woman next to him! This guy's even more lecherous than you, daring to bring his mistress here on official business, like a vacation?" High-ranking officials' children are generally playboys, but Jiang Yan was still a little angry that this guy dared to bring his mistress in front of his old classmate: Aren't you afraid I'll tell your family? So disrespectful!

"Yu Lin, over here!" The angry girl didn't forget her duty; after all, it concerned her friend's future, so she waved to Yu Lin.

Recognizing Zhang Bing's pointing and hearing Jiang Yan's call, Deputy County Head Sun, leading the group, immediately led the officials to greet him. Strangely, Zhang Bing also saw a short, stout middle-aged man call out "Mr. Yu" before going to greet him. Could it be that someone else had come to pick up this young master?

Upon hearing Jiang Yan's greeting, Yu Lin's expression immediately tightened, and his relaxed and carefree demeanor vanished. He subtly pulled away the hand of the beautiful woman next to him that was holding his arm, quickly took a few steps, ignored the two groups of people who came to greet him, and walked directly to Jiang Yan with a big smile, "Jiang Yan, it's been a long time. I dare not accept your esteemed presence to pick me up!"

"You've already gone to so much trouble, so please continue. Just invest more money in the project!" Old classmates tend to be more casual with each other, especially since the two had a good relationship. Jiang Yan jokingly brought Zhang Bing over, patting him on the shoulder, "Let me introduce you to my buddy, Zhang Bing. He's the village head of the village where your investment project is located. I'm his assistant now."

The young woman spoke with unparalleled ease and pride. Zhang Bing naturally knew she was proud of her position, having received her family's permission to work until three days before the Spring Festival. But Yu Lin was different. When he came out, he had only glanced at the people who came to greet him. Apart from Jiang Yan and the deputy secretary-general of the provincial party committee from another group, he hadn't seen anyone else worthy of his greeting. Therefore, he hadn't paid any attention to Zhang Bing, who was standing next to Jiang Yan. Now, Jiang Yan had formally introduced him, calling him her buddy, and even stranger, she was the assistant to this village head? What a joke! When had the Jiang family ever needed assistants? Unless it was one of the Politburo Standing Committee members! However, he was certain that Zhang Bing wasn't from a high-ranking official's family. He lacked the innate air of nobility often found among young masters; he looked like an ordinary commoner, even somewhat rustic. So why was Miss Jiang so close to him? Never mind, he'd make friends first, partly to curry favor with Jiang Yan!

Confused, Yu Lin quickly and enthusiastically grabbed Zhang Bing's outstretched hand. "Village Chief Zhang, it's my first time here. I'll be relying on you these next few days!"

"Hello, Mr. Yu! We warmly welcome you and hope you have a pleasant stay!" Zhang Bing noticed Yu Lin's doubt and disdain, but didn't show it. He knew these young masters had high standards and looked down on him, even prepared for his outstretched hand to be ignored. Fortunately, this Mr. Yu hadn't gone too far; he seemed to be a businessman after all. Seeing the disgruntled Deputy County Head Sun and his entourage following behind, Zhang Bing quickly introduced them, "President Yu, let me introduce our leaders to you."

"Village Head Zhang, please wait a moment!" Yu Lin stopped Zhang Bing's introduction, ignoring Deputy County Head Sun and his group, and simply smiled and nodded at Jiang Yan. "I'll go greet our friends from the provincial government first; it wouldn't be good to keep them waiting!" Then he walked towards the short, stout middle-aged man who had been smiling at them. "Secretary-General Wang, thank you for coming to pick me up!"

"Hehe, brother, you're a distinguished guest we couldn't invite even if we tried. Don't be so polite with me." The short, stout middle-aged man's smile had a hint of obsequiousness as he quickly grabbed Yu Lin's hand.

"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony with you, Brother Wang, hehe!" Yu Lin patted Secretary-General Wang's shoulder affectionately. "I'll be staying in your territory for a few days, and I'll need your help taking care of me."

"Oh? No problem! By the way, you didn't explain clearly on the phone yesterday. What brings you here this time?" Secretary-General Wang asked knowingly. He had previously done business with Yu Lin, helping Huolin Real Estate secure a good project, so the two had some acquaintance. Yesterday, he unexpectedly received a call from Yu Lin saying he would be coming over today, so he rushed over to greet him. After all, currying favor with this young master would greatly benefit his future; having connections in Beijing makes things easier!

