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

Inside the private room, the praise for Zhang Kai grew increasingly intense.

After hanging up the phone, he became the center of attention, surrounded by layers of classmates, who showered him with compliments as if they were free.

"Brother Kai, you really have connections everywhere! You even managed to get through to Mayor Xiao on the phone!"

"From now on, in Yunzhou, who will dare to disrespect you?"

"Brother Kai, is your company still hiring? What do you think of me?"

Zhang Kai, holding a wine glass, his face flushed, was enjoying being surrounded by everyone. This was a treatment he had never received during his student days, and the feeling made him a little tipsy, truly believing that he could do whatever he wanted in Yunzhou.

His gaze swept across the crowd, finally settling once again on the man in the corner whose expression had remained unchanged from beginning to end.

Chen Ping was quietly drinking his tea, as if all the noise outside had nothing to do with him.

The feeling of being ignored made Zhang Kai very uncomfortable, and his anger flared up again. He felt that he had to outshine his old classmate for today to be truly fulfilling.

Holding his wine glass, he parted the crowd and walked up to Chen Pingfang once again.

"Knowing city leaders isn't really anything special," Zhang Kai said, deliberately raising his voice to make sure everyone present could hear. "In Yunzhou, if you want to do construction work, you still need to have good relationships with the departments in charge."

On the surface, he was sharing his own success story, but then he turned and stared intently at Chen Pingfang.

"Pingfang, aren't you in charge of construction sites in Jinshui Bay? Perfect timing, I have a good relationship with Deputy Director Li of the Municipal Housing and Construction Bureau, he's practically like an older brother to me."

He had a look on his face that said, "I'm thinking of you."

"Okay, I'll give him a call and have you report to your supervisor. That way, Li Ge can look out for you on projects in the future. We're all classmates, so I'll definitely help if I can."

These words were clearly intended to embarrass him in public.

How could someone in charge of a construction site have to report to a powerful deputy director in front of all the students?

The atmosphere in the private room instantly became tense, and commotion broke out again. Everyone looked on with anticipation, wanting to see how Chen Pingfang would handle the situation.

Zhang Kai didn't give Chen Ping a chance to refuse. He took out his phone, skillfully found a number, and pressed the speakerphone button again.

"Beep...beep..."

After a few busy tones, the call was connected.

A slightly languid, middle-aged man's voice, tinged with the smugness of alcohol, rang out: "Feed? Who is it?"

Zhang Kai immediately bent over, his face plastered with a fawning smile, and he bowed and scraped repeatedly at the phone as if the other person were right in front of him.

"Brother Li, Brother Li! It's me, Xiao Zhang, Zhang Kai! Did I disturb your rest?"

Deputy Director Li on the other end of the phone said "Oh," clearly having thought for a moment before remembering who he was, and said casually, "Xiao Zhang, hurry up and say what you need, I'm having dinner with some friends right now."

This businesslike, slightly impatient tone sounded perfectly normal to the students.

Shouldn't superiors treat subordinates this way? This only further confirms Zhang Kai's strong connections; the fact that the deputy director answered his call at a dinner party is itself a matter of face.

For a moment, their gazes toward Chen Pingfang were filled with sympathy, but also with a hint of schadenfreude.

In their view, an insignificant manager on a construction site is about to be questioned on the phone by a deputy director who wields real power. Just thinking about that scene is so embarrassing that you could dig a three-bedroom apartment out of your toes.

Zhang Kai was extremely smug, feeling that he had the entire situation under control.

He shoved his phone in front of Chen Pingfang and said in an almost commanding tone, "Pingfang, what are you standing there for? Hurry up, greet Director Li, and report on the progress of your construction site. I'm giving you this opportunity; whether you seize it or not is up to you."

All eyes were on Chen Pingfang, waiting to see his embarrassed state.

However, Chen Ping's face remained expressionless, and he didn't even raise an eyebrow.

He simply glanced calmly at the phone with its screen lit up, and then, to everyone's astonishment, slowly reached out and picked it up.

This nonchalant gesture surprised Zhang Kai and the others who were waiting to see a good show.

How can he remain so calm after things have come to this? Is he faking it? Or is he just terrified?

Chen Ping put the phone to his ear, unlike Zhang Kai who was obsequious. His tone was very calm, as if he were talking about a small matter. He was neither humble nor arrogant, and he only said one sentence.

"Director Li, this is Chen Pingfang."

Seven simple words, devoid of any emotion.

The other end of the phone went silent instantly.

That casual, languid voice, tinged with alcohol, vanished without a trace.

one second.

two seconds.

three seconds.

Three seconds later, a completely different voice burst from the speakerphone. The voice trembled, filled with panic and tension, and echoed throughout the entire private room!

"Commander Chen... Commander Chen?! You... what are you doing here?!"

Deputy Director Li's voice was so high-pitched and even cracked due to excessive excitement and tension!

"Commander Chen"?!

These five words resounded loudly in the boudoir of the Brocade Hall!

Everyone's expression froze.

The hand holding the wine glass froze in mid-air, and the mouth that had just opened to start a commotion forgot to close. The smiles, pity, and mockery on their faces instantly turned into horror.

Zhang Kai's smug smile froze, then crumbled little by little. His face turned pale instantly.

He stared incredulously at Chen Pingfang, who was as calm as still water, then at the phone, his mind blank and buzzing.

Commander Chen…which Commander Chen?

In the entire Yunzhou area, who else could be Commander Chen, besides the one from Jinshuiwan, who could scare the deputy director of the Housing and Construction Bureau like this?!

Before anyone could recover from the shock, Deputy Director Li, in an almost pleading voice, stammered on the other end of the phone, "Where are you? What's your location? Which private room in the Cloud Pavilion? I...I'm coming right now to toast you! Please wait a moment, I'll be there!"

The voice just fell.

"Bang!"

The heavy solid wood door of the private room was suddenly pushed open from the outside and slammed against the wall with a loud bang.

A middle-aged man rushed in, panting heavily. He was covered in sweat, his tie was askew, and his shirt was soaked.

He looked around anxiously; it was Deputy Director Li, who had just spoken languidly on the phone.

Behind him followed several middle-aged men, all panting and looking tense. The students from the system present immediately recognized them as leaders from the Municipal Finance Bureau, the Development and Reform Commission, and the Environmental Protection Bureau—all important figures they'd only ever seen on television news!

These important figures, who could make the ground tremble with a stomp in Yunzhou, were extremely nervous at this moment.

All their eyes immediately swept across the entire room, precisely locking onto the figure sitting in the corner, who had been ignored by everyone.

Chen Pingfang, whose sitting posture remained unchanged from beginning to end.