The Tempting Road to Becoming an Official

In this scenario, Zhou Jibai plays the role of "Ximen Qing."

We all know that Ximen Qing met Pan Jinlian because he was passing by a window and got hit on the head by a bamboo pole.

Ximen Qing fell in love with Pan Jinlian at first sight and couldn't stop thinking about her day and night.

In Zhou Jibai's story.

Their meeting was even more cliché.

It was a Saturday morning.

Zhou Jibai went to the market to buy groceries, planning to make something delicious for his college-aged child.

When he picked out the items at a stall and reached into his pocket, he realized he had forgotten his wallet.

So he tried to negotiate with the stall owner to take the groceries first and bring the money in the evening, but the lady refused as she didn't recognize him.

At this moment.

Zhong Ni appeared.

She took out thirty yuan and handed it to the lady, helping him out of the situation.

On one hand, you have an older single man who hadn't been with a woman for a long time.

On the other hand, there's a charming young lady with plenty of allure, stuck with an unattractive husband.

As their eyes met, a spark of love was ignited.

Zhou Jibai thanked Zhong Ni profusely and then asked for her phone number, promising to take her out to dinner next time to repay her.

Zhong Ni nonchalantly said it wasn't necessary, while obediently giving her phone number to Zhou Jibai.

Thus.

The gears of fate began to turn.

Do you really think the start of a story is always such a coincidence?

Of course not.

Being her husband's boss, how could Zhong Ni not recognize Zhou Jibai?

If it were an ordinary person.

She wouldn't have intervened.

Regarding this encounter.

When Zhong Ni returned home, she didn't mention it to her husband.

After all, she had her own agenda in her heart.

The next morning.

Zhong Ni received that long-awaited call.

On the phone, Zhou Jibai invited her to a Western restaurant for a meal, saying he wanted to thank her properly.

Zhong Ni dressed up meticulously and happily accepted the invitation.

During the meal.

The charm of Zhou Jibai, a successful middle-aged man with impeccable conversation and elegant manners, deeply moved Zhong Ni.

Similarly.

The mature allure emanating from Zhong Ni captivated Zhou Jibai, leaving him mesmerized.

In the afternoon.

At Zhou Jibai's suggestion.

They watched a movie and ate dessert together.

In an unspoken mutual understanding, they entered a hotel room for a passionate encounter, a clash of body and soul, love and desire.

For Zhou Jibai, not having been with a woman for years, the day's activities were thrilling, making him feel reborn.

And for Zhong Ni.

Being with such a charming man offered the pleasure a woman truly deserves.

In summary.

This affair left quite an impression on both of them.

With vices like lust, gambling, and drugs.

Once is never enough, so a second time is inevitable.

Every weekend.

The two would find a place to let loose.

For Zhou Jibai, being single, he had nothing to worry about.

But Zhong Ni was different.

After all, she still had Shi Dalang at home.

The changes in his wife recently signaled something unusual to Shi Tuo.

Firstly, she no longer liked him touching her.

Whenever he wanted to fulfill his marital duties, Zhong Ni would find various excuses, claiming to be unwell or that it was that time of the month.

Even when he forcefully insisted.

Zhong Ni would just lie there with her legs apart, letting him manage on his own.

Secondly, lately Zhong Ni had bought several sets of nightwear, each quite sexy, with one almost transparent.

But these nightgowns just lay in the closet.

She never wore them in his presence.

When asked why she bought them, she would dismiss the question, saying it was because she liked them and bought them to look at.

The most crucial point.

Is that every weekend.

His wife would be out all day.

She claimed to be meeting girlfriends, yet she would return looking refreshed, with an undeniable smile on her face.

Given all these reasons.

Shi Tuo realized that he might have been taking a backseat in his marriage.

Thus.

On a very ordinary weekend.

Shi Tuo lied, claiming he had to work a shift and left home.

Soon after, Zhong Ni, dressed to the nines, hurriedly left the house as well.

Following her all the way.

He finally arrived at a hotel entrance.

The two entered a hotel room one after the other.

Eavesdropping at the door for a while.

He heard the sounds of his wife laughing and playing with another man, followed by faint sounds of rhythmic impact.

For any man.

This was an immense humiliation.

Shi Tuo furiously pounded on the door.

An overwhelmed Zhong Ni had no choice but to open the door.

When Shi Tuo stormed into the room, ready to beat the man up, he was dumbfounded.

He couldn't believe it, the man cheating with his wife turned out to be his boss Zhou Jibai.

As things escalated.

Zhou Jibai didn't panic.

After all, as a member of the City Committee, he had enough power to crush Shi Tuo.

He promised Shi Tuo on the spot that if he didn't pursue the matter, he would ensure Shi Tuo got a promotion.

Losing a charming wife in exchange for career advancement might seem a reasonable deal to some.

But not to Shi Tuo.

Because Shi Tuo had an older brother named Shi Zhan.

Shi Zhan worked at the provincial level and was Secretary to the Provincial Governor Wu Wei.

The aggrieved younger brother Shi Tuo called his brother.

Upon hearing the story, Shi Zhan was furious.

He made a direct call to Zhou Jibai.

Frightened, Zhou Jibai was trembling, only then realizing the gravity of his mistake.

After the incident blew up.

Coincidentally, a position for an Organization Minister opened up in Shangqing City.

The Provincial Committee decided, after discussions, to transfer Zhou Jibai to Shangqing City.

This was the reason for Zhou Jibai's lateral transfer.

"What about Zhong Ni and Shi Tuo now? Have they divorced?"

Chen Fang asked.

Jiang Feng shook his head and said, "No, after Zhou Jibai was transferred, they returned to normal. But Shi Tuo got promoted, relocated to a certain county in Lin Chuan City as the county mayor."

Hearing this.

Chen Fang also smiled knowingly.

He murmured, "This Shi Dalang is much smarter than Wu Dalang."

"What do you mean?"

Jiang Feng asked, puzzled.

Cui Liansheng also smiled slightly.

He said, "This incident made Shi Tuo a victim. To appease him, Lin Chuan Municipal Committee had to offer him some benefits. With Wu Wei's term about to end and him being transferred away, Shi Zhan's influence wasn't enough to push Shi Tuo further up. Encountering such an event was a stroke of luck for him."

Chen Fang nodded.

He said, "So, what we hear and see are merely the versions some people want us to perceive. The true details may only be known to those directly involved."

Jiang Feng was taken aback.

He asked, "You mean to say, this so-called affair might have been premeditated by Shi Tuo and Zhong Ni?"