"Come, let me introduce you to some friends, brother." Yu Lin pulled the bewildered Secretary Wang in front of Jiang Yan. "This is my old classmate, Miss Jiang Yan, and her father—"

Before Yu Lin could finish, Jiang Yan glared at him fiercely, and he immediately shut up. Jiang Yan took over herself, smiling and nodding to Secretary Wang, extending her small hand, "Hello, Secretary Wang, I'm Jiang Yan, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

Secretary Wang was clearly displeased! He had already heard and seen this group of people coming to pick up Yu Lin, but he hadn't met any of them. They were probably low-ranking officials. Yu Lin was asking him to lower himself to meet a few minor officials? Was he mistaken? But he still followed. It wasn't just to give this young master face; more importantly, he knew that President Yu wasn't stupid and wouldn't make a mistake. There must be a reason for his actions. And his friendliness, even ingratiating manner, towards this girl, greeting her before him—was it simply because they were classmates? He felt it wasn't that simple. Sure enough, this arrogant young master seemed somewhat wary of the girl, refusing his introduction. There was definitely something fishy about him. This girl must have a much bigger background than him. Jiang? Secretary Wang quickly ran through the heads of the central government in his mind. There was only one person with the surname Jiang. Good heavens, that was a top twenty leader in the central government, a rumored frontrunner for the next Standing Committee, and supposedly only had one daughter. Could it be?

Secretary-General Wang broke out in a cold sweat. His previously arrogant and composed demeanor vanished. He quickly and gently took the girl's hand and released it. "Miss Jiang Yan, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Wang Hongming, Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Party Committee."

Chapter 61 An Unexpected Incident During Reception (Part 2)

This caused chaos. The deputy county head and others, who were already quite impatient, panicked upon hearing that it was the Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Party Committee. They quickly straightened up and stood at attention. Deputy County Head Sun bowed and scraped as he came over to greet them, but the others ignored him. Yu Lin continued to introduce Zhang Bing next to Jiang Yan, "Brother Wang, this is a talent from your province, Zhang Bing, the village head of Songshang Village in Changxiang County. I'm here today to discuss a project with him!" Originally, Yu Lin hadn't planned to introduce Zhang Bing, since such a level was nothing compared to him and the Secretary-General of the Provincial Party Committee. However, he noticed that Jiang Yan cared a lot about this man, so he decided to go with the flow and give Jiang Yan face.

Now that he knew the young woman might be someone important, and having witnessed Jiang Yan's introduction of Zhang Bing to Yu Lin, Wang Hongming dared not underestimate this lowly village official. He extended a friendly greeting and offered a few words of praise, echoing Yu Lin's words. Finally, fearing that Deputy County Head Sun might lose face, Zhang Bing decisively pulled him over and introduced them. Neither of them had any interest in this low-ranking official; they simply shook hands and remained silent, not bothering to meet the others. With important provincial officials present, Deputy County Head Sun also felt awkward and didn't say much, but stood with them with a sense of honor, hoping to leave a good impression on the Deputy Secretary-General.

Zhang Bing was worried that others might lose face and, if not blamed on them, would vent their dissatisfaction on him and Xue'er, since they were the lowest-ranking officials and the ones specifically in charge of the reception. However, it was obviously inappropriate to invite the two bigwigs to meet with those people again; it would seem very impolite. So, he quickly smiled and said, "President Yu, Secretary-General Wang, we still need to stay and wait for the inspection team from Huasheng Group. Why don't we have Jiang Yan take you to the hotel to rest first? County Chief Ma and Secretary Luo have prepared a luncheon to entertain President Yu, and they also invite Secretary-General Wang to come along to give some instructions on our investment promotion work in Changxiang County!"

Zhang Bing's words were very tactful. The arrival of the Provincial Party Committee Secretary-General was an unexpected event. With such a high-ranking official here, the luncheon had to be rearranged. He had to immediately inform County Chief Ma of the changes. Perhaps the Mayor and Party Secretary would also come to pay their respects after receiving the news. There would be a whole bunch of officials from the city and the county, and the original arrangements would definitely not be enough. So, he could only make preparations quickly while they were resting. Otherwise, if it became a laughing stock, it would be entirely his responsibility, and even County Chief Ma couldn't protect him.

Secretary-General Wang remained silent, merely observing Yu Lin. The situation was somewhat complex; there were still many things he hadn't fully grasped. This seasoned veteran wouldn't speak carelessly at this point. Since they were there to pick up Yu Lin, it was best to follow the guest's wishes.

"No need," Yu Lin said, "let's wait for the experts from Huasheng Group together. I've long admired them! Secretary-General Wang, is it alright for you to accompany me for a while?" Yu Lin had clearly intended this. He had come specifically to cultivate a good relationship with the people from Huasheng Group. Welcoming them together would certainly make a good impression and facilitate future interactions. He also anticipated that Wang Hongming wouldn't object, or wouldn't dare to object. He had summoned this man simply to flaunt his influence and, through this, to secure more preferential treatment from the government. Now it seemed he had achieved his goal. The deputy county head, who had initially been very impatient, was now obedient and respectful. With Secretary-General Wang's reputation, he believed there was more to come. He knew these officials all too well.

