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

The conclusion of the county-wide cadre meeting caused a great stir in the county.

The establishment of the Parents' Oversight Committee has put pressure on every official in Qingyuan County. It's tantamount to handing over the county government's purse strings to countless people, effectively cutting off many people's sources of income.

Inside the county government building, the whispers that used to circulate privately have vanished, replaced by silence. When people bump into each other in the corridor, they merely nod hastily, their eyes filled with complex emotions. The way people look at the county magistrate's office has changed; from indifference to wariness, it now carries an added layer of meaning.

County Party Secretary's Office.

The curtains were drawn, blocking out the afternoon sun, making the room dark.

Ma Changsheng sat motionless behind his desk. The ashtray was overflowing with cigarette butts, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke.

He had been in Qingyuan County for more than a decade, and had never been as passive as he was today.

The reasons given by the other party were all perfectly legitimate—for the safety of the children, and to be subject to public scrutiny. He couldn't refute a single word of their arguments.

In a head-on confrontation, Ma Changsheng suffered a crushing defeat.

After an unknown amount of time, in the darkness, Ma Changsheng narrowed his bloodshot eyes.

He picked up the phone on the table and asked in a hoarse voice, "Li Wei, Zhao An, come to my office immediately."

A few minutes later, Li Wei, director of the county party committee office, and Zhao An, director of the finance bureau, tiptoed in, barely daring to breathe.

"secretary…"

Ma Changsheng waved his hand, stopping them from continuing. He raised his head from the shadows, his face expressionless, but his voice was icy: "If hard tactics don't work, we'll try softer ones."

Ma Changsheng looked at the two of them and carefully laid out his new plan: "Arrange a hometown gathering for him. Say that some of his fellow townsmen who work in our county want to welcome him back and reconnect with him."

"I want him to fall into the pit comfortably on his own."

This time, Ma Changsheng plans to use personal connections, money, and even his beauty to set a trap for Chen Ping.

...

Chen Ping soon received a call from Li Wei himself. On the phone, Li Wei's tone was very warm and his attitude was very humble. He talked about their hometown ties and didn't mention work at all.

"Okay, Director Li, I will definitely be there."

Chen Ping agreed, his face showing no surprise.

He knew this dinner party was not simple.

After hanging up, Chen Ping immediately made two more phone calls.

He first called Secretary Wang of the county discipline inspection commission, speaking in a relaxed tone: "Secretary Wang, there's a dinner party with some fellow townsmen tonight, all of whom are veteran comrades from the city. I'm new here and worried about not knowing the proper etiquette, so I'd like to ask you to send someone to accompany me so I can learn more about our anti-corruption regulations."

Then, Chen Ping took out the small voice recorder from his briefcase, glanced at it, and confirmed that the battery was full and the indicator light was flashing normally.

It got dark.

The dinner was held at a private club called Jingxin Tea House on the outskirts of the county town. It was not open to the public and only received acquaintances, making it very secluded.

The private room was decorated in a classical style.

Ma Changsheng, unlike his behavior during the day, acted like a caring elder, personally serving Chen Ping food and tea, speaking with the warmth of a fellow villager, as if the conflict during the day had never happened.

After a few drinks, the atmosphere seemed quite pleasant.

Ma Changsheng smiled and took out a thick kraft paper envelope from his bag, then quietly pushed it in front of Chen Pingfang.

"Comrade Pingfang, this is a small token of our appreciation from a few of us fellow villagers." Ma Changsheng's voice was gentle, carrying a warmth that was hard to refuse. "You've just arrived in the county, and you're unfamiliar with the place. Settling down will cost money, and socializing will also cost money. This is just a little support from our own people, so please don't be shy about it."

Just then, the door to the private room was gently pushed open.

A girl in a white dress was brought in by Li Wei. The girl was about twenty years old, with a pure and innocent look. Her big eyes were filled with tears as she timidly looked at everyone in the room, looking very pitiful.

As soon as she entered, she bowed deeply towards the direction of the head of the table, and with a sob in her voice, she began to say that her family was poor, her mother was seriously ill, and that she had been admitted to university, but now she might have to drop out because she could not afford the tuition.

Ma Changsheng immediately sighed, seemingly unintentionally saying, "Ah, what a good kid, what a pity. Comrade Pingfang is young and promising, and a graduate of a prestigious university. He understands the difficulties these poor students face, and he will definitely help them."

The envelope containing the money was still on the table when the girl in need of help appeared again.

This trap was meticulously set up.

The disciplinary official accompanying him immediately changed his expression. His hand holding the teacup froze, his eyes filled with shock. He instantly realized how insidious this trap was. Whether it was taking money or helping someone, as long as Chen Ping agreed tonight, all sorts of unpleasant rumors would circulate in the county tomorrow, and no amount of explanation would be able to clear his name.

The atmosphere in the private room suddenly became tense.

However, Chen Pingfang's expression did not change.

Without looking at the thick envelope on the table, he reached out and pushed it directly in front of the discipline inspection cadre next to him.

His tone was calm but firm: "Comrade, according to regulations, Party members and cadres cannot accept gifts that may affect the impartial performance of their duties. Please register and process this gift on my behalf."

One sentence left everyone stunned.

Ma Changsheng's smile froze on his face.

The smug expressions on the faces of Li Wei and Zhao An, who were standing next to him, disappeared, replaced by astonishment and embarrassment.

They had considered that Chen Pingfang might feign reluctance or hesitate, but they never expected him to be so direct, showing no mercy and exposing the matter in front of the disciplinary committee officials.

This move was completely unconventional.

Before anyone could react, Chen Ping turned around and looked at the female college student who was about to cry, his gaze softening considerably.

"Don't cry, classmate."

He was approachable and unpretentious, asking earnestly like a teacher, "Which university did you attend? What was your major?"

After clarifying the situation, he took out his wallet from his briefcase and pulled out two thousand yuan in cash—an amount that was in line with the personal income of a county magistrate, reasonable and justifiable, and no one could say anything about it.

He personally handed the money to the girl.

"Student, this is my personal donation to help you with your tuition. I hope it will help you through this difficult time. Study hard, and you will change your destiny through knowledge in the future."

After saying that, Chen Ping added another sentence, which shattered all of Ma Changsheng's plans.

"Our county government has special scholarships and subsidies for impoverished students. Tomorrow, go directly to the county education bureau and find Section Chief Zhang. Just tell him I sent you, and he will help you apply according to the proper procedures. Trust the organization and don't go down this kind of route."

His handling of the situation was clean and efficient.

He steered the matter back to proper channels in a dignified manner, thus averting the trap of seeking help through physical attractiveness.

In this way, Chen Ping dismantled the trap and turned it into proof of his efforts to help the people and uphold his principles.

Ma Changsheng was stunned.

He stared blankly at the young man before him, his mind a complete blank. His meticulously planned trap had been easily foiled, and had even turned into the other man's personal showcase.

This person is no young man; his methods are so sophisticated.

The dinner ended unhappily.

Chen Ping's impeccable response quickly spread within the small circle at the top of Qingyuan County, giving everyone a new perspective on him.

Late at night, in the county party secretary's office.

Ma Changsheng sat alone in the darkness, reviewing every detail of the banquet over and over again, his hands trembling slightly.

He realized that neither hard power tactics nor soft intrigues, these conventional official methods, were effective against Chen Pingfang.

He clenched his fists tightly, the last shred of reason in his eyes vanished, replaced by a fierce glint.

Since we cannot corrupt him, we cannot bring him down...

Then we'll detonate the debt mines that have been piling up in Qingyuan County for years, dragging everyone down with us, and causing us all to perish together!