The Tempting Road to Becoming an Official

Back in the office.

He stared at the watch for a long time.

Shi Zhengxiang's suspicion grew the more he thought about it.

Upon hearing the sound of a door opening next door, Shi Zhengxiang immediately rushed out and waved to Li Weiyang, who was exiting from Deputy Director Gao Duan's office.

"Director Li, Director Li, please come here."

Li Weiyang returned to Shi Zhengxiang's office and asked, "What's up?"

Shi Zhengxiang quickly shut the door and asked in a low voice, "Director Li, how did you make your fortune?"

"Hehe, the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed."

Li Weiyang said with a smile.

Shi Zhengxiang became anxious.

With a pleading tone, he said, "Director Li, look, you've been here for three or four months, and I've never said anything about you, right? If there's a chance to make money, include me as well."

"It's not that I don't want to include you, but others have told me to keep it secret. If I tell you, they won't include me in making money anymore," Li Weiyang said with some difficulty.

The more he said this, the more anxious Shi Zhengxiang became.

"Director Li, can I call you Sister Li? Just give me a hint."

Seeing how anxious Shi Zhengxiang was.

Li Weiyang pretended to soften her heart.

After hesitating for a while, she said, "I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone else, alright? I've just been collecting some funds to help others with bridging funds, and they give me 20% commission each time."

"So, are these amounts large?"

Shi Zhengxiang asked.

Li Weiyang waved her hand and said, "Not really, usually just one hundred and fifty thousand to one hundred and twenty thousand is enough, and it only takes a few hours for the money to come back, basically no risk."

Is there really such a good deal?

Shi Zhengxiang was immediately tempted.

But his innate wariness made him somewhat doubtful.

He asked, "Director Li, you're not fooling me, are you?"

"Look at what you're saying. You asked me. I originally didn't want to tell you, but I'm leaving now."

Having said that.

Li Weiyang turned to leave.

Shi Zhengxiang immediately grabbed her arm.

"Director Li, don't be in such a hurry. Honestly, I've been a bit strapped for cash recently and have been looking for a way to make money. Sister, help me out and let me earn a bit too," he said.

"Aren't you afraid I might deceive you?"

"That's not what I mean. I don't trust what others say, but when Director Li speaks, I definitely trust you."

"It's not impossible. Here's the deal: you gather one hundred and fifty thousand and keep it in your account. Tomorrow at lunch, I'll take you to meet my upper connection. After you meet, you can decide whether or not to invest the money, okay?" Li Weiyang asked.

Shi Zhengxiang thought about it.

And he felt it was quite reliable.

Biting the bullet, he nodded and said, "Okay, Director Li, I'll prepare the money tonight."

"I need to emphasize again, this path to wealth, you must not tell anyone, or else I will never deal with you again," Li Weiyang stated, pretending to be serious.

Shi Zhengxiang nodded repeatedly.

"Don't worry, Director Li, my lips are sealed. I guarantee, no third person will know about this besides us two," he said.

With Shi Zhengxiang's assurance.

Li Weiyang then turned and left.

In the blink of an eye, it was time to leave work.

The next day arrived.

Shao Rui still hadn't arranged a dormitory for Chen Fang.

Just when he was thinking about maybe spending the night in the office, the phone suddenly rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

Just as he brought it to his ear, he heard a familiar voice, "Is this Comrade Chen Fang?"

Chen Fang was startled and tentatively asked, "Is this Vice Mayor Xiao?"

"It's me."

On the phone, Xiao Xiao said.

"Vice Mayor Xiao, may I ask what you need me for?"

"Are you free?" Xiao Xiao asked directly.

Chen Fang quickly responded, "I'm free. I've just finished work."

"Then come across the street—there's a black Toyota sedan. I'll be waiting for you," Xiao Xiao said.

She was already here?

Chen Fang dared not delay.

He hurriedly packed his bag and went downstairs.

Across the street, there indeed was a black Toyota sedan parked.

The person driving was Xiao Xiao.

However, she was wearing a duckbill cap and sunglasses on her nose bridge, seemingly not wanting to be recognized.