"Alright, then please continue your efforts, Mr. Yu and Secretary-General Wang. I believe Manager Guo from Huasheng Group will be very happy to make friends with you two." Zhang Bing had anticipated Yu Lin's response, so she quickly expressed her gratitude.

"Manager Guo? Guo Fei, the Human Resources Manager from Huasheng Group?" Yu Lin seemed quite familiar with Huasheng and asked hastily.

"Yes, Mr. Yu and Manager Guo are quite familiar?" Zhang Bing was a little surprised; when they talked about Yu Lin on the phone yesterday, Guo Zi had chuckled awkwardly.

"Hehe, we are somewhat acquainted. I didn't expect him to be leading the team; it seems Huasheng is grooming him." Yu Lin was somewhat emotional, but also a little embarrassed.

"Jiang Yan, Xue'er, you two chat with the leaders a bit longer. I'll report the situation to County Chief Ma." Zhang Bing noticed Yu Lin's embarrassment, so she ended the conversation, gave the leaders an apologetic smile, and went to the group of people who had been waiting there. He briefly explained the situation, instructing Director Ma to quickly return and rearrange the banquet, ensuring ample seating for the city leaders. He also proactively admitted his mistake to the other leaders, acknowledging the lack of prior communication and the absence of provincial officials, which had disrupted the reception. Fortunately, everyone noticed the older women's friendliness towards Zhang Bing and was preoccupied with figuring out his background, so they paid little attention to his apology. He easily passed the apology and quickly reported back to County Head Ma. County Head

Ma was furious. He considered Zhang Bing his son-in-law, and such a significant error naturally warranted his reprimand. However, he was too preoccupied with informing him to scold him. He needed to immediately notify County Party Secretary Luo and Mayor Long of this sudden situation. Otherwise, letting them know that the Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Party Committee had arrived in his territory without informing his superiors would be considered disrespectful and would greatly offend them. His assessment was similar to Zhang Bing's: Mayor Long would certainly attend in person to demonstrate the importance placed on the provincial leaders. As for Municipal Party Secretary Guan Yihang, that was uncertain. After all, as the Party Secretary of the provincial capital, he was also a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, and he wouldn't consider a mere Deputy Secretary-General a threat. But it seems that General Manager Yu has quite a background; otherwise, Secretary-General Wang wouldn't have personally picked him up. Knowing this, Secretary Guan will probably be there too.

Unbeknownst to County Chief Ma, Secretary Guan of the Municipal Party Committee was also troubled in his office. The entire office was filled with smoke, and the ashtray on his desk was overflowing with cigarette butts, some of which had just been lit but angrily stubbed out and left there—Secretary Guan's handiwork from the previous two hours. Just after starting work, Secretary Guan received a call from his direct superior, Provincial Party Secretary Zhang Haifang, who was also the direct leader of his faction. Secretary Zhang told him that the Ministry of Public Security would be sending an investigation team tomorrow to thoroughly investigate the security work at Huanghua Airport, stemming from the incident last Thursday where a gang of thugs assaulted passengers in the airport lobby. Moreover, it was said that the investigation was directly ordered by central leaders. Secretary Zhang angrily accused him of not reporting or notifying him, leaving the Provincial Party Committee in a passive position, completely unaware of what was happening. After hanging up the phone, Secretary Guan was about to call the airport to follow up when he suddenly remembered that the airport manager had secretly called him yesterday afternoon, saying that people with National Security Bureau credentials at the airport had requested to view the airport's videotapes. Surprisingly, they only watched some tapes from last Thursday morning, copied them, and left without saying anything. The manager found this unusual and immediately reported it to him, but he was busy at the time and didn't think much of it, considering it insignificant. Now, thinking about it, wasn't it just a coincidence? Yesterday, they secretly sent people to investigate and collect evidence, and today they officially issued an investigation notice. So fast and so thorough, and it was directly named by a central leader for investigation—it seems something big is about to happen!

