The Tempting Road to Becoming an Official

Chen Fang looked towards Xu Lianyun.

He saw that Xu Lianyun also nodded.

In other words, she was in support of Chen Fang in this matter.

To find out the truth behind that phone call, he would have to confront Sun Shenru in person.

But would Sun Shenru reveal the truth?

Obviously, that was impossible.

For Chen Fang, becoming Li Duming's secretary was not only to clarify what happened to Tan Yandong but also a form of self-protection.

Just as Li Duming said.

Sun Shenru would certainly hit back.

Once he took control of Changming County, the time he made his move against Chen Fang, Chen Fang would be like meat on a cutting board, at his mercy.

Thinking of this, Chen Fang asked, "Mr. Li, may I ask, among the county's Standing Committee members, who are your people?"

Li Duming smiled bitterly and said, "I originally had one, Zhao Shoujiang, but you took care of him. So, I am pretty much alone now."

It has always been rumored that Zhao Shoujiang was a direct subordinate of Li Duming.

It seems that this was indeed the case.

Zhao Shoujiang did not get along with Tan Yandong.

And in everyone's eyes, Li Duming did not get along with Tan Yandong either.

The enemy of my enemy is a friend.

For Zhao Shoujiang to seek support from Li Duming was not too strange.

But then again, when Zhao Shoujiang was "crossing lines" with Chen Fang, Li Duming did not show up. At the time, Chen Fang did not understand, but now it was all falling into place.

"Don't you have me?"

Xu Lianyun said.

Chen Fang shook his head and said, "Not enough, not nearly enough. With eleven members on the Changming County Standing Committee, we need to win over more than half. Additionally, we need to get support from the People's Congress and the Political Consultative Conference. Otherwise, gaining a firm foothold won't be that easy."

Li Duming said with self-deprecation, "Difficult, extremely difficult. I've been suppressed by Tan Yandong for four years in Changming County. Although I'm the top leader, to be honest, the people below don't really respect me. The likelihood of them siding with me is not great."

Chen Fang smiled.

He said, "Man is the master of his own fate. As long as we treat the root cause, there is no person we can't deal with. Right now, we have someone who would be quite easy to get on our side."

"Who?"

Xu Lianyun asked.

Chen Fang tapped on the table and said, "The County Deputy Secretary, Xing Yu."

"Xing Yu? Impossible, absolutely impossible. He has always considered himself above the fray, rarely getting involved in political fights. To win his support is practically a wild goose chase,"

Li Duming waved his hand and said.

Chen Fang laughed and said, "Leave Deputy Secretary Xing's matter to me. Give me two days. I'll give you an answer by next Monday."

Two days?

To settle Xing Yu in two days?

If it weren't for some of the unbelievable things Chen Fang had done before, Li Duming might actually think he was bragging.

The meal concluded.

Chen Fang saw off Li Duming and Xu Lianyun one after the other.

Just as he was about to find a taxi at the hotel entrance to head home.

Suddenly, an SUV stopped right in front of him.

After the window rolled down, the face of a fierce-looking burly man appeared.

"Mate, I want to ask, how do I get to the Hilton Hotel?"

Chen Fang was taken aback.

He turned around and pointed behind him, saying, "It's right there."

The burly man was pleased.

Then, as if he thought of something else,

He handed a pack of cigarettes to Chen Fang from inside and asked, "Mate, let me ask you another thing. How far is the nearest police station from this Hilton Hotel?"

What kind of question is that?

Curious, Chen Fang glanced into the vehicle through the window.

There were five people in the car.

Three more in the back.

All of them had a menacing look.

But more importantly, on the front passenger side's armrest box, there was a knife, a machete.

"Uh, not far, just over a hundred meters away. It's less than a minute by car from over there,"

Chen Fang realized these guys did not have the local accent.

And judging by their looks and the questions they were asking, they didn't seem to be up to any good.

So he made up an answer on the spot.

Upon hearing Chen Fang's response, the burly man immediately turned to consult with the three men behind him.

Then,

the car window slowly closed.

The vehicle started up and entered the Hilton Hotel parking lot.

After much thought,

he still felt something wasn't quite right.

Chen Fang, uneasy, turned back and slipped in again, hiding in a corner to watch the car closely.

After the SUV parked, no one got out for about fifteen minutes.

Then the driver's door opened.

The slender driver who had just arrived entered the hotel, said something to the receptionist, and then returned to the car.

What on earth were these people up to?

Chen Fang also made his way into the lobby from the side.

Approaching the front desk, he asked, "Hello, I'd like to know what that tall and skinny guy who just came in was asking you about?"

The receptionist, though not acquainted with Chen Fang, recognized Li Duming and knew that Chen Fang had come to dine with Li Duming.

She immediately said with a smile, "Hello sir, they were asking me whether this hotel is the one where guests for Tiancheng Garden's ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow will be staying."

"Ribbon-cutting ceremony? What ribbon-cutting ceremony?"

asked Chen Fang.

The receptionist inquired, "Sir, you don't know? Some time ago, Tiancheng Garden was ordered by the Safety Supervision Bureau to halt construction for rectification. The rectification that took a month just ended, and the Tiancheng Group is planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony. They've even invited a big star to endorse the event, mitigating any negative impact."

How could Chen Fang possibly not know about the enforced halt and rectification?

He was the one behind it.

But as for this ribbon-cutting ceremony, he genuinely hadn't heard of it.

When thinking about it, it wasn't surprising.

If they were creating the most upscale residential area in Changming County and had received a penalty from the Safety Supervision Bureau during construction, it would indeed affect future sales.

After all, the public didn't know the reason why Tiancheng Garden had been penalized.

Inviting a star to hype it up would increase the community's profile and have a positive effect on future sales.

"Oh, I see, so that's what it is. Who is the star they've invited?"

asked Chen Fang.

The receptionist looked around then leaned in closer to Chen Fang and whispered secretly, "This information is supposed to be confidential according to Tiancheng Garden, but don't tell anyone I told you—it's Miss Qi Kexin."

"Qi Kexin? The popular actress Qi Kexin?"

Chen Fang inquired.

The receptionist nodded and then made a shushing gesture, adding, "Our hotel has signed a confidentiality agreement. If you spread the word, sir, I could get in trouble."

"Don't worry, I won't tell. What did you tell them in response?"

Chen Fang asked.

The receptionist said earnestly, "I said I didn't know."

Didn't know?

What kind of answer was that?

Was this a case of 'thou doth protest too much'?

If Qi Kexin's attendance in Changming County was meant to be kept secret,

then how did the people in the SUV know about it?

Something was off, still off.

Chen Fang had a feeling that trouble might be brewing.

He took out his phone, about to make a call to Zhang Cheng to alert him, when he saw that the people previously in the car had gotten out. Four of them, two carrying big backpacks, entered from the hotel's main entrance and headed straight for the elevator.

"Which room is Miss Qi Kexin in?"

Chen Fang asked with urgency.

At that moment, the receptionist put on airs, shaking her head and saying, "Sir, that is someone's privacy; I can't tell you."

Damn it!

Chen Fang cursed inwardly.

There was no helping it now.

He had to toughen up and face what may come.

He gritted his teeth, and before the elevator doors closed, he dashed in...