After breaking up with my boyfriend, I made a fortune and rose rapidly in my career.

At the topping-out ceremony, the vice governor's motorcade kicked up a cloud of dust and slowly drove away, only then did the boiling atmosphere at the scene calm down slightly.

The reporters were reluctant to leave and surrounded Chen Pingfang, but they were resolutely separated by the security personnel that Xiao Yuhan had somehow brought in.

The real show begins when the guests have left.

"Director Chen, you're young and promising, so very promising!" The head of the Municipal Construction Bureau squeezed forward with a beaming smile, tightly grasped Chen Pingfang's hands, and shook them vigorously. "If there's anything on the project that requires our bureau's coordination, just let me know, and I'll handle it personally for you."

This enthusiastic attitude was completely different from his businesslike demeanor before the ceremony began.

"Commander Chen, I'm from the National Development and Reform Commission. We'll open a green channel for the subsequent approval process of this project and ensure it goes smoothly all the way."

"Director Chen, I'm from the Finance Bureau..."

The other city leaders, though their expressions varied, acted in unison. They all stepped forward to shake hands and congratulate Chen Pingfang, their words filled with respect and warmth. Each face wore a genuine smile, as if they were longtime friends with Chen Pingfang.

An even more interesting scene unfolded on the other side of the crowd. Several municipal officials who were originally considered Zhou Wenyuan's close associates in Yunzhou's officialdom quietly broke away from their original circles and subtly squeezed next to Chen Pingfang, quickly handing over their business cards and speaking with great intimacy.

They seem to have forgotten that just half an hour ago, they were still taking sides over who should be the top leader of Yunzhou.

This scene made everyone present realize that the power structure of Yunzhou had changed today, in just one hour.

Zhou Wenyuan, who should have been the center of attention but had long since disappeared, had been forgotten.

……

The next day, at the Yunzhou Municipal Party Committee compound.

The morning sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the floor.

Zhou Wenyuan's secretary, Liu Guangming, arrived at the office half an hour early as usual. He skillfully cleaned and organized the documents, then brewed a pot of Longjing tea for the secretary. The tea leaves unfurled in the boiling water, releasing a delicate aroma.

With everything prepared, Liu Guangming stood respectfully outside the door, ready to welcome the leaders from various departments who came to report on their work.

However, time passed second by second.

The pot of Longjing tea he brewed went from boiling hot to lukewarm, and then from lukewarm to completely ice-cold.

The familiar corridor outside the secretary's office remained deserted.

In the past, long queues would have formed by this time, but none of the bureau chiefs or section chiefs showed up.

It wasn't until nearly noon that a faint sound of footsteps finally came from the end of the corridor.

A young clerk from the municipal government office walked over cautiously, carrying a routine document in his arms. He seemed to be filled with fear of the area in front of the secretary's office, keeping his head down the whole time and walking lightly and quickly.

Liu Guangming recalled that in the past, this routine document was delivered by the head of the municipal government office, who would always take the opportunity to knock on the secretary's door and report on the work for a long time.

Today, the young clerk placed the documents on Liu Guangming's desk, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and whispered, "Secretary Liu, the documents are here," before immediately turning around and leaving as if fleeing.

Throughout the entire process, he didn't even dare to look up at the tightly closed office door.

Liu Guangming's heart sank suddenly, and he felt a chill.

He looked at the empty corridor, then at the cup of tea on the table that had been cold for hours, and for the first time he felt so clearly what it meant for tea to grow cold when people leave.

No, the secretary's men hadn't left yet, but the tea had already gone cold.

He knew that the authority that the Party Secretary had cultivated in Yunzhou for many years had been completely shattered at yesterday's ceremony, along with the documentary "Day and Night of Jinshui Bay".

Meanwhile, at the Jinshuiwan project command center, 30 kilometers away, a completely different scene unfolded.

The threshold of the command headquarters building was almost worn down by the constant footsteps.

The heads of all the departments involved in the project, including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Construction Bureau, the Environmental Protection Bureau, and the Finance Bureau, personally visited the project site with thick documents and various on-site service plans.

With humble smiles on their faces, they crowded into Guo Xiaojun's office, all with one purpose—to meet Chen Pingfang, receive his instructions in person, and express their willingness to do their utmost to resolve any difficulties in the project's progress.

Guo Xiaojun was so busy that he didn't even have time to drink water, but his face was full of excitement and pride.

He looked at those bureau chiefs who used to be arrogant and demanded appointments to even meet with him, but now they were patiently queuing outside his small office like schoolchildren. He felt that all the grievances he had suffered in the past were worth it at this moment.

All the staff at the command center walked with their backs straighter today, and their voices were louder than usual.

In the afternoon, Chen Pingfang convened a meeting with all the core members of the command center.

Guo Xiaojun and others were still immersed in the atmosphere of victory and being admired, thinking it was a celebration party.

However, Chen Ping's words immediately calmed down all the excited people.

His expression was serious, and his sharp gaze slowly swept over everyone in the conference room: "There are so many people here today, do you all feel very honored and proud?"

Seeing everyone nod in agreement, Chen Pingfang's voice suddenly turned cold: "Let me remind you all, sometimes praise can be more terrifying than harsh criticism."

The atmosphere in the meeting room froze instantly.

Chen Pingfang continued, "Although Zhao Decai, the construction boss who framed me before, has fallen, his connections in Yunzhou are complicated, and there are definitely still spies we haven't removed. The more everyone praises us, the more careful we must be with our words and actions, and not leave any handle for anyone to use against us."

The smiles on Guo Xiaojun and the others' faces froze little by little under Chen Pingfang's cold words, and finally disappeared.

Chen Ping's calm warning instantly snapped them out of their euphoric state.

They then realized that a public victory did not mean safety, but rather that they might face more hidden dangers.

In an instant, the way everyone looked at Chen Pingfang changed completely.

That's no longer just admiration for ability, but has risen to a level of awe for vision and foresight.

The meeting ended, and night fell.

The command building, which had been bustling all day, finally quieted down, leaving only Chen Pingfang in the office.

He rubbed his throbbing temples, preparing to pack up and leave work, when his personal cell phone on the table suddenly rang urgently.

The caller ID displayed two words: Mother.

A gentle smile appeared on Chen Pingfang's face as he answered the phone, his tone relaxed: "Mom, you're still up so late?"

On the other end of the phone, her mother's voice lacked its usual cheerfulness, instead carrying a hint of hesitation.

"Lie it flat... something happened at home..."

You absolutely have to come home this weekend.