Secretary Guan had just urgently reviewed the airport's videotape from that day. The victims were one man, two women, and a child. Oh, wasn't that older woman Vice Governor Li's daughter? As a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, he certainly knew Li Huan. The vice governor's daughter was threatened and beaten, and the airport did nothing. It seemed things were getting complicated. No, Vice Governor Li couldn't possibly have the power to order the central government to intervene in the investigation. Besides, if he wanted to investigate this matter, it wouldn't be this complicated. It seems there's someone else involved who has attracted the central government's attention. Later, when he discovered that the owner of those two formidable bodyguards was actually the innocent-looking girl who had been standing there the whole time, his heart tightened. The girl was clearly from Beijing; with such powerful bodyguards, she must be extremely wealthy and powerful. Tracing her name in the passenger records, her name was Jiang Yan, and the man's name was Zhang Bing; they had come from Beijing together. Just then, the office director, Gong Zhiqiang, knocked and came in, telling him that he had just received news that Wang Hongming, the deputy secretary-general of the provincial party committee, was at the airport to pick up a man named Yu Lin and was going to attend a welcome luncheon hosted by Changxiang County. He asked Secretary Guan whether he should attend. He'd heard of Yu Lin; he knew he was the son of a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Construction, involved in real estate investment, and had approached the province to find several projects. Whether it was Yu Lin or Wang Hongming, there was no need for him to get involved in welcoming them. Just as he was about to ask him to leave, he noticed Director Gong's hesitant expression and, being cautious, immediately pressed him for details. After all, everything happening at the airport was making him nervous.

"Is there anything else you haven't reported? Tell me everything."

"Secretary Guan, there's a strange phenomenon I need to explain. The person who reported the situation said that Yu Lin and Deputy Secretary-General Wang were very respectful to a man and a woman, especially Yu Lin, while the man and woman were clearly of very low rank—" Director Gong hesitated. He wasn't sure if Secretary Guan would be bothered by such trivial matters, but he'd noticed that Secretary Guan had been very focused on the airport situation today, so he specifically chose to report it.

"What are the names of that man and woman? What are their positions?" Guan Yihang, relieved not to hear the expected tense situation, asked lazily.

“Their names are Zhang Bing and Jiang Yan. Zhang Bing is the newly appointed village head of Songshang Village in Changxiang County. Jiang Yan's current position is unknown; she's supposedly Yu Lin's classmate, which is why they went together to greet him.”

“What? Jiang Yan, Zhang Bing? Are you sure?” Before he could finish speaking, the usually composed Secretary Guan suddenly stood up, his voice filled with tension.

“Yes. Zhang Bing is currently in charge of the development plan for Hongqi Lake in their village. He's contacted Huasheng Group and Huolin Real Estate. Today, he went to pick up people from these two companies for an inspection. The welcoming luncheon was hosted by Changxiang County. The scale of the welcome wasn't high, but I don't know why Deputy Secretary-General Wang suddenly went.” Director Gong knew he had bet correctly; the leader was very concerned about this matter, so he explained in detail.

Secretary Guan leaned back in his executive chair, pondered for a moment, then looked up and instructed Director Gong, “Contact the airport immediately and have them inform you of the specific situation. Report back immediately. Also, call County Head Ma and Secretary Luo of Changxiang County to ask about the luncheon arrangements; I might attend.” Then, he wearily waved for Director Gong to leave.

Chapter Sixty-Two: An Unexpected Incident During Reception (Part Two)

Jiang Yan! Secretary Guan had basically locked onto this person: from Beijing, a classmate of young master Yu Lin, a skilled bodyguard, a mysterious background, and most importantly, Yu Lin's fawning and respectful attitude. Individually, these details were useless, but together they were enough to explain a lot. He went through the list of central leaders again. Although he didn't usually pay much attention, a leader surnamed Jiang came to mind: Vice Premier Jiang Yongnian of the State Council. Could it be him? If it was him, then nothing would be surprising.

Just then, the phone rang. It was County Chief Ma calling to inquire about the luncheon, informing him of the Provincial Party Committee Deputy Secretary-General's attendance and indirectly revealing Yu Lin's identity, informing him that Mayor Long had agreed to attend. Long and his party greatly admired County Chief Ma's meticulous attitude, respect for leadership, and consideration for their needs. No wonder he was so popular with the leadership; coupled with his family's influence, his career advancement seemed very promising! Forget about that person. I should think about how to probe Jiang Yan's background at the banquet. If things are really as predicted, then a major earthquake is about to strike Changxiang City, and even Hunan Province. The person behind the beating incident, orchestrated by Vice Governor Li and Vice Premier Jiang's daughter, will probably suffer greatly. Who could it be? I need to investigate thoroughly to prepare in advance, preventing this storm of revenge from affecting me and avoiding too many personnel changes in the city. Stability is everything; this has always been the country's principle, and his principle as well. It seems I must report everything to Secretary Zhang immediately, including my own suspicions. If possible, perhaps I should meet with this Miss Jiang Yan, openly express my support, and also raise my demands for stability. He felt it should be successful.

Having figured everything out, Guan Yihang felt happy, only to realize that the office was filled with an unbearable smell of smoke. He quickly ran outside to the balcony for some fresh air and asked his secretary to tidy up the room. Breathing in the fresh air, feeling refreshed and invigorated, Secretary Guan was filled with the ease and satisfaction of having accomplished his task. Looking at the gloomy sky outside, he thought, "Perhaps this is the darkness before dawn. If I handled this matter well and can form a united front with Vice Premier Jiang, then I have a chance to advance further. Heh, keep working hard! Opportunity favors those who are prepared!"

