The Tempting Road to Becoming an Official

Chen Fang's mode of transportation was an aged pedal scooter.

He had bought it from a second-hand market when he started working at the Health Bureau.

It had vanished somewhere in his efforts to save Zhao Xixi.

The current one, costing nearly fifty thousand, was undoubtedly gifted by Zhao Xixi.

What did this mean? Were they square now?

If it had been from someone else, Chen Fang might not have dared to accept it, but it was different when it was from Zhao Xixi.

Around 8:30 in the morning, Chen Fang rode his beloved little motorcycle to the Safety Supervision Bureau compound.

The Changming County Safety Supervision Bureau was located at the end of Fujian Road, about 3 kilometers from the county government.

It was a small building of only four stories.

In front of the building was a courtyard of moderate size.

Arriving at the main gate, Chen Fang realized that it was nearly nine o'clock, and the main gate of the Safety Supervision Bureau was still tightly shut, leaving only a small side gate open.

He had intended to ask the gatekeeper what was going on.

Upon looking, he found an elderly guard snoring away in the guardroom.

Could it be that he was late?

Impossible, weren't working hours starting at nine o'clock?

With this doubt,

Chen Fang walked into the courtyard.

He then realized that it wasn't that he was late, but that no one had arrived yet.

The main door of the building was also tightly closed.

Looking through the window, the corridor was silent and deserted.

With this question,

Chen Fang walked around to the back door of the building.

He then found that the back door was not locked.

Since no one had arrived yet, he decided to check his own office first.

Being unfamiliar with the surroundings, Chen Fang was cautious, peering into one office after another as he went along.

He did not find it on the first or second floor.

So it had to be on the third floor.

Just as Chen Fang reached the third-floor corridor, he heard rustling sounds coming from the end of the corridor.

Someone?

His heart lifted, and he was just about to go and see,

when at that moment, a small door suddenly opened next to him.

A hand reached out, grabbing his arm.

Was this meant to scare him to death?

Just as Chen Fang was about to exclaim, a handsome face appeared and gestured to him with a finger to his lips, making a "shush" sign.

It was a woman.

A young woman.

She wore a baseball cap pulled low, covering most of her face.

Even so,

Chen Fang could still see her small and delicate face.

Her long eyelashes fluttered with her blinking eyes, showing panic yet not hiding the bright, clear light within.

Before Chen Fang could react, the girl had pulled him into the room.

Then, the door was gently closed.

"Shush!"

The woman made another silencing gesture,

then put her ear against the door, seemingly to listen for any noise outside.

At that moment, Chen Fang noticed the woman was dressed in a full suit of outdoor gear, wearing sneakers, and the high collar covered her neck as well.

She also carried a small backpack, its contents unknown.

This was a storage room.

It was filled with various types of items.

It had been spacious enough for one, but the arrival of Chen Fang made it seem cramped.

"Which media are you from?"

After confirming that there was no one outside, the woman turned and asked Chen Fang.

Such big eyes, such long eyelashes.

And that three-dimensional doll face made Chen Fang somewhat bewildered.

"Uh... that..."

Chen Fang hadn't thought about how to answer yet.

The woman, appearing to have an epiphany, said, "Oh, it must be confidential, right? No problem, we are colleagues. Let me introduce myself, I'm Lan Lv, an intern reporter at Wen An Evening News."

"Chen Fang."

Chen Fang mimicked her style of introduction.

"Are you here for an undercover visit too?"

Lan Lv asked innocently.

"Uh... that..."

Chen Fang just hesitated for a moment.

Lan Lv giggled and said, "Never mind if you don't say so. But let me make it clear first, I was here first, and the firsthand information should belong to me."

"Oh," Chen Fang responded.

Lan Lv saw that Chen Fang agreed.

She was very happy.

She then pressed her ear against the door to listen carefully and said, "Those two just went in. After they leave, we'll sneak in. You'll stand guard, and I'll take the photos, how about that?"

"Uh... that..."

"Uh uh uh, is that all you can say? I'll take it as a yes."

Lan Lv decided for both of them.

Chen Fang was completely confused.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Why is no one working at the Safety Supervision Bureau today?"

Lan Lv struck a proud pose and said, "Looks like you're a blind cat who stumbled upon a dead rat, heh heh. Unlike you, I've done my homework thoroughly."

"Then tell me, why is the Safety Supervision Bureau emptiness today? It's not the weekend, and there is no holiday?"

"I can tell you, but again, the firsthand information later is mine, okay?"

"Okay!"

Chen Fang agreed heartily.

Lan Lv immediately became happy.

She said, "Today is indeed not a weekend. It was Deputy Director Mei Shikang who gave everyone a day off."

"A day off? Why?"

Chen Fang asked, startled.

After all, nobody had informed him about the sudden holiday today.

Lan Lv pouted and said, "What else could it be? It's to show the new deputy director who's boss."

The new deputy director?

Isn't that himself?

He had never interacted with Mei Shikang, let alone had any grievances. Why would he want to show him who's boss?

Seeing Chen Fang's puzzled face,

Lan Lv chuckled again, feeling quite smug, and asked, "You don't know the reason behind this, do you?"

"I don't!"

Chen Fang pretended to be clueless and shook his head.

Lan Lv animatedly said, "Inside scoop: after the position of Deputy Director of the Safety Supervision Bureau was vacated, Mei Shikang wanted Tang Weiping, the Head of the Comprehensive Safety Supervision Department, to be the deputy director. He campaigned quite a lot for it, but out of the blue, the county dropped a new deputy director, which really upset Mei Shikang..."

"So today he gave everyone a day off because I'm... we are welcoming the new appointed Deputy Director of the Safety Supervision Bureau, and his purpose is to make him lose face, right?" Chen Fang asked.

Lan Lv thumped him on the chest, saying, "You smart aleck."

Chen Fang was speechless.

He had been thinking about getting along well with Mei Shikang, and before he even officially started, he seemed to have formed an opinion about him.

He suddenly remembered what Wu Lili had told him before.

The Personnel Department had favored promoting from within for the position of deputy director; apparently, his arrival indeed blocked some people's path, and they would hardly be pleased.

"What brings you to the Safety Supervision Bureau?"

Chen Fang asked.

With her ear still against the door, Lan Lv waved her hand and said, "Same as you."

"I want to know if we are here for the same reason." Chen Fang pretended to be mysterious.

Thinking there might be an unexpected gain, Lan Lv immediately got excited.

She said, "I'll go first; I'm here for Lu Mingxian."