*Smack!*
A heavy slap cracked across Qin Shou's face, jolting him from a sound sleep.
Before him was a breathtakingly beautiful woman. She clutched a blanket to her body, glaring at him with eyes that wished they could slice him into a thousand pieces.
His gaze fell upon a startling splash of crimson on the pristine white sheets. A flicker of understanding crossed Qin Shou's mind, but he was still utterly baffled.
What happened last night?
The County Party Secretary, Sun Changsheng, had jumped from a building. It was a suicide to escape punishment, and the Disciplinary Committee was investigating.
As Sun Changsheng's secretary, Qin Shou, once a rising star in Changle County's political scene, had fallen from grace. He was even a suspect in the corruption and bribery case.
To sever all ties with him, his now ex-wife, Su Jing, had gone with him to the Civil Affairs Bureau to finalize their divorce just yesterday.
His future was gone, his wife was gone. Qin Shou had tried to drown his sorrows in alcohol and gotten drunk.
And then, he blacked out.
"Miss, please, let me explain."
"Get out!"
Qin Shou had no idea how to explain himself anyway, and since the beautiful woman told him to get out, he didn't hesitate to pull up his pants and do just that.
After all, it wasn't like he was the one who lost out!
He'd been married to Su Jing for a year and a half and hadn't so much as laid a finger on her.
Could it be that the beautiful woman from last night was a virgin?
His ex-wife was a great beauty, but the woman from last night was even more stunning—a true beauty capable of toppling cities and nations.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt he'd gotten the better end of the deal.
After leaving the hotel, Qin Shou sat on a park bench, lit a cigarette, and tried to recall the events as he smoked.
But he had drunk too much last night—probably counterfeit liquor. The harder he tried to remember, the more his head ached.
Back in the room, the woman had already dressed. She was the newly appointed County Party Secretary, Yang Wenqing.
Yang Wenqing had arrived in Changle County yesterday to assume her post. The County Mayor, Wang Rende, had hosted a welcome dinner for her, where she was pressured into drinking a lot.
After dinner, Wang Rende wanted to organize a karaoke session, but Yang Wenqing, feeling extremely dizzy, declined.
Then, she hailed a taxi, found a hotel, and checked into a room.
Wait! Something was wrong with that man! Who was he? How did he get into her room?
Yang Wenqing took the room key card and went to the front desk.
"I'd like to check out," she said.
The young lady at the front desk swiped the key card.
"Miss, this isn't the right key card! You're in Room 702, but this card is for Room 703."
Yang Wenqing rummaged through her shoulder bag and pulled out another key card.
The card for Room 703 she had just handed over was the one she had taken from the power slot when she left the room.
Could it be... she had gone into the wrong room last night?
"Could you check this one? I found a key card on the floor when I was leaving my room." Yang Wenqing lied to cover her tracks.
The front desk clerk swiped the card and said, "Miss, this one is correct. It's for Room 702."
After checking out, Yang Wenqing's head was buzzing.
How on earth did she end up in the room next door last night?
Was that damn hooligan a repeat offender? Did he often book a room, leave the door wide open, and lure drunk women to wander in on their own?
Yang Wenqing was furious. She had guarded her chastity for twenty-eight years, only to lose it so senselessly last night?
What frustrated her most was that she couldn't even send that damn hooligan to prison!
Because she was the one who had walked into his room!
She had no evidence to prove that he had forced himself on her!
Besides, given her position, Yang Wenqing couldn't afford to let the matter escalate.
***
Forty-Nine City, inside a certain quadrangle courtyard.
An old man with an extraordinary air said to a middle-aged man in a tunic suit, "Son, how has Qin Shou been lately?"
"Sun Changsheng jumped from a building. He's suspected of corruption and bribery, and the Disciplinary Committee might investigate him. Also, his wife divorced him."
"Sigh..."
The old man let out a long sigh and said, "Your third brother was disobedient back in the day. While he was in school, he eloped with a girl from a farming family and they had Qin Shou. Later, when your third brother and that woman were returning to her village, they were in a car accident, and both of them perished.
"I still can't accept your third brother's death! It weighs on my mind to this day! But no matter what, that boy, Qin Shou, is his flesh and blood. Now that your third brother is gone, you, as his second uncle, must look after him.
"Isn't Li Da, the secretary of Bashu Province, your subordinate? Give him a call. The new County Party Secretary of Changle County is Yang Wenqing, Old Yang's granddaughter.
"Have Li Da make arrangements to keep Qin Shou by Yang Wenqing's side. If that boy has what it takes to win her over, I'll go to Old Yang and propose a marriage!"
"Yes, Father."
***
At the border, in a certain military headquarters.
A soldier with two stars on his shoulders and an imposing presence jogged up to an elderly man and gave a standard military salute.
"Sir!"
"Little Tang, how has Qin Shou been lately?"
"Reporting, sir. I've been busy with war preparations and haven't had a chance to check in on him."
"Qin Shou was a heaven-sent general in our theater command! He retired due to injury. How can you not be concerned about his life? After his discharge, he asked for nothing and went to that impoverished Changle County to serve the people.
"I've received word that Sun Changsheng, the County Party Secretary of Changle County, jumped from a building. Qin Shou was his secretary, and the Disciplinary Committee is going to investigate him.
"I know Qin Shou's character very well; there's no way he's involved in any wrongdoing. So, I want you to personally call Zheng Yaohua, the Party Secretary of Beiyang City."
"Sir, are you asking to have Qin Shou transferred to Beiyang City?"
"No! That little rascal doesn't like me meddling in his affairs. Just have Zheng Yaohua put in a good word with the new County Party Secretary of Changle County, ensure he's kept safe, and have her keep him by her side. That's all.
"The new County Party Secretary of Changle County is Yang Wenqing, the daughter of Yang Yuanjun, the Provincial Party Secretary of Jiangdong Province. Qin Shou's wife must be blind to have divorced him!
"So, I'm thinking of placing him by Yang Wenqing's side to assist her and perhaps cultivate some feelings between them. If they really hit it off, I'll swallow my pride and go to Yang Yuanjun to propose a marriage for Qin Shou."
"Sir, you're too good to Qin Shou!"
"If you didn't have a wife, I'd propose a marriage for you too!"
"Sir, do you have any other orders?"
"No. Now hurry up and call Zheng Yaohua."
"Yes, sir!"
***
The moment Yang Wenqing stepped into her office, she received two phone calls.
One was from Zheng Yaohua, the Party Secretary of Beiyang City, telling her that Qin Shou was a good comrade and that she should definitely keep him by her side and nurture his talents.
The second was from Li Da, the Party Secretary of Bashu Province, who told her that Qin Shou was a talented individual whose potential should not be wasted, and that she must keep him with her.
After hanging up, Yang Wenqing was completely baffled.
What on earth were Qin Shou's connections? Why would a provincial party secretary and a city party secretary both call her personally to tell her to promote him?
As a remnant of the previous administration, especially with Secretary Sun's suicide, Qin Shou knew that the new Secretary Yang would most likely want nothing to do with him.
Secretary Yang had arrived in Changle County yesterday, but Qin Shou hadn't been able to meet her. He wasn't qualified to.
This morning, after leaving the hotel, Qin Shou decided to take a gamble.
So, he returned to his dorm, changed into a formal suit, and made himself look sharp before heading to the County Committee Building. He was preparing to go to the County Party Secretary's office to meet Secretary Yang.
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Proofreader: Peter Pan