Seeing that it was still early, Guan straightened his clothes and decided to personally meet with Secretary Zhang to report on the matter. This would also allow him to better grasp the leader's attitude and opinions on these matters. In officialdom, many things cannot be said; they must be understood through observation.

At the airport, Zhang Bing sensed some trouble due to Wang Hongming's appearance, but didn't think much of it. He was unaware that the entire Changxiang City was in an uproar surrounding him and the woman beside him. After finishing his call, he casually walked over. Seeing Yu Lin and the others chatting happily while Xue'er stood awkwardly to the side due to her status, he took the initiative to chat with her. Through his efforts over the past two days, although he hadn't formally apologized, Xue'er was no longer giving him the cold shoulder. While they hadn't returned to their previous intimacy, she would occasionally smile at him. Therefore, he wanted to seize the opportunity to have a proper talk with her, hoping that the previous incident would be forgotten and they could become normal friends and colleagues, without worrying about the previous ambiguity.

"Xue'er, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing, just worried that these unexpected events might ruin the welcome banquet. That would be troublesome." Xue'er looked at him worriedly and said softly.

"Don't worry, there will be some trouble, but it won't affect you or me too much. After all, this banquet was prepared by the county, and the specific arrangements were made by Director Ma and the others. At most, I'll be blamed for the inaccurate guest list, but Secretary-General Wang from the Provincial Party Committee was invited by a guest and wasn't notified beforehand. What can we do? Don't worry, I believe Director Ma and the others have the ability to handle things." Zhang Bing knew she was worried about him, since it didn't concern her, so she reassured her.

"You make it sound so easy. You have no idea how many things need to be considered at a banquet in official circles. Adding one more person can cause a lot of changes, and you might even have to scrap the entire original plan and start all over again. There are rules and procedures involved. It's not as easy as you make it sound!" Xue'er gave him a disgruntled look. "By the way, is there anything wrong with Huasheng Group? Otherwise, everything will be in chaos. They arrived at almost midnight, and there won't be enough time to rearrange things."

"It's alright, don't worry, nothing will go wrong! Xue'er, go over and chat with them. From now on, we'll be relying on you for the reception work for our project. There might even be mayors and governors. Now you can practice your skills. I believe you can handle it! Come on, let me introduce you. We still have to wait a while, so you can get to know them better." People tend to worry more when they have nothing to do, and Zhang Bing also hoped that Xue'er could handle more work.

“It’s not that I’m worried about not being able to handle it. I’ve met even higher-ranking officials. It’s just that the deputy secretary-general doesn’t seem to welcome others. Didn’t you see he barely acknowledged County Chief Sun? I’m afraid that if I go there, because Jiang Yan is on my side, it will make County Chief Sun even more embarrassed.” Xue’er understood his meaning and didn’t want him to look down on her, so she quickly explained.

“It’s alright. Let’s steer the conversation towards the project. That way, everyone’s identities will be discussed, and we can also take the opportunity to probe President Yu’s background. Although he was introduced by Jiang Yan, he’s already given us a hard time. We must communicate with him properly, otherwise, who knows what kind of trouble will arise later.” Zhang Bing finally understood why Yu Lin had brought Deputy Secretary-General Wang to pick him up at the airport. He wanted to use the rules of officialdom to increase his bargaining power and get the government to provide him with greater convenience and preferential treatment. Therefore, he estimated that there would be some harsh demands in future negotiations. This matter had to be resolved as soon as possible. Otherwise, once he formed an alliance with Huasheng Group, Songshang Village and Chunhua Town would suffer. Zhang Bing didn’t want to get into that kind of trouble. Therefore, he decided to first probe Yu Lin's intentions and assess his sincerity in investing. Then, he would use Yu Lin's own methods against him, putting pressure on him through Jiang Yan to prevent him from making excessive demands. This would ensure the smooth progress of future investment promotion, allowing him to successfully extricate himself from the civil service exam.

Sure enough, the atmosphere changed immediately after Zhang Bing and Xue'er arrived. The two proactively steered the conversation towards the Hongqi Lake project. Wang Hongming, having already understood that Yu Lin's purpose in coming was to invest in this project, was also paying close attention. The others were all related to the project. Deputy County Head Sun, as the county-level leader in charge of investment promotion for this project, naturally had some understanding of it and could speak on behalf of the county, finally fitting his image in this process, and gradually he felt reassured. You see, Yu Lin and Deputy Secretary-General Wang had been discussing anecdotes from the province and Beijing, or their past collaborations. Jiang Yan, like a little girl, listened attentively, occasionally asking them to explain in more detail. Given his position and image, he couldn't and dared not interject—how could a mere deputy section-level cadre like him discuss such matters in front of his superiors? "Disaster comes from the mouth," a lesson officials must always remember.

