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

Wang Weidong was dragged away, his unwilling roars still echoing in the corridor.

The entire third floor fell silent.

Everyone stared at the young man at the door, their expressions complex, and no one dared to utter a sound.

In just one day, the situation in Nanzhou changed completely.

The Party Secretary and Mayor Li Jianguo exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes. They quickly walked to Chen Pingfang's side, and the Party Secretary patted Chen Pingfang on the shoulder, saying in a complex tone, "Comrade Pingfang, you've worked hard."

Chen Ping bowed slightly, his face showing no sign of smugness, and calmly said, "Secretary, Mayor, these are all decisions made by the Provincial Party Committee. I am merely carrying them out."

In a single sentence, all the credit was pushed onto someone else.

Li Jianguo looked at Chen Pingfang with admiration. This young man had both courage and intelligence.

"Let the working group handle the rest of the work here," Li Jianguo said to Chen Pingfang after glancing at the chaotic scene. "Come with me."

……

It got dark, and the streetlights came on.

Li Jianguo's car didn't take Chen Ping back to his dormitory; instead, it drove directly into an old residential compound.

Li Jianguo did not hold any celebration banquet at the hotel.

His home is a two-bedroom apartment, simply furnished but very clean. Li Jianguo's wife is busy in the kitchen, and the aroma of food fills the air.

"Don't be shy, make yourself at home." Li Jianguo personally poured Chen Ping a cup of tea. "Today, we won't talk about work. It's a welcome dinner for you and to calm your nerves."

There were four home-style dishes and a soup on the table.

Li Jianguo's wife served Chen Ping a bowl of rice and said with a smile, "Try Auntie's cooking. Old Li has been talking about you for days, saying you're a capable and good kid."

"Thank you, sister-in-law," Chen Ping said politely as he took the bowl.

The meal was quiet and comfortable.

Li Jianguo didn't bring up the events of the day again, but chatted about everyday things and asked about Chen Pingfang's personal situation.

After the meal, Li Jianguo's wife cleared the dishes, while Li Jianguo called Chen Ping to the balcony.

"Wang Weidong's matter is just the beginning." Li Jianguo handed Chen Ping a cigarette, lit one for himself, and looked out at the night sky. He said slowly, "The people behind him are rooted in Nanzhou, but their connections extend to the province. Although you won today, you've also completely placed yourself on the opposite side of certain people."

Chen Ping didn't accept the cigarette; he just listened quietly.

"Governor Zhou values ​​you highly. This is your opportunity, but also a test." Li Jianguo exhaled a smoke ring. "The Coordination Center will face even greater pressure going forward. The Core Spark project is extremely important; any small matter will be magnified. The burden on your shoulders is heavier than before."

"I understand," Chen Pingfang nodded. "Being in this position means taking on this responsibility."

"It's good that you understand." Li Jianguo stubbed out his cigarette, turned around, and looked at him. "I invited you to my house for dinner today because I wanted to tell you one thing—in Nanzhou, go for it. If the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you."

This sentence is more important than any reward.

This means that Li Jianguo considers him a political ally.

Chen Pingfang gave Li Jianguo a deep look, then bowed solemnly: "Thank you, Mayor."

It was already nine o'clock in the evening when I came out of Li Jian's house.

The evening breeze, carrying the dampness of the river, dispelled the last trace of weariness from Chen Pingfang. He didn't take a taxi, but walked slowly along the riverbank.

He replayed the events of the day in his mind, knowing this was just the beginning. The Zhao family, which Wang Weidong mentioned last, particularly concerned him.

As he was lost in thought, a somewhat uncertain female voice came from behind him.

"Chen Pingfang?"

Chen Ping paused, then turned around.

Under a streetlamp not far away stood a woman in a beige trench coat. She was tall and had a great presence; her face was full of unexpected surprise.

Upon seeing the other person's face, Chen Pingfang was also stunned.

Memories of my university days suddenly flooded back.

"Su Qingwan?"

Su Qingwan laughed, her eyes crinkling. "It really is you. I thought I had mistaken you for someone else. I saw on the news that a formidable Director Chen had arrived in Nanzhou, but it turns out it's you, the academic superstar."

She was Chen Pingfang's college classmate, the undisputed beauty of the journalism department, and Chen Pingfang's unspoken crush during college.

"What are you doing here?" Chen Pingfang asked, somewhat surprised.

"I'm a reporter from the provincial newspaper. With all this commotion in Nanzhou lately, we've set up a special reporting team for the Corefire project, and I'm in charge." Su Qingwan walked to his side, side by side. "And you, our Director Chen, just finished the celebration banquet?"

Her tone was slightly teasing.

"I guess so," Chen Pingfang smiled. "It was just a casual meal at the leader's house."

The two chatted casually along the riverbank, talking about everything from fun times in college to their experiences after graduation. Su Qingwan is now an editor for the economics section of the provincial newspaper, while Chen Ping has been placed in a government agency.

"You seem to have changed at all." Su Qingwan turned her head to look at him. "Still so... fond of carrying everything on your own shoulders."

Chen Ping chuckled self-deprecatingly: "There's no way around it; in this position, you have to take responsibility."

That same phrase again.

Su Qingwan stopped and looked at the city lights reflected on the river. She said softly, "I've interviewed many entrepreneurs and officials, and they've said the same thing. But it feels different coming from you."

"What's the difference?"

"When they speak, their eyes are filled with power. When you speak," Su Qingwan turned her head to look at him, her eyes clear, "I see... your original intention."

Chen Ping's heart skipped a beat.

He never expected that after all these years, she would still understand him.

A river breeze blew by, ruffling Su Qingwan's hair. The atmosphere between the two had changed slightly.

After a moment of silence, Su Qingwan seemed to remember something, her smile faded, and her expression became serious.

"By the way, Chen Pingfang, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

"you say."

"As a journalist, I have my own sources of information."

Su Qingwan looked at him and lowered her voice: "Huajing Technology, the main domestic competitor of the Chipfire project, has been making a lot of moves lately. I received information that their senior executives recently had a secret meeting with a mysterious capital group at a place called Yunding Club in the provincial capital."

Chen Ping's expression changed instantly.

Huajing Technology is the biggest competitor of the Chipfire project.

Su Qingwan continued, her voice even lower, "That investor is said to have very powerful connections. I've only managed to glean one useful piece of information."

She paused, then spoke clearly, word by word.

"The one leading the group is surnamed Zhao."