Chen Fang quickly got in the car.

Xiao Xiao then started the car and left.

At first, Xiao Xiao did not speak, and Chen Fang did not understand her intentions, so he did not know what to say.

After driving for a while,

Xiao Xiao suddenly asked, "Have you eaten?"

"Not yet."

"Let me treat you to a meal."

"How could I accept that? As vice mayor, Xiao, coming to Jinde County, it should certainly be me treating you."

Chen Fang said anxiously.

Xiao Xiao smiled wryly.

She said, "I am from Jinde County."

It turned out that Xiao Xiao was a local.

Chen Fang could not refuse anymore.

Xiao Xiao drove the car to a quiet street, parked it, got out, and led Chen Fang into a small restaurant in an alley, reserving a private room and casually ordering a few dishes.

After settling down,

Xiao Xiao said, "I went to the city maternity and child care hospital this morning for a checkup. The hospital confirmed it was premature ovarian failure, and their plan was to inject me with estrogen, although they also said that even with the treatment, it might not be cured. After much thought, I decided to come to you."

On the way here, Chen Fang had already guessed Xiao Xiao's intention.

He thought for a moment and said, "Vice Mayor Xiao, you coming to me surely means you trust me, but as I mentioned yesterday, treating this kind of issue involves many privacy concerns, so..."

Before he could finish,

Xiao Xiao interrupted him.

She said, "Don't worry, since I've come to you, I'm not concerned about other issues. Compared to this disease, everything else is manageable."

It was not surprising that Xiao Xiao could make such a decision.

Although she was already forty years old,

whether it was her skin, facial features, or her figure, she looked at most thirty.

If her ovarian failure worsened and she entered menopause irreversibly, her appearance would be gone, and she would age quickly. Before long, she would look like she was fifty.

Everyone loves beauty,

perhaps more so for a woman like Xiao Xiao.

Chen Fang thought for a moment and said, "Alright, then where shall we treat it?"

"How about your dormitory?"

Xiao Xiao asked.

Chen Fang scratched his head and said somewhat awkwardly, "To be honest with you, the director hasn't arranged a dormitory for me yet."

"You haven't..."

Xiao Xiao looked surprised.

Just as she was about to ask something, she suddenly stopped.

Seeming to realize something,

she asked, "Do you have a place to stay right now?"

"I was planning to make do in the office tonight and think about it tomorrow,"

Chen Fang said truthfully.

Xiao Xiao paused for a moment and said, "How about this, I have a house in Jinde County. For now, you can stay there, and we can also do the treatment there."

"But Leader, this treatment won't be completed in one day. We have to assess the duration based on how effective the treatment is."

"No problem, as long as there's hope, it doesn't matter. From today onwards, I will come to you every Friday, no matter how long it takes,"

Xiao Xiao said firmly.

After the two finished their meal,

they drove to a high-end residential building.

Under Xiao Xiao's lead, the two entered a three-bedroom apartment.

Chen Fang had thought that the apartment, being unused for a long time, would be dusty everywhere, but upon opening the door, it was not so; it was clean and tidy, as if frequently cleaned.

Seeing the confusion in Chen Fang's eyes,

Xiao Xiao said, "This apartment is where my daughter stays during her summer and winter breaks. Although it's empty ordinarily, a maid comes regularly to clean."

After that, she pointed to a photograph on the wall.

Proudly, she said, "This is my daughter, Xiao Ting."

In the photo, two women were leaning on each other.

One was Xiao Xiao, and the other, taller than Xiao Xiao and slightly more youthful-looking, did not appear mother and daughter; at most, they looked like sisters.

And compared to Xiao Xiao,

the daughter seemed even prettier, likely inheriting her mother's exceptional genes.

"How old is your daughter?"

Chen Fang asked.

Xiao Xiao said, "She is 21 this year, studying at a university in the provincial city."

"21? You had a child at 19?"

Chen Fang asked in surprise.

For some reason, as soon as he asked this, Xiao Xiao's expression instantly turned sorrowful.