"Alright, the people from Huasheng Group are here, let's go greet them!" Zhang Bing, though chatting and laughing, didn't forget his duties. His eyes kept glancing towards the exit after hearing the announcement. He spotted Guo Zi and some acquaintances from Huasheng, quickly greeting the group. Then, fearing a repeat of the scene where County Chief Sun greeted Yu Lin, he disregarded formalities and led the way towards the smiling Guo Zi, gesturing to greet the other acquaintances as well.

"Manager Guo, thank you for your hard work, welcome to Changxiang!" In formal settings, the two were still mindful of their image, not revealing their brotherly affection, though their hands were clasped tightly.

After another round of introductions and pleasantries, Zhang Bing noticed that there was definitely a story between Yu Lin and Guo Zi. Their expressions were somewhat unnatural when they shook hands, but Yu Lin was deliberately trying to cultivate a relationship with Huasheng Group, so he was very enthusiastic. Secretary-General Wang also knew that a large international company like Huasheng Group with such a powerful background was not something someone of his level could disregard, and to accommodate Yu Lin, he was also very polite.

"Alright, leaders, Manager Guo, it's getting late, and I'm sure everyone is a bit hungry. Let's solve our hunger problem first before we have a deeper discussion!" Once everyone had gotten to know each other, Zhang Bing quickly ushered them out. He had just received notification that the welcome banquet would be held at the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse, with Secretary Guan and Mayor Long both in attendance. Most of the city and county leaders were also due. He hadn't had time to ponder the reason for such a drastic change and would need to observe carefully later, but right now, the most important thing was to get the guests to their seats quickly. He heard that Mayor Long had already arrived, and he couldn't keep the mayor waiting.

However, when the convoy arrived at the hotel, Zhang Bing realized that things were more complicated than he had imagined. Guan Yihang and Long Bingyun, two powerful figures in the city, led a group of officials to greet them at the hotel entrance. Such a grand welcome was unexpected by everyone. So, apart from Yu Lin and Jiang Yan, who seemed indifferent, everyone else was flustered, surprised and bewildered, and chaos reigned at the hotel entrance.

Chapter Sixty-Three: The Municipal Party Secretary Toasts

After a flurry of handshakes and pleasantries, everyone finally took their seats at the banquet. Secretary Guan, Mayor Long, County Party Secretary Luo, County Head Ma, and County Head Sun, who was in charge of reception, sat at the head table, accompanied by Deputy Secretary-General Wang, Yu Lin and his beautiful secretary, Guo Fei, and Hou Xing, the technical head of another inspection team from Huasheng. Yu Lin had originally wanted to pull Jiang Yan to the head table, but the quick-witted girl firmly refused, pulling Zhang Bing and Xue'er to the back table, where they were the lowest in rank and where their seats were supposed to be. However, all of this was observed by Secretary Guan, who was keeping a close eye on Jiang Yan.

Although the banquet was hastily arranged, the municipal party committee's guesthouse clearly had considerable influence, and everything proceeded smoothly. After the two city leaders gave welcoming speeches, the banquet was filled with clinking glasses, and the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves immensely. Zhang Bing's table was mostly occupied by several acquaintances from Chunhua Town: Mayor Huang and his brothers, Party Secretary Wang, Deputy Mayor Zhang Kai in charge of investment promotion, and several police officers from the local police station responsible for security.

Zhang Bing had been pondering the sudden increase in the level of the welcome banquet, but couldn't quite grasp it. He couldn't understand why the Municipal Party Secretary Guan Yihang would come here, and he had a vague feeling that it was related to him, but this was just a premonition without any basis, so he felt very uneasy.

"What are you thinking about? You're not even eating?" Jiang Yan nudged him from the side.

"Oh, nothing!" Zhang Bing snapped out of his reverie and noticed that everyone at the table was looking at him strangely. "I'm starving, let's eat!" He quickly stuffed a handful of food into his mouth to cover up his hunger, which made the two beauties next to him chuckle again.

"Alright, don't be so impatient, it's funny to watch. You were so engrossed in your thoughts that you didn't even respond when we talked to you, so we were wondering why." Jiang Yan, amused, still explained to him. Anyway, she never knew the word "fear," so Xue'er, though amused, didn't dare to say anything more, but she didn't care.

"Tell me honestly, what were you thinking about just now? Maybe I can help you!" Jiang Yan whispered slyly in his ear.

"I'm wondering why this banquet deviated from the plan, and besides, there's no way Party Secretary Wang Yihang would be here, right?" Zhang Bing suddenly remembered the girl's family background. Perhaps her keen insight, cultivated since childhood, could give him some answers. Besides, this girl was someone he could trust, with no conflict of interest. So, after hesitating for a moment, he still voiced his true thoughts.

"Oh, Mayor Long might be here because of Deputy Secretary-General Wang of the Provincial Party Committee. It's said that Yu Lin has worked on projects in your province before, so these officials probably know his identity. Is he here because of him? No, this prefecture-level Party Secretary is also a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee. It's impossible for him to come here to curry favor with the son of a vice-ministerial-level official! Then Secretary Guan's purpose is really hard to understand!" Jiang Yan also analyzed to herself. Coming from an official family, these things were cultivated from a young age. Even if she was naive, she could analyze things more thoroughly than Zhang Bing, a novice in the field. She thought for a moment, then glanced at Secretary Guan at the head table, only to find that the municipal party secretary was also seemingly looking at her casually, even smiling at her. She panicked immediately and grabbed Zhang Bing's arm. "This is bad! Zhang Bing, he might be after me."

"After you? What nonsense are you talking about, little girl?" Zhang Bing hadn't taken her seriously, so he assumed she was joking or playing a prank, but seeing her expression, a thought struck him. "You mean they discovered your identity?"

"It must be my dad's fault for not handling things properly, that I'm exposed now. I'll go back and settle the score with him!" the girl muttered angrily, but Zhang Bing didn't hear her clearly. Just as he was about to ask her, he was startled by the girl's words.

The girl looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to them, everyone was talking to themselves, and whispered, "Zhang Bing, I might have caused you trouble."

"What? Trouble? Be specific, don't scare me!" Zhang Bing was terrified of trouble; he had so many things to do, he felt overwhelmed.

"I was furious that those thugs at the airport made things so difficult for me several times, so the day before yesterday I asked my dad to send someone to investigate that case at the airport and help you out. Maybe the provincial or municipal leaders found out. I just noticed Secretary Guan has been observing us; he's probably after me. I reckon those old foxes won't come to me easily after they know who I am; they'll investigate through you first, since you're my closest friend right now!" The girl analyzed earnestly, then made a face, "Who told you to be my buddy!"

"Oh my god! Miss Jiang, that airport case is mainly targeting me. You should at least discuss it with me before you act, otherwise I'll be in a very passive position when the leaders ask. By the way, what exactly do you mean by 'trouble'? Although you didn't tell me about this, solving that case and catching the mastermind should be a good thing, exactly what I want to do. How could it be troublesome?" Zhang Bing complained a little, but was mostly delighted. Sending people directly from the central government to investigate would surely lead to the dismissal and prosecution of the Zhu brothers, right? That would achieve his goal without troubling Secretary Liu and the others, which suited him perfectly.

"That's what I thought too. But looking at your municipal party secretary's attitude now, I guess we've oversimplified things. When the central government sends people down to investigate cases, it's usually a major operation. They'll definitely think it'll implicate a large number of people. Secretary Guan wants to maintain stability in Changxiang City, so they have to find out what happened behind the scenes, who's behind it all. Now that they know my identity, they'll understand what's going on, and they'll want to figure out what we're going to do next. And they won't come directly to me or my father in the early stages; they'll definitely come to you for questioning. You're my buddy, and you were there both times I got into trouble. They'll definitely guess we have some kind of relationship. So they'll be troubling you a lot. Be careful when talking to them; don't fall into their traps!" Jiang Yan had also noticed that Zhang Bing wasn't familiar with officialdom during their interactions, so to help this friend she liked, she patiently analyzed things for him. After all, she'd been exposed to these things since childhood, and she understood them with a little thought.

"Oh, is that so? Thank you, I understand!" Zhang Bing's previous doubts were resolved upon hearing the explanation. This matter had its advantages and disadvantages; it depended on how she handled it. But this girl was truly unexpected. She seemed so innocent, yet she was quite familiar with the ways of officialdom, and her analysis was very reasonable. "Little girl, I didn't realize you were so good at analyzing things!"

"Hmph, don't you know who I am? Unlike you, you idiot!" The girl, pleased with the praise, deliberately became arrogant, then frowned. "If you call me 'little girl' again, I'll really get angry! I said you're not allowed to call me that again!"

Zhang Bing ignored her and began to think about how to use these opportunities to benefit herself. Suddenly, she noticed that everyone at the table was staring at her from behind, which was very strange. Some people even stood up involuntarily. She quickly turned around and, startled, pulled out her chair and stood up, because she saw County Chief Ma leading Secretary Guan towards her table.

Damn it, speak of the devil, and he appears! This Secretary Guan really doesn't give anyone a chance to breathe. Fortunately, he now knew everything and understood his purpose; otherwise, he might have offended the municipal party secretary by saying the wrong thing, which would have been a huge problem.

"Secretary Guan, this is Zhang Bing, the village head of Songshang Village, where the Hongqi Lake project is located, and the main person in charge of investment promotion for the project." County Chief Ma smiled and led Secretary Guan to Zhang Bing and the others, pointing to Zhang Bing and introducing him to the smiling Secretary Guan. Zhang Bing quickly stepped forward to shake hands and pay his respects.

"Zhang Bing, Secretary Guan has come to toast you, his hero! We were just talking about this development project. A project that hadn't been successful for several years has been almost completed by you in just one month. Manager Guo and General Manager Yu both said they are very interested in this investment. Secretary Guan felt that he should commend you, his hero, so he asked me to introduce you, hehe!" County Chief Ma was very happy. His future son-in-law was being praised and toasted by the municipal party secretary in front of so many high-ranking officials. He felt proud. Everyone knew that Zhang Bing was someone he had personally supported.

"Secretary Guan, you're too kind. I was just lucky. Besides, the agreement hasn't been signed yet, so it doesn't count." Zhang Bing quickly said modestly, though he wasn't nervous. After all, he had met even the highest-ranking officials and knew their purpose. But that's how social interactions are; being too calm in front of a leader can be seen as disrespectful.

"Hehe, young man, luck favors those who are prepared. Without your hard work, there would be no luck!" Secretary Guan patted him on the shoulder. "I heard you're the first college graduate village official in the county, not bad! Come, let me toast you. Thank you for making such a great contribution to our city, and I wish you even greater success!"

After they finished their drinks, Secretary Guan glanced casually to the side and smiled, pointing at Jiang Yan. "You brought your girlfriend with you? I saw you two talking intimately when I came over. Not bad, very pretty, you have good taste!"

Zhang Bing cursed the old fox inwardly. Did he have to say that to find out Jiang Yan's identity? Could I possibly be connected to the daughter of the Vice Premier? If you say that, won't you get me in trouble? Zhang Bing didn't believe that this municipal party secretary hadn't investigated him before coming and didn't know his relationship with County Chief Ma. But despite his cursing, he remained polite, humble, and cooperative. "Secretary Guan, this is Jiang Yan, a friend of mine, and also a classmate of General Manager Yu. She's the one who helped me invite General Manager Yu this time; she's a great contributor to our Songshang Village!"

Jiang Yan, however, was prepared and greeted him generously.

"Oh, then we should also toast Miss Jiang to thank her for her contributions to Changxiang City!" Secretary Guan's face remained calm, still displaying a kind smile, without a trace of surprise.

"Miss Jiang is Mr. Yu's classmate? And also from Beijing?" After finishing his drink, Secretary Guan didn't turn to anyone else or leave, but instead started chatting with Jiang Yan. Everyone except Zhang Bing and Jiang Yan looked on in surprise.

"Hehe, yes, Mr. Yu and I were classmates in university and graduate school, both at Peking University." Zhang Bing admired Jiang Yan's composure and elegance. It seemed she had become a different person, no longer the girl who used to tease and pout, but a graceful lady from a prominent family.

"Mr. Yu said that Miss Jiang summoned him with just one phone call. It seems Miss Jiang and he have a close relationship! Are our families old friends?"

Hearing this probing, even Zhang Bing, a newcomer to officialdom, felt that Secretary Guan was too hasty. How could he probe like this? And in front of so many people! They didn't know that Secretary Guan was in a bind. After meeting with Provincial Party Secretary Zhang in the morning, he was instructed to verify Jiang Yan's identity by noon and to adopt a friendly demeanor. In the afternoon, he was to find a way to probe the young lady's bottom line and intentions so that the Provincial and Municipal Party Committees could prepare for the Ministry of Public Security's investigation team and maintain control of the situation. However, the current banquet situation prevented him from contacting Jiang Yan and Zhang Bing. He had finally found an excuse to get acquainted with them, and if he didn't ask now, he might miss his chance—that would be a serious mistake. Compared to this loss of face

, he knew which was more important; being an official required a thick skin. "Hehe, my father has some connections with their family," Jiang Yan replied honestly, not quite understanding why Secretary Guan had asked such a question. Since he already suspected her identity, admitting it wouldn't hurt. She trusted they wouldn't spread rumors, as long as it didn't affect her life.

"Oh! It seems I should communicate with Miss Jiang Yan more in the future, so that she can help us attract more big bosses like President Yu to invest in our city, hehe!" After getting the answer he wanted, Secretary Guan turned around and chatted with Zhang Bing for a few more minutes, toasted the others at the table, and